See Archive Page for earlier news.

30/7/99

Clicking vertically presents us with a problem! - VerticalNet, Inc. calls itself the Internet's leading creator and operator of vertical trade communities. VerticalNet leverages the interactive features and global reach of the Internet to create multi-national, targeted business-to-business communities. These narrowly focused web sites attract buyers and sellers from around the world by catering to individuals with similar professional interests. They poresented us with a problem as to how to classify them! We eventually decided to put them in our Periodicals Page. The two areas which particularly interest us are Test and Measurement Online and Plant Automation.com.

• Batch Control is Growing at a Faster Pace Than the General Process Control Market - The worldwide market for Batch Control Systems (BCSs) is growing at a faster pace than the overall process control market. This is highlighted in a new report from ARC Advisory Group. This growth is a result of increasing awareness of the benefits of batch control and the availability of cost-effective solutions, along with the expansion of the pharmaceutical, fine chemical, and consumer goods industries. Furthermore, the ISA-S88 batch control standard is increasing the level of understanding of less sophisticated users, making them more receptive to automation.

• Robin Electronics acquired by Fluke - Fluke Europe B.V., the European Sales and Service organisation of the Fluke Corporation, a worldwide manufacturer of compact, professional electronic test tools, has announced the acquisition of Robin Electronics Limited, the major supplier of electrical test products in the Britain and Ireland. Robin is to continue operating as Robin Electronics, a division of the Fluke Corporation Industrial Group, and will continue to service its customers and distributors directly from its English headquarters.
• IT (information technology) and automation & control - not always a comfortable marriage, but an increasingly vital one in manufacturing enterprise integration today. That was one conclusion drawn by the users, suppliers and IT consultants who attended the ARC Advisory Group's "Enterprise and Automation Strategies" Forum in Boston this summer.
• Its logic, but not as we know it - Crouzet has launched a new concept in integrated controller technology, the logic module. This combines timers and real time clocks; relays and switches; counters and sequencers; plus a permanent memory bank, all into a single unit that is easily programmed. Named Millenium, Crouzet say it will herald in a new era in control engineering solutions. If you want the full story contact Delphine Hardy.
• Change of Company Name - From 1 July 1999, ABB Industrial Systems Ltd has changed its name to ABB Automation Ltd. The new name reflects the changes made recently within the ABB organisation world-wide, when the Automation business segment was created to provide a much more targeted approach to customers in these markets. The change of name also reflects the incredible pace at which technology and business are changing today.
• Function converter is great at maths. - The Chameleon programmable function converter from Industrial Interface Research, combines a conventional selection of function blocks into a single unit so saves on panel space, cost and stockholding says a release from IMO Precision Controls. And it has extensive mathematical functions.

• Online "Chats" and Forums Area ... Don't miss the ICS online chat, hosted by ICS President Mark Wells. Come talk with other members of the society, live, in real-time. Bring your industrial computing questions and toss around creative solutions with other manufacturing professionals. The chat is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 3-4 pm EST, and again at 8-9 pm EST.
• PLC can mix and match analogue/digital to suit all needs - Freedom to configure the number and analogue/digital mix of inputs and outputs on AutoLog AL20 series PLCs, now available from PBE Systems, enables system designers to use the same PLC for many differing user needs and thereby gain the advantages of purchasing in larger quantities.
• New tank gauging system is easy to use and flexible - Simple user installation and commissioning offered by the SiteSentry 800 tank gauging system, introduced by TM Technology, is allied to 'price-effectiveness' and built-in flexibility to cater for all gauging requirements. Highly configurable input programming through an integral 4-line x 20 character backlit display and membrane keypad, with on-screen help, combined with eight inputs monitoring any 4-20m signal, gives users maximum set-up choice.
• New server compilant with the OPC Standard endorsed by Microsoft and the OPC Foundation - GE Fanuc Automation has introduced ClMPLlCl OPC Server - a new software option that allows users to share data from a CIMPLICITY HMI control and monitoring system with other third-party OPC (OLE for Process Control) client applications such as custom Visual Basic programs, other HMI packages and DCS systems.

• Food automation in the future - Purdue University will be the site of a conference to detail the future of food process automation. The two-day event, entitled Automation Horizons, will be held October 11th and 12th and is sponsored by the Computer Integrated Food Manufacturing Center in the Department of Food Science. For more information, visit the CIFMC conference website.
• Four-channel 100 MHz digital storage oscilloscope - The TDS224 digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) is now available from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments). This is a fully featured four-channel 100 MHZ oscilloscope with 1 GS/s sampling on all channels.

• First Quarter Century - Founded in 1974 by a few Irish engineers, Project Management has grown to be Ireland's largest engineering and project management organisation. Over the past 25 years PM has striven to be the best in "Quality Irish". So to mark this special occasion it was very fitting that PM be associated with the 'best of Irish' by sponsoring the recent James Galway 60th Birthday Recital in the National Concert Hall in Dublin. PM now begins its second quarter-century, on a path to repeat overseas the success it has already achieved in Ireland in working with global customers.

• Key mangerial posts filled - Flow Technology, Inc., a leading manufacturer of flow measurement devices and calibrators, today announced several key managerial promotions intended to help the company keep pace with its continued growth. These include: Ladd Howell, international sales manager, Rex Mann, national sales manager (US), Wayne Ott, customer service manager, and Mike Wusterbarth, engineering manager.
• New TB Timer - Emerging as an advanced control component and backed by ISO quality certification at every production stage, the new NAiS TB Timer from Matsushita Automation Controls utilises the latest technology demanded for modern complex and diverse automation systems.
• Process I/O supply to leaders - MTL has just signed long-term contracts to Supply its pioneering MTL8OOO Series Process I/O to two of the world's leading process industry manufacturers, Honewell Industrial Automation and Control and Moore Process Automation Solutions.

• On-line marketing - . Intellution, a unit of Emerson Electric plans to open an on-line outlet, called IntelliStore, by July 1. The address is http//store.Intellution.com.
• Accelerometer for high temp jobs - Endevco has launched a new smaller and lighter radiation hardened piezoelectric accelerometer for shock and vibration measurement of structures that are subject to very high temperatures.
• 6th international CAN Conference - CAN in Automation (CiA) international users and manufacturers group is organizing the 6th international CAN Conference (iCC) in Turin (I) from 2nd to 4th November 1999. The ICC is accompanied by workshops and seminars as well as a table-top exhibition with more than 35 companies participating. In addition, there will be poster sessions and product presentations. Entrance to the exhibition, poster and product presentations is free. This most important event for the CAN community is sponsored by the Jackson group, an Italian publishing house, and several CAN chip suppliers (Hitachi, Infineon, Mitsubishi, Motorola, and NEC).

• Knocking your socks off - Shari Worthington in her usual ebbulient style tells us that the ICS is working diligently to put together a track of technical sessions that will knock your socks off at National Manufacturing Week 2000 in Chicago. If you're interested in presenting a paper or have an idea for a tutorial or case history, contact ICS President, Mark Wells.
  While we're on to ICS, Mark Wells also hosts the ICS online chat. This gives an unique opportunity to talk with other members of the society about your industrial computing questions and to toss around creative ideas with other manufacturing professionals. The chat is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28, 1999, 3-4 pm EST, and again at 8-9 pm EST. Enter from the ICS Web Page through Online Forums.
• Powerful web-based power supply simulation tool - Artesyn Technologies has launched SimscopeTM, a powerful Web-based, power supply simulation tool. SimScope provides a virtual design lab for engineers to select various Artesyn products, configure input and output circuitry, set-up test parameters and then view voltage and current waveforms at any point in the application. The result is a more robust power system design and the elimination of two to three weeks in design cycle time.

• European Prices Decline in Level Instruments Market - A forthcoming report (Report 3778) from Frost & Sullivan says end-user interest in continuous on-line monitoring has led to the removal of the switch or point level device as the prime level indicator in many applications. The continual drive for consistency and quality under safe, hygienic conditions as well as the handling of hazardous and corrosive substances have swayed many end-users towards non-contact or non-invasive level technology.
• Soft start down under - AuCom, of New Zealand, and the Danish multinational Danfoss Drives A/S are pleased to announce they have concluded an agreement that will see Au Corn produce and manufacture Danfoss Drives' new soft starter. while the level of business for AuCom is commercially sensitive annual sales will be measured in the tens of millions of dollars.
• GlobaL market for automation software to reach $3.6 billion in 2003 - With a market value of $1.9 billion automation software is the most dynamic sector of the global automation industry and will be the crucial product for suppliers of large control systems over the next decade according to a new report series from market analysis firm Datamonitor.
• New Online Library Links to Books, Application Notes, and More - National Instruments announced today the National Instruments Online Library.This new resource features a selection of books pertaining to computer-based measurement and automation.
  In conjunction with the development of the National Instruments Online Library, National Instruments is announcing that the company has joined the Amazon.com Associates Program in the United States, Great Britain, and Germany. Visitors to the National Instruments Web site can therefore now purchase reference material from the world's leading online book vendor.

• Process automation solutions enABLED - Moore Process Automation Solutions has appointed ABLE Instruments and Controls as exclusive distributor for Moore's extensive Measurement and Control product range in England, Scotland and Wales. The products involved include XTCTM Critical, the world's first (and only) Critical Transmitter, the other XTC transmitters, Fieldpac field mounted controller and operator station, the 36 Series recorders and the APACSTM 354 unit controller. The APACS+ distributed control system and turnkey projects will continue to be handled by Moore's direct sales and project teams.
• Fibre-optic star coupler meets industrial interface standards - Harting has introduced a multi-standard fibre-optic star coupler for providing secure interference-free data transfer between workstations and control devices in industrial automation and production control applications.
• Dedicated Houston Office Serves Density Customers - In response to its customer needs in the USA, Qnix Measurement Ltd has established a dedicated Sarasota density measurement products sales and service facility in the heart of Texas.
  Onix Measurement is the result of the recent consolidation of sister companies Peek Measurement Ltd and Flow Automation (UK) Ltd. Having served the oil, gas and process industries on a worldwide basis for over 30 years, Onix Measurement has customers that are more likely to be familiar with its previous company name - Sarasota Automation or even Agar Instruments or Redland Automation.
• Rugged portable instrument analyses both energy and harmonics - Built in a sturdy case for harsh industrial environments, the Chauvin Arnoux CA8310 power and harmonics analyser wilt measure single, 2 or 3-phase and 3 or 4-wire balanced or unbalanced networks.
• Arc reflection system with thumper - The new 25kv Model 1798 from The VON Corporation offers sectionalizing and fault locating in a rugged one piece simple to use system which eliminates the need for expensive van mounted system. The heavy duty units provide constant energy thumps at 50% and 100% of rated voltage.

• Unique LNG tank management software - Whessoe Varec has won a distribution license to market Gaz de France's LNG (liquefied natural gas) tank management software. This unique Windows package draws on years of experience and knowledge of LNG stratification and evaporation mechanisms to accurately predict behaviour in tanks. It allows users to assure safety -- by avoiding potentially catastrophic 'roll over' conditions -- while simultaneously minimising the costs of operating LNG storage tanks.
• Test your water - CHEMetrics, Inc.'s 1999 product catalog contains test kits and instruments for over 50 common water quality analysis perimeters. It includes test kits for chlorine dioxide, molybdate, peracetic acid and total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil. The catalog is color-coded for visual and instrumental testing lines. visit .