Articles and News

By Bill Lydon, Editor This year Siemens launched a new line of panel controls and indicators named the SIRIUS ACT. This product line overhaul was based on learning from customers, new design methods, leveraging new technology, and applying new manufacturing methods.

Maximum cybersecurity protection is possible only when cybersecurity protection is embedded deeply into a municipal infrastructure from birth.

By H2W Technologies The question of whether to use voice coil actuators or solenoids for small displacement motion control applications comes up often. This article explains the key differences between each product and why you might choose one over the other for your application.

The digitalization of factories and energy systems is the foremost topic at the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology.

The Greyline flow meters work with non-contacting, clamp-on ultrasonic sensors that do not require cutting the pipe and are not affected by the abrasive slurry.

The subsidiary of the Nordheim instrumentation specialist in Dubai has moved to a new, 500 square metre company building space for offices and warehouses, but also for in-house production.

The new site provides a framework for sharing the organization’s vision for the future of industrial automation as well as improving the user experience for professionals in the industrial automation sector.

ODVA’s machine data model is a result of ODVA’s initiative for the Optimization of Machine Integration (OMI) which was first announced in 2011 in cooperation with Sercos International and the OPC Foundation.

Elections were held in conjunction with ODVA’s 2015 Industry Conference & 17th Annual Meeting of Members, October 13-15, 2015 in Frisco, Texas.

Awards were presented in the following categories: Sensor (Fire & Gas), Sensor (Process), Final Element, Final Element (Interface), Logic Solver, and Cybersecurity.

This first-of-its-kind Security Development Lifecycle Assurance (SDLA) conformance certificate applies to Schneider Electric’s Process Automation business product development centers in Foxboro, Mass., Worthing, U.K., and Hyderabad, India.

The course will be held in Microscan’s Northeast Technology Center in Nashua, New Hampshire, from December 8-10, 2015 at 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily.

When power is present at the addressed terminal the instruction becomes logically true. When power is not present at the address terminal the instruction becomes logically false.

On September, HIMA Benelux presented to Fluor in the Netherlands the benefits of HIMax systems and HIMA solutions for turbomachinery control and burner management.

Industrial automation & manufacturing has always been technology-driven. Many of the innovations developed by engineers have transferred to the plant floor.

Yaskawa Motoman received the Special Recognition award while other suppliers received awards for Outstanding Value, Performance Excellence and Supplier of the Year.

After almost 50 years in the management of the HARTING Technology Group, Dietmar Harting (Dr.-Ing. E.h.) handed over the position of Chairman of the Board to his son Philip Harting on 1 October 2015.

Widening set of applications and benefits over conventional electronic sensors drives fiber optic sensors market. Global Forecast, Share, Size, Growth And Industry Analysis 2015 - 2023

Growing usage of Ethernet network to boost global structured cabling market. Report includes global industry analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and forecast 2015 - 2023

The 2015 Chem Show’s exhibits will echo the importance of everything from electronics and wastewater management to the latest practices in sustainability, while exemplifying that controls and automation have dramatically changed the face of the industry.

The guide touches on personal protective equipment (PPE), facility safety instructions and machine/equipment/process protocols, showing how visual information is critical to making safer decisions in any workplace.

DAkkS agrees to provide accreditation for Germany-based ISCI ISASecure certification bodies.

Relays Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2021

Perimeter Security Systems and Solutions Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020

Good engineering for automation projects requires thinking beyond the normal everyday conditions to design to protect against the unexpected.

By Patrick Supanich Equipment startups are like the "weeder classes” in college. Some people make it, some people don't. During the startup is where you establish your reputation as an engineer. The engineer who succeeds will come away with credibility; the ones that do not succeed will be asked to leave.

A significant part of that growth is attributed to the growing implementation of passive UHF RFID tags.

With the app, a user can receive real-time event alerts, monitor network/device status and configurations, and quickly identify field devices from an Android or Apple iOS device.

Global industrial dispensing system and equipment market was valued at USD 12.85 billion in 2014, growing at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2015 to 2021 to account for USD 20.57 billion in 2021.

the global camera module market was valued at US$12.0 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach US$43.06 bn by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 19.7% between 2013 and 2019.

Output terminal energize is defined as follows: Turns a bit on or off. Use OTE instruction in your ladder logic to turn a bit when rung condition is evaluated as true.

By Rick Zabel Like previous years, the average salary of automation professionals increased only a modest amount—about 1.9% over last year. This year, we decided to take a historical look at salaries over the last 11 years. Our analysis shows slower salary growth from 2010 to 2015 than from 2005 to 2010.

Schaeffler and machine tool manufacturer Deckel Maho Pfronten developed a “Machine Tool 4.0” concept that connects existing technology from sensors to Cloud computing, representing a genuine step towards true digitised production.

ABB to enable two new long-distance 800,000 volt UHVDC transmission links transporting 8,000 megawatts each

Harting now offers live support through their VideoCall service.

Simatic Migration Services help companies migrate to the latest Simatic technologies.

PTU is fully equipped through joint efforts of Endress+Hauser, Rockwell Automation and BridgeValley Community and Technical College.

Over the forecast period from 2015 to 2022, industrial applications including healthcare, resource extraction, and foreign aid is expected to record higher growth rates, each expected to expand at a CAGR of approximately 19.3%

Check our new Java Monitoring and Management and learn more about how AggreGate Network Manager enables JVM monitoring and Java performance monitoring for application servers and applications via Java Management Extensions (JMX) technology.

The global human machine interface (HMI) market is expected to expand at a steady CAGR of 10.4% from 2013 to 2019 and reach a value of US$5,579.3 million.

The GENOS easily handles cutting large parts for the oil and steel industries Karlstadt Machining primarily serves.

Versions 13 of DeltaV and AMS Suite make it easier to protect systems, networks and plants

Emerson is certifying supported releases of the DeltaV DCS and AMS Suite asset management to offer Intel Security’s Anti-Virus, Network Monitoring, and Application Whitelisting solutions.

ISA is dedicated to delivering timely, relevant content on important topics to meet the career enhancement & professional needs of the automation community.

Lynch is Global Marketing Director at GE’s Intelligent Platforms business.

Emerson will supply a DeltaV distributed control system, DeltaV SIS process safety system, and AMS Suite predictive maintenance software to automate the $8.9 billion complex in Lake Charles, La.

Smart Commissioning helps reduce automation commissioning time and effort.

Project Data Link optimizes project schedules and minimizes rework introduced by human error

Emerson to help customers achieve Top Quartile project performance by eliminating cost, reducing complexity and accommodating change.

Skkynet Cloud Systems has become a partner in the Renesas Synergy Verified Software Add-on (VSA) Program.

Leveraging the global expertise of seven ISA technical divisions, the symposium is expected to draw more than 200 registrants 9-12 November 2015 in Houston, Texas USA.

The ISA Security Compliance Institute authorized the Raven test tool for use by certification bodies in the ISASecure industrial automation and control system (IACS) cybersecurity certification program.

In 2014, Asia Pacific accounted for the highest revenue generating region in world electric motors market followed by Europe.

August U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $285.92 million, down 10.2% from July’s $318.48 million and down 21.2% when compared with the total of $362.65 million reported for August 2014.

Frost & Sullivan says European companies can’t afford to buy test equipment, so they want to rent it instead.

Japan-based KPMG Consulting Co., Ltd. joined the ISA Security Compliance Institute as a technical member.

Instrumentation and Controls, (IAC) is now the single-source provider of Endress+Hauser products and solutions in the State of Arizona and strategic markets of New Mexico

The Tao of Measurement challenges many long-held assumptions on the measurement of time, length and area.

Murrelektronik opened a production facility in Georgia’s Gwinnett County, where it will manufacture M8 and M12 cordsets for the first time in the United States.

Systems integrator Hint and Nord Stream built gas analyzers that can determine, on the basis of the samples, the blend’s composition. This helped Nord Stream gain approval for the pipeline.

By Moazzam Shamsi, Emerson Process Management This is the second of a five-article series on wireless instrumentation and infrastructure. This article covers best practices for including wireless instruments and infrastructure in project designs, including wireless device system planning, design, test and commissioning.

Catalog covers ultrasonic piezo motors, stages and positioners for precision motion and automation applications.

The Portable Power, Battery Cases, and Solar Power market was worth $7.36 bn in 2013, and will grow to $36.15 bn by 2022.

The "AND" gate, as it relates to the series electrical or electronic circuit, requires all conditions to provide electrical or logical continuity in order to control its intended output condition.

OLDI Special Applications Module extends reach of Allen-Bradley ControlLogix controllers in subsea oil drilling by providing higher data volumes and faster data exchange rates.

The deadline for abstract submission is 15 January 2016.

By Andrew Kinder, Infor IIoT connects people, processes, data and things in an intelligent way to enable new business models and make better decisions. But the strategy needs to be driven from the top, plugged into powerful analytics and underpinned by flexible, real-time and intelligent ERP if it is to deliver on its promises.

We've just released a new OLE for Process Control (OPC) server that enables any OPC clients to get data from AggreGate's unified data model, as well as any underlying devices and data sources.

Flexible robotic packaging systems combine Universal’s Neocortex artificial intelligence platform with DPPS’ process control expertise using Yaskawa Motoman robots.

By Tony Paine, Kepware Technologies The promise of connecting everything within an industrial environment, to get complete operational visibility and allow for the best real-time decisions, will transform how we manufacture for years to come

The robotic system will provide complete verification of National Drug Code bar codes and validation of robotically placed patient labels for pharmacy unit of use items.

The office is in Sant Cugat in the west of the Barcelona metropolitan region.

Classes typically are a combination of classroom and hands-on training on either the Endress+Hauser PTU (Process Training Unit), a full-scale, working process skid with on-line instrumentation and controls, or live instruments in training stands, both designed to simulate operating conditions.

Using the right HMI/SCADA system can significantly reduce unplanned downtime or unexpected delays, while simultaneously improving efficiency and safety.

According to components, the global SCADA market is classified into human machine interface (HMI), SCADA communication system, remote terminal unit (RTU), programmable logic controller (PLC), and others. On the basis of architecture, the global SCADA market is divided into hardware, software, and services.

HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, joins Phoenix Contact’s EduNet program.

The belt conveyor will replace a railway system currently used to transport ore out of the mine to the processing plant.

WeConfig 1.3 adds wizards for quick and easy user-friendly configuration with global parameter settings.

Micro Epsilon offers the most complete product spectrum for non contact infrared (IR) based temperature sensors.(-55C..2200C) Our hand held sensors, stationary instruments, compact OEM devices and cameras, all products feature the latest state of the art technology. The best performing sensors based on accuracy, speed, optics, size or wavelength for your individual application.

Download a complimentary copy of our new catalog, "Measurement Product Guide 2016", for detailed information on our displacement sensors (laser triangulation, confocal-chromatic, gaging and distance, capacitive, eddy current, inductive, magneto-inductive and draw-wire), 2D/3D sensor systems for dimensional measurement, color sensors, IR-temperature sensors, and custom sensor solutions.

By Heike Schmeding, AUMA This article provides an update on two key issues currently impacting the actuation industry: host system integration and functional safety. It is a key requirement in any plant installation that the actuators used for opening or closing valves can be smoothly integrated with the plant’s automation system.

The team showing the most innovation wins a trip to Seattle and $3,500 worth of Fluke tools.

Bridging the HMI/SCADA Gap Manufacturers are looking for standard and open software solutions that can make their industrial automation projects independent from hardware devices, whether Touch Panel, PLC or control systems. They want to be independent from the constraints of “hardware + software” HMI artchitecture and proprietary solutions, but it can be tough to find the right solution.

Automation Platform .NExT: The New Era Of Industrial Supervision Leaders in the automation world know it's not enough to just "keep up" with technology, and Progea is helping revolutionize the way partners look at supervision software with Automation Platform .NExT.

The app converts an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch into a mobile portal.

How to ensure a burner management system operates safely, within compliance and highly reliable.

“Integrated Industry” is India’s model for smart manufacturing.

By Graham Nicholson, Phoenix Wrappers The addition of any element of automation is a big step for any production line. What factors into a decision? Follow this blueprint to make the decision.

By Khris Kammer and Keith McPherson, Rockwell Automation Tapping into contextualized data and sharing it across the enterprise allows manufacturers to address the age-old challenge of how to get more productivity out of existing assets.

By Ryan Lepp, Panduit Whereas it was once common for product vendors to set the network rules to support their specific products, the emergence of open-standard Ethernet has pushed that responsibility onto the systems integrators as they incorporate a wide range of networked products from multiple different vendors.

Do you know that besides monitoring any network devices and services AggreGate can manage them in a variety of ways? Check our new Network Management article to know more.

The IEC 61131-3 standard establishes guidelines for the use of ladder, function block, instruction list, structured text and sequential function chart programming for the PLC industry.

American Control Electronics designs and produces AC & DC electronic control systems and power products used in industrial, commercial, electric vehicle, medical, and home automation markets.

HANNOVER MESSE and Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII) hosted a pre-Manufacturing Day press conference on September 30 in Chicago.

ABB will supply integrated process electrification, automation and optimization systems for Fibria’s new pulp mill in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

EasyTune requires no input from the user, completes in a few minutes, and provides measured verification of the servo performance when complete.

By Dr. Steffen Haack, Bosch Rexroth Anyone gaining only a superfluous familiarity with fluid technology will easily underestimate the performance and intelligence of modern hydraulics.

ISA published a fifth edition of its best-selling book, Industrial Data Communications by Lawrence (Larry) M. Thompson and William T. “Tim” Shaw.

The new catalog contains a detailed overview about inspection systems for precise measurements of : Thickness Centre thickness Edge drop Thickness profile Wedge and crown bow Width There are included many application examples, important technical data, measurement principles and the characteristic features of the different types of systems.

Five major markets represent 70 percent of the total sales volume: China, Japan, USA, South Korea and Germany.