Articles and News

The Executive Board of the IFR has elected Joseph Gemma (KUKA Robotics Corporation US) as its new President.

The Kuala Lumpur office will supply specialty automation consulting, control and instrument modernizations, greenfield main automation contractor projects, and electrical upgrades to the Asia Pacific market.

“Applying FOUNDATION Fieldbus” examines the theory of the operations and basic concepts of the FOUNDATION Fieldbus standards.

ABB will deliver the control system, telecommunications, pipeline monitoring, security systems including fiber-optic cables to transmit data along the pipelines.

By John Renaldi, Real Time Automation OPC UA Discovery has a very flexible and sophisticated mechanism for Client devices to find and identify Server devices. This article is the second of two articles that explain that how OPC UA Device Discovery works.

ISA has made significant strides in achieving its five long-term strategic goals of content, data, coolest delivery, cybersecurity and advocacy.

This specification describes the mapping of the Sercos information model to OPC UA so that functions and data of Sercos devices are made available and accessible via OPC UA.

Orders for manufacturing technology in October 2015 were down 0.3% from September and down 17.4% compared to the same point in 2014.

The AIM ST6700 has successfully achieved ISA100 Wireless certification.

Informatica, Splunk, and ThingWorx are among alliance members committed to meeting market potential for Internet of Things (IoT) with industrial automation data.

PrismTech has about 70 employees with a very experienced software team, pioneering the development and implementation of Data Distribution Software (DDS) standards for the IoT.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Manufacturing management and industry experts generally agree that further efficiency improvements require the integration of IT and OT. Users participating in Rockwell Automation Perspectives panel discussions, half of which had IT and business background rather than industrial automation, share perspectives from their integration journeys.

Fundamental to distillation column loop tuning is trust the operator, but verify the basics.

The openROBOTICS program combines COMAU robots with B&R automation systems.

eTOP Series 500 HMIs come with a choice of certifications and approvals that make them the solution of choice for all requirements.

Diagnostic reliability service helps manufacturers and industrial producers drive a streamlined maintenance strategy on mission-critical, integrated equipment lines.

Honeywell upgraded the controls and safety system at TogliattiAzot’s production site in Tolyatti, Russia.

The Instrument Engineers Handbook (IEH) explains thermal level measurement. The simplest of these designs is where the sensor detects low level.

Werum’s PAS-X MES went live at the Government Pharmaceutical Organization’s (GPO) manufacturing site in Rangsit, Thailand.

THM Analyzer dramatically reduced the time and complexity of measuring trihalomethane levels in drinking water at Anglian Water.

MES helps medical device manufacturer save 300+ man-hours a year, drive continuous improvements, maintain compliance, and achieve ROI in 10 months.

HIMA supplied safety instrumented systems (SIS) and the fire and gas system for the the Ichthys LNG project in Australia.

igus is celebrating 25 years of offering specially designed flexible cables for use in Energy Chains.

For many enterprises in the process industry and rail industry, HIMA is the first contact for reliable safety solutions. The safety specialist is now enhancing its value to the rail sector through additional development capacities and an adapted sales structure.

Free app provides information about Phoenix Contact’s products.

The global market for geared products will stagnate in 2015 and 2016, primarily because of the performance of downstream process industry sectors.

Festo named two distributors in Colorado – MSI Tec and ProWest Pneumatics and Supply.

AggreGate was introduced at the biggest Professional Education knowledge competition in America, The Knowledge Olympic Games ‪SENAI‬-SC 15.

Comprehensive and practical instruction from our education opportunities gives you the knowledge that you can share with your team.

“Young Tech Enterprises” exhibition area offers presentation options for entrepreneurs and startups as well as startup networks, accelerators and economic development agencies.

Frost & Sullivan says the market earned revenues of $10.51 billion in 2014 and estimates this to reach $13.09 billion in 2019.

SCE&G selected PAS PowerGraphiX to improve operator situation awareness with High Performance HMI (HPHMI) graphics.

The program includes an assessment of needs for visibility, adjustability, safety, availability, energy conservation, economy and hazardous locations, and helps determine the ideal combination of legacy and new digital switches that can meet them.

Site assists customers in finding a suitable IEC 60309 plug connector for specific applications.

The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) and PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) will collaborate with the objective of promoting and disseminating the use of open industrial networks.

Powercaps combine the advantages of batteries and supercapacitors and will be displayed at HANNOVER MESSE 2016.

Rockwell adds five systems integrators to its Machinery Safety System Integrator program

The Skilmatic actuators will be installed in automated and unattended valve chambers at pump stations, where they will provide isolating and failsafe ESD functions.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Cisco is furthering their penetration into industrial applications. The Cisco partner ecosystem now includes FANUC Robotics, GE, Panduit, Schneider Electric, and Rockwell Automation. Cisco unveiled digital solutions that promise to transform the operations of manufacturing, transportation, and oil-and-gas companies, and address the security challenges these industries face as they digitize.

A simple approach for addressing upsets by supplementing the PID’s feedback control with feed-forward action.

By Stahlin Harsh environments similar to those found in water and wastewater facilities can affect the ability of an electrical enclosure to protect the controls contained within, leading to a multitude of problems.

Stack allows a standard Ethernet network to be used for deterministic data exchange based on the emerging IEEE Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) standard.

SICK will distribute the HALCON image processing library for vision sensors, 3D cameras, and vision systems.

HighJump TrueCommerce EDI and AccellosOne WMS streamlined logistics processes by enabling the seamless transmission and sharing of electronic documents with suppliers and buyers.

The United States is expected to become the most competitive manufacturing nation over the next five years, with the current leader China sliding into second position, according to Deloitte.

Previously it required such actions as opening dashboard features, changing configuration of certain elements, saving changes, reopening the same panel, etc. From now on a dashboard user can open it in a thick client and edit live: drag-n-drop elements, change their location, size and other options.

Honeywell will provide gas pretreatment, automation and controls for a 4 million tons-per-year capacity natural gas liquefaction plant

LUXI Chemical Group Co., Ltd. selected Honeywell process technology and automation controls to convert coal to key plastic building blocks.

NovaTech provided the control system, applications engineering and multilingual operator displays.

Atmospheric pressure (Patmospheric), absolute pressure (Pabsolute), and gauge pressure (Pgauge) have the following mathematical relationship.Pabsolute = Pgauge + Patmospheric

Compared to the same point in time in 2014, four times more space is sold for 2016 with 75 percent of registrations from companies based outside the U.S.

QA Graphics has completed certification training for Tridium’s next generation of the Niagara Framework.

The key driver for the global machine vision technology market is the expanding manufacturing sector.

The Knowledge Center app is a content hub of all of HARTING’s educational materials, including white papers, FAQs, videos, brochures, and more.

Enhancements will include the adaptation of time sensitive networking along with cybersecurity, application data models and communication integration standards.

Users will have additional tools to secure their industrial control systems using EtherNet/IP by augmenting traditional defense-in-depth techniques with CIP Security

Mounting environmental regulations and fundamental shifts in the U.S. thermal power landscape is driving new investments in water and wastewater treatment.

The working group will evaluate the future real-time Ethernet standard IEEE 802.1 TSN (Time Sensitive Networks) with regard to its suitability for high-speed real-time machine communication.

By Ian Brown, M.A.C. Solutions For the process industries, it is essential to manage change when making modifications to alarms and alarm systems. Management of Change (MoC) should therefore be a fundamental process within the alarm management lifecycle

By Brigg Patten Big data will either push the world and humanity toward perfection or damage the world through growing instability where those who control the algorithms hold the keys.

Winkle is responsible for managing all technical center activities in addition to supporting sales and Okuma distribution partner Hartwig.

Paul DeSousa and Scott Rose will add technical support.

OPC UA created a more robust and flexible mechanism that works equally well on the factory floor with embedded devices as it does in the Enterprise with IT devices. This article is the first of two articles that explain that how OPC UA Device Discovery works.

Seek a suite of practical metrics in terms of key performance indicators that can have an impact on plant control system performance.

China will spend $6 billion a year to build new wastewater treatment plants.

This free guide assists users in proper selection and application of alternate current (AC) adjustable speed drive systems.

Cogent DataHub will feature both OPC UA server and OPC UA client connectivity.

Office in San Jose, Calif. to provide local sales and engineering for Beckhoff customers throughout California.

Predictive Maintenance 4.0 showcase will include a group pavilion and will be located in the northern section of Hall 17, just across from the North 1 entrance.

The Quality Management app collects and exchanges data quickly, so nonconformance issues are identified before product leaves the plant.

All training courses are approved for Continuation Education Credits by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

What are the risks of republishing content and what can you do to protect your site from concerns about a duplicate content search engine penalty?

By Bill Lydon, Editor The Ignition Community Conference 2015 introduced Ignition version 7.8, while highlighting some major MES features. Ignition MES modules seamlessly integrate with Ignition HMI/SCADA - all leveraging cross-platform compatibility, unlimited free clients, robust out-of-the-box SQL database support, and fast installation.

The OPC Foundation and the Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The OPC Foundation and the M2M Alliance signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The OPC Foundation and Profibus & Profinet International (PI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

Software provides setup and programming of Nanotec’s motor controllers.

Kienzle served for many years as the Chairman of the Power Transmission Association within the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).

AUMA supplied actuators for 28 lift plug valves to the JSC TANECO Oil Refining and Petrochemical complex located in Nizhnekamsk, Russia.

By Tony Paine, Kepware Technologies In order to seamlessly integrate industrial data into the Industrial Internet of Things, a new communications platform is needed.

Siemens is supplying control, measuring, analytical and power distribution systems, as well as the low-voltage and medium-voltage switchgear.

The scientific and engineering community widely accepts the Systeme Internationale d'Unites (SI). Its base units are length, mass, moles, time, temperature, electric current, and light intensity.

Since its installation, the robotic loading arm has increased output from its assigned CNC milling machine by at least 150 leaf chain anchor bolts per day.

The simulator will be installed at the Training Center of Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), in Saudi Arabia.

By Tom Craven, RRAMAC Connected Systems Downtime is expensive to both equipment manufacturers and end-users, and amounts to losses greater than the costs of repair. Thanks to connected machines, manufacturers are beginning to leverage the power of “big data” to avoid failures and gather intimate knowledge about what causes failures in order to prevent breakdown and hemorrhaging costs.

Calculators determine how much force and acceleration are necessary to achieve the desired motion profile, and even in selecting which is the best motion profile.

By Gregory Wilcox, Rockwell Automation Hackers and malicious individuals are also targeting manufacturers and industrial operators. These industrial network breaches may not be making the evening news, but they certainly should serve as convincing evidence for organizations to make industrial security a top priority as they move toward a model of enterprise-wide connectivity and increased information-sharing.

Detection and identification of induction machine faults through the stator current signal.

Franklin is an expert project manager and facilitator whose work with consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton included process improvement and communication projects for clients at a federal R&D facility.

Free toolkit contains a collection of application examples, videos, documentation and ISA-88 compliant sample code to provide technical guidance when designing and automating a batch system.

By Robert Golightly, AspenTech The inside story of operational intelligence lies in rich visualization and analytics capabilities that improve production execution by enabling process manufacturers to quickly identify and resolve operational issues.

Greek oil company installs six HIMA safety systems to protect the refinery’s FCC complex, LPG spheres and circulation network, diesel hydrodesulphurization unit, naphtha hydrodesulphurization unit and two crude distillation units.

The program includes AUMA, HIMA Paul Hildebrandt, Honeywell Process Solutions, Mitsubishi Electric, Pepperl+Fuchs, Rockwell Automation, R. STAHL and Schneider Electric.

Production of hydrogen and electricity at zero emissions, thanks to aluminum combustion.

Creator Ci40 includes all the optimized hardware and open source software required for next-generation connected projects.

The portfolio includes an Allen-Bradley controller, graphic terminal, servo drive and distributed I/O system, as well as the latest release of the Rockwell Software Studio 5000 and FactoryTalk software offerings.

More than 18,000 people attended the 2015 Automation Fair in Chicago, IL.

The Project Stanton toolkit enables Rockwell Automation offerings with a consistent Web-based user interface for a specific device; tablet, smartphone or desktop.

In recent years, more and more companies are creating policies that allow employees to use their personal devices at work (commonly known as BYOD). With the increase of automation in manufacturing, the ability for employees to monitor and respond via their personal mobile device is an added convenience which can increase productivity and response time.

Despite this default status as the "go-to" solution for feedback control, some processes simply aren’t well-suited for PID control.