Bus power - MooreHawke has introduced the TRUNKGUARD® TPS400 Fieldbus Power Supply for general purpose and non-incendive applications.Available models supply 350mA (for non-isolated, energy limited applications) or 500mA (for high current demand applications) of isolated, conditioned simplex (non-redundant) or duplex (redundant) power to up to four segments.

Toolkit adds enhanced ATML functionality to platform - National Instruments has announced their TestStand ATML Toolkit to help engineers reduce development and maintenance time by expanding test system component interoperability and increasing test system documentation.
The Automatic Test Markup Language (ATML) is an IEEE standard consisting of XML document formats that describe different aspects of a test system.

New Zirconium fork meter extends high accuracy measurement to corrosive acids and alkalis - Emerson Process Management now offers its Micro Motion® 7826 Insertion Liquid Density and Concentration Meter in Zirconium for enhanced corrosion resistance. The new Micro Motion Zirconium fork density and concentration meter is designed to monitor inorganic chemicals such as hydrochloric, nitric and sulphuric acid. The new meter is ideal for applications in the chemical and oil & gas industries, as well as clean in place (CIP) processes in the food and beverage sector.

Distributor of the year - Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation was recently named Distributor of the Year in the Active Components Product Portfolio category by Elektronik the German magazine for design engineers and technical management.

Data logging software now available - Martel Electronics released a new data logging feature for its popular BetaGauge PI and BetaGauge PI Reference Class digital pressure test gauges. The feature is available in concert with the new BetaLOG™ data logging software application.
They will be exhibiting at ISAExpo'09

Series of international events focuses on sustainable business success - Invensys Operations Management has announced that it will host an expanded series of international events focusing on the successful implementation of sustainable best business practices in the manufacturing and industrial markets. OpsManage'09 / WonderWorld kicks off with a North American event, (3-5/11/2009 Anaheim CA US) with subsequent events in other parts of the world including China, Argentina, India, France and Korea.

Weather-proof enclosures - Wall mounted compact enclosure Rittal have introduced a new compact wall-mounted compact enclosure to their range of CS outdoor enclosures. Constructed from aluminium with a pure polyester coating, the corrosion resistant single-walled enclosure is available in five different sizes offering a flexible system for quick project adaptations.

Latest software release reaffirms commitment to asset maintenance collaboration - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of Proficy® Maintenance Gateway 2.0 to help customers avoid costly equipment failures and reduce asset maintenance costs.

Online sampling and analysis, a necessity, not a luxury - A major overhead for any processing plant is effluent discharge. And, in accordance with the British Water Industry Act 1991, any company having a significant quantity of trade effluent discharge must obtain consent prior to making a discharge to the public sewer network or water course. With consent granted on the basis of effluent composition and any levels exceeded resulting in major fines, the need for accurate, effective and traceable measurement has never been so apparent. 16/9/2009

Sound off at Safecomp - Here are some notes from several of the talks taken by the ControlGlobal team who were present in Hamburg (D)!

Industrial-grade QVGA TFTs - Anders Electronics has announced the availability of its newest 3.5" QVGA TFT displays. Specially designed for high-end industrial and medical devices, these displays offer excellent optical specifications, superb 3 to 5 year guaranteed availability, and an on-board LCD controller for the portrait model that markedly lowers design complexity and speeds time to market.

Largest opportunities in process control - Greg McMillan discusses new sensor and valve technologies in his latest contribution to his Modeling & Control blog (which he shares with Terry Blevins).

Optimising performance of large scale-cell culture facility - Global biopharmaceutical manufacturer Lonza has selected Emerson Process Management to provide manufacturing operations management software to further enhance the strong performance of plant operations at its New Hampshire (US) facility. Emerson will integrate its new Syncade(TM) smart operations management suite to the existing PlantWeb(R) digital architecture to increase efficiency of Lonza's biopharmaceutical manufacturing and quality assurance functions.

HMI partners announced - Invensys Operations Management has announced a number of innovative, strategic partnerships with industry-leading human-machine interface (HMI) hardware manufacturers.

New sensor ideal for ultrapure water applications - The Orbisphere 1100 series optical dissolved oxygen sensor from HACH LANGE is providing major advantages to international service company Serco, in the course of its work to solve corrosion problems within the British power generation sector. The instrumentation has helped reduce maintenance time and service requirements to improve the overall monitoring efficiency of testing carried out under plant conditions.

Critical infrastructure protection - With cyber terrorism and critical infrastructure security and protection becoming a major topic in the media, the Wurldtech team is pleased to announce the 15th industrial control system to achieve the internationally recognized benchmark for system security and robustness.

US continuous liquid level sensor with multipoint switch capability - Gems® Sensors & Controls™ has launched the UCL-510 Ultrasonic Level Sensor. The compact UCL-510 is suitable for non-contact applications such as industrial water treatment, wastewater management, chemical storage, and many other challenging fluid applications. The UCL-510 offers an innovative solution for challenging fluid measurement with no moving parts.

First to map the automation genome! - Listen as PAS announces the launch of Integrity Automation Genome Software, the first product to provide a universal framework for the aggregation, contextualization, and simplification of data across an entire automation and production management system.

A visit to a super-geek! - Many of our readers will realise that we have a special place for independant minds so we were very interested in this account of the meeting of two such persons, Jim Pinto and Dick Morley. Dick who recently appeared at the ISA's Marketing and Sales Summit in Boston, has just published a new book, Techshock, and, as Pinto says, "In typical Dick Morley fashion, the 'Father of the PLC' doesn't hold back expressing his views on a world that is undergoing major technological change."

Leaders appointed for Wireless Institute - The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute announces newly elected leadership for the Institute's Governing Board. Dan Sheflin from Honeywell was selected as the Institute's first Chairman and Dr. Penny Chen from Yokogawa was selected as the Institute's first Vice-Chairman.

Self test on PXI modules - Verification and diagnosis of complex switching operation in a test system has always been an issue, especially in the PXI platform. For this reason, Pickering Interfaces has announced that it is introducing built in self test to select models of their PXI switching modules. This feature is called BIRST™, or Built In Relay Self Test.

Security institute has new member - exida LLC has joined The ISA Security Compliance Institute as a Technical Member.

System selected for metal furnace plant in China - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced that Sansteel Group Corporation has chosen the company's breakthrough process control system, Proficy® Process Systems for its furnace revamp project in Shanghai. The solution, which is valued at approximately $300,000, will provide critical control for both the metal furnace and the plant utility system, featuring GE Fanuc's PACSystems RX3i controller.

Technology innovator of the year - Wonderware has received the "Global Honors Partner" award from Intermec, a leading provider of mobile data capture and computing solutions including RFID readers.

Sanitary standards certification earned by food & beverage automation company - ESE, Inc., has earned 3-A Sanitary Standards certification from 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc.,(SSI), a non-profit organization representing equipment manufacturers, processors, regulatory sanitarians, and other public health professionals whose mission is to enhance product safety for consumers of food, beverages, and pharmaceutical products.

Sensors in space! - Headwall Photonics, the supplier of high performance spectral imaging solutions, has been selected by NEC Space Systems Division of Japan to develop the hyperspectral instrument payload for a Japanese remote sensing satellite.

On-line configurator - Accessible from the website, the SOURIAU on-line configurator is a tool enabling users to obtain the part numbers of connectors matching their needs, along with their 2D drawings. The configurator now has a new function: on-line ordering.

Industrial security under scrutiny at October show! - Sometimes Europeans think that the Americans go overboard with their emphasis on security since the events of September 2001. Nevertheless industrial security which takes centre stage at the show on Wednesday, 7 October will prove fascinating. It will feature presentations by security experts with U.S. Department of Homeland Security experience, as well as a groundbreaking hack and defend tutorial and demonstration on wireless security.

European Photovoltaics Lab to advance joint research - IMEC and Kaneka Corporation, the Japanese leading manufacturer of chemical specialties and solar cells, have announced a bilateral cooperation. Under the agreement, Kaneka will incorporate its European Photovoltaics Laboratory at IMEC in Leuven, Belgium. Working in IMEC's facilities and collaborating with IMEC's experts, this will allow Kaneka to further improve its current thin-film solar cells and to develop next generation cells.
Search for "photovoltaic" on the search engine on our News Blogspot

U2 connections! - Harting has provided a connectivity solution for the World's first transformable 360° LED screen used on the latest concert tour for the world-renowned rock band U2. I suppose we could say they have the Edge pro Bono!

New version of 1200W power supply - The new QPX1200L from TTi is a revised version of the company's PowerFlex regulated 1200 watt power supply unit with extra features including an extended remote control interface option. It incorporates an LXI compliant Ethernet interface that can provide a low-cost alternative to GPIB in many system applications.

Increased focus on electronic design for transportation - Farnell has extended its support for electronic engineers working on automotive, rail and other Transportation applications by adding a large number of Transportation-orientated electronic components to its product portfolio. At the same time the company has made available a wide variety of technical collateral that will help these engineers speed product selection and application development.

New quick change cable outlets - Rittal has extended its series of secure isolators with the addition of a range of new NH isolators in sizes 00 to 3. Similar in design to the existing RiLine60 series, the new isolator cable outlets can now be changed from top to bottom within seconds. The position of the cable outlet can be decided upon just before assembly, and inventory costs can thus be halved.

pH in concrete! - Extech Instruments, a major supplier of test and measurement equipment for the industrial marketplace, announces its new PH150-C ExStik Concrete pH Test Kit with everything you need for pH testing. The PH150-C's flat surface electrode design provides fast and easy on-the-spot pH measurements on concrete, and the kit's waterproof/dustproof design (IP570) floats in water and protects the meter in wet environments.

See what went wrong! - Longwatch has launched the unique Operator's Console Recorder, a software module that automatically records images being shown on multiple HMI or SCADA operator's displays. The module takes its signals directly from each HMI screen's video software driver, so it records the actual video being sent to the HMI. The software can accommodate video signals from an unlimited number of HMIs to show what operators were watching at the time of an event, alarm or process upset.

Energy technology assets acquired - definitive agreement for, and completed, the sale of certain assets of its energy technology division, including eMAC and uMAC to ELUTIONS.

New thermo-paramagnetic oxygen transmitter works without drift in hydrogen applications - With the latest thermo-paramagnetic technology from Michell applied to the sensor element of the new XTP600 oxygen transmitter, limitations where hydrogen applications are known to cause significant and unpredictable sensor drift are lifted. The special design of the measurement cell eliminates transmitter drift and deterioration by preventing the hydrogen molecules from diffusing into the sensor.

What Is RISI and Why Is It Good for Industrial Security? Walt Boyes, Editor of Control, John Cusimano of Exida and Eric Cosman of Dow Chemical talk about the newly formed Security Incidents Organization and its database of cybersecurity incidents, the Repository of Industrial Security Incidents (RISI). Find out what this organization is and how it can help secure your operations. Listen Here!

White papers for water and wastewater applications - The technical papers section at Controlsoft gives environmentally concerned operations people in the waste and wastewater industry the chance to review solid information that can lead to tighter chlorine control and lower chlorine setpoints, as well as massive cost savings.

Configurator allows online selection of customer connector options - Harting has introduced an online configuration tool for its Han-Modular® family of industrial connectors, allowing customers to optimise connector designs to meet their particular application requirements.

British industry-wide strategy report 2009 - The the 2009 AMIS audit database provides measures of best practice and key performance ratios for all major business sectors in Britain. This report is the analysis of approximately 500 audits, with 55% of results covering four sectors: Pharmaceutical, FMCG, Food and Drink and Chemical.

Pressure transmitter for Sanitary Process Applications - The WIKA SA-11 pressure transmitter has been specially designed to meet the requirements of the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With its resistance to chemical cleaning liquids and high temperatures, this transmitter is particularly suited to the conditions of CIP/SIP cleaning processes. The flush all metal diaphragm is directly welded to the process connection to ensure a crevice free seal between the process connection and the measuring diaphragm. A range of aseptic process connections (Clamp, threaded or VARIVENT®) are available.
Submitted by Instrument Technology the Irish representativers of WIKA

Hall-effect latch IC offers improved switching repeatability in different package options - The new A1222 from Allegro MicroSystems Europe is an extremely temperature-stable and stress-resistant Hall-effect latch IC that offers improved switching repeatability in applications such as detecting the speed and direction of ring magnets for motor commutation in the automotive, industrial and consumer market sectors.

e-letters and web publications received during week ending 11 September 2009 Industrial Networking e-news Control Design e-news InTEch e-news IEN Industrial Equipment Automation Weekly the IT X-file David W Spitzer's e-zine ACTC e-news InTech e-news Control Engineering EME Superfactory newsletter IEN Industrial Electronics IEN T&M 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!

Access and troubleshoot your alarms and events data at no cost! - Alarm and Event management software can be intimidating to configure - especially in the testing and implementation phase of a project. In response to customer requests for a no-cost test tool that can be used to view OPC Alarms and Events, MatrikonOPC has developed and released OPC A&E Explorer. This can be used to instantly access and troubleshoot your Alarms and Events data.

Chinese, German, French, Polish, Japanese and Russian - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms' industry-leading Proficy® iFIX HMI/SCADA solution, and its newly-announced iFIX WebSpace, are now available in Chinese, German, French, Polish, Japanese and Russian. This announcement makes the company's best-in-class SCADA software available to businesses around the world providing them with a sustainable advantage in their industry.

Assembly system expanded with new joining modules - Kistler Instrumentsis expanding its well established electromechanical, press fit joining system with the addition of two new compact NCFH modules with 10 kN and 15 kN nominal joining force to replace the existing 10 kN module. The use of integral piezoelectric force sensors allows a range of measuring range combinations from 1 kN to 15 kN from just two modules.

Hot investment opportunity award in European solar photovoltaic (PV) market - Strange to have two references to PV in as many days. Yesterday we talked about Carlo Gavazzi's PV plant control offering and to day we have this announcement from Frost & Sullivan.
The 2009 Frost & Sullivan European Solar Photovoltaic Hot Investment Opportunity Award is presented to SolarEdge Technologies Inc. (SolarEdge). The company has a strong focus on Germany, United States, France, Italy, Spain and Japan, all of which have displayed the largest growth potential for solar photovoltaics (PV).

Major changes announced - SolutionsPT Limited, an operating company of the Pantek Group, today announced that John Bailey has been appointed Chairman and Phil Gillard moves to the newly created role of SolutionsPT General Manager. John Bailey, who founded the first Pantek Company in September 1985, has previously managed SolutionsPT on a day to day basis. Phil Gillard initially joined the company as Business Development Manager in May of this year.

New Connecting signal conditioned sensor data from 8B modules to Ethernet networks - Acromag's new 16-channel BusWorks module provides an Ethernet interface for a rack of 8B signal conditioners to simplify data acquisition from a broad mix of analog isolation amplifiers.

Support for TI's Code Composer Studio 4 - Ashling Microsystems has added support for Version 4 of Texas Instruments Code Composer Studio (CCS) on its Opella-XDS560 Debug Probe.

Acquisition creates global leader in wireless data networking solutions - Sixnet has reached an agreement to acquire JBM Electronics Co. a leading provider of reliable networking connectivity solutions.

Representative agreement signed! - Parker has signed a worldwide representation agreement with the oil and gas systems integrator Proserv Group AS. Tube fittings, valves, manifolds and other components from the instrumentation products division of Parker Hannifin will become part of Proserv's preferred system building offering.

US city computerises water and wastewater facilities - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, announced that the City of Haverhill, Massachusetts, has chosen the company's breakthrough Proficy(R) Workflow to computerise the city's Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants. The water treatment plant is a 5 to 12 million gallons per day (MGD) operation that serves approximately 52,000 households. The wastewater treatment plant treats approximately 10 MGD with peak wet weather flow exceeding 60 MGD.

Offshore Angola - MTL Instruments has been selected to supply Redundant FISCO power supplies for use on the PSVM (Plutao, Saturno, Venus and Marte) development by BP in Angola's offshore Block 31 oilfield.

Targetting extreme rugged applications - Adlink Technology has announced availability of the industry's first Extreme Rugged™ system based on the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor. The Ampro by ADLINK™ RuffSystem™ 840 integrates a dual-core processor, RAM, graphics, networking, and PCI Express® expansion in an Extreme Rugged™ enclosure that operates from -40 to +75 degrees Celsius. It is designed for ruggedness and reliability in mission critical computer applications such as military, transportation monitoring and control systems, aviation, and other harsh environments.

First standard in industrial wireless series - The ISA-100.11a standard received final approval by the ISA100 committee in July of this year with 81% of the voting members approving, before being passed along to the ISA S&P Board. With the ISA S&P Board approval, the ISA-100.11a standard will now be submitted to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for approval as an ANSI standard, and will be submitted to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for consideration as an IEC standard

New versatile modular controller for solar photovoltaic plants - Carlo Gavazzi has announced a new versatile, reliable management and control system targeting small to medium or high power solar photovoltaic (PV) plants. The new controller is designed to enable the plants to meet growing demand for clean sources of energy by maintaining efficient operation, maximising performance and strengthening the Return on Investment.

New energy saving software tool handles What-If? scenarios - Baldor has released a powerful new software estimating tool that enables users to evaluate the energy efficiency of electric motors and variable speed drives. Known as BE$T, the Baldor Energy Savings Tool can be downloaded free of charge from the company's website. The software analyses the efficiency and annual electricity usage of users' existing motors, and calculates the cost savings that can be achieved by replacing them with equivalent higher efficiency models.

Modular concept temperature calibration systems - The CS Series from Eurolec comprises two dry block "black body" sources for calibration with a temperature control system and a pocket for a reference thermometer. Model CS173 features a range of +30 to +200°C and model CS174 features a range of 40°C below ambient (approx. -20°C) to +85°C, together with 0.01°C resolution between -19.99°C to + 85.00°C.

Asset management and advanced control Honeywell has made an agreement with Australia-based Synengco Pty Ltd. under which Honeywell will license and sell SentientSystem® a suite of advanced applications that optimize operations and provide sophisticated asset management for utility power customers. The SentientSystem solution includes: intelligent sootblowing, combustion optimization, unit optimization, early warning detection, root cause analysis, thermal stress analysis, and plant performance monitoring.

Company growth drives web enhancement - Classic Automation, the international provider of parts, products and services for installed control systems, has continued to experience rapid growth prompting the need for its newly enhanced web site.

A toolkit that isn't! - Kepware has developed a new Interface to KEPServerEX called CID (Custom Interface Driver). CID is the ideal solution to quickly and easily add proven interoperability to any custom integration projects, from small applications with one deployment, to the delivery of professional solutions and products packaged for deployment industry wide.
KEPServerEX, the most widely used communication solution for automation, delivers a powerful set of Client interfaces, ranging from the latest OPC Standards, to Native Interfaces; Certified, Tested and Proven with most software applications in the automation market. These Client Interfaces can now be leveraged by any developer.

The thinking factory! - Self-organising production (SOPRO) will revolutionise the goods manufacturing process in the future. Machines and workpieces, which communicate with one another by means of a chip, learn from one another and allocate their work automatically. This will ensure that production processes become more flexible, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly. The special show entitled SOPRO will be one of the main highlights of productronica 2009, the world's leading trade fair for innovative electronics production.
Please follow productronica on Twitter

"Path to leak-free instrumentation systems is easy!" - A comprehensive product range for minimising potential leak paths in process instrumentation was unveiled at Offshore Europe in Scotland, by the instrumentation products division of Parker Hannifin - the global leader in motion and control technologies. Innovative solutions for all standard connectivity and functional requirements from the process line to the instrument are available in Parker's range, as a result of an intensive innovation-driven development program.

pH sensors in wastewater application - A leading global supplier of engineering thermoplastic materials used in diverse markets such as automotive, electronics, building & construction, transportation and healthcare is using Memosens pH sensors in Wastewater and bio treatment facilities. These are monitored by the local Environment Protection Agency and the company carries out regular internal pH calibration checks to ensure measurement consistency and compliance with waste monitoring regulations.

3-component system for measuring machining forces - A new modular 3-component dynamometer from Kistler Instruments, the Type 9129A, is designed specifically for measuring machining forces up to 8 kN during boring, cutting and turning operations.

New extrusion-based production process delivers better quality compression tube fittings - A new production process based on stainless steel extrusions is raising the quality and consistency of industry-standard compression tube fittings - without ratcheting up the costs. The move comes from the leading tube fittings manufacturer, the instrumentation products division of Parker Hannifin - the global leader in motion and control technologies. The innovative technology is aimed at users in processing markets such as oil, gas and chemicals, where the need for integrity and reliability is paramount.

Operator training simulator for world's largest integrated single-site liquefied natural gas plant - Invensys Operations Management has signed a five-year, multi-million dollar contract to supply a comprehensive operator training, process design and operation optimization solution to Malaysia LNG Tiga Sdn Bhd (MLNG Tiga). This is the third liquid natural gas (LNG) plant located within the Petronas LNG complex in Bintulu, Sarawak, (MY).
This is the world's largest integrated LNG production facility at a single location, with a total of eight production trains and a combined capacity of approximately 23 million tons per annum.

The World's first in-situ self-verifying Dissolved Oxygen Meter - Pi (Process Instruments), is to launch another world's first - the world's first in-situ self-checking Dissolved Oxygen Meter. Combining their award-winning electronics with In-Situ's acclaimed RDO® sensor, Pi believes it has a world beating combination especially when you include the brand new self-checking functions included by the two companies.

Latest generation of optical test instruments on show - Yokogawa Europe is featuring its range of test & measurement instruments for the optical communications sector, including a number of new developments.
ECOC 2009 - 35th European Conference and Exhibition on Optical Communication Vienna (A) 21 - 23 September 2009 Stand 601, Hall Z
See other events on our Events Page

2 Duo processor and Dual DVI-I graphics - Concurrent Technologies announces a new addition to their VME/VXS critical embedded product based on Intel's latest dual-core processors. The VX 541/06x is a single slot 6U dual PMC/XMC VME/VXS processor board featuring the latest low power high performance dual core processor from the Intel embedded roadmap - the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor operating at 2.26 GHz or 1.86 GHz.

Asia regional headquarters in Singapore - Netherlands based company PROCENTEC has joined forces with PROFIBUS and PROFINET experts in Asia to establish a regional PROCENTEC Competence Center. The new operation is responsible for developing and supporting the industry in South Asia, South East Asia and Oceania for the entire range of PROCENTEC products, training and services.

Live turbine health - Monitran Technology has developed a digital signal processing (DSP) unit for the real-time monitoring of turbine blade conditions.

Flexible DIN-rail modules - With the DIN-rail modules, Baumer's product segment Process Instrumentation offers a wide range of signal converters, power supplies and relays. They are suitable for different industries like food and beverage, pharmaceutics and biotechnology, chemistry and petrochemistry as well as for the use with heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. With the FlexProgrammer 9901, the FlexConv series can be easily configured via PC.

Control of Boilers, 2nd EditionIf you're a professional with a good understanding of boiler jargon, thermodynamics, control concepts, and math fundamentals, this Sam Dukelow's classic book is designed for you!

Partnership agreement to cover nuclear collaboration - Yokogawa UK Ltd. has signed a partnership agreement with Tenet Consultants covering collaboration in automation, instrumentation and safety systems for the nuclear industry.

New XGA cabling system for 10 Gigabit Ethernet applications - The AMP NETCONNECT XGA copper cabling system from Tyco Electronics has been significantly improved by the introduction of two new key components: the AMP-TWIST 6AS SL Jack, which combines easy and quick termination with the highest transmission performance; and the new line of XGA copper patch cords, delivering performance beyond 600 MHz.

Discounted replacement sensors program - Endevco has launched the "-R" Replacement Sensors program, a global aftermarket sales initiative designed to provide existing customers with cost-effective options for updating or upgrading their existing test fixtures with Endevco sensors and instrumentation.

e-letters and web publications received during week ending 4 September 2009 Fieldbus Networks update Expo Exchange e-news HazardEX enewsletter Automation Weekly Flow Control Newletter Control Engineering newsletter Test Measurement & LIMMS Factory Automation InTECH e-news Matrikon Connections SENA e-newsletter Nomadic newsbytes! Superfactory newsletter 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!

Programmable universal verbaliser 1/8 DIN panel meter - Omega's new UV1000-PM universal verbaliser is an innovative panel meter that can verbalise and display process signals 0 - 10 Vdc, 0 - 20 mA or 4 - 20 mA, and Type J, K, T, and R thermocouple signals. You can configure/programme the verbaliser through the friendly PC user interface software to specify the input range, display decimal point, analogue input scaling, audible engineering unit, and high/low alarm set point.

Stand-Alone Version of high performance CNC - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of the stand-alone version of its popular, high performance 0i-D CNC. The stand-alone version of the 0i-D, called the 0i-D SA, offers all the great features of the LCD mounted 0i-D but with the advantages of using a FANUC Panel I PC front-end.

Advanced CNC simulation software helps to produce innovative new range of twist drills - CNC multi-axis grinding machines using NUM's NUMROTOplus 3D simulation and control software are helping Miller Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH to manufacture a new series of high-performance MAPAL-brand solid carbide twist drills. The new drill tools employ complex optimised profiles to accelerate cutting speeds. This software allowed Miller Praezisionswerkzeuge to visualise and optimise the complex machining process required to produce the new drills in 3D, before putting the new drill range into volume production.

New, configurable safety relay - The PNOZmulti Mini is the latest addition to the hugely successful range of multifunctional control systems PNOZmulti from Pilz. With a width of just 45 mm, it is considerably smaller than the 134 mm wide PNOZmulti. Like all this range, the PNOZmulti Mini is easily configured using the proven software tool the PNOZmulti Configurator, with which it is 100 per cent compatible. It was developed mainly for use in stand-alone machines in all areas of engineering.

Power connector with PushPull locking for device connectivity - Han® PushPull Power from HARTING is a new, extremely compact 5-pole power connector with voltage and current ratings up to 690 V and 16 A, respectively.

Protecting the environment by guarding against overspill! - Apollo Adhesives was encountering problems in the measurement of the very low dielectric range of mixed and chlorinated solvents that are stored underground in vessels. They required an accurate and reliable automated measurement system that would provide 'real time' data and give high level alerts to avoid overspill as well as low level alerts to avoid running out of stock. By working in close cooperation with Endress+Hauser engineered a complete measurement and inventory monitoring solution that was fit for purpose and completely satisfied all requirements.

Embedded controller security assurance certification framework approved - The ISA's Security Compliance Institute (ISCI) has formally approved an Embedded Controller Security Assurance (ECSA) Framework. This Framework establishes important foundational definitions necessary for completion of the ISASecure ECSA test specification. It establishes the scope of the ISASecure test specification, and identifies the embedded controller testing approach and high level criteria for passing or failing the ISASecure tests.

First configurable displacer transmitter on the market - The modernized, digital E3 Modulevel® from Magnetrol is an advanced, intrinsically safe two-wire instrument utilizing simple buoyancy principle to detect and convert liquid level changes into a stable output signal. The new E3 Modulevel has modernized packaging, increased functionality, diagnostics, and the capability to configure rather than calibrate the transmitter. The E3 Modulevel supports FOUNDATION fieldbus™, HART®, AMS, FDT/PACTware™ communication protocols.

pH Monitor Achieves Prestigious MCERTS Certification - Specialist electrochemical sensor manufacturer Analytical Technology announces that it has been awarded an MCERTS product conformity certificate for its versatile Q45P pH monitor. MCERTS is the British Environment Agency's monitoring certification scheme established to deliver quality environmental measurements. The certification provides customers with confidence in the system's emission monitoring capabilities for the protection of the environment and human health.

Testing time for business jet - Development and qualification testing of three flap system actuators for the eagerly awaited new Falcon 7X business jet is being performed on a test rig designed and built by Comar Engineering in Wolverhampton (GB)and incorporating an innovative non-contact torque transducer.

Industrial weighing terminal communication drivers - Kepware Technologies has just announced that it has been selected to develop a suite of Mettler Toledo industrial weighing terminal communication drivers. These Drivers will be added to the Kepware KEPServer communications solution, and will be delivered to Kepware's long list of OEMs and resellers.

Cost effective multi-channel transducer signal conditioning systems - RDP Electronics Ltd provide a number of cost-effective signal conditioning solutions, including panel and DIN mounted options for applications using multiple transducers. Where there are a number of transducers in close proximity then a more economic and space efficient solution can usually be achieved by selecting either the RDP Modular 600 or DR7 DIN rail options, rather than using several individual devices.

Optimising clean-in-place (CIP) process at its Bavarian brewery - Emerson Process Management's highly accurate four-electrode conductivity sensors are helping German brewer Schneider Weisse to optimize the clean-in-place (CIP) process at its Bavarian brewery. Replacing aging existing sensors with extremely accurate Rosemount® Analytical 410VP sensors has enabled the brewer to optimize the CIP process. This has reduced the total caustic detergent, water and energy being used as well as saving valuable end product. In addition Schneider Weisse is now able to bring production back online quicker enabling a potential increase in total production.

Pizza boxes to take away! - Foremost Electronics, the Essex based specialist distributor of electromechanical components, announces the introduction of a range of 1U, 19" rack mountable "Pizza Box" enclosures.

FPGA capabilities for distributed I/O - National Instruments today announced new field-programmable gate array (FPGA) capabilities for the NI 9144 expansion chassis. By downloading the NI-Industrial Communications for EtherCAT 1.1 driver from www.ni.com, engineers and scientists can now run National Instruments LabVIEW FPGA code directly on the NI 9144 chassis to execute custom triggering, inline processing and control within an application.

Good enough for space - As a major part of its exclusive distribution partnership with NTC temperature measurement specialists BetaTHERM (part of MEAS), Variohm-Eurosensor is supplying space flight approved high reliability thermistors used to monitor critical temperature for extended space flight applications.

Ethernet/IP™ to compact four channel temperature control range - Gefran has added Ethernet/IP communications to its GFX4 and GFXTERM04 multi-channel temperature controllers. The full featured GFX4 family adds Ethernet/IP to a choice of several fieldbus communication options and the four loop temperature controller is available in PID control only or fully integrated versions complete with relays, current transformers and fuses - offering control panel space-saving and reduced installation timescales.

Peel strength testing for a flexible friend! - Lloyd Instruments has introduced a new test jig for peel strength testing of laminated layers of standard plastic identification cards to international standards. The use of plastic cards is reaching unprecedented levels, with at least one credit or debit card, driving licence, or loyalty or membership card being found in almost everyone's wallet or purse.

New event logger module provides added SCADA security by protecting data loss - As reported exclusively in the last issue of Read-out (July/August 2009), September First sees the release by Byres Security of its newest Loadable Security Module, the Tofino™ Event Logger LSM - a security logging system created specifically for SCADA environments.

Energy availability and affordability theme of keynote - John Hofmeister, CEO and Founder of Citizens for Affordable Energy, and retired President of Shell Oil Company will present the opening keynote address at ISA EXPO 2009 (TX US 6/10/2009). Mr. Hofmeister, whose keynote address is titled "Energy Security and Affordability in the 21st Century," will be tackling these two critical concerns for industrial operations.
See our ISAExpo review!

Network management solution for US National Grid - ABB will implement its Network Manager™ SCADA/EMS (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/Energy Management System) solution in the U.S. for National Grid, a leading energy utility.

Cartesian T-style robots! - Aerotech has introduced a completely new line of Cartesian 'T-style' positioning robots based upon its PRO series medium precision linear positioning stages. The new range, named Cartesius, is a highly configurable positioning system with a single axis base and an open payload work area that suits many automation applications including pick and place, assembly, automated test and dispensing stations.

Advanced analytics software solutions utilising process intelligence to maximise plant performance - GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced advanced analytics solutions for its software portfolio that are designed to maximize the information that already exists in production operations, extract knowledge from that information and identify the opportunities to solve potential production issues before they impact the process.

Smallest PIFA ceramic antenna for compact mobile devices - Yageo Corporation has released 3216 PIFA ceramic antenna catering to compact mobile device applications. Measuring merely 3.2mm x 1.6mm (3216) in dimension, Yageo's PIFA ceramic antenna features low profile fitting for multifunctional compact product design and superior signal transmission efficiency up to 90% almost on a par with traditional metal antenna.

New 500 MS/s 12-bit digitizer PCI cards record up to 5 seconds - Strategic Test Corp. has announced two new 500 MS/s 12-bit digitizer cards for the PCI bus. The UF3-3242 has 2 analog inputs and can sample at 500 MS/s on one channel or 250 MS/s on both channels simultaneously, while the UF3-3240 is a single-channel card that samples at up to 500 MS/s. Both cards are supplied with 128 MSamples (256 MByte) onboard memory which is unique at this speed/resolution segment. The memory can be expanded to 2 GSamples giving a measurement time of up to 5 seconds on one channel at 500 MS/s. PCI Express versions of the cards will be released later this year.

Isolated RS485 transceiver integrates isolated power - Linear Technology Corporation has introduced the LTM2881, an isolated RS485 µModule® transceiver that guards against large ground-to-ground differentials and common mode transients. In practical RS485 systems, ground potentials vary widely from node to node, often exceeding the tolerable range, which can result in an interruption of communications or destruction of a transceiver.