Articles and News

Holcim’s Cement plant in El Salvador uses the ETAP Real-Time Intelligent Load Shedding (ILS) system to reduce power outages.

Flowserve will supply pumping systems for the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant located in Carlsbad, Calif.

9,700 manufacturing and industrial professionals gathered for Automation Fair, hosted by Rockwell Automation.

Honeywell’s Profit Suite R400 process optimization software will be deployed at two of Maoming Company’s ethylene-cracking facilities.

Conveying gratitude to ISA members for bringing energy and vitality to the Society

While the UK, Ukraine and Poland are at the forefront of shale gas production, the industry will be affected by uncertain policies of local governments in other countries.

FactoryTalk VantagePoint Mobile App works natively for Windows 8.1, taking advantage of the new features in Microsoft’s latest operating system update.

Emerson will install its Ovation control system at two 1,050-megawatt, ultra-supercritical, coal-fired power generating units under construction at the Taean thermal power plant in South Korea.

These systems include the largest low-speed dual pinion mill drives in the world. The first line has been in operation since January, the second since February and commercial production was reached by mid-August 2013.

Metso DNA Turbine Automation system will be used on all future projects where TSL supplies turbine components and other materials.

ISA education and training in December features new course offerings

By Pat Garrehy, Rootstock When SAP recently decided to stop working on its mid-market BusinessByDesign Cloud ERP product, it didn’t take long for the competition to voice their opinions.

Robotic Industries Association (RIA) announced that Applied Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) has received the RIA Certified Robot Integrator designation.

The alliance supports retrofits of W501F, W501B, W501D5A, W501A, W501D5 and W251 gas turbines, as well as all models of Mitsubishi and Westinghouse technology steam turbines

Emerson will provide an Ovation expert control system, Rosemount wireless measurement and analytical equipment, AMS Suite predictive maintenance software, and CSI Monitor for turbine vibration analysis.

Jacobs Automation provides the iTRAK System motion control solution used in packaging, material handling and other applications for the machine builder market.

In case of an unexpected shutdown the remote diagnostic services will enable ABB service teams from anywhere in the world to quickly provide support via a secure remote connection.

September U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $397.57 million, up 5.8% from August but down 31.1% when compared with the total of $577.17 million reported for September 2012. 2013 is down 11.3% compared with 2012.

The slogan for HANNOVER MESSE 2014 is “Integrated Industry – Next Steps.” Exhibitors in Hall 7 are focusing on tools and systems for the next steps to the industrial revolution known as Industry 4.0.

On-line training Program includes a 20-Course eTraining Program on Electrical and Motor Controls (EMC) and a 17-session course on Programmable Controllers (PLC).

Alarmax will distribute Moxa's hardened IP network video surveillance products and high-performance edge-to-core industrial Ethernet solutions.

E+H invested over eight million euros in a new production facility for flow, level and pressure measuring instruments in Brazil.

AADvance Workbench 2.0 is now an integral part of the PlantPAx process automation system, and has a multiuser, multicontroller environment with built-in version control and traceability.

By Bill Lydon, Editor While industrial Ethernet is being adopted at a high rate, the majority of connected nodes (73%) are still traditional networks like DeviceNet, PROFIBUS, Modbus, SERCOS, Foundation Fieldbus, ASi, and others. In order to gain a clearer understanding of the trends, I spoke with Tom Moore, Research Analyst at IHS's Electronics and Media Group.

Can Early Involvement Improve Operations and Maintenance in the Safety Life Cycle?

The FDI specification and Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) specifications are being handed over to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for Committee Draft for Vote.

The ISA Automation Week program included 24 technical sessions, organized into six educational tracks.

Igus is a founding member of the new university/industry partnership program REM-C (Roboticists, Engineers & Manufacturers Consortium).

Emerson opened its $25 million global headquarters for the design, testing and manufacture of regulator technologies, including pressure regulator and relief valve solutions.

In an automation career, you will be amazed how a quick admission of error can defuse a potentially bad scene.

NGS Facts web site gives public access to information about the contents of the fracturing fluids being used for shale wells in Europe.

Service guides users through a step-by-step process selecting and evaluating suppliers and their products against specific application and industry requirements.

You have until November 15 to take the annual ‘Metrics that Matter’ research survey on MOM software, cloud computing and Big Data.

Capping valves replace old valves and actuators that needed manual assistance in the chip filling phase at Stora Enso Fine Paper’s Nymölla mill in Sweden.

Most recently, Kok was VP of Marketing for ARC Advisory Group, and previously worked for GE, Intellution, Kepware, VenturCom, and Nematron.

In an age of increasing visa restrictions, oil & gas companies are trying to lure their world-travelling engineers back home. Good luck with that.

Robotic Industries Association (RIA) granted Rimrock the RIA Certified Robot Integrator designation.

The guide includes both selection criteria and guided workflow steps to help in choosing the controllers and/or system that best meets specific current and future site needs.

Enhancements in VPSRemote allow users to link their plants around the world and provide operation support and engineering services from specified locations on the network.

The convergence strategy starts with standardization on open systems across the platforms to provide customers with interoperability, secure communications and an optimal user experience. OPC-UA is first.

Altivar 212 mobile programming application and iPad converter cable allow users to perform all Altivar 212 and S-Flex drives programming through Apple iPads.

The ERD hygienic design features a round body, smooth edges, stainless-steel construction, welded joints, and a special hygienic bracket to prevent contamination of food processing environment.

Understanding the scope and linkages between automation and business systems is crucial.

Beamex and ISA will work together to provide ISA members and customers with access to Beamex’s calibration resources, including publications, case studies, seminars, expert advice, and more.

Collectively the three events showcased more than 2,100 exhibiting companies on 150,000 square meters of gross display area and attracted 77,067 visitors from 80 countries and regions.

This support channel can handle virtually all makes and models (inch and metric) and return the reconditioned ball screws quickly to service.

Standalone industrial routers may not disappear, but their revenue market share is set to decline over the next five years, according to IHS.

Scope of Registration includes design, manufacturing, assembly and distribution of motion control products and accessories.

Eric Byres, chief technology officer with Tofino Security, received the 2013 International Society of Automation (ISA) Excellence in Leadership Award.

DRV is an industrial automation distributor, systems integrator, engineering and field service provider founded in 1981. They serve the Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New York area.

An awards ceremony held during the 2013 Honeywell Users Group Symposium in Nice recognized key distributors.

Dursun Can Ozcan has been named the winner of the annual Honeywell UniSim Design Challenge student competition for the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) region.

By Dr Harry Zervos, IDTechEx Energy harvesting is the process by which ambient energy is captured and converted into electricity for small autonomous devices, such as satellites, laptops and nodes in sensor networks, making them self-sufficient. The market for energy harvesters is expected to reach approximately $150 Million in 2014.

Stantræk invested in two UR5 robots from Universal Robots that operate 16 hours per day without safety fencing.

The Kudgi plant, which is being constructed in the Bijapur district in Karnataka state, will have a total output of 2,400 MW from three 800 MW units.

Rene Aldana will become the Managing Director of Yokogawa Canada.

Metso will supply automation for the Dangjin 4 Biomass Power Plant, currently under construction in Dangjin City, about 70 km southwest of Seoul in South Korea.

With a central Partner County pavilion in Hall 3 and a suite of national pavilions dotted around the exhibition venue, the Netherlands will have a strong presence in all of HANNOVER MESSE’s main theme areas.

Metso will also provide its On-site Supervising Service at the Gdańsk refinery so as to ensure that daily maintenance and turnaround activities always meet the high standards set by Grupa Lotos.

Preem will use the enhanced high performance process manager to as much as triple the capacity of the refinery’s existing controllers.

By Bill Lydon, Editor The time has come for a new acronym. The new high level of communications and computing at end devices is opening the possibilities for holistic and adaptive automation with the goal of increasing efficiency. This is a logical evolution in step with the “Internet of Things” trend and will lead to more responsive and efficient production.

What are the Advantages of Electronic Document Management for the Automation Industry?

The growth in the market mainly comes from industries such as machinery, food & beverage, water & wastewater, electric power generation, automotive, and buildings.

ISA-100.11a-2011, "Wireless Systems for Industrial Automation: Process Control and Related Applications," received approval from all 21 participating National Committees of the IEC.

Courtney Hill, President, CJ Hill Consulting Services and retired General Manager, Manufacturing & Quality at GE Aviation, will become President and Chairman of the Board.

Transmode updated to OrCAD eCAD and Omnify Empower PLM software from Cadence Design Systems.

Catalog assists engineers in specifying the right flow, level or temperature instrument for improving plant process control lines or increasing OEM equipment performance.

KAMO will replace a legacy Siemens TG control system with the OSI transmission and distribution management system.

App gives iPhone, iPad and iPod device users ready access to Molex products and support for industrial automation projects.

Where possible, use a diaphragm actuator sized to meet at least 150% of the maximum thrust or torque requirement.

The ERP in the Cloud market in India is comparatively less mature than the other markets in the world, says ARC, which offers no market numbers.

The two-day event took place at the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing (ISW) at the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

The International Federation of Robotics elected Arturo Baroncelli of Comau Robotics in Italy, as President.

Teams of middle and high school students design, build, program and document original autonomous robots to play in an open-solution tournament.

NSL Analytical Services uses e Mastersizer 3000 laser diffraction particle size analyzer for physical material testing in the aerospace, ceramics and powder metallurgy industries.

Rockwell Automation presented Manufacturing Safety Excellence awards to General Motors, PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble.

BuildingIQ’s cloud-based energy efficiency and automated demand response software has been installed in casinos, government and commercial buildings in Las Vegas. One casino gambled and saved 12% on HVAC costs.

Under the motto of “Intelligence in Production,” solutions were presented at EMO Hannover 2013 that efficiently integrate new information technologies.

DCS shipments, after returning to pre-slowdown levels in 2010, saw strong double digit growth in 2011, says ARC.

The center will enable upstream oil and gas operators, developers, and systems integrators to devise high-performance measurement and automation solutions that incorporate CSE Semaphore's products.

ISA will conduct a Wireless Applications educational track at its upcoming 2013 ISA Automation Week Technology and Solutions Event, 5-7 November in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

A Takumi VC 0852 CNC machine with Mitsubishi Electric M70 controls has been installed at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières to train a new generation of factory automation professionals.

VMonitor provides monitoring and control solutions for wellhead and upstream applications that combine wireless instrumentation and communication with visualization software.

Exida certified the Rosemount 5300 Series Guided Wave Radar Transmitter meets the functional safety requirements for Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 capability per IEC 61508: 2010.

MuraControl for iPad is an intuitive touch panel interface that replicates the video wall on the tablet so users can effortlessly switch, scale, and manage inputs to create and/or access previously saved layouts.

To achieve a successful industrial automation project implementation, it’s important for everyone to be involved with the process.

As director of engineering in charge of embedded GUI tool development, Maxwell will lead Express Logic’s efforts to offer GUI design tools and technology for real-time embedded systems.

The symposium, to be held 6-9 October 2014 in Houston, Texas, USA, is a collaboration between ISA’s Process Measurement and Control Division (PMCD), Safety and Security Division, and the Chemical and Petroleum Industries Division (ChemPID).

The AST4530 submersible pressure transducer has been certified by CSA International to Class I Div 1, Groups C and D for use in intrinsically safe areas with an approved barrier.

Cisco, Panduit, Rockwell Automation and ODVA are sponsoring a new online community that extends the Industrial IP Advantage website.

Revenue for gearboxes, geared motors and planetary axles sold for applications such as cranes, cement mixers and bulldozers is projected to reach $7.8 billion by 2017, up from $6.7 billion in 2012.

Creaform is a developer and manufacturer of portable 3D measurement technologies and a provider of 3D engineering services.

The SMI tool helps manufacturers see where they measure in safety culture, compliance and capital.

The company is relocating staff to a new 54,000-square-foot facility located at 13560 Morris Road, Alpharetta.

With IXXAT Safe, HMS offers a product family under the IXXAT brand for fast, cost-effective implementation of safe communications solutions for Profinet and Ethernet/IP.

GE will provide TOTAL with system set-up and installation of Proficy SmartSignal, project implementation and monitoring services and support.

1000 pp catalog contains photoelectric, inductive, capacitive and cylinder sensors, along with accessories and cables.

Understanding Safety Life Cycles

By Bill Lydon, Editor This new initiative, supported by CISCO, Rockwell Automation, Panduit and ODVA, supports IP network convergence between the enterprise and plant floor. The Industrial IP Advantage website and activities are an agnostic way to share best practices, information, and educate the industry to accelerate adoption of IP technology.

Thermoelectrics satisfy a need that other energy harvesters do not -where there may be no movement, RF field or other viable form of ambient energy other than a heat gradient.