Fugitive gas emissions. - Oil and gas facilities typically have thousands of connections and fittings that require regular inspection for fugitive emissions. To reduce the time necessary to complete this task with traditional ‘sniffer’ technology, increasing numbers are turning to optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras from Teledyne FLIR.

Gas analysis in fuel and energy. - The 2nd FERIA Conference, the European Conference on Fuel and Energy Research and Its Applications, will take place at the University of Sheffield (GB) from 4th to 6th September 2023.The Signal Group FERIA exhibition stand will feature the company’s latest gas analysers with detachable tablet screens, as well as the remote connectivity which is built into all of the company’s Series 4 instruments.

Test to improve business performance. - A significant upgrade has been announced by NI to its flagship product LabVIEW. For nearly 40 years, LabVIEW has been the industry-standard product in the field of data acquisition, instrument control and automation. These latest improvements further enable engineers in their use of test insights and data to drive product and business performance.

Sustainability and emissions progress recognised. - Emerson has received the 2023 Bosch Global Supplier Award, placing the company among a select global group of Bosch’s most valued suppliers helping drive innovation in pursuit of sustainability targets and their commitment to climate neutrality. Emerson earned the Global Supplier Award for Sustainability, recognizing the company’s exemplary commitment to climate neutrality and comprehensive efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Jerry Duque is General Manager of the HIMA business in North America.

New I/O series for oil and gas fields. - Series extends site automation abilities, helping to increase the efficiency of oil and gas operations The next evolution in smart remote I/O, the ABB XIO series is an extended range of all-in-one devices to monitor, control and manage oil and gas flow applications. The ABB XIO-08, ABB XIO-04 and ABB XIO-00 each operate as an extension to the ABB Remote Module Controller (RMC) family, providing enhanced I/O capacity and increasing overall wellhead operational efficiency. The series offers up to eight channels for customers to choose the XIO that meets their site needs.

The challenge of decentralisation. - Mouser Electronics has launched a new eBook in collaboration with Molex, a global electronics leader and connectivity innovator. The Power of Innovation and Data: Revolutionising Industrial, Healthcare, Automotive and Data Centres explores challenges relating to decentralisation of centres, data integrity, security and the enhancement of design flexibility to meet ever-changing market requirements.

HMI windows protect. - Foremost Electronics has announced the availability of two new windows for protecting Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) from enclosure specialist FIBOX. The Protection Window (PW) series provide an easy to install, secure HMI access point for any enclosure or flat surface and offers high ingress and impact protection to IP66 and IK09.

Intelligent IoT I/O Gateways. - The ADAM-6700 WISE-EdgeLink series has been announced by Advantech. Adam-6700 is an IoT I/O gateway with comprehensive functions including on-board I/O support and RS-485/Ethernet interface. It is an all-in-one device that not only integrates OT and IT data, but also saves cost, space, and engineering effort with the help of WISE-EdgeLink gateway software.

Control Valve Primer 5th Edition. - Dr. Hans D. Baumann—holder of more than 150 patents and author of more than 200 publications on control valves, fluid mechanics, and acoustics—shares his expertise in designing control loops, selecting final control elements, using shortcuts for complex sizing and noise calculation formulas, and more. (ISA Publications).

Sensor taking proactive strides into edge AI. - Innodisk has launched a new industrial air sensor module solution with its subsidiary, Sysinno, featuring accurate sensing, easy implementation, and minimal computing power. The modules offer real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, and six air quality index detection.

Integrated manifold for respiratory therapy devices. - The ASCO™ Series 588 Stationary Oxygen Concentrator Manifold has been announced by Emerson. This is the healthcare industry’s first turnkey manifold solution designed to optimize respiratory therapy device designs and accelerate product speed to market.

Industrial tours extend controls, automation intelligence - When traveling, think again about asking for a site tour. Tours are fun and educational, and hosts often are pleased to show their applications. Notes follow from tours of Lift, operated by the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII), and of Freedman Seating Co. and the co-located Jane Addams Resource Corp. training facility. (Control Engineering).

Display on the skids! - Danfoss Power Solutions is supplying its DM700 display for use on the third-generation Elise 900 skid steer loader manufactured by FIRSTGREEN Industries (previously known as Kovaco Electric). The all-electric machine takes advantage of the display’s 7-inch screen, excellent sunlight viewability, and rugged IP66/IP67 ingress protection ratings, providing the ideal combination of features for this demanding application.

New variants for collaborative robot. - Two new variants of its GoFaTM collaborative robot are being launched by ABB*. The GoFa 10 and GoFa 12 offer new possibilities for companies to leverage cobot automation for enhanced efficiency. Handling payloads of up to 10 and 12 kilograms with market-leading repeatability, the cobots can handle an expanded range of tasks in close collaboration with workers, addressing skills and labor shortages while improving safety and productivity. Offering straightforward programming and rapid integration into production environments, the new variants lower barriers to entry for first-time users, educators and SMEs.

Cybersecurity portfolio extended. - Honeywell is to acquire SCADAfence, a leading provider of operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) cybersecurity solutions for monitoring large-scale networks. SCADAfence brings proven capabilities in asset discovery, threat detection and security governance which are key to industrial and buildings management cybersecurity programs.

Automation for biomass power plant. - ABB has secured its ninth contract with TOYO Engineering Corporation in Japan to supply its distributed control system (DCS) ABB Ability™ Symphony Plus, to the Wakayama Gobo Biomass Power Plant, around 120 km south of Osaka.

Functional WirelessHART gateway. - FieldGate SWG50 is a new WirelessHART gateway from Endress+Hauser, primed for secure communication from your field devices. FieldGate SWG50 is a compact and cost-effective ready for Netilion integration while providing an easy-to-use solution for multiple standard monitoring applications across various industries. Netilion is a cloud-based IIoT ecosystem designed for industrial processes, connecting the physical and digital worlds to send information from the field straight to a phone, tablet or another device

Duais Pharlaimint na hEorpa. - Tá Acadamh Samhraidh AER 2022 ar cheann de dhá thogra Éireannach a roghnaíodh mar bhuaiteoir ar an ngradam iomráiteach 'Duais na Saoránach Eorpach' do 2023. Mar chuid de Bhliain Eorpach na hÓige, b'é "An Eoraip don Chéad Ghlúin Eile" téama Acadamh Samhraidh 2022. B'é Comhthionól na Réigiún Eorpach (AER) a reáchtáil an tAcadamh Samhraidh 2022, a ndearna Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall agus Údarás na Gaeltachta, an eagraíocht stáit ar a bhfuil freagracht na gceantar ina labhraítear Gaeilge in éirinn (an Ghaeltacht) comh-óstú air. Cuireadh fáilte roimh 150 toscaire as 19 réigiún trasna na hEorpa chuig Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh (OTA), Leitir Ceanainn agus mol digiteach gteic@Gaoth Dobhair.
This item in English: Prize from European Parliament.

Large switch contract for train. - A large Swiss-based train builder has selected Westermo as network platform provider for their new generation tram-trains. The contract runs for three years, with a total contract value estimated to about 85 million SEK (€7.56m). Westermo is to provide its Viper switches for the onboard data networks supporting both train control and management as well as passenger information systems.

Optical spectrum analyzer enhanced. - The measurement function (MS9740B-020) for Optical Spectrum Analyzer MS9740B has been introduced by Anritsu. This function evaluates a pulsed Laser Diode (LD) chip. New solution reduces the test time for pulsed LD chip, contributing to improved production efficiency of high-power LD chip.

An environmental innovation showcase project. - ABB technology is at the core of an energy-intelligent wastewater treatment plant in Germany. Their ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® energy management system unlocks efficiency potential at the Schwarzenbruck plant, controlling and optimizing the energy flows.

Program to assist in meeting customer needs. - A new partner program in Britain and Ireland has been launched by Schneider Electric. This Contractor Program offers online resources and digital tools via mySchneider portal to help contractors quickly and efficiently meet customer demands. It also offers opportunities to generate more business as well as training to support sales activities, and advice on sustainable solutions.

Camera adopts European testing standards. - A major update to to Vision Research's published Phantom high speed camera product specifications has been issued. By incorporating European Machine Vision Association (EMVA) 1288 testing standards to measure sensor characteristics, a scientific overview of image performance is now available. This further enables users to choose the best camera for their challenging applications. EMVA 1288 has long been used to measure performance in machine vision cameras, but Vision Research is the first manufacturer to apply it to RAM-based high-speed cameras.

Energy saving robots. - ABB Robotics has expanded its large robot range with four new models and 22 variants offering more choice increased coverage and greater performance. The next generation models include the IRB 6710, IRB 6720, IRB 6730 and IRB 6740, suitable for payloads ranging from 150kg to 310kg, with a reach from 2.5m to 3.2m, offering customers greater choice and significant performance and energy efficiency improvements.

Safety checks increase availability of unit. - Specialty chemicals manufacturer Evonik in Marl (D), was able to increase the availability of a propene distillation unit using a HIMA Smart Safety Test. With the help of partial stroke tests on safety-relevant butterfly valves, the cycles between plant shutdowns can be extended from one to three years. The successful project is being acclaimed as groundbreaking because of its economic significance.

Ametek Land has appointed Madeleine Lake as Global Industry Manager - Energy and Minerals.

Upgrade to precision acoustic imagers. - Fluke has added a unique new feature to its ii910 precision acoustic imagers to help users identify and localise ‘mechanical areas of interest’ within short timeframes. The Firmware 5.0 update brings a MecQ facility to the ii910 which helps to minimise unplanned downtime and cut repair costs by enabling early identification of potential mechanical problems. Energy savings are also achieved by being able to carry out repairs early and reduce faults.

Liquid analysis facility inaugurated. - Liquid analysis technology from Endress+Hauser is used in many areas - for example, when utilities need to ensure the cleanliness of drinking water or pharmaceutical companies want to produce high-quality vaccines. The continuous growth is now visible in a new, attractive office building of Endress+Hauser Liquid Analysis in Gerlingen (D).

Preventing food waste. - Ambassador Controls faced the challenge of providing timely support to customers across multiple manufacturing sites. To address this, Ambassador Controls partnered with Moxa to deploy a Moxa Remote Connect (MRC) secure remote access solution. They use Moxa MRC to remotely support food processing plants.

Innovation cluster inaugurated. - Endress+Hauser has inaugurated its new premises at the Freiburg Innovation Center FRIZ. There, more than 70 employees of the Swiss group of companies specializing in measurement technology are involved in the development of new sensor technologies and software solutions. The various teams work closely together and are embedded in an innovative environment of research institutes, start-ups and other companies.

Leak-free Oxygen Sensor. - Design changes have been implimented by Alphasense to its O2-A2 and O2-A3 oxygen sensors which sees both models now being guaranteed 100% leak free. The new leak-free design delivers a step-change in high-temperature and humidity resistance, providing customers with a sensor solution which will not leak, even under the most arduous of applications.

Mobile Carbon Dioxide detector. - The Meawow (a global brand under ZenMeasure Technologies) Mini Bluetooth CO2 detector (H411) equipped with the Sensirion CO2 sensor was officially released in June 2023, becoming the smallest portable Bluetooth CO2 detector currently available on the market. The device is designed for convenient portability and thanks to its small size, it is the lightest and most compact design globally, allowing it to be carried around like a mobile phone for on-the-go measurements. It features a built-in battery that can be charged via a USB Type-C port, supporting extended standby time.

Process plant of the year! - FieldComm Group is actively seeking qualified nominees for the 21st annual Plant of the Year Award. End users and manufacturers from all world areas are encouraged to nominate their plant or their customer’s plant for this prestigious award. The FieldComm Group Plant of the Year is the only international award presented to end user companies in the process automation industry to recognize the exceptional and valuable application of FOUNDATION™ Fieldbus, FDI™ and / or HART® Communication technologies.

Solinoid valve for future hydrogen infrastructure. - GSR Ventiltechnik has now developed a servo-controlled high-pressure solenoid valve for climate-neutral hydrogen refuelling systems that is designed for pressures up to 1,000 bar.

Very miniature switches. - The sub-subminiature DG and the ultraminiature DH switches from ZF Friedrichshafen, have had an upgrade. Both products have extremely small dimensions and are suitable for low voltage applications.

State-of-the-art OT security solutions within reach. - A Security Lab in the Customer Solutions Center in Brühl (D) has been opened by HIMA. The provider of safety-related automation solutions will use the lab to develop and test comprehensive OT security solutions for the digitalization of functional safety in future.

Biometric authentication partner program. - The newly launched PAS-X K.ME-IN partner program provides Werum PAS-X MES customers with an out-of-the-box interface for the use of biometric authentication technology. Körber together with partners this enables 50 percent faster identification times while ensuring only authorized personnel can access the Manufacturing Execution System (MES). With Integral Biometrics and obion (formerly i.p.a.s.-systeme), two strong partners have already joined the program.

Industry Market Update ​- June 2023. - ARC Advisory Group publishes every quarter indices on automation, machinery and user CapEx markets as a Special ​Industry Market Update Report in PowerPoint format.