Articles and News

The site contains videos, quick-start product guides and a library of code that help customers reduce the complexity of selecting, designing and configuring control systems. The site includes tools such as CompactLogix System Quick Start, an easy-to-understand guide designed to help reduce the time and cost associated with engineering, configuration and installation of a midsize control system.

Cooper Bussmann, Inc. is the primary sponsor for the #63 NASCAR Craftsman Truck operated by MB Motorsports race team. Cooper Bussmann will run a limited schedule of races including Dover, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Atlanta and Homestead-Miami.

TectoYou is sponsored by the Federation of German Industry (BDI) under its business development program "Germany - Land of Ideas" and by Deutsche Messe. TectoYou provides a program of information and events targeted directly at young people, professionals, and university graduates who are coming to the end of their training and need to find their way around the world of work.

The agreement, which could be worth up to $5M over the next three years, covers DSP real-time operating systems for select Agere Sceptre and Vision mobile handset platforms, and future platforms. Enea's OSEck (OSE Compact Kernel) is a DSP-optimized version of Enea's full-featured OSE real-time operating system.

The service improves workflow efficiency in laboratories. It uses advanced models and both automated and non-automated approaches to identify and eliminate pinch-points and to plan for future changes. Invetech provides advice on workflow issues and will find the best solutions for each individual laboratory.

Emerson will replace the existing turbine control system for Unit 1-2-3 at Marion Generating Station in southeast Illinois. The site consists of six units owned by Southern Illinois Power Cooperative. Emerson will install its Ovation turbine control system technology to replace existing turbine controls.

The contest objective was to foster development and propagation of improved test techniques to advance nanotech measurement art. Researchers who submitted entries are making complex and advanced measurements for applications as diverse as characterization of carbon nanotubes, electrical contact resistance, electrode spacing via atomic layer deposition, characterization of semiconductor junctions, and studies of nanoscale electrochemical modification in electronic devices.

The Siemens Automation Summit will be held June 12-15, 2007 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando. The theme of this year's event is "Automation, Innovation, Inspiration."

The site offers improved navigation, secure order entry, search capability and an interactive calendar to keep industry informed about all of ODVA’s activities worldwide.

Brochure covers three printing and labeling systems for use in industrial applications such as terminal block labels, wire markers, cable tags, switch and pilot light name plates, equipment labels and component labels.

Advantech will co-sponsor an automotive research lab administered by the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at Penn State. This project develops a campus-wide hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) capability to test advanced vehicle powertrains and controllers. Advantech will supply industrial PCs, embedded PCs and accessories.

The $13.5 million project will use Honeywell’s Business FLEX applications, integrated with third-party technologies, across Dolphin Energy's entire gas production, processing and pipeline distribution network in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

ICONICS, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner provider of Web-enabled, OPC-based, HMI/SCADA Visualization and Manufacturing Intelligence software for Microsoft Windows operating systems, announces our participation in Microsoft’s “Ready for a New Day Launch Tour 2007” held in major cities across the United States.

Gibson Engineering is the ICONICS distributor for all six New England states. Gibson is the largest Machine Vision reseller in New England. Established in 1945, Gibson Engineering is an Automation Solution Provider serving the six New England states with regionally located sales engineers and technical support team.

An I/A Series DCS was installed at the recently constructed Cilacap Power Plant, a two-unit, 600-megawatt coal-fired generating plant located at Cilacap, on the south coast of central Java in Indonesia. The new plant is to date the largest coal-fired generating project imported to Indonesia from China.

Ameren selected PAS' Alarm Management Optimization Real-Time (AMO-Rt) software for its enterprise-wide alarm management initiative at all 30+ electric power generating facilities. The AMO-Rt license includes modules for Alarm & Event Analysis, Documentation & Rationalization, Audit & Enforce and State-Based Alarm Handling, providing functionality not previously available to Ameren.

Somji founded Matrikon in 1988 and was chief executive officer until December 2005 at which time he retired to become Chairman of Matrikon’s board. Somji has stepped down as Chairman of the board but will retain his directorship. Hugh Bolton, who most recently acted as Lead Director following four years of service as board Chairman, will resume the role of Chairman.

The center to be named the “ONU Robotics Technology Center of Excellence, powered by KUKA Robotics Corporation” will provide students with hands on design and programming experience using KUKA robots, controllers and software. The university opened the center located in Taft Memorial Hall on South Union Street in Ada, Ohio, on January 26th, 2007.

Downloadable brochure describes VSA-1214 and VSA 1215 handheld instruments for vibration data collection and analysis.

Market Intelligence Service (MIS) provides a database of global statistics for all automation and software products. It lets you select more than 40 automation and supply chain products, choose a worldwide or individual region or country view, analyze over 20 specific industries, and select the currency to view results.

Dr. Paul McKenzie, Vice President and General Manager at Bristol Myers Squibb, and Walter Boyes, Editor-in-Chief at CONTROL Magazine, will give keynote addresses at the WBF 2007 North American Conference. This year's conference will be held April 30 - May 3, 2007 at the Tremont Grand Conference Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

The video tutorial and training site, learn.automationdirect.com, is divided into product categories. It helps answer questions on a range of automation topics such as Selecting a PLC, Building a Combination Manual Motor Starter, HMI and PLC software features, the basics of sensors, motors and motion control, and more. Typically, the presentations are divided into several 1-30 minute segments.

Gumlink, a Denmark-based chewing gum manufacturer, used GE Fanuc Production Management software for improved decision-making, to increase production efficiency by 10%, and achieve payback in less than three months.

Falcon's UPS is the recipient of the Chaos Manor Users Choice Award, given by Dr. Jerry Pournelle, columnist and science fiction writer.

Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical will deploy Pavilion's Polymer Solution on extruder and reactor control applications on six polymer lines, including two Innovene polyethylene lines, one Innovene polypropylene line and three polystyrene lines.

ISONAS joined the HID Connect Partner Program.

Adept has been selected by a major Prescription Benefit Management (PBM) Provider as the robotics supplier for its automated distribution center. Cobra i800 robots will be employed as intelligent handlers used in sorting and filling orders for prescription drugs destined for the expanding home delivery market.

BP presented its Digital & Communications Technology (DCT) Helios awards to BP teams that collaborated with Emerson to develop innovative wireless technology.

MOXA's industrial Ethernet switches, media converters, and serial-to-Ethernet servers have been certified by the DNV and GL classification societies.

“UV Luminescence Sensor Application Handbook” has been updated with new application descriptions, including control of wood optimizing saws, and control of glue dispensing on packaging. The revised handbook also contains new illustrations and updated specifications.

The theme of this year's General Assembly, "Changing the Playing Field," reflects the Fieldbus Foundation's emphasis on providing a total automation infrastructure management solution for industrial end users. The event will address key topics such as open scalable integration, process integrity, and business intelligence.

Automation Systems Interconnect cut prices by 10% during the month of February on the CSF5 5 amp power supply.

JMP Engineering is now a Certified Member of the international Control Systems Integrators Association (CSIA).

Banner Engineering kicked off the 2007 racing season by capturing 2nd and 4th place finishes out of 44 starters in the GT class of the Rolex 24 at Daytona this past Saturday/Sunday.

ABB will supply all the electrical, control and fieldbus communication equipment for the project, including the incoming 132KV electrical substation, medium-voltage switchgear and protection devices, low-voltage motor control centers, variable-speed drives, low- and medium-voltage motors, sectional drives and motors for the new pulp dryer, Industrial IT Extended Automation System 800xA for control and integration, as well as the Information Management System.

GE Fanuc is working with SunBio Systems to provide biodiesel production systems. SunBio Systems' skid-mounted, “quick-start” biodiesel machines range from university grade research and development systems to mid-sized plants that produce up to 15 million gallons of biofuels per year. The SunBio biodiesel machines are based on GE Fanuc controller systems.

CV60 vehicle-mounted computers, IV7 vehicle-mounted RFID readers and IA33E RFID antennas are available for use in real-world RFID scenarios at Microsoft Technology Centers in Austin, Reston, Chicago, Boston, Silicon Valley and New York.

In this new position, Alex Zrolka will be charged with the planning and execution of business development strategies that will be essential for the successful growth of the company in the US life sciences market. Prior to Invetech, he held marketing management, business development, sales and consulting positions with Biotech Envoy, Genicon Sciences, QIAGEN, Bio-Rad laboratories and DNAStar.

Matrikon has been recognized as one of the world’s top five providers of alarm management software by the readers of Control magazine.

Rimrock Corporation, New Berlin, WI, will use the KUKA KR 60 robot in its RoboRouter 200 automated routing, cutting, and trimming system. It uses the KUKA robot inverted and mounted to a Güdel TrackMotion system providing a reliable and cost effective alternative to manual or CNC router operations.

SWF Companies of Reedley, CA, is a provider of automated machinery for packaging products in cartons and corrugated containers and for palletizing complete loads. The addition of SWF to Thiele brings together packaging machinery names as Bliss Machinery, Salwasser, Padlocker, Tisma, Dyna-Pak, McDowell International, Tri-Sterling, and GSMA Robotics and System Integration.

intelligent RollerDrive uses Interroll's RollerDrives and Holjeron's sensorless Zonelink Low Pressure Accumulation (LPA) control module. The result is a conveyor system that provides enhanced control capability, improved diagnostics, and lower installed cost.

The operation has offices in Vietnam, and agents in Singapore, Thailand and Middle East.

The 135,000 square foot facility is now in use for encoder assembly and R&D. The building, designated A30, has five floors each with approximately 27,000 square feet, and currently holds about 600 employees.

ProsCon Holdings Ltd. is a privately held engineering firm headquartered in Cork, Ireland, with an office in Dublin. ProsCon primarily serves major customers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets.

The funding will support the Society of Manufacturing Engineers' Science, Technology and Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Camps and Academies as well as Project Lead the Way’s (PLTW) “Gateway to Technology” middle school curriculum. The programs expose students to the exciting possibilities of manufacturing and engineering careers.

Avnet Electronics Marketing will serve as a stocking distributor worldwide for all PITTMAN brand products, effective immediately. Products include brush- and electronically-commutated BLDC motors and stepper motors.

Stratum, Intermec and other industry leaders have helped create an RFID (radio frequency identification) program at Oakton Community College, in Des Plaines, Ill. Oakton's RFID program provides hands-on experience in a simulated industrial warehouse environment to prepare students for opportunities in the workplace.

The 60-page handbook offers an overview of the emerging test technique known as parallel parametric testing, a strategy for wafer-level parametric testing that uses concurrent execution of multiple tests on multiple scribe line test structures and helps semiconductor fabs maximize their test throughput and reduce their cost of test.

The entire 240-page, full-color guide is now available on a CD. The catalog is a PDF file, bookmarked for the user's convenience, and covers linear and rotary positioning stages, frameless kit motors, gearheads, integral gearmotors and a section devoted to Parker Bayside's Engineered Solutions Group. Users can have the catalog in either hard copy or digital format.

Microsoft and the OMAC Microsoft Manufacturing User Group (MS MUG) hosted the Manufacturing Operations Forum in Redmond, Washington, last week. Presentations from the forum will be posted on the MS MUG website next month.

Cyco Software has signed IT Consol, the largest MRO reseller in Central America, and Synapsis, one of the largest IT providers in South America.

Keithley was recognized for outstanding customer satisfaction by VLSI Research Inc, who provides independent customer evaluations of semiconductor equipment suppliers.

The United States Patent Office issued a reexamination certificate upholding the validity of one of National Instruments' patents, U.S. Patent No. 5,301,336 ("'336 patent"), which relates to National Instruments' LabVIEW software. The reexamination process resolves a challenge started on June 16, 2004, by an anonymous petitioner.

Honeywell acquired the Advanced Process Control (APC) and Optimization business of PAS Inc., a leading software provider for the process industries. The acquisition includes all the software offerings related to the APC business. As part of the deal, Honeywell acquires PAS’ Advanced Process Control and Optimization employees and will continue to serve the division’s customers.

The IF5 Fixed RFID Reader was ranked the top performer in adjacent dock door use by U.S. RFID testing lab ODIN technologies.

Part identification markings and tags -- which remain readable after exposure to the extreme levels of ultraviolet radiation, atomic oxygen, hard vacuum, and contamination in low earth orbit -- will be evaluated and then certified for use on future space vehicles and added to NASA's part identification requirements.

Free guide, "The ABCs of Ethernet Troubleshooting," asks 22 common questions to consider when troubleshooting a network. The questions include “Do the link LEDs indicate proper cable connections?” or “Are you connecting a single-mode fiber optic device to a multimode fiber optic device?" And more.

Evans Adhesive chose the DEACOM Integrated Accounting and ERP Software System to replace its partially integrated accounting program and formula management software. The goal of the project was to make business processes simpler and more efficient for the Columbus, OH-based supplier.

Xycom Automation is adopting Pro-Face America as its new corporate name.

The CE Mark indicates conformity to the legal requirements of the European Union (EU) Directive with respect to safety, health, environment, and consumer protection.

Mark Whitaker has been hired as Regional Sales Manager for states in the U.S. Mountain Time Zone. Based in the Denver area, Whitaker will provide direct sales support to Beckhoff customers located in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming.

Advance Sales & Engineering of Big Lake, Minnesota, will be representing Groschopp's fractional horsepower OEM motors in the territory of Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

The new design avoids consuming too much power by activating only portions of the Anisotropic Magnetoresistive (AMR) array electronics in a systematic way.

ISA and the Open Applications Group have entered into an agreement to cooperate on joint projects and exchange standards documentation. The first step taken under this cooperative agreement is OAGi's commitment to express the ISA-95 data models in the OAGIS standard.

Unison has won an order worth over $2.5 million to supply tube-bending machinery to Northrop Grumman Newport News for aircraft carrier production. The order is for three of Unison's Breeze machines, to bend tubes of up to six inches in diameter, plus tooling and spares. Delivery will start in April 2007.

Codelco will use Honeywell’s automation systems to improve concentrator plant performance. Codelco produces 1.8 million tons of fine copper per year, about 15 percent of the world’s production.

Umetrics and Matrikon will combine Matrikon's ProcessMonitor products with Umetrics' SIMCA-P+ and SIMCA-Batch On-Line data analysis products for the seamless installation of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) solutions in the pharmaceutical market.

The Setra Model 201 is used during the boiler firing rate test, the testing phase whereby the boiler is tested to make sure the boiler is firing at its designed rate. To accurately determine the gas flow rate the pressure of the gas flowing into the boiler must be known and the Model 201 is used to measure this pressure.

The term "multi-axis synchronization" refers to the motion which requires coordination, and the techniques used to achieve control of the motion. With today's increasing automation and machine sophistication, the control applications have become more demanding, and the control techniques have improved.

T-Slot Parts Supplement 2 offers a new line of fasteners, connectors, joining plates, hinges, floor to frame and other accessories that fit 80/20’s 10, 15, 25 and 40 Series T-slotted aluminum profiles.

Walco was recently certified as Siemens Solution Partner Automation. There are only 11 Solution Partners (AC/DC drives) with this certification in the United States.

By Moxa A mine uses a combination of Moxa's AWK-1100 wireless AP/Bridge/AP Client and an industrial Ethernet switch. PLCs connect to the switch, which connects to an AWK-1100 wireless AP. Another switch/AP combination is used at the control end of the system.

One-page application note describes an automatic fault-alarm system for conveyor belts that uses wireless to connect the conveyor controller to the main control system. When an error code is received, the PC searches its database to retrieve the error description, and then uses a TTS (Text-To-Speech) system or recording to broadcast the message over a loudspeaker.

Banner Engineering's 2007 racing season begins this weekend with the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona, January 27th and 28th at the Daytona speedway in Daytona Florida. Banner Engineering is campaigning two Pontiac GXP-R racecars equipped with in car and roof mounted camera units for direct coverage of all the action.

JAI, a manufacturer of high-performance industrial cameras, signed 1stVision of Andover, MA, to act as a channel distributor for industrial camera products throughout the United States and Eastern Canada.

Underwood Sales Corporation will become the exclusive representatives for SKC products throughout a six-state region of New England.

Adept has signed an agreement with Fundacion Fatronik for exclusive supply, distribution and service of a high speed packaging robot mechanism based on the four parallel arm concept. Fatronik will provide Adept with exclusive use of the technology. and both will fund commercialization of the mechanism.

By applying vibration and oil analysis technologies to the gas turbines on the Belgian Navy's mine hunter vessels, the mean time between maintenance (MTBM) has been extended from 2500 hours to 4000 hours, representing a saving of 71,000 Euros for each cycle. The savings enabled over the last seven years total nearly 1.5 million Euros.

Invensys will provide a comprehensive SimSci-Esscor operator training simulator (OTS) to PetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical Company for an integrated refinery and chemical revamping project, which will process imported sour crude from Kazakhstan. By using the system, PetroChina Dushanzi will be able to enhance the knowledge and competency of the operator, reduce the startup time and shutdown period, and improve quality by reducing off-spec product.

The CS200 Process Imaging System uses infrared sensor technology for temperature measurement, monitoring, control, and analysis of rotating kilns primarily used in cement and lime production. It provides full-color thermograms of the kiln surface, user-defined alarms, automatic fan control and extensive historical data analysis capability.

The prevalence of Wi-Fi technology in everything from notebook computers to cell phones to gaming devices has propelled worldwide sales forward again this year. Continued proliferation into phones and consumer electronics is expected to lead Wi-Fi unit sales growth to the half-billion mark by 2009.

Customers' dependence on wireless communications and their adoption of high-bandwidth 3G cellular services are the primary drivers of the global growth of in-building wireless systems that extend and create wireless coverage indoors. According to a new study from ABI Research, deployments of these systems are expected to result in revenues in excess of $3.6 billion by 2011.

Wi-Fi meshing, which allows wireless access nodes to achieve a longer range by using each other as repeaters, is becoming increasingly common in several markets. More than 50,000 Wi-Fi mesh AP unit shipments are expected in 2006, with almost 100,000 unit shipments expected in 2010.

While malware targeting mobile devices is a relatively recent problem, significant increases in shipments of smartphones, as well as increasing market penetration by Microsoft, have made mobile devices much more attractive targets for hackers. According to ABI Research, the newest and most intriguing market opportunity for mobile security is the growth of mobile device security managed services.

Loadstar completed a $7 million dollar Series B financing, raising more than twice the amount it originally sought.

He will be responsible for managing Beckhoff’s technical support, field service and repairs departments at the company’s Burnsville, Minn. headquarters.

Emerson won a $1.7M contract from Atlantic LNG to analyze the performance of process and mechanical equipment at the company’s Liquefied Natural Gas plant in Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago. The award is an extension to the existing contract. 340 items of equipment on Trains 1 to 4 will now be monitored by using AMS Performance Monitor.

Advanced Technology Services, Inc. (ATS) has opened its first international office in Monterrey, Mexico. The Monterrey facility currently employs 80 personnel, and ATS expects to double that number in 2007. The company will continue its international growth in 2007 by expanding its operations in Mexico even further and establishing offices in the UK.

The Executive Board is composed of the President, President-elect Secretary, Past President, Treasurer, six members from the Board of District Vice Presidents and the Board of Department Vice Presidents, the Parliamentarian (non-voting), and the Executive Director (non-voting).

Six FKI Logistex Condor very-narrow-aisle (VNA) automated storage-and-retrieval crane systems will be installed in Preferred Freezer's new public refrigerated warehouses. Preferred Freezer Services has 75 million cu ft of freezer storage in 14 facilities across the United States. Delivery of the new Condor crane systems for six additional facilities is scheduled to begin in June 2007.

Decoma International has deployed Infor ERP TRANS4M in a just-in-time environment at its new Toledo, Ohio facility. Decoma, which manufactures exterior vehicle appearance systems, selected the solution for its integrated electronic data interchange (EDI), financials and general ledger, and custom programming support capabilities.

Greg Chandler has been appointed President and CEO, and Ralph Damato was appointed Vice President, Product Management. Chandler was a founding member of Nematron in the early 1980s. Previously, Damato developed and marketed industrial computers and flat panel monitors for Xycom Automation.

Matrikon is one of “the top fifty automation companies in the industry,” says Control magazine. This marks the fifth time the Alberta-based industrial intelligence solutions provider has been so recognized since 2001.

Norfield has more than 30 years experience in vibration analysis and balancing, working with the UK division of Reutlinger GmBH and with American Hofmann, before starting an independent vibration, balancing and training company. He is the author of the book, Practical Balancing of Rotating Machinery, published by Elsevier Technical Press.

FANUC won the award for the development of a truck bedliner spray system. The bedliner spray system uses robots to spray special buffer material onto truck beds, which helps prevent cargo from slipping or damaging the beds.

Had trouble contacting your favorite automation vendor this week? That’s because Austin, Texas, otherwise known as the Silicon Hills and home to Indusoft and several major automation vendors, was hit by a winter storm on Monday, January 15, which essentially shut down the entire city and its automation industry for three days.

As chairman of the board of directors, Bauer will work with MESA to promote the exchange of best practices, strategies and innovation for managing manufacturing operations, as well as achieving plant-floor execution excellence. Bauer also has key involvement in the planning direction for the MESA conference.

Motion control systems are capable of extremely precise speed, position, and torque control. This article compares the three main motion control choices: standalone controllers, PC-based controllers, and PLCs. It describes how indexing, direction and electronic gearing are accomplished, examines future trends in motion control, and describes products available today for motion control.