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PLC portfolio adds more comprehensive control. - Emerson is adding a new portfolio of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that will enable more comprehensive manufacturing control and production optimisation. End users will be able to expand operations and supply chain control - the process manufacturing of goods all the way through to assembly and packaging – by partnering with a single automation provider.

Essential calibration! - The International Society of Automation (ISA) and its Beamex partner today announce the release of a new, free e-book called Calibration Essentials - Managing Your Program.

Machine vision lighting controllers. - Gardasoft Vision has announced the launch of the FP220 series of high speed lighting controllers for machine vision. This new generation of dual channel controllers uniquely combines capabilities for high frequency, high power LED pulsing with outstanding low output current performance, making them suitable for a huge range of machine vision applications.

Mini toggle switches. - The Salecom range of high quality panel mounting Miniature Toggle Switches availble from JPR Electronics find many applications in industrial, commercial, telecoms, test, aerospace instrumentation, medical equipment, networking products and consumer goods.

Hydrocarbon gas analysers. - Signal Group has launched the new ‘SOLAR’ range of fixed hydrocarbon monitors. The SOLAR instruments employ flame ionisation detectors (FIDs) and are supplied in a standard 19” rack, with heated and non-heated options. A dual detector version is also available for the simultaneous measurement of both methane and non-methane hydrocarbons.

Proximity sensor shaft calibration. - Metrix’s newly announced 9060-SCTS shaft calibration system pairs with the industrial condition monitoring system manufacturer’s Digital Proximity System (DPS) and associated Metrix hardware to enable custom shaft calibration in the field even when shaft material is not known.

The Impact of Various Brexit Scenarios on the Irish Economy - On the day Britain was supposed to leave the EU this study from the ESRI and the Department of Finance finds that GDP in Ireland ten years after Brexit will be around 2.6% lower in a Deal scenario, 4.8% lower in a No-Deal scenario and 5.0% lower in a Disorderly No-Deal scenario respectively, compared to a situation where the UK stays in the EU.

Easy access to Industry 4.0. - Aegis Software has announced the unique combination of critical technologies of IIoT connectivity and supply chain optimization that enables the market catch up on business goals related to Industry 4.0.

Safe & fast predictive maintenance! - By using the capacity of cloud-based software to combine the real-time and historical data from Fluke Connect™-enabled tools and sensors, Fluke now enables maintenance engineers and managers to monitor a comprehensive picture of equipment health throughout the facility.

Automation on show in South East Ireland. - The Ireland Section of the ISA (International Society of Automation) is to participate in thhe inaugural South East Business Expo. The event is scheduled to take place on the 3rd of April 2019 in Waterford (IRL). The one-day event is designed to bring together the key stakeholders from Business, Industry, Academia and Government to discuss and debate the key issues facing the region.

4-channel oscilloscope. - Anritsu Corporation announces the introduction of the four-channel (4ch) sampling oscilloscope option for the BERTWave™ MP2110A, enabling integration of multi-channel oscilloscope and BERT (Bit Error Rate Tester) in an-all-in-one unit.

Passive harmonic filters expanded. - Schaffner has extended its well-known and best-in-class ecosine evo line passive harmonic filter series to 380 VAC to 415 VAC, 60 Hz. The product range combines superior technology to reliably mitigate excessive harmonics with an evolutionary modular product concept and broadens the availability of Schaffner filter solutions for customers and applications.

Serving renewable energy, pharmaceutical, and food industries in Norway. - Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced its new subsidiary in Norway to engage in the sale of control products and provision of related services. The subsidiary, Yokogawa Norge, was established last month (February 2019).

Analytical instrumentation and LIMS. - The new MIDAS (Matrix Instrument Data Acquisition System) module for the Matrix Gemini LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) from Autoscribe Informatics improves on the existing methods of interfacing of a wide variety of analytical instruments and equipment to Matrix Gemini.

Precision RF and Microwave Adaptors. - Intelliconnect (Europe) is expanding its RF and Microwave precision connector and adaptor range. The company now offers a wider range than ever of high specification stainless steel connectors as well as in-series and between-series adaptors.

Detect temperatures using direct media contact. - Balluff is expanding their range of sensors for media-contacting temperature detection, in hydraulic power units for example. New are a temperature sensor with display, a temperature transmitter as well as a PT1000 sensor.

Resource for designers and engineers. - RS Components (RS) has partnered with TE Connectivity to launch the TE Learning Centre on DesignSpark, the global platform and community for design engineers. The courses will enable designers and engineers to obtain a fast overview of many advanced products, technologies and solutions.

No deal preparedness! - While a Brexit "no-deal" scenario is not desirable, the EU is prepared for it. They continue supporting administrations in their preparations and urge all EU citizens and businesses to continue informing themselves.

Bringing Your Data Center into the IoT Era. - Delta has announced that it kicked off its Solution Day World Tour in March (in Madrid ES) under the theme of “Bringing Your Data Center into the IoT Era”. The purpose of this event is to share Delta’s insights and global success stories with key data center partners in this area. Starting from March, 2019, Delta will host its Data Center Solution Day in major cities in EMEA, Asia, and North America.

Communicating VA meter! - The functionality of the Foundation Fieldbus (FF) module for Krohne's H250 M40 variable area flowmeter has been updated from Interoperability Test Kit 5.2 (ITK 5.2) to ITK 6.3. The new version has been tested and registered with the FieldComm Group, and has also passed the stress test on a DeltaV control system.

Digitalization at the Forefront - The digitalization revolution was on full display at the 2019 ARC conference, and it was clear throughout the event, that forward-thinking users are leading the way. This was woven into the theme of this year's sold-out conference, "Driving Digital Transformation in Industry and Cities" which took place last month. Bill Lydon, Editor InTech reports!

AR, VR, & MR: IIoT, 4IR, & the Manufacturing Revolution. - - Dr. Peggie Koon continues her reflection on how things are going in the Manufacturing Revolution.

Hands on training! - The groov EPIC® Learning Center has been announced by Opto 22. This is a comprehensive hardware and software benchtop system for learning and development.

The Instagram Effect! - Darcy Simonis, food and beverage industry network leader, ABB, examines how social media is changing the food and beverage plant.

TFT Display. - KOE has announced the introduction of a new 8.0-inch Rugged+ TFT display module. The TX20D207VM0AAA features WXGA (1280 x 768 pixels) resolution, a 15:9 wide aspect ratio, IPS (in-plane switching) technology which provides exceptional image quality when viewed at any viewing angle, zero bright dot defects and robust operating characteristics.

PushPull metric circular connector. - Harting has launched a new M12 PushPull metric circular connector solution that is compatible with the needs of factory automation applications. The new connector adds the benefits of fast and easy handling to the existing advantages of PushPull locking technology in a "Plug&Produce" approach to sensor or control installation.

Advancing cybersecurity standards. - Johnson Controls has joined the ISA Security Compliance Institute (ISCI) as a strategic level member.

Gold plated connections! - A Gold Plated 75Ω BNC Connecter offering a 12GHz bandwidth suitable for 4K format video and other high frequency signals is now available from Cliff Electronics.

Inspection & measurement. - SmartRay the manufacturer of 3D sensors for quality inspection and measuring technology, has launched a new addition to its highly successful ECCO sensor family, optimally balanced for the diverse application requirements of consumer electronics manufacturing.

Compact high-dynamics scan head for labeling applications. - Scanlab GmbH is expanding its lineup of entry-level scan heads with the new basiCube 14. This compact-class scan system features excellent price/performance and a 14-mm aperture for high-precision marking using small spots. That makes it ideal in electronics labeling applications.

Cable assembly capacities. - Rosenberger has taken-over the German harness maker Holocher & Bauer and integrated the company into the Rosenberger group under the new name Rosenberger Automotive Cabling GmbH (RAC).

Safe fun at the fair! ! - To help ensure the extreme levels of electrical safety and performance required for the high power systems on the amusement ride industry which typically run from very high current three-phase supplies, Force Engineering embed temperature controls in its LIM winding assemblies and has chosen Variohm EuroSensor as its main supplier of customised wiring harnesses that include glass encapsulated NTC thermistors configured as temperature probe assemblies.

Hybrid laser process gas analyser. - Emerson's new Rosemount™ CT4400 Continuous Gas Analyser is the world's first purpose-built Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) and Tunable Diode Laser (TDL) analyser designed to help plants reduce ownership costs and report emissions accurately in environmental monitoring applications measuring standard components, such as nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and oxygen (O₂).

High-accuracy laser levels. - Fluke has introduced a new series of point, line, and rotary laser levels with improved durability, accuracy, and performance. These new professional-grade tools have been engineered by their company Pacific Laser Systems (PLS) to meet Fluke's high standards for accuracy, ruggedness, and dependability to ensure the lasers will maintain their precision for years to come.

Flammable & toxic gas connection. - Crowcon has developed an addressable fixed-point gas detector with local display which offers both flammable and toxic gas detection and oxygen monitoring.

MI-004 for Mag meters. - Krohne electromagnetic flowmeters WATERFLUX 3300, WATERFLUX 3070 and OPTIFLUX 4300 are now available with approval according to MID 2014/32/EU annex VI MI-004 for thermal energy meters.

IIoT, 4IR, & the Manufacturing Revolution - In 2000 scientists and technologists believed that human or natural intelligence, is far superior to AI, adapting to the environment using a combination of several cognitive processes. But, while these experts said that AI lacks the creativity and broad context of the human experience, they also believed AI could be used to provide significant improvements in productivity and quality. Has this view changed? Dr Peggie Koon reflects on how things have gone since!

SCADA system integrator acquired. - HMS Industrial Networks AB has acquired 74.9% of all shares in the German company WEBfactory GmbH located in Buchen (D), a leading provider of web-based software solutions for the Industrial Internet of Things, IIoT.

Shelley Moore (top) is Global Head of Systems and Mark Calvert is Global Head of Service with Servomex
Sales & Field application engineers required! - Anglia Components is expanding its sales and engineering teams as it continues to outgrow the market and deliver on its plan to hit £100 million sterling by 2022. The company is actively recruiting sales professionals and Field Application Engineers.

A first in cybersecurity! - Emerson has received the industry's first ISASecure® System Security Assurance (SSA™) Level 1 certification for cybersecurity. This certification, for the company's newest DeltaV™ distributed control system, is the latest step in Emerson's commitment to help provide secure digital transformation solutions for customers.

Measuring engine emissions. - As a developer and manufacturer of gas analysers since 1977, Signal Group staff possess a high level of knowledge in the sampling and analysis of gases in industrial processes and emissions. The company is therefore able to help in the development of international test standards, and was recently invited to make submissions to the SAE E-31 Aircraft Exhaust Emissions Measurement committee.

Early detection of wear! - A condition monitoring system based on Harting's MICA Edge computer system is being used for the early detection of wear in the overhead conveyor systems used in production lines in the automotive and other industries. The failure of individual support frames in these conveyors can lead to the stoppage of entire production lines, but the MICA-based system detects wear at an early stage and thus prevents unplanned downtime.

How to find the temporary rates of customs duty on imports if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. - This information includes the British government's approach to customs duty, which is the tax paid on importing goods. The rate of customs duty is known as the 'tariff'. If the Britain leaves the EU with no deal, different rates of customs duty on imports may apply. These rates would only be applied if the UK were to leave the EU with no deal.

LIMS appointment for Korea. - Autoscribe Informatics has appointed Infowiz as our distributor in South Korea for the Matrix family of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) products. Infowiz, based in Seoul, is a company focused on the delivery of specialist software for laboratories providing project management consultants and implementation experts.

Temperature Sensors for Building Automation. - E+E Elektronik temperature sensors are now available with RS485 interface. The Modbus RTU and BACnet MS/TP protocols facilitate the integration into a bus system. The installation-friendly, IP65 / NEMA 4 enclosure is ideal for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

CAN board relected. - The members, at the annual CiA General Assembly, re-elected the three members of the board: Uwe Koppe (Technical Director), Christian Schlegel (Business Director), and Holger Zeltwanger (Managing Director)

. Advanced, cloud-based exploration and development software. - Emerson and Repsol, an energy company, have established a strategic alliance to deliver advanced subsurface geophysical technologies to significantly reduce the time to prospect and produce first oil.

Global coverage for process manufacturing data. - Seeq Corporation is expanding its global coverage and support for their process manufacturing customers with the addition of more than 50 system integration partners in the Middle East, Europe, North America, South America, and Asia—along with new offices in Malaysia and Europe. Seeq now has support offices across the United States and direct representation in Europe, as well as resale and services partners on six continents.

Digging in at Houston! - Endress+Hauser is investing $38.5 million into a new 112,000 square-foot Gulf Coast Regional Center Campus. The company officially broke ground on March 7, 2019, at its new site in Pearland's lower Kirby District, just outside of the Houston area. Completion is projected by the end of 2020.


GAMBICA has apointed Sally Edgington as their new sector head for the Test & Measurement Sector and Axrem Director.

Hydraulic drives on course! - TorqSense wireless sensors from Sensor Technology are playing an important role in new product development for Hydraulic Projects Limited (Hy-Pro), one of Britain's leading developers and suppliers of hydraulic drive units for marine steering and autopilot systems.

Emissions monitoring in India. - With environmental monitoring as a central theme, an international Conference and Exhibition will take place in New Delhi (IND), 24-26th September 2019. CEM India 2019 will build on the success of a similar event that took place in 2017, with the additional theme of water effluent quality.

MES software wins! - Werum IT Solutions has won the "Best Bioprocessing Supplier Award: Software" for its out-of-the-box PAS-X MES software product. PAS-X is widely recognized in the industry for being a highly standardized, flexible and powerful solution that is adopted by the majority of the world's top 30 pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers to help improve productivity, safeguard regulatory compliance and fulfill the process requirements of these industries.

Audio, video and industrial connectors. - Anglia has expanded its range of specialist connectors with the addition of Neutrik, leaders in interconnect for audio and video recording studios and concert sound systems, as well as industrial applications including higher current designs.

Sharing Thoughts on Building Good Cybersecurity Programs. - Smart cities and critical infrastructure both face major cybersecurity-related challenges. Today's rapid adoption of IoT technologies, convergence of IT and OT environments, drive toward ubiquitous connectivity, and resource constraints are all major challenges when it comes to implementing a good cybersecurity program for smart cities and infrastructure. Even worse, many end users and owner-operators lack standard cybersecurity policies and procedures within their organizations.

Industry standard robust connectors. - Harting has added an industry standard Han® B size version to its Han-Eco® range of robust, flexible and corrosion-resistant connectors made of high-performance plastic for use in demanding industrial environments.

Device manager approved cyber secure. - exida, LLC announced that it has assessed the Honeywell ISA100 Wireless™ Device Manager model WDMY version R320 and certified that it meets requirements for the ISASecure® EDSA certification level 1. The WDMY is the first industrial wireless gateway to achieve the ISASecure® cybersecurity certification which certifies to the ISA/IEC 62443 international cybersecurity standards.

Front and Back Office Analytics. - Dream Report 5.0 is a major release from Ocean Data Systems (ODS). It delivers significant enhancements over typical maintenance releases. The most significant enhancement is the incorporation of an additional dashboard technology, tailored for use in front office applications (business analytics, database connectivity and dynamic filtering).

Energy and Water under spotlight! - The ISA Energy & Water Automation Conference, slated for 7-8 August 2019 in Orlando, (FL USA), will feature interactive sessions led by ISA's power generation, alternative energy, municipal water, and industrial water experts.

Corrosion-resistant switchgear tried and tested in the North Sea! - How do the switching devices perform in practice? How are they really affected by intermittent waves or underwater fouling, for example? In order to find answers to these questions, steute commissioned the Fraunhofer IFAM (Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials) in Bremen to conduct a 1-year exposure test at its site on the small German island of Helgoland.


Abaco Systems has appointed Lorne Graves as Chief Technology Officer.

Programmable power supplies. - Powerstax has been appointed as a distributor for Magna-Power's market leading range of Programable Power Supplies. This extensive product range complements the existing Powerstax portfolio of DC power supplies and Transformer Rectifiers.

Microswitch has integrated LED. - Microprecision Electronics has introduced its MP100/200 series microswitches with an optional integrated LED indicator light.

Reliability with long-term support. - PULS Power is committed to supporting its customers for as long as is possible with products designed into their systems. PULS has undertaken not to discontinue standard products while enough demand is present to make them viable for manufacture.

Expansion continues at photonic device manufacturer! - Optoscribe Ltd has announced the release of its 3rd generation ultra-high-speed 3D photonic component manufacturing system and the expansion of its cleanroom within its state-of-the-art facility in Livingston(GB).

The Future of Basic Control Innovation - Overview Basic process control, what we now call "level 2" in the Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture, has been the basis for successful process manufacturing for decades. Industry has witnessed several revolutions in technology that have produced more accurate, precise, and faster process control leading to better product quality and throughput. Innovations have moved from mechanical, to electrical, and on to computational. Currently, the innovation in automation has moved further up the architecture, with mostly incremental changes at level 2.


Angelo Corsaro of AdLink has been named to Power 200 List of 'World's Most Influential Data Economy Leaders'.

Maintain workspace exposure standards! - 3M™ Gas & Flame Detection is advising businesses or public services that do not comply with updated workplace / occupational exposure limits to chemical agents, could potentially face stern consequences, including prosecution. August 2018 saw the deadline pass for compliance with the revised EU Directive 2017/164/EU. However, for businesses that remain concerned, 3M™ Gas & Flame Detection is offering guidance to ensure the regulations are met.

Helping with design. - Anglia Components today announced a new design partner service for its customers. The Anglia Design Partner Programme is comprised of carefully selected independent design consultants from across Britain that can help accelerate customers' design cycles, often with expertise in specific areas.

Easy & sturdy for frequent connection! - The new Han® ES Press HMC (High Mating Cycles) connector series from Harting combines the facility to be installed quickly without tools with extremely robust construction that allows the devices to handle at least 10,000 mating cycles.

Quality fresh fruit and veg! - Edinburgh Sensors offers a range of gas monitoring options well-suited to ensuring optimum gas conditions during fresh food transportation. Their range of CO₂ online monitoring sensors includes the Guardian NG, Gascard NG, the IRgaskiT and the Gascheck, will cover most customer needs for food transport applications.

Managing for process control. - Situation Management for Process Control, a new book from the ISA stable of publications, is intended to unify industry understanding of how to deliver real value to control room operations. Written by Douglas H. Rothenberg, Ph.D., - a globally recognized expert in alarm management and operator support technology—the book explores control room management as a discipline, focusing on the applicable tools, technology, and methodologies that foster safer, more effective control room functioning and improved industrial production.