• New T&M Instruments - Keithley have issuec a brief on new products in 1998.
• Power email! - A conference examining the strategies and business potential of power line for the competitive delivery of Internet, voice, broadband and telematic is being held in London from 23rd to 24th September 1998. Called Power Line Communications it is organised by IIR Telecoms & Technology.
  See our Conference & Exhibitions Page
• Smart VA meter - Flotech Solutions have introduced the new high-pressure version of the Brooks Industrial Model 3809 metal tube VA flowmeter in Britain. This is the first Brooks VA meter to have HART "smart" options.

• Redesigned web site - The Industrial Computing portion of the ISA web site has been redesigned and updated with the June issue of the magazine. Check it out at http://www.isa.org/journals/ic/. This month's topics include: mass customization, thinking machines, bus architectures, distributed processing, and smart sensors.
  See also the web site of the Industrial Computing Society to keep up with the discipline.
• Another new site - National Instruments has announced a new, independent Internet resource containing the latest industry news, add-on products, and reference material for PC-based measurement and automation. VImarket.com is sponsored by VI Technology, G Systems, LTR Publishing, and Viewpoint Software Solutions And is now available.
• Windows 98 compatible - In a separate announcement National Instruments said that its software and hardware products for measurement and automation applications are compatible with the Microsoft Windows 98 operating system.
• Ruggedized VMEbus board - SBS Embedded Computers announces the availability of the VME-192, a Pentium-based single board computer designed for ruggedization for high performance commercial and telemetry applications.
• Latest issue - of Readout is to be sent out in the next few days. We have put up the preview here.

• New tank gauge interfaces - Sakura Endress of Japan has interfaced its popular TGM-4000 and Proservo NMS tank gauges with FuelsManager, the widely-used SCADA software for fuels applications.
• Rosemount pass - "I am excited to announce that the Rosemount Model 3244MV Temperature Transmitter and the Model 3051 Pressure Transmitter both passed the user layer interoperability test of the Fieldbus Foundation on 26th May 1998. Foundation Fieldbus and Rosemount transmitters are an integral part of our Fisher-Rosemount PlantWeb field-based architecture that benifits the customer by reducing installation and maintenance costs and improving their overall plant performance." announced Edward L. Monser, President and Chief executive of Rosemount.
  See also our Fieldbus Page for more fieldbus news.
• Immersible micro switches - Crouzet has announced a new range of sealed micro switches, water and dust proof to IP67 (immersible), optionally double insulated or flameproof to EEx dII CT6, in a huge variety of housings and actuation styles to suit almost any application.
• Another navigator - Thousands of space saving new surface mount ICs, connectors, discretes and passives can be found on Flint's free new Navigator II interactive surface mount component guide on CD ROM - and finding them has become easier and quicker with the introduction of a new search engine and an improved user interface. Call +44 1530 510333.
• 10VDC output and command signal from mass flow controller - Sierra Instruments' Mass-Tank mass flow controller is now available with a switch-selectable remote setpoint capability from 0-10 Vdc, 0-5 Vdc or 4-20mA command signal, any of which can be easily interfaced with a process control system or workstation.
• Power supply handbook - Artesyn Technologies' 1998 Power Supply Product Handbook has just rolled off the presses with 240 information-packed pages. The handbook provides full specifications and other data on their power supplies, converters and ring generators.

• Irish economy grows and grows - The Central Statistics Office announced last Wednesday that the Irish economy grew by almost 10% in 1997 and that the fourth successive year of growth means the economy has expanded by a third in the four years from 1993 to 1997. GDP grew by 9.5% to IR48bn last year and GNP was up by 7.7% to IR42bn. The GNP takes into consideration IR6bn repatriated by foreign multinationals. The Irish economy is the fastest growing in Europe.
  In a report issued at the same time the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's (OECD) 1998 Employment Outlook report states that Ireland has the highest levels of job creation in the industrial world. The OECD is forecasting a 3.6% (49,000) rise in employment levels by the end of this year.

• Fieldbus appointment in Europe - Fieldbus Foundation has named Lional Bridle as VP - Europe. This shows that this primarily American organisation is at last showing that it is taking the market in Europe seriously by having a prfessional presence in the region. John Pittman, President of Fieldbus Foundation confirms this, , "This appointment is a signal that the organisation is assuming a more active presence in Europe." The main European Fieldbus organisations have had addresses in the states for many years.
  See also our Fieldbus Page for more fieldbus news.

• Fieldcomms bought out - Angel Business Communications has announced that it has purchased the 50% shareholding of its joint venture partner and co-founder of Fieldcomms Exhibitions and Conferences, GGH Marketing Communications.
  See also "Developments" on our Fieldbus page.

• New Transducer Monitoring Package - The new Microlink 552 package, from Biodata Ltd, can monitor thermocouples, strain gauges, pressure transducers, RTDs, thermistors, pH probes and other sensors extremely accurately.The package comprises a PC card plus Windmill data acquisition software for Windows, and each card can handle a mix of up to 32 transducers.

• Tyre manufacturer standardises - Intellution has announced that Bridgestone/Firestone Inc will standardise the manufacturing operations at its new tyre plant at Aiken (US), with their new FIX Dynamics industrial automation software.
• Breakthrough for fieldbus connections to PCs - This is the description of a new product with one interface card and one driver for "all fieldbusses." This is a product called Agent manufactured by AG-E Automation.
• Smarter Advisor! - Peek Measurement has announced that it Smart Adviasor package can now communicate with HART revisions 32, 4 and 5 and is also AMS (Fisher-Rosemount) aware. It also allows pass through commands to enable maintenance systems such as Cornerstone (Applied Systems) or AMS to communicate directly to the field instruments.
• Variable speed drives catalogue - ABB Industrial Systems Ltd has issued their 1998 Drives Catalogue.

• ABB acquires Alfa Laval Automation - ABB announced today that it has signed an agreement with Alfa Laval of Swedan to require its Alfa Laval Automation unit, which is one of Europes five larttgest suppliers of process control and automation equipment (Revenues ca US$150m) The deal is subject to approval of regulatory bodies.
• ProfiBus calls for suspension of IEC fieldbus work - ProfiBus International (PI), the umbrella organization representing 20 National User Groups and 650+ members worldwide, is calling for further work on the proposed IEC 1158 international fieldbus standard to be suspended and replaced by an alternative approach, because most of it is obsolete. PI also believes that IEC 1158 offers limited functionality, is un-proven, un-supported and unworkable.
  See also our Fieldbus Page

• Joint marketing agreement - Pivotal Technologies, LLC, and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing announced that they have signed a joint marketing agreement that allows the two companies to co-market analog and mixed-signal IP developed by Pivotal for Chartered foundry processes.
  Pivotal will provide broad support to Chartered customers with its OptiMix line of silicon-ready analog and mixed-signal components. These are building blocks such as phase lock loops (PLLs), A/D and D/A converters, crystal oscillators, charge pumps, and many other analog interface support elements suitable for system-on-a-chip designs.

• Paperless repair station - Teradyne has introduced the Paperless Repair Station, a web browser-based software system that improves the efficiency of circuit board repair processes. It can be networked to a variety of test and inspection systems to provide a database of information about board failures during prototype, inspection, process test, and product functional test.
• Change of name - Established fourteen years ago Integrated Measurement Systems Ltd (IMS) is increasingly supplying a wide variety of PC technologies for embedded, engineering and scientific applications. To reflect its broader technology base and its commitment to PC based computer applications the company has changed its name to Captec.
• Process and discrete control with SCADA and Internet - PC Soft International announced WizFActory, "the first PC software suite to combine both process and discrete control with SCADA and Internet." The package includes the control software WizPLC for discrete PLC functions, and WizDCS for contiuous process control. HMI and SCADA capabilities are provided with Wizcon for Windows, and worldwide distribution of information is available through the award winning Wixcon for internet.
• Order M&C products on the web - Moore now offers customers customers on-line ordering of measurement and control products through their web site www.mooreproducts.com It is one of the first such cyberstores in the industry and includes controllers, transmitters, flowmeters, valve control products, relays, and regulators.
• New unit bonnet valve for high-integrity applications - Parker Hannifin has launched a size 16 union bonnet valve, providing a high-integrity component for harsh-environment fluid instrumentation applications. Thanks to special protection features the valve will operate at temperatures up to 1200F/648C, and withstand vibration levels and severe temperature swings that can cause leaks with other types of valve construction.

• New Director sought at ISA - ISA, the international society for measurement and control, seeks a new executive director to replace the long-term incumbent. Glenn F. Harvey, ISA's executive director since 1977, announced his intended retirement date of March 31, 1999. Glenn has been with ISA for 32 years for 22 years of which he has been Executive Director.
• Revolution at Interkama'99 - The revolutionary and very successful format of ISA-TECH held in California last year is being exported to Europe next year. With the formation of INTERKAMA-ISA Tech will be a technology-driven conference and technology display. All visitors at INTERKAMA (over 80,000 in 1995) will be admitted to the conference at no extra charge. A Steering Committee has been appointed.
  See also ISA - Europe site.
• Flying probe PCB test system - Polar Instruments has launched a new Flying probe PCB test system providing unprecedented component access and dramatically accelerating fault location on fine-pitch boards. This is ideal for electronics manufacturing environments and service areas.

• Strategic relationship - Verysys Design Automation has just announced that they are taking a minority interest in Veriphia SARL, a new French-based R & D organization. Verysys develops and markets a family of formal verification tools and Veriphia is engaged in the development of these tools and complimentary technologies. Verysys has also concluded a long term R&D agreement with the French company.
• Energy management in Europe - Potential for reducing energy costs continues to drive non-residential energy management systems according to a new report (Report 3531) from Frost & Sullivan.

• Year 2000 - The June issue of InTech is now up at ISA's site. This month they talk about surviving the year 2000 crisis, how Ethernet is moving to the plant floor, making sense of hazardous-area standards, choosing an infrared temperature sensors, and the foundations of process control.
  See also our new Year 2000 Page.
• PLC link straight into fieldbus networks - Mitsubishi has announced a new fieldbus networking module for the market leading FX2N PLC family that enables users to collect data and control industrial plant up to 1200m distant using Profibus DP.
• New AC/DC power supply fopr telecommunications - Artesyn Technologies has introduced its new NLP65 Telco switching power supply which is the latest addition to the smallest 65W open frame series in the industry.

• Motion control - The MTC200 control family from Indramat is intended for simple stand-alone milling, turning, grinding, and automation applications as well as complex, high production machine tools. More information from info@indramat.com.

• Processing in SA - This year saw the launch of a new publication called "What's New in Processing" in South Africa. This is a venture of Ocean Media.
• Industrial Inspection - This is the title of a new publication in Britain totally dedicated to professionals working in the field of Industrial Inspection throughout the manufacturing and process industries. More details at 100071.3167@compuserve.com.
• Preview published - The current issue of InTech, which is the ISA's International Journal for Measurement and Control, features a preview program of the ISA Expo'98 scheduled for Houston's Astrodome Complex (Right). The dates are October 19th to 22nd 1998 and "You Need to Be Here... The Rest of the World Will Be."
• The Celtic Tiger - According to latest CSO (Central Staistics Office) figures, Ireland exported almost IR1.4bn more than it imported in 1997. Merchandise made up a large part (IR11bn) of the surplus and investment by foreign multinationals contributed strongly to income outflows.
• Reducing costs in highly distributed systems - A family (the 3593 Family) of compact DIN-rail mounting data acquisition and control units has been launched by Solartron, which are optimised for highly distributed SCADA and DCS installations.

• A tough little critter! - A rugged 17-inch tough screen PC with a 13mm-thick, annealed-glass screen resistant to hammer blows yet can be operated by a force less tyan 100 g using a gloved hand or pointer is called the Armadillo!. Introduced by Axxon Communications it has an optional air-purging system for hazardous environments.
• New three-phase powerline filters catalogue - Schaffner has published a 24-page three-phase powerline filters catalogue featuring a wide range of components from 3A to 1200A. It is available in English, French or German it is an invaluable resource for commissioning personnel and designers looking for EMC solutions.
• Multi-media graphics board for industrial applications - PEP Modular Computers has launched a 3U universal XGA graphics board for flat-panel displays that is based on the 65550 multi-media graphics chip and is designed for operation on the CompactPCI backplane.
• Separates united - APACS ProcessSuite 2.0 from Moore is a new and much enhanced release of the company's Windows NT-based software package that unifies system configuration, operator interface, Internet based viewing and data management software for the APACS open process control system.

• New Handbook - VITA, the VMEbus International Trade Association, has announced the release of the VMEbus Handbook 4th edition, by Wade D. Peterson, which has been upgraded to include many recent advances in VMEbus technology and practices.

The Instrumentation Signpost has interesting pointers for the I&C Professional.