31/8/206

Optical remote control function added to safety instrumented system - Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced commencement of sales of an enhanced version of its ProSafe-RS Safety Instrumented System today (August 31). To beat the competition in the booming oil, natural gas, and petrochemical markets, Yokogawa has added an optical remote control function to the ProSafe-RS, enabling the integration of the instrument panel rooms and safety systems in large plants. Compatibility with Yokogawa's flagship Centum CS3000 R3 Integrated Production Control System is also improved for greater usability.

Industrial web gateway with alarm management and data logger - IntelliCom has launched a new web gateway with built-in alarm manager and data logger. The new web Gateway is an industrial serial to Ethernet gateway. It gives remote access to serial devices over Ethernet, Internet, LANs, Telephone modems, GSM and GPRS. The gateway contains built-in features for alarm handling (SMS, E-mail, SNMP), data logging and web-based data access.

New nodular instruments use FPGA-based signal processing to greatly improve data throughput - National Instruments has announced three new products that extend high-speed data acquisition and data streaming into RF and communications applications. With the new RF vector signal analyser and two new IF digitisers that include advanced FPGA-based signal processing, engineers can continuously stream high-bandwidth RF data across high-speed buses, such as PCI and PXI, directly to a PC for processing and analysis. With PC processing and open software tools, engineers can create systems with unprecedented flexibility to address emerging standards or to prototype next-generation RF systems. RF streaming is ideal for a variety of applications such as software-defined radio, record and playback of spectral communication signals and real-time spectral monitoring.

Acquisition - Francisco Partners has signed a definitive agreement with Dover Technologies International, a subsidiary of Dover Corporation, to acquire Hover-Davis, a leading manufacturer of feeder equipment for electronic assembly platforms. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed and are subject to normal closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Francisco Partners is a leading global private equity firm focused exclusively on investments in technology and technology-enabled services businesses.

Ultra low temp recorder measures temperatures as low as -86degC - MadgeTech has released the Cryo-Temp. This new, ultra low temperature data recorder can be placed in environments from -86degC to +35degC. This unit is ideal for dry ice shipment and storage monitoring, blood banks, laboratory freezers and medical and pharmaceutical shipment temperature verification. It is a battery operated, stand-alone data logger that utilizes a built-in temperature sensor for monitoring and recording temperature data. External temperature probes are not required, and the Cryo-Temp may be placed directly in the environment being monitored.

Wastewater flow - The TidalFlux electromagnetic flowmeter from Krohne has been installed in partially filled wastewater inflow pipelines at a purification plant in Solothurn (Switzerland). The maximum inflow to the plant is 80 liters per second, which corresponds to the nominal diameter of the TidalFlux' DN250. TidalFlux has proven to be the best solution in tests using various metering systems, not only providing the broad measurement range required by the plant operators, but also delivering the highest levels of measurement accuracy.

Automate your reports! - SyTech, provider of automated report generation and data analysis software, has announced XLReporter Professional Version 7.0.  This version offers unique ways to automatically produce reports in Microsoft Excel from live process data as well as historians and relational databases. Completed reports are automatically sent to printers, e-mail, fileservers and web servers.

Functional enhancements to control system announced - Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced the release of an upgraded version of its StarDom network-based control system that provides a number of functional enhancements.The newly added enhancements improve StarDom's competitiveness in the oil, natural gas, petrochemical, and other booming energy and raw material markets. Key features of the enhancements are an improved communication function for controlling widely distributed production facilities and the capability to enhance control system reliability by using StarDom in combination with other control devices in a large plant.

New building automation web site - Building automation has been a focus application for Contemporary Controls for more than 20 years with major BAS suppliers, manufacturers, and installers. And change in this industry is gathering speed. With this in mind, Contemporary Controls has launched a NEW building automation web site bringing together the interests of both installers and system integrators. The site's URL address is www.BASAutomation.com. "We provide a web site that offers our Industrial Ethernet-connectivity equipment in order to make it easy to operate a system and allow for system expansion," says Joe Stasiek, Sales Manager. "We have answers to key issues that can't be ignored such as UL 864 switching hubs. We provide material such as the 'ABCs of Ethernet' literature that informs you on various topics including managed switches, fiber optics, Ethernet troubleshooting, SNMP and more!"

World's first EUV tool - IMEC, Europe's leading independent nanoelectronics and nanotechnology research institute, has started the installation of the world's first extreme ultraviolet (EUV) Alpha Demo Tool (ADT), developed by ASML Holding NV (ASML), on August 16 at 7am CET. Since then, the installation of the industry's first full field EUV system in IMEC's 300mm clean room runs at full speed in close collaboration with ASML researchers.

Electronic flow meters fuel growth of european flow sensors and transmitters markets - Due to a variety of factors, the potential application range of traditional mechanical flow meters is limited. In contrast, electronic, non-contact flow measurement systems offer several functional advantages with demand for these flow meters set to spur growth in the European flow sensors and transmitters markets. Frost & Sullivan finds that the European Flow Sensors and Transmitters Markets earned revenues of $1,334.9 million in 2005 and estimates this to reach $2,113.7 million in 2012. "The European flow sensors and transmitters market will be primarily driven by the migration of end users towards electronic, non-contact flow measurement systems," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Gomathinayagam S. "These flow meters offer advantages over mechanical flow meters in terms of higher accuracy and reliability and also do not obstruct the flow in pipelines."
If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with an overview of the latest analysis of the European Flow Sensors and Transmitters Markets then send talk to Chiara Carella, Corporate Communications at Frost & Sullivan

CEO appointed - Due to the rapid growth of PlantTriage sales worldwide, ExperTune has appointed Kevin Gibbs as its Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. His primary focus will be managing the continued growth of PlantTriage sales. John Gerry, President and Founder of ExperTune, says "Kevin brings extensive experience with rapidly-expanding software companies. Kevin has both the qualifications and the drive to take ExperTune to the next level." Prior to joining ExperTune, Kevin was CEO of SpiritSoft, where he was responsible for strategic direction and development worldwide.

Connected at last- Some of our visitors may have been aware that we have been trying to get a broad band connection since we moved to Conamara in 2003. The state hase been very slow to force the commercial telecom companies to connect what are sometimes regarded as "remote" areas. Remote of course is a relative term and for those who live there they are the centre of the world. Anyway after carping, crying, shouting, writting, attending meetings, receiving all sorts of promises and placatory messages none of which yielded much more than hot air, much smoke and certainly no fire we discovered at the beginning of the month that there was a solution less than a mile or so as the crow flies from the Read-out offices. Having investigated the matter we made contact with IrishWAN, a group of dedicated nerds who are building a network throughout Ireland for people in the "remote" areas. We spent about €400.00 on equipment and last Saturday the system was connected and we became a node. It is a limited system - not as complete a service as a dedicated DSL or Satelite system but it is wonderful for all services that use a browser including sending and receiving mail.

Use case list grows as wireless systems for automation standards committee continues work - ISA's Wireless Systems for Automation standards committee announced today that it has completed nearly 20 use case studies from end users, and that the committee has over 50 use case studies pending and in progress. The use case study allows end users to describe their specific industrial wireless application requirements in their own words, and will provide structure to ensure adequate detail for the committee's working groups. The use cases that have been completed, and those in progress, cover a variety of industries, including oil & gas, water, nuclear, food processing, chemical, aerospace, and automotive.
An initial use case interview takes about an hour to complete, and subsequent interviews take less time. Each component of the process can be submitted by a different contact within the end user company. End users are encouraged to volunteer to complete a study by contacting Lois Ferson, ISA Standards Manager or by completing this survey.

Surge protection for measuring devices - The new Surgetrab surge protection devices from Phoenix Contact allow for surge protection to be applied to measuring devices directly and without any additional accessories. They no longer have to be installed in separate boxes in front of the measuring head. The protective device is simply screwed in and connected. This way, the measuring device is protected from surge voltages. By inserting the cable in the integrated quick-shield connection on the circuit board, it is easy to apply the shield potential to the circuit board. The complex connection of the cable shield to a PCB terminal is a thing of the past. By removing a pre-installed bridge, which earths the shield directly, the shield can be grounded indirectly by means of a gas-filled surge voltage arrester.

Test and measurement leaders collaborate to expedite availability of instrument drivers - National Instruments and Agilent Technologies have announced a cooperative effort to create National Instruments LabVIEW Plug-and-Play instrument drivers for Agilent LXI, USB and GPIB instruments. The two test and measurement companies are working together to provide instrument drivers to engineers and scientists shortly after the release of new Agilent measurement products, making it even easier to combine the popular graphical development platform NI LabVIEW with the power and breadth of Agilent instruments.

Huge savings for Europe's main gas pipeline operator predicted - We understand Invensys Process Systems is in the advanced stages of delivering a major automation project to improve capacity for Europe's biggest gas transport operator. Based in Norway, Gassco is pipeline capacity allocator for the Gassled joint venture between oil and gas companies operating on the Norwegian continental shelf. The company currently transports about 15% of Europe's natural gas through approximately 8000 km network of pipelines. A key part of this transport network is the Karsto processing complex north of Stavanger. Operated by Statoil, Karsto is one of the world's largest producers of liquefied natural gases, including ethane, propane and butane.

Use of wireless technology in manufacturing to grow 26% annually - Wireless technology, now the networking backbone in homes and offices worldwide, is about to see widespread adoption where it will have, perhaps, its most profound impact: on the plant floor and out in the field. The worldwide market for wireless technology in manufacturing is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26% over the next five years. The market was $325.7 million in 2005 and is forecasted to be over $1 billion in 2010, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study.
Wireless Technology in Process Manufacturing BusinessThere are a number of important factors that make wireless the most important emerging technology today in manufacturing automation. "Manufacturers recognize that wireless can offer cost reductions. More importantly, they see wireless technologies as an enabler of entirely new business processes that will not only be less expensive, but will be safer, more reliable, and far more transparent than their current manufacturing practices," according to Senior Analyst Harry Forbes, the principal author of ARC's "Wireless Technology in Process Manufacturing".

"UK's Premier Manufacturing Software Event for 2006" - Wonderware whose products has announced the topics and dates for the WonderWorld 2006 global conference series, which will begin in September. The conferences, globally sponsored by Microsoft Corp., and to be held in 19 locations throughout the U.S. Latin America, Europe and Asia, will focus on operational excellence in manufacturing. Pantek will host this event incorporating it into their 2006 UK User Conference. It will be held at the Daventry Hotel, Northamptonshire on the 31st October & 1st November.
The British and Irish event will be hosted by Pantek, market and support Wonderware in those markets.
See our Events Page for other venues throughout the world.

Important research partnership in Ireland - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is to set up a new research project into gastrointestinal diseases in collaboration with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) in University College Cork. The development, jointly supported by IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), will involve an investment of up to €13.7m. Researchers will work to identify new drug targets for the treatment of various bowel-related conditions by exploiting the drug discovery capabilities and targeted expertise of GSK and APC.

Updated HSE test kit released - The Fieldbus Foundation today announced the release of the High Speed Ethernet (HSE) Conformance Test Kit 2.0. The new test kit version provides enhanced capabilities for development and testing of Foundation Class 42c HSE field and linking devices.
More on this and other communications news on our Fieldbus News Page.

New metrology tool introduced - Horiba Jobin Yvon introduces the DigiScreen, a new metrology tool capable of characterising deposited film thickness on large area glass substrates. With spatial resolution of < 2 mm the DigiScreen measures film thickness in the range 100 nm to several microns with acquisition times of < 1 second / point. Delivered to major process chamber manufacturer for quality control of FPDs, the DigiScreen has proven to be a reliable metrology tool that provides accurate film thickness uniformity over hundreds of points with very high throughputs.

Bet you've never thought of automation quite like this before!

Pump expert earns industry accolade - Flowserve tells us that Bruno Schiavello, director of fluid dynamics in the technology department of Flowserve Pumps, has won the 2006 Fluid Machinery Design Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Schiavello earned the lifetime ASME award for his achievements in advanced pump design for both single-size pumps and complete pump lines. His innovative designs have contributed to major improvements in pump efficiency, energy usage, size and weight. Specific designs have resulted in the life extension of impellers affected by cavitation and in improved reliability associated with suction recirculation onset and intensity.

Temperature transmitters certified to be compliant with international safety standard - Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced that its YTA series temperature transmitters have been certified by TUeV NORD, a product quality certification organisation based in Germany, as being compliant with the requirements of the IEC61508 international safety standard for Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 2. Yokogawa is releasing the YTA series to the market today, and from this date onward all products in the YTA series will be SIL2 compliant.

Multi-segment Type 4 safety light curtain makes light work of custom-fit industrial safety screens - Scientific Technologies has announced the introduction of the MiniSafe Flexible MSF4700 family of safety light curtains. Designed for harsh, high vibration industrial environments, the multi-segmented design of the MSF4700 can protect up to four different openings by simply connecting together up to four 35mm x 50mm housings. Any combination of protected heights - from 150mm to 1800mm, and at resolutions of 14mm, 20mm, and 30mm, - is possible.

New power quality recorder offers enhanced features for demanding tests and analysis - Fluke has introduced an enhanced IEC 61000-4-30 Class A-compliant three-phase Power Quality Recorder offering synchronisation to power frequency and GPS time registration. Designed for the most demanding power quality tests and analysis of utility and industrial power distribution systems in medium and low voltage networks, the new Fluke 1760 provides the flexibility to customise thresholds, algorithms and measurement selections. Test results can be acknowledged as evidence in contractual applications and legal disputes. The new, rugged Fluke 1760 Power Quality Recorder offers rapid plug-and-play operation with automatic detection of voltage and current sensors, 2GB of Compact Flash memory and comprehensive Power Quality analysis software. Developed in cooperation with power utilities providers, the Fluke 1760 is optimised for field use in general industrial and power-critical applications such as electric utility distribution networks, hospitals and processing plants. It enables electrical engineers to assess power quality to EN 50160.

Industrial data acquisition offering expanded with 12 new isolated multifunction devices - National Instruments has announced 12 new isolated M and S Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices. These devices combine the safety of isolation with the high-performance timing, amplification and calibration technologies of existing M Series DAQ devices for increased accuracy. Built-in isolation increases the safety of data acquisition devices and eliminates common problems that can ruin measurement accuracy. The new multifunction devices offer 16-bit accuracy, 250 kS/s sampling rates, ±10 V or ±20 mA analogue inputs, ±10 V or 0-20 mA analogue outputs and 5 V TTL/CMOS or 24 V digital inputs and outputs.

Thoughts on what's happening in the Ex field. We've just heard of a new blog called AN-Ex. This blog has been created to give a view of what's happening in the field of hazardous area instrument and electrical systems. Though started by MTL personnel it seems relatively unbiased.

Multimillion dollar automation contract awarded in Qatar - Engineering Procurement Contractor, GSEC of Seoul, Korea, has awarded Invensys Process Systems a multimillion dollar automation contract to provide an integrated process control, safety, asset management, and plant information system solution for the grassroots Laffan Refinery under construction at the Ras Laffan City in Qatar. Once operational in 2008, the refinery will process approximately 146,000 barrels per day of gas condensates from the adjacent QatarGas and RasGas LNG liquefaction facilities, making it one of the world's largest condensate refineries.

Free fieldbus seminar - ProfiBUS UK has announced a new seminar for technicians and engineers involved in design, operation and maintenance of modern process plant. Addressing the key practical issues arising from the use of digital fieldbus communications technologies in process and hybrid industries, it covers the use of ProfiBUS PA in key application areas such as Pulp & Paper, Chemical, Utilities, Pharmaceutical, Oil & Gas today.

Highest performance magnetostrictive position sensors - RDP Electronics' new MTS R-Series Synchronous Serial encoder Interface (SSI) position sensors are ideally suited to the peripheral machine tool and CNC markets. Based on the 'next-generation' Temposonics design platform, these magnetostrictive position sensors are durable and highly reliable.

Threat of condensation from TOC analysers removed - Rapid oxidation of gas samples for Total Organic Carbon (TOC) measurement can produce condensation which interferes with accurate readings. Perma Pure's MD-Series and MDH-Series Dryers remove excess water vapour to keep TOC analyzers in laboratory, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, water, and industrial applications free from damage and inaccurate results.  Using patented Nafion membrane technology, MD-Series and MDH-Series dryers selectively remove only water vapour from gas samples, leaving the carbon dioxide concentration intact for TOC measurement. With this one step drying solution there is no need for a drip leg, peltier cooler, or desiccant canister.

Software tool tests conformance - CAN in Automation (CiA) offers a software tool to test devices for conformance to the higher-layer protocol CANopen. Also, the CiA international users' and manufacturers' group certifies CANopen devices with the help of this tool. "The successful testing of CANopen conformity is an important mark of quality for purchasers of CANopen devices," said Holger Zeltwanger, CEO of CiA. "CANopen devices that pass the test, pose less problems than those that have not been tested. As a matter of fact, the tested ones are usually integrated without any problem at all."

New small volume accessory for particle size analyser - Horiba Jobin Yvon has introduced the Mini Flow accessory for their Partica LA-950 Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyser, which is a small volume circulation system; it minimises sample and dispersant volume requirements with all the convenience of a fully automated circulation system. It features 35 to 55 ml volume requirements, resistance to organic solvent, a built- in ultrasonic probe for dispersing highly agglomerated material, auto fill pump and auto-drain facilities and very easy exchange with other dispersion systems. The Mini Flow has been designed for quick and accurate operations, for high performances without compromise and easy maintenance. This new accessory will be very well suited in case of very precious sample applications, pharmaceutical or food applications requiring organic solvent dispersion, oil dispersions for pigments, polymers and resin products.

IR camera awarded patent - Applied Scintillation Technologies (AST) has been awarded a USA Patent (No.7075576) for its compact, low cost CamIR1550 infra-red camera. The product now has patents in both Europe and the USA. AST Sales & Marketing Director, Stuart Quinn, said: "The CamIR1550 uses our highly specialized knowledge of phosphor selection and coating techniques to offer a highly cost-effective alternative to IR cameras with specially processed detectors. This lightweight portable system has high sensitivity (to 0.2 microJ/cm2) and is optimized between 1500 and 1600 nm, making it ideally suited to applications in the telecommunications industry."

Industrial excellence banquet - Frost & Sullivan will host its prestigious 2006 Industrial Excellence Awards Banquet on Thursday, 21st of September 2006, in London. At the banquet, companies will be honoured for their business achievements in a variety of regional and global industrial markets.

New products at WWEM - Lambda Advanced Technology will be showing a host of analysis products from Analytik Jena on stand 25 at the Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring (WWEM) Conference, Exhibition and Workshops, 1st-2nd November 2006 at Telford International Centre, England. Included on the stand will be the new multi EA3100 elemental analyser and the Contra AA 300 and Contra AA 7000 atomic absorption spectrometers. All these products are ideal for use by the environmental scientists wanting to carry out detailed and accurate elemental analysis.

New brochure for plastic and polymer testing instruments - Lloyd Instruments has issued a new full colour brochure for its Davenport range of plastics and polymer testing instruments. Instruments from this comprehensive range are specified in many international testing standards, allowing critical polymer parameters to be determined. These include melt flow index (MFI), melt flow rate (MFR), melt volume rate (MVR), intrinsic viscosity (IV) and melt viscosity (MV) of PET, impact strength of plastic film, density measurement, HDT and VICAT. Testing may be carried out throughout the entire manufacturing cycle of polymer products.

Low cost handheld infrared thermometer with thermocouple input - The new Convir ST8833 handheld infrared thermometer from Calex Electronics is a professional, low cost model with an input for a type K thermocouple. The ST8833 provides a wide temperature range of -50degC to 800degC in infrared operation and -50degC to 1370degC in thermocouple operation. It has adjustable emissivity, which gives great flexibility and allows the ST8833 to measure many different materials.

New chassis lowers entry cost for high-performance PXI systems - Engineers can now create a new PXI system at a significant cost savings compared to previous systems using the National Instruments PXI-1033 chassis with an integrated MXI-Express remote controller. As part of the company's long history of reducing the cost of test systems, the NI PXI-1033 chassis takes advantage of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology to reduce the cost required to start a PXI system. The chassis integrates PCI Express technology to offer high value and reduces costs by incorporating the MXI-Express controller in the chassis.

Stackable power connector with IP 67 protection - Duplicon is a stackable, IP67 plug connector system from Phoenix Contact designed for power distribution in modular and remote machinery and similar installations. The system provides connections for cables with 6 x 4 mm_ + earth / 690 V / 25 A for power and 24 V or ASi bus. As a direct device connection, the incoming and secondary power circuits are plugged in separately but can be disconnected collectively for servicing and maintenance without interrupting the power supply. On the device side, the plug connector comes with an optional screw connection, plug connection or a direct PCB connection in 90deg and 180deg versions.

Events designed to illustrate the power of PAT for the pharmaceutical industry - Today's pharmaceutical manufacturers are under more pressure than ever to increase capacity utilization, reduce cycle times and improve manufacturing efficiencies. The difference between success and failure often lies in a company's ability to adapt to changing market dynamics. Initiatives like Process Analytical Technologies (PAT), Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) and Critical to Quality Attributes (CQA) Monitoring are revolutionizing the way drugs are made and GE Fanuc Automation and Umetrics are at the forefront of providing solutions to address those needs. GE Fanuc and Umetrics are hosting an upcoming seminar in multiple locations around the world designed to illustrate how PAT and other technologies can help today's pharmaceutical manufacturers to drive manufacturing excellence.

Free application guide to static solutions in the converting industry - Meech International has produced an Application Guide that highlights the problems that can occur due to uncontrolled static within the converting industry. The document, written by specialist engineers, shows how Meech's tried and tested solutions can be used to increase both productivity and profitability in a wide range of converting applications. The Guide is illustrated with full-colour diagrams covering a range of applications such as slitting and rewinding, flat bag manufacturing and web cleaning. It is available free of charge in both English or German as hard copy or in PDF format.

New power supply catalogue CD has added value - Available now from ThePowerSupplyShop.Co.UK is their first full product catalogue on a CD. In addition to full data sheets on over 7,000 power conversion products the CD features a number of other useful, interactive features. Product ranges featured on the CD include AC:DC power supplies in many formats such as, DIN-Rail, rack Mounted, Open Frame, External, PC/IT and Medical. Various types of DC:DC Converters including DIN-Rail, PCB, Chassis and Rack mounted. AC:AC chassis and plug top transformers, frequency converters and voltage stabilisers. DC:AC inverters for industrial and telecom applications and UPS products from compact, stand-alone units up to 200KVA enterprise protection and also MIL and Marine types.

Have you identified risks from static electricity? - If you have then Newson Gale has the solution to your problem. A self-testing earthing clamp specifically designed to protect against static electricity building-up on drums, IBC's, mobile plant or portable equipment. The Bond-Rite clamp creates and continuously monitors a low-resistance connection to earth and displays this healthy condition through a flashing LED indicator on the handle of the clamp.

Networking group formed to boost presence of women in the instrumentation workforce - We had an item about YAPs yesterday and now we have one on another function though this time focused on women in our industry. The Fieldbus Center at Lee College will host a meeting of the Nexus of Instrumentation Women (NIW) on Thursday, September 14, 2006, at Lee College, Baytown, TX. (US) "Instrumentation Technician" will be the featured profession as topic of discussion. The meeting will provide an opportunity for women involved in the instrumentation industry to discuss their daily work life and share common insights and experiences.
This group will also be participating in the ISA Expo YAPFest!

High voltage insulated down conductor ensures safe separation distances in lightning protection systems A novel type of coaxial insulated down conductor forms the heart of the latest generation of lightning protection systems from Dehn. Known as HVI, the new conductor has specifically been designed to ensure the safe separation distance called for in new British and European standards for lightning and surge protection.

Easy-to-use waterproof photometer ideal for on-site testing - Palintest has introduced another new, high performance, fully featured, portable photometer for water analysis. The 7100 replaces the company’s successful Photometer 5000 and enables advanced instrumental analysis of an extensive range of water tests. It is highly portable, fully waterproof, floats and is extremely rugged in design. It is also very easy-to-use, provides quick, accurate test results and is ideal for on-site testing in any application.

Data acquisition modules and controllers increase system bandwidth to 1 GB/s - National Instruments has announced the industry's first data acquisition (DAQ) modules for PXI Express, the NI PXIe-6259 and NI PXIe-6251 M Series modules, which deliver fast analogue and digital I/O with up to 250 MB/s dedicated per-slot bandwidth. In addition to the new PXI Express DAQ modules, NI announced four PXI Express controllers. The remote, embedded and rack-mount controllers are the industry's highest-bandwidth controllers with up to 1 GByte/s system and slot bandwidth. PXI Express offers the industry's highest bandwidth and highest-performance timing and synchronisation capabilities as well as software and hardware compatibility with the large installed base of existing PXI systems.

Are you a YAP? - Yes it was a new phrase to us too when we heard about the YAPFEST at the next ISAExpo in Houston (US). So we asked.!
And they told us.
A YAP is a Young Automation Professionals (Ages 18-30).
And the YAPFEST?
"From hearing a hot local band (11th Hour) to chowing down some Texas BBQ, YAPFEST has it all! Plus, you'll network with automation industry executives AND be entered into a grand prize drawing for an Alienware notebook.
Want more? Gain access to Wednesday's ISA EXPO conference sessions--a $225 value--absolutely free!"
So now you know.
So if you are a YAP you can find out all about it here!
We are not sure if ISA intends to arganise an OAP tent for the Baby Boomers and others! Search the ISA EXPO 2006 site for yourself.

Measuring bi-directional flow without intrusion into process line - Flow Technology (FTI), leading manufacturer of precision flow measurement instruments, systems and calibrators, has announced the release of Model SLF-500 Ultrasonic Liquid Flow Meter. The first in a new series of accurate, reliable and cost-effective flow measurement instruments, the SLF-500 is a clamp-on ultrasonic meter capable of measuring bi-directional flow through metal, plastic and even lined pipes without altering the piping.

Next generation modular jack helps to enable 10 Gbit/s networking - The AMP NetConnect business unit of Tyco Electronics has introduced the SL Series AMP-TWIST range of shielded modular jacks. The new range has been designed to mitigate the alien crosstalk often found in high-speed networking applications. With an integrated cable cutting blade arrangement and intuitive two-piece construction, these shielded modular jacks provide quick installation and can simplify shield termination.

Cost effective solution for monitoring shock and vibration influences - Lamerholm Electronics has launched a new addition to its Micro ShockLog range. Micro ShockLog provides a cost-effective solution for monitoring environmental influences, especially shock and vibration, on goods in transit. Until now, only available in the performance range ±10g or ±100g, Lamerholm has introduced a Micro ShockLog 30g instrument. Ideal for use by companies transporting equipment such as large computer towers, printers and photocopying machines, where impacts of 10 - 20g are liable to cause damage concerns. The introduction of the new 30g Micro ShockLog ensures that the instruments are working within 40-70% of their range making the resulting graphs more meaningful as the resolution is greatly improved.

Software-based, high-bandwidth digitiser/oscilloscope increases capability - National Instruments has announced the NI PXI-5152 general-purpose digitiser/oscilloscope, which extends the company's digitiser offering to 2 GS/s by providing a 1 GS/s real-time sampling rate on two simultaneous channels or 2 GS/s on one channel. For repetitive signals, engineers can use the module's equivalent-time sampling (ETS) mode to sample at up to 20 GS/s. Engineers can readily use the new module as a full-featured oscilloscope for time-domain measurements right out of the box. Unlike with traditional oscilloscopes, engineers can configure the same PXI-5152 digitiser through software to perform custom measurements in many application areas such as semiconductor chip characterisation, ultrasonic nondestructive test (NDT), biomedical and communications.

Significant contribution to international microscopy congress - Representatives from the Hitachi organisation throughout the world will be reinforcing the company's expertise in the field of electron optics by making a significant contribution to the 16th International Microscopy Congress (IMC16) to be held in Sapporo (JP) 2-8 September 2006. Delegates from Hitachi will be giving two invited lectures within the Instrumentation & Techniques session as well as a further 14 presentations across many of the other disciplines. In addition Hitachi will be contributing 24 poster sessions.

NAMUR isolating amplifiers are SIL2 - Phoenix Contact has added two additional modules to its range for safety-relevant applications. The NAMUR interface modules PI-EX-NAM/RNO-NE and PI-EX-NAMTO-P Ex isolating amplifiers now comply with the requirements of SIL 2 for functional safety. Both modules are part of the easy to use pluggable Process Interface electronic modules for use in potentially dangerous areas and provide EX i explosion protection. Their particular advantage is that they save both space and time. Combination with base terminals allows direct installation at the switching level of the control cabinet as well as pre-wiring of the modules which are only 12.4 mm wide. The application-dependent electronics can then be plugged in afterwards.

Going, going, still there and thriving - Just six years ago Invensys was one of the top industrial companies, with annual revenues of about $ 14B and comparable market-cap. But, after several unwise acquisitions the stock declined drastically and many of the best-performing companies in the group were sold off to stay financially afloat. Many eminent comentators and not a few less eminent ones fortold its demise or complete subsumation in one of its hungry rivals. Jim Pinto has now penned a review of how the corporate culture not only survived, but thrived on the Automation.com's Culture Series. He ends his paper as follows, "There's an old saying, '"When the going gets tough, the tough get going." There are those who complain, and those who solve problems. I am happy to present this story of the Invensys culture that "took a lickin' but just kept on tickin' "'
An earlier paper by the same author is interesting to read and contrast The story of Invensys in Decline
He also mantains a Blog which discusses Invensys and well worth dipping into.

Company memorializes renowned pump engineer, technologist and teacher with ASME honor - Flowserve, global provider of fluid motion and control products and services, announces the establishment of an award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), memorializing longtime Flowserve employee and pump technology expert Dr. Sankaraiyer Gopalakrishnan. The biennial Sankaraiyer Gopalakrishnan-Flowserve Pump Technology Award will recognize a mechanical engineer for achievement in mechanical pump technology with a financial prize.

Then there were twelve! - The number of planets around the Sun could rise from nine to 12 - with more on the way - if experts approve a radical new vision of our Solar System.

Toolkit encourages development of third-party software and hardware for next-generation robotics systems - National Instruments has announced the NI LabVIEW Toolkit for LEGO MindStorms Nxt. With the new toolkit, LabVIEW users can create and download VIs to operate and control the MindStorms Nxt robotics platform. Third-party software and hardware developers also can use the toolkit to create native blocks for MindStorms Nxt software. MindStorms Nxt, the next generation of this popular robotics invention system, became available earlier this month and includes a new programming environment, custom developed by NI and powered by LabVIEW.

EMF for corrosive industrial waste water - A waste disposal company in Basle, (CH) uses a Krohne Optiflux electromagnetic flowmeter for measuring the waste water produced by a chemical company. The company produces a monthly report detailing the amount of waste water to be sent for disposal. The waste disposal company measures the quantities on-site in a switchgear cabinet and then bills the chemical company at the end of the year for the waste it takes away for disposal. One of the problems with chemical waste water is that it contains corrosive substances and water-solvent mixes. This meter is ideal for corrosive applications because it has a resistant PFA liner. Additional features include a full range of diagnostic functions which will also identify changeovers in the media being measured. Its integrated conductivity measurement automatically identifies known mixes. This electromagnetic flowmeter has a measuring range from 0 to 500 liters per minute, a valuable feature given that the flows in this application can vary widely.

BUNGEE JUMPING & COCOONS: THE DUAL NATURE OF THE INDUSTRIAL MARKETPLACE John D. Kenworthy Bungee Jumping is "our present culture's predilection for embracing all things extreme," the author explains. "In our advertising and in our leisure, we want bigger, better, more." Cocoons represent "our willingness to nest within our homes with no need or desire to come out and mingle with the wicked world." Venture into this dual world of extreme fantasy adventures and isolation and be prepared to alter the way you think about the future.

Robots go to university - Students at The University of Plymouth (GB) are now getting hands-on experience of flexible automation, following the installation of four high-tech Mitsubishi robots by Barr & Paatz. The Mitsubishi RV-2AJ five-axis robots are designed to be flexible and adaptable to a great many tasks in manufacturing industry. They are also used in fields such as research labs, medical facilities and CD pressing plants. Their 64-bit controller makes them highly intelligent and their poweful servo motors enable them to work with payloads of up to 2kg.

New technologies and products at show - At ECOC 2006 - Cannes (F) 24/09/2006 to 28/09/2006) - Yokogawa will be demonstrating a number of new developments in the field of 40 Gbit/s optical device and transmission technology, including a novel InP HBT (hetero-junction bipolar transistor) and a live demonstration of the latest OCX (Optical Circuit eXchange) featuring an original semiconductor optical switch. Also featured are optical packet network technologies and a number of new modules and subsystems including a newly developed burst-mode CDR (clock data recovery) subsystem unit.

"Meeting of the Minds" Conference in North America - WBF will hold its 2007 North American Conference on May 1 - 3, 2007 in Baltimore, Maryland. This annual event showcases the automation profession's leading experts addressing manufacturing system control, from batch to continuous, discrete, and hybrid processes, from production planning to equipment automation. Keynote speakers, panels, and discussion forums will provide focus on implementation of industry standards including ISA-88, ISA-95, B2MML, and Make2Pack. WBF's collaborative activities with ISA, OMAC, CSIA, and MESA also will be highlighted.

Powerful software produces custom diesal engine gauges in minutes - Teleflex has launched a Windows configuration tool for the CANtrak range of large-format, automotive-grade LCD human-machine interfaces. The powerful software allows application-specific instrumentation gauges to be created for handling SAE J1939-compatible CANbus engine data, for use in vehicles, or on diesel engine powered equipment such as pumps and compressors. The software also supports NMEA 2000 - the protocol used for GPS navigational devices - widening the applications potential to leisure and work boats.

Energy management software provides cost savings - Carlo Gavazzi is introducing smart energy management network software to improve efficiency and reduce costs by providing complete energy management programmes for industrial, commercial and public buildings. The flexible and easy to use PowerSoft software from Carlo Gavazzi allows correct and efficient manageability of utility systems and can manage very wide networks with up to 800 instruments. The configuration wizard has a fully-automated set-up, saving installation time, and can manage networks over several sites, even when there is distance between them. This eliminates the estimation of costs for utilities such as energy, water and gas and allows the correct allocation of costs where one or more organisations or divisions share the same utilities such as shopping centres, production facilities, hospitals, blocks of offices or flats.

European conference - The OPC Foundation and the Institute for Information Technology (ITM) announce a three day International Developers Conference dedicated to the latest OPC Unified Architecture specification. DevCon 2006 takes place in Munich 10-12th October 2006 and is aimed at educating software architects/developers, system integrators, OPC product developers and potential end users of this latest OPC specification.
OPC Unified Architecture (UA) defines secure, reliable interoperability for exchanging data and information between the factory floor and the enterprise. The open, cross platform, service-oriented architecture builds on and unifies existing, successfully-adopted OPC Foundation interfaces.

Innovation award for rail temperature monitor - Radio-Tech has won the prestigious Best Small-Scale Innovation at this year's Railway Forum / Modern Railways Innovation Awards against strong competition. The awards, announced at a gala reception at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London at the end of June, recognised Radio-Tech's Rail Temperature Monitor (RTM) system, developed with Network Rail, as a key development. The award is for "small-scale innovations that have a big impact on improving the effectiveness of the railway".

Close-proximity wireless technology set to improve the management of diabetes - Cambridge Consultants has revealed an innovative medical device concept for managing diabetes that uses NFC, the close-proximity wireless communications standard, to integrate glucometers and insulin pumps. The prototype device, developed in conjunction with Philips, demonstrates how NFC can be exploited to simplify treatment for millions of diabetics worldwide, and could be the first of a new generation of medical devices that use close-proximity wireless communications.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diabetes is officially classified as a worldwide epidemic with the number of people with the disease to double to 366m by 2030.

New distributor in Britain - Sensus Metering Systems has appointed a new distribution partner to handle the sales and support of its advanced turbine water meters to large commercial and industrial users throughout Great Britain. Oldham (GB) based Stream Measurement, specialists in process and energy measurement, will focus on delivering Sensus solutions in the secondary metering sector.

Field portable RF spectrum analyser links to office - The PSA1301T field portable spectrum analyser from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments) now includes the facility to e-mail screen images back to the office. Built-in Bluetooth communication links to a mobile phone, and screen images are sent as attachments using the built-in VersaMail e-mail application. The PSA1301T is a true handheld RF spectrum analyser weighing less than 500 grams and measuring less than 10 cm across. Its built-in NiMh batteries provide more than four hours of continuous operation from a charge. The analyser can also be set to turn off automatically after a user-defined delay from the last key press, extending battery life further.

New robust pipe flowmeter - HWM Hydreka has introduced HydrINS, a robust new electromagnetic insertion pipe flowmeter. The flowmeter builds on HWM and Hydreka’s experience in the field of flow measurement. A combination of design and software ensures quick and simple deployment and highly accurate flow calculation. It is fully submersible, has a long battery life, no moving components and a wide range of applications.

Awards from "Hidden Treasure!" - The editors of the hidden treasure of ISA, the quarterly ISA Transactions have selected the best paper recipient for 2005 - "Improving immunization of programmable logic controllers using weighted median filters", Vol. 44, No. 2, pp 225-241, 2005 by Professor Jose L. Paredes of Universidad de Los Andes in Venezuela and Daniel Diaz, one of his students.
ISA Transactions is probably the most respected journal of advances and state-of-the-art in the science and engineering of measurement and automation, of value to leading-edge industrial practitioners and applied researchers.

Weblog for semiconductor testing - Keithley Instruments, leader in solutions for emerging measurement needs, announces the first Weblog, or Blog, designed exclusively for engineers confronting testing issues in the semiconductor industry. The Semiconductor Test Blog informs visitors of the latest technical and business developments in the semiconductor industry and their impact on testing. The Blog is coordinated by Solid State Technology magazine.

New look for mag and website - The British magazine Instrumentation and the associated website connecting industry.com have been redsigned in a cleaner, easier-to-read style.
Other measurement, control and automation publications are listed on our magazine page

Fifth-generation dual-channel benchtop filter/amplifier - BenchMaster 8 from Kemo is a full redesign of the company's classic VBF 8 dual-channel benchtop filter/amplifier - originally launched in 1975 and now in its fifth generation, with thousands of the earlier units in use worldwide. The new version of BenchMaster 8 makes extensive use of surface-mount technology to speed manufacture and delivery as well as offering a number of performance enhancements including increased gain, lower noise, a higher dynamic range and a wider range of filter responses.

System to provide foundation for real time liquid monitoring and control - CHS Inc. has selected Invensys to implement an InFusion-based supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for Front Range Pipeline, LLC and Cenex Pipeline, LLC. These pipelines provide transportation of crude oil to the CHS refinery in Laurel, Montana, and transportation of refined products to markets east, including eastern Montana and North Dakota (US). The new system will integrate existing third-party programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and monitor and control the data from fifteen pumping stations along the two pipelines. Communications will be via a Wide Area Network (WAN) utilising fiber optic, VSAT, and dial up links with the different pumping stations.

A powerful combination for multiple temperature sensor calibration - Multiple temperature sensor calibration can be achieved for a wide variety of sensor types using the Jofra ATC series of temperature calibrators and ASM advanced signal multiscanner from Ametek Calibration Instruments. In particular. the ATC140A/B and ATC250A/B temperature calibrators offer exceptional versatility as they can be configured as either liquid baths or dry-block calibrators, for use with gas or liquid filled probes, glass thermometers and multiple probes.

10,000PSI rated pipe fittings support high pressure and small bore piping applications - Parker Instrumentation has launched a range of 10,000PSI-rated (689bar) instrument pipe fittings. The range provides instrumentation and piping engineers with quality components for interconnecting instrument-grade piping in the growing number of high pressure applications, such as those found in deep water oil and gas exploration and production.

Wireless solutions guide now available - Phoenix Contact has published a new guide for Engineers on Wireless, Bluetooth and WLAN technologies. The guide also shows products from their own range of Wireless solutions for machine building, factory automation and applications in the process industry.

Google Intros Click Fraud Stats Click fraud happens when machines or people click on Internet ads with the intent of driving up costs for the advertiser. With the pay per click advertising model used by most search engines, that's a problem as you pay when clicks happen. Google, Yahoo, and AOL have been sued by advertisers claiming they've been charged for invalid clicks. So now Google has taken the step of more visibly tracking these illegitimate clicks, and showing advertisers the activity and how it is being filtered out. While click fraud is not very common in niche technical markets, it can happen. Telesian

Toughest IP67 (water-tight) Ethernet ring switch - SixNet is announcing its launch of the new five-port IP67 Ethernet Switches (ET-5RS-IP67), featuring the Real-time Ring capability for super-fast recovery. These switches are ultra-reliable and were designed for the toughest applications, including the military. They easily mount to any machine or convenient flat surface in the harshest industrial environments, reducing installation costs and saving space. These are also easy to use and truly plug and play, to save you time.

All Ethernet-Based high-availability control systems avoid downtime in mission critical applications - GE Fanuc Automation has announced the availability of its All Ethernet High-Availability Solution, designed to mitigate the risks of downtime, safety concerns, and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). The solution, based on GE Fanuc's PACSystems Rx7i and Rx3i control platforms, provides the ability to manage a large number of mission critical I/O at high speed in a distributed architecture.

Compact low leakage EMC filters use innovative plastic design - Schaffner, a market leader in EMC components, announces the introduction of the new FN 3025 and FN 3026 three-phase EMC filters. These new feature-rich products set a new precedent in compact, light weight mechanical design, operational safety and innovative packaging.

20th Anniversary Edition software targets communications test - National Instruments, has just announced LabVIEW 8.20, the 20th anniversary edition of the LabVIEW graphical system design platform for test, control and embedded system design development. NI LabVIEW 8.20 extends the popular LabVIEW graphical programming platform with communications design, simulation and test tools specifically tailored to the needs of telecom design and test engineers. LabVIEW 8.20 gives developers the ability to reuse their m-file scripts created with The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® software. For advanced design and test applications, LabVIEW 8.20 also introduces object-oriented programming structures and an XML-based reporting standard for test data management.

Enabling more seamless transfer of production transactions - Pantek, their Irish and British distributors, tell us that Wonderware has announced that it will extend the integration of Wonderware's open manufacturing software solutions built on ArchestrA technology to the Microsoft Dynamics AX business management solution. This new capability will utilise the ISA-95 standard for enterprise-to-control system integration and will enable more seamless transfer of production order and material transactions between Microsoft Dynamics AX and multi-vendor plant systems that are integrated with Wonderware's software solutions.

High quality industrial modems - Westermo Data Communications has released a series of high quality telephone modems designed to provide connection to remote devices and networks reliably within industrial environments and in areas of high level interference. The TDW-33, TD-36 and TD-36/485 are all ideal for industrial applications as they mount easily on to a 35mm DIN-rail, have screw terminal connections, are tri-galvanically isolated and have an extended working temperature range of -25degC to +70degC.

New Director-elect of management division of global automation body - ISA (the Instrument, Systems and Automation Society), has announced the appointment of Shari L.S. Worthington as Director-Elect of the Management Division. She will serve in this role through the end of 2007, supporting members who are involved in management as it relates to instrumentation, systems, and automation assets, such as marketing and sales, supply chain management, industry standards, education and training, project management, and personnel management. In 2008, she will assume the role of Director, Management Division. Previously, Shari held the position of Marketing & Sales Chair, Management Division and serves as Program Chair for ISA's 1st Annual Marketing & Sales Summit - Sept 13-15, 2006, Austin, Texas (US).
A scientist turned engineer turned marketer, Worthington's specialty is real-time computing in laboratory and manufacturing applications. Previously a product manager in the high tech industry, she is President of Telesian Technology, a marketing and web services firm founded in 1987 that focuses on the high tech and manufacturing markets.

Field instrument management system to be integrated with spectrometer Systems - Stonewater Control Systems a pioneer and leading supplier of network platforms to monitor and control multiple distributed devices and instruments, today announced that it is to provide its Field Instrument Management System (FIMS) solution to systems integrator Sanchez Industrial Design, Inc. (SID) The software will be integrated with the Aspectrics' EP-IR spectrometer system to allow SID to monitor gases, liquids and alarm remotely in real time. The FIMS system will also monitor sound, is combined with an ultrasonic weather station and is adapted for the mobile environment with communications integrated with Cisco Mobile Access Router technology. This provides highly secure wireless data communications from any location.

Industrial Ethernet switch with fibre-optic ports - The ESC TP06/FX02-SC Ethernet switch from Harting has been designed for use in industrial environments and supports both standard Ethernet (10 Mbit/s) and Fast Ethernet (100 Mbit/s) with a combination of copper and fibre-optic ports.

Friction tester launched - Lloyd Instruments has announced the launch of the FTPlus friction tester, a high accuracy, bench-mounted single lead screw instrument. This dedicated instrument conforms to the requirements of the key ASTM D1894, ISO 8295 and TAPPI T549 friction testing standards and has extensive applications in the packaging and printing industries. It can be used for measurements of static and kinetic coefficients of friction, peak load and average load. A friction table is mounted directly onto the machine, with a full set of accessories to achieve the ASTM, ISO and TAPPI requirements. In addition to providing these standards as user configurable tests, a further seven tests are available for user custom configuration.

Ethernet-enabled motor drives let aircraft door simulator users 'feel the force' - The dynamic control of motion made possible by the high-speed Ethernet Powerlink machine network, is behind a new generation of aircraft door trainer that offers exceptional flexibility to simulate emergency conditions. The Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainer (CEET) - manufactured by EDM - uses Baldor's Ethernet-compatible machine controller, with two servo motor axes to control the operating characteristics of the emergency exit door's hinge and handle.

Newsletter out - The Summer 2006 issue of the Embedded Development Tools Newsletter is now available for downloading at www.computer-solutions.co.uk

Imaging for industry and science - The UKIVA (UK Industrial Vision Association) is expanding its scope of activity to actively encourage companies involved in scientific imaging applications to become members. This association was established in 1992 as a not-for profit trade organization whose prime objective was to promote the use of imaging in industry, but over the years has expanded its remit a number of times to reflect the dynamics of the imaging world. In line with this latest initiative, the Association has updated its logo to include the strapline; 'Imaging for Industry and Science'.

New pump drive system revolutionises metering technology - ProMinent Fluid Controls has launched the Delta precision diaphragm dosing pump which features an innovative pump drive system to give outstanding flexibility in dosing and control. This new 'optoDrive' system is a controlled solenoid drive system which extends the pump's capability to include continuous dosing and offers increased safety thanks to the integrated 'optoGuard' hydraulic monitoring functions. The new drive allows a slow pressure output stroke to be set for almost continuous dosing or a fast stroke to be set for pulsed dosing. In addition, the pressure of the suction stroke can be adjusted to give greater control over a wide range of applications.

Robot welder has moving experience - A production problem at a vending machine manufacturer was solved recently by automation specialists Robotix of Rugby, who provided a tailor-made spot welding machine - with the precision movement being provided by a rodless pneumatic cylinder from Hoerbiger-Origa. The robot-loaded CNC press brake sheet metal forming cell at Ripley Engineering of Basingstoke manufactures the front and side panels for vending machines. Flat sheet is cut out on a laser profiling machine and the edges are folded. Experience has shown that compound bends around the front edge of the cabinet can cause vibration during operation, unless the flanges are secured.

Scotland trialls automation service concept - Mitsubishi Electric has joined forces with Dowding and Mills, to create an Automation Service Centre for Scotland, at Bellshill, near Glasgow. The core offering of this new business will be scheduled maintenance servicing, in which a D&M engineer regularly attends customers’ sites to perform routine maintenance works such as program back-up, tuning, cleaning and minor repairs. This will allow manufacturers to optimise their own in-house engineering functions, removing a lot of the mundane but vital tasks that would otherwise distract engineers from their specialist duties.

Analogue Signal Conditioning in Ex Areas - Mini MCR Analogue signal converters and isolators from Phoenix Contact can now be used in Ex applications. All available devices in this product line now fulfill the requirements for type 'n' explosion protection. This means the modules are suitable for installation in Ex-Zone 2. What's more, sensors and actuators from Ex-Zone 1 that fulfill the explosion protection category 2 G but are not listed in the 'intrinsically safe' explosion protection type can also be connected. This is, for example, true of PT100 resistance thermometers.

MBO of test systems business - Schaffner Ltd, the market leader in EMC components and test systems, announces the sale of its Test Systems business through an MBO to a group of investors led by the present head of the division, Johannes (Johnny) Schmid. The sale of the EMC Test System business, which contributed some £13M to Schaffner group sales in 2004/2005, is the latest phase in Schaffner's ongoing strategy to refocus the group on the growing and dynamic market for EMC components and modules.

New pulse-width modulation option offers low cost digital signalling - Penny + Giles, designer and manufacturer of high precision sensing technology, has developed a pulse-width modulation (PWM) option for its ICT range of contactless in-cylinder linear transducers. Launched last year, the rugged and reliable ICT range was designed for hostile conditions inside mobile and static hydro-pneumatic actuators. The new option provides further assurance for OEMs as the digital signal of the PWM is more robust and less vulnerable to noise than analogue voltage signals. The option also provides a simple cost-effective way to 'go digital' as it does not require an A/D converter or other re-configuration.

Welcome for co-operation by two automaation giants - Emerson Process Management and Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) announced in a joint press release on July 11, 2006 that both companies are trading technology know-how and providing each other with engineering support (see July News 2006 - 12.7/2006. ProfiBus International welcomes the partnership of these two global players in automation. This development is especially important for ProfiNET and ProfiBus, particularly in view of the global process automation market in which the American company Emerson plays an outstanding role, as it provides an ideal starting point for further disseminating the open technologies ProfiBus and ProfiNET. Integration of ProfiNET and ProfiBus in the Emerson Delta V and Ovation process control systems will contribute to further consolidating the already strong position of ProfiBus and ProfiNET in process automation.

Providing vital instrument connectivity to improve manufacturing processes and maximise return on investment - GE Fanuc has announced the next iteration of its comprehensive Process Analytical Technology (PAT) solution for the Life Sciences industry. Proficy RX, based on technology from Symbion Systems, allows for unprecedented production connectivity, data collection and analysis, and provides a solid foundation for companies seeking to better understand and improve their processes. PAT is a system for designing, analysing and controlling manufacturing through timely measurements of critical quality and performance attributes of raw and in-process materials. The goal of PAT is to ensure final product quality.

Award announced - Schaffner has announced the winner of the 2006 Schaffner/University of York award for best EMC project. This year's winner is Joanne Burch for her "Ground Power Supply Operation during Static Aircraft Trials" project. The purpose of Joanne's project was to devise a strategy to overcome issues regarding the susceptibility of Ground Power Units (GPUs) to the RF environments produced by the Radio Frequency Environment Generator (REG) transmitters and aircraft transmitters employed during ground based aircraft testing.

Automation Network Selection Dick Caro Industry expert Dick Caro walks you through the various industrial networks (e.g., sensor, fieldbus, control, safety buses, and so on) and then gives you a perspective on the typical applications for industrial automation network technology. The emphasis is on the intended application for each network rather than on the network protocol. See the ISA web site for more details, pricing, and to order

Membrane info centre launched - Donaldson Membranes continues its commitment to providing first class filtration solutions with the release of The Membranes Info Centre - an online self-help facility for customers. Aimed at buyers, both OEMs and end users, the Extranet is available via a password which customers can use to access a web-based application linked to Donaldson Membrane's main website.

Online training explodes the myths of plant performance - ExperTune is offering free web-based training to improve plant performance. "The 6 Myths of Process Performance" identifies the "right things" to focus on for improved process performance. The myths represent outdated methods of plant performance improvement. Each myth is debunked in a short 5-minute video. "Suddenly plant personnel can see exactly where to focus their efforts. The old methods, or 'myths', of performance improvement are no longer relevant. ExperTune's free on-line training videos expose the 'right things', and explode these common myths.

Fluid-tight fittings - Hand tightening single use fittings is typically a guessing game; most specify "finger tight," a subjective measurement that varies by person and finger strength. Diba Industries' patented pending Torque Right fittings eliminate this process variable, assuring the torque required for a proper seal by providing objective feedback that desired torque has been achieved. Accurately torqued fittings ensure tight fluid connections and consistent, leak-free processing. The pre-assembled fittings are designed with tabs on either side, scored to fold in when the fitting is seated with the right amount of torque. This visual indicator allows installers to hand tighten fittings without tools, torque specification, or guesswork. The ergonomic design results in less strain on installers and facilitates training.

Globalisation of engineering services - the next growth frontier for India! - NASSCOM the premier trade body and the "voice" of the Indian IT industry, and management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, has just released the key findings of a study "Globalization of Engineering Services - the Next Frontier for India". This is the first study to take a systematic and comprehensive view of the role of emerging markets in engineering services and assess the evolution of the engineering market between 2005 and 2020. The findings estimate an additional US$ 40 billion opportunity for the Indian IT industry by 2020, from offshoring of engineering services alone. The Report outlines the existing and potential opportunities along five verticals and four service lines.

Camera comptible - Sony Electronics and National Instruments have announced that the Sony XCI-SX1 Smart Camera under the Microsoft Windows XPe operating system is compatible with National Instruments NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection (AI) software. By combining the simplicity and reliability of the Sony Smart Camera with the ease of use of the NI Vision Builder AI machine vision software from National Instruments, engineers can configure, benchmark and deploy complete machine vision applications without any required programming.

New motion prototyping software imports motion profiles from CAD, drafting packages using DXF files - In another release National Instruments tell us that they are launching NI Motion Assistant 2.0, the latest version of the interactive software for prototyping single- and multi-axis motion control systems. Machine builders and OEMs can use the new NI Motion Assistant 2.0 to import motion profiles from CAD and drafting programs using the popular DXF file format. With this time-saving feature, engineers can gain instant access to their profiles. Additionally, the software's interactive environment makes it easy to implement profiles in NI CompactRIO programmable automation controllers or generate code for PCI/PXI plug-in motion controllers while maintaining the ease of use of previous versions. NI Motion Assistant 2.0 is ideal for engineers who build machines for engraving or cutting profiles in sheet metal, glass, wood, foam or cloth, or for scanning applications in the semiconductor, life sciences and electronics industries.

Process News bi-weekly newsletter is the online version of the Process Controls And Instrumentation print magazine. You might like to subscribe if so tell them that the Signpost sent you!

Monitoring world flow - Flow Researchhas acquired the website >www.worldflow.com. This website is up and running, and it is the new home of the Worldflow Monitoring Service. Soon they will move the Living Database, which is part of the Worldflow Monitoring Service,to this location.

High specification sample cooler for clean area applications - Now available from Keith Shuttleworth and Associates, a global provider of steam quality testing equipment/services and sterilizer/sterilization based professional services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare industries, is the new SQ2 Sanitary Sample Cooler. Unlike many coolers in use, this new product is designed to the same (or higher) standards then the systems being sampled and gives users peace of mind that their samples have not been contaminated in the collection process. Its high quality polished finish makes it ideal to use in pharmaceutical plants and cleanrooms, where samples are regularly taken for chemistry, conductivity, TOC and microbiology testing.

Management of 62 km gas pipeline investigation contract awarded - STATS has been appointed by Entrepose Industrial Services Ltd to provide specialist engineering and environmental services for the design of a 62km, 1.22m diameter high-pressure natural gas pipeline between Asselby and Pannal in Yorkshire (GB).
STATS is an independent consultancy practice with allied investigation, testing, monitoring and inspection services, which specialises in the environment, ground engineering, materials used in construction and built structures.

SCADA security assessments - PlantData Technologies, the leading SCADA security, IT services and industrial automation firm, today announced it has completed more than 50 SCADA, EMS, and DCS Security assessments in the past five years. A division of Verano the provider of security and SCADA solutions for mission-critical industries, PlantData continues its commitment to serving energy, utility, transmission and distribution, transportation and other critical infrastructure industries.
See our Cyber Security Page

Autocalibration systems for in-situ oxygen measurement - Emerson Process Management has unveiled the Rosemount Analytical SPS 4001B, IMPS 4000 and MPS 3000 self triggering autocalibration systems for in-situ oxygen (O2) analysers. When used in combination with the unique features of the Rosemount Analytical Oxymitter and World Class 3000 analysers, these cost-effective sequencers ensure that O2 measurements are always accurate without having to manually initiate calibrations - safely keeping workers off the stack and operations running at optimal efficiency. The SPS 4001B Autocalibration Sequencer is designed for single probe applications, whereas the IMPS 4000 and MPS 3000 Multiprobe Autocalibration Sequencers are designed for applications with up to four O2 probes. The units can be easily added to existing oxygen installations and are equipped with HART digital communications, enabling the user to set up, calibrate and troubleshoot from any location where the analyser's 4-20 mA signal is terminated and accessible.

Donation to training programme - ISA has announced the donation of 4 Nullmatic controls Model 55M (M43) with integral setting and transfer switch from Siemens Energy & Automation to its training program. Valued at over $11,600, the donation will be used in their technical training program.
ISA trains thousands of technicians, managers and engineers every year, using state-of-the art equipment from corporate donors.

New thin client and box PC offerings added to line of industrial computers - Wonderware, part of Invensys Systems, and has announced the addition of two new products to its line of Industrial Computers. The new Thin Client Computer and Box PC industrial systems, which come bundled with HMI software, offer flexibility, versatility and are plug-and-play ready for immediate operation in a variety of manufacturing and industrial settings. The systems are ideal replacements for proprietary operator panels, providing users with a unified software platform from HMI to operator interface.
These products are sold and supported in the Britain and Ireland by Pantek

Cutting edge technology! - First Pinto and now Bond's IAI have succumbed to the pod generation. The current issue of Acrobat version of Industrial Automation Insider is novel in two ways. INSIDER is taking its first tentative steps into the world of Podcasting in collaboration with PR agency Ballard Communications Management (BCM). BCM's Engineering News podcast is jointly presented by Stephen Ballard and INSIDER's Andrew Bond and focuses on the latest news and gossip from the industrial automation and process control sectors. You can access and download the current Podcast by going to the INSIDER web siteor to BCM's website. Alternatively you can access Engineering News via Apple iTunes. The second innovation in this issue is the fact that the links are live and you can even link to the Read-out Signpost from the link on page 11.

New in-vehicle ultra-wide LCD module for navigation and entertainment systems - Hitachi Europe has announced the availability of a new in-vehicle, ultra-wide TFT LCD module that uses in-plane switching (IPS) technology to deliver high picture quality and a wide viewing angle. Sample products will be shipped in October 2006, and will be suitable for applications such as satellite navigation and rear seat entertainment systems. The in-vehicle LCD panels are highly reliable and provide good visibility from the driver's and front passenger seats, even in bright weather conditions. They operate well even on cold winter mornings, and have black displays for an upmarket look.
What is IPS technology?

SCADA on the ocean wave! - A leading oil company has again chosen RealFlex software in a recent SCADA upgrade. The previous RealFlex installation had monitored the ships turbines for the last 15 years without interruption. The upgrade was carried out at sea to a very tight deadline by company personnel. The ships management were delighted to welcome the latest version on board, saying "We believe that only RealFlex can consistantly deliver the systems reliability we need. In this environment we cannotrisk systems failures"

Humidity measurement in Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) atmospheres - The Testo hygrotest 650, with its ground breaking patented filter, converts H2O2 vapour into water vapour and oxygen. This measuring method enables humidity levels to be accurately monitored throughout the various phases of the H2O2 sterilisation cycle without risk to the sensor. With its fast response time and analogue or digital outputs, the 650 may be used in a wide range of monitoring, recording and controlling applications during H2O2 sterilisation applications. This new, patented technology by Testo is unique to the market.
The use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a sterilising agent in healthcare and production processes is extremely important to health and safety and has been growing in recent years due to its success. It is critically important that humidity levels and temperature are controlled for optimum performance.

Ever upwards! - National Instruments has reported record revenue in Q2 2006 of $160 million, a 14 percent USD increase over Q2 2005 and an equivalent 16 percent increase in local currency. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) fully diluted earnings per share (EPS) for Q2 2006 was 21 cents with GAAP net income of $17 million, up 13 percent from Q2 2005. Non-GAAP fully diluted EPS was 25 cents with non-GAAP net income of $20.5 million, up 33 percent from Q2 2005. Non-GAAP results exclude the impact of stock-based compensation and the impact of the amortization of acquisition-related intangibles.

Broadened vistas - Horizons are expanding for leading supplier of integrated control and asset management solutions Transmitton, set to capture some major international business following an intensive export drive since its acquisition by Siemens last year. Global growth is expected for two proven Transmitton technologies, cromos and fastflex. Transmitton Account manager Chris Ford, who joined the company in October last year from Optilan in Coventry, has just returned from a visit to Rail Solutions Asia in Bangkok, Thailand. This month Chris will be joining the Siemens team exhibiting at Africa Rail in Johannesburg, South Africa and at the Innotrans exhibition, in September, in Berlin.

OEMs and independent service providers are helping the European power plant services markets to grow - Services markets in the power generation equipment sectors across Europe are contributing to increased growth potential for turbine manufacturers. Clearly, the growing services markets, particularly in the gas turbines arena, will offer enhanced scope to service providers, as profit margins continue to outpace those in the new equipment business. This finding was revealed in a recent Frost & Sullivan end-user study based on primary research among nearly 200 power plant managers as well as operations and maintenance managers. The analysis focused on the maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) requirements/strategies of utility and independent power producer (IPP) plants in western Europe.