It is easy to go wireless - Omega's new UW series wireless transmitters eliminate the need for expensive cable runs and enable accurate and reliable measurements in areas that were previously inaccessible to conventional measurement devices.

Gas analyser helps reveal NITRABAR success - A portable FTIR multiparameter gas analyser from Quantitech is helping researchers at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow prove the efficacy of a novel technique ('NITRABAR' - an EC LIFE Environment Project) that helps remove nitrates from groundwater.

HUG from INTECH! - Honeywell's 2009 Users Group Americas Symposium is now recorded in INTECH's digital magazine, or e-zine, bringing together breaking company news and technology initiatives along with real life application stories. In addition, right at your desktop, you can view video interviews and listen to podcasts that help accentuate the news and excitement generated at the user group.

Cable termination tool includes multiple functions - The new AMP NETCONNECT SL termination tool from the AMP NETCONNECT Business Unit of Tyco Electronics incorporates multiple functions including cable stripping, PiMF (pair in metal foil) foil stripping and connector termination.

New spindle controller delivers ultra high precision velocity control - Aerotech's new Soloist SC spindle controller is an integrated control, drive and power supply for high accuracy single axis speed control applications. With dual 32 MHz encoder input capability and speed up to 30,000 rpm, the Soloist SC can return a velocity regulation specification of better than 0.0001%.

Triple redundancy tranducers offer extreme accuracy and reliability - Transducer specialists RDP Electronics' MTS Temposonic range of magnetostrictive transducers now extends to versions for double or triple redundancy for astonishing accuracy and exceptional levels of reliability.

Ultra-low resistance current sensor to target miniature portable device applications - Yageo Corporation, a leading global passive components supplier, announced today the release of its PF1206 ultra-low resistance current sensor designed for mini portable device applications. Featuring a comprehensive resistance range of 1 to 50 milli-ohms and temperature coefficient of 75ppm/¼C, Yageo's PF1206, manufactured using in-house metal foil and metal alloy processing technologies to combine PCB substrate and resistance foil, is capable of delivering 5-10% less temperature rise than similar products.

"Printed Circuit Board Basics: An Introduction to the PCB Industry" - This easy-to-read handbook explains the process and business of PCB manufacturing from design and fabrication to purchasing and management in simple, concise terms anyone can understand. Help your customers appreciate, step by step, the valuable services you provide. Give new employees a concise overview of the PCB industry. PCB Basics is a must-read for those new to printed circuit boards and a valuable resource for anyone learning about the industry.

We discussed Peter Martin & Greg Hales' Automation made easy recently. Another volume this time from Peter Martin on his own is Bottom-Line Automation. In this, more than relevent to today, book Peter presents an overview of more than 30 years of industry trends, pointing out the strengths and pitfalls of each. The author explains a strategy for measuring and improving automation system performance, and provides case studies of how such a strategy was implemented in three process manufacturing organizations.

DIN-rail ultra-rugged Industrial Ethernet switches - Sixnet's SL and SLX series of DIN-rail industrial Ethernet switches now includes the new 10, 16 and 18 port managed switches, 6 port Real-Time-Ring™ switch and 6 port unmanaged switch with two noise-immune fiber optic ports. With the release of these products, Sixnet further extends their SL and SLX series of industrial Ethernet switches that are ideal for DIN-rail or direct-panel mounting in the toughest applications.

Advanced process control for Chile copper producer - Invensys Operations Management is partnering with Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, on a corporate-wide development agreement to improve the performance and longevity of Codelco's processing assets at the smelters areas, increasing the overall economic value of that company's business through the use of advanced process control, advanced regulatory control, real-time business performance measurement, simulators and operator training systems.

Integrated development environment supports applications throughout project life cycle - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, today announced the availability of the latest version of its award winning Proficy¨ Machine Edition programming software. Proficy Machine Edition is a universal development environment for HMI, motion, and control applications that all share a single workspace and tool set.

Vector range extended - Gefran has expanded its ADV200 line of high performance, FOC (field oriented control), vector inverters adding three larger frame sizes with heavy duty overload power now available up to 1.2 MW.

Gantry is exactly positioned for high precision/high throughput contouring - Aerotech has released a new range of long-travel XY Cartesian gantry systems with exceptional specifications for high throughput/high precision contouring. With velocity to 3 m/sec and acceleration to 5g, the new AGS15000 combines direct-drive linear servomotors and high load capacity linear motion guide bearings in a planar open frame design that is adaptable for a wide range of applications.

New lab application for cost-efficient metals analysis - Cogent Environmental has developed a new test cell, the 'SV Labcell', for use with company's market leading portable metals analyser, the PDV 6000plus. The SV Labcell provides lower levels of detection and greater flexibility in analytical methodology, effectively turning the PDV 6000plus into a precise analytical laboratory instrument.

Fully integrated RFID system combines performance and flexibility - Ha-VIS RFID from Harting is a fully integrated radio frequency identification (RFID) system that offers a high degree of flexibility to simplify the implementation of scalable solutions in different application sectors.

Text panel and timer counters - Array Electronic have launched the SH300 text panel which is built on Windows platform, being able to edit several monitoring.screens and support multi-format graph. It can be connected with many PLCs.
Their Timecounter-professional, TC-Pro2400, has 1.8-digital high-resolution LCD(8mm high) with manual reset & external reset. Their TC-Pro48 series Multi-function LCD digital Timer/Counter/Tachometer has a highly visible display with backlit negative transmissive LCD.

New adaptor modules provide application-specific I/O for RF - National Instruments has announced the expansion of its NI FlexRIO product line with multiple forthcoming adapter modules, which provide engineers with application-specific I/O for RF, digital, time-domain and vision inspection systems. The NI FlexRIO family is the industry's first commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution to provide engineers the flexibility of NI LabVIEW FPGA technology combined with high-speed, instrument-class, reconfigurable and user-defined I/O on the PXI platform.

Innovative ball joint seal testing machine uses Ethernet TCP/IP controlled servos - TCP/IP-compatible servo drives from Baldor Electric have simplified the construction of an innovative automotive component tester. Developed by a leading builder of structural and custom test equipment, Dynamic Testing & Equipment (DTE), the new machine fully automates the accelerated life testing of the flexible boot seals used to protect ball joints in automobile steering assemblies. The use of programmable AC servos - instead of conventional hydraulic actuators - provides an unprecedented level of control flexibility, enabling test parameters such as joint articulation angles to be varied on the fly.

Pressure transmitter suited for applications where negative pressures are measured - WIKA's high-quality and cost-efficient A-10 pressure transmitter can be used for filter monitoring, pump control, vacuum lift technology or gas analysis. It is also a reliable and economical solution for applications which do not allow for measurements in the vacuum but for which a vacuum may occur.

Instrumentation Reference Book: 3rd Edition - Instrumentation is not a clearly defined subject, having a 'fuzzy' boundary with a number of other disciplines. Often categorized as either 'techniques' or 'applications' this book, edited by automation expert Walt Boyes, addresses the various applications that may be needed with reference to the practical techniques that are available for the instrumentation or measurement of a specific physical quantity or quality. This makes it of direct interest to anyone working in the process, control and instrumentation fields where these measurements are essential.

"Next Generation of Automation Communications" - Kepware Technologies has released its next generation of KEPServerEX, version 5, available now for OEMs, Channel Partners and End Users. This is "the world's No 1 selling communications product in the automation marketplace." This new release has been in development for over two years and represents Kepware's next generation communication platform delivering; a new architecture and a wealth of new features and benefits while retaining a similar look, feel and compatibility with earlier versions.

Versatile new cutting head and CNC simulator will be highlighted at show - At EMO 2009, the CNC controls vendor NUM will launch a ready-integrated tool head for sophisticated plasma, laser and waterjet cutting machinery applications, and exhibit an advanced 3D simulation package combining workpiece simulation with collision monitoring for the first time.

Distribution agreement in sensor vision - LMI Technologies (LMI) has made a new distribution and support partnership with Vision Machines located in Eastern Massachusetts (US). As a new LMI Partner, Vision Machines will provide sales and support for HexSightTM software throughout the United States.

Wireless interface for encoders - SwiftComm™ from encoder specialists BEI, is a wireless transmitter and receiver system for incremental or SSI absolute encoders and sensors that allows cable-free, high speed communication using a secure 2.4 GHz RF protocol.

UltraFast, Digitally Programmable Ultralow Dropout, Low Noise 5A LDO - Linear Technology Corporation announces the LT3070, a digitally programmable linear regulator with the lowest dropout voltage, lowest noise and fastest transient response of any monolithic 5A LDO currently available. Dropout voltage at 5A is an ultralow 85mV. Output voltage noise at 5A is only 25uV_RMS over a 10Hz to 100kHz bandwidth.

Safety in a new way -

Practical underwater temperature logger - The Aquatic 2 underwater temperature data logger has developed its functionality alongside the ever-increasing demand from environmental researchers and resource managers for a highly accurate, practical and easy to use underwater data logger that can be relied on for long term immersion 24/7, in the harshest of conditions.

New Ethernet analog output units provide 16 channels of 16-bit D/A to drive voltage/current control signals - Acromag has released two new high-performance analog output units for their EtherStax¨ line of rugged Ethernet I/O. The high-density ES2171 and ES2172 models each provide 16 channels of process current or voltage output control signals with 16-bit D/A resolution. Each module accepts Modbus TCP/IP, UDP/IP, or i2o¨ peer-to-peer network inputs and provides high-resolution analog outputs to drive displays, indicators, chart recorders, positioners, or actuators.

"Significant improvement in profitability from Q1 2009" - We don't usually report things like performance of vendors, but like all industrial sectors the Automation sector is suffering in the global downturn. Here is taste from one of the world leaders. National Instruments reported quarterly revenue for Q2 2009 of $152.2 million, which represents a 28 percent year-over-year decline and comes in above the midpoint of the company's guidance. While revenue declined by 4 percent sequentially from Q1, orders increased 1 percent, resulting in a $6 million sequential increase in the backlog of orders during Q2.

ISA100.11a a view from inside! - This is Walt Boyes' account of the "final" vote on this important wireless standard.
See our Wireless Page.

TOC analyser improves lab efficiency -

Easily-installed valve offers increased uptime in throttling control applications - Emerson Process Management has released the Fisher(R) 8580 rotary valve which will deliver rugged reliability and high cycle life, increasing plant availability. Extensive laboratory verification was performed on the unit to ensure reliability. Mechanical tests were conducted to determine cycle life, fatigue life, vibration resistance, temperature limits and pressure limits.

Representation for Greece, Balkans and North Africa - Acromag is has announced that ICSystems has signed on as a factory authorized distributor for Greece, The Balkans and North African territories. ICSystems brings a wealth of experience in delivering industrial automation solutions plus an extensive product line to complement Acromag's family of Ethernet I/O and process instrumentation products.

New compact, low pressure transducer - Gems® Sensors & Controls™ announces the launch of the new 3300 series pressure transducer. The 3300 series transducer is designed for low pressure applications that demand small size and low cost along with high accuracy and stability. The 3300 Series pressure transducer is well suited to applications such as chemical sterilizers, autoclaves, pneumatics, HVAC&R, pumps & compressors.

- Keithley Instruments has created an application-specific microsite for those responsible for characterising solar/photovoltaic devices.

Further recognition for automation by US government - The Automation Federation reports that the automation profession has been recognized by two groups within the United States government. We have already reported on the recognation from their Dept of Education (17th July 2009). However prior to that the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations included language in their 2010 Congressional budget report that recognised the importance of automation for the future of manufacturing in the United States.

New ovoid gearbox design offers 4x output torque for miniature power transmission applications - In what could become a veritable landmark in the world of miniature power transmission, Rotalink has combined spur and planetary gear stages within the industry standard ovoid gearbox for a potential output torque increase of at least 400%. The new gearboxes, available in three model sizes, are the result of an intensive and ongoing design initiative carried out by manufacturer that takes its lead from advances in ultra polymer materials technology and production techniques, and offers further benefits of higher power-to-weight ratio, reduced installation volume and quieter operation.

Vibration sensors - Monitran has made its general purpose vibration sensors and accelerometers available as "Grip Tight" (GT) versions. With Grip Tight (patent pending), the fitting or removal of a sensor to/from its GT stud takes mere seconds - yet the mechanical bond, essential for the transfer of energy, is assured.

Dual channel 1000Base-SX/LX PMC fibre adaptor - Concurrent Technologies has announced the latest addition to their range of networking PMC mezzanine cards - the CL PMC/GB4 - a two channel optical fiber adaptor supporting dual SFP connectors with board options for 1000Base-SX Multi-Mode or 1000Base-LX Single-Mode fiber interfaces. Commercial and extended temperature versions are available. The board will be particularly suitable for defence or industrial applications requiring a high level of noise immunity and higher data throughput whilst maintaining a wider separation of network nodes.

Plan adherence reporting - Provideam OEE Monitoring Software Service Pack 3.6 has just been released and includes many great new features, such as Manual Data Entry and Plan Adherence Reporting. The new Provideam Manual OEE Module allows users to enter data collected manually from production machines and to analyse this data in an easy to use intranet application.

Module Targets Harsh Environments - Diamond Systems has launched an ETX 3.0 compliant computer-on-module (COM) based on Intel's low-power, high-performance Atom N270 processor. Rated for operation over an enhanced, -20° to +70°C temperature, the ETX-N270 is aimed at defense, transportation, energy management, industrial automation, and medical applications.

New product marketing specialist - LMI Technologies Inc. (LMI) has appointed Mirela Cunjalo as the new Product Marketing Specialist. She will be responsible for product marketing and planning initiatives related to LMI's broad range of industrial sensors on an international basis. As an integral part of the LMI Product Marketing Department, she will be the person responsible for all product training, market and competitive intelligence, product metrics and planning as well as serve as the gatekeeper for all product technical requirements.

LXI compliant Ethernet interface for oscilloscopes - LXI compliant Ethernet options are now available for the Yokogawa DL9000 Series of digital and mixed-signal oscilloscopes and the SB5000 vehicle serial bus analyser. The new options, designated /C9 and /C12, meet the Class C requirements of the LXI Standard.
LXI is the power of Ethernet and the Web applied to Test & Measurement (T&M) offering you new possibilities in test systems - local, remote, distributed, time-aware.

Low-cost ultra low power wireless mesh networks - Comit Systems has announced a strategic cooperative relationship with GreenPeak Technologies to deliver customized low-cost, ultra low power wireless mesh network solutions utilising GreenPeak's technology. Comit Systems will deliver turnkey engineering services for fast and reliable integration of GreenPeak's technology, working with end users to identify the system architecture that will deliver the best results with the lowest total cost of ownership.

Access to informative photovoltaic measurements seminar, online solar cell demo - Keithley Instruments has created an application-specific microsite for those responsible for characterizing solar/photovoltaic devices. "Simplify Your Solar Cell Testing with Keithley's Precision Measurement Solutions" describes Keithley's high accuracy solutions for solar cell I-V and C-V characterization, which allow high speed testing without the hassles of integrating separate instruments or writing complicated programs. It also describes key solar cell parameters and measurement techniques.

e-letters during week ending 17th July Control Matrers (SPLAT) Automation Resource alert! Pharma INTECH e-news Mackeys Musings Automation Weekly What's working in Marketing & e-business?" EXPOExchange e-news TestPatterns NovaUCD newsletter Control Engineering Europe e-news Jim Pinto HazardEX e-newsletter ProfiNews INTECH E-news There are a number of newsletters we receive which are only available in pdf format or are not available in html as web pages. These may not be listed here!

Improvements add "eyeballs" to HMI/SCADA systems - Longwatch has added new features and functions to its Video System Version 5.0 to make it easier for users to integrate cameras in local and remote areas, combine video data with a wide variety of plant information, and enable operators to access video data from HMI terminals, cellphones or on a PC via the Internet.

World's only Bluetooth® v3.0 + HS protocol analyser to Britain and Ireland - Nohau has launched the latest version of Frontline's FTS4BT™ analyzer in Ireland and Britain. Trying to keep up with changes to Bluetooth wireless technology can make anyone's head spin.
The release of the Bluetooth v3.0 + HS specification, which adds high speed data support via 802.11 makes Bluetooth technology more powerful and versatile, but also more complex than ever. It provides vast improvements in speed and power efficiency over previous Bluetooth versions. Already there are dozens of products planned or in development that will capitalize on this new speed and efficiency.

Executive forum on lean operational excellence - Dozens of European business leaders engaged in roundtable discussions of current global economy and the role technologies play in meeting the needs of manufacturers at GE's Corporate Offices in London (GB). The event, hoseted by GE Fanuc, featured speakers and discussion on issues related to the current global economic issues, what manufacturers can do to weather the storm, and the role that new technologies can and will play in future success.

New category 6_A RJ45 connecting hardware - Tyco Electronics has a new AMP NETCONNECT AMP-TWIST 6_AS RJ45 connector. The AMP-TWIST 6_AS SL Jack offers 600 MHz performance and exceeds the upcoming Category 6_A component performance specification of the global cabling standard ISO/IEC 11801 amendment 2.
Please excuse the odd appearance of this item this is due to the subscript letter. Hopefully in the future HTML will be able to handle subscript in a neater manner in future manifestations!

Strategic relationship accelerates time to market, drives innovation and enables growth - Invensys Operations Management, a global provider of technology systems, software solutions and consulting services to the process and manufacturing industries, today announced that it has entered a strategic relationship with Cognizant, a leading provider of consulting, technology and business outsourcing, to help improve the design, development and delivery of Invensys Operations Management's products and solutions for customers around the globe.

IPS migration to Industrial displays - Hitachi Europe Display Products group have announced the introduction of a new 10.4" TFT display module featuring Hitachi's IPS (in-plane-switching) display technology. The new TX26D12VM0AAA features a traditional aspect ratio of 4:3 and a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels (SVGA). A high brightness, long life LED backlight is employed featuring an integrated dimming function which enables ease of control of the backlight brightness in differing ambient lighting conditions.

Retractable sensor fitting for analytical measurements on liquids - The new Yokogawa PR10 is a retractable sensor fitting that offers a flexible approach to online liquid analytical measurements in a wide range of process industries. Designed for online process applications where the sensor has to be removed safely without interrupting process continuity - in anaerobic, toxic or pressurised environments, for example, the PR10 is equally suited to pH, ORP, conductivity, inductive conductivity and dissolved oxygen measurements.

US government recognises automation as a profession - Walt Boyes in his "Sound Off" blog reports on the recognition of automation by the United States Department of Education. He quotes Kim Millar Dunn of the Automation Federation. "... the US Department of Education has released its 2010 Classification of Instructional Programs and the automation technician and automation engineer have been recognized as new classification codes. The CIP is the accepted federal government statistical standard on instructional program. This is a significant recognition by the Department of Education for these automation fields."
Read the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) for this catagory.

New compact vandal-proof illuminated keypads are waterproof - Foremost Electronics has introduced two vandal resistant metal keypads. Responding to increasing demand for secure and rugged security switching these compact, low profile, metal keypads may be used in public and industrial environments for access control, security, data-entry, vending machines and kiosks, environmental control and service access. The keypads are ideal for use in low light conditions as they feature LED illumination in a choice of blue, green or yellow.

Operations management software portfolio enhanced - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms have announced Proficy® Scheduler - powered by ROB-EX. This interactive, visual tool helps planners create and maintain more dynamic and effective production schedules based on resources and asset capacity.

Bitter is sweet for some! - As part of a project to consolidate production at its Aalborg (DK) site, Pernod Ricard Nordic installed a new blending facility to replace one located elsewhere in Denmark. As the main automation contractor (MAC), Emerson was responsible for the front-end engineering and design (FEED), and the implementation of the new automation system. PlantWeb® digital plant architecture, incorporating the DeltaV™ digital automation system with HART® communications and intelligent devices, was installed.

Enhanced version of network-based control system - Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces the release of an enhanced version of the STARDOMTM network-based control system's FCN-RTU low power autonomous controller. The functional enhancements to this enhanced version include the addition of support for the FOUNDATION™ fieldbus and HART® digital communication protocols.

US government recognises automation as a profession - Walt Boyes in his "Sound Off" blog reports on the recognition of automation by the United States Department of Education. He quotes Kim Millar Dunn of the Automation Federation. "... the US Department of Education has released its 2010 Classification of Instructional Programs and the automation technician and automation engineer have been recognized as new classification codes. The CIP is the accepted federal government statistical standard on instructional program. This is a significant recognition by the Department of Education for these automation fields."
Read the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) for this catagory.

New software tool streamlines design-to-test process with PXI digital instrumentation - National Instruments has announced its collaboration with Test System Strategies (TSSI), inventor of the Waveform Generation Language (WGL), on a new software tool that is compatible with NI LabVIEW graphical system design software. This software tool makes it possible for semiconductor test engineers to import WGL and IEEE 1450 Standard Test Interface Language (STIL) simulation vectors into NI PXI digital test systems, a task which previously required custom software development.

Security certification - HIMA's HIMAx safety system has received security certification by Wurldtech Security Technologies, provider of the award-winning Achilles Platform and other cyber security testing and certification solutions for the critical infrastructure industries.

Quality management system certified - GreenPeak has secured ISO 9001:2008 certification from Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for its quality management system. GreenPeak is a fabless semiconductor company offering innovative ultra low power wireless and battery-free data communication technologies for consumer electronics and sense and control applications.

Seven year warranty - Acromag has implemented an industry-leading 7-Year Extended Warranty program. All Acromag products now carry a base 1-year warranty, but qualify for up to six years of additional warranty protection when registered on their website. Most products, including best-selling BusWorks® and EtherStax® Ethernet I/O, Modbus I/O, 600 Series isolators, Flat Pack transmitters and IntelliPack® signal conditioners, are eligible for a 6-year warranty extension. 8B modules, 150T transmitters, APM panel meters, specialty instruments and accessories can double the warranty period to two years.

GB Prime minister thanks instrument company! - Mike Riding of Process Instruments (Pi) attended a reception at 10 Downing Street, on Monday 22nd June 2009, to honour Britain's most innovative companies and acknowledge their contribution to business. The reception was hosted by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and was attended by 150 from different sectors of the economy.

Support for organisation of users and manufacturers of automation devices, systems, and tools - PI (ProfiBus and ProfiNet International) supports the activities of PROLIST® International e.V to standardise features for data exchange between manufacturers of process control devices and device users in feature lists. This is an emerging, independent organisation of users and manufacturers of automation devices, systems, and tools with the objective of providing feature lists to manufacturers and users to enable efficient planning, design, service, and procurement of electrical and process-control devices and systems.

NIR industrial camera - The Xenics XLIN 1.7 SWIR/NIR linescan camera from Stemmer Imaging is designed for use in a host of industrial applications. These include on-line process control, web inspection, food inspection, agricultural monitoring, non-destructive inspection, pollution and environmental monitoring, moisture measurement and semiconductor process monitoring. In addition it can be used for the thermal imaging of hot objects between 200°C and 800°C.

Wi local energy - LEM has extended its Wi-LEM (Wireless Local Energy Meter) family to allow the remote measurement and monitoring of electricity, water and other metered utilities as well as temperature and humidity. It allows industrial and commercial enterprises to break down energy and water usage and identify areas of efficiency improvement. All the new Wi-LEM components feature a ten-fold increase of RF power from 1mW to 10mW, increasing the distance between nodes compared to the previous LEM generation of components.

Industrial GMS/GPRS device for re,ote monitoring and control - HMS Industrial Networks has introduced Anybus® RemoteCom™, a new industrial GSM/GPRS based device for remote monitoring and control, alarm management and data logging. With this you can simplify remote supervision and control of automation devices, minimize downtime and provide accurate information anywhere, anytime. The device eliminates the need for the costly practice of sending service personnel around the globe for problem solving.

NIR analyser for batch process control for cheese! - ESE tells us that process cheese producer Whitehall Specialties has selected ESE's Q5L Near Infrared Analyser (NIR) to improve batch quality and reduce rework in its cheese production processes. This will be the third plant that Whitehall has chosen ESE and the Q5L NIR Analyser. The Q5L is part of the Series that analyses batches in as little as five seconds, contains no moving parts to ensure sample accuracy and repeatability, and can sample multiple constituents without preparation or clean up work.

New elemental analysis system - The intelligent new multi EA® 5000 elemental analyzer from Analytik Jena provides a comprehensive analytical capability. It covers elemental analysis of carbon, sulphur, nitrogen and chlorine through to TOC, EOX and AOX/TOX analyses from percentage levels down to parts per billion. For the first time automatic analysis of sulphur, nitrogen, carbon and chlorine is possible in a single analysis cycle. In addition, this versatile analyzer can accommodate solid, fluid, paste-like and gaseous samples, allowing it to be used in petrochemistry, environmental analysis, pharmaceuticals, the chemical industry and materials analysis.

Dynamic vapour compensation option for radar level sensors - Emerson Process Management has introduced a new option for its Rosemount® 5300 Series of High Performance Guided Wave Radar (GWR) level transmitters. The Dynamic Vapour Compensation (DVC) option eliminates accuracy errors associated with varying pressure and/or temperature that occur in vessels where steam vapour is present. The greater accuracy achieved, combined with no moving parts or calibration requirements, can improve overall plant efficiency and reduce maintenance costs for operators in a range of processing industries including oil and gas production, chemical plants and power generation.

VCommunication software for force testers - Lloyd Instruments has announced the launch of TCD WEDGE communication software for the Chatillon® range of advanced digital force testers. TCD WEDGE supports serial data communications between a Windows®-based PC and the TCD series of single column digital force testers, the LTCM series of motorised testers and the DF series of force gauges.

Using documenting calibrators! - This is a discussion on how calibration methods are changing with a contribution from a user of documenting calibrators in Britain.

Power meters are certified for testing standby power to new IEC 62301 standard - The Yokogawa WT3000-2A and WT210 digital power meters are now certified to carry out the standby power tests specified in the new IEC 62301 standard, which defines the standby mode as the lowest consumption of an appliance not performing its main function, when connected to the mains.

Multi-chanel low power radio modules - Low Power Radio Solutions (LPRS) have launched of the latest narrowband radio modules from Circuit Design, Inc. The ultra-compact transmitter CDP-TX-05M-R and receiver CDP-RX-05M-R supersede the very successful CDP-TX-04S-R and CDP-RX-03AS/BS-R modules, maintaining their remarkable size and low power consumption (10mW) while offering multi-channel operation.

PLC applications made easy - The new TML_LIB_X20 Motion Control Library embeds the Technosoft drives' intelligence into a B&R PLC environment. The library is a collection of high-level functions and blocks allowing the control of the Technosoft intelligent drives from a B&R PLC. It works with B&R's Automation Studio v3.0 SP3.

Wireless field starter kit expanded to increase range of applications - Discrete switches, vibration and pH transmitters expand functionality of Emerson Process Management's smart wireless starter kit, which already provides a quick and easy way to apply wireless technology.

Retrofit plant and turbine controls at Fellside power station - Emerson Process Management has received a contract to retrofit obsolete plant and turbine controls at Sellafield Ltd.'s Fellside Power Station (GB) with Ovation® technology.

New version of steady-state simulation improves usability and performance - Invensys Operations Management, a global provider of technology systems, software solutions and consulting services to the process and manufacturing industries, has released the newest version of its SimSci-Esscor® PRO/II™ software, a steady-state process simulator used to design, analyze and improve chemical processes. In addition to the numerous enhancements that address the emerging needs of the hydrocarbon and chemicals processing industries, the newest version of the company's PRO/II simulation software is even easier to use, faster and more flexible.

Presentations on Motor condition monitoring and energy saving - Whitelegg Machines can offer a variety of solutions for motor testing and also technical briefings at your premises. They have designed a range of presentations are aimed at Plant Managers, Maintenance Engineers and Reliability Engineers.

Office in France - StanTronic Instruments is now expanding into Southern Europe by establishing a Sales Office in Paris, France. The French Office is responsible for France, Spain, Italy and the French speaking parts of Belgium and Switzerland, whereas the UK office covers Britain, Ireland and Northern Europe. The company now has 3 web sites in English, German and French, that are packed with a range of test and development instrumentation.

Cyber security in safety instrumented systems! Bob Huba and Chuck Miller of Emerson have written two articles "Addressing SIS Cyber Security: First or Last?" Part One and Part Two in the American issue of Control Engineering.

Help secure the smart grid - Wurldtech™ Security Technologies has launched a multi-faceted effort to improve the security and robustness of smart grid technology. The effort includes; the addition of wireless communication capabilities into the award-winning Achilles™ Satellite security & robustness testing platform to diagnose and remediate vulnerabilities in Smart Grid technology; the expansion of the Achilles™ cyber security certification program to include resilience benchmarks for smart grid devices and applications; and the creation of the world's first cyber security research institute and global center of excellence focused on vulnerability analysis and cyber threat metrics for Smart Grid infrastructure.
See also our Cyber Safe Page!

Internet control and monitoring made easy - The IO-204 Monitor & Control Module helps bridge the gap between the physical world and the World Wide Web. The IO-204 module and online tools allow you to easily get your projects on the web. There is no need to run a web server or track ever changing dynamic IP addresses.

Handheld communicator delivers powerful field diagnostics capabilities - Emerson has just introduced the 475 Field Communicator, the next generation in handheld communicator technology. The new Field Communicator extends beyond device configuration functionality to provide advanced device diagnostic and troubleshooting capabilities in the field and on the bench so users can work more efficiently. Quick boot-up and fast operating time mean that jobs can be performed quickly and easily while longer battery life ensures days, not hours, of operation. The intrinsically safe 475 Field Communicator supports HART®, WirelessHART™, and FOUNDATION™ fieldbus devices.
It includes a full-color graphical user interface, Bluetooth® communication, and extended battery life.

What are you doing? Some thoughts on social media. Can it be used by Automation professionals?

Wireless seminars pronounced success on both sides of Atlantic - Industry users are responding in overwhelming numbers to a series of educational seminars on WirelessHART™ technologybeing offered by the HART® Communication Foundation (www.hartcomm.org). Seminars were presented in June in Britain, Belgium, and the US (Texas), with users from all process industries filling the seats to capacity. Additional dates and locations are scheduled throughout 2009, starting August 5 in Philadelphia (PA US).

High-integrity overflow protection - Vessel overflow protection systems seem so simple, so straightforward - that is until one of them fails to work properly and your plant is the six o'clock news. Chris O'Brien talks about the lessons to be learned from the BP Texas City and Buncefield "incidents" in INTECH.

Advanced data management capabilities - National Instruments has announced DIAdem 11.1, a new version of the interactive software for managing, analysing, visualising and reporting test data that includes new features and filtering capabilities for advanced development and automated analysis. DIAdem is designed to help engineers make informed decisions and meet the demands of today's testing environments, which require quick access to large volumes of scattered data, consistent reporting and data visualisation.

Switch probe for voltage-free applications - The new P201/GVF from Peak Test Services is a normally open switch probe with built-in isolation for use in voltage-free ICT (in-circuit test) applications where the circuit under test needs to be isolated from voltages applied by the measurement circuitry.

New Ethernet I/O - Acromag has released a new analog input module for their EtherStax® series of rugged Ethernet I/O which features extremely high I/O density to further reduce cost per channel and save space. Designed for distributed I/O and SCADA applications, the ES2163 and ES2164 models perform 16-bit A/D conversion on up to 64 single-ended DC current or voltage inputs, respectively, and interface the signals to Ethernet devices or controllers with Modbus TCP/IP or UDP/IP protocol communication.

You can become a fan - The latest company to put up a Facebook page is TAG (THe Automation Group). To learn the latest about this mostly US based company become a fan!.

Prestigious award for one of the first batch automation experts in Britain! - Francis Lovering, the managing director and designer of the software at ControlDraw was recently awarded the WBF Guido Carlo-Stella Award. The award is given to individuals who have demonstrated technical excellence or who have mentored and inspired others in the field of automation and information integration in the manufacturing industries.
To celebrate 10 years in Business ControlDraw is offering for a short term reduced prices for the product. In addition there are new low cost licensing options for smaller projects and Online purchasing is also now available.

Economists See End To Recession - And now for some good news - we need it! The economic free fall is over, and the end of the recession is within sight, say economists at the American Chemistry Council, the U.S. chemical industry's main trade association.

Twelve probes for one smart meter - HACH LANGE has announced a further suite of IntelliCAL™ sensors for use with its HQd digital water quality meters. As a result, users will be able to swap sensors quickly and easily for the measurement of six key parameters (BOD, Conductivity, DO, ORP, pH, and sodium).
Uniquely, all IntelliCAL™ probes interchange fully with a single HQd meter, which recognises both the probe and its calibration history.

Taking Invensys seriously! is the title of a recent post on our blog!

Low-cost 3 GHz counter has USB control - The TF930 3 GHz universal frequency counter, new from TTi, incorporates a USB interface for remote control and readback. It has a frequency range from 0.001 Hz to over 3000 MHz with high sensitivity across the range. The high-quality TCXO timebase is stable to within ±1 part in 10⁶ over the full temperature range, and provides a low aging rate. Its short warm-up time allows accurate measurements to be made even under portable battery-powered conditions.

Transducers that operate in very high temperature applications - Although many transducers in the RDP Electronics range are rated to operate up to 125°C meeting the needs of most industrial applications, options are also available with an elevated upper limit of 200°C.

Major acquisition announced - Four Sira businesses have been acquired by CSA Group. Sira Test & Certification Ltd, Sira Environmental Ltd, Sira Certification Service and Sira Consulting Ltd will operate as a separate division of CSA International, the testing and certification division of the CSA Group.

Air velocity transmitter - The new miniature air velocity transmitters, series EE575 and EE576 of E+E Elektronik, allow accurate measurements of flow in air and gases. The EE575 measures velocities up to 20 m/s (4000 ft/min). The EE576 is specifically designed for the measurement of low flows up to 2 m/s (400 ft/min).

A complete sound and vibration stimulus response system from a single vendor - National Instruments has a new portable bus-powered dynamic signal acquisition (DSA) module and a suite of vibration sensors that are ideal for making high-accuracy vibration measurements required for noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and machine condition monitoring applications. The NI USB-4431 DSA module acquires data at rates from 1 to 102.4 kS/s, which makes it possible to obtain a wide measurement bandwidth.

MicroTCA connectors for industrial applications - Originally developed for the telecommunications industry MicroTCA systems have largely been limited to low shock and low vibration applications. However, the new features of these Harting devices allow them to be utilised in areas such as industrial control or transport where strong vibrations are encountered.

Machinery monitoring with wireless vibration and advanced alarm management - Emerson has just released the AMS® Suite: Machinery Health Manager 5.3, part of its industry-leading asset management software. The new AMS Machinery Manager release expands end-user machinery monitoring by adding Smart Wireless vibration data, new autoplot capabilities, and advanced alarm analysis and management.

Great minds think alike! It isn't often that two leading commentators in the world of Automation agree on things but Automation World's Gary Mintchel and Control's Walt Boyes have come out in their blogs on the same day about Invensys. Things are coming together at Invensys...." starts Gary while Walt comments: "Bhattacharya Resurrects Invensys..." Gary commented to Walt (on twitter where else?) after they had coincidentally posted their blogs, "Uh, oh, Walt, not sure it's a good thing when we agree on something ;-) ..." Both seem to agree that the company is "poised for a renaissance."

British-based facility to develop and test complete solutions - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, today announced the opening of its Engineering Center of Excellence (CoE) for Oil & Gas and Safety in Luton (GB). The centre represents an expansion of the company's commitment to the Oil & Gas industry allowing GE Fanuc to test and provide complete solutions based on GE's best of breed products.

Pesticide analyser reference package for enhanced performance in pesticide applications - Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced the launch of a unique Pesticide Analyzer Reference package designed to revolutionize the way pesticide analyses are set up and performed. The new, all-inclusive solution provides information on extraction, consumables and assists users in method development for the analysis of pesticides using the Thermo Scientific TSQ Quantum GC triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS.

New products provide a complete sound and vibration stimulus response system from single vendor - National Instruments has announced a new portable bus-powered dynamic signal acquisition (DSA) module and a suite of vibration sensors that are ideal for making high-accuracy vibration measurements required for noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and machine condition monitoring applications. The NI USB-4431 DSA module acquires data at rates from 1 to 102.4 kS/s, which makes it possible to obtain a wide measurement bandwidth.

e-letters during week ending 3rd July SCADA & RTU Update INTECH e-news Automation Weekly Expo Exchange e-news Coyle & Holland Newsletter NI News Control Engineering Europe HazardEX ACP Thin Client newsletter INTECH e-news Process Engineering Control & maintenance Process & Control Motion Control round-up ControlGlobal e-news There are a number of newsletters we receive which are only available in pdf format or are not available in html as web pages. These may not be listed here!

Usable energy from landfill gas - In the true spirit of environmental consciousness, GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms' customer Innovative Energy Systems (IES) has developed a clean energy solution that recovers methane gas from landfills and converts it into electricity as an alternative energy source. The solution uses GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms' controllers, HMI/SCADA software and operator interface equipment to facilitate the processing of the gas and keep the system running efficiently and effectively, providing Innovative Energy with a sustainable and competitive advantage.