Articles and News

3D3 Solutions is a supplier of 3D scanning software and hardware products based in Burnaby, Canada.

ISA Training and Education in May: Learn, Advance, Succeed

Website describes S88 Builder, a configuration system developed based on the ISA-S88 standard for best practices of control operations at batch processing plants.

Data acquisition and development tools reduce development time and provide complete data logging solutions.

The open source offering includes software for ISA100.11a and WirelessHART, including Field Devices, Backbone Router, Gateway, System Manager and Security Manager.

Logic Supply will carry three ASRock IPC motherboards, which will be incorporated into Logic Supply’s lineup of industrial PCs.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Industry 4.0 was a thread in the presentations at the Hannover Messe 2013 opening ceremony under the umbrella of this year's "Integrated Industry" theme. The term "4.0" represents a belief that industry is entering a fourth industrial revolution.

By Matthew Littlefield, LNS Research This article will investigate the traditional approach to audit management. Then, with the use of benchmark data from the 2012-2013 LNS Research Quality Management Survey, I'll discuss the benefits of automating the process.

MOHR will supply its EFP-IL SFPI system as a solution for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Order EA-12-051 requiring installation of SFPI in all U.S. commercial nuclear power stations.

Prior to joining Moore Industries, Watson was the Director of Global Marketing and Communications at Goellner, Inc., a manufacturer of machine tools and machine components.

Dresser-Rand will implement the Experion Process Knowledge System (PKS) Turbomachinery Control Solution in a wide range of control applications.

The three millionth ACS550 drive rolled off the production line on March 25th, marking it the first for an ABB drive series to reach the three million unit production mark.

A supplier selection can end your career or launch it. With leaner engineering departments and more options to choose from, selecting the right solution is an ever growing challenge.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Representatives of pharmaceutical companies from around the world discussed the topic of real-time data integration and dashboarding. Each participant identified their company's progress and shared first-hand experiences. This is the fifth article from the PAR series.

5,833 robots valued at $341.2 million were ordered from North American robotics companies through March, an increase of 14.5% over the same period in 2012 and 10% above the previous first quarter record set in 2005.

Amaco Automation will serve the oil and gas market with controls engineering and automation services.

The user organisation saw a significant increase in the number of visitors to its booth as well as in the quality of contacts compared to the previous year.

The EMO Hannover 2013 will show how sustainable production, from raw materials to recycling, secures global competitiveness.

The RDC6332G control card is the RuiDa technology the sixth generation of carving/cutting control system general hardware platform which the science and technology in April, 2012 grandly promotes.3.5 inch 320*240 picture element 32 real color TFT screen; Ethernet connection and USB connection; Integrates the RDC633XG general platform therefore hardware characteristic; Reaches as high as the 2MHZ high speed data transmission; Presente in figures and diagrams demonstrated; Dynamic demonstration path processing advancement and fiducial mark; The static state looks at the memory document in advance; Direct revision chart level parameter and other parameters; Support mouse operation. The RDC6332G system is the RuiDa technology the technical development the newest generation of laser carving/cutting control system, this control system has the better hardware stability, has a better anti-high-pressured, the anti-electrostatic disturbance characteristic.Has the friendlier operation contact surface based on the LINUX man-machine operating system and a more formidable function.This controller including the more perfect more outstanding movement control function, the large capacity file memory, the two-circuit independent adjustable digital/simulation laser power source control connection, the compatible stronger U plate driver, the multi-channel general/special-purpose IO control, the integrated special-purpose time system support hardware encryption algorithm, may choose and so on with the PC machine communication support ethernet communication and the USB communication.

PAS declares themselves “The Human Reliability Company” reflecting the company’s commitment to developing products to empower the human factor at the plant facility – the operator.

Take the time (and spend the money) to show appreciation to the crews on an industrial project start-up or during a major production outage.

DC brushless motor shipments will outpace shipments of DC brushed and stepper motors used in automotive applications from 2012 to 2017.

The IviACPwr specification describes the IVI class of drivers for AC power sources.

B2MML & Integration Fundamentals training courses will allow students easier access to classes and offer them two options for earning a MESA Certificate of Awareness (CoA) online.

Process Safety Fundamentals (EC50CT) provides a sound foundational understanding of leading process safety concepts, standards and procedures, and accentuates the need to regard process safety as a fundamental daily priority.

The center will now serve as a regional production facility, combining integration services, parts distribution and manufacturing in a central location.

ABB will supply two 3,700 MW overhung synchronous motors and an ACS6000 MV drive inverter, power transformers, medium and low voltage switchgear, and a System 800xA control system.

ISA will conduct three knowledge-intensive training programs in Houston, Texas, USA over four consecutive weeks in June 2013.

The EMO trade show in Hannover, Germany will be held from September 16 to 21, 2013.

Emerson's DeltaV digital automation system and its project and engineering support services have successfully passed annual best practice standards set by Wurldtech Security Technologies.

Custody transfer measurement on barges is shifting from traditional methods under open conditions—allowing vapor to escape from tanks—to closed solutions, eliminating vapor release to the atmosphere during tank gauging.

Investment in process control system documentation has become critical for industrial project as well as business success.

The program will help a company's senior leadership understand the business value of MES, MOM and ERP.

ThreadX RTOS has been certified by SGS-TÜV Saar to IEC 61508 and 62304 for use in safety-critical systems.

Banner contributed more than $35,000 in products to help the museum bring its newest exhibit, Sensor Zone, to life.

Almost entirely student-designed and built, the charging port includes 12 south-facing solar panels, Apollo Solar inverter and Concorde AGM batteries that collect sunlight during the day.

Nagatsu joined Yaskawa Electric Corporation in 1989 and was General Manager of the Business Planning Department and General Manager of the International Sales Department.

By installing wired and wireless Korenix industrial Ethernet switches in 22 of its trackside railway stations and 96 field level sites, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway eliminated the risk of broadcast storms on its monitoring and control system network.

Founded in 1988, the instrumentation and controls company has sold over 10,000 remote monitoring and control systems to customers in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

The project includes miles of inverted friction drive system at the Chrysler Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, which will be used in the body paint process, as well as for delivery of car bodies between the paint shop and general assembly system.

Power-One is a provider of renewable energy and energy-efficient power conversion and power management solutions and a designer and manufacturer of photovoltaic inverters.

Emerson will supply an Ovation control system, AMS Suite predictive maintenance software, valves and smart wireless instrumentation to the waste- and biomass-fed power station at Morcenx in southwestern France.

Share knowledge, network and stay current at ISA Automation Week

By Bill Lydon, Editor The umbrella theme of the 2013 event was “Integrated Industry” that encompassed technology, cooperation and collaboration across corporate and sector boundaries. The Integrated Industry theme has become important with the continuing integration of mechanical design, embedded automation/control, business system integration, and machine–to-machine (M2M) communications technologies.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Representatives of pharmaceutical companies from around the world discussed the value of integrated manufacturing systems. Each participant identified their company's progress and shared first-hand experiences. This is the fourth article from the PAR series.

Sales revenue this year of hazardous area equipment in the Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) region will grow by less than half of what was estimated in 2012.

The mill had previously used a magnetic flow meter to measure the flow of white liquor. The flowmeter was occasionally subjected to a significant vacuum that partially collapsed the liner, so they replaced it.

The best measurement location maximizes the sensor sensitivity and maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio and minimizes deadtime.

By Pat Garrehy, Rootstock What you should know before selecting your Cloud ERP solution. If an organization is considering a Private Cloud ERP vendor, it needs to undertake some comprehensive analysis to be assured that this vendor can satisfy all of their business requirements.

By Carl Benfield, Prescient Power With incentives delivering short payback terms, great quality products, and prices at a record low level, now is the time to build extra income streams and insurance against rising fuel costs into your business plan.

In February 2013, almost 9 years after introducing VEGAPULS 68 radar sensor for bulk solids, VEGA delivered the 100,000th sensor.

GuiXT Liquid UITM Client app, available through the App Store, requires no additional infrastructure for users to experience SAP GUI on Pads, iPhones and iPod touch devices.

E.ON will use Ventyx software in its new smart grid control center in Malmo, Sweden.

Honeywell will install an Experion Process Knowledge System (PKS) to modernize the integrated control room at the Tokuyama Refining and Petrochemical Complex in Japan.

176 Russian exhibitors took part in HANNOVER MESSE, occupying a display area totalling 5,000 square meters.

Increased investments, government regulations and the exploration of new oil and gas deposits will favor the development of the automation and control solutions (ACS) market in Russia over 2013-2016.

Products in the catalog include hazardous and emergency lighting, and surge suppression products.

Beckhoff Automation relocated to Savage, Minnesota where the company has constructed a modern business complex with over 44,500 square feet.

ITS will upgrade nine Siemens S5 PLC Water Distribution Systems with Siemens S7 equipment in the QAB and Formulation 1 plants at AstraZeneca’s Macclesfield site in the UK.

Manufacturing IT Project Pitfalls (Part 2)

The free tool allows a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the data traffic in sercos III networks, easing development, testing and troubleshooting.

Using CNC hardware and software from NUM, Favor Laser in Taiwan developed a high precision laser cutter that is capable of producing very small or very large parts from sheet metal.

IMS says the oil and gas business along with the water and wastewater industry will generate the largest growth of all application markets for medium-voltage motor control centers (MCCs) and soft starters.

The Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering (CSEE) presents the award annually to companies, institutes or individuals that have played an important role advancing China’s electric power industry.

The guide includes both selection criteria and guided workflow steps for choosing an HMI/SCADA software supplier.

This year’s HANNOVER MESSE attracted 6,550 exhibitors from 62 nations and a total of about 225,000 attendees.

The eleven trade fairs staged under the umbrella of HANNOVER MESSE 2013 from April 8 to 12 had 6,550 exhibitors.

The entire auto seat assembly process is managed by an Integrated Systems Design (ISD) PC-based quality assurance system that improves overall seat quality by monitoring the seat assembly and sequencing process.

The 48,000-square-foot building is expected to be completed in March 2014, and will be a state-of-the art customer support, training, and sales and marketing center.

By Bill Lydon, Editor At the recent Manufacturing in America Symposium, hosted by Siemens and Electro-Matic, automation professionals from Ford and General Motors shared their perspectives on a number of automation issues including the lack of engineers, data connectivity, integrated safety, demands on global suppliers, and much more.

Yokogawa will supply control systems and operator training simulators for the Shoaiba II combined cycle power plant, which is being built in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Electricity Company.

New equipment includes a CNC lathe, a box fabricating machine, and a flame cutter to increase production of Valvekits.

Manufacturing IT Project Pitfalls (Part 1)

Software PDLP simplifies functional safety software project management. Three training courses are scheduled.

Users of enterprise asset management (EAM) and computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software report low levels of access to these systems through handheld mobile devices.

Fairbanks Scales is now running IFS Metrix Service Management, encompassing service functions ranging from work orders, service inventories, contract management and mobility.

The videos report feature product launches, customer and employee interviews and other top stories from the fair.

The Experion Process Knowledge System and Experion Orion will be among the Honeywell control and safety systems showcased in this facility.

The successful industrial manager has to have the skill and desire to manage clients, motivate and develop others, provide technical direction, ensure quality, keep the schedule, watch the budget, mit

The country’s economic slowdown impacted multiple markets that use the devices, including appliances, automotive and housing. But they'll be back.

By Pat Garrehy, Rootstock ERP software providers often confuse potential customers with cost comparisons relating to software license, implementation, ongoing maintenance, future enhancements and customizations between Cloud and On Premise solutions. The costs are actually about the same.

Frost & Sullivan says the market earned revenues of $704.2 million in 2012 and is estimated to reach $928.0 million in 2016.

The factory expansion - an investment of more than CAD $3 million for the company - follows a period of sustained growth, with demand for field shelters increasing by some 500% during the last two years.

Emerson will supply 600 Fisher control valves and regulators, including rotary, globe and butterfly type devices. The valves will be deployed throughout the refinery, including within the residual fluid catalytic cracking unit, naphtha processing units and new LPG storage unit.

ABB will supply and install four complete mine hoist systems between 2015 and 2018.

Certification provides a formal recognition of individuals who have demonstrated proficiency within, and comprehension of, a specialized body of knowledge at a particular point in time.

KUKA Roboter won, followed by EEP Maschinenbau and Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

Point Grey added 15,000 square feet to its Canadian headquarters to increase manufacturing capacity and accommodate a warehousing facility.

The 12th Annual Outage Management for Power Plants Conference will be held August 6-8, 2013 at The Westin Dallas Park Central in Dallas, TX.

PTS Mobile allows users to initiate a replacement order for hoses and fittings directly at the point and time of need from their smartphone.

Beamex develops, manufactures and markets calibration equipment, software, systems and services for the calibration and maintenance of process instruments.

The company provides industrial automation, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) distribution services, controls engineering, field service, maintenance and engineering services.

IMS Research says the global market for direct drive torque motor modules has grown from $98 million in 2008 to $195 million in 2012 and will grow to nearly $300 million in 2016.

The Pneumatics Technology courses introduce the principles of pneumatics and pneumatically controlled systems commonly used in automated manufacturing environments.

App allows engineers to input any two of the key variables of volts, amps, ohms and power, and calculates the other two.

KW Software of Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the 50th PI Competence Center (PICC) for PROFIBUS and PROFINET.

Both companies will work on a system that will allow the capture, exchange and utilization of data and information spanning the entire plant lifecycle, from engineering through to plant operations.

Essential Asset Monitoring solutions provide 24/7 automated monitoring and continuous asset health analysis of the CO2 separator’s bottoms pump, air water column blower, stripper cross exchanger and boiler blower.

The commissioning and configuration of digital communications of a field-level network at an industrial operation, such as Foundation Fieldbus, is fundamental to obtaining certification of the digital

The ION SA5600-SAL is a security appliance with an embedded Avaya Secure Access Link (SAL) Gateway that provides IP and secure dial-up connectivity to Avaya and heritage Nortel systems.