30/8/2008

Free Pressure module with process calibrator - Until 15th December 2008, Fluke is offering a free Pressure Module to purchasers of a Fluke HART® Documenting Process calibrator. The easy-to-use Fluke 744 is ideal for calibrating, maintaining, and troubleshooting sensors, transmitters and other instruments with or without HART communication; it sources, simulates and measures pressure, temperature and electrical signals and provides excellent frequency source resolution, all in one rugged, hand-held device. The Fluke 744 automates calibration procedures and captures data for documentation ­ enabling the meeting of rigorous standards and regulations like ISO 9000, FDA and EPA.

Great participation in Student Games - Student teams are coming from Russia, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Colombia and the USA to compete and demonstrate their skills in the ISA Expo International Games, while having an opportunity to network and meet other students who share their passion for automation and engineering. The competition provides an opportunity for ISA Student Members worldwide to demonstrate and further their knowledge of automation and control technologies, along with enjoying the camaraderie and fun of the competition.
ISA Expo is scheduled for 14/16 Oct 2008 in Houston (TX US).

First magnetostrictive level transmitters certified for IEC 61508 SIL 2 environments - K-TEK has announced that the AccuTrak AT100 and AccuTrak AT200 high accuracy, magnetostrictive liquid level transmitters have been certified for operation in SIL 2 (Safety Integrity Level 2) environments. The AccuTrak transmitters are the only magnetostrictive transmitters in the industry to be certified to the exacting IEC 61508 safety standard. They help reduce risk at the process measurement level when implementing Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) in process plant environments, such as chemical plants, refineries, and power plants.

Simplifing the set up and management of smart wireless networks - Emerson Process Management has announced AMS® Suite: Intelligent Device Manager 9.5 applications for planning and managing scaleable wireless networks to support the growing demand for wireless solutions in the process automation industry. AMS Device Manager 9.5 provides a common interface for users to manage their wired and wireless instruments and valves. Wireless device configuration is streamlined and drag-and-drop functionality automates the writing of joinkeys into wireless devices, increasing efficiency and security.

Ethernet-compatible motion control system automates unique woodworking process - A custom woodworking machine built using Ethernet-compatible motion control components from Baldor Electric has automated the precision finishing of fret boards for the renowned acoustic guitar manufacturer, Martin Guitar (CF Martin & Co). By using dual sanding belts and a swinging work holder controlled by a combination of linear and rotary servo motor axes, this machine now replaces a previous manually-actuated sanding process. Four axes of motion provide ultra-precise and smooth machining that enhances both the speed and quality of fret board production.

New US agent appointed - Curvaceous Software, the developer and innovator of Geometric Process Control Technology has appointed Coherent Technologies (TX US), an engineering consulting firm specialising in the design and configuration of control and enterprise-wide information systems for industrial facilities, as its new US Agent.

Broad range of differential pressure transducers - Suitable for such applications as leak detection and filter checking, RDP Electronics has a wide choice of differential pressure transducers that are designed to measure the difference in pressure between two pressure ports.

Enhanced flue gas analysers help improve combustion efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases - Emerson Process Management has enhanced its Rosemount® Analytical X-STREAM® Oxygen Analysers to improve efficiencies of large boilers and furnaces and provide immediate reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with minimal investment.

Temperature transmitter with Profibus communication - With the FlexTop 2231, Baumer¹s product segment Process Instrumentation offers a versatile temperature transmitter with Profibus communication. It is suitable for the food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical and biological technologies, chemical and petrochemical industry as well as for power plants. The FlexTop 2231 PA is already used by some of the world¹s largest dairies for controlling temperature in milk processing plants and by major Danish gas supply companies to control the temperature in their pipelines.

Newsletter keeps us up to date! - The latest newsletter from Mtelligence advises of the latest news from this company including it's recent move to impressive new premises!
Mtelligence Corporation , formerly Interactive Facilities Corporation, provides maintenance intelligence solutions that improve asset performance. Mtelligence is an industry thought leader in applying the MIMOSA standard to bridge the gap between Operations & Maintenance (O&M) for process and manufacturing industries.

Fresh approach to meet changing economics in T&M Solutions - A new company was launched in July 2008 with the aim to challenge the changing economic climate by offering a complete package solution to businesses that require capital equipment investment. CentraTEQ is founded by Jim Flanagan, a name well known in product test, measurement and simulation circles. With over 20 years experience in the vibration test industry, Jim has worked with the biggest names in the equipment supplier sector and has developed relationships with many of the Britain's test facilities and product development teams.

Agreement for the FPSO programme with BP Angola - Yokogawa Engineering Asia Pte. and Yokogawa Europe Branches B.V. Sucursal De Angola have concluded a frame agreement with BP Exploration (Angola) Limited for its Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) programme in Angola. Under the terms of the agreement, Yokogawa will provide project management, engineering, operation and maintenance services for an integrated control and safety system (ICSS). Specific products to be supplied for this ICSS include the CENTUM® VP Integrated Production Control System, ProSafe®-RS Safety Instrumented System, Exaquantum™ integrated information system, and OmegaLand operator training system.

Graphical system design achievement awards honour innovative medical, robotics and green applications - National Instruments recognised more than 20 innovative applications developed by engineers and scientists from around the world at the inaugural Graphical System Design Achievement Awards on Aug. 5. At the award ceremony held during the NIWeek graphical system design conference and exhibition in Austin, Texas, winners from 10 categories were recognised for developing applications that meet complex engineering and science challenges using graphical system design. Additionally, four applications were presented with the Humanitarian of the Year, Green Engineering Application of the Year, Editor's Choice and Overall Customer Application of the Year awards.
Comprehensive list of this year's winners

Company to replace obsolete analog systems with next-generation digital controls - Invensys Process Systems (IPS) has signed a multi-million US$ deal with state-owned Taiwan Power Company (TPC) to provide critical upgrades to the Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in northern Taiwan. Under the terms of the contract, IPS will replace and upgrade obsolete analog-based recirculation water control systems with digital systems, allowing Kuosheng NPP to better handle plant transients and significantly improve plant availability. IPS will also provide modifications to operational training simulators to ensure process consistency with the upgrades.

Rugged computers - Glacier Computer has introduced its Everest series of harsh environment computers Ideal for forklift and fixed-mount applications, Glacier's Everest line of computers are designed to perform in the most extreme conditions, with 24/7 operation in mind. Available in 10.4in and 12.1in screens, the Everest series offers an array of processor options, from a 600 MHz Celeron up to a 1.4 GHz Pentium M, and provides up to 1 GB DRAM.

M12 panel feed-through offers ease of assembly - A new panel feed-through based on the industry-standard M12 connector is available from Harting. The new device offers a choice of speedy field termination techniques: standard crimp termination or insulation displacement connection (IDC) termination without the need for special tools using their HARAX® speedy termination technique.

1.2A(IOUT), 1.5MHz High input voltage pre-regulator with output current limit for battery charger applications - Linear Technology has announced the LT3653, a 1.2A, 1.5MHz monolithic current mode step-down switching regulator with a programmable output current limit. Typically, it is used with battery charger power path controllers to pre-regulate the output and optimize battery charger efficiency. Its wide operating input voltage of 7.5V to 30V makes the LT3653 ideal for a variety of input sources including unregulated 12V wall adapters, 24V industrial supplies and Firewire as well as automotive applications. Onboard input overvoltage lockout protects the device through input transients as high as 60V, such as those commonly found in automotive applications.

Flow sensor that permits hot-tap access to the pipe stream - No need for shutting down the system for installation? It sounds pretty amazing, but GF Piping Systems has indeed tackled that feat with the new Signet 2552 Metal Magmeter. The 2552 is a rugged insertion flow sensor that permits hot-tap access to the pipe stream. This design allows quick and easy installation or maintenance without system shut-down, significantly reducing overall costs. Three output choices are incorporated into a durable metal housing, providing a robust device capable of accurate flow sensing in extremely harsh environments.

New PXI solid state high current switches - Pickering Interfaces is expanding its range of PXI high current switching solutions with the introduction of a family of high power capacity solid state relay solutions. The range contains 8 modules configured as Fault Insertion, SPST Relay, Multiplexer and Matrix switches at 10A/200V and 30A/40V.

Practical Data Acquisition for Instrumentation and Control book is a staple that you need in your library, providing tools to increase your understanding of data acquisition systems. The book covers important topics such as design, programming, installation and configuration. Practical Data Acquisition for Instrumentation and Control Systems John Park and Steve Mackay ISBN 0750657960

Multi-channel temperature transmitter delivers low cost per point measurements - The TCS Temperature Concentrator System from Moore Industries substantially reduces the cost of transmitting multiple temperature sensor measurements by concentrating up to 32 signals onto a single twisted wire pair. The system provides a precision measurement at less than 25 percent the cost of using comparable stand-alone smart temperature transmitters.

Industry's fastest PXI embedded controller and new PXI system accessories - National Instruments has announced the NI PXI-8108, the industry's fastest PXI embedded controller, and two new PXI system accessories, a 32 GB solid-state hard drive and the NI PXI-8250 system monitoring module. These new products provide increased system performance and reliability to help engineers and scientists achieve faster process execution, lower test times and longer system life.

Cool news - The latest issue of ICEnews - Instrumentaion & Control Engineering News has just been published. ICENews is the informative, original and exciting newsletter produced and distributed by ICEWeb. This time it is web based rather than the pdf format it has been heretofore, but whether web or pdf it is always a useful resource.

Float switch combines with wireless transmitter to deliver switch status - Emerson Process Management announces wireless float switch solutions which combine its Mobrey® float switches with the company's Rosemount® 702 wireless discrete transmitter. All the models in the popular range of Mobrey float switches are now available for use with the wireless transmitter, allowing plant managers to cost-effectively access valuable data about the performance and safety of their plant.

MIMO RF measurement capabilities expanded - Keithley Instruments is extending its lead in RF MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) test with the industry,s first measurement-grade 8x8 MIMO system. The system is used for primary research of next-generation RF MIMO devices and technologies.
Did you know that our Acronyms Page is the most visited page on the Signpost, (other than our Home Page), so far this year?

Automation contract with Czech power plant - Invensys Process Systems (IPS), has announced that it has signed a contract to provide extensive automation upgrades to the Chvaletice power plant in the Czech Republic. It is the latest in a series of automation projects IPS has carried out at Chvaletice since 1995.

New MD for Britain and Ireland - National Instruments has just appointed Robert Morton as UK & Ireland Managing Director. Rob is a fourteen-year National Instruments veteran, joining NI in the UK in 1994 after graduating with a first class degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester. Rob joined the NI Engineering Leadership Programme (ELP), the premier route for career development for engineers at NI. Engineers on the ELP spend two to three years developing product and technical knowledge, as well as leadership skills, to prepare them for successful careers at NI. Intensive on-the-job and class-based learning, plus exposure to all the departments in the company, ensure the ELP produces a steady flow of well-qualified engineers to fuel continuing company growth.

Choice of universal load cells - Transducer specialists RDP electronics provide a comprehensive catalogue of load cells, including the competitively priced RLU and the high duty Model 41. Both are suitable for a wide range of industrial, testing and research applications.

WiMAX Tutorial Poster for free download! - Keithley Instruments has published a new poster that illustrates the key measurement tools and software analysis techniques required for measuring complex WiMAX signals.
The poster is available at no charge at APPLY HERE...

Automation solutions for Belpre, (OH US), site modernisation - Invensys Process Systems (IPS) has signed a five-year, more-than-$20 million contract to provide comprehensive industrial automation services and solutions to Kraton Polymers, a copolymers industry pioneer and a leading producer of styrenic block copolymers with facilities in the United States, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Brazil, China and Japan.

Micro PLC's positioning module gets even more features - Mitsubishi Electric has further advanced its ability to provide dedicated networked positioning via its micro-sized range of PLCs (programmable logic controllers), with an upgrade to its 20SSC-H motion module for the FX3U. The original 20SSC-H module, launched on 2007 was an instant success because it gave small systems the benefits previously the exclusive domain of very sophisticated systems.

Wide input voltage range synchronous step-down DC/DC controller - Linear Technology Corporation has announced the LTC3851, a wide input range synchronous step-down switching regulator controller that drives all N-channel power MOSFET stages and has coincident or ratiometric tracking. The 4V to 38V input range encompasses a wide variety of applications, including most intermediate bus voltages and battery chemistries. The strong on-board MOSFET gate drivers allow the use of high power external MOSFETs to produce output currents up to 20A with output voltages ranging from 0.8V to 5.5V, making the LTC3851 ideal for point-of-load requirements.

Robust investments in infrastructure industries boost high power AC drives market - Strong growth continued in 2007 for the High Power AC Drives market due to robust investments in manufacturing and infrastructure industries worldwide. The worldwide market for High Power AC Drives is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8% over the next five years. The market was over $5.8 billion in 2007 and is forecasted to be nearly $9.7 billion in 2012, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study - "High Power AC Drive Worldwide Outlook, Market Analysis & Forecast Through 2012"

Rugged, high-density Ethernet I/O system now offers high-performance 32-channel analog input units - Acromag has introduced high-speed analog input units for its EtherStax™ I/O series with fast scanning of up to 32 differential channels monitoring DC current, voltage, or 8B signal conditioning modules.

Comment on acquisition! - Ram Ravi, Research Analyst for Frost & Sullivan's Industrial Automation & Process Control group commented on Emerson's acquisition of Topworx: "Emersons, recent acquisition of TopWorx, a valve automation and position sensing supplier provides it a firm footprint in the discrete instrumentation market. With the demand for energy and water on the constant rise, end-users cannot afford to lose time on unplanned shutdowns. This directs focus on predictive maintenance and plant automation. Complementing its existing portfolio of products, this acquisition aids Emerson to address the growing interest for plant automation among various end-users. Product reliability, compatibility and reduced life cycle costs backed by excellent customer service are certain key factors to remain competitive."
Emerson acquires TopWorx press release from Emerson.

IR linescanner now with 1024 Datapoints per scan and enhanced software - The new Raytek MP150 High-Speed Infrared Linescanner launched in January 2008 provides the fastest and most complete non-contact temperature linescanning solution on the market today. The MP150 features the latest electronics, optics, communications and mirror mechanisms. This technology facilitates a scan speed up to 150Hz, allowing the MP150 to gather complete data from even the fastest manufacturing processes.

Robots with '3D Vision" brings new solutions to food and packaging automation - A pioneering 3D vision-based robot automation solution for product handling and end-of-line picking and packing, developed by leading systems integrator RTS Flexible Systems, is promising to bring breakthrough applications in food processing and packaging.

Dual-rotor Turbine Flowmeter - Exact Flow has introduced the DX-DL dual-rotor turbine flowmeter. This advanced flow metering solution provides high accuracy, lower costs, and extended flow range performance not obtainable with traditional single-rotor turbine meters. Advanced meter design provides high accuracy and extended flow range performance without the need for flow straighteners.

Life-saving wireless link - LPRS is providing Diktron Developments with a wireless enhancement to a very successful lone worker and emergency service tracking and location system. The Diktron DSX Lone Worker Alarm is used where users have to work alone in remote or hazardous environments. The new DSX-TX unit will automatically emit a 96-dBA alarm and transmit the units identification to the matching receiver should the wearer be rendered incapacitated, unconscious or trapped.
See also our Safety Page

More brain power for Hamburg's metro - Hamburg's underground rail metro has installed a new operations control and monitoring system developed by Funkwerk Information Technologies GmbH, Kiel. It is based on 130 modular controllers from Mitsubishi Electric, whose main task is to collect data at the 51 stations on two of the network's three lines.
Hamburg's metro is one of the most efficient local transport systems in Europe, operating three lines with 89 stations, 101km of tracks and carrying around 180 million passengers every year.

Low-cost robotics platform for elementary school students - National Instruments and LEGO Education continue their educational robotics collaboration with the new LEGO Education WeDo classroom robotics platform. Powered by NI LabVIEW graphical design software, LEGO Education WeDo Software is a drag-and-drop, icon-based environment that students ages 7 to 11 can use to easily program their own robotics inventions. Using WeDo software, students learn basic programming skills while designing their robotics applications.

Insulative or Conductive? New surface resistivity meter gives the answer! - The new 990SRM from Meech International is a compact, hand-held unit for measuring the surface resistivity of a material. This information, displayed in the industry standard unit of Ohms per square, provides users with a quick and easy method of assessing a material's characteristics, as well as helping them to decide whether quality or productivity problems may be due to static charge.

Recession-proof engineering jobs! - "Some of us are nervously glancing over our shoulders at the potential recession which has been created in large measure, I believe, by some greedy financial engineers (and the choice of the title OEengineer, does stick in my craw somewhat)." Some suggestions on recession-proofing your job and indeed, by extension, your firm, are discussed by Steve Mackey in his latest musings.

Integrating with on-board computers for remote monitoring of forklifts - Lamerholm has launched the new FleetControl Manager, an innovative and intuitive system that allows companies to optimise its investment in vehicle mounted computers (VMCs) to provide total fleet management. By using the power of the computer's processing, touch screen, power supply and wireless communications capabilities, the new FleetControl Manager offers equipment location services, general usage monitoring and real-time impact detection - all of which help ensure that fleets operate in the safest and most productive manner.

Cigar smokers benefit from open communications - A CC-Link communications systems links inverters controlling the speed of the key conveyors in a cigar factory, ensuring quality is never jeopardised, even in the big pre-Christmas rush.

Innovative fluid connectors simplify construction of state-of-the-art compressor seal testing line - Parker Instrumentation's innovative new fluid connector, Phastite, has simplified the construction of a state-of-the-art facility for testing dry gas compressor seals at John Crane's new turbomachinery facility in Slough (GB). The new connector's combination of high pressure operation and push-fit assembly has allowed the company to make considerable time savings compared with a system built using the conventional options of cone-and-thread and welded tube connections.

2007 marks another strong year for worldwide DCS market - Despite global economic uncertainty, the market for process manufacturing and automation remains strong. Nowhere is this more evident than the global DCS market, which grew by almost 13% between 2006 and 2007. "ARC expects there to be continued growth in the global DCS market through 2012, with the overall CAGR of just under 10%. This may seem like an overzealous growth projection to some, but the process automation market remains poised for long-term growth on several fronts that we believe will be sustainable for the next several years," according to ARC Research Director Larry O'Brien, the principal author of ARC's "Distributed Control Systems Worldwide Outlook."

Sales and marketing - Sponsored by the ISA Management Division, this year's 3rd Annual ISA Marketing and Sales Summit's Industry Keynote will feature ARC Advisory Group VP Dick Hill on Wednesday, September 17, 2008. Dick will provide a "state of the automation industry" report and discuss the need for benchmarking best practices in the industries served by automation vendors.
The event is scheduled for Cleveland (OH US) 17-19the Sept 2008.

High performance triaxial accelerometer for measurement of worker personal exposure to hand-arm vibration - The Larson Davis division of PCB Piezotronics (PCB®) has announced the launch of a new series of high performance triaxial accelerometers, Series SEN04xF, designed expressly for taking measurements of worker personal exposure to Hand-arm Vibration (HAV). Designed with special integral low-pass filtering circuits that minimize false readings from shock and mechanical resonances, Models SEN040F (1 mV/g sensitivity) and SEN041F (10 mV/g sensitivity) are smaller, lighter and more precise than typical sensors.

Touch control is a snip with new evaluation board - Touch controls are migrating from consumer to professional electronics as a simple, reliable user interface and Abacus has therefore introduced a new board that allows any PC to be used to evaluate and design a flexible touch control interface.

Innovative fluid connectors simplify construction of state-of-the-art compressor seal testing line - Parker Instrumentation's innovative new fluid connector, Phastite, has simplified the construction of a state-of-the-art facility for testing dry gas compressor seals at John Crane's new turbomachinery facility in Slough, UK. The new connector's combination of high pressure operation and push-fit assembly has allowed the company to make considerable time savings compared with a system built using the conventional options of cone-and-thread and welded tube connections.

Smart and affordable camera for thermal imaging - XenICs now offers the Gobi-384, an un-cooled microbolometer camera covering the LWIR 8 to 14 um. Gobi-384 inte-grates camera, DSP electronics and TCP/IP interface in a very compact housing of just 72 x 60 x 50 mm2. Conceived as a cost-reducing, "smart" IR imaging solution for easy integration with customers' systems, Gobi-384 de-livers high-performance, highly-sensitivity thermal imaging for demanding in-dustrial, public-service and security applications.

Flow Measurement, 2nd Edition captures the hard-earned experience of measurement and control engineers and, using a comfortable reading style and frequent illustrations, bridges the gap between theory and practice to better explain real world measurement to other engineers, technicians, sales engineers, managers, and students. DW Spitzer; ISA; ISBN: 978-1-55617-736-1

High flow miniature isolation valves for aggressive fluids - The PreDyne BS Series of 2-way, high flow miniature isolation valves from Gems Sensors & Controls is designed to be virtually impervious to chemical attack and to protect high purity media. Available with bodies made from polypropylene or 303, 304 or 316 stainless steel and diaphragms of EPR, Nitrile (NSF/FDA) or perfluoroelastomer, the BS Series is ideally suited to high purity applications.

New smart-house controller is fit for future expansion of the home automation market - Carlo Gavazzi has launched a new versatile controller to enhance its range of intelligent home automation solutions. The BH8-CTRLX-230 smart-house controller is remarkably easy to configure with its new intuitive windows based software. Set up and configuration can be achieved rapidly for all property sizes, via the simple to use structured 3 step programming system.

Single-phase drive/motor/gearbox combinations extend the versatility of space- and time-saving automation formula - Nord Drivesystems has extended its range of integrated drive/motor/gearbox units with single-phase input versions. These ready-built automation blocks have become very popular with machinery and automation builders because of their space saving attributes and for the time savings they offer during equipment specification and system building. Typical applications include controlling pumps, fans or conveyors.

Secure asset management now available for TOFINO™ security users - MTL Instruments and Byres Security has released a new loadable security module (LSM) for their Tofino™ Industrial Security Solution that discovers and identifies what devices are on the network and creates the firewall rules to control the traffic flowing to them, all without risk to the industrial process. This latest LSM, known as the Tofino™ Secure Asset Management module, locates devices and generates rules simply by analyzing the traffic on the network.

Industry's 1st IEC-compliant high Temp acoustic measurement system with TEDS for vehicle engine, manifold, exhaust pipe and other hot spots - The Automotive Sensors division of PCB Piezotronics (PCB®) has announced release of the industry's first IEC-compliant high temperature acoustic measurement system, Model 378B02, a combined prepolarized ICP® microphone and preamplifier, which allows for high temperature automotive acoustic testing to +120°C, and eliminating the need for high-priced probe microphones. This model also incorporates TEDS technology, allowing for larger channel count testing applications, with greater calibration data storage and retrieval capability and minimized setup time.

Worldwide CNC market to Reach $7,707m by 2012 - The Computer Numerical Controls (CNC) market has simply exploded in the last two years lead by the surge in production of machine tools in the European and Asian markets. The worldwide market for CNC systems is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% over the next five years. The market was $6.1 billion in 2007 and is forecasted to be over $7.7 billion in 2012, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study.

Two entities in Netherlands merged - In The Netherlands Yokogawa has merged the activities of its two main operating companies, Yokogawa Nederland B.V. and Yokogawa System Center Europe B.V. under the new name of Yokogawa Europe Solutions B.V. This gives rise to a powerful operational organisation, which will deliver optimum service to both the Netherlands market and international projects in supplying solutions for industrial automation. The result of this merger is a new building in Amersfoort (NL), which Yokogawa will occupy at the end of 2008.

Single-board RIO platform for embedded system deployment - National Instruments has announced new NI Single-Board RIO devices that offer engineers and scientists a low-cost, integrated hardware option for deploying embedded control and data acquisition applications. The eight new sbRIO-96xx devices combine an embedded real-time processor, reconfigurable field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and analogue and digital I/O on a single printed circuit board (PCB), making them ideal for applications that require flexibility, high performance and reliability in a small form factor.

Monitoring overall vibration levels on critical machinery in hazardous areas - The IMI Sensors division of PCB Piezotronics (PCB®) has released Series EX64xB7x, a line of loop-powered 4-20 mA output sensors with a 1-inch NPT, 90° capped elbow conduit, to meet ATEX and CSA approval requirements for use in hazardous areas. Sensors operate from standard 24V loop power, making them directly compatible with existing PLCs, SCADA, DCS, and Plant Information (PI) systems, for continuous vibration monitoring of overall vibration levels on critical machinery in hazardous area application environments.

Training presentations - Digi-Key's collection of PTM...Online, On Demand PowerPoint/audio-based training presentations has now grown into a comprehensive library of more than 270 training modules, which cover a wide variety of supplier-specific technologies. Examples include ADI,s Intro to ARM7 Core and Microconverters, Altera,s Cyclone II FPGA, AVX/Kyocera Clock Oscillators, the Basics of Wire and Cable from Alpha Wire, and many more.

Wi-Fi and Ethernet data acquisition devices - National Instruments has announced 10 new Wi-Fi and Ethernet data acquisition (DAQ) devices, extending the world-trusted NI measurement hardware and software platform to wireless remote monitoring applications. The new wireless and Ethernet DAQ devices include built-in signal conditioning and direct sensor connectivity for electrical, physical, mechanical and acoustic signals.

US flowmeter market to reach $590m by 2012 - Propelled by strong growth in the oil & gas industry, the worldwide market for ultrasonic flowmeters is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9% over the next five years. The market was $367 million in 2007 and is forecasted to be over $589 million in 2012, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study.

Coriolis Tx ideal for food & beverage and life science industries - Emerson Process Management has expanded the range of compact Micro Motion® 2400S transmitters with the introduction of a 316L stainless steel housing as an option to the standard polyurethane-painted aluminium housing. The integral mounting transmitters, in either style of housing, can also now also be ordered with DeviceNet or PROFIBUS DP communication protocols.

Services and supervisory software drive worldwide HMI software market growth - The worldwide Human Machine Interface (HMI) software and services market, which totaled over $926 million in 2007, will reach over $1,430 billion in 2012, outperforming the industrial automation market overall and growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 9.1% over the next five years, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study.

Universal conditioning module for inductive transducers - Penny + Giles has launched a new Universal Conditioning Module (UCM) that provides reliable signal conditioning for a wide range of analogue inductive transducer types. The module can work with any manufacturer's transducer and is suitable to drive 4, 5 or 6 wire differential LVDTs, ratiometric LVDTs and 3 wire inductive half bridge transducers (or RVDT equivalents).

New RF modular instruments and PXI express chassis offer fast, flexible wireless measurements - National Instruments has announced a new RF vector signal analyser, RF vector signal generator and PXI Express 18-slot chassis that offer flexible RF measurements up to 10 times faster than traditional RF instrumentation. The new software-defined modular instruments - the PXIe-5663 6.6 GHz RF vector signal analyser and the PXIe-5673 6.6 GHz RF vector signal generator - are complemented by the PXIe-1075 18-slot high-bandwidth chassis.

"Vibration Monitoring Instrumentation" - The IMI Sensors division of PCB Piezotronics (PCB®) has released a comprehensive brochure, highlighting its latest offerings in accelerometers, vibration transmitters, switches, meters, cables, connectors and accessories for machinery condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. Sensors for permanent installation and detailed analysis and diagnostics are featured, as well as loop-powered 4-20 mA transmitters, for interface to existing PLC, alarm, Plant Information (PI) and SCADA systems.

Flirting with disaster - Your system crashes, you need a plan to bring you back up-now - An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Better safe than sorry. You can have your cake and eat it to. A stitch in time saves nine. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A cliché; fest for sure, but they are all vivid reminders that a manufacturer needs to work out a complete disaster recovery plan.
See also our Cyber Safe and Safety pages.
Also of interest: Automation Federation Spotlight: Cybersecurity!

Training establishes the benefits of automation - A new training course from ExperTune, "Benefits of Automation", helps engineers to show the bottom-line results of their efforts. The training shows engineers how to find improvement opportunities, how to capture them, and how to clearly document the financial results. Plant management, in turn, can make better business decisions regarding automation when armed with this information.

New cameras, bio instrumentation lasers and inspection at show - Firstsight Vision will be showing a number of new cameras, illumination sources and inspection systems at the PHOTONEX Exhibition in October, highlighting the company's technology base for inspection, automation and robotics applications. Also an extremely simple 'XGA output' colour camera which can be used purely for visualization. This camera connects directly to a TFT or similar monitor and has a built in cross hair generation for accurate alignment, making it an inexpensive and elegant imaging system.

Emissions by bluetooth! - The New Testo 350 Bluetooth module is the perfect solution for applications that require flexibility, such as in industrial systems or over long distances. The main advantage of the wireless module is that the user can carry out flue gas measurement easily and comfortably without an additional cable between the Control Unit and Flue Gas Analyser.
David Spitzer has just released Part 4 of his examination on US Flowmeters

Expansion in Britain - Zenith Technologies, the specialist global automation and information solutions provider, has further expanded in Britain with the opening of a new office in Warrington. The offices are located in the high technology Birchwood complex that offers an extraordinary working environment that is in keeping with the nature of Zenith Technologies' business. The new location is at the centre of the industrial North West with the nearby motorway network providing convenient access to the whole of the North and the Midlands.

New version of software empowers users to take advantage of multicore, FPGA and wireless technologies - National Instruments has just announced LabVIEW 8.6, the latest version of the graphical system design software platform for control, test and embedded system development. Building on the inherent parallel nature of graphical programming, LabVIEW 8.6 delivers new tools to help engineers and scientists take advantage of the benefits of multicore processors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and wireless communication.

Automation and Control Systems Economics 2nd Edition Paul G. Friedmann Covering the economic aspects of automation and process control, this newly revised 2nd Edition expands on how the tools of economic and financial analysis can be applied to automation projects, especially those concerned with continuous processes. New sections have been added to extend application of economic and financial analysis to control of discontinuous processes, including batch and discrete parts manufacturing. A new glossary has also been added to help define economic terms.

Configurable pressure transmitter with Profibus communication - With the FlexBar 3431, Baumer's product segment Process Instrumentation offers a fully configurable pressure transmitter with Profibus PA communication. Due to its 3A-approved stainless steel housing and hygienic process connections, the device is suitable for the pharmaceutical and food industry. The wide range of process connections available makes the FlexBar 3431 the ideal choice for almost all types of pressure measuring applications even in Ex areas.

Ultra-miniature sensors for tensile and compression forces - The Kistler Type 9215 piezoelectric force sensor for tensile and compression forces ranging down to a few millinewtons is exceptionally small. With a front, external diameter of only 5 mm, the Type 9215 is the smallest force sensor in its class but has extremely high rigidly against lateral forces and a measuring range from -20 to +. 200 N with two calibrated ranges (100% & 10%). The sensor body has an M5 x 0.5 external thread and the force is transmitted via an M2 threaded axial hole at the front of the sensor.

Fine-pitch test probes include non-magnetic version - The P730 and P735 from Peak Test Services are a new range of test probes designed for testing fine-pitch components with 1.27 mm centres.

Eaton Corporation Joins Kepware's Protocol Program - Kepware Technologies has announced that Eaton Corporation's Electrical Group has chosen Kepware as their primary provider of device communications and has joined Kepware's VEP (Vendor Endorsed Protocol) Program.

New addition to range of radiologgers for industrial applications - Hanwell Instruments is pleased to announce the launch of the rl4106 temperature and humidity transmitter, the latest addition to its 4000 series of radio radiologgers. The 4000 series is used throughout industry to enable wire-free monitoring of a site, with real-time alarm notification and allowing historical analysis of the data.

Customised CNC platform provides economic solution for integrated aluminium processing line - Customisations to a standard CNC controller from NUM have helped special-purpose machinery builder MKM International to engineer a radical integrated single-stage processing line for aluminium profiles.

"Industry's most comprehensive user-driven conference!" - Online registration is now open for the 2008 Emerson Global Users Exchange Conference to be held from September 29th to October 3rd in Washington (DC USA). Registering online by August 18th will save over 25% in registration fees. Supporting this year's theme, "Where Ideas Become Solutions," the event will feature educational and leadership sessions for all levels of process manufacturing professionals. The annual conference is one of the industry's most comprehensive collections of user-driven presentations and workshops on technology selection and application, investment justification and automation strategy.
Details of previous Emerson User Events may be found on the extreme right column of our Events Page Some of these reports are by Read-out and others by the ControlGlobal Team.

Data logging software announced - AMETEK Calibration Instruments has announced the launch of JOFRALOG data logging software for its ASM-800 series of advanced signal multi-scanners. The ASM series offers a unique time-saving and automatic solution for the simultaneous calibration of multiple temperature sensors and is designed for use wherever temperature measurement is critical and/or there is a need for traceable calibration documentation.

Analysis of wastewater, soil and sediment - The entry-level multi N/C 2100 catalytic combustion analyser from Analytik Jena is ideally suited to simultaneous TOC/TNb analyses of a wide range of effluent, wastewater, soil and sediment samples. Very high combustion temperatures, selective high-sensitivity detectors for carbon and nitrogen, a double furnace configuration and simple-to-use software allow liquid and solid samples and liquids containing particulates to be measured with ease.

USB programmable smart vibration switch for cooling towers, fin fans, pumps, HVAC system protection - The IMI Sensors division of PCB Piezotronics (PCB®) has released Series 686B USB Programmable Smart Vibration Switch, designed for 24/7 continuous monitoring and protection of cooling towers, fin fans, pumps, HVAC systems, and other critical machinery.

Data managementsolution for mining industry - Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced that its laboratory information management systems (LIMS) offer efficiencies, improved productivity and regulatory compliance for the modern mining industry. LIMS are a key component in the day-to-day management of a modern mining operation, not only to monitor the quality of the mine's output, but also to drive increased productivity and help the mining operations comply with myriad regulatory requirements related to everything from documentation and instrument calibration to environmental monitoring.
Thermo Fisher is hosting a Laboratory Informatics Symposium - Latin America Mining Day! in Belo Horizonte Lourdes Brazil on August 12, 2008.

New bearings bring greater integrity - A new range of industry-standard, SN-dimensioned mounted bearings from Baldor includes value-added lubrication and strengthening features. In conjunction with an exceptional choice of seal options, the Dodge SNX housing series offers machine and automation builders with high integrity solutions for outstanding performance in long lifecycle and harsh environment applications.

Industrial technology networking event - "Meet - Share - Learn - Deliver" Wonderware has announced Xchange 2008 - a major residential user conference and industry networking event for Ireland and Britain to be held at Alton (GB) 4th and 5th November 2008.
Wonderware Ireland support the signpost with a banner advert on our Home page

Capabilities of metals analyser extended with with new analytical software - Thermo Fisher Scientific has extended the capability of its ARL 4460 optical emission spectrometry (OES) metals analyzer with the addition of the new analytical software, OXSAS. Developed for primary metals producers, the Thermo Scientific ARL 4460 allows users, from routine use to metals research, to maximize productivity and produce metallurgical products of the highest quality.

New capability allows creation of product variations based on a single master recipe - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has introduced Batch Formulation Management for its Proficy® Batch Execution 5.1 software. Batch Formulation Management allows users to create variations of a product based on a single Master Recipe, significantly decreasing the time to market for new products, and reducing validation costs as well as the number of Master Recipes needed to be maintained on the production line.

Golfing challenge celebration at show! _ Specialist electrochemical sensor manufacturer Analytical Technology announces that the company will celebrate 10 years of business at WWEM 2008, Telford (GB) 5-6 November 2008. They will be at the exhibition to provide expert advice on implementing instrumentation across a wide range of industries including utilities, manufacturing and processing. The company will welcome show delegates with an invitation to improve their golf swing on stands 54 and 55.

New PXI power relay module - Pickering Interfaces is expanding its range of PXI switch solutions with the introduction of the 40-330 SPST Power Relay Module, supporting both high current and high voltage switching applications.

Little Red Book now available! - Pinto's Prognostications are very popular with our visitors and creeping up behind these are Mackeys Musings. The Little Red Book of over 170 pages (Compendium of Mackay's Musings Volume 1 August 2006-June 2008) is now available as a complimentary download on the IDC Technology site. BTW the name is a bit of a misnomer as the front cover is white! If you have difficulty in finding it on the site then download the pdf directly here (2mb)!