28/4/2006

A first for ISA! - Read-out has learned that in Orlando this week the ISA Nominations Committee selected Kim Miller Dunn, of Emerson Process Management as nominee for the post of President-Elect/Secretary. Usually those selected like this go forward and are elected unanimously by the convention of Society Delegates in the Autumn. ISA, the glabal automation society, has never had a female President in its sixty year history. She is with Emerson Process Management involved in the marketing area and is highly respected within that company.
In a separate decision Houston will be the host for ISA EXPO 2006 during 17-19 October 2006 and for ISA EXPO 2007 during 16-18 October 2007.

Coaxial high-current probes - The new P845-Q test probe from Peak Test Services is a high-current device suitable for applications in thetesting of battery system activated elements, battery contacts and electrical current signal transmission. This new coaxial device can carry a maximum continuous current of 6 A through the outer contact and 3 A through the plunger contact.

Direct products division to be established ­ Hover-Davis, leader in the de-sign and manufacture of advanced component delivery systems for the electronics assembly industry, is establishing the Direct Products Division to provide feeding products and services to all of Hover-Davis' OEM partners and direct customers alike. The Direct Products Division of Hover-Davis will be led by Roland Heitmann, with the clear objective of further strengthening its global market position as "The Feeder Company". The Direct Products Division will be sharply focused on the development, manufacturing, marketing and support of intelligent tape, label, tray, and direct die feeders for the broadest possible range of electronic assembly platforms. The charter of this division will be to continue to provide best-in-class products and services to directly support the needs of end users, while expanding OEM partnerships. "The separation of this activity from our Universal OEM business will provide the necessary focus, autonomy and integrity to allow Hover-Davis to maximize its' potential in the general and specialty feeder market segment", states Heitmann.

Flared tubing guards against leaks - Processing hazardous fluids can be potentially dangerous with poor connections in analytical instruments. Diba Industries' Flared Tubing Assemblies ensure tight fluid connections for consistent, leak-free processing. Using a proprietary thermal forming technique, Diba flares the end of its tubing assemblies, backing it with a washer and threaded bottom seal fitting to create a leak tight seal. By eliminating the need for a ferrule, compressed tip or flanged insert, flow path diameter and consistent volume are maintained in sample, reagent, wash, waste and other types of lines.  The tight connection provided by Diba's Flared Tubing Assemblies can greatly reduce or eliminate dead volumes and carryover problems. The washer and fitting hold the tubing in place to keep tubes from pulling out and causing leaks.

ATEX Approval for valve controller - Emerson Process Management announces that the Fisher DVC2000 series digital valve controller now has ATEX Certification to EEx ia IIC T4/T5, making it suitable for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

WCDMA signal-generation utility features support for HSUPA - A WCDMA signal-generation utility that supports HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) as defined in 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) Release 6 is now available for use with Yokogawa arbitrary waveform generators including the VB8000, VB8300 and VG3000E/6000 with AG option. The new utility also supports HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) that was defined in the earlier 3GPP Release 5.

New management team in France - Krohne France has a new management team of Michael Dubbick and Detlef Jacobi with immediate effect. Krohne's French subsidiary in Romans produces state-of-the-art level measuring instruments. Michael Dubbick, also managing director of the Krohne Group, explains: "Together with Detlef Jacobi, I aim to drive forward the current and further development of the site and the products at Krohne France even more voraciously than in the past. Once we have set this course, we will put management back in local hands." Both Michael Dubbick and Detlef Jacobi, the technical director of the Krohne Group, have extensive experience in France.

Users conference to discover 2006! - GE Fanuc Automation will be hosting its second annual Users Conference, Discover 2006, at the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando (US), May 30 ­ June 2, 2006. The 3-day conference will highlight best practices in technology, manufacturing and business.

USB power manager and 36VIN battery charger in compact package - Linear Technology is announcing a new USB Power Manager and 36VIN Battery Charger in a Compact 18mm2 Package. The LTC4089 and LTC4089-5, each features an autonomous power manager, ideal diode controller and standalone high-voltage switching battery charger for portable USB devices. For high efficiency charging, their switching topology accommodates various inputs, including high voltage power sources up to 36V (40V max) such as 12V AC-DC wall adapters, FireWire ports or automotive batteries.

Enhancing communications test platform with 2.5 and 5 GHz RF multiplexers - Automated test engineers can use the new National Instruments PXI and SCXI RF multiplexing switch modules to route signals ranging from DC to 5 GHz. These modules, which are the latest addition to the more than 125 available switch configurations from National Instruments, complement the company's growing product offering for communications test. They are ideal for accurate RF signal routing in telecommunications, military/aerospace and automated test applications.

New product manager - Meech International has announced the appointment of Joe Burnell as Product Manager for its Meech Air Technology Division (MAT). Joe graduated with a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Warwick and has latterly been working on Engineering projects at Meech's head office In Witney. In his new role, he will be primarily responsible for implementing a global strategic growth plan for the MAT Division, with a particular emphasis on expanding the current channels to market

Wireless leader on track for lead-free compliance - MaxStream's Bee and XBee-PRO OEM RF ZigBee Modules are now compliant with international RoHS compliance standards. In accordance with the directive for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances, MaxStream has achieved compliance with its popular XBee product family. MaxStream expects to implement across-the-board compliance with all its electronic components, including all 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz OEM RF modules before the July deadline.

Telemetry out in the open - Jekyll Electronic Technology has announced the launch of a new weatherproof version of its Telemodem 2 telemetry system. This new range is ideal for data acquisition applications where the communications device needs to be situated in remote, rural and exposed locations. The devices are robust and battery free, overcoming the high maintenance and costly downtimes of traditional battery powered modems.

New EMC systems engineer strengthens test system team - Schaffner Ltd, leader in EMC components and test systems, has appointed Tim Thompson to the position of EMC Systems Engineer. In his new role Tim will work closely with customers to meet their needs for EMC test systems taking due regard of any specific system requirements or limitations. Tim will operate worldwide to liase with customers throughout the system design process, oversee installation and provide full training to end-users.

Going to Frankfurt? - Most ACHEMA news is now in, so now is the time to review which stands you will want to visit, with the help of Processing Talk's ACHEMA preview section. The week before the show, on May 10, Processingtalk will issue a special emailed summary to give you news of the best stands to visit. But if you havn't registered with them you wont get it!

Current relay switch records on/off status signal - MadgeTech is introducing a full line of non-contact, current relay switches used in combination with the series of State Data Loggers to record power ON/OFF state change. The non-contact, relay switches detect when power is present. A built-in relay switch provides an "ON" status signal when power is present. When power is absent, the relay switch deactivates to provide an "OFF" status signal. Combined with the MadgeTech State Loggers, "ON/OFF" transition data is captured and recorded with a time and date stamp to provide power ON/OFF information.

Batch Control Systems - Design, Application, and Implementation, 2nd Edition William M. Hawkins and Thomas Fisher It's finally here! Sure to be an instant classic, this book covers an introduction to batch processes; batch control system structures; batch control; batch communications and batch control system design. Hawkins and Fisher offer a comprehensive analysis of the development and evolution of batch control from the original NAMUR model through the most current publications in the 88 series.

Automobile manufacturer expands product relationship to reduce downtime and increase efficiency of manufacturing facilities - GE Fanuc has announced that Nissan North America has chosen Proficy Plant Applications Version 4.2 for an Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence (EMI) solution that will ultimately help Nissan reduce downtime at two of its manufacturing plants.

New line of pulse and pattern generators - Keithley Instruments has introduced the Series 3400 Pulse/Pattern Generators. They provide key performance advantages, such as superior signal quality and precise control for pulse widths from three nanoseconds to 1000 seconds, as well as a simple, intuitive user interface. Series 3400 pulse and pattern generators are ideal for semiconductor device and material research and characterization, as well as in process integration and advanced materials research applied to such projects as nanotechnology in R&D labs and technology development labs.
Keithley's Series 3400 Pulse/Pattern Generators availability is end of June, 2006. More information and to view a short online product presentation

Compact uninterruptible power - The DC-UPS/10A uninterruptible power supply for DIN rails from Phoenix Contact ensures continuous operation of all 24 V devices in electrical installations during power disruptions. These power supplies are particularly interesting for applications requiring smooth-running processes in spite of poor grid quality and an unreliable power supply.

SP104 will harmonize IEC 61804-3 as a national standard in US supported by bus organisation - The Fieldbus Foundation has announced its support for an ISA committee creating a harmonized version of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61804-3 international standard on Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL). The ISA SP104 committee will republish the IEC standard as an American National Standard Institute (ANSI) standard.

First low-cost 500kS/s data acquisition board - Amplicon says that it has doubled the sample rate of its PCI 230+ and PCI 260+ 16-bit data acquisition boards to 500KS/s. The increased sample rate along with other enhancements offers customers a more accurate signal representation and makes the boards suitable for a greater variety of applications than the original PCI 230 and PCI 260.

Sionex Corporation, a company focused on commercializing breakthrough chemical and biological sensors and systems, today announced a strategic investment and development agreement with In-Q-Tel, a private venture group funded by the USA's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Guided wave radar level transmitter for bulk solids features integrated graphic display with waveform screen - K-TEK, has announced the MT5200 Bulk Solids Level Transmitter, the newest transmitter in the MT5000 Series of Guided Wave Radar Transmitters. The MT5200 is designed for level measurement in challenging bulk solids applications. A concentric waveguide directs the radar beam, alleviating divergence problems and echoes in tanks with narrow openings. Unaffected by dust or feed flow the MT5200 accurately measures materials with dielectric constants as low as 1.3. An integrated graphic display provides easy viewing of waveform screens and the user-friendly setup menu supports a wide range of languages for quick setup in virtually any region of the world. The two-wire, loop powered design reduces wiring costs and provides a strong signal over distances

Co-operation in industrial automation - MTL and Weidmuller have announced a bilateral co-operation agreement which is aimed at strengthening both companies' customer service in the industrial automation sector. MTL will become Weidmuller's specialist sales channel to serve the process control industries worldwide, working alongside Weidmuller's existing sales channel. MTL will sell and support Weidmuller products in the process control sector and Weidmuller will similarly, sell and support appropriate MTL products in the factory automation sector.

Powerful Serial to Ethernet Device Servers - Sixnet's new Industrial Serial to Ethernet Device Servers (Models ET-DS-1 and ET-SDS-1) are ideal for connecting your serial-based software applications over Ethernet to your remote industrial serial devices. These high performance devices deliver a truly rugged solution in a very compact size. These device servers are easy to use and at the same time are extremely flexible, offering the latest in advanced IP technology. Use the supplied Quick Configurator for fast setup or the powerful Device Manager for more advanced configurations. Easy to use com port redirector software is also provided.

Industry's highest dynamic range digitiser - Design and test engineers can use the new PCI version of the National Instruments PXI-5922 flexible-resolution digitiser, also known as a PC-based oscilloscope, to make a wide range of dynamic measurements. The NI PXI-5922 digitiser provides the highest dynamic range of any digitiser on the market. This universal instrument with unprecedented dynamic performance and flexibility is now available in a PCI form factor for applications in a variety of industries including communications, semiconductor, biomedical and ultrasonic nondestructive test (NDT).

New office in Singapore opened - , a provider of process automation services and solutions for the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, today announced the official opening of its new Singapore office which also functions as the company's Asia-Pacific headquarters. The company relocated its Singapore office to new premises due to expansion in the Singapore market.
Mr Brendan O'Regan, founder and chief executive officer of Zentek Engineering, said: "We came to Singapore in 2002 at the invitation of one of the pharmaceutical companies to do a project. Since then, our Singapore office has grown in tandem with the expansion and relocation of many bio-medical companies setting up its operations in Singapore."
Headquartered in Cork, Republic of Ireland, Zentek is known for providing systems integration, consulting, software and process design as well as support services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with manufacturing operations.

"Learn, Lead, Unleash" theme sets the promise of users conference - "Mark your calendars!" says a release from Emerson Process Management in today. The user-led board of the Emerson Global Users Exchange has announced that plans are under way for the assembly's 2006 conference to be held from October 2nd ­ 6th at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The board has set the theme of Learn, Lead, Unleash to convey the promise that this year's conference will deliver through its continuing focus on educational and leadership sessions for all levels of process manufacturing professionals. User presentations and workshops will update colleagues on experience with technology selection and application, investment justification and automation strategy. Judging from reports (in Industrial Automation Insider and othrr publications) of previous conferences, this is a "must see" event!

New complete tachometer introduced - A new four digit multi-range digital panel meter is being introduced by Carlo Gavazzi with multiple input channels targeting speed control in materials handling applications.   The new MDM40 from Carlo Gavazzi is a flexible digital panel tachometer for monitoring rate, speed, frequency and period measurements from 0.001Hz to 50kHz or 20µs up to 1000s. The meter features two channels for measuring dual independent inputs and benefits from the ability to manage pulse signals from a wide variety of different sensors, offering users a high degree of programming flexibility and application suitability.

New catalogue produced - ASCO Scientific has produced a new catalogue covering its comprehensive range of specialist miniature solenoid and pneumatic valve products for use in medical, biomedical and analytical applications. Running to over 80 pages, and including eleven sections, the new catalogue describes a range of products designed to provide solutions where standard products are unsuitable. It includes miniature products such as pinch valves for contamination free operation; fluid isolation valves for controlling aggressive fluids; miniature directional control valves; and a series of proportional valves that includes Piezo types, with non heating characteristics, to full closed loop versions in port sizes up to G1”.

Analyser supports latest standards for harmonics and flicker measurement - The new HA1600A low-cost harmonics, flicker and power analyser from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments) is a new version of the earlier HA1600 instrument with a new casing, a USB interface, and totally revised firmware to meet the requirements of the latest revision to international harmonics and flicker standards.

Humidity alert meter with visual and audible alarms - Extech Instruments, a major supplier of test and measurement equipment for the industrial marketplace, announces an important new addition to its Hygro-Thermometer line, the 445815 Humidity Alert Meter. Ideal for monitoring environmental conditions (temperature, humidity and dew point) in laboratories, storage areas, manufacturing assembly areas and other controlled environments, the Extech humidity alert meter features a user settable alarm and will warn users, both audibly and visually, when adverse conditions occur. High humidity can create a breeding ground for mould and low humidity can create static electricity and an environment which is unhealthy. Unlike other humidity indicators the 445815 calculates and displays the Dew Point reading which is a calculation of temperature and humidity and used to determine when condensation will occur.

Field device access: "Easy, Open and Central" - To provide users with coordinated solutions for modern field device management, Trebing & Himstedt, VEGA and Krohne have joined their competences and summarized the results in a clearly arranged brochure. The collaboration is based on FDT technology which enables central, manufacturer-independent configuration, parameterization and diagnosis of field devices, particularly in plants with complex communication structures and system transitions. The brochure is available as free-of-charge download from the Trebing & Himstedt web site or can be requested directly from all three companies.

"The industry's most comprehensive battery monitoring sensor!" - LEM the leading manufacturer of isolated current and voltage measurement components, announces Sentinel, the most comprehensive battery monitoring sensor, designed for monitoring standby batteries. The sensor measures voltage and impedance per cell, and uniquely offers the ability to monitor internal temperature of individual cells. By monitoring standby batteries, the life, performance and reliability of systems providing backup power in applications such as industrial UPSs, telecommunications, safety-critical systems and computing can be dramatically increased. Many of these applications already use LEM current measuring transducers for monitoring standby batteries.

Wireless users summit discusses standards for industrial automation implementation - ISA's Wireless Systems for Automation standards committee (ISA-SP100) and other interested parties met last week in Research Triangle Park, N.C. to discuss wireless technology implementation and standards development logistics. The Wireless Users Summit attracted about 40 key end users from a range of industries including petrochemical and power generation to help define the needs of the user community and guide the standards development activity. The Summit preceded a meeting of the ISA-SP100 committee, a collaboration of end users and technology suppliers working to establish standards, recommended practices, technical reports, and related information that will define procedures for implementing wireless systems in the automation and control environment with a focus on the field level.

Products at show - Flowserve global provider of fluid motion and control products and services, will have a major presence at ACHEMA 2006 in Frankfurt (D) 15-19 may 2006. They have prepared a detailed press center for the show, available online in English and German.

UL approval for connections! - The Harting RJ Industrial connector family has been recognised by UL (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.), one of the world's leading compliance Vauthorities.
The complete list of recognised products.
'UL recognition of this product range is an important step forward in our growth plans in the international marketplace', says Kevin Canham - Marketing Manager: 'Although UL recognition has traditionally been mainly requested by customers in the United States, the increasing globalisation of the electronics market means that this recognition is now just as important for users in Europe and Asia."

A PXI first to increase dedicated bandwidth up to 1 GB/s per slot - National Instruments has announced the industry's first PXI chassis and controllers based on PCI Express signaling, delivering up to 1 GB/s per-slot dedicated bandwidth. Engineers can use the new PXI Express chassis and controllers to improve performance for PXI systems and integrate high-bandwidth PXI Express modules as they become available. The new chassis and controllers add capabilities from the latest PXI Specification, which defines PXI Express to increase PXI bandwidth by 45 times, to integrate the industry's best timing and synchronisation and to preserve compatibility with existing software and more than 1,000 PXI modules. By increasing throughput and improving measurement accuracy, the new chassis and controllers are ideal for high-channel-count, high-throughput or multimodule applications, such as IF streaming, mixed-signal or image acquisition.

Materials Tester Checks Quality In Advanced Metrology Systems - LFPlus single column materials testing machines from Lloyd Instruments have been integrated into manufacturing cells at Renishaw plc, a world leader in the field of automated metrology. The LFPlus is used to make custom designed materials tests on Renishaw's SP25M scanning probe system. Each instrument is equipped with Nexygen MT materials test and data analysis software and Ondio application builder software which integrates seamlessly into Renishaw's internal production software control system. This allows a variety of different testing parameters to be collated into the pass/reject criteria for the component.

RoHS support for manufacturers - Manufacturer of high precision displacement sensors and joysticks, Penny + Giles, has developed a new service to help customers comply with the Restriction of use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive that comes into effect on July 1st 2006. Manufacturers failing to comply with the European Union (EU) legislation could face severe consequences to their business - in the worst case a ban from trading.
The company has included information and links on its website, , and has set up a dedicated email address, rohs@pennyandgiles.com.

Monitors for dust, particulates and aerosols - Recent EC research has indicated that there are more than 32,000 premature deaths in Britain every year as a result of particulate pollution. This is obviously very alarming, but as the old adage goes 'You can't manage anything unless you measure it' so it is comforting to learn that instrumentation technology has developed rapidly and Quantitech has taken a lead in that country's monitoring market, offering particulate monitoring instruments and services to meet almost every need within the research, industrial hygiene and environmental monitoring markets.

Intelligent diagnostic concept reduces machine downtimes - Pilz has now developed the intelligent diagnostic concept PVIS for its control technology, the objective being to reduce machine downtimes to a minimum. If a fault occurs, features such as plain text messages with precise information on the location, clearly defined responsibilities and integrated first fault display all ensure that production is quickly restarted. The compact diagnostic unit PMImicro diag can be used to display the messages. Alternatively, PMIvisu graphics operator terminals or any other Windows-based visualisation platform or PC may be used via the PVIS OPC Server with PVIS ActiveX.
Pilz in hall 11, stand A 10 at the Hannover Fair (D).

European operations for infrared analyser - Aspectricspantek, leading supplier of Encoded Photometric Infrared Spectroscopy (EP-IR) analyzers, today announced that it plans to establish operations in Europe in the third quarter 2006. The company expects to begin hiring later this year.
The Company will also exhibit its EP-IR technology at ACHEMA 2006 in Frankfurt am Main (D), May 15-19th, 2006.

New President at Modbus - At its March Board meeting, the Modbus-IDA Board of Directors elected Fred Cohn to succeed retiring president Kenneth Crater. As Modbus-IDA enters its fourth year, the organization finds itself growing in membership and expanding its services. He will be organisation's second president and plans to lead the organization to capitalize on its growing popularity.
Fred Cohn commented, "I am delighted to be able to take over the leadership of Modbus-IDA at this time in the organization's life. I want to thank Ken for his tireless work in forming this organization and leading it through its formative years. Under Ken's stewardship, Modbus-IDA's membership has grown steadily since its inception in 2003. Modbus-IDA succeeded in establishing two conformance test labs; one in the US and one in China where Modbus was declared a National Standard. We anticipate the next few years to be busy ones ‹ developing additional conformance laboratories in Europe, Asia and the United States; growth in our Modbus device directory; and further expansion of our membership."

Drives with LON chosen for Finnish HVAC project - When the Finnish city of Tampere undertook a major renovation of one of its key buildings, only one type of drive was considered for fan control in the heating and ventilating system - the highly efficient FR-F700 inverter drive from Mitsubishi Electric - one of the few drives in the world with LON communications.

ATEX exploded - Robin Garside (Hexagon Technology) is one of the few independent voices on hazardous areas he contributes extensively to the production of European and IEC standards such as IEC/EN 60079 and his advice is solidly based on the current mandatory requirements as well as being practical in nature. More importantly he understands the intent of the Directives and how many companies are taking ill thought out and costly actions prompted by concern of impending deadlines. Robin will speak about over reaction resulting from lack of understanding of ATEX in Hazardous Areas at a special presentaion at ISA Ireland 2006 on 25th April in Cork (IRL). He will outline straightforward practical approaches that will lead to safe compliance. There are only 60 places available for this presentation and these will be allocated on a first come first served basis. A booking form is available on the Website

Flexible surge protection for sensitive electronic equipment - DEHNflex from Dehn is a family of two-pole surge arresters which offer a wide range of mounting configurations for the protection of sensitive electronic equipment. The devices feature a distinctive protective circuit based on a Y-shaped configuration which ensures safety even if the phase and neutral conductors cannot be identified. The compact enclosure also incorporates a disconnector and an acoustic fault indicator.

Eliminating woiring looms in panels and cabinets - The AS-Interface UK Expert Alliance has launched a new section of its web site dedicated to the advantages of networking panel switches and indicators, instead of individually hard-wiring them using expensive cable looms. This eliminates the need for complicated looms connecting each device to the system controller. Because power is also supplied on the cable, separate power cables can be eliminated using AS-i SW, saving further on costs.

Unique interface - "Contemporary Controls introduces the only ARCnet interface in the industry providing a cost-effective solution for transferring data over high-speed USB," says George Karones, Engineering Manager at Contemporary Controls. The USB22 Series of Network Interface Modules (NIMs) allows easy connectivity between either desktop or laptop computers to peripherals because it provides a very high-speed interface (up to 480 Mbps) and does not require inserting a separate NIM into the computer. This NIM is designed with the COM20022 controller employing the latest ARCnet technology supporting data rates up to 10 Mbps. Portable high-spec photometer for water analysis - Palintest has introduced a new, high performance, fully featured portable photometer for water analysis. The Photometer 7500 replaces the successful 7000, which is extensively used in the water utility industry and in industrial pollution monitoring. Building on the proven technology of the 7000, the 7500 now includes improved optical technology developed for the 8000, is completely waterproof, extremely rugged, and features an adaptable tube holder and USB connection for simple PC connection. It is easy-to-use and provides quick, accurate test results. Up to 500 results can be stored and easily downloaded for trend monitoring and report production.

Company's Virtual Instrument Tools Used to Design and Test ZigBee Devices - National Instruments recently joined the ZigBee Alliance, an association promoting the growth of a global, open standard for wireless control of devices, at the Participant level. By joining the ZigBee Alliance, NI will have early access to specifications and input into requirements documents to keep pace with technology and integrate new versions of the standard into NI products to quickly bring them to market. As a ZigBee Alliance member, NI makes it easier for customers to design and test ZigBee products using NI products.

Novel rising plug valve provides reliable solution for instrumentation of difficult media - Parker Instrumentation has developed a novel new rising-plug style valve for process instrumentation applications. A patented design provides users with a highly reliable valve solution for applications where contaminated media can lead to premature valve failure. Called the HRPV Series, the rising plug valve's 'straight-through' design supports higher flow rates than needle valves, helping to avoid the build-up of deposits. It additionally allows cleaning to take place by rodding. These features make it ideal for applications involving heavily contaminated media, such as those frequently encountered in oil and gas processing facilities.

New PC developments - Nematron has announced significant new developments in its Formula Industrial PC systems. The successful F1 iPC is complimented with an additional screen size option, greater PCI slot expansion capability, new Formula Industrial Engine and a completely new and compatible industrial monitor range. The well received F1 is now offered with both 15" XGA and 17" SXGA crisp image, high quality TFT displays - with or without Touchscreen. The new 17" display offers a resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels and is interchangeable with the existing 15" display. A Display Module Upgrade Kit enables simple to implement field upgrades of the Display Module without having to replace the entire computer.

Expanded product management team to handle innovative family of level measurement instrumentation - K-TEK, the manufacturer of instrumentation for liquid level measurement now celebrating 30 years of manufacturing excellence, today announced the expansion of the product management team for the company's complete line of point and continuous level measurement products. The product management group now includes Robert Hotard, Product Manager for Magnetostrictive and Guided Wave Radar Products; Winston Landymore, Product Manager for Capacitance and Vibrating Fork Products; and Ivo Radanov, Product Manager for Laser and Ultrasonic Products. Each product manager is responsible for managing the entire life cycle of the product line, including strategic planning, specifying market requirements based on industry experience and contact with customers, and tactical product launch activities.

New 'Must-Have' catalogue for instrument hire - Ashtead Technology Rentals has announced the publication of a new catalogue tailored to meet the needs of the rapidly growing instrument hire market. Ashtead's James Carlyle says that the catalogue is "designed in line with the company's focus on customer support," adding "We aim to provide outstanding levels of service both before and during the hire period and the catalogue will assist this process."

It's not what you know but who you know! - The reputation of the UKIVA (UK Industrial Vision Association) as a central focus for all matters related to industrial vision was reinforced recently when the Association was able to respond to an emergency call from a distraught production manager who needed spare parts for his vision system. The US-manufactured illumination source on a vision system on one of his production lines had failed totally, and he had resorted to using a human inspector. This company felt that this was a most unsatisfactory solution which needed to be corrected in as short a time as possible. The original British supplier of the illumination source no longer handled the equipment for this particular manufacturer and although they could offer an alternative source on about a two-week delivery time, this was not acceptable. A direct approach to the manufacturer in the USA, had been unsuccessful due to a holiday, hence the approach to the UKIVA. The Association issued an urgent e-mail to all the members, which not only located a connection-compatible alternative but also identified the new distributor for the original manufacturer. The end result was that a replacement unit was delivered the following morning.

New web-based performance management software - Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys Systems has announced the release of SuiteVoyager 2.6 Web-based performance management software, which gives customers access to real-time production and performance management information.  This package enables companies to improve their manufacturing operations performance through dynamic analysis and reporting of key performance and production indicators to help make proactive decisions that improve profitability and efficiency.
Marketed in Ireland and Britain by Pantek.

Development empowers domain experts with graphical design tools for embedded development - Analog Devices and National Instruments have released the NI LabVIEW Embedded Module for ADI Blackfin Processors, which extends the LabVIEW graphical dataflow development environment to directly target high-performance, low-power Blackfin Processors for faster embedded system development. With a single graphical development platform, ADI and NI deliver an out-of-the-box, integrated solution for solving real-world problems, empowering domain experts without embedded programming experience to overcome the traditional challenges of embedded development and deliver sophisticated applications quickly.  
For more information about the LabVIEW Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors, including an online evaluation, Web tutorials and data sheets, readers can visit www.ni.com/labview/blackfin or www.analog.com/blackfinlabview.

Live "on-line learning" equals "Engineering dating!"- IDC Technologies have launched their range of Live Online (E-Learning) courses, consisting of:

1. Live Online Instructor Led Learning A 90 minute live video conferencing, interactive session with a live presenter.
2. Distance Learning A 3 month in depth distance learning course; you learn and study at your own time. Over the 3 months, you will also log in to 5 on-line, live 45 minute sessions with your instructor.
3. Certificate Course in Industrial Data Communications A 6 month distance course covering the complete field of industrial data communications in considerable depth.
All 3 of these learning techniques utilise live internet streaming to connect the student with an expert instructor in a specific area to interact with. A form of Engineering Dating? They like to think of it as learning at the click of a mouse, as if the instructors were at your desk.

Process transmitter has brand-new features - The PR5210 product series from Sartorius has branched out into three products with various levels of features. In addition to the version with a serial port and three digital inputs and outputs, This offers a high-resolution and highly accurate version with a choice of 4-20mA analogue output or a high-speed ProfibusDP interface as well as the fully-equipped version that has both. The essential changes to this product series are rugged design and reliability enhanced yet again, making the process transmitter even less susceptible to the small mishaps in the field (improved diagnosis capabilities in the measuring circuit, enabling a broken cable or accidentally switched plus and minus poles to be detected; highly reliable DC/DC converter; built-in, permanent reverse pole protection). Improved high-performance analogue output with double-high resolution, super-accurate factory calibration and numerous setting and adjustment options for fine tuning.

UV units literally "Off The Shelf" - ProMinent Fluid Controls is delighted to announce that its complete range of standard UV disinfection systems is available with a two week delivery guarantee. They offer 6 different models in its Dulcodes range of UV systems, with a choice of lamp types. Each system features a high quality radiation chamber made from stainless steel or UV-resistant plastic; a removable, high-quality quartz lamp protection tube; a lamp with a particularly high output in the 254 nm wavelength range for highly efficient disinfection; a high-sensitivity UV-sensor and a control unit.

New diamond turning technical datasheet - Precision-Optical Engineering (P-OE) has published the latest in its series of technical datasheets on Diamond Turning in the technical library section of its website. The new data sheet, DM006, is entitled: "Measuring Diamond Turned Aspheric and Diffractive Surfaces". The measurement of diamond turned aspheric and diffractive surfaces requires a high degree of accuracy. Diamond turned surfaces are typically measured for surface roughness (Ra) in nanometres; form error (or PV) in microns and step height for diffractive surfaces in microns. Surface measurement methods include contact and non-contact techniques and this data sheet looks at both measurement methods.

Operator training solution to improve operator and plant effectiveness - Continuing its commitment to improving customer operational excellence, Emerson Process Management has just launched the DeltaV Operator Training Solution (OTS). This is a complete simulator-based learning environment designed to prevent operator error which can result in accidents, product loss, or costly plant shutdowns. The need to prevent operator error was recently confirmed by a study of chemical manufacturers which indicated that 37 percent of plant incidents could be categorised by incorrect operator actions. The new training solution will also teach operators the necessary skills to get the most value from process automation technology. Studies have shown that improving an operator's skill level can have significant financial impact resulting from less downtime, less out-of-spec product, better use of fuel and resources, and less supervision.

Tabletop microscope is as easy to use as a digital camera - The new TM-1000 Tabletop Microscope from Hitachi High-Technologies is set to transform the field of basic microscopy. This novel instrument gives a performance far in excess of an ordinary optical microscope, requires no special sample preparation for hydrated, oily or non-conducting samples, and is as easy to use as a digital camera.

First handheld to pass FF's Host Interoperability Test - Emerson Process Management has received notice that its 375 Field Communicator successfully completed the Fieldbus Foundation's Host Interoperability Support Test (HIST). By its success, the 375 Field Communicator becomes the first, and currently the only handheld communicator on the list of HIST tested & compliant host systems. Sixteen hosts, including the 375, have successfully passed testing to date. The 375 is also the only available intrinsically safe handheld communicator that universally supports FOUNDATION fieldbus and HART devices from all suppliers. Universal support is a primary requirement of process manufacturing users. The 375 Field Communicator is also a key component of Emerson's PlantWeb digital plant architecture.

WiFi Industrial Ethernet modem - Westermo Data Communications has released an industrial WiFi (802.11b compliant) 2.4 GHz license-free wireless Ethernet modem capable of transmitting data up to 11Mb/s over distances of 1km. The 240E-U is a reliable and secure stand-alone module that provides high-speed wireless Ethernet connectivity across a broad range of applications in process and automation plants. Designed and built to provide wireless links between serial and Ethernet devices in demanding industrial and municipal systems applications, the 240U-E can connect to PLCs, HMIs, DCS, data acquisition, video devices and industrial PC's. It is suitable for both long and short-range applications. The unit has a line of sight range of 1km (100mW) with suitable antenna. A repeater function increases the wireless range even further. A high RF output (100mW) and superior receiver sensitivity gives excellent penetration and reliable data transfer in congested industrial environments, through buildings, factory wall and even steelwork.

Ethernet Hub provides multiple ports to speed installation - Harting has introduced an Ethernet Hub, Model EHB 67-10 to the company's expanding Industrial Ethernet range. The robust metal housing provides IP 67 protection, and its various mounting options make it suitable for mounting directly on a machine or in a production plant.

Instrumentation and Control Library - 15 books for the price of 10! - IDC Technologies tell us that their first library - the Electrical Technical Library, was a wonderful success, with many responses requesting that if the would release any more titles. In response to this they are now releasing what they call their Instrumentation Technical Library. This library comprises of our top 15 Instrumentation manuals. However, when you order this library, you will only pay for 10. You will receive 15 books for the price of 10. Sounds like a good deal!

Biometric Interface developed - GE Fanuc Automation announced that it has added significant Biometric capabilities to its Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX 4.0 to enhance the safe and compliant operation of pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing processes. The use of Biometrics to augment Password collection is the latest technology to enhance security and improve operator productivity. Biometrics, the ability to use a physical property of the operator such as a fingerprint or iris scan, can greatly reduce operator fatigue and response time.

LNG plants east and west - Emerson Process Management been chosen as Main Automation Contractor (MAC) for the Altamira LNG Regasification Terminal, currently under construction near the city of Tampico on the Gulf of Mexico. Emerson will provide essential automation systems and services for the first import terminal which will receive liquid natural gas (LNG) shipments into Mexico, and convert them back to natural gas to be distributed by CFE, Comisión Federal de Electricidad, and PEMEX, Mexico's state-owned, nationalised petroleum company. An additional four terminals are planned for the near future in Mexico; a MAC provider will be selected for these projects shortly.
In a separate report we hear that they have also won an estimated $30 million order for Fisher control valves to be installed at a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil for the Qatargas II LNG Plant expansion at the Ras Laffan Industrial Complex in Qatar.

Branch opens in Japan - Geomagic has opened its first branch office in Tokyo. Their software enables engineers and designers to transform scan data from physical objects into highly accurate digital models for applications ranging from digital shape reconstruction for mass customization, reverse engineering and computer aided inspection.

European design centre in Munich - Linear Technology Corporation, a leading supplier of high performance analog integrated circuits, today announced the opening of its first European design center in Munich, Germany. With the opening of the company's eleventh design center, Linear's Munich Design Center allows the company to further expand its analog design resources at a location that provides proximity to some of the company's key European customers.

THEY SAID IT April 2006 "This is excellent news for our company and our customers." Jack Kelly President Bristol Babcock "The underlying ArchestrA architecture provides software cost relief for OEMs and VARs." Nancy Venable VAR/OEM Program Manager Wonderware "We will continue to strengthen our global presence." Klaus Endress CEO Endress+ Hauser "Both groups now have access to markets where we were previously underrepresented." Christian Schmidt CEO ATB Austria "Dick Morley is a tremendous asset to this industry, and we're lucky to have him working with us." Patrick Gouhin Executive Director ISA Don't miss this incisive commentary on automation every month!

Single wind turbine monitoring - The aim of The Centre for Renewable Energy at Dundalk Institute of Technology (IRL) is to assist with Ireland's transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, through research, academic programmes and information dissemination. The awarded a contract for the building of a wind turbine to Vestas Celtic Wind Technology. There was no cost effective solution for monitoring a single wind turbine. Measuresoft developed a solution to interrogate the web server embedded in the wind turbine using an XML protocol. Measuresoft used a secure VPN over the college network to access the turbine.

New device description development tools - The HART Communication Foundation (HCF) announces the release of a fully enhanced version of the HART Device Description-Integrated Development Environment (DD-IDE). DD-IDE Version 2.0 is the first development tool available that supports the recent enhancements to the HART Device Description Language (DDL) Specification. The HCF standard DD-IDE tool suite is a comprehensive set of integrated software tools for efficient development, testing and maintenance of enhanced HART Device Descriptions.

New industrial wireless modules- Available now from Low Power Radio Solutions, the wireless systems specialist, are Circuit Design’s latest Class 1 wireless modules for industrial use. The CDP-TX02E-R and CDP-RX-02E-R transmitter and receiver are R&TTE and RoHS compliant, narrow band, multi-channel modules. These new modules are form fit and function replacements for Circuit Design’s legacy products and have improved performance, reliability and stability. New TXCO circuits enable the modules to operate at temperatures down to -20degC

Flow brochure includes detailed application data - Now available from Yokogawa is a 24-page full colour brochure entitled 'Yokogawa flow solutions'. The new flow brochure provides guidelines, based on the fluid type and industry application, to make it easy for potential users to see which solution best meets their specific requirements. Flow technologies covered in the brochure are variable-area, coriolis, vortex, magnetic, ultrasonic and DP flow.

Paperless chart recorder monitors and records environmental data - Extech Instruments, a major supplier of test and measurement equipment for the industrial marketplace, announces its new humidity and temperature chart recorder, Model RH520. Easy to set up and operate, it offers the best value in paperless chart recorders available in the market today. The unit can be either desk or wall mounted, and provides simultaneous numerical and graphical displays of humidity (20 to 95% RH) and temperature (-20 to 140degF). The RH520 also calculates dew point. The multiple graphic displays are cursor controlled and have adjustable X/Y axis resolution which allows the user to monitor both temperature and humidity within a user specified range. The sample rate is adjustable from 0.1 second to 200 minutes per sample, permitting daily, weekly or monthly graphs.

1 kW Power Supply for Single-Phase Networks - With the Quint Power 24 V/40 A power supply, Phoenix Contact expands its range of single-phase power supplies extending applications in most industrial sectors. In particular, they are suitable for use around the World due to their wide input voltage range from 85 to 264 VAC and 120 to 350 VDC as well as their International certification package. The output voltage can be freely adjusted between 22.5 and 29.5 VDC, depending on the respective application. The power supply, with its Power Boost power reserve, provides output current of 45 A at nominal voltage and an ambient temperature of 60degC. This way, customers with high start-up currents can be started without any problem. In the event of a short circuit the secondary fuses react reliably to high levels of short-circuit current. In case of supply failures, full output power is available for more than 20 ms, thus ensuring uninterrupted operation even in unstable networks.

Performance supervision ensures optimal model predictive control - PlantTriage Performance Supervision Software, from ExperTune, now supervises Model Predictive Controllers (MPC).  The goal of Model Predictive Controller supervision is to ensure that MPC controllers continue to run optimally.  PlantTriage uses economic information and controller data to calculate assessments that quickly indicate if the MPC controller is continuing to provide a high return on investment.  Assessments that are unique to PlantTriage ensure MPC control at optimal levels.  Without performance supervision in place, MPC controller performance often degrades over time, even to the point of being disabled by operations.

New managing director appointed - National Instruments has just announced the appointment of Ajit Gokhale as Managing Director of their Great Britain and Ireland operation. Ajit is a sixteen year National Instruments veteran, holding a number of key strategic management positions at NI corporate headquarters in Austin, Texas during the past two decades.  His career at NI, spanning many teams across Research & Development, Sales and Marketing, has given him broad knowledge and experience of NI technology, markets and customers.  More recently, Ajit has played a leadership role in developing, launching and marketing new data acquisition products for NI, including next generation M Series and USB.   He was born in India and raised in the USA, and he holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the world-class educational institution for teaching and research in science and technology).  

Field Device Tool (FDT) interface specification standards committee formed - ISAs has announced the formation of a FDT Interface Specification standards committee. The committee, ISA SP103, will develop a standard to fully integrate fieldbuses, devices and sub-systems as seamless parts of the automation life-cycle. The main application domains will be industrial process control and manufacturing execution systems. "This standard is needed to ensure the consistent management of a plant-wide control and automation technology, focused on life-cycle management," said Klaus-Peter Lindner, Standard and Practices Board Member and interim chair of the committee.

New proximity sensors for rugged applications - extreme applications call for extreme sensing - New inductive proximity sensors designed for rugged applications are being introduced by Carlo Gavazzi. These sensors have been designed for use on heavy mobile vehicles such as cranes, concrete trucks and refuse lorries. The new SPEC1785 inductive proximity sensors from Carlo Gavazzi are housed in industrial standard stainless steel bodies, which are available in lengths of 35mm and 50mm. The devices are rated at IP67 to ensure a high degree of protection against the environment they have to work in. OLFLEX 170 Truck cable is fitted as standard, which has been tested for resistance to mineral and synthetic oils, cutting oils, coolant, emulsions and many more. The cable is ideal for applications that under go excessive flexing and rotation.

Sensor IC simplifies touch control - A new touch sensor IC family from Omron is the key to designing flexible, responsive and reliable capacitive touch controls in the new generation of consumer brown and white goods and AV equipment, as well as vending machines, lift controls and security access.

New low-cost device opens communications for the severely paralysed - Cambridge Consultants is providing key technology behind a novel brain-computer interface (BCI) device that translates brain waves into computer control commands - without the need for electrodes implanted in the brain. This represents a breakthrough in the way computers can assist patients in their daily activities. The BCI system is being developed by the Wadsworth Center, a public health laboratory for the New York State Department of Health, to help even individuals who are completely paralysed to communicate with the outside world. The Wadsworth Center's BCI system has been proven to match the capabilities of costly invasive systems that require surgery to implant electrodes in the brain - and should be able to help individuals who have lost all muscular control, something other augmentative or assistive communications approaches such as eyeball-tracking systems cannot.

Module combines dual CAN interface, GPS and wireless modem capabilities in a single "slot" - Diamond Systems Corporation, a leading supplier of PC/104 I/O modules and highly integrated single board computers (SBCs) that include on-board data acquisition have announced the Janus MM PC/104 expansion module that incorporates dual CAN bus interfaces and optional GPS and/or wireless modem capability on a single board. Utilizing only a single "slot" in a PC/104 stack, Janus MM enables the creation of compact vehicle-based applications that can communicate on the vehicle network, determine the vehicle's location, and exchange information with a central location. Such applications can be found in trucks, buses, trains, delivery vehicles, police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. Janus MM can be used with a Diamond Systems Prometheus, Athena, Hercules, Morpheus or Poseidon CPU card or any of the dozens of PC/104 expandable single board computers available today in PC/104, EBX, EPIC or other form factors.

International User Conference for 2006 announced - The 2006 ProfiBus International User Conference Programme has been announced, for 27 ­ 28 June at Coombe Abbey Warwickshire (GB). The presentations are designed for the "User", covering system design, implementation, experience and maintenance. With parallel sessions of presentations, hands-on practical and a Supplier Exhibition, engineers, managers, applications and technical support personnel involved in factory and process plant automation systems, whether currently using fieldbus automation systems or not, will find the conference discussions of real value.

New predictive maintenance opportunities with latest Fluke thermal imagers for renters - Livingston UK, as a key rental partner for Fluke industrial test tools, has expanded its portfolio with Fluke's recently-introduced Ti20 Infrared Thermal Imager. This new thermal imager, with downloadable, detailed, on-camera inspection routes, offers new predictive maintenance opportunities to all industrial maintenance engineers.

New board member - Hans-Georg Kumpfmueller, president of the Siemens AG Process Instrumentation & Analytics Division, has been named to the Fieldbus Foundation's board of directors. Kumpfmueller joins other leading executives in the key automation industry post.

Cost-effective signal conditioning display unit makes data logging easy - The RDP Electronics E725 transducer signal conditioner and display unit incorporating many advanced features, provides a low cost, easy-to-use design for use with pressure, load and displacement measurement applications in manufacturing, process industries, test and research. Because the E725 supports RS232, with freeware downloadable from RDP's web site, the unit can also operate in conjunction with a PC, as a simple data logger.

Direct-drive linear and rotary motion platform aimed at high-end cylindrical laser machining applications - Aerotech's LaserTurn combines high performance, direct-drive brushless linear and rotary positioning stages with automated workpiece handling and provision for customised tooling - for a completely integrated motion solution for high-throughput cylindrical laser machining applications. The new LaserTurn series is the result of Aerotech's dedicated research and extensive experience to provide improved productivity, industry-specific motion sub-systems, for high-throughput manufacture and test applications.

Board of directors re-elected - The annual general assembly of the CAN in Automation (CiA) international users' and manufacturers' group based in Erlangen, Germany took place in March 2006. The 420-member group elected the three-member board of directors according to the by-laws of the group: Arnulf Lockmann as Business Director, Heinz-Jürgen Oertel as Technical Director and Holger Zeltwanger as Managing Director. There are no changes to last year's board of directors. The plenary meeting also elected the permanent representatives of the Business Comittee (Esd Electronic, MTU Friedrichshafen, Port, Softing and Schneider Electric) and the Technical Committee (Esd Electronic, Ixxat Automation, Janz Automationssysteme, Schneider Electric and Vector Informatik).

Injection process monitoring system for injection moulding - Building on its long experience of using in-cavity pressure profiles to monitor and control the injection moulding process, Kistler Instruments has developed CoMo Injection, a totally new system that promises a major step forwards towards true "zero defect" production. A compact all-in-one device, CoMo Injection incorporates eight signal amplifiers to be used for process optimization, monitoring and documentation, including a fully integrated electronics and software package. The integral web server allows set-up and display of process parameters using a standard web browser on a PC or laptop or the optional, dedicated touch screen monitor. An Ethernet interface allows process data to be communicated to a production planning and control or ERM system and downloaded to any location via the Internet.