New system summary brochure covers an extensive range of automation solutions - VIPA, designer and manufacturer of modular automation solutions have introduced a new 40 page system summary covering its System 100V, 200V, 300V, 300S, and 500S PLC and PC based controllers along with information on software, HMI's and accessories. Available in hard copy or as a downloadable PDF from the website, this new information resource will give automation system designers an invaluable overview of VIPA's extensive range of centralised and decentralised control systems that may be programmed with Step7 from Siemens and have pin compatibility with Siemens S7-300, controllers and components.
VIPA's automation range offers modular DIN rail and PC slot mounting solutions with performance levels and application suitability from small and simple machine control to extremely complex process control capability. For ultimate performance, VIPA's System 300S and 500S PLC's feature the new SPEED7-CPU - the fastest rail mounted Step7 programmable controller in the world - with a minimum cycle time of just 100 É s, and with full support for the Siemens' STEP7 instruction set plus a scalable memory from 64K to 16Mb.

Machining point control utilizing acceleration rate sensor controls machine vibration at tool tip - GE Fanuc Automation has announced the availability of an enhancement to the company's servo system, Machining Point Control, to detect and control machine vibration at the machining point. Machining Point Control's Acceleration Rate Sensor Unit simultaneously detects the acceleration rate at the machine of three axes. Output of the unit is rapidly taken into account by the CNC servo loop through the standard separate detector interface unit. The servo system software then uses the detected acceleration rate to control the motor's motion to reduce vibration, stabilizing the machine at the tool tip and enabling precision machining and quick positioning.

Jobs day in Munich - Analytica 2006, which is being held in Munich from April 24 ­ 28, is the career platform for the analysis, laboratory technology and biotechnology sector. The last day of the fair will feature an extensive program of events that will give participants an up-to-date look at the current job market, help them make personal contacts with exhibitors and given them tips on optimizing their job applications. Job Day on April 28th includes "Career Day@Analytica" at the Analytica Forum, a "tour de job" and Analytica Students' Day. In addition, the latest job openings will be posted at three job exchanges during the entire week of the fair.
Analytica, which includes the Analytica Conference, is the leading European trade fair for analysis, laboratory technology, biotechnology and the life sciences, high-tech laboratory automation and data and process management. It is held in Munich, the leading trade-fair venue and business location in the world.

Important contract signed - FISO Technologies, manufacturer of high-quality fiber optic sensors and measurement systems for challenging applications, has recently been awarded an important contract by Schlumberger Technology. FISO's UMI signal conditioner, FOP pressure sensor and FOT-L temperature sensor will be used for coiled tubing activities, an important segment of the oil and gas market. The challenge lies mainly on integrating the fiber optic sensors within impressive depths and efficiently measuring pressure and temperature, the fundamental parameters to monitor oil fields. Coiled tubing enables relatively complex intervention techniques to be applied safely under live well conditions. It consists of lowering a pipe into the well to perform various operations such as pumping fluids, manipulating downhole tools, running logs and even drilling.

New plug-in speeds digital reconstruction and quality inspection - Geomagic, provider of digital shape sampling and processing (DSSP) software and services, announces support for Steintek's MobileScan3D automated scanner system. The new plugin provides real-time processing and visualization of physical objects as they are captured by the MobileScan3D scanning system. The free plugin, available directly from Steintek, is fully integrated with Geomagic Qualify computer-aided inspection and Geomagic Studio digital reconstruction software.

Educational scholorship winners announced - The Fieldbus Foundation today announced the 2006 recipients of the James O. Gray-Fieldbus Foundation Educational Scholarship. The program honors the memory of James (Jim) O. Gray, a long-time leader in the Fieldbus Foundation who died in 2002. It establishes a perpetual $250,000 endowment fund providing awards to eligible students studying industrial automation.
The 2006 scholarship recipients include:
Dinh Quang Lam, Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore
Gias Ahmed, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Shawn Loonam, Lee College, Baytown, Texas, USA.

New guided wave radar level transmitter for tough bulk solids measurement applications - ASI Instruments, a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art level instrumentation for detection and measurement of dry bulk solids, today announced the WaveTrak 5200 guided wave radar level transmitter. A state-of-the-art, two-wire, loop powered device, the WT5200 is designed for challenging bulk solids measurement applications. The transmitter is unaffected by dust or feed flow, accurately measuring the level of materials with dielectric constants as low as 1.3, such as plastic pellets, or fly ash. The WT5200 features an integrated graphic display for quick and easy viewing of waveform screens. A concentric waveguide directs the radar signal, alleviating beam spread problems and echoes from tank walls and internal structures. The easy-to-follow setup menu supports a wide range of languages to speed deployment around the world.

Automation solutions for North American refineries and oil sands facilities - Suncor Energy and Emerson Process Management, announced today a seven year agreement that names Emerson as Suncor's supplier for automation products, solutions, and services for capital projects at new and existing North American facilities.
Suncor Energy is a growing integrated energy company strategically focused on developing Canada's Athabasca oil sands. The company's oil sands operations, located near Fort McMurray, Alberta, are supported by businesses that provide exploration and production of natural gas and renewable energy, energy marketing and refining. Suncor's growth plans target production capacity of 500,000 to 550,000 barrels per day in 2010 to 2012.

New alliance - Curvaceous Software announce the forming of an alliance with Control Specialists Ltd. Award winning Geometric Process Control (GPC) technology uses software applications such as Visual Explorer (CVE) and Process Modeller (CPM) to solve difficult manufacturing problems. As Registered Consultants, Control Specialists have the full support of Curvaceous and can now assist users in getting the most out of this ground-breaking technology.

ISA EXPO 2006

Web search engine lets users match microcontrollers to their exact needs - Computer Solutions has added a powerful self-selection search capability to its Micro-Search web-based 8051 microcontroller database, allowing users to specify in detail those features they require in a micro for their application.

PXI digitiser receives highest honour from Test & Measurement World - The readers of Test & Measurement World have voted the National Instruments PXI-5922 flexible-resolution digitiser the 2006 Test Product of the Year. This is the second Test & Measurement World honour for the digitiser, after it was named a Best in Test winner in December. Released in March 2005, the digitiser extends the industry-standard PXI platform with measurement capabilities that exceed the performance of high-end traditional instruments.

Low cost alternative to secondary ultrasonic or radar instruments provides measurement continuity in aggressive environments - Emerson Process Management has announced a new range of Mobrey magnetic level gauges for the process industries. Based on proven magnetic float technology, the robust Mobrey gauges provide reliable level measurement of all liquids - including aggressive or toxic - without the need for an external power source. As a result, plant engineers can continue to monitor hazardous materials despite planned or un-planned power cuts.

"Make Your Own" 5-port Managed Switch - Sixnet have introduced a brand new 5-port managed Ethernet switch, perfect for OEM applications. OEMs can use the new ET-5MS-OEM-2 board to create their own Ethernet Switch, by adding packaging, a power supply and connectors. Or they can embed this super compact board (3.5" x 2.5" /8.9 x 6.4 cm) directly into their existing product or system to add powerful Ethernet connectivity. The ET-5MS-OEM-2 is fully industrial rated for operation from - 40 to + 75°C and low power, drawing less than 2 Watts.

New division features industrial networking solutions - The Harting Technology Group has established a new division known as Industrial Communications & Power Networks (ICPN) Division. The new division builds on their established expertise in industrial interconnection systems to provide a complete range of solutions fo communications and control in the industrial automation and process control environments.

Mobile communication tester is fast, accurate and offers futureproof flexibility - The new Yokogawa VC3300 mobile communication tester is a high-end WCDMA/GSM mobile phone tester that is very fast, highly accurate, compact and easy to use. It also has an architecture that will allow easy migration to future mobile phone functionality. The new tester is designed for applications in the repair, RF tuning and final testing of mobile phones, and is targeted at the mobile phone production and high-end mobile phone repair markets, for which its combination of features and functionality offers an excellent price/performance ratio.

Eight-channel constant-current LED driver IC with open LED detection - The new A6278 from Allegro MicroSystems Europe is an 8-channel constant-current latched LED driver integrated circuit incorporating an open LED detection capability, allowing the user to quickly identify system problems. The A6278 is a BiCMOS device which includes an 8-bit CMOS shift register, accompanying data latches, and eight n-p-n constant-current sink drivers. The new device is available in several package options and with different levels of allowable package power dissipation.

48v power supplies for all performance classes - The Quint Power 48V/20A power supply is now available from Phoenix Contact for single-phase supply networks, expanding its comprehensive range of special voltages for universal industrial applications . The output voltage can be adjusted freely between 30 and 56 V DC, depending on the respective application. With the Power Boost power reserve, the devices supply 22.5 A of output current. Loads with high levels of inrush current can be reliably started, while device short circuits trip secondary fuses with high levels of short-circuit current.

New cylinder pressure sensor for marine diesel engines - Kistler has introduced a new version of its successful Type 6613C cylinder pressure sensor specifically for slow running, marine propulsion engines. The Type 6613CB21 sensor/charge amplifyer combination has a very low cut-off frequency making it ideal for high precision cylinder pressure monitoring at operating speeds from 30 rpm. The 2-wire current output charge amplifier, allowing the output signal to be transmitted over long distances, and 200 bar measuring range making the Type 6613CB21 suitable for most marine applications.

Powerful new safety drive - Achieving the highest standards of worker safety and increasing production efficiency don't have to be mutually exclusive goals. By integrating safety features directly into its PowerFlex AC Drive products, Rockwell Automation enables manufacturers to maximise safety and productivity. Now, Rockwell Automation extends its range of Safe-off drives by offering the DriveGuard safety solution as an option on the PowerFlex 700S AC Drive. Fully compliant with EN954-1 Category 3, the Safe-off feature of the DriveGuard solution disables the motor and hence the driven machine's ability to move, until it is deemed safe to do so.

Two new additions to range of materials testing machines - Lloyd Instruments is delighted to announce two new additions to its highly successful range of Plus Series materials testing machines. The new LR100KPlus and LR150KPlus extend the range to 9 models with capacities from 1kN to 150kN. The floor-standing LR100KPlus and LR150KPlus can measure forces of up to 100kN and 150kN respectively, and offer extended test speeds, better resolution, greater accuracy, improved data sampling rates and higher data storage than previous models.

8 Port Video Switch - The VS-881 8 Port Infrared Video Switch from Interface Products is a modern control unit that permits convenient display of video output of eight separate computer systems on a single monitor, or via a multimedia projector, thereby eliminating the unnecessary expense of purchasing a separate monitor for each computer. The VS-881 is perfect for corporate presentations, company briefings and institutional learning centers.

Attending show - The latest company to tell us that they are exhibiting at mtec next week isFiso Technologies. See their comments and other exhibitors on our mtec Review.

Portable infrared thermometers set new high temperature standard - Cyclops portable infrared thermometers have been setting the industry standard for non-contact temperature measurement of high temperature targets for over two decades, and the new Cyclops 100 portable infrared thermometers from temperature specialists Land Instruments move that industry standard higher. Two models are available - Cyclops 100 and Cyclops 100B. Both thermometers provide wired RS232C serial communications. Cyclops 100B also features enhanced connectivity using user-friendly Bluetooth wireless communications.

Strengthening semis and emech marketing! - Abacus Polar has appointed Glenn Jarrett to the newly created position of marketing director with responsibility for Semiconductors and Electromechanical products. Commenting on the appointment, Martin Brooks said, "Glenn's experience in technical distribution and management skills make him a valuable addition to the Abacus Polar Management team."

Updated fieldbus specifications - The busy Fieldbus Foundation (FF) people tell us that an updated version of its specifications is now available. The new specification defines features that enhance fieldbus functionality and provide additional incentives for automation equipment suppliers to get on the "Fast Track to Fieldbus."

Cutting upgrade costs at fruit processor - The exceptional measurement range and low pressure differential of Krohne's OptiMass Coriolis mass flowmeter has enabled a leading American fruit processor to almost halve the number of flowmeters it expected to install as part of an upgrade of its plant in California. While planning the upgrade the fruit processor investigated the options available for accurately measuring the flow of bulk concentrates used in the manufacture of its products. Because the flow rate of the concentrate can vary substantially during production, the best solution presented from the company's previous supplier was to install two flowmeters for each production process; one to measure low and the other high flow rates.
During initial trials of the OPTIMASS, engineers working for the fruit processor found that because the pressure differential was much less than the units that had previously been installed, they could use a smaller instrument than they had envisaged. This also enabled the company to further reduce costs.

Award - Plant Engineering Magazine has named New Standard Institute's Machine Vibration Basics program as Product of the Year - Grand Award Winner. The award is based on votes received from subscribers and will be presented at a black-tie dinner during the National Manufacturing Week Convention in Chicago this March.

Total RoHS compliance - The Harting Technology Group has achieved compliance with the RoHS directive on virtually all its electrical and electronics connector ranges: well ahead of the directive coming into force on the 1st July 2006.

New District Sales Manager for Scotland and North East England appointed - National Instruments has appointed John Wootton as District Sales Manager for Scotland and North East England.  With more than 21 years of experience in the Test and Measurement industry, John has gained expert knowledge as a Test Development Engineer working for Marconi Instruments, Thales Optronics and Raytheon Systems Limited.  Prior to joining NI, he held a number of roles at Agilent Technologies, including Business Development Manager.

First agreement of its kind provides certified training - The Fieldbus Centre at Lee College, a National Science Foundation (NSF) recognized and funded institution, today announced an agreement with Westlock Controls to train their sales professionals on the basics of Foundation fieldbus. This is the first such agreement between an FF-certified training center and major automation equipment supplier.
More on our Fieldbus News page

Agenda announced - Still on fieldbus news, The Fieldbus Foundation today announced the agenda for its 2006 General Assembly, to be held at the Ritz Carlton Portman Hotel in Shanghai, China, from February 28-March 1. This year's event, themed, "Compliance, Confidence, Credibility," will address the needs of the expanding FF market in China and Asia/Pacific, and will feature end user presentations, technical training workshops, and tabletop product exhibits.

New software aids switching regulator design - Now available from Allegro MicroSystems Europe is STR-CAD Design Aid software: an easy-to-use design tool which allows users to develop cost-effective switch-mode power-supply designs using the STR series of switching-regulator integrated circuits from Sanken Electric Company, Ltd. - Allegro's parent company.

Newsletter issued after long gap - A new SPLat Happenings newsletter is now available on their website. This is their first newsletter in 14 months!

Increased oil exploration boosts glass scintillator sales - Scintillation specialist, Applied Scintillation Technologies (AST) has seen sales for its glass scintillator detectors for neutron porosity logging applications rise by 300 % over the past year. Neutron porosity logging of oil-bearing is a well-established technique in oil exploration. The search for new oil reserves not only means the identification of new oil fields, but ensuring the fullest use of existing oil fields. This has led to increased use of detection systems as the absolute extremities of current oil fields are mapped to ensure maximum extraction.

TEM Comes To Europe - The PC-controlled H-9500 transmission electron microscope (TEM) from Hitachi High-Technologies is now available in Europe. Designed for rapid sample throughput, the H-9500 forms part of Hitachi's family of sample preparation and inspection tools, with specimen holders, which are completely interchangeable with the FB-2100 focused ion beam instrument and the HD-2300 STEM. Samples prepared in the FB-2100 can be transferred directly into the H-9500.

New infrared first - The Testo 845 Infrared Thermometer offers a unique innovation in the world of infrared temperature measurement ­ the ability to 'switch' between close focus and far distance optics. By moving a simple slide switch the Testo 845 can be used to measure:
- Far distances: the Testo 845 is equipped with 75:1 optics for measurements at distance. The thermometer marks the object to be measured with a laser cross to ensure that the actual position and diameter of the measurement point are identifiable during the measurement.
- Close focus: the Testo 845 features a 2 point laser to mark the measurement point exactly. At very close range the instrument can take accurate measurements of very small objects - at a distance of 70mm the Testo 845 measures a spot of just 1mm diameter.

Optical systems - Precision-Optical Engineering (P-OE) has completed a contract awarded by the Simulation, Training & Support division of Lockheed Martin UK Ltd. The work involved the optical design of a range of simulator systems to be used in the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT) facilities located in the UK and Germany. The CATT facilities employ a networked suite of simulators for armoured vehicles.

Coriolis meter offers value and performance in a compact package for high-pressure applications - Emerson Process Management brings added high-pressure capability to the Micro Motion F-Series compact Coriolis meter line. Rated to 5000 psi (345 bar), this new Micro Motion F-Series meter offers customers flow and density measurement in demanding, high-pressure environments at flow rates up to 300 lb/min (8160 kg/h). This new solution expands the capability of the Micro Motion F-Series compact design, while expanding the power of the Emerson PlantWeb digital plant architecture to improve manufacturing quality.
Previously, flowmeters may have required the addition of extra pressure regulating or relief valves to protect sensors that are designed to operate at lower pressure. The new F-Series meter does away with this need, reducing costs and improving safety. It is ideal for oil and gas applications such as upstream injection; chemical applications such as ink delivery on offset presses; and food and beverage applications such as flow to homogenisers. As a result, the new F-Series meter is an ideal high pressure, high accuracy solution for many applications.

Three more members to the growing family of miniature USB test equipment - Following the successful launch of the tiny pen-style USBscope50 for high performance analysis in situations where portability is key, Elan Digital is adding three more members to the growing family of test equipment.
The USBwave12 is a high performance function generator with a 0 to 12.5Mhz frequency range with 0.2Hz resolution, and 0 to +/10V amplitude range with a 20mV resolution as well as 0 to +/-10V offset range with 20mV resolution.
Next in the range is the USBpulse100, a pulse/clock generator with a 0 to 100MHz frequency range and square wave 50% duty output or variable duty cycle. It has continuous run or single pulse capability with pulse widths from 10ns to 10s.
Last but not least is the USBcount50, which is a frequency/period counter measuring frequencies from 0.1Hz to 50MHz and uses reciprocal counting for low frequencies. It has pulse width and duty cycle measurement with resolution of 20ns as well as data logging capability.

Materials Testers Maintain Quality in Fire Protection Systems - Norbulb GmbH, a world leader in glass bulb technology, is using two EZ20 twin column materials testing machines from Lloyd Instruments for compression testing of its glass bulbs used in automatic sprinkler systems as part of its rigorous quality programme. The test routine is fully automated using pneumatic robotic sampling methods. In use, the glass bulbs are filled with a coloured liquid of known co-efficient of expansion. The bulbs are part of a pressurised system and must be strong enough to withstand the pressure of the water behind them in ambient conditions. However, expansion of the liquid on reaching the trigger temperature due to a fire, causes the bulb to fracture, thereby releasing the water,

High output Ozone systems - ProMinent Fluid Controls has announced the availability of OZVa 5-7 range of ozone generators for water treatment. Using proven primary current controlled (PCC) technology, the new range produces a higher concentration of ozone by using oxygen gas as the source rather than oxygen extracted from the air.

What Future for Exhibitions? - This is the provocative heading to this week's edition of ProcessingTalk's enewsletter which highlights the mtec show scheduled on 15th and 16th February. The Signpost also carries an mtec Review.

Innovative design halves production costs - Triteq, the design and manufacturing services company, has enabled one of its clients to halve its production costs and eliminate the need to move its manufacturing to the Far East. Cinimod has used Triteq's design engineering services to improve the efficiency of the existing design of its Scalp Pen device. Triteq's cost effective re-design has enabled Cinimod to cut its production costs, resulting in volume production of the device staying in the UK, according to Ken Hall, technical director at Triteq. "The product had to be designed to be disposable, easy to use and intrinsically safe, and as such we needed to keep costs to a minimum to make it accessible to as many health authorities as possible. To achieve the cost targets Triteq carried out the re-design and modifications free of charge in return for a royalty, based on each unit manufactured and a minimum order quantity."

New product developments and enhanced production efficiency set to drive growth in European SCADA and DCS markets - In response to rising raw material costs and increased competition from low-cost manufacturing regions such as China, European manufacturers are paying greater attention to their operational efficiency. As a result, investment in automation and control solutions is on the rise and providers of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) as well as distributed control system (DCS) solutions are likely to see greater opportunities since these systems are crucial in achieving production synergies and eliminating costs in the manufacturing process. According to a new study, "Strategic Analysis of Selected European SCADA and DCS Markets" (Code: B543-10), from Frost and Sullivan.

Rapid prototyping technology available - The very latest in rapid prototyping technology, manufactured by Objet, is now being made available to Irish and British design, research and development specialists, through Unimatic Engineers, for advancing their Design and Technology capabilities to a whole new level. Objet has appointed Unimatic as their exclusive agent for the education and research sectors in the Britain and Ireland.

New chlorine electrode sensor and electrode arm - Analytical Sensors and Instruments Ltd (ASI), a high technology company focused on commercializing and supplying chemical sensors and related electrochemical technology to OEMs, today announced the availability of its new free-chlorine sensor for use end-users and OEMs in a multitude of industries. Applications of the chlorine sensor include the monitoring of chlorine in swimming pool water where the use of oxidation-reduction potential sensors are currently used to monitor the chlorine levels. In addition, this electrode is popular in water and wastewater applications.

Major contract to digitally automate India's largest life sciences plant - Emerson Process Management announced today that it had won a major contract from Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd. to supply PlantWeb digital automation architecture and solution services to its new biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in India. Reliance Life Sciences is a member of the Reliance Group of Companies, India's largest private sector enterprise. The new facility is the largest automation project to date in the life sciences industry in India. Reliance Life Sciences officials selected Emerson for its reputation and experience in the field of life sciences. The new facility of Reliance Life Sciences will use microbial and mammalian cell culture process to manufacture therapeutic proteins.

Newsletter issued - The latest newsletter of the ISA Ireland Section has benn issued. Called INCON this edition features their comprehensive honours and awards programme.
This very active section holds its annual exhibition on 25th April 2006.

Advances in wireless technologies announced - IMEC, Europe's largest independent nanoelectronics and nanotechnology R&D center, announced three major advances in technologies that will be used in wireless autonomous sensor nodes: (1) a read-out front-end for portable biopotential acquisition systems; (2) a fully integrated low-power UWB receiver for low-data-rate applications; and, (3) a high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a record low-power consumption of 0.16pJ/conversion step at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC). The ADC architecture has been implemented within the UWB receiver.

THEY SAID IT February 2006 ". . . the ability to integrate business and plant-floor information improves our standing with potential customers." Robert Peters President ASECO Integrated Systems "End users can now adopt the powerful diagnostics available with Foundation fieldbus, and, at the same time, maintain the protection in a SIL3 environment." David Glanzer Director of Technology Development Fieldbus Foundation "We are continuing to focus significant development effort on our core HMI/SCADA products originating from both Intellution and GE Fanuc." Roy Kok Proficy Product Manager GE Fanuc Automation "Acquiring PlantData Technologies supports Verano?s strategy of being the leading provider of security and SCADA solutions for mission-critical industries." Brian Ahern President and CEO, Verano Don't miss this incisive commentary on automation every month!

Upgrad version of the network-based control system announced - Yokogawa has released an upgraded version of the STARDOM network-based control system which provides a number of functional enhancements. 'With the aim of becoming the world's number one provider of industrial automation solutions by the year 2010, Yokogawa is developing highly competitive products for the world marketplace', comments Martin Ward, Managing Director of Yokogawa UK: 'Based on this strategy, we are continually making enhancements to STARDOM in response to the latest market trends and user needs.'

New design power pulse valves inprove dust collector systems - ASCO Joucomatic is improving the efficiency of Dust Collector systems with its new, redesigned range of Power Pulse dust collection valves. The new valves offer faster opening and closing times with less noise for improved dust collection; and also a substantial reduction in overall valve size, to aid integration into OEM dust collector systems.

New distributor for Ireland - GE Fanuc Automation Solutions Europe has appointed Kerrco Automation as its new distributor the island of Ireland. To ensure continuity for customers, Kerrco is employing the current local Application Engineer, Frank Creasy in an amicable agreement with the previous distributor.

Digital delay/pulse generator with selectable time references now available - Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation (BNC) has released a new multi-channel Digital Delay/Pulse Generator, Model 565, which allows time reference selection for each channel. Conventional digital delay generators use a time reference that is automatically pegged to its trigger. Up to eight channels of delay and width control are available with BNC s Model 565. Each individual channel s reference can be set either to the trigger or to any other channel.

T&M collaboration - National Instruments has announced its collaboration with Texas Instruments and Spectrum Digital in the development of the new TI C55X Power Optimisation DSP Starter Kit (DSK), the industry's first DSP design tool to offer designers incorporated test and measurement functionality. The new kit incorporates virtual instrumentation ­ combining National Instruments USB-based measurement hardware with a power monitoring application based on NI LabVIEW software ­ to deliver a complete set of power estimation and measurement tools for accurately planning, analysing, managing and optimising real-time power consumption. It offers a 10 times increase in efficiency over traditional methods for power monitoring, which entail purchasing a DSP and expensive power monitoring hardware separately.

Leadership strategizes to set automation standards - Nearly 50 leaders of ISA held a three-day meeting at ISA offices in Research Triangle Park, NC at the end of January to discuss how the Society can set the standard for automation in the future. "ISA is committed to help our 30,000 members and the tens of thousand other automation professionals around the world that access ISA products," said ISA President Ken Baker. "Our leadership reaffirmed our strategies to deliver quality technical content that addresses practical applications of relevance to today's automation professionals."
Their newly appointed Executive Director Pat Gouhin noted, "ISA's five core competencies - standards, certification, education and training, publishing, and conferences and exhibits - represent an incredible asset that our leadership is helping to further enhance through their experience and insights. The ISA professional staff took this opportunity for in-depth interactions with the leadership to refine our tactics so that the Society service levels are even further expanded."

New editor announced - Following the retirement of Mike Spear, Centaur has a new person at the helm of Process Engineering, Patrick Raleigh.

Inert valves for critical care fluid handling - Bio-Chem Valve has introduced a new line of solenoid-operated valves which are available in Europe from Omnifit. The miniature Pure-Chem Valves employ fluid handling technology developed for high-purity medical applications. They feature an inert, all-plastic fluid path and can handle high-purity, aggressive and corrosive liquids.

Acquisition brings additional embedded power conversion technologies Emerson and Florida-based Artesyn Technologies have announced that Artesyn will become part of Emerson Network Power. The agreement brings additional embedded power conversion technologies to Emerson Network Power's existing portfolio of solutions for customers in the enterprise computing, data, and telecommunications industries. Artesyn provides leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with advanced power conversion equipment as well as hardware and software subsystems for a range of communication applications.

Low-cost DDS function generator operates to 20MHz - The TG2000, new from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments), is a 20 MHz function generator using direct digital synthesis (DDS) yet at a low cost. Direct digital synthesis delivers low-distortion sine waves with improved spectral purity in comparison to analogue function generators. Frequency stability and phase noise are excellent, and absolute frequency accuracy is better than 10 parts per million.

High-performance non-intrusive flow measurement - The new US300 from Yokogawa is an ultrasonic flowmeter that uses the transit-time technique to provide a high-performance non-intrusive flow measurement. The non-intrusive 'dry' measuring technique eliminates the problems of cutting into the pipe to install the meter, pressure loss and wear and tear encountered in many flow-metering installations, resulting in a reduction in the total cost of ownership.

Electronics engineers start voting - EDN Magazine, "the Voice of the Engineer", has just named the final contenders in its 16th annual Innovation Awards program. From this select list of finalists, judging now goes to the engineering community at large around the world.
the EDN website. Engineers who want a voice in selecting the year's most outstanding engineers and technology advances can vote for their favorites by going to www.edn.com/innovation, or they can cast a ballot directly HERE. Voting continues until February 28th.
The EDN 16th annual Innovation Awards ceremony is scheduled for April 3rd, 2006 in San Jose, California, (US).

Web based safety courses - Emerson Process Management now offers courses on safety instrumented systems (SIS) at its PlantWeb University online learning centre. The new user-friendly courses provide fundamentals and practical tips for SIS planning, selection and implementation.

Happy Birthday! - The year 2006 marks two major milestones for virtual instrumentation pioneer National Instruments, including its 30th year since inception and 20th year since the creation of NI LabVIEW, the company's flagship graphical programming software. Founded in Austin, Texas, in 1976 by Jeff Kodosky, Bill Nowlin and James Truchard, National Instruments pioneered the concept of virtual instrumentation - combining open, flexible software and modular hardware with commercial off-the-shelf technologies - to offer engineers and scientists a user-defined approach to creating more efficient and customisable solutions. A key component to the concept of virtual instrumentation is LabVIEW software which, during the past 20 years, has evolved from a desktop instrument control and data acquisition tool into an integrated design, control and test platform for desktop, industrial, embedded and handheld applications.

New 1U multi-output 3600 watt power supply is configurable - Powerstax, a leader in application rich power solutions, announces introduction of the new A3600 series of ultra low profile, 1U high 19” rack mount, configurable AC-DC power supply. Capable of providing up to 3,600W output power the A3600 offers users multi-output "custom" power solutions without extended lead times and high NRE costs.

Chopper-stabilised Hall-effect latch for motor-speed and direction-sensing applications - The A1242 from Allegro MicroSystems Europe is a new chopper-stabilised latch Hall-effect sensor IC which is ideally suited to use in motor-speed and direction-sensing applications, as well as in automotive applications where the sensor is located some distance away from the engine control unit. Typical applications in the automotive sector include window lift motors, seat position motors, headrest motors, sunroof motors and electronic power steering.

Loop Performance Snapshot Reveals Opportunities - Engineers and technicians can now get an instant understanding of control loop performance, with one glance at the "Loop Performance Snapshot". The Snapshot reveals opportunities to improve both the process and the controller. With this clear, concise view of loop performance, plant personnel can focus their attention on the most important improvements. The new Loop Performance Snapshot adds a simple, graphical representation of the powerful loop analysis computations in PlantTriage™ software, from ExperTune. PlantTriage automatically monitors plant operations 24x7, using data from existing DCS or PLC systems. After crunching high-speed data from the control system, PlantTriage assesses the performance of every control loop, and prioritizes plant issues according to economic importance.

New Batch Production Management Software speeds implementation and improves analysis to increase quality, ROI and ability to meet regulatory demands - GE Fanuc has announced the new Proficy™ Batch Version 5.0 software, which delivers complete data collection, robust batch management, clear process visualisation and powerful supervisory control capabilities. Batch Version 5.0 has been optimised to boost production efficiency, increase return on investment (ROI) and improve batch manufacturers’ ability to meet regulatory demands.

Significant changes in materials and procedures to achieve lead-free process - Contemporary Controls' manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China has transitioned to a lead-free operation as specified by the European Union's RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive on chemical substances. Contemporary Controls (Suzhou) Co. Ltd (CCC) has eliminated the use of lead in their equipment, well before the time the directive goes into effect in July 1, 2006.
Plant Manager Basile Waite says significant changes in materials and processes were accomplished to offer products and solutions to meet their customers' requirements. "The steps taken during this period ensured that the quality our customers have come to known wasn't lost in the process," says Waite. "Our manufacturing personnel received skilled training on all new equipment and procedures."

Why take risks with your control network? - Contemporary Controls offers three new managed features to safeguard against risks to your control networks. "The reason being," says R&D Manager Bennet Levine, "is that the popularity of Ethernet employed in the control system is gaining strength every day. Most users are of the opinion that you can simply connect your control devices to the office network. The logic behind this viewpoint is that both the control devices and the office devices communicate via Ethernet, and they can simply be connected together. However, there are considerations to keep in mind." After discussion with the company's customers, engineers designed three new features associated with their EISX_M, EICP_M, and EISB_M managed switches. These features are rate limiting, port locking and overlapping VLANs in order to prevent any risks when interconnecting office and factory networks says Levine. "For example, we look before crossing the street, don't we?"

Modems now include broadcast repeater function - MaxStream's award-winning 9XTend and 9XStream RF product families now incorporate sophisticated broadcast repeater communication. This company is recognised as a premiere connectivity solution for a wide variety of electronics applications, and the addition of a repeater mode further increases the reliability and range of its products. "The feature-sets of the XTend and the XStream have become more advanced with the introduction of the broadcast repeater function," said Hugh Nielsen, their Chief Technology Officer. "Activating the repeater mode extends the range of the network by allowing each node to receive and forward all broadcast transmissions, thus allowing nodes outside of direct RF range to communicate. MaxStream's unique implementation allows for seemingly unlimited range and multiple transmission paths that ensure accuracy."

New patents strengthen spectrometer technology - Ocean Optics has recently been issued two new U.S. Patents which will reinforce its lead in next generation spectrometer technology. One covers the composition and method of producing high-reflection silver mirrors or thin-film optical filters. These increase sensitivity in Ocean Optics spectrometers. The second is for tuneable variable bandpass optical filters. These combine Ocean Optic's patented high-pass and low-pass linear variable filters to create the world's first notch filter with an adjustable bandpass.

New short-form displacement/position transducers brochure - RDP Electronics has recently published a new short form brochure showcasing their range of displacement and position transducers. Ranges included are short stroke and long stroke LVDTs, plus high temperature inductive, capacitive, magnetostrictive and draw-wire transducers. The brochure suggests appropriate applications according to transducer type, including industrial and R&D uses as well as for harsh environments such as sea submersible, nuclear and cryogenic.

A new step has been done to helping manufacturers achieve operational excellence - Wonderware Enterprise Integration Application 2.0 has completed certification as part of the SAP's "Interoperability Certification" program, which recognizes applications that integrate industry standards such as ISA-95. For more than a year, Wonderware has worked closely with SAP and a set of early adopter end-users to implement ISA-95-based software solutions.  As a result, Wonderware is now qualified by SAP as "Certified for SAP NetWeaver," which is the first step in receiving the "Powered by SAP NetWeaver" partner status.
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