29/12/2005

Drive range increases application flexibility with new, low-cost auxiliary power supply model - Aerotech have added a new product to its Soloist range of integrated drives for sinusoidally commutated, linear or rotary brushless servomotors, DC brushed and stepping motors. The Soloist MP is a low-cost, full-featured intelligent drive with 10 to 80 VDC bus voltage and a 10 A peak current capability, aimed at applications where the customer prefers to use an auxiliary power supply in place of the integral direct-on-line power supply found on the other Soloist integrated drives. This feature will particularly suit multi-axis applications where a combined power supply will reduce system cost and simplify distributed control applications.

Jim Pinto predicts - If you want to know trends for the next decade in the areas Society and Culture; Government & Politics; Science & Technology; Healthcare, Medicine & Pharmaceuticals; Work & Business, you could do worse than take a look at the 200th JimPinto.com eNews out on 28th December.

More accurate temperature calibration - Beamex has introduced the facility to support customized PRT (Pt) sensors and use them with MC5, MC5-IS and MC5P calibrators. When a PRT sensor is calibrated, it often has error compared to the nominal values. Now the MC5 can compensate this error enabling much more accurate temperature measurement using a PRT sensor connected to the MC5. All new MC5, MC5-IS and MC5P calibrators delivered after 1st of January 2006 have PRT option automatically installed, free of charge.

RoHS compliant versions available from next week! Artesyn has announced that its standard products will be available in RoHS compliant versions from January 1, 2006. The RoHS compliant versions (sometimes referred to as '6 of 6 compliant' or 'RoHS 6/6') will be designated with the suffix letter 'J' at the end of the part number. Artesyn's POLA parts are already 5/6 RoHS compliant (TSE RoHS), and RoHS 6/6 compliant versions are now available for production orders. For more details, refer to the product pop-up information windows on Artesyn's website which now indicate the RoHS compliance status and allow the Certificate of Compliance to be downloaded.

New industrial 8-port Ethernet switches feature redundant ring technology for high reliability - Acromag has just announced the EIS Series of industrial Ethernet 8-port switches. The top of the line EIS-408 model is web-managed and provides six 10/100Base-TX copper ports and two 100Base-FX fiber ports. On the unmanaged EIS-308, all eight ports are 10/100 copper. Both models feature self-healing redundant ring technology for high reliability. An economical unmanaged switch without redundancy, the EIS-308, is also available. All models include auto MDI / MDI-X crossover and auto-polarity; IEEE 802.3 and 802.3u compliance, IEEE 802.3x flow control on full-duplex, and back pressure on half-duplex. A rugged IP30 aluminum enclosure resists shock, vibration, and free-fall impacts. Other industrial-grade specs include -10 to 70°C operation, 1200V AC port-to-port isolation, redundant DC power inputs, and built-in RFI/EMI and surge/transient protection.

Partnership for plant performance solutions created - ExperTune and IPCOS have signed an agreement to provide best-in-class performance supervision and process optimization solutions for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.  The combination of IPCOS consultants applying ExperTune's best-in-class software will benefit many processing plants in the region.  IPCOS has more than 200 man-years experience in advanced control applications.  "ExperTune's software consistently wins awards for innovation and optimization."

New digital flowmeter introduced - Blue-White has introduced the New MICRO-FLO Digital Flowmeter. This new meter is Ideal for measuring flow on most metering pumps. Programmable units of measure are: Gallons (U.S.); Liters; Ounces; and Millimeters. Programmable time units are measured in: Minutes, Hours, or Days. The six digit LCD display has up to 4 decimal positions. Both rate of flow, and total accumulated flow are displayed. The MICRO-FLO features non-volatile programming and accumulated flow memory. The total reset function can be disabled to prevent tampering. Additional features include a clear PVC viewing lens or PVDF chemical resistant lens; weather resistant Valox PBT enclosure, NEMA 4x.
Blue White Industries support the Read-out Instrumentation Signpost with advertising on our home page

Innovative Real-time plant floor data client - SixNet is introducing the RemoteLog RTU and Datalogger, a solution for remote site management that will revolutionize the way you do business. The SixNet RemoteLog is a unique combination of RTU (Remote Terminal Unit), datalogger, real-time database client, and telemetry interface in one compact, installation-ready package. Some uses include unattended site monitoring which allows RemoteLog to be your night watchman. It is also good for energy management. Save money by monitoring energy usage and power demand in real-time. Or create a vendor managed inventory system that will monitor inventory without having to visit each site.

Wireless HART on accelerated path to completion - The HART Communication Foundation (HCF) announces significant progress in the development of technical standards for Wireless HART Communication. Several key decisions were made when the HCF Wireless HART Working Group met in Singapore (7-9 Nov). Discussions centered on mesh networking, frequency hopping, security/encryption, prototype test results and field trial experiences.
More on our Fieldbus News page

Direct die feeder - The Semiconductor Feeding Solutions Group of Hover-Davis, a leader in design and manufacturing of component delivery systems for the circuit board assembly industry, presents the latest addition of its Direct Die Feeding product line, the DDf Ultra. The DDf Ultra is capable of feeding a wide range of bare die and flip chips with high throughput, and can be mounted on almost every placement machine. As a complement to the DDf, which has been an industry leading die feeding solution for the past four years, the performance of DDf Ultra is optimized around the handling of small flip chips. Upon release, the DDf Ultra is capable of feeding die down to 0.5 mm sq. with a throughput exceeding 6,000 die/hour with smaller die sizes and higher throughputs planned.

Linux support extended to more than 200 devices - National Instruments has released its newest virtual instrumentation tools for Linux operating systems, including NI-DAQmx 8 driver software and new instrument drivers for modular instruments. These innovative products not only triple the number of NI devices for the Linux OS but also make it even easier for the growing number of global Linux OS users to take advantage of the benefits of virtual instrumentation, including increased productivity and lower system costs. These new products build on the release of the NI LabVIEW 8 graphical development platform, National Instruments powerful flagship software that now is fully supported on the Linux OS.

New industrial application server to increase productivity and lower lifecycle costs - Wonderware has announced the release of version 2.1 of its popular Industrial Application Server plant information and automation platform, further expanding the capabilities of the underlying ArchestrA technology.  Industrial Application Server 2.1 provides new features that enable application developers, system integrators and IT professionals to build powerful supervisory HMI, SCADA and production and performance management solutions that offer savings of up to 70 percent in total lifecycle costs. It also includes multiple engineering productivity enhancements including a new user-defined object template, advanced alarm filtering capabilities and an intuitive history-browsing environment. 
Wonderware has reported broad global adoption of the Industrial Application Server in more than 700 customer projects across dozens of industries worldwide.

Testing the Hope Diamond! - When the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC (USA) invited scientists from the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to study the optical properties of a suite of coloured diamonds, including the famous Hope Diamond, they called in Ocean Optics. Ocean Optics is a global leader in optical sensing technologies and the company's equipment made the many different tests on the diamonds possible.
Dr Roy Walters of Ocean Optics was part of a team who conducted spectroscopy tests on the 45.52 carats Hope Diamond, the Blue Heart Diamond (30.62 carats) and 239 other diamonds. Ocean Optics supplied a USB2000-FL spectrometer for most of the UV/VIS studies, a deuterium/quartz light source for excitation, single and 7 fibre bundles to illuminate and read, and a 732nm solid state laser and IR512 spectrometer for Raman studies.

THEY SAID IT Dec 2005 "No one is poohpoohing the claims, which means that they're realistic." Jim Pinto "Third world countries like Iraq and Afghanistan are . . . going straight to wireless." Tony Milne, Sales Manager, UK, Ireland and South Africa, Digi International "Cisco is committed to bringing Ethernet to the factory floor." Scott Westlake, Worldwide Manufacturing Industry Director, Cisco Systems "It will be significant but not a blockbuster." John Berra, President, Emerson Process Management ". . . with increasing experience with 'control in the field' the benefit of this function is in doubt." Edgar Küster, Chairman, Profibus International Don't miss this incisive commentary on automation every month!

Safe fieldbus - ProfiBus International (PI) has released PROFIsafe V2 mode for use on ProfiBus DP and ProfiNet IO. A uniform profile has been specified that is available for safety applications with ProfiBus and ProfiNet. The V2 mode is compatible with previously released versions profiles on ProfiBus DP limited V1 mode and permits mixed operation on ProfiBus networks.
More on our Fieldbus News page

Lightning-current and surge-arrester functions combined - DEHNventil from Dehn is an innovative protection component which combines the functions of a lightning-current arrester with those of a surge arrester. As a result, the new device offers an 'all in one' solution for all common types of power-supply systems with considerable savings in both cost and the size of the final installation. It acts as a Class B lightning-current arrester and a Class C surge arrester without the need for additional decoupling. It is compatible with Class C and D surge arresters in their RED/LINE family and directly with the 230 V terminal input.

New demonstration facility will help customers speed application development - Aerotech have added a new 50 m2 demonstration room to its training facilities in Aldermaston (GB), aimed at helping customers solve application problems and reduce system commissioning time. The purpose-built room is equipped with representative products from Aerotech's wide range of linear and rotary positioning and motion control systems as well as measurement equipment that will allow comprehensive evaluation in terms of precision, integration, production throughput and overall cost of ownership. Customers considering an automated positioning application or those awaiting the delivery of an Aerotech engineered solution will be able to evaluate mechanical technologies and develop application specific software. 

Sophisticated time saving features and security functionality are key performance enhancements to fully integrated solution - GE Fanuc has introduced Proficy Real-Time Information Portal v2.5 providing a web-based solution that integrates on-line and process-based systems with plant-wide connectivity, analysis and visualisation components. When combined with other elements of the Proficy Intelligent Production Solution products, metrics, such as equipment efficiency, quality and genealogy, can drive new levels of improvement. The new version offers a common web client and reporting environment for a fully integrated solution that maximises the value of their software applications, as well as data and content from other automation solution suppliers and legacy business systems.

Motor company conserves natural resources - When the largest automotive company in Sri Lanka instituted a "Rainwater Harvesting Project" it needed to ensure that the water, once treated, met international water test standards of suitability for usage. Water analysis specialist Palintest was able to meet the company's requirements by supplying a Photometer 5000 kit that ensures accurate analysis for all the essential quality tests. The David Pieris Motor Company is committed to conserving natural resources. At its Madapatha facility rain water and wash water is collected, purified and recycled for usage in compliance with Sri Lanka standards for potable water. The Palintest kit enables the company to accurately test the treated water for parameters such as chlorine, pH, hardness, iron and alkalinity.

Miniature pressure regulator is compatible with surface-mount instrumentation substrate standard - The Veriflo division of Parker Hannifin has launched a miniature pressure regulator for gas instrumentation applications that is compatible with the ANSI/ISA SP76.00.02 modular surface-mounting instrumentation standard. The new instrument - DM3000 - allows flow control systems for process or laboratory instrumentation to be constructed in extremely small spaces, and can be installed in minutes on any standard substrate such as Parker's IntraFlow(tm) product.

Restructuring of activities in the field of optical information and communications technology - In the future, the "LASER. World of Photonics" and "SYSTEMS" trade shows will be presenting the theme of optical information and communications technology. Products and applications for optical information and communications technology will form a new focal point at LASER. World of Photonics (June 2006). A new congress entitled "Next Generation Networking" is beginning within the framework of SYSTEMS 2006 (October 2006).

European busness nomination for shapely software company! - Curvaceous Software is being tipped for European success as they have been chosen to represent the UK in the prestigious European Business Awards for the Environment. The accolade comes as a result of Curvaceous' innovation in the European process industry. Curvaceous created a new technology called Geometric Process Control (GPC). GPC can be applied across the whole of the process industries, from oil refining and petrochemicals through to pharmaceuticals and food processing. GPC improves process efficiency and reduces costs of operations, thereby minimising energy usage and process emissions.
The European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE) recognise innovation and excellence in industry across Europe. Curvaceous were eligible for entry to the EBAE through their success at the recent ICHEME awards, where they won the AMEC Award for Innovation and Excellence in SMEs. Only RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) accredited awards can act as feeder schemes for UK businesses through to the EBAE.

Lock-picking job! - When lock manufacturer Kaba looked to boost production of its inline lock cylinders and door locks at its plant in Herzogenburg (A), without compromising quality, it turned to Mitsubishi for state-of-the art robotics. Importantly, the robots not only had to be capable of reliably handling the tiny lock components, they also had to be user-friendly enough to allow integration into the manufacturing systems by Kaba's own engineers. Kaba assessed the use of robotics for two important areas: the milling of the lock cores, and the brush finishing of the key blanks - a monotonous and time consuming task for the staff, yet one which needs to be carried out with absolute precision, every time.

Nanotechnology in the IR! - Now it is possible to automatically collect excitation/emission spectral matrices in the IR (up to 1700 nm) in a matter of minutes, instead of hours. The Horiba Jobin Yvon Fluorolog-3 accepts many types of detectors and gratings that make it ideal for the evolving demands of nanotechnology. Not only can you perform steady-state measurements, but phosphorescence lifetimes are possible with the optional phosphorimeter. All functions are fully automated, and a full line of accessories, including Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting, is available, no matter where your experiment takes you.

Supporting Da Vinci! - Innovative software solutions provider, MPC Data, announces that it will provide support for Texas Instruments (TI) new DaVinci technology in the EMEA region. The DaVinci technology is an integrated collection of hardware, software and tools that has been introduced by TI to enable quick and simplified development of highly compatible video applications. As a long-term partner of TI, MPC Data will fully embrace the platform to assist customers with the development of innovative solutions that bring out the best in their technology, while also getting products to market in the fastest possible time. "The DaVinci technology is the perfect choice for any company developing a display device. The platform's scalability, integration and compatibility allow the rapid development of products," says Frank Breeze, Commercial Operations Manager and primary DaVinci technology contact at MPC Data. "Every month a product is delayed in getting to market means developers lose a greater proportion of potential revenue. Using DaVinci technology will vastly simplify the design cycle and decrease challenges that often occur when using proprietary hardware and software."

2006 ­ the Year of Remote Data Collection? - Jekyll Electronic Technology is predicting that 2006 will see a huge surge in interest for remote data collection throughout industry. The company has been providing telemetry solutions for over 20 years and in 2005 has been particularly successful selling its solutions to environmental monitoring, industrial and processing companies as well as its core market ­ the utilities. "Now more than ever, companies are looking closely at costs." says Brian Wainwright, Sales Manager at Jekyll. "The key benefit of remote data collection is that not only is it reliable and cost-effective, but it saves companies time and money. With the rising cost of fuel and people's time being a valuable asset, the ability to collect data from remote locations over the communications network is extremely attractive to business."
The next issue of Read-out - Ireland's journal of Instrumentation and Control will highlight Wireless - contact info@read-out.net for further details

Paperless recorders offer enhanced functions - The latest additions to the Yokogawa DaqStation family of paperless recorders are the S120 versions of the DX100 and DX200 units, which offer a number of enhanced functions and new capabilities. The DX Series is a family of advanced data-acquisition stations which combine the capabilities of intelligent paperless recorders with powerful communications and networking capabilities. The units feature easy-to-read colour TFT displays: a 5.5-inch display for the DX100 and a 10.4-inch display for the larger DX200.

Embedded newsletter features new development and debugging tools - The latest edition of the Embedded Newsletter from Computer Solutions features several new microprocessor development and debugging tools. New products featured include fast USB interfaces for PowerPC and ColdFire development, along with complete debugging packages based on GCC, the All-100 universal and gang programmer with USB interface, several new CAN and LIN interface products, and the Ellisys Explorer 300 Wireless USB analyser. Also featured is an extension to Comsol's web site that allows an engineer to perform a parametric search on a database containing over 1,000 8051 CPU specifications.

New standards published - The Interest Group (IG) CANopen has released some additional CANopen specifications to be published free-of-charge on the web site of CAN in Automation (CiA). This includes the CANopen device profile for medical device collimators (CiA 412 series) and the Ethernet-to-CANopen gateway specification (CiA 309 series). In addition the IG CANopen has released several specifications accessible only for CiA members.

Micropower, ultra-sensitive Hall-effect switch with reverse output - New from Allegro MicroSystems Europe, the A3211 micropower, ultra-sensitive Hall-effect switch IC features an inverted output compared with the company's established A3212 device. The combination of a 2.5-3.5 V operating voltage range and a unique clocking scheme reduce the average operating power requirement to less than 15 microWatt with a 2.75 V supply. Unlike other Hall-effect switches, either a north or south pole of sufficient strength will turn the output on.

Stainless steel namur & body ported pilot valves for corrosive and hazardous environments - ASCO Joucomatic's new 551 series of stainless steel (316L) valves has been developed for use in corrosive and hazardous environments in the petrochemical, process, chemical, oil and gas and food industries. ATEX approved for all categories including 1GD (zones 0/20) and/or SIL level 4, the marine grade (316L) stainless steel valves are particularly suited to piloting process actuators in hazardous areas, both on and offshore.

Improved accuracy and faster product change-over improve productivity and efficiency in small dose cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food packaging The new Micro Motion 1500 Filling and Dosing Transmitter from Emerson Process Management offers a unique solution for precise control of the filling process. Using Micro Motion Coriolis sensors, the Model 1500 integrates easily into the machine control system and directly controls pumps and valves. The integrated system simplifies the batch delivery control loop, eliminating the need for separate controllers, resulting in removal of communication time delays, and improved fill accuracy and response time. The system is part of an initiative to help cosmetic, food and life science manufacturers improve efficiency.

New program offerings, enhanced pricing and support benefits to VARs and OEMs - Wonderware has announced the launch of new program offerings for value-added resellers (VAR) and original equipment manufacturers (OEM). Their VAR/OEM Program is designed to provide Wonderware VARs and OEMs special pricing, purchasing and support options to enhance their sales efforts in the industrial and manufacturing automation market space. Structured in a multi-tiered framework, the Wonderware VAR/OEM Program builds progressive levels of technology and business benefits corresponding to VAR or OEM demonstrated commitment to Wonderware technical certifications and product purchase volumes. The program enables VARs and OEMs to achieve the maximum benefits offered by Wonderware's innovative software solutions, which are backed by award-winning technical support and a certified training program

Good things come in small parcels! - S+S Inspection has launched an X-ray inspection system specifically for small products. The new RAYCON XS is only 1300 mm long making it easy to integrate into existing packing lines but incorporates the same technology and image processing as the larger machine. With throughput of up to 400 units per minute, the RAYCON XS is a cost effective solution to the inspection of small packs of butter, cheese, instant soups and other powder mixes, meat and sausages, even when aluminium foil or metallised film packaging is used.

Ultrafast diode array UV/Vis spectrophotometer boosts kinetics measurements - Lambda Advanced Technology has announced the availability of the S-600 diode array UV/Vis spectrophotometer in Britain. This versatile instrument from Analytik Jena AG offers extremely fast analysis and an open-architecture sample compartment that accommodates a wide range of sample holders and accessories. The use of a diode array detector ensures very fast analysis and a complete spectrum over the entire 190 ­ 1024 nm wavelength range can be acquired in 12 milliseconds. This makes the instrument ideally suited to fast kinetics measurements, especially when full data sets are required for in-depth studies.

New guy in south west of England - ProMinent Fluid Controls has appointed Jamie Wright to the British sales team. Jamie is working in the South Western area of England. In addition to developing new business and new market opportunities, Jamie will be assuming responsibility for all existing customers and for sales of ProMinent's full range of water treatment products to water companies, OEMs and end users.

New collaboration strategy announced - At ISA Expo 2005 last October the WBF (The Forum for Automation and Manufacturing Professionals) and MESA (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) International jointly announced a new collaboration strategy created to leverage the collective strengths and knowledge of both organizations and provide their members with access to an expanded resource of technical knowledge, white papers, technical documents and educational opportunities. Both organizations are highly focused on software interoperability standards, such as ISA 88/95 and associated technology. Together, MESA and WBF provide a wealth of experience and forward-looking concepts that can help manufacturers understand and apply these standards. Members from both organizations have indicated strong levels of support for this initiative.
For this and other news of this show see ourISA Expo 2005 Review

Valves for constant flow In gradient mixing and diverting applications - Flow control specialist Bio-Chem Valve has developed a range of compact, space-saving valves for precision gradient mixing and diverting applications. The miniature, manifold mounted solenoid valves are available in the UK and Europe from Omnifit They simulate a constant flow by rapid cycling, and dispense gradients from multiple fluid streams in precise, repeatable volumes.

Reduce tipping while shipping - TiltWatch is an innovative system from Lamerholm Electronics that helps to ensure sensitive products are kept in an upright position while being shipped. With a simple one-step application, the device is automatically armed when the adhesive backing is removed and once stuck onto the package cannot be reset. The indicator on the label will change to red if shipments are tilted over 80°.

Power Quality Analyzer is the first to offer Class-A accuracy, synchronization and GPS time registration - LEM Instruments, the Austria-based manufacturer of professional test tools for electrical equipment and installations, has enhanced its high-end Topas Power Quality Analyzer. The new Topas 2000 offers IEC 61000-4-30 Class-A compliance for accuracy up to 0.1% and synchronization to power frequency and GPS time registration. It is the first instrument of its type to do this, and test results can be acknowledged as evidence in contractual applications and legal disputes.
Fluke Corporation acquired LEM Instruments in June 2005.

New USB device for I2C and SPI communication - National Instruments has released a new USB device for use with inter-integrated circuit (I2C) and serial peripheral interface (SPI) communication devices. Engineers and scientists can use the new NI USB-8451 interface with NI LabVIEW software to easily create programs to test, validate and program devices such as analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs) and EEPROMs. Because the module operates on the USB bus, it offers plug-and-play setup and is ideal for use in close proximity to the system components.

Breakthroughs demonstrating FUSI as a leading candidate for integration of Hf-based dielectrics with metal gates for (sub)-45nm. - On Wednesday's IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, IMEC announces a simple CMOS integration scheme of a NiSi gate for NMOS and a Ni2Si gate for PMOS on HfSiON with simultaneous 2-step silicidation. The potential of this novel integration process has been proven with ring oscillator demonstration. Alternative FUSI approaches such as adding Yb to Ni FUSI allowed further tuning of the work function to lower Vt, enabling dual gate CMOS technologies based on FUSI for (sub)-45nm. "We are pleased that over the last 2 years we've made considerable progress within our core program on one of the major bottlenecks in scaling CMOS beyond 45nm," said Luc Van den hove, Vice President Silicon Process and Device Technology at IMEC. "Some concerns are still remaining such as thermal stability, reliability and process control but the results show that FUSI is a leading candidate for successful integration of Hf-based dielectrics with metal gate electrodes for (sub)-45nm."

Dedicated CNC control specifically to meet the needs of press machine manufacturers - GE Fanuc Automation has announced a new CNC control specifically designed for press machine manufacturers. The control offers the productivity of a mechanical press with the formability of hydraulics as well as the added benefits of a simpler system, with higher precision and power saving capabilities that is environmentally friendly.

Company refocuses image on its established, flagship product brand name - ITA Holdings, Inc. (formerly Axeda Systems Inc.) has announced that, following the sale of its device relationship management (DRM) assets to privately held Axeda Corporation, its subsidiary companies in France, the Netherlands, the UK and Israel (collectively referred to as its IT solutions for Automation or ITA Group) will be operated as a standalone business unit named Wizcon Systems. The Wizcon Systems business unit develops and sells the Wizcon Supervisor (formerly Axeda Supervisor) line of products into worldwide industrial automation markets.

Wireless AMR solutions for China - Coronis Systems (F), a specialist in wireless network solutions, has been chosen by HowDeep Tech Co a leading provider of metering solutions in China, to provide wireless solutions for gas metering. The initial phase of the contract involves equipping 50,000 residents in Yichang, in the Hubei province of China, with a wireless automatic meter-reading (AMR) system. This is the first large-scale industrial contract in China for Coronis.

IR thermometer for high temperature applications - The new Convir Thermosight HT handheld infrared thermometer from Calex Electronics offers unprecedented levels of performance for high temperature applications, including those involving metals, concrete, clay and bricks. With a temperature range from 250ºC to 1800ºC and an accuracy of 0.75%, the Thermosight HT is ideal for measuring the hottest targets when accuracy is crucial. One of the most important features of the new Thermosight HT is the spectral range at which it operates, from 1.45 to 1.7µm. These are ideal wavelengths to use for measuring high temperatures as they correspond to the peak energy emission for these temperatures, enabling the HT to provide its very high 0.75% accuracy. This short wavelength response is also ideal for measuring metals, because at shorter wavelengths their emissivity values increase, helping to reduce the errors to which other infrared units can be prone.

Distributor appointed for Ireland - Contemporary Controls has just announced the appointment of DataLink Communications as an Irish Distributor. With local inventories and product support DataLink Communications is ideally placed to service the needs of our Irish customers base.
DataLink Communications supports the Signpost with an advertisement on the home page

Intrinsically safe true-rms multimeter introduced - Fluke has extended its growing line of intrinsically safe products for use in explosive environments. The company has introduced an intrinsically safe version of the widely used Fluke 87V true-rms Digital Multimeter (DMM). The new Fluke 87V Ex is specifically designed for measurement and troubleshooting in industries such as petrochemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, oil exploration and refining, and other hazardous environments where the release of excessive static electricity, sparks or mechanical friction could cause ignition of flammable gas, vapour or material.

New 4 and 8 channel temperature control modules - VIPA have launched a new range of temperature control modules for demanding processing applications. For direct use with Siemens S7-300 PLC's or with their own System 300V, the 4 and 8 channel modules have been developed in conjunction with Gossen Metrawatt. The new FM355/R355 range is conveniently added to the S7-300 or VIPA System 300V via the standard backplane bus and parameter set-up and configuration is by means of the 355Config software tool which allows programming from the main CPU with SIMATIC Manager or with VIPA's WinPLC7. Configuration is also possible using the built in RS232 interface from a PC. Parameter storage is held in the main CPU allowing ease of field replacement and system scalability.

New Executive Director for instrument and automation body - Don Zee, President of ISA, announced the hiring of Patrick Gouhin as Executive Director. At a special meeting of ISA's Executive Board today, the Board accepted Gouhin's nomination from its Search Committee and appointed him to the position. Gouhin will join ISA on 3 January 2006.
Gouhin is currently Chief Operating Officer of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). In his 15-year tenure with AIAA, he was responsible for developing organizational strategies; launching numerous new ventures; enhancing the effectiveness of publishing, training, and student programs; and conceiving strategic marketing and communications programs.

More than 25 BACnet devices from 14 Vendors successfully run BACnet/IP demonstrating multi-vendor Interoperability - "There is no doubt that BACnet/IP can meet any Building Automation requirements after the multi-vendor demonstration at the BACnet Conference & Expo (October Nashville (USA)," Joe Stasiek, Sales Manager for Contemporary Controls commented. The demonstration was powered by Contemporary Controls cabling and Ethernet switches. Contemporary Controls is a major supplier of BACnet and Ethernet networking hardware in the BAS industry. With over 30 years experience the company has a full line of Ethernet switch products supporting BACnet/IP.
Jon Williamson, the Marketing Chairman of the BACnet Manufacturers Association (BMA) commented: "The interoperability demo put BACnet to the test, BACnet passed with flying colors. Never before could so many products from so many vendors interoperate with so little time for setup and configuration. We started with nothing and within a few hours, 14 vendors demonstrated the power of BACnet and its five interoperable areas in action (data sharing, scheduling, alarming, trending, and device management)."

Industrial wireless Ethernet radio modem - Westermo Data Communications announce the release a stand-alone industrial radio modem that offers both a long range and high reliability when connecting 10/100 BaseT Ethernet networks wirelessly. The ELPRO 805U-E is an ideal solution for industrial Ethernet connections in both process control and factory automation applications such as PLC's, DCS, SCADA, data acquisition and wireless video. The module uses 869MHz unlicensed radio technology, offering a data rate of up to 77 Kbits/sec, to provide excellent penetration in congested industrial environments with a range of over 500 metres through buildings, factory walls and steelwork. It is suitable for both long and short-range applications, with a maximum range of up to 5km. A repeater function can increase the range even further.

Supply agreement signed - A supply agreement with FMC Technologies in Houston (USA) for Cormon's PTEC range of subsea sensors has been signed. Typically deployed on subsea wellhead and manifold piping, the equipment plays a significant role in the flow assurance programme for subsea production units, helping to reduce operating costs and extend equipment life.
The agreement acknowledges that the products meet FMC's technical qualification criteria for western hemisphere subsea projects and will run for an initial period of three years with options thereafter. A significant step in the qualification process was the successful completion of contract to supply PTEC sensors to FMC for the Greater Plutonio project in West Africa.

Device type manager drivers gain new certification - There are an increasing number of universal operating systems for field device commissioning and diagnostics - FDT 'Field Device Tool" software. In August 2002, VEGA were the first company to introduce the Device Type Managers, the device files to operate with these FDT 'suites', to the FDT 1.2 standard. Now, with rapid growth in FDT/DTM technology as experience and acceptance is gained, many Systems manufacturers are integrating FDT/DTM capability and users are appreciating the freedom, universality and simplicity of the software too.
Founded in 2003, the FDT Group has now over 40 member companies. With so many manufacturers introducing DTMs to the market, it is important to audit the quality of the DTMs with an official test procedure. The FDT group has developed a standardised certification scheme and VEGA were among the first companies to undergo this process.

Actuator on the up and up! - A new form of linear actuator has been developed by Hoerbiger-Origa that provides highly dynamic vertical motion of loads. Based on the belt-drive principle, the OSE-BV is designed so that the carriage is fixed and the cylinder moves – the reverse of the usual configuration. The load is most likely to be positioned at the lower end of the cylinder, although other locations are easily accommodated, and may for instance be a gripper jaw, such as used in a small parts pick and place robot.

Module provides functionality of four modules in one, resulting in reduced rack space, spare parts and wiring - GE Fanuc Automation has introduced a Universal Analog Input module for its PACSystems RX3i controller, offering the functionality of four modules in one, reducing I/O module space requirements, decreasing the number of spare parts and inventory, simplifying wiring and configuration, and reducing troubleshooting time. The new module provides unprecedented flexibility and cost savings for the user or OEM. It is the first I/O module taking advantage of the high-speed RX3i PCI bus providing fast data throughput which results in higher productivity. It can easily be configured on a per channel basis for Thermocouple, Strain Gage, RTD, voltage or current.

Industrial connector modules provide USB and FireWire interfaces - Two new modules have been introduced to the Harting Han Modular industrial connector family to provide fast and easy interfacing to high-speed USB and FireWire bus systems.

New USB DAQ Accepts Thermocouples, PT100, Voltas and 4-20mA loops - The myPCLab USB data acquisition unit from Audon Electronics accepts thermocouples, PT100 temperature probes, Volts and 4-20mA loops. It is a very compact Data Acquisition tool which connects to a PC via a USB port and monitors two universal analogue inputs, accepting thermocouples, Pt100, Voltages and 4-20mA current loops along with one digital input. Sampling rate can be up to 128 samples per second and ADC resolution is user adjustable from 11 to 15 bits. There is built-in thermocouple and PT100 linearisation and automatic thermocouple cold-junction compensation.

Design of oil industry technical training rigs for new Qatar Technical College - Emerson Process Management has taken a key role in helping Feedback Instruments of East Sussex (GB), deliver customised technical training for gas and oil field processes used in the Gulf, for a new technical college based in Qatar, established with sponsorship from the Emir, HE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saud Al Thani. Feedback Instruments has a worldwide reputation for student training systems, used in colleges, universities and in apprentice training schools in many industries; included are process training systems to simulate liquid transfer systems, heating systems, pH control loops and pressurised systems. Feedback Instruments won a major contract for the supply of technical teaching aids, with full documentation, to enable CNA-Q, the College of the North Atlantic ­ Qatar to establish a new oilfield technician training course within a year.

Software company joins MES body - Wonderware has appointed Claus Abildgren to the board of directors of the Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) International, a non-profit organization promoting the exchange of best practices, strategies and innovations to achieve plant-floor execution excellence. In particular, MESA offers practical solutions using manufacturing execution systems (MES) that include a combination of information, business, manufacturing and supply chain technologies.
Wonderware products are sold and supported in the UK and Ireland by Pantek