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News
Date of last update as at the top of the list (d/m/yy).
Press releases from your company may be sent to any of the addresses shown on our Contacts Page.
See Archive Page for earlier news.
27/12/07
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Automation Systems Market for Discrete Industries Will Continue Solid Growth -
Discrete industry automation continues to experience solid worldwide growth as manufacturing plants
and OEM machine builders continue to invest in automation to improve agility and flexibility of
operations to meet market demands. The worldwide market for discrete automation systems is expected
to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% over the next five years. The market was
nearly $17 billion in 2006 and is forecasted to grow to over $23 billion in 2011, according to a new
ARC Advisory Group study, "Automation Systems for Discrete Industries Worldwide Outlook".
Photometric converter -
Optek's new Control 4000 is a powerful, microprocessor-based photometric converter. The
advanced modular design enables precision process monitoring and control. The flexible C4000 is
designed for optek ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), Near-Infrared (NIR) absorption-based and
scattered-light based sensors. The new high contrast graphic display shows absorbance, transmittance
and concentration in real-time and in any unit of measure such as CU, ppm, EBC, FTU, and g/l. These
measurements may also be displayed as text, bar graphs or trend values.
London Evening
Standard and Newsquest sign up to revolutionary breakthrough in digital signage - A pioneering
breakthrough in Wireless Digital Signage that delivers headlines and creates important new
advertising revenue opportunities for newspaper publishing groups has been developed by Britain's
leading machine-to-machine technology company. The 'Extra...' digital signage system from Comtech
M2M is the latest product to be developed as a result of the firm's intensive, £5 million, five
year, research and development programme which has already seen it introduce systems to major
organisations including Camelot/National Lottery, BT Redcare, Nintendo, Kraft and Bombardier
Transportation.
Comprehensive biodiesel
gas chromatography packages - Thermo Fisher
Scientific is launching Biodiesel GC Productivity Solutions for EN/ASTM Gas Chromatography (GC)
methods. Designed as a comprehensive set of solutions, the Thermo Scientific Biodiesel GC
Productivity Solutions are the only packages available on the market capable of providing this level
of integration and productivity for the three most commonly applied GC-based methods: EN 14103 for
Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) characterization and linolenic acid methyl ester determination; EN
14105 / ASTM D6584 for free and total glycerine content; EN 14110 for methanol content.
All new metering pump -
Blue-White Industries has introduced the all
new CHEM-PRO(TM) C2 Series Metering Pump. It may be ordered with a low flow diaphragm for
feed/output up to 97 LPH. The high flow diaphragm unit has a maximum output of 142.7 LPH, both have
a maximum working pressure of 10.3 bar. Features include: PVDF Pump Head, PVDF Pump Head
Adapters and PVDF ball valves; digital touch pad control with back-lit LCD display; variable speed
motor that can be adjusted from 1 - 100% in 1% increments, brush life to 3,400 hours; pump housing
of durable powder coated aluminum, NEMA 4X and lp66 rated enclosure; Full stroke every time to avoid
vapor lock; and their DFD built-in Leak Detection System that senses a chemical leak in the
pump head and shuts off the pump.Blue-White Industries support the Signpost with an advertisement on our Home Page
Web torque! - Torque monitoring
specialists Sensor Technology has redeveloped
its website (www.sensors.co.uk) to make it
easier to use and provide relevant information to visitors as quickly as possible. It has
simultaneously updated its brochures to explain its non-contact technology in a clear, concise
format.
Simple, flexible and
reliable position measurement up to 15 meters - The MTS Temposonics Model RF magnetostrictive
position sensor, available from RDP Electronics,
offers the perfect solution for accurate, absolute position measurement combined with flexibility.
Extremely robust it is designed for continuous operation even when subject to the harshest
industrial environments. A significant feature of the flexible design is the ability to ship the
sensor 'rolled up' vastly increasing the ease and reducing the cost of carriage and storage of the
unit.
Flexibility in
temperature measurement - Baumer's product segment Process Instrumentation offers flexible and
individually configurable solutions for temperature measuring. As the measuring devices are often
exposed to harsh and not material-friendly environments, they also offers a wide range of
thermowells (protective tubes) for the measuring instruments.
Process Electrochemical Systems Market Driven by Need for Knowledge of Process -
The market for Process Electrochemical Systems (PES) is being driven largely by regulatory
compliance issues and manufacturer's desire for a deeper understanding of their manufacturing
processes. The worldwide market for PES is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate
(CAGR) of 6.3% over the next five years. The market was slightly greater than $535 million in 2007
and is forecasted to reach nearly $725 million by 2012, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study:
"Process Electrochemical Systems Worldwide Outlook".
New plug-in module for teaching telecommunications concepts - National Instruments and Emona Instruments, one of their Alliance Partners,
are working together to help educators teach students analogue and digital communication
fundamentals with the release of a new add-on telecommunications board, the Digital Analog
Telecommunications EXperimenter (DATEx) for the NI Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation
Suite (NI ELVIS).
Water quality meters
'designed' by users - The new YSI Professional Plus handheld water quality monitors have been
developed specifically in response to customer requests for versatility and field worthiness.
The handheld meter is 'universal' which means that customers can buy exactly the probes and cables
that they need. However, the flexibility extends much further; a docking station enables USB PC
connection which opens up a wealth of new features.
Industry-leading Batch Execution software -
GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has released the latest version of Proficy®
Batch Execution - Version 5.1. New features focus on ease of
use, performance, and system integration designed to improve customer productivity and reduce system
operational costs. This new version of the industry-leading Batch Execution software product
introduces a variety of features to simplify and improve the design, maintenance, and operation of
batch processes. Included in the release are a Tabular Recipe Editor, new ActiveX Controls,
integration with the ground-breaking Proficy Process Systems, performance enhancements, and ease of
use features.
Rail
specialist - Safety critical control specialist Hima-Sella is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Elliott as account
manager; he was formerly with Transmitton, part of Siemens Transportation Systems in Britain.
LDAR symposium planned for early April in Texas - The 8th
Annual ISA Fugitive Emissions - LDAR Symposium will be held 1-3 April 2008 in San Antonio (TX US).
The event brings focus to the business of compliance with today's complex leak detection and repair
(LDAR) compliance, requirements, methods and management. Industry experts in leak detection and
repair will discuss real-world implementations and ways to improve/optimize LDAR programs.
The
next-generation SCADA software platform for site-wide automation - ELUTIONS has announced the launch of
ControlMaestro™ 2008, its new Site-level Automation Software Platform that dramatically
improves efficiency and effectiveness for developers and users. ControlMaestro is a
state-of-the-art software platform for site-wide automation that is open, complete and scalable. It
builds upon 20 years of Wizcon Systems SCADA application experience and Web expertise with the
field-proven, time-tested and reliable Wizcon
Supervisor (now in its 9th generation) and upon 15 years of their M2M enterprise asset and energy
management experience and wireless technologies. Look out for their new web "microsite" (free evaluation version software download, to open 1st week of January 2008)
Smart services management system - Scientific Games has announced its new
Smart Services Management System, a strategic field service automation and dynamic dispatching
technology system. It integrates Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)-enabled mobile handheld devices
with an automated route management and dispatching system to more efficiently deliver enhanced
services to Lottery retailers.
The system was developed through a partnership with
Astea International.
Joint
project at gas plant - Invensys Process
Systems and Gassco, the Norwegian state-owned gas transportation company has announced the start
of a joint project for production planning and optimisation of the multi-train gas processing plant
at Karsto. Under this agreement, the companies will jointly develop a Production Planning
Performance Model (3PM) using Invensys technology. The solution combines a ROMeo rigorous on-line
model of the Karsto plant integrated with a Wonderware information system.
Transceivers guaranteed
over high temperatures for automotive applications - Linear Technology Corporation expands the RS422/RS485 transceiver product family
with an "H-grade" option designed for high temperature applications. LTC285xH versions feature an
extended operating temperature of -40°C to 125°C, as well as the attributes traditionally
required for these applications. The new temperature grade broadens Linear's line of
industry-standard low power CMOS transceivers, and helps ensure reliable data transmission in harsh
environmental conditions commonly posed by automotive applications.
New version of equipment
operations module reduces maintenance and administration costs - Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys, today
released Equipment Operations Module version 2.1, an MES module which is designed to help
manufacturers and other industrial operations significantly improve the consistency and
effectiveness of plant operations. This latest version includes enhanced features for lowering the
maintenance and administration costs of overall operations management. Support for database
clustering using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition, as well as improved capabilities for
data archiving and restoring mechanisms, add significant value for customers in recording complete
"as built" records of production events.
Wonderware support the Signpost with a banner advert on our home page.
First automation
software to gain both Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista Certification - ICONICS has announced that GraphWorX™64, a core component of the GENESIS64™ suite, is the first
industrial automation solution to earn certification for Windows Server 2008. ICONICS had previously
earned the "Certified for Windows Vista™" designation, making it one of the first companies
worldwide to receive both certifications.
DIN President re-elected -
At a meeting of the presiding committee of DIN Deutsches Institut für
Normung e.V. held on the 8th November 2007 in Berlin, Dietmar Harting,
personally liable partner of HARTING, was re-elected as President to
serve an additional two-year term of office.
The presiding committee appointed Heinz Helmut Kempkes, the managing director of Kempkes GmbH, as the first deputy of the president, and Prof. Dr. Manfred Hennecke, President of the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), as the second deputy.
Accurate position measurements in harsh conditions - For automation
systems in industries such as pulp and paper manufacture, where accuracy and absolute position
measurement are essential, then a transducer that can operate reliably in harsh conditions such as
RDP Electronic's DCW can be the answer.
The short-stroke DCW is a truly submersible transducer range of LVDTs, which measures small
displacement variations. Designed for displacement measurement ranges of between +/- 2.5mm to +/-
10mm with the capability of operating at pressures up to 10 bar, alternative electrical connection
options are available to extend the DCW's pressure handling to 206 bar.
Deliver 24/7 managed security services globally - Invensys Process Systems has announced that it
will offer 24/7 global network security monitoring and management through a partnership with
Integralis, a leading global provider of managed security services. This unique collaboration
between a major process control vendor and a major IT services provider demonstrates the growing
importance of combining process engineering and IT expertise in warding off cyber threats to
refineries, public utilities, pharmaceutical plants and other process industries.
Awards for
outstanding business performance - To round off another successful year, both in terms of
sales and innovative new product development, Meech
International has presented three international distributors with its coveted "Outstanding
Business Performance" award. OK Static from Spain, Withlab in South Korea and Meech Australia "each
demonstrated a in-depth knowledge of customer needs and were able to provide first class sales,
service and support," according to a spokesman.
China PLC market to experience strong growth through 2011 - China's
favorable business environment is providing ample investment opportunities for manufacturers from
all around the world to set up facilities there. Buoyant foreign direct investment flowing into
China, accompanied by rising consumer demand, is propelling the country's manufacturing sector,
which in turn is driving the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) market in China. 
The China market
for PLCs is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4% over the next five
years. The market was close to $750 million in 2006 and is forecasted to be over $1.3 billion in
2011, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study "Programmable Logic Controllers Outlook for China."
See also our Wireless page
AC-DC Power Adapters
with mini-USB output connecters - Emerson Network Power has launched a new series of wall-mount ac-dc power
adapters that use mini-USB connectors for their dc power output. The new DCH3 series ac-dc power
adapters have a universal 100 to 254 Vac input and generate a regulated 5 V output, with a power
capability of 3 watts. The power adapters are intended for charging portable consumer electronic
devices, such as PDAs, digital cameras and mobile phones, that require a 5 Vdc supply and use
mini-USB connectors for their power input.
Virtual PCB Event Registration now open! - UP Media Group (UPMG) has announced
that online registration for Virtual PCB,
the industry's first virtual trade show and conference for the PCB design, fabrication and assembly
markets is now open. Virtual PCB will be held on February 12 - 13, 2008, as a two-day event that
will remain accessible online for three months aftewards.
Prestigious award - Analytical Technology (ATi) announces that it has received a 'Best Instrument
Supplier' award in Q2 2007 from utilities provider United Utilities for its provision of residual chlorine monitors. The award was
presented to ATi after an in-depth evaluation of all suppliers by United Utilities and recognises
ATi's outstanding performance across a range of key areas including project design, delivery and
quality. United Utilities' operational equipment suppliers are monitored each quarter for quality
and performance against a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
"Successful Measurement of Dynamic Force, Pressure and Acceleration" - PCB
Piezotronics (PCB®) has officially announced 2008 dates for its annual three-day seminar,
"Successful Measurement of Dynamic Force, Pressure and Acceleration", facilitated by Dr. Pat Walter.
The event will be held May 20-22 2008, near their corporate headquarters in Buffalo, New York.
More than 100 new tools
added to online portal this year! - National
Instruments has announced that the LabVIEW Tools Network, an online portal that delivers the
industry's largest source of add-ons and connectivity products for NI LabVIEW, has expanded by more
than 100 new tools developed by NI and third-party vendors in 2007. With the latest additions to the
network, engineers and scientists can now access more than 400 products for use with LabVIEW such as
a toolkit that displays user interfaces in any language as well as a tool that automates model
generation, control design and controller parameter tuning.
Control systems contract for
thermal power plant in Australia - Yokogawa Australia Pty. Ltd. has received a contract for
a control systems replacement project at the Northern Power Station, which is owned by Flinders
Power Pty. Ltd. This power utility provides over 40% of South Australia's electricity
supply. The contract is estimated to be worth approximately A$26 million.
Dual 16-Bit Current
Output DAC - Linear Technology Corporation introduces the LTC2753-16, a dual 16-bit current
output DAC capable of outputting six unique software-programmable SoftSpan™ unipolar and
bipolar output ranges up to ±10V. Software programmability eliminates the need for expensive
precision resistors, gain stages and switching jumpers by hand. The LTC2753-16 offers accurate DC
specifications, including ±1LSB (max) INL and DNL over the -40°C to +85°C industrial temperature
range.
Industry-first SMD LEDs
combine low thermal resistance & high optical power - Vishay Intertechnology has released the industry's first series of high-intensity
yellow, amber, and white power SMD LEDs in the CLCC-6 flat ceramic package to offer low thermal
resistance of 40K/W or 60K/W and high optical power from 2800 mcd to 9000 mcd for thermal-sensitive
applications.
Plant of
the year - The StatoilHydro Ormen Lange natural gas processing plant in Aukra, Norway, has been
selected by HART® Communication Foundation (HCF) as recipient of the 2007 HART Plant of the Year
Award. The award is given annually to recognize the people, companies and plant sites around the
globe that are using the advanced capabilities of HART Communication in real-time applications to
improve operations, lower costs and increase availability.
How are
they doing? - Walt
Boyes and his Control Magazine are often quoted here and he is often seen at automation events
boning up on the latest technologies and trying to keep up with organisational changes in the
companies which provide the hardware, software and technology. At the end of the year they look at
the leaque table of
these process automation suppliers - vendors as they say in the US. Oftentimes in the past
people who live outside the US, not without reason, have found lists like this to be too US
oriented. However this time two lists have been produced in conjunction with Larry O'Brien of ARC Advisery Services.
"This year," says
Walt, "we've made a significant change. Instead of just doing a North American Top 50, with a nod
of the head to global results, we've decided we need to produce two lists: A Global Top 50 that
shows the real performance of the flat world of automation, and a North American Top 50, with
numbers derived from global performance."
Inside information! - The latest issue of Industrial Automation Insider features
a detailed report on Emersons Vienna
Event. This article Emerson turns
the screw with more wireless devices as Cisco deal sets the stage for a new round of COTS, is
reproduced on the Signpost today, courtesy of the publisher.
Multifunction protocol
tester is USB 3.0 ready - The new Ellisys USB Explore 260 (EX260), now available in
Britain from Computer Solutions,
is a multifunction test generator and protocol analyser for the automated compliance testing of USB
systems, including the ability to handle the forthcoming USB 3.0 'super-speed' transfers at 5
Gbit/s.
Shaping the Future
of Manufacturing! - The 2008 WBF North American Conference will be held March 24-27, 2008
in the historic Valley Forge area of Philadelphia (US). Interphex will be held March 26-28 in the
Philadelphia Convention Center, allowing WBF conference attendees to attend the WBF technical
conference and still have plenty of time to attend the Interphex show and conference.
Raman imaging at the speed of light - Horiba Jobin Yvon have introduced two new
fast Raman scanning technologies. SWIFTTM and DuoScanTM now make incredibly fast Raman imaging a
reality.
Industrial Ethernet delivers a networking paradigm - From time to time Processingtalk.com publishes "exclusive"
articles and this is one on Industrial Ethernet, provides an overview of industrial Ethernet for
control networks, focusing on exactly what IE is, how you implement an IE network, and why it offers
such a compelling solution.
Individually
configurable temperature measurement system - With the TE1 range, Baumer's product segment
Process Instrumentation offers a temperature measurement system which measures process temperatures
from -50 up to 250*C. The TE1 can be configured individually according to customer needs. It is
also available with 3A approval for hygienic applications.
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Another
patent for a novel geometric process control application - Curvaceous Software have been granted their sixth patent, this
time by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for real-time control of the drilling of oil
and gas wells. The patent captures the performance envelope of the best drill operator as an
n-dimensional solid object, and then reproduces this experience as real-time guidance for
less-experienced operators. This reduces the variability in performance that is inherent between
different drill operators.
New carton erection
testing capability for the packaging industry - Just in time for Santa's little elves Lloyd Instruments has announced the availability of a new materials testing
fixture, which allows measurement of the force required for carton erection from flat, folded carton
blanks. These measurements can be used to help set up operating conditions for automatic carton
erection machines. Since many cartons are rectangular in shape when erected, they have two long and
two short sides. The new jig has been designed with V-shaped grooved rollers, which retain grip on
the box yet allow the box axis to rotate as it opens.
pH
sensors withstand high temperature cleaning cycles, reducing sensor failure alarms
and improving reliability at brewery - The advanced design and high temperature tolerance of
the Rosemount Analytical Model 3300HT PERpH-X™ high performance pH sensors from Emerson Process
Management have enabled the Duvel Moortgat brewery in Puurs, Belgium to solve a production problem
and improve efficiency.
First Scientific and Engineering Inter-Society Benchmarking
Summit - ISA (the Automation society) organised and hosted
a summit entitled "Building and Preserving Association Relevancy into the Future" last week
at their HQ in North Carolina (US). The summit was a unique inter-society benchmarking meeting for
the engineering and scientific community. Senior leaders from more than a dozen organizations,
representing more than 750,000 members, met to discuss common challenges, best practices, and future
collaborations.
Calibrator for
site calibration of aerospace pyrometry instrumentation - Beamex have recently been contracted
by Eurotherm to supply their legendary Beamex® MC5 Multifunction Calibrator to equip their field
service team of UKAS accredited technicians. Eurotherm, who provide accredited services to many
aerospace companies, use the highly accurate, portable, Beamex® MC5 for the site recalibration of
their customers' instrumentation to aid compliance with the recently released revision D of AMS2750,
the specification for aerospace pyrometry instrumentation.
Static earthing for
Ppharma applications - New VESF Series stainless steel Quick Connectors are the latest
addition to the Cenelectrex range of static earthing equipment from Newson Gale specifically designed to meet the
demanding standards of cleanliness and corrosion resistance within hazardous area operations in the
pharmaceutical industry.
Easy integration of
motion control, servos and low-end control into an economical package from one vendor - GE
Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of the VersaMax MicroMotion, 2-axis
module, allowing users to easily integrate motion control, servos (or steppers) and low-end control
into an economical package from one vendor. The product reduces the risk and ensures the
compatibility of the logic control, motion control and servos.
Super-compact brushless AC servo motors
give machine builders new performance options - Baldor is introducing a range of
ultra-compact brushless AC servo motors offering machine builders a high performance and
low-maintenance alternative to stepper motors and DC servos. Capable of delivering peak torques of
up to 3.8 Nm, combined with other interesting dynamic performance attributes of servo motors such as
fast acceleration, the new motors are packaged in small 40 and 60 mm square bodies.
Testing Jaguar XF's steering column! - Located on the Rassau Industrial Estate at Ebbw Vale, Gwent,(GB) ZF Steering Systems Nacam Ltd (Nacam)
manufactures steering columns for most European passenger car companies, which means that QA is of
critical importance. The thrust of the QA regime has always been to use the best technology to
minimise the possibility of human error compromising product quality. Naturally, with safety
critical components, the primary objective is to ensure that a component does not fail in service
but there is the secondary consideration of protecting the company's well-established reputation for
quality and reliability. For a number of years, Nacam has used Kistler sensors
and monitoring systems in QA applications and the latest is a test rig to ensure that the screw
threads in the universal joints for the new Jaguar XF are within specification.
Robust
growth ahead for automation systems market in process industries - Process industry automation
continues to experience solid worldwide growth as plants must continue to improve performance. End
users facing globalization are driving plant performance at a level that would be inconceivable
without modern process automation systems and business processes. As a result, automation systems
for process industries will experience healthy growth. The worldwide market for process automation
systems is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6% over the next five
years. The market was nearly $30 billion in 2006 and is forecasted to grow to over $47 billion in
2011, according to a new ARC
Advisory Group study.
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New European
president appointed - Those reading our Emerson Wireless & Turbomachinerey launch with sharp eyes will have noticed that
they had a new president. They recently appointed David Dunbar as their European President. David, who succeeds Jim Nyquist,
will lead the European sales and marketing activities for Emerson Process Management, which
specialises in innovative technology and services that enable businesses like oil and gas
facilities, refineries, power generators, chemical plants, pharmaceutical companies and other
enterprises to automate their operations.
Jim Nyquist has been named Emerson's president of Global Sales |
Calibration software now available for
pressure calibration - AMETEK Calibration
Instruments has announced Version 4.0 of its popular JOFRACAL documenting calibration software
for automatic calibration of sensors using a PC. This new version is capable of performing pressure
calibration as well as temperature calibration. This software controls the complete calibration
procedure, stores the results and provides a calibration audit trail through hard-copy certificates.
All calibration data are stored for each sensor to monitor drift and optimise recalibration
intervals. A scheduler feature allows planning of future calibrations.
New compact optical spectrum
analyser covers 2 um wavelength band - The new Yokogawa AQ6375 is the world's first optical spectrum analyser to
combine a wide wavelength range of 1200 to 2400 nm with high resolution -
between 50 pm and 2 nm - and high sensitivity of -70 dBm or better.
Latest developments in standards - The latest newsletter on
standards by the ISA was published recently. It is a useful member benefit that all ISA
Standards are available to ISA members at no charge.
New "Double Decker"
polyelectrolyte batching preparation units - ProMinent Fluid Controls, has introduced a new range of compact, "double decker"
Ultromat® polyelectrolyte batching systems used for the removal of colloidal solids from liquids.
Three variants are available. The AFD series is for use with powder polymers only, the ATD series
for use with liquid polymers only while the ATFD series can handle both liquid and powder polymers.
Each range features separate batching/aging and dosing tanks.
The entire world of analysis at a glance - The new Analytica-world.com theme portal is
online: "In the future, the global analysis community will have access to even more services and
information about the analysis and biotechnology sector including interactive information features
and market overviews, regularly updated news and a new search assistant."
New AMC processor, 2.16
GHz Intel core 2 duo CPU, up to 8 Gbytes DRAM - Concurrent Technologies announce their latest, very high performance Advanced
Mezzanine Card (AdvancedMC®) single width full height processor module suitable for AdvancedTCA®,
MicroTCA™ and proprietary platforms. The AM 110/10x supports either the 2.16 GHz or 1.5 GHz Intel®
Core™ 2 Duo processor to provide high performance processing, and the Intel® 3100 chipset to support
up to 8Gbytes of DDR2 ECC SDRAM.
100 Certified
system integrators - Wonderware has announced that its elite
community of ArchestrA Certified System Integrators had reached a milestone of 100 companies with
its induction of Tecnau Transport Division s.r.l. of Florence, (I), into its top tier of System
Integrators. The event marks a critical point in the ability of Wonderware to deliver solutions
using its revolutionary standards-based ArchestrA technology to end customers around the world.
Supporting the network of independent system integrator companies with the ArchestrA Certification
program is a key factor in the ability of these firms to deliver completed solutions to its end-user
customers.
Wonderware support the Instrumentation signpost with a banner advert on our home page!
| Hidden Costs and
Side Effects Associated with Safety Systems Embedded with Control Systems If a safety system is "good enough" for the lab, does that mean it's good enough for your plant? This webcast, conducted with a group of leading process industry safety system experts, will provide answers to questions vendors don't want you to ask! Sponsor: Invensys Triconex |
Split-core transducers
for bipolar measurement of high DC currents - Complementing LEM's range of products for advanced
battery management applications, the new DH family of DC current transducers offers precise
measurement of bipolar currents up to 2000A. Measuring only 174 x 86 x 54.1 mm, these compact
split-core transducers combine Hall-effect technology and signal conditioning in a single housing
with a large rectangular sensing aperture for non-contact measurement (supporting up to 104 x 40 mm
busbars or Ø 40 mm cables).
Safe monitoring of
analogue input signals - The Pilz PNOZmulti,
the first configurable safety system, can now also safely monitor analogue input signals such as
current or voltage. In the field of safety technology this has previouly only been possible using
programmable control systems. With its analogue input module, the PNOZmulti is particularly suitable
for the process engineering sector, as well as for cable car and chair lift design and burner
controls.
They have also developed a new digital input module for the safe, open bus system SafetyBUS p.
Together with its M12 connections it offers IP67 protection. It can be installed directly on the
machine, so there is no need for a control cabinet.
Ultralow quiescent
current high power step-down DC/DC controller draws only 30µ A in automotive systems -
Linear Technology Corporation has announced the LTC3834/-1, a synchronous step-down DC/DC controller,
featuring the industry's lowest quiescent current. Drawing only 30uA in sleep mode, the LTC3834/-1
is ideal for preserving battery energy in "always-on" automotive systems or battery-powered devices
where the system remains semi-active, or when a car's engine is off. When in shut down mode, the
LTC3834/-1 draws a mere 4µA.
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New VP of
Finance appointed- Wurldtech&trade Security Technologies, a leading provider of cyber-security
solutions to SCADA, industrial automation and critical infrastructure industries worldwide, today
announced the appointment of Mary-Jane Tessarolo as Vice-President of Finance to lead the company's
financial activities.
Upgrade for plant resource
manager - Yokogawa Electric
Corporation announces that it has released the latest upgrade to its Plant Resource Manager
(PRM™), version R3.02. PRM is a key component of Yokogawa's Asset Excellence initiative that
integrates and manages maintenance information, monitors online conditions, and records historical
data of assets ranging from field devices to plant equipment.
Analysing sulphur -
Applied Analytics' TSA-100 Process Total
Sulphur Analyser is designed for accuracy, versatility, fast-response, and ruggedness in any range
of total sulfur measurement. This innovative instrument has critical advantages over older standards
such as the lead acetate tape method, a high-maintenance process with slow measurements, cumbersome
adjustments, and toxic consumables. Most significantly, the TSA-100 is engineered for
insusceptibility to component cross-interference; the Analyser can provide fully accurate total
sulfur measurements even when interfering compounds such as H2S, SO2, and mercaptans are all present
in the sample.
More Power to your whiskey! - Irish Distillers Group is the name behind
some of the world's best loved Irish Whiskeys, and core to the production of many of these is the
Midleton distillery in East Cork. Combining a number of distilleries in one, Midleton is a complex
plant that relies on a sophisticated industrial Ethernet control network. But when that network
starting to become a limiting factor in terms of speed and availability, Irish Distillers turned to
GarrettCom Europe for a high performance
solution, finding the answer in its high speed, industrially hardened, managed Ethernet switches.
Yikes! Look out for that Chasm! -
Did your foray into fieldbus land you in a chasm? October's issue
of Control featured an article by Dan Hebert, where he managed to
find a lot of people who apparently have, or who fear they will
end up in such a deep hole.
Automation Fieldbuses
have quietly changed our world - "Few real world engineers will ever have seen a control or
automation system in which all the components are from a single manufacturer - except perhaps on an
exhibition stand. Instead their day-to-day concern is getting equipment from different manufacturers
communicating, effectively, elegantly, securely and deterministically." So says Steve Jones, General
Manager of the CC-Link Partner Association
(CLPA)
See our Fieldbus Pages
Matrix switching
solution - Pickering Interfaces is expanding its range of LXI compliant switching products
with the introduction of the 60-800 and 60-820 Microwave Multiplexer platforms.
Thinking outside the
box! - OKUMA have developed their single
processor intelligent numerical control, THINC, to grow with technology and create more autonomy
for the customer. One of the main attributes of THINC (THe Intelligent Numerical Control) is the
ability to communicate to other equipment through the open architecture of the control. This allows
for the seamless integration of the product with virtually limitless applications or third-party
software, (Partners in THINC). Using
Microsoft Windows XP Pro means it is user-friendly and compatible with a wide-range of PC software
right off the shelf or designed by the customer's in-house programming team.
4-electrode
conductivity sensor has accuracy advantages over two-electrode designs - Emerson Process Management introduces the
Rosemount Analytical PUR-Sense™ Model 410VP conductivity sensor, an easy to install
four-electrode contacting sensor designed for sanitary applications in the food & beverage and life
sciences industries. The sensor is manufactured from FDA compliant materials, meets 3A and EHEDG
hygienic standards, and is available with a range of sanitary process connections.
Company
views organisation as strong force in building automation - As part of Contemporary Controls commitment to the BACnet
community, the company is now an active member of BACnet International. "We joined this organization
because we view the BACnet community as a strong force in the building automation arena, with which
it will help get our products out to more customers," said Sales Manager Joe Stasiek. "We are
developing and marketing products to provide ease-of-use in the BACnet/IP" area. The focus of these
products is to utilize the existing Ethernet structured wiring to provide simple and cost-effective
addition of sensors and actuators with a minimum of wiring and less disruption of personnel in the
office."
Boscastle river monitored - Following catastrophic flooding in Boscastle,
Cornwall on 16th August 2004 a substantial scheme of improvements is being implemented and a SonTek/YSI continuous flow monitor, the
Argonaut SW, has been installed to monitor the effects of the scheme and to provide background flow
data.
It is believed that one of the consequences of climate change will be more extreme
weather events and the Boscastle flood would certainly fall into that category. Rainfall levels up to
200.4 mm in one day were measured close to Boscastle on the day of the flood which is the 11th
highest recorded daily rainfall in the UK since widespread records began in the early 1860's.
However, the Environment Agency's Roger Bailey says "Most of the rain fell within a four hour
period, and the intensity of the rain coupled with Boscastle's steep catchment lead to a rapid rise
in the River Valency, instigating flows that have been estimated at 130 m3/sec in this 1 in 400 year
event."
2.7GHz, 60dB Mean-Squared
Power Detector Responds in 500ns - A new wide dynamic range mean-squared RF detector from
Linear Technology sets a new level of accuracy
and speed performance. The LT5570 provides accurate RMS (Root-Mean-Squared) power measurement of a
40MHz to 2.7GHz AC signal over 60dB dynamic range, even with a modulation crest-factor of up to
12dB. It offers best-in-class measurement accuracy of ±0.5dB over its full dynamic range and over
a temperature range of -40°C to +85°C. Moreover, the device allows exceptionally fast
response with a full-scale rise time of 500ns.
Connection and cable co-operation! - Harting, one of the leaders in electrical and electronic connectors and a
manufacturer of high-quality network components, has confirmed the signing of a co-operation
agreement with Nexans, the world market leader in the cable industry. This partnership is a logical
response to the rising demand for intelligent solutions in the field of industrial automation and
will enable both companies to offer a comprehensive range of products in the marketplace.
Two launches on the Blue
Danube - Emerson Process Management
chose the former imperial city of Vienna, capital of Austria, for launching two new offerings last
week (28/29/11/2007). The first was the launch of Smart Machinery Health for Turbomachinery. The secon was the
European launch of Smart Wireless architecture. The latter particularly demonstrated the
extraordinarily quick uptake of this exciting new technology by industry. Read-out was there and here is the report.
See also our Wireless page.
Digital book on industrial wireless -
Wireless Networks for Industrial Automation 2nd Edition, by Dick Caro, a
newly-revised digital book from ISA, has been expanded to include the
new wireless application Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID), while also providing a clear, unbiased view of the
emerging wireless communications market. For a full year, if a new edition or update of the digital
book is issued, you will receive email notification and be
able to download the new PDF file at no extra charge!
Innovative CNC platform gives machine tool
OEMs virtually unlimited performance and flexibility - NUM has a radical new CNC platform
for machine tool manufacturers that delivers 'no-compromise' control system solutions. Called
Flexium, the modular platform has unprecedented scalability that can be applied economically on a
machine with a few axes, or as many as 200+. This is combined with open programmability that gives
users complete freedom to customise the man-machine interface (MMI) and add value.
Minidrive
with CANopen - Technosoft's new IBL2401 is a remarkably compact intelligent
minidrive based on the MotionChip(TM) DSP Control Technology. It measures only 58 x 44 x 16 mm and
weighs just 60 grams. This minimal size compact unit embeds motion controller, drive and PLC
functionality, and it controls brushless, step, DC or linear motors up to 25 W (24 V, 1 A). The
drive can be mounted right beside the motor, all cables and maintenance thus being significantly
reduced.
Prestigious safety contract awarded - Hima-Sella has been awarded a #250k contract
for work on a further expansion project near Chester for uranium enrichment company Urenco
Capenhurst Limited, due to finish in March 2008. Hima-Sella is providing controls for mechanical
systems involved in the centrifugal enrichment of uranium. The project consists of the design,
manufacture, inspection, test and installation of various control-system panels including those for
heating, ventilation and air conditioning; trace heating and process sequence control systems.
Latest version of object based process automation modelling system for process control systems -
Process and Control engineers use 
ControlDraw to produce detailed and self-consistent designs
including User and Functional specifications for all types process automation system. Many of the
applications have been in the batch pharmaceutical arena, but the latest developments extend the
capabilities for continuous and other types of plants. The latest version provides new functionality
whilst retaining compatibility with previous versions. Among the newer features are
improved state matrices, simpler but more powerful simulation and more extensive help and example
models.
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