RIP
RIP: Michael B. Fedenyszen, II - a dedicated friend and colleague.

"Legal-for-trade" certified weighing. - The BLH Nobel brand of Vishay, has announced that its G5 Series panel mount measurement amplifiers (G5 PM Series) are now certified "legal-for-trade" via firmware upgrade, as per the very latest standards set forth by EN45501:2015 and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).

Partners in industrial automation. - Capula has been awarded with Qualified Partner status by COPA-DATA. Capula has been a member of the COPA-DATA Partner Community since 2015, however, the company's newly achieved Qualified partner status is an official acknowledgement of Capula's proven record of success in the energy industry.

Analysers for petrochemical complex in Oman. - Yokogawa has received an order to supply an analyser package solution for the Liwa Plastics Industries Complex, which is being built for Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic), a company owned and operated by the Oman government.

Capturing temperature measurements while unattended. - Fluke's new 64 MAX IR Thermometer features Auto Capture, allowing technicians set time and intervals to record up to 99 data points unattended so it can capture elusive temperature events. The thermometer can be mounted on a standard tripod using its included tripod mount accessory for unattended measurements.

Crossing the river – and how! - Urban mobility in the Breton city of Brest (F) has been boosted by two cable cars carrying up to 60 people who travel more than 400 meters above the River Penfeld, with a power consumption that is potentially close to zero. Supported by Leroy-Somer (now part of Nidec Corporation) , this is a world first in terms of technology.

Microscope objective and optics positioning. - Aerotech’s QFOCUS® QF-50 piezo nanopositioning stage is designed for high-performance microscope objective and optics positioning. It offers 400 μm closed loop and 450 μm open loop travel, high speed, 0.01% linearity, sub-nanometer resolution, and 4 nm bidirectional repeatability.

Takeover strengthens IIoT and Industrie 4.0 offering. - The Taiwanese company Etherwan System Inc has been acquired by Phoenix Contact The company which is located in New-Taipei is a manufacturer for Ethernet communication technology in automation.

Support of Irish engineering community rewarded! -

Mike Cafferkey has joined Mitsubishi Electric in Ireland as an Automation Controls Engineer.

Accelerating design and build of automated test systems. - National Instruments have announced new ATE Core Configurations which deliver core mechanical, power and safety infrastructure to help users accelerate the design and build of automated test systems in industries ranging from semiconductor and consumer electronics to aerospace and automotive.

Field reader. - Harting has expanded its UHF RFID product range for demanding industrial and rail sector applications with the addition of a new version of the 4 Field Reader, featuring built-in M8 and M12 connectors to complement its excellent range of RFID solutions.

Heated humidity sensors. - The HMC03M humidity sensor from E+E Elektronik is dedicated for use in radiosondes and weather balloons. The sensor is characterized by a short response time even at low temperature. An integrated heating resistor ensures an excellent measuring performance under condensation and icing conditions. This makes the sensor ideal for weather observations in the upper atmosphere.

Angular position sensors. - ZF Switches & Sensors can now offer designers a complete range of angular position sensors based on Hall Effect technology which responds to magnetic fields generated by a (rare-earth) magnet. The sensors provide a linear change in voltage output corresponding to the rotation of the actuator.

Metal-seated ball valves. - Emerson has introduced the Fisher™ Z500 line of metal-seated ball valves to its severe service portfolio.

Multislot Ethernet chasses. - National Instruments (NI) have announced the release of two new multislot Ethernet chassis at their annual NI Week in Austin (TX USA). The cDAQ-9185 and cDAQ-9189 introduce new time-based synchronization built on the latest Ethernet standards, furthering NI’s efforts in Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) and rugged CompactDAQ hardware for distributed measurements.

The inspiration of the parabolic curve! - Parabolic flow curves were the inspiration for the new logo for the Measurement, Control & Automation Association which was debuted at the MCAA Industry Forum last month in Atlanta (USA). As well, a completely redesigned website, TheMCAA.org, was rolled out to the more than 240 attendees at the meeting.

Seeking to represent process engineering. - There are two excellent candidates whose names are before the membership and who represent the processing and automation disciplines in Ireland. These are John O'Sullivan of Douglas Control & Automation and Kieran Fallon of DPS Engineering.

International interoperable wireless! - The ISA100 Wireless™ Compliance Institute (WCI) recently conducted a successful interoperability event that featured more than 20 devices from 13 different suppliers.

Miniature triaxial accelerometer. - The new Type 8766A lightweight, triaxial accelerometer from Kistler Instruments uses the, patented PiezoStar® crystal developed by Kistler to provide ultra-stable performance with very little sensitivity deviation with temperature changes. Over a temperature range of -50°C to +165°C a PiezoStar® sensor has a sensitivity deviation with temperature which is over thirty times better than a similar quartz sensor.

Serving Russia & Spain. - Full information about the Michell Instruments' ranges of humidity and oxygen sensors and analysers is now available in Russian and Spanish via two new language websites.

The ETAL Group has named Michael Nielsen as Global Sales Manager.

Discount from leading predictive maintenance leader. - Senseye is celebrating its global recognition as a predictive maintenance leader with its automated condition monitoring and prognostics product by offering a limited discount to new customers in June 2017.

LIMS web portal! - A web portal for the Matrix Gemini LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) has been announced by Autoscribe Informatics. This allows third parties who do not use Matrix Gemini directly, but have a legitimate need to access relevant data, to be able to view and download reports and metrics produced in Matrix Gemini.

Protecting internet connected devices, machines, and systems. - A new IoT security white paper from Icon Labs, explains PKI, Authentication, and Certificate Management – how they work, what they are, and how OEMs, manufacturers, and developers can implement the latest technical developments in PKI security technologies.

Pressure calibrator. - The new Fluke 729 Automatic Pressure Calibrator simplifies the calibration process by automatically generating precise test pressures, improving calibration integrity by compensating for leaks, and automatically documenting the pressure calibration process to help meet compliance and regulatory requirements.

Acquisition to improve plant performance offering. - Emerson has completed the purchase of MYNAH Technologies, a long-time Emerson alliance partner and a leading provider of dynamic simulation and operator training software.

Field testing to 100G. - Anritsu Corporation has released a 100G Multirate Module for its Network Master™ Pro MT1000A all-in-one tester supporting interface rates from 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps, and technologies including Ethernet, Optical Transport Networks (OTN), SDH/SONET, Fibre Channel, and CPRI/OBSAI.

Switching and control in hazardous areas. - For years electrical switching devices for hazardous areas have been a focus for Pepperl+Fuchs. For Hannover Fair 2017 the portfolio for electrical explosion protection was significantly expanded and updated.

Display design. - andersDX has launched a new family of Display Designer Kits offering customers an instant option for creating prototype user interface concepts from a pre-integrated touch screen and processor that can form the basis of or even be the production ready design.

Towards fostering sustainable development. - Yokogawa has joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). By joining this organisation, Yokogawa anticipates being able to accelerate its efforts to foster sustainability and thereby help to achieve the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

FCI Co-founders, Robert Deane (top) and Malcolm McQueen (middle) and the late Judy Stevenson of Magnetrol have been inducted into the Measurement, Control and Automation Hall of Fame.

Time-sensitive Networking. - A promising new IEEE technology for Ethernet that combines the bandwidth of IT (information technology) networks with the latency of OT (operational technology) networks is in the offing in the form of TSN (Time-sensitive Networking).

Switch and LED Indicator range. - Specialist distributor JPR Electronics are a major distributor of switches and LED Indicators from APEM in Britain. APEM products are used in such diverse markets as IT, medical, communications, industrial automation, defence and transport.

USB connectors. - Cliff Electronics has added dual USB2.0 and USB3.0 24mm Mounting (Rectangular) connectors to its fast growing range of XLR format standard and Feedthrough connectors.

Calibration uncertainty! - The International Society of Automation (ISA) and its corporate partner, Beamex, Inc., will co-host a free webinar 8 June 2017, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (17.00 to 18.30 in Ireland), on calibration uncertainty.

Tiger ensures clean air in New England! - Following an increase in demand for its services, Massachusetts-based Civil & Environment Consultants Inc. (CEC) has added a streamlined TigerLT VOC (volatile organic compound) monitor to its growing portfolio of Ion Science handheld PIDs (photoionisation detectors).

Ensuring bottled beverage safety! - Effective microbial disinfection of the whole process of producing beverages is essential. To meet this requirement, Cott Beverages has been using Hanovia UV disinfection technology to treat process water used in the production process.

Safe production of that glass of red? - The need to ensure the safety of visitors, and, of course, their own employees, has ensured that the Louis M. Martini Winery has taken CO2 monitoring very seriously. This is why the Louis M. Martini Winery has invested in Edinburgh Sensor's Guardian gas monitors.

Handling vegetable products. - The Netherlands based agricultural machinery specialist Van Hees manufacturers its automated BOXFILR system for handling vegetable produce such as potatoes, carrots and onions and they use ZEMIC for load cells and weight information transmitters.

CNC machining centres! - CNC machining centres, such as Perforex from Rittal Automation Systems, deliver significantly improved efficiency when processing panels in comparison to manual approaches. In fact, it is possible to achieve time savings of up to two thirds. A new web-based return on investment (ROI) calculator helps customers accurately gauge how quickly a Perforex purchase will pay for itself.

Installation testing tool. - Beha-Amprobe® has introduced the ProInstall-75-UK Multifunction Installation Tester for fast, easy testing. With new advanced features, it is the perfect installation testing tool for verifying the safety of electrical installations in domestic, commercial, and industrial applications.

Laser probe. - PRONTO-250-PLUS is the latest model in Gentec-EO's PRONTO line of pocket-sized laser probes from Laser Components. As it is promised in the product name, this addition provides a major PLUS in functionalities.

RIP
The death of Alex Habib PE, well known in the automation industry and an active member and leader in the International Society of Automation (ISA), has been announced! RIP

Keyboards for medical and clean applications. - Diamond Electronics has a new range of waterproof and easy to clean keyboards for medical products, clean industrial applications including food processing, semiconductor manufacturing and laboratories, POS systems and public area data input and control.

Dangerous underestimation of urgency in meeting drug regulations. - Research, conducted by serialization system provider SEA Vision and life science technology firm Zenith Technologies, highlights an urgent need for companies to turn their attention to meeting the demands of the US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) and the European Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD).

Testing the Internet of Things! - Konrad Technologies has announced the KT-RFCT 2400 Gen II – an RF communications test system designed with convenience in mind. The low price point creates a cost effective means for testing wireless communication units, while generating a favorable cost to performance ratio.

Distribution of test equipment in Britain. - Anritsu Corporation has signed a distribution agreement with Testime Technology Ltd (TTL), a leading provider of test equipment and electronic components. Under the terms of the new agreement, Anritsu's industry-leading test equipment will now also be available in Britain through Testime.

Moisture analyser aids European project. - Michell Instruments is partnering with VSL, the national metrology institute of The Netherlands, on a jointly EU and EURAMET funded project to increase the use of energy from renewable sources.

Reusable single gas monitor. - The Protégé SG is a versatile new reusable single gas monitor from Scott Safety. The unit is configurable to detect 13 different gases.

Interactive Digital Multimeter selection tool. - Until 31st August 2017, purchasers of any Fluke Digital Multimeter can use their invoice to request, using this webpage, a free Fluke 2AC VoltAlert, which offers 90V to 1000V AC voltage detection

Low cost cable assy. - Intelliconnect (Europe) Ltd, can now offer customers cost effective cable harness solutions for both low and high volume requirements. Based on their recently introduced low cost Taurus connector series, cable assemblies can be supplied with RG style cables including RG58, RG316, RG174, RG178 and low cost LMR cables.

Strain gauges. - The Micro-Measurements® brand of Vishay, has launched its Quick-Turn program, offering R&D quality strain gage samples to its worldwide customer base, with deliveries in as few as seven working days, depending on pattern complexity.

Stepper motor control. - AMCI by IDEC motion control products integrate closely with IDEC PLCs to provide a simple yet powerful way to control single- and multi-axis motion.

WLAN Test Toolkit announced! - National Instruments (NI) have announced the WLAN Test Toolkit 17.0 with support for Draft 1.1 of the IEEE 802.11ax standard.

Surge Protection. - Diagnostics and modularity with an installation width of just 6.2 mm: These features are combined in the new M-LB-5000 surge protection system from Pepperl+Fuchs. By offering these features, the single-channel modules support increased plant availability and optimize total operating costs.

Paperless recorders and data acquisition system. - Yokogawa is to introduce release 4 of the SMARTDAC+® GX series panel-mount type paperless recorder, GP series portable paperless recorder, and GM series data acquisition system next week. With this latest release, new modules are provided that expand the range of applications possible with SMARTDAC+ systems and improve user convenience. New functions include sampling intervals as short as 1 millisecond and the control and monitoring of up to 20 loops.

Unique recognition in Ireland. -

Generation of tender documents for industrial process measurement. - A webinar "Planning Tool for Water and Wastewater Processes" is being presented by Krohne on May 17th, 2017 at 3pm Irish time (4pm on Mainland Europe).

Mathis Büttiker has been approved to join the Endress+Hauser Group Supervisory Board oversight committee from June 1st 2017.

Clever height measurement. - The measurement of object height is an important aspect in quality control applications. With the PosCon HM light-section sensor, Baumer offers a unique, compact measuring device for this kind of tasks. The smart, pre-configured profile sensor offers five measurement modes for different measurement tasks. An exact positioning of the measured objects is not required.

Best digital solution! - IntelliSense.io was selected as the Best Digital Solution by Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) at the recently concluded Minex Central Asia in Kazakhstan last month.

Energy efficient lighting in housings. - Using the new Rittal LED system lights are a no-brainer for Blumenbecker Automatisierungstechnik, a leading control system and switchgear manufacturer based in Beckum (D). These high-performance, energy-efficient LED system lights optimise illumination in housings and enclosures.

Nominated finalists for Calibration Laboratory awards. -

Production Planning and System Integration. - Aegis Software has announced details regarding its upcoming webinar series. The programs are designed to provide attendees with the latest information about increasing manufacturing efficiency through successful material management, as well as software integration with established protocols.

A Practical Approach to Energy Efficiency! - The third of Fluke's series of free, scheduled, CPD-accredited webinars, running throughout 2107, is titled 'Energy Saving – A Practical Approach to Energy Efficiency' and is suitable for Facility Managers, Energy Managers, and Electrical Engineers.

High speed optical tuneable filter. - A high speed optical tuneable FS02 BraggMETER filter, which is suitable for both static and dynamic optical filtering applications is now available from HBM.

Linking devices! - The new EtherNet/IP to PROFIBUS DP Linking Device from HMS Industrial Networks allows users to connect devices on PROFIBUS to a Rockwell ControlLogix® or CompactLogix® PLC.

Conformance Test System leads the world. - The LTE-Advanced RF Conformance Test System ME7873LA from Anritsu, has won the first GCF certification for the Cat-M1 RF Conformance Test as part of IoT communications technology. This certification gives Anritsu the world lead in GCF-certified test cases.

New Process Automation Profile released. - As Industry 4.0 and IIoT continue to advance, Ethernet technology – and with it PROFINET – will become established in process automation. Therefore PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) has developed a profile specification in the form of PA Profile 4.0 that is independent of the communication protocol.

Contacts in no time. - With a new generation of maintenance-free conductor connection clamps utilizing push-in technology, Rittal now offers the fastest method of easily and securely connecting conductors to busbars.

The environment in Britain post Brexit! - Lord Whitty has been announced as the opening speaker of the Air Quality and Emissions Conference at AQE 2017 in Telford (GB). The two day event will start on Wednesday 24th May with Lord Whitty's presentation covering 'Environmental Protection Legislation in the Post-Brexit Era.'

Flowmeter output growth requires new facilities. - The market for high-quality flowmeters has been growing for decades, with the name Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG in Reinach, (CH), closely linked to the last 40 years. "This new facility, finished to coincide with our company anniversary, is a symbol of this growth as well as a commitment to our production and business location in the Basel region," says Managing Director Dr Bernd-Josef Schäfer.

Marc Aeschlimann is to be the CEO of the Schaffner Group.

A lift for tall buildings! - Hengstler can use the H-480 safety relay to its full advantage, to give maximum support to lift (elevator) manufacturers as they adapt to the future safety guidelines for ever higher buildings.

Eight port Gigabit Ethernet Switch! - The LDD-ES8, a Customisable Gigabit Ethernet Switch module for industrial, commercial and building automation data services has been introduced by LDD Technology.

Controller certified against cyberattack. - The Bedrock SCC, the first industrial controller with intrinsic cyber security protection, has achieved Achilles Level 2 Certification for communications robustness testing (CRT).

Lighting control solution.- The new Cortet Lighting Control Solution and the Cortet™ by CEL "Powered By Cortet" partnership program enables lamp and luminaire OEMs to provide a full range of local and IoT connected control systems, integrated solutions and lighting accessories to their clients and customers.

Safely cutting costs. - Baumüller is now offering a new safety solution for the stackable converter generation b maXX 5000. Here the electric motors are no longer shut off in a decentralized process in the individual motor converters but centrally, with one of the STO modules (Safe Torque Off) integrated into the feeder unit.

Academic performance rewarded. - Ciarán Nugent and Ronan Byrne both received the 'David Berber Mitsubishi Electric Award' at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering Student Award Ceremony recently.

Low-current power distribution. - The new Rittal RiLine Compact, designed for control units that require a maximum current of 125 A, addresses this need. Despite its size, the busbar system distributes power effectively and reliably, in compliance with all applicable standards.

Very cool precision accelerometer. - The new Type 8712B high sensitivity, voltage mode accelerometer from Kistler Instruments is designed to operate reliably at cryogenic temperatures as low as the -196°C (minus 196°C) needed by many aerospace applications.

Precise control and efficient cooling. - The temperature of the cooling medium in machine tools needs to be controlled accurately so as to ensure high-precision machining. The cooling system must also be energy-efficient, versatile, reliable and easy to maintain. Rittal has factored these requirements into the development of a completely new generation of Blue e+ chillers.

Networked automation solutions. - Baumueller displayed exhibits in line with the guiding theme of the Hanover Trade Fair "Integrated Industry – Creating Value" last week. The visitors experienced the added value of Industry 4.0 solutions based on numerous features for smart production: from an integrated system for predictive maintenance to the web-capable visualization for quick commissioning and flexible adaptations in the production process.

IIoT-enabled artificial lift optimisation software. - Emerson's Dynamic Lift Optimization (DLO) software allows producers to extract greater value from existing assets and reduce field decline rates by ensuring a field or platform is producing at maximum efficiency given current production constraints.