Articles and News

Frost & Sullivan has selected ABB as the recipient of its 2006 South Asian Technology Leadership Award for Process Automation Suppliers. The award recognizes ABB for the outstanding performance and technological advances of its Industrial IT Extended Automation System 800xA.

Lantronix announces four new products and signs Neteon Technologies, Inc., as a sales partner.

National Instruments reported record revenue in Q3 2006 of $164 million, a 16 percent increase over Q3 2005. Revenue was up 11 percent in the Americas, up 14 percent in Europe and up 30 percent in Asia.

Power Efficiency Corporation was featured in a news article on CNET highlighting the Company’s energy efficiency technology for electric motors. CNET is a news website where people go to discover the latest in technology and consumer electronics.

At this week’s Automation Fair event in Baltimore, Rockwell Automation showcases its broad portfolio of safety products and solutions designed to help manufacturers deploy safety systems that help achieve their production goals and increase safety for employees. From simple relays and sensors to fully integrated control systems, Rockwell Automation offers the tools and expertise to help manufacturers shape their safety solutions to support both manufacturing and safety goals.

Rockwell Automation unveiled the expansion of its Integrated Architecture production control and information system, including significant additions to the Logix Control Platform and FactoryTalk integrated production and performance suite. The additional functionality further aides real-time information exchange between production and the rest of the enterprise, improving user responsiveness, increasing productivity and safety, while reducing development, commissioning and operational costs.

Rockwell Automation announced that it has formed the FactoryTalk Information Solution Provider Program, an initiative that will result in an extended network of approved information systems professionals to help manufacturers build successful plant-wide information applications and manufacturing execution systems (MES) using the FactoryTalk integrated production and performance suite.

Rockwell Automation is showcasing their overall system capabilities including batch tools, safety systems, advanced process control capabilities and migration solutions for legacy PLCs and DCS systems. In addition, Rockwell Automation is discussing its partnership with Endress+Hauser, one of the world’s leading suppliers of process instruments, and unveiling migration plans for legacy DCS systems.

Sales for the third quarter of 2006 totaled €3,480 million, up 15.3% from the year-earlier period. Acquisitions (primarily Juno Lighting, BEI Technologies, Merten and Clipsal Asia) contributed €216 million, or 7.1% of growth for the period.

KUKA Robotics awarded its top system partner awards to AMEC, Forte Automation Systems and AMF Automation Technologies. AMEC received the Innovation Award 2006, Forte Automation Systems received the System Partner of the Year 2006 award; and AMF Automation Technologies received the New Partner of the Year 2006 award.

ArchestrA Bulk Import Utility 1.0 simplifies the conversion of legacy system applications to Wonderware's Industrial Application Server, which is built on the ArchestrA software architecture and improves the productivity and maintenance of industrial information and automation systems. The ArchestrA Bulk Import Utility is available at no charge for use with a Wonderware development license and the Industrial Application Server 2.1 Patch 01 or higher.

Under the terms of the five year OEM agreement, which Symbol will be Datalogic’s exclusive supplier of laser scan engines and provide wireless technology. The contract’s total value is currently estimated to be up to $60-75 million over the five year term.

Ceyrolle will be responsible for managing Cognex's direct sales organization as well as all of its channel sales worldwide for the company's Modular Vision Systems Division, the largest division at Cognex.

BHP Billiton's Yabulu Nickel Refinery and has signed a AUD $2.1 million dollar contract for the final stage of a boiler upgrade initiative at the nickel and cobalt processing operation near Townsville (Queensland, Australia). This latest deal represents the final stage of an AUD $10.4 million enterprise relationship between Matrikon and BHP Billiton.

The new facility will house and safeguard a substantial part of the UK's national collection of books and journals, currently requiring an additional 12.5 km (7.7 miles) of shelving space per year. The storage unit incorporates 262 linear km (163 miles) of high-density, fully automated storage in a low-oxygen environment.

Thr ISA-SP99 Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security committee plans to issue its first two standards and an updated guideline for committee voting -- while launching a new working group to develop another key standard in the ISA-99 series.

ISA's SP100 Wireless standards committee plans to merge two working groups, ISA SP100.11 and SP100.14. ISA SP100.11, which covers industrial process measurement and control, and ISA SP100.14, which focuses on optimized solutions for industrial monitoring, will be combined into ISA SP100.11a, a new working group.

ISA has been selected by the US Department of Commerce to participate in its upcoming Business Mission to India. The Commerce Department's International Trade Administration will host a U.S. delegation to the India Business Summit November 29-30, 2006.

Emerson Process Management, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR), announced that the company has been awarded a contract to provide PlantWeb digital plant architecture and engineering support for the construction of multi-feedstock biodiesel refineries by BioSource America, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nova Biosource Fuels, Inc. (OTC: NVAO).

Alarm Analytics helps customers utilize industry standards-based alarm management, reporting and analysis within a familiar Microsoft Excel environment. Alarm Analytics provides users with 15 industry standard reports for quick presentation of KPIs such as alarm distribution, tag frequency/chattering, cross-correlations, operator response time and operator changes by interval.

Flowserve has received two awards from Frost & Sullivan honoring its market leadership in the pump sector. The two awards cite Flowserve's excellence in providing superior value to its customers and its global penetration in the oil and gas industry.

ICONICS was nominated for Microsoft Corp.’s Partner of the Year Award for Sales and Marketing in ISV/Software Solutions. Nominations were announced at the recent Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference.

ICONICS receives two patents for technology used in MobileHMI wireless mobile Web telephony software and Pocket GENESIS, mobile Pocket PC industrial software, and DataWorX32 Data Aggregation and Redundancy technology.

ICONICS is celebrating 20 years of providing Web-enabled, OPC-based, HMI/SCADA Visualization and Manufacturing Intelligence software for Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Invensys Process Systems has been awarded a project by Petrofac Facilities Management to enable migration of the aging Emerson Fisher Provox system on the Kittiwake production platform in the central North Sea to a new Foxboro I/A Series process control system. This is the second process control project awarded to Invensys by Petrofac in recent years.

Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) will implement I/A Series distributed control systems (DCS) from Foxboro for a hydro power generation and pumped storage automation upgrade project. Located at the 1,088-megawatt Takuan Hydro Power Station in Nantau County in central Taiwan, the new implementation will utilize the Foxboro high-speed mesh control network backbone to maximize system availability and reliability.

Dr. James Truchard gave the keynote address Oct. 16 at the National Science Foundation-sponsored Workshop on Cyber-Physical Systems in Austin, Texas. This new government research area involves computer-based systems that exhibit a deeply integrated, real-time interaction between computer and physical components.

Opto 22 named Mark Engman President and CEO effective immediately. Engman succeeds his father, Opto 22 founder Robert (Bob) Engman, who will continue with the company in a consultative and advisory role.

WINA will join the Automation Federation as a charter member. WINA is a coalition of industrial end-user companies, technology suppliers, industry organizations, software developers, system integrators, and others interested in the advancement of wireless solutions for industry.

ISA's Executive Board voted today to provide a new member benefit of free downloadable ISA-developed standards. ISA Members will be able to download (in PDF form) any ISA standard for free as of January 1, 2007.

Emerson will be sponsoring speakers at several upcoming trade gatherings to educate the industry on the risks and issues associated with salvaged, remanufactured and surplus equipment. It will work with FM Approvals and others to spread the word that such equipment may not be entitled to bear the FM NRTL mark

Ethernet Direct is cooperating with KTS Optonics Co. Ltd., to set up Ethernet Direct Korea. KTS Optonics was established in 2001 as a fiber optic product supplier, and grown to be the leading supplier of fiber and networking products in Korea.

GE Fanuc signed a marketing agreement with SAP to jointly market GE Fanuc Production Management solutions and SAP applications, easing plant floor and enterprise integration. This relationship allows both companies to leverage each other’s strengths to meet the needs of customers in important Americas markets.

Devon Energy Corporation eas recognized for Innovation and Excellence in SCADA applications for Oil and Gas. The presentation was made during ISA Expo at the Control Microsystems booth.

To fulfill requirements for a wide variety of customers, Air Purity is achieved via incorporation of Oil-Free Rotary Screw, Oil-Less Scroll & Oil-Free Vortex Blower compressor technologies. Hitachi’s Air Technology Group Products are incorporated into many market applications such as medical, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, electronics, etc. With nearly 100 years of experience in air compression, Hitachi is able to provide the customer with proven, reliable and efficient options.

Thermo Electron will showcase its full complement of process control products in booth #1332 at the ISA Expo in Houston, Texas from October 17-19, 2006. At the ISA Expo, Thermo’s booth will feature process analyzers, air, gas and liquid flowmeters, density meters, and level sensors.

Verano expanded the worldwide distribution network for its security event management solution, Industrial Defender, with the addition of six new resellers in EMEA and Australia. New partners include ATGS in Russia, CSE-Uniserve in Australia, Emte Sistemas in Spain, Ferranti in Belgium, Qpit in the Netherlands and Vision Automation in Italy.

Siemens will display its Totally Integrated Automation in all levels from Process Analytics and Process Instrumentation to Process Control. Siemens will also showcase the PCS 7 integrated control & safety system platform that has been selected by several major oil & gas and chemical companies for both new and modernization projects.

KUKA has been selected by Dyco Inc. as its robotics supplier for its new robotic bulk palletizer system. Dyco will use the KUKA KR 180 PA palletizing robot fitted with head tooling in its robotic bulk palletizing system which will give manufacturers the flexibility to palletize multiple empty plastic bottles and bottle configurations with minimal downtime between change over.

Wonderware achieved certification from the Support Center Practices (SCP) certification program for the fourth consecutive year. Wonderware again met the SCP compliance requirements, as well as the SCP community benchmark average.

ISA's new standards committee that is working to adopt the generic device description language specified by IEC 61804 for device integration has released its first committee draft for ballot. The Electronic Device Description Language is used to create an Electronic Device Descriptions (EDD) file for intelligent devices to integrate these with control systems and portable tools.

The JTRS SDR development kit, jointly developed by Xilinx and ISR Technologies, is the industry’s first to support partial reconfiguration within the complete Software Communications Architecture (SCA). This makes it the first complete SCA development platform for developing, verifying and demonstrating any waveform on a SCA-enabled System-on-a-Chip (SoC) platform using partial reconfiguration in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). ORB express RT serves as the sole Object Request Broker (ORB) supported by the JTRS SDR Kit.

The US Patent Office issued seven patents to Sionex for devices used in the detection of industrial chemicals, explosives and chemical warfare agents. Sionex was founded in 2001 with technology exclusively licensed from The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory.

Atmel and Tendril will integrate and bundle Atmel’s AVR® Z-Link™ 802.15.4/ZigBee™ hardware solution and Tendril’s network operations platform software for WSCN – enabling customers to integrate and deploy the Atmel wireless networking platform with IP networks, PC/PDA-based applications and other aspects of enterprise computing systems.

ICS Triplex has chosen the Green Hills Platform for Industrial Safety for its next generation of safety-rated, fault-tolerant control and safety systems. The Green Hills software allows ICS Triplex to design and deliver control systems that meet and exceed international safety standards.

RTA-OSEK RTOS has been integrated with the MULTI integrated development environment (IDE). Developers of automotive ECU software can now reduce their development time, produce code with fewer bugs and lower their production cost.

Intermec's Oct. 24 60-minute live webcast webinar covers Engine and Component Tracking: Logistics and Error Proofing with RFID. It will be conducted by Tech Center President Chuck Boyles, Bradford Beale of Comtrol and Intermec's Mike Fisher.

Junot Systems and Loftware have signed a letter of intent to integrate Loftware’s Loftware Print Server (LPS) application with SAP® R/3® and mySAP® using Junot Systems’ patented NLINK® product suite with its SAP-certified interfaces.

Designed to make RF power measurements in both field and R&D lab environments, the compact Model 3500 provides the accuracy of a benchtop RF power meter with the convenience of a portable instrument at half the cost of competing products. With a wide frequency range of 10MHz to 6GHz, the Model 3500 is useful in a variety of applications, including test of mobile phone and cellular infrastructures, WLAN devices, RFID readers, WiMax devices, and wireless sensors.

Danaher Motion has signed two new Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) technology partners - the US group Jervis B. Webb Company (Farmington Hills, MI), and TTS Port Equipment AB from Sweden. Central to this strategic cooperative venture is Danaher Motion’s NDC8 control platform, to be used by both companies in their AGV solutions. AGVs that feature NDC8 technology are particularly easy to manage, maintain, reconfigure and expand, while reducing total cost of ownership.

Theorem Solutions has been invited to partner a major automotive OEM in a project involving the importing of parts and assemblies for design in context.

GMagnum OGP (Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals) hardened Ethernet Switches and Serial Media Converters meet both the UL 1604 Class 1 Division 2 certification for use in hazardous environments and IEEE PCIC draft specifications for 14-mil silicone-based conformal coating that protects equipment against even highly corrosive gases such as hydrogen sulfide and benzene.

The Automation Standards Compliance Institute is an ISA-owned non-profit organizational entity that will assess automation-related standards compliance. The institute's charter includes a wide range of standards compliance assessments including, software or hardware products, implementation methods, solutions, companies and individuals.

Cirronet will show an end-to-end Condition-Based Operations (CBO) platform with Aleier, Inc., at booth #2370 at ISA EXPO 2006, October 17-19. The Cirronet/Aleier CBO platform streamlines integration of Cirronet's industrial wireless sensor networking with Aleier's Enterprise Asset Management system (EAM).

Enhancements to Advanced Alarm Administrator (AAASuite) Version R1.20 include static alarm suppression, excluding suppressed alarms from analysis, and removing limitations of CENTUM CS Controller-dedicated Function. Once problems and issues have been identified and prioritized by Exaplog, AAASuite then optimizes and enhances alarming functions to pave the way to an effective alarm management practice.

Enhancements to Exaplog Event and Analysis Package version R3.10 software include: increase number of days of data the can be displayed to 31 days; increase the maximum number of events that can be displayed to 1,000,000; increase the maximum number of events per day that can be saved to 150,000; add Fieldbus related messages to the types of messages that can be saved and analyzed.

ISaGRAF is the software of choice for Rabbit Semiconductor's new Embedded PLC Application Kit. The Rabbit Embedded PLC Application kit includes all of the hardware and software required to develop this low-cost PLC replacement system: the ISaGRAF Application Workbench, ISaGRAF programming cable, and the Rabbit BL2500 single board computer with embedded micro PLC firmware kernel.

Alloy, an Australian manufacturer, wholesaler and distributor of computer networking, communications and associated products, has set up Global Ethernet Direct’s new base in the Pacific Rim to serve customers in that region.

RFID Gen 2 printers will be installed at check-in counters to further enhance the existing RFID baggage sorting system, which was first installed in 2005. HKIA is the first airport in the world to implement an end-to-end RFID baggage tagging/sorting system.

NWA's SPC and manufacturing analytics software is now referenced in the Encompass Partner Program. SPCx is a drop-in ActiveX component for HMI/SCADA systems that includes a version for RSView. Quality Analyst is an off-line SPC charting and analysis package that provides comprehensive SPC charting, process capability analysis, and manufacturing analytics using data from any ODBC-compliant database.

By combining the P6010 COAX vacuum pump with an air-saving cruise control (PCC) feature and a durable BL-3P suction cup, PIAB offers the first complete solution for a variety of plastic bag handling applications in the packaging industry.

These sales follow previously announced tests at these three facilities. The tests, which were verified by the local utility, confirmed that Power Genius saved 28% to 40% of the electricity used electric motors in multiple escalators and an elevator.

At PACK EXPO this year, Rockwell Automation (Booth No. N-4457) will demonstrate how its wide range of integrated control and information systems can provide manufacturers with significant productivity and cost savings benefits while helping OEMs enhance their competitive position.

The TECStation Xtreme NEMA-rated workstations allows companies to safely implement computers in hazardous manufacturing and production environments where flammable gases and vapors are present. The stainless steel enclosure meets NEMA 4/4X requirements and is suitable for Class I, Division I and II locations (as designated by the NEC).

Device Description (DD) Version 3.1. standardized source code library has been enhanced to make it even faster and easier for developers to build Device Descriptions (DDs) for new FOUNDATION instrumentation. All standard parameter labels and help strings have been translated to German. The library includes new manufacturer names and IDs, unit codes, and bugs have been fixed in response to action requests.

The ISA Human-Machine Interface Standards committee has identified five key areas, based on their scope statement, on which their standard will be focused. The topics that the committee will focus on are information display, process visualization, user interaction, performance, and documentation and training. They will divide into working groups next week at ISA EXPO in Houston, Texas, to work on the development of each topic.

Executives from leading global motion control companies have launched a new trade association to serve the interests of motors, drives and controls companies. Known as the Motion Control Association (MCA), the new trade group will promote the use of mechanical and electronic (mechatronics) motion control technology, which currently accounts for more than $44 billion in annual sales globally.

OMAC Packaging Working Group (OPW) will highlight the business value of implementing their industry automation guidelines on packaging machinery at PACK EXPO International being held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, from 29 October - 2 November 2006. Demonstration units implementing OPW guidelines from 17 diverse hardware and software suppliers will be showcased.

Viola Systems announced Teledata Technologies in Mexico City has become its strategic partner for the Mexican market. Teledata has served the Mexican communications industry since its inception in 1992, first as a training and technology transfer provider, then as a consultant to Nokia Telecommunications, and as a distributor of Nokia and many other mobile phones and Telcel's mobile services.

"Introduction to Fieldbus" white paper explains, in terms any engineer, technician or operator can understand, how fieldbus works. It strips away all the confusing terminology and explains: differences between FOUNDATION Fieldbus H1 and PROFIBUS PA; elements of fieldbus; how fieldbus device couplers work; how fieldbus instruments connect to a segment; how short-circuit protection works, and why it sometimes doesn't let you install 32 devices on a segment as the specifications claim; and more.

Microscan Systems achieved 2nd place out of 800 manufacturers considered for Quality magazine’s Quality Leadership 100 survey published in September, 2006. Microscan is the only manufacturer of auto ID equipment on the list, and ranked ahead of Fortune 100 companies such as Honda (3rd). General Electric (4th) and Delphi (66th).

TURCKs Network I/O catalog combines nine other catalogs and brochures for a comprehensive compilation of TURCK network I/O products. The 590-page catalog introduces many new products that have never before been offered in a TURCK catalog.

Computer Aided Solutions' data acquisition catalog has complete product specifications and application notes for the company's line of ADwin Real-Time Data Acquisition Systems. The catalog features diagrams, schematics and technical data for a wide range of systems and applications that include complex triggering, fast open- and closed-loop control, intelligent signal generation, and control of complex test parameters.

Eagle Technology acquired Equipsoft Corporation, a maintenance management software (CMMS) vendor based in Knoxville, TN. Eagle focuses on facility maintenance and asset management withits ProTeus family of products. Equipsoft offers a complementary product line.

iFIX is now available in Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Polish, and Russian. iFIX is an HMI/SCADA solution for monitoring, control and distribution of plant-wide data.

JMP Engineering was chosen as a finalist in the Mobility Solution of the Year category for their Mobile Inventory and Production Solution for Manufacturers. JMP is the only industrial automation, control, and data solutions provider so recognized.

Telemecanique's U.S. Web site makes it easier for users to navigate to the automation and control information they need. The site's drop-down navigation menus allow visitors to reach their destination in a minimum number of clicks. The revised Web site is designed as a resource library for OEMs, system integrators and control panel builders in a variety of industries.

The Stockholm office of Danaher Motion won first prize in Sweden’s Posten Logistics Award contest. The prize is awarded to the company or organization that has created the most effective, innovative and creative logistics solution that also increases the competitiveness of the company.

Mustang formed an alliance with Cutler Technology Corporation to be the preferred independent service provider for CTC's [ADMC] adaptive multivariable controller and CTC-Sim operator training technology.

Available in 14 countries around the world, Medallion Complete covers virtually all repairs, including those required due to incidental equipment damage. Medallion Complete is now available on most Intermec data collection devices, including handheld mobile computers, scanners, fixed and mobile RFID readers, printers and many accessories.

Line standardization includes methods of control, power, and positioning. Transfer cars are motorized vehicles that travel from station to station on a straight, fixed track, and provide an alternative to a fixed pallet conveyor.

Starthis and MasconIT are sponsoring a free Web Seminar on Oracle Manufacturing Intelligence - driving the next generation of manufacturing. The one-hour Web Seminar is on Tuesday, October 17th at 9:30am CT. This free web seminar will provide cost-savings tips that will help an enterprise run more efficiently.

James Burke, the renowned science historian, author, lecturer and television host, will present his ideas on technology and innovation at Thermo Informatics World (TIW) 2006, a user group meeting and informatics conference hosted by Thermo Electron Corporation. Burke will be keynote speaker during the general session of the three-day conference, being held 7-9 November at the Hotel InterContinental in Prague.

ProSafe-RS Safety Instrumented System has received type approval from certification organizations in the United States, France and the United Kingdom for use on floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.

KUKA will demonstrate its new intelligent mixed product picking concept at its booth (#S-830) at PackExpo 2006, October 29-November 2nd in Chicago, Illinois. The interactive demonstration will allow attendees to create a pallet consisting of mixed products on the show floor by selecting items using an easy-to-use control panel.

The website explains key alarm management issues highlighted in guidelines issued by the Engineering Equipment & Materials Users' Association (EEMUA), the UK's Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the ISA's SP18 Committee. With sample screen shots and tutorial style online movies, the website allows visitors to quickly grasp how ICS software can be used in a day to day plant environment.

The 2007 catalog showcases over 130,000 products from Allied’s 300+ suppliers, including new suppliers such as Panduit, Kemet and Microchip. The inclusion of 25,000 new products ensures engineers have access to the latest technology from suppliers such as Honeywell, Phoenix Contact and Vishay.

Milwaukee Art Museum selected Eagle Technology to supply its ProTeus V Professional Edition and interface to the Johnson Controls Metasys Building Automation System for the museum's maintenance work management needs. This will ensure the proper work is scheduled and completed without reliance on management intervention, freeing up more time for strategic issues.

Industrial leaders will be sharing the latest standards updates with ISA EXPO attendees on 17-19 October at Reliant Center in Houston, Texas. The 30-minute Automation Standards Briefings will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about the work of leading professionals and industry associations to develop industry standards and guidelines.

ABB earned the Frost & Sullivan "Growth Excellence in Market and Product Leadership of the Year Award, for 2006 Low Voltage Drives." Technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development were contingencies Frost & Sullivan included in its evaluation, noting that ABB's global Low Voltage Drives business unit has excelled across them all.

To encourage users of Foxboro or other vendors' control systems to take advantage of performance services designed to help improve plant performance and safety, Invensys Process Systems announced three limited-time offers for plant-level performance services: Control Performance Analysis; One Industrial WiFi wireless hot spot; and Elimination of up to 20 nuisance alarms.

Rosemount Analytical Oxymitters have replaced the previous sample extraction-based oxygen measurement system used on the catalyst regeneration unit at Total Raffinaderij Antwerpen, Belgium. The more reliable readings from the Oxymitter have improved continuous catalyst regenerator (CCR) performance, helped the plant increase safety, and reduced maintenance time.

Peter Lapins and Darren DeAnda have been promoted to the position of Partner, effective immediately.

The scope of the $500,000 contract includes demolition and removal of an existing absorption chiller and installing a new 1020-ton centrifugal chiller. The project is located at the Lebanon VA Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

“Software for Next Generation Automation and Control” paper touches on topics such as requirements for the next-generation of automation and control, the IEC 61499 standard itself, and the IEC 61499-compliant ISaGRAF 5.0 software development environment. The white paper can be downloaded.

Ethernet Direct is cooperating with ICSystems to set up Ethernet Direct's base in Central Europe. ICSystems in Greece provides products and solutions for factory automation, process control, manufacturing intelligence, industrial communications and energy management.

Intermec received an award from Frost & Sullivan for RFID market strategy leadership in the Asia Pacific market for the years 2005-2006. The award is presented each year to a company whose market strategy has yielded significant gains in market presence during the research period.

AMF (Richmond, Virginia) will use the KUKA KR 180 PA palletizing robot in its meat stacking and de-stacking system. The system will be demonstrated at AMF's booth (#S-2234) at PackExpo 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, starting October 29th.

Advanced Technology Services announced an agreement with O'Neal Steel's Shelbyville, IN, facility to provide production asset maintenance services. ATS will implement disciplined processes, systems and teams, thereby enabling O'Neal Steel to maximize the performance of its facility.

The sessions bring users of industrial automation solutions together to discuss their experiences. BOF roundtable discussions will focus on ABB, Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Emerson, and Honeywell platforms. The discussions, by invitation only, are not open to vendors or press to ensure a free, open environment to discuss user issues.