Articles and News

The PartnerNetwork program is intended to help industrial companies better solve their production and automation challenges by providing access to an expansive network of leading suppliers, distributors, system integrators, and machine and equipment builders.

Winners are recognized for their editorial contributions to a wide range of ISA publications, including ISA books; InTech, ISA’s bi-monthly magazine for automation and control professionals; and ISA Transactions, ISA’s bi-monthly professional journal dedicated to the science and engineering of measurement and automation.

Endress+Hauser has invested 4.9 million euros in a new building in Lyon. As well as 25 sales and service employees from Endress+Hauser, nine employees from the European headquarters of Kaiser Optical Systems will move into the new facility.

Created by Eaton experts in VFD technology and application, the program supplements basic product understanding through self-guided and instructor-led training and includes commissioning classes.

By Jonathan Wilkins, EU Automation Did you know that it takes over twelve hours to fly from China to the United States? With such a large distance between them, it is not surprising that the regions differ in many ways, from culture to industry.

According to survey of 200 IoT decision makers at industrial companies in North America, only 16 percent of respondents consume IoT data in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

In 2017 robot installations are estimated to increase by 21 percent in the Asia-Australia region. Robot supplies in the Americas will surge by 16 percent and in Europe by 8 percent.

The reset of an emergency stop circuit will not initiate a restart.

Research on fault tolerant synchronization of chaotic gyroscope systems versus external disturbances via Lyapunov rule-based fuzzy control.

By Jim Shields, Fluke Temperature transmitter calibrations are often performed without taking into account temperature sensor performance. This practice can be problematic for critical process measurements or those that need a higher degree of confidence or accuracy.

iAutomation announces partnership with ABB to create a more powerful product offering for customers. iAutomation will be providing product and support for ABB Drives, Motors, Electrification and Safety products throughout the entire East Coast where iAutomation currently operates.

ABB will acquire GE Industrial Solutions for $2.6 billion; the transaction will be operationally accretive in year one. ABB expects to realize approximately $200 million of annual cost synergies in year five, which will be key in bringing GE Industrial Solutions to peer performance.

Schneider Electric’s PacDrive 3, a complete automation solution for motion centric machines, is now integrated into the company’s smart machine solutions, along with InduSoft Web Studio, the company’s human-machine interface (HMI) platform.

The connected enterprise offers a number of opportunities to address or offset the productivity challenges of the evolving workforce.

The IMKO systems measure moisture with time domain reflectometry (TDR), a technology based on the time of flight of reflected radar waves. IMKO’s headquarters will remain in Ettlingen, Germany; the company’s 19 employees have been retained.

YuMi, which is manufactured by Swiss technology pioneer ABB, was invited to the stage by Mr. Bocelli, who performed the famous aria "La Donna è Mobile" from Verdi's Rigoletto.

The Fluke Digital Multimeter online course uses narration, video, interactive activities, and illustration to familiarize participants with DMM basic operations, common applications and some of the more advanced modes.

At the EMO 2017 in Hannover, Siemens is exhibiting new and expanded digital and classic Services for the machine tool industry – with capabilities for identifying and exploiting additional productivity potential for machine tools.

Innovatum will demonstrate capabilities of fully automated label inspection technology using Microscan’s LVS 7510 at the Global GS1 Healthcare Conference 2017 in Chicago, IL on October 17-19, 2017. This unique development addresses the pervasive need of the life-sciences industry for ensuring label quality and improving patient safety.

By Tom Egan, PMMI and Elliot Bokeno, Workhorse In collaboration with electric truck and drone maker Workhorse, PMMI will present an interactive visualization at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2017 of how drones bring packages directly to consumer homes.

Samsung Electronics believes that the great potentials of the OPC UA framework could synergy Samsung’s effort to deploy the Industrial IoT edge platform for its manufacturing infrastructures in order to achieve the seamless interoperability aiming for the Industry 4.0.

With the integration, Seeq customers can leverage Tableau’s visualization tools for their time series data, and Tableau users can leverage Seeq for data wrangling and modeling prior to visualization in Tableau.

An actuator is a device that applies the force necessary to cause a valve's closure member to move.

The work of the ISA106 standards committee, Procedure Automation for Continuous Process Operations, is intended to provide a framework for building some of that knowledge into automated procedures.

The App uses the Device Descriptor (DD) for the connected HART device so the user has full access to every Parameter and Method in the device.

Scope of the deployment includes asset management, planning, scheduling, network supply and distribution optimization, and High-Performance Computing (HPC) modules.

Replacing the aging controls with a unified Ovation platform is expected to improve the reliability of the plant, which supplies electricity to western Istanbul. The contract was awarded by TEMSAN, the government-owned organization leading the project.

ABB has been investing in electromobility since the turn of the century. Since 2010, the group has been offering rapid charging solutions. More than 5,000 networked systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles have been installed worldwide.

Microscan will run the first public demonstration of the new HAWK series machine vision camera at The ASSEMBLY Show in Rosemont, IL. The new development is poised to significantly exceed its predecessors in speed and power and will complete the Microscan’s product line for machine vision.

Ahlbrandt is Baldwin’s third acquisition since joining the BW Forsyth Partners’ family of companies in 2012. In 2014, Baldwin acquired Web Printing Controls; in January of 2017, Air Motion Systems.

Each program bundles sensors and accessories, laboratory experiments, classroom lecture, and technical poster for use in academic classrooms and laboratories.

Eco Projects was undertaking a 17 month project in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, to alleviate a critical water shortage. Using boreholes, a deep, narrow hole made in the ground to locate water, the client pumped water to various reservoirs. This is to provide an accessible store of water for Windhoek.

Endress+Hauser’s OEM Business Partner Program is a new concept designed to develop and enable a higher level and more strategic OEM customer relationship that is focused on tangible business results and people development.

The exhibit is intended to highlight the level of collaboration, digitalization and simplification of ABB, which provides manufacturers the flexibility to adapt production and packaging as evolving consumer preferences require a shift from mass production to mass customization.

The partnership aligns with the Singapore Government’s vision to create a secure Smart Nation by securing control systems, which form the backbone of most of the CII, such as communications, power, water and transport in Singapore.

Thermal imaging is a noncontact way to find electrical problems. Generally hot spots indicate problems, but cold spots could be problems, too.

Innovari’s Interactive Energy Platform (IEP) uses artificial intelligence, “big data” analytics, proprietary optimization routines and grid-edge hardware built on NI technology to deliver capacity and address grid demand.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com Given the number of vendors that have introduced electronic marshalling products, the value of electronic marshalling is clear. With Siemens’ entry into the world of open automation solutions, the value of these solutions should become increasingly clear as well.

Siemens, a global engineering and technology company, and PAS Global, a provider of industrial control system (ICS) cybersecurity solutions, announced an agreement to provide fleet-wide, real time monitoring for control systems.

The City implemented Bedrock to control both de-chlorination and storm water remediation operations, and is planning other integration and control applications as part of its ongoing modernization program.

ISA President Steven Pflantz says at some point, you have to nudge things along in an attempt to affect a change and move in a positive direction.

Krüger A/S provides with its STAR Utility Solution online control solutions that continuously optimize and stabilize the operation of the entire system for water and waste water. Prosys OPC developed for Krüger A/S a scalable, cloud-based solution for the data integration needs in their STAR Utility Solution platform.

This international event, held in Osaka, Japan, on September 14, 2017, will showcase ten OPC UA products from leading industrial automation companies.

Renowned space program pioneers, Gene Kranz, Flight Director, and Jim Lovell, Commander of the Apollo 13 mission will be the Keynote speakers in Las Vegas. These respected icons explain how competence, perseverance, and leadership combine to assure ultimate victory in any circumstances.

The certification scope covers the “design and manufacture of signal conditioning, data acquisition and data communications devices.”

As of now, SoftPLC systems for the device platforms PFC 100 from WAGO and SIMATIC IOT2000 from Siemens are also available. Both systems are based on an open Linux operating system and are designed to work in industrial environments.

With the takeover by the Navigator Group, some 80 employees will have a long-term perspective in the focused development of an independently operating unit.

The event was created in response to industrial packaging engineers, technicians and purchasers wanting an exhibition dedicated purely to industrial, transit and protective packaging without processing or machinery.

The annual Ignition Community Conference (ICC) to be held on September 18-20, 2017 in Folsom, CA. This ICC is hosted by Inductive Automation for partners and customers of the Ignition SCADA system.

The cloud is expanding and becoming valuable for improving manufacturing systems.

Turck’s harness and cable assembly capabilities include automated strip crimping, hot stamping, looming, termination of industry standard connectors, and potting. The team also provides a wide range of services including bonded inventory, Kan-Ban, overmolded cordset options, PPAP, and kitting.

With his diverse application experience, Bob will focus on opening up new markets for the extensive line of PDS products.

As part of the RIA network, SIASUN will gain connections to members, potential partners and staff; learn about new technologies; and have access to support in North America.

Because of the high speed of fast Ethernet, the use of twisted pair cable is limited to 100 meters (330 feet).

Starting with a description of the entire SLC process, the authors illustrate the advantages and importance of performance-based design, from conceptual design to design verification.

This type of charging station has been installed at Lidl stores all over Europe. There are currently more than 100 charging stations in operation in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Slovakia, Poland, France, Switzerland, Spain and Hungary.

Through this partnership, Dell customers can deploy Wibu-Systems IP protection and IoT software licensing and license tracking solution on their Dell Edge Gateway 5000 Series and Embedded Box PC 3000 and 5000 Series systems.

By integrating and merging subsidiaries American Forge & Foundry Inc. and Sellstrom Manufacturing Co. based in Elgin, Illinois, SureWerx USA Inc. (the new name of the merged company) will be conducting all US operations for the SureWerx brands from one central location.

The 750 stations are located in the busy northern Indian part of the network, one of the most used railway corridors in the world. ABB recently reached a milestone of 5 GW of solar inverters installed, supplying some 40 percent of India's solar power at approximately 13 GW.

By Teddy Tzegazeab, Rosemount Proof testing safety-instrumented systems in liquid level measurement applications has traditionally relied on workers in the field. However, new technology in modern smart devices is enabling this vital task to be performed remotely.

A hybrid intelligent method for recognition of the common types of control chart pattern is proposed in this ISA technical paper.

Precision Sensors provides custom control, monitoring and alarm technology to support critical functions and is experiencing heightened demand across its product lines.

By Paulo Jorge de Almeida, ecom Why are applications and software solutions becoming increasingly important in the industry? And, how will they enable process improvement within hazardous areas? This article aims to help provide answers to these questions.

Centennial Controls looked to QA Graphics to develop 2D floor plan graphics with and without ductwork. This allows them to map room temperatures, alarms, CO2, or humidity measurements for example.

Additions to the manufacturer’s temperature profiling portfolio include a profiler designed specifically for miniature wave selective soldering processes and the latest addition to the noncontact, infrared thermometer portfolio

The school will receive three Fluke 729 Automatic Pressure Calibrators, worth $24,000, for use in its industrial instrumentation laboratories.

This arrangement brings together Mitsubishi Electric’s servo motors and control products with Bimba’s electric mechanical actuators.

The Egyptian Construction Authority for Potable Water and Wastewater (CAPW) recently sourced four custom-made pump drives from special motor manufacturer Menzel Elektromotoren for installation in a water pump station in Cairo.

Phoenix Contact, Renesas, and Siemens will host several one-day training workshops where attendees will have the opportunity to create a PROFINET device in less than three hours with the Renesas TPS-1

Moret, 54, succeeds Keith D. Nosbusch, who has served as chairman since 2005 and remains as a director. The company will continue to have an independent lead director.

Your PM program represents but one part, although an important one, of the full life cycle of your automation system and facility.

One biopharmaceutical giant recently needed to address obsolescence in two of its purification skids, and saw it as an opportunity to make some additional operational improvements in the process.

Miller Eads is a system integrator providing a variety of specialized electrical services to diverse clients. The company has completed thousands of community projects of every size and scope.

By Paul J. Galeski, MAVERICK Technologies Due to open systems and standardization over the past few decades, ease-of-use has increased greatly. As a result, installing or upgrading an automation system today is far simpler from a purely technical standpoint than it was 20 or even 10 years ago.

The pressure drop refers to the change or drop in pressure from the upstream side of the valve to the downstream side.

Schütte supplies a range of multi-spindle machine tools and grinders for production work in various sectors of the metalworking market, including medical, orthopedic, tooling, contract machining and more.

Endress+Hauser and Vector Controls have teams ready in LaPorte, TX and around the country to provide the support needed locally – from phone support to onsite visits to product repair and replacements.

The Yokogawa ProSafe-RS Safety Control System is Yokogawa’s second product to be certified to the ISASecure Conformance Scheme. Yokogawa also has a DCS Controller product certified to ISASecure EDSA.

Kuwait Paraxylene Production Co. (KPPC) will use two Honeywell Connected Plant services to improve the performance of its CCR Platforming and aromatics complex, which produces paraxylene for plastic fibers and films, at its Shuaiba petrochemical facility in Safat, Kuwait.

OSI’s solution will replace MSS’s legacy QEI system. This system will provide MSS with improved distribution operations.

By Anthony Coggine, Freelance Technology Writer Marketing automation uses tools like predictive analysis, artificial intelligence, and good old-fashioned algorithms and “if/then” programming to streamline marketing efforts. As marketing automation continues to grow, these are the trends to keep an eye on

The R&D building will allow Banner Engineering to create more than 225 new high-tech jobs locally, as well as accelerate product development

A number of trends and reliability concerns affect the controller choices engineers make in regards to PC-based motion control systems and machine control systems. To get an ideal PC-based solution that fulfills functional requirements, engineers must consider the following requirements - openness, economics, ease of use, safety considerations.

By Matthew Wells, GE Digital In today’s economy, data is a valuable commodity; companies rely on it to run their businesses, be more competitive in the market, and enable increases in productivity. In order to take advantage of data, however, a business needs to connect and automate its back-end systems and processes in order to make sense of the data, identify patterns and formulate solutions.

The event is the first of its kind from the CTAQ and is an opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large companies to learn about the government’s plans for ensuring sustainability of the Canadian food industry.

ProGHG has been developed by Wood Group’s specialist technical solutions business in Houston, and provides an enterprise-level application that automates data collection, integration and validation, and emission calculations up to automated reporting.

The Bedrock system will coordinate flow of product from partners, through the Pinnacle processing facilities and onto refiners and shippers. Pinnacle chose Bedrock system for its scalability, ease of engineering, ruggedness, cost efficiencies and intrinsic cyber security.

ISA student sections are located worldwide. They offer learning opportunities, professional networking, and employment connections.

By Lucie Villéger, PcVue Inc. Historical approaches to monitor, diagnose, maintain and control industrial and building assets must be reconsidered. A new architecture optimized for the mobile SCADA and BMS user is needed.

Sierra Nevada Brewery, located in Chico, Calif., retrofitted their keg line 16 months ago and has already saved approximately 1 million gallons of water through the use of the System Plast NG Evo dry-running technology, which runs without lubrication or water.

By Bill Lydon, Editor, Automation.com Proper pressure instrument calibration requires the coordination of a number of factors to ensure precise accuracy. Improving this pressure calibration process can really boost an instrumentation team’s productivity and overall production.

Data from automation and monitoring systems, leveraged with analytics, monitoring, and reporting, creates the basis for a real-time maintenance program.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) chose Elmo's Gold Eagle servo drives for use in the Israeli Merkava tanks after a demanding set of testing both in the lab and in the field.

Since its founding 50 years ago, the family-owned company Vester Elektronik GmbH has specialised in optoelectronic sensors for controls and process monitoring in the field of punching and forming technology.

Many of us know well many Texans who are dealing with ravaging flood waters and displacement from their homes. We all want to aid our friends in the Houston area, so if you’re looking for ways to help, anywhere in the world, here are just a few of the charities that are currently focused on helping Houston heal from Harvey.

The multivariate statistical-process control excels at modeling unknown linear relationships for a large number of inputs that could be correlated.

Industrial Robotics Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2020

Zabel has directed content development and delivery on Automation.com since the website was launched in 2000. Automation.com is a leading online publisher of automation-related content, featuring 45 topic-specific portals that post timely articles, news, products, white papers and other resources. More than 100,000 users visit the website per month.

The purchase of HighJump will be from its parent company, Accellos Holdings and its primary investor, Accel-KKR, a technology focused investment firm. Both parties agreed not to disclose details of the purchase price.

By Pierre Dufour, Honeywell For natural gas companies, there is growing pressure to deliver more energy, increase profitability and minimize financial losses. The following article describes recent developments in integrated gas metering, which are intended to meet smart metering requirements from the gas wellhead to burner tip applications.