Articles and News

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.

AutomationDirect’s technical support team compiled a list of frequently asked questions from customers on variable frequency drives (VFDs), on topics such as sensorless vector control, grounding, dynamic braking, ringing, standards, power cables, drives vs softstarts, low speed operation, line reactors, slow pump problems, and more.

The need for manufacturers to comply with supply chain and retailer mandates for tagged finished goods has led to rising interest in RFID for internal applications that promise greater ROI. The number of pilots that actually result in full-blown implementations will be a key determinant of the rate and timing of overall market growth.

The seminar, priced at $500, will take place on February 1, 2, and 3, 2007 at the Datastick Systems headquarters in Campbell, California. The seminar is designed for those interested in using vibration analysis for predictive maintenance and for customers using Datastick VSA series Vibration Spectrum Analyzers. It covers the basics of machine vibration and vibration analysis, operation of VSA-series analyzers, best practices in collecting and reporting vibration data.

HANNOVER MESSE 2007 (the Hannover Fair), which will run 16-20 April 2007 in Hannover, Germany, combines three international trade fairs -- INTERKAMA, Factory Automation and Industrial Building Automation.

Seminars are being held at WAGO's North American headquarters in Germantown, WI on the following dates: May 14-16, September 24-26, and November 5-7. Seminars include an introduction to the WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM hardware, an overview of industrial Ethernet components and protocols, and hands-on IEC 61131-3 programming with live demo hardware.

Ford Motor Company has awarded two grants, totaling $150,000, to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation. Since 1981, Ford has donated $1,608,000 to the SME Education Foundation for scholarships and other engineering education programs.

During the quarter just ended, Adept delivered $300,000 in vision-guided robotics to the Solar industry, bringing the installed base, in this sector, to over 75 systems.

New National Sales and Product Managers for North America are Kevin Kaufenberg, Electronics, Semiconductor & Metrology Div; Chris Weber, Machine Tool Div; and Tom Wyatt, Automation Div.

Schneider Electric’s annual sales amounted to €13,730 million in 2006, up 17.6% on a current structure and exchange rate basis. After sharp increases in the two previous years, growth reached a record 10.7% in 2006, reflecting the success of the initiatives launched under the new company program.

"Design Patterns for Flexible Manufacturing," by Dennis Brandl, documents effective rules that should be used when applying the ISA-88 standard to both batch manufacturing (called the S88 design pattern) and continuous and discrete manufacturing problems (called the NS88 design pattern for non-stop production).

The Regional Action Center (RAC) in Singapore will provide technical and training support for automation customers, plus regional sales support, marketing and business development functions. The opening ceremony for the RAC took place on January 16, 2007.

Emerson has received a $5.3 million contract from the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) to install PlantWeb digital automation architecture at the Seymour-Capilano Water Filtration Plant, which is under construction. When completed in 2008, it will be Canada’s largest drinking water filtration plant combined with the world’s largest ultraviolet (UV) disinfection facility.

The SSA deployed Intermec RFID hardware in its Supply Chain Management program to fulfill more than 42,000 orders for forms, publications and other documents each year and ship 240,000 line items to SSA office locations worldwide.

Organon, one of the largest manufacturers of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) worldwide, has installed PAS-X MES software in their new API-powder processing production facility in Oss, The Netherlands. Organon uses PAS-X for recipe management, weighing and dispensing, shop floor management, electronic batch recording, and warehouse management.

GE Fanuc will provide Kettering University with a set of manufacturing control components, consisting of Assembly Application Suite (AAS) hardware and software products to simulate manufacturing environments. Kettering will install the components in the University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) labs.

Paulett Eberhart has been appointed CEO and President of Invensys' Process Systems division headquartered in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Ms. Eberhart was previously with EDS, the global technology services company, which she joined in 1978. Ken Brown, who has served as Acting President of Invensys Process Systems since June 28, 2006, will re-assume his former position as General Manager of the division's Measurements & Instruments business unit.

The expanded facility, located at MGE's North American headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., encompasses over 25,000 sq ft including 28 test bays with a total electrical capacity of 12 MW. The expanded test site gives customers the ability to witness critical testing of their enterprise and data center power systems to assure operational functionality and interoperability of their entire power infrastructure.

American Power Conversion shareholders approved the merger of APC with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schneider Electric. As previously announced on October 30, 2006, APC and Schneider Electric entered into an agreement and plan of merger which provides, among other things, for each share of APC common stock to be converted to the right to receive $31.00 in cash.

In addition to several new product introductions, the DieGuard catalog features enhanced technical information for increased usability, including all dimensions to the thousandth of an inch instead of millimeters. DieGuard sensors are designed for feed, slug, stripper plate and part-out detection applications to prevent double hits and die crashes.

A survey of more than 340 regulated manufacturers throughout the world shows that those adopting an integrated, technology-based approach to compliance and traceability are 65 percent more likely to achieve “Best in Class” status and attain a competitive advantage. The report was sponsored by MasterControl.

Nu Horizons will provide sales and support throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the JAI and PULNiX camera brands to customers in the machine vision, medical, and scientific communities.

Zornio will direct strategic initiatives for Emerson Process Management. He will have a leadership role in prioritizing technology investments and identifying acquisition candidates. Zornio, a 21-year veteran of the process automation industry, most recently was director of product marketing for Honeywell.

Three free technical presentations for LIMS users wil be held at the forthcoming ArabLab 2007, Dubai International Exhibition Center (DICC), Dubai, UAE. The presentations will take place from Sunday 11th to Wednesday 14th February at the Abu Dhabi Room A, DICC.

The Collaborative Production Management Market for Process Manufacturing (CPM-P) is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 12% over the next five years. The market was slightly greater than $1.6 billion in 2006 and is forecasted to reach nearly $2.8 billion in 2011, according to a new study by the ARC Advisory Group.

Catalog covers acme leadscrews, advanced coatings and anti-backlash nuts that not only eliminate backlash between the screw and nut, they also maximize system stiffness and minimize lost motion.

Lyondell Chemical Company will license PlantTriage Performance Supervision Software at up to 25 of its manufacturing facilities worldwide. Lyondell will use the PlantTriage Performance Supervision Software to monitor and analyze real-time data from their plant control systems. Lyondell Chemical Company is North America's third-largest independent, publicly traded chemical company.

Bart Reitter, GE Fanuc Life Sciences Global Marketing Manager, will be speaking at the International Foundation for Process Analytical Chemistry (IFPAC) annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, January 28-31, 2007. Reitter’s presentation will discuss “Providing the Foundation for Routine Chemometric Processing in the PAT World.”

Ernest Rakaczky, cyber security program director at Invensys Process Systems, will be part of the Design Team for the PCSF Annual Meeting, to be held March 6-8th, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. PCSF was established to accelerate the overall security of control systems worldwide through cross-sector collaboration. It is one of several user and vendor forums sponsored by the US Department of Homeland Security.

More than 200 Square D/Schneider Electric business leaders will work alongside Gautier, Miss., residents Jan. 30 to build houses and community spaces for one of Habitat for Humanity’s largest corporate site builds. Schneider Electric will donate $7 million in Square D electrical distribution equipment to Habitat for Humanity over the next 4 1/2 years.

FlowSense BSG and Doody Mechanical will jointly market mechanical contracting capabilities and services to the local construction market, as well as pursuing federal and military projects nationwide. FlowSense and Doody Mechanical will offer complete mechanical services including: planning and design, engineering, procurement, installation, and project management of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), sheet metal fabrication, plumbing, and process piping.

ABB Automation World 2007 will be held at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, on 20-22 March. All individuals registering for a one-day ISA course will also receive complimentary access to the ABB Technical Training Program & Exhibits.

The new edition incorporates the uncertainty technologies embodied in both U.S. and international standards with a focus on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Zepnick, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, has incorporated the KUKA KR 15 SL stainless steel robot into its food handling and packaging system. The use of stainless steel on all the robot's surfaces, together with the high IP rating, makes the KUKA KR 15 SL robot suitable for all fields of application with stringent requirements as to hygiene, sterility and absence of particles.

Aspectrics was awarded a sixth US patent for its Encoded Photometric Infrared Spectroscopy (EP-IR) analyzers. The analyzers measure multiple gas components in the ppb to ppm range simultaneously, allowing for real-time monitoring of processes.

A General Meeting and Interoperability Testing Session will be held January 30 - February 1, 2007, in Austin, Texas. The event will feature a one-day PlugFest on January 30 that will provide member companies the opportunity to test prototype LXI devices for compliance with the LXI Specification and for interoperability between prototype devices.

Advantech won Intel's Multi-Core Solution Contest and the Intel Associate Partner of the Year awards.

Ethernet Direct and Ardan Control Tech Ltd. are holding a 1-day seminar in Haifa, Israel, on “Innovation in Industrial Controls” on January 25, 2007 at the Dan Panorama Hotel, Star Conference Room.

Martin Swarbrick has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer. Most recently, Swarbrick was Vice President and Director of Business Excellence for Motorola, when Motorola was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2002 and the Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame award in 2004.

Infor and Aberdeen Group will discuss overcoming the challenges of today’s complex compliance environment and the benefits of successful technology and organizational processes manufacturers can implement to achieve best in class compliance during a live joint webinar, Tuesday, January 16, 2007.

ATS is reducing its Automation Systems Group (ASG) workforce in North America by 180 people, with approximately 100 positions impacted in Cambridge, Ontario. The company is closing five operations in North America and Europe and investing in new facilities in China and Southeast Asia.

Infor ERP LN Feature Pack 3 delivers new features and improvements to increase visibility across operations; eases point-to-point integration of additional ERP solutions

Leonard Moore passed all the FAA requirements for his pilot's license, and now is certified to fly single-engine land-based aircraft. Mr. Moore has been flying since he was a teenager in Oelwein, Iowa, and soloed for the first time at age 16. Since then, he has continued to fly, but always with instructors or other certified pilots. When he rebuilt an old Ercoupe, he decided to use it to get his license.

Tom Kopanski, currently vice president of the Automation and Motion Division (AMD) has been named the new vice president of Power Distribution and Controls Division (PD&C). Raj Batra, vice president of the Automotive and Aerospace Center of Competence, has been named to the position of vice president of the Automation and Motion Division. These appointments will become effective, Jan. 15, 2007.

The Fieldbus Foundation announced the 2007 recipients of the James O. Gray-Fieldbus Foundation Educational Scholarship. They include Kenneth Ng Choon Guan, Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore; Jan Krak, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and Akira Uehara, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

Inter Reps Ltd., also known as Euro Reps / Latin Reps, will manage international sales and marketing for Aaxeon Technologies. Aaxeon is a developer and supplier of Device Networking and Industrial Communication products. Inter Reps provides international sales and marketing services to American manufacturers in the Industrial Automation market.

Calvin Wallace has been hired as Regional Sales Manager for Southwestern Ontario. Wallace will provide direct sales support to Beckhoff customers located in an area that extends from Windsor to Guelph.

Rexroth asked its associates to send humorous endings to the sentence, “You know you're an engineer if…." Here are the top 10.

Emerson announced a multi-million dollar renovation and expansion of its Fisher control valves research and development facilities in Marshalltown, Iowa. The project will create the Fisher Technology Development Center, which will be the industry's largest and most advanced flow control research facility.

Teams at the FIRST® (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competition will be using compnoents donated by Igus.

FORTUNE magazine released its annual rankings of the nation’s top 100 companies to work for, listing National Instruments as number 86. This is the eighth consecutive year National Instruments has appeared on FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.

The service offers customers customized ergonomic evaluation tools that can be embedded within standard ergonomic simulation software to improve their manufacturing process by automating repetitive tasks and providing detailed analyses.

Emerson acquired Damcos Holding A/S, based in Naestved, Denmark, a leading supplier of valve remote control systems, tank monitoring equipment, and complete marine tank management solutions to the global marine and offshore markets. It will immediately become part of Emerson's Process Management business.

GE Industrial will acquire the assets of Rochester, NY-based Microwave Data Systems (MDS), a subsidiary of Moseley Associates and a world leader in industrial, wireless, and networking solutions. The transaction is subject to customary government approvals and is expected to close in January 2007.

As a new Windows Embedded Partner, RTI extends its high-performance messaging and software integration solution, RTI Data Distribution Service, to provide support for Windows Embedded CE and Windows Mobile.

Schneider Electric purchased Power Measurement Inc. and its ION technology in 2005. It rebranded ION enterprise energy management products and solutions and will sell them as Square D PowerLogic products.

The Vishay Systems office in Sweden will install five custom-designed Vishay Nobel Reel Optimizing Systems in the Kondopoga Pulp and Paper Mill, located in the Karelian Republic in the northwestern part of the Russian Federation. Reel Optimizing Systems use strain gage-based load cells and transducer-based measurement and control technology to improve productivity at paper manufacturing plants. Completion is expected by May 2007.

The seminars will be held once per month and cover introductory, advanced, and popular topics in the automation industry. The first four seminars in the series are complimentary for members, while non-members will be charged $95 per connection. January's topic, "Make2Pack - The Automation Revolution," to be held January 31, 2007, will focus on the Make2Pack effort in the industry. The February seminar, scheduled for February 21, 2007, is entitled "Introduction to ISA-88."

This new facility provides Circonix Technologies with the increased space needed to accommodate their growing business and to better serve their customers. The Dayton office is the national service center for Circonix Technologies, coordinating service nationwide.

Providing accurate measurement of stroke, an embedded C-Series continuous position sensor located inside the electric, hydraulic or pneumatic actuator of a clamp ensures that a variety of parts can be clamped down in the proper position without sensor readjustment.

Shipments of SynqNet motion and I/O network now exceed 225,000 axes since 2003.

Ellison Technologies, a provider of engineered systems and industrial equipment to metal-working and metal-cutting manufacturers, has acquired Jackson Machinery Company, a privately held distributor based outside Cleveland, Ohio. The acquisition was effective November 3, 2006.

Nercon Engineering and Manufacturing,Oshkosh, Wisconsin, will use the KUKA KR 180 PA palletizing robot in its new system to load and unload mixed product from a tri-level accumulating conveyor system. The KUKA KR 40 robot will be used in the company's new order picking cell.

Rockwell Automation has named Christopher Zei vice president of its OEM initiative. Zei will be responsible for global sales, strategy and business development for all Rockwell Automation OEM-directed solutions. Zei, a 21-year marketing, strategic development, operations and management veteran of technology-related companies, was most recently the president/CEO of the North American operations at Schneider Electric’s ELAU group.

At ProMat 2007, Rockwell Automation will focus on critical issues facing material handling OEMs and end users including performance, life cycle cost, safety and information integration. The Rockwell Automation exhibit (Booth No. 1523) will showcase the company’s wide range of integrated control and information systems that provide manufacturers with significant productivity and cost savings benefits. ProMat 2007 is scheduled for Jan. 8 through 11 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Webinar covers Ethernet basics, Ethernet Protocols, complex MAC Addressing, IP addressing, SNMP, ARC and IGMP.

Honeywell will upgrade the existing Honeywell Printa Press Control System at NYA Wermlands-Tidningen's main operations in Karlstad, as well as extend it to a new third printing press at the site.

Invensys Process Systems and INVAP S.E. have renewed an existing cooperative business agreement for an additional three years. Under this alliance agreement, the companies will continue to work together to provide mutual customers with product and service solutions for the design, engineering, construction, control, protection, and maintenance of nuclear facilities.

Invensys will supply a mesh network-based Foxboro I/A Series distributed control system (DCS) to Plasco Energy Group for use in Plasco's Plasma Gasification Process (PGP). The DCS will provide process and facility control in the Plasco PGP, a non-incineration thermal decomposition process, which breaks down municipal solid waste (MSW) into simple components such as hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide.

Ralph Harris has been promoted to vice president, U.S. sales. Harris joined the company in 1991 as a regional sales manager in the Retail Products Division. Since that time, he has held numerous key leadership positions in sales, marketing and organizational development. Most recently, Harris held the position of regional vice president, Southern Region.

Another year is upon us, it's time to resolve, You promise to change, to improve and evolve. With all these revisions you get caught in a trance, Time goes to so quickly you don't have a chance.

The LS-4000E tilt-tray sorter and the LS-4000CB cross-belt sorter will be introduced at ProMat 2007, January 8-11 in Chicago, Illinois. The sorters offer a common platform that enhances system flexibility, as well as an energy system that reduces operating costs.

Middle-school students across the U.S. will be presented with positive, hands-on manufacturing experiences through exposure to careers in math, science and technology at the Science, Technology & Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Academies. Academy sites will expand from five to 50 throughout 2007.

Glen Pearson will assume the position of President of the Society of Manufacturing Engineering Foundation and Sandra Bouckley will become Vice President; Peter Mackie was re-elected as Treasurer and Dr. Winston Erevelles will serve as Secretary of the Foundation's Board. All terms will be effective Jan. 1, 2007.

The exhibit includes automated replenishment, sortation technology, and software in a fully functioning setting at ProMat 2007 in Chicago, Illinois, January 8-11 at McCormick Place.

Advantech has donated three lab setups of ADAM Industrial Ethernet hardware with ADAMView software to the University of Dayton with the aim of cultivating future talent. The products include analog and digital I/O modules, an industrial 10/100Mbps Ethernet Switch, and data acquisition software. The University of Dayton will use this product in three different classes.

ExperTune and TiPS have announced their 2007 User's Conference, to be held April 17-19, in Austin, Texas. The conference theme, "Build a Stronger Automation Foundation," will focus on technologies and techniques that restore and strengthen your automation infrastructure. TiPS is a pioneer in alarm management software.

Three seminars at the ProMat 2007 Knowledge Center, held January 8-11 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, will cover European material handling trends, automated replenishment, and order fulfillment

MHI has received a full-turnkey order from Empresa Electrica Guacolda S.A., an electricity provider in Chile, for a 152 MW (megawatt) coal-fired power generation plant to be built at the Guacolda Power Station in Huasco. The unit is scheduled to go on-stream in September 2009.

Manufacturing companies continue to increase investments in capital expenditures for automation equipment as they recognize the role of automation in the global market. As a result, the worldwide market for total process automation will grow robustly, with ARC expecting a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% over the next five years, to reach nearly $79 billion in 2010.

Souriau SAS will acquire the US operations of Pacific Aerospace & Electronics Inc. PAE designs and manufactures hermetic connectors, ceramic and metal components and assemblies, and advanced microelectronic packages. Souriau S.A.S. is one of Europe’s leading connector manufacturers. The transaction remains subject to US governmental authorizations and is expected to be completed by March 2007.

Just 25mm (0.98 in.) wide x 82mm (3.23 in.) long, the T2008 tongue-operated safety interlock switch is designed to provide a minimum of one million actuations in severely space restricted applications, and can be installed on one inch square tubing. 1 N/O and 1 N/C, or 2 N/C, contact configurations are available to satisfy Dual Channel Safety Monitoring requirements.

The new business division was formed to serve the requirements of system integrators and OEMs operating in the professional security market.

Shinden Hightex will distribute Imsys’ line of reconfigurable microcontrollers for the consumer and professional electronic product markets. Shinden Hightex is a leading distributor for electronics devices, LCD panels, various custom boards, etc. The head office is located in Tokyo, Japan, and eight local offices are located in industrial areas in Japan

Amplicon signed a rep agreement with Militram Israel. Militram, an expert in network and multi-process systems has sales expected to exceed $130 million this year. Based in Tel Aviv, it has over 30 years experience in both the medical machine vision and industrial control fields in Israel. Amplicon supplies Computing, Data Communications, Measurement & Control, and Security Automation solutions.

This year, Control Design sent out more than 15,000 surveys to its subscribers who are eligible to vote asking them for the industrial equipment suppliers that provide best value. Targeted readers included industrial machine builder professionals and system integrators.

The American Welding Society will release two new resistance welding standards: AWS D8.1M:2007, Specification for Automotive Weld Quality—Resistance Spot Welding of Steel; and AWS D17.2/ D17.2M:2007, Specification for Resistance Welding for Aerospace Applications. These ANSI-approved standards will be part of an extensive collection of technical documents related to resistance welding.

Intermec's donation includes the company's 761 ruggedized mobile computer and IP4 portable RFID reader along with a custom Intermec RFID application. The center works primarily in the retail, manufacturing and transportation domains to examine the use of RFID (radio frequency identification), its effects on business and society, and how best to use the technology within the supply chain.

Webinar presents results from a survey of 275 manufacturers and an in-depth analysis of what it means for your company. There are no vendors or sales pitches.

ABB has won a $4 million contract to supply an Integrated Central Control System for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in the Peoples Republic of China. It includes 800xA systems for the terminal integrated control system and safety systems and a SCADA Vantage system for the centralized Human System Interface that will be used on the pipeline and terminal.

The eAutomation Group of Advantech has been selected by M2M magazine as a top technology and service provider in the machine-to-machine technology area.

Emerson's Brooks Instrument Calibration laboratory is now in compliance with the ISO GUM and certified by the NMi. GUM is the Guide to the Expression of the Uncertainty in the Measurement. NMi is the Dutch Weights and Measures agency, and is internationally recognized as a competent authority in the measurement arena.

Nominations are open for the Matrikon Achievement Awards in technology innovations within petrochemical and refining, pulp and paper, mining and mineral, oil and gas, and power industries.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry asked National Instruments President and CEO Dr. James Truchard to chair the Industrial Advisory Council for the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (TSTEM) initiative, which directly addresses the declining interest and preparation of young people to pursue careers in technical fields.

The 240-page, full-color guide covers the Bayside brand of motion and control systems products, incluidng linear and rotary positioning stages, frameless kit motors, gearheads, integral gearmotors and a special section devoted to Parker Bayside's Engineered Solutions Group.

With the new LabVIEW toolkit, more advanced MINDSTORMS NXT users, including adults, students and secondary school and university educators, now can program the NXT using advanced programming tools available in LabVIEW.

'Twas the night before Christmas and all though the site, no visitors were browsing, not even one byte.

ABB has been awarded a $3.9 million contract to supply System 800xA Extended Automation for Australian Paper's Maryvale mill in Victoria, Australia. In addition, ABB has secured more than $782,000 in orders for MV switchgear, LV relays, and variable drives systems.

Berend Bracht, former CEO of Bosch Rexroth China and former head of the company’s U.S. industrial hydraulics operation, will take over as president and chief executive officer effective January 1, 2007. Bracht replaces Wolfgang Dangel, who has led the U.S. subsidiary of the German-based company since April 2003. Dangel is leaving to accept a leadership position with the Schaeffler Group.

International Climbing Machines (ICM) uses igus products in its climbing apparatus that removes lead paint or chemical toxins from tall surfaces. ICM develops portable, remote-controlled devices capable of removing lethal materials on virtually any vertical or inverted surface.

This Joint-Venture, dedicated to the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of Low Voltage products, will be named Delixi Electric and incorporated in Wenzhou (Zhejiang Province) as soon as the conditions, precedent and regulatory approvals are satisfied. Schneider Electric will own a 50% interest in the company while Delixi Group will hold the other 50%.

Wavetrend appointed RC Group (Holdings) Limited (RCG ) as an Accredited Channel Partner for the Asia/Pacific region. RCG combines expertise in both biometric and RFID technologies to offer solutions that enhance security and increase convenience for enterprises and end-users alike.

Advantech's Data Acquisition I/O modules will be sold through the Cole-Parmer catalog.

The 5 day class will help skilled trades and engineers learn the fundamentals of operations, troubleshooting, error recovery, program touchup and safety procedures. The program is designed to help line builders and OEMs bring up automotive assembly lines and integrated cells and includes training on robot programming, PLC debugging, safety systems and setting up weld guns and other peripheral equipment.

Honeywell won the 2006 Pioneering Innovation Award at the Governor's Celebration of Innovation (GCOI) in Arizona. The award is presented each year to a company that has gone to great lengths in contributing to Arizona’s technology industry through sustained business presence, corporate citizenship, community involvement and business success.

Matrikon has acquired Industrial Control Software Limited (ICS), a private company based in Matlock, England. Established in 1989, ICS provides process control software and alarm monitoring and analysis solutions which are complementary to Matrikon's solutions. The purchase price was £1.78 million in cash for all outstanding shares of ICS. The net assets of ICS are estimated at £0.78 million.

PAN-STEEL Metal Embossing Hand Tool (MEHT) and Metal Indenting Machine (MIM) have been enhanced to provide durability and allow embossing or indenting of alphanumeric text onto aluminum or stainless steel marker plates, tags, tape and cable ties.

The full-day Industrial Ethernet Training Course covers: Networking Essentials; How Industrial Ethernet Is Different From Traditional Office Ethernet Networking; TCP/IP Tutorial; Comparison of Popular Ethernet Protocols including Ethernet/IP, Profibus, Modbus, etc.; Industrial Network Design and Hardware; Real-Time Ethernet; Achieving Deterministic Communications; and Best Practices When Implementing an Industrial Ethernet Network.

The Distributed Control System (DCS) market experienced the strongest growth in a decade between 2004 and 2005, increasing at a rate of close to 9%. This strong growth is expected to continue through 2010, with the global market increasing at an average annual rate of almost 7%, according to the new ARC Advisory Group study, “Distributed Control System (DCS) Worldwide Outlook”

ARC is predicting that the HMI software market is going to experience double or near double digit growth over the next two years, with growth slowing over the following three years. The HMI software services market is expected to grow faster than the total HMI Software market over the next five years.

A three-step migration program from Rockwell Automation helps manufacturers replace aging DCS systems with the Logix Control Platform. Phase one involves replacing legacy HMI consoles with FactoryTalk; in phase two, the legacy process controllers are replaced with Logix controllers; phase three involves removing the legacy I/O infrastructure and replacing it with the Logix 1756-based I/O platform.

“ABCs of the Internet Protocol” explains the IP (Internet Protocol) portion of the TCP/IP stack as it applies to control networks. This document defines TCP/IP and other topics including data encapsulation, routers and hosts, IP addressing and the IP header.

The Multi-Spectral Infrared (MSIR) FL4000 Flame Detector has been certified by Factory Mutual (FM) for application in hazardous environments. The FL4000 provides reliable flame monitoring with false alarm immunity, a wide field of view (FOV) and long range.

Honeywell has been awarded a $2.5 million contract from TonenGeneral Sekiyu to oversee the Wakayama Control House Consolidation Project – which will combine the oil refinery’s existing process control operations into one central location. Honeywell will also monitor three other subcontractors performing DCS relocation, civil, structural, electrical and instrumentation work.

An online catalog of 2D and 3D configurable product models using SolidWorks 3D PartStream.NET allows customers to configure, view and download 2D and 3D CAD drawings directly into their designs to check for fit and function. SolidWorks product models are available for SICK STEGMANN’s absolute and incremental encoders, length measuring systems, and motor feedback systems.

Yokogawa has entered into a formal agreement with Dresser-Masoneilan, Flowserve, Metso Automation, and Samson AG for standards-based interoperability in control systems, sensors, and control valves in the process automation field. The agreement ensures that Yokogawa's PRM asset management system and CENTUM series production control system are interoperable with their control valves.

ABB won a contract worth $36 million from ThyssenKrupp for engineering and power equipment at a new steel plant in Brazil. ABB will carry out extensive engineering work and supply power equipment, including a 138-kilovolt (kV) substation, high- and medium-voltage switchgear, transformers and power cables.

To increase sales and engineering support for customers in South America, Beckhoff Automation has opened its newest subsidiary in Brazil. Together with distribution partners in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, Beckhoff is now represented in four countries on the South American continent.

JetNet 5010G and 3010G/3010GT Gigabit switches are suitable for a high bandwidth media networking environment, or a gradual migration to Gigabit speeds for industrial automation.

Honeywell will install an extension to its existing Printa Press Control System in Harmsworth Quays Printing's plant in Surrey Quays, London. HQP is a subsidiary of UK publishing group Associated Newspapers. The system extension is part of HQP's expansion of its Koenig & Bauer printing presses and will significantly speed up the printing process.

NI application software, including LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, Measurement Studio and SignalExpress, as well as NI hardware drivers for PCI Express, PCI, PXI and USB devices, will be available for use with Windows Vista shortly after Microsoft releases the operating system to the general public.

Enhancements to Version 2.1 of STSA toolbox includes Nonparametric, nonlinear time series analysis; Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) on univariate time series; Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) analysis; additional functions for general statistical analysis and visualization. The STSA toolbox is a collection of O-Matrix functions for analyzing time-dependent observations (time series).

The User Working Group (UWG) will be meeting this week at the ISA SP-100.11a committee meeting in Amsterdam. WIB, the International Instrument Users' Association, is also sending a contingent of European users to provide input to the ISA SP-100.11a effort.

Chris Curtis, president of Schneider Electric USA, has been honored as a pioneer of sales and marketing with a 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award from Frost & Sullivan.

These spring clamp blocks come as small as 4 mm wide for a 16 AWG wire, all the way up to a 16 mm wide terminal that will handle a 2 AWG wire. They carry ratings from 15 amps at 300 volts up to 115 amps at 600 volts.

Microsoft has awarded Beckhoff the status of Gold Partner in the Windows Embedded Partner program. To qualify as Microsoft Windows Embedded Gold Partners, companies must demonstrate first rate embedded technology knowledge.

OST was appointed an Integration Partner for the Sick/IVP range of high speed line scan cameras and profiling systems. Currently OST is installing a multiple camera system at a leading vehicle manufacturer.

The SERCOS trade organization completed the I/O profile for SERCOS III, the Ethernet-based version of the SERCOS interface. This specifies a device profile for decentralized I/O modules, which can be used for block I/Os as well as modular I/Os. This lets SERCOS III be used as a drive interface and a universal Real-time Ethernet solution for all kinds of automation applications.

KMT has acquired Robotic Production Technology, a robotic trimming solutions provider, as well as H2O Jet, a manufacturer and distributor of pumps, spare parts and components for waterjet equipment including diamond nozzles. The combined annual revenue of the acquired companies amounts to approximately SEK 300 million. Both companies will be consolidated in the KMT Group as of 1 December 2006 as part of the Waterjet Product Area.

MOXA has received Vista certification for its multiport serial board and serial device server products from Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Laboratories (WHQL) for Windows Vista x86 and x64 editions

PAS integrated Intergraph's SmartPlant Instrumentation with PAS' Integrity Automation Configuration Management (ACM) software to provide Configuration Visualization, Change Management Reporting, and Configuration Integrity Checks. As a result, customers may track signal flow from any instrument through all automation assets and advanced applications used in process plants.

The Fieldbus Foundation 2007 General Assembly will be held in Houston, Texas, on February 22-23. Planned for the Houstonian Hotel, the annual event will be attended by FOUNDATION technology suppliers, end users and other industry participants from around the world.

Both located in Münster, Germany, Embedded-Logic Design & More GmbH (ELDM) and BeDeHa GmbH are developers of Embedded PC technology. ELDM specializes in the development of PC motherboards while BeDeHa distributes and adapts BIOS software. The two companies will remain based at their current locations and will continue to act independently in the market.

Cimetrix says its CIMPortal software product has been selected for Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International's (SEMI) Interface A standards compliance by 50 percent of the top 20 largest semiconductor equipment suppliers in the world.

Based on the safety- and security-certified INTEGRITY real-time operating system and its U.S.-developed IPv4/v6 networking stack, the Platform for Secure Networking delivers secure communications and access that allow networking equipment developers to completely secure their devices and the information flowing through them.

The Magni Group, a manufacturer of protective coating systems for metal products, has chosen the DEACOM Integrated Accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software System to standardize all business processes, including quality control, batch formulation, and production scheduling.

Emerson has won two contracts from KCP&L to install PlantWeb digital plant architecture with the Ovation expert control system at Iatan Units 1 and 2 in Platte County, Mo. Emerson will digitally automate Iatan Unit 2, a new 850-MW, coal-fired unit, and control a new FGD system that is being added as part of a pollution control upgrade project for Iatan Unit 1.

Emerson will use Mtelligence products to integrate PlantWeb with enterprise asset management (EAM) systems such as SAP's Plant Maintenance system and IBM's MAXIMO system. Mtelligence's technology provides a bi-directional bridge to connect plant asset management information with EAM systems based on the Open O&M (Operations and Maintenance) Initiative.

Honeywell won a contract with Norsk Hydro to supply a Production Control Center (PCC) to their central onshore support center that remotely monitors oil and gas production in the North Sea. The order also includes offshore installation on the Njord platform.

The SimSci-Esscor unit of Invensys and OLI Systems, Inc. have extended and enhanced a partnership for electrolytic process simulation. The agreement extends the twenty-seven-year alliance between the two companies, which integrates OLI's electrolyte algorithms and databanks with SimSci-Esscor's process simulators.

In January 2007, the SimSci-Esscor unit of Invensys marks the 40th Anniversary of its simulation solutions business. The milestone is being celebrated at a reception with SimSci-Esscor users at the 2006 Invensys Process Systems Annual Customer Conference in Dallas December 4-7.

"SAFETY: Uncover the Competitive Advantage" will be held in movie theaters in 45 cities across the U.S. beginning January 23, 2007. Highlighting the event is a full-screen movie production, featuring a who's-who cast of safety industry experts and leading-edge companies. The movie provides a big-screen approach to the education and tools needed to turn machine safety into a competitive advantage.

Pavilion Technologies, a world leader in model-based software, today announced Sinopec Yangzi, a leading petrochemical producer in China, has achieved considerable production benefits from the deployment of Pavilion's Polymer Solution. As part of the initiative, Sinopec Yangzi deployed Pavilion's Polymer Solution on a polypropylene line at its Nanjing, JiangSu Province facility. This project marks the first deployment of Pavilion's model predictive control (MPC) technology in China.

More than 150 industry professionals from 17 different countries participated in the European WBF Conference held at the Elewijt Center in Mechelen, Belgium, on 13-15 November 2006. WBF is an association of end-users, vendors, consultants, and academics with a strict, non-commercial agenda

Comtrol will sponsor Insight in the next DARPA Grand Challenge race, the Urban Challenge. Comtrol sponsored Insight in the 2005 Grand Challenge where Insight was a finalist. The DARPA Grand Challenge is a series of robotic vehicle races. Computer driven vehicles compete to demonstrate new advanced automotive control technology. Comtrol's server products aid communication with all sensors and computers in the race car.

The service and repair center, located at the company's headquarters in Tempe, Ariz., can calibrate almost all types of industrial flow measurement devices, including turbine, coriolis, positive displacement and variable area meters. A variety of calibration procedures can be performed, including Reynolds Number and Universal Viscosity Curve (UVC) calibrations.

Honeywell will provide National Grid Grain LNG with automation solutions at two locations. The two projects are valued at a collective $2.8 million. The first involves installation of an Experion PKS and two safety systems into Grain LNG’s importation terminal at the Isle of Grain, in the UK. In the second, Honeywell will provide a process control and safety system for Grain LNG's importation terminal near London.

The Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited 3 (RL3) in Qatar awarded Invensys Singapore an automation contract for the LNG Trains 6 and 7 onshore expansion project. The project includes Foxboro and Triconex control and safety systems; integrated asset management, alarm management, and control loop performance monitoring systems; plus associated engineering services. When both new trains come on line the complex will be the world's largest with a total LNG capacity of 36.3 MMTA.

Invensys Process Systems has become a global re-seller and a certified implementer for Cutler Technology's Adaptive Dynamic Matrix Controller (ADMC) technology. ADMC was developed by Dr. Charles Cutler, inventor of DMC (Dynamic Matrix Control) and DMCplus. ADMC is claimed to be the world's only Adaptive Multivariable Controller.

A business system integration module for the Avantis.PRO enterprise asset management(EAM) software provides integration between Avantis.PRO R4.1 and Microsoft Dynamics AX Release 4.0 and Microsoft Dynamics GP Professional 9.0 business management applications. This will eliminate much of the time and effort typically involved with integrating plant asset management systems into enterprise-level financial applications.

The Avantis unit of Invensys Process Systems today announced new software enhancements that further improve Avantis' award-winning maintenance and purchasing analytics for manufacturing and executive decision-makers. The new software builds on the Avantis.DSS web-based decision support solution, which transforms transactional data into visible, meaningful and actionable business analytics based on the individual's specific role in the organization.

Measurement and Automation Catalog 2007 describes software and hardware for test, control and design applications. For 2007, NI has made it even easier for customers to find what they need by providing the catalog in a searchable, downloadable eBook format.

Invensys will upgrade existing Foxboro distributed control systems (DCSes) at Saudi Aramco's Shedgum and 'Uthmaniyah Gas Plants to the latest Mesh Control Network technology. Invensys Middle East will provide all engineering, procurement (hardware and software), and site services for the DCS upgrade project.

Invensys will provide Foxboro distributed control systems (DCSes) and Triconex safety systems and fire & gas systems for the Yemen LNG Company Ltd. plant being built at Balhaf, on Yemen's south coast. The new $2+ billion grassroots plant is the first LNG plant in Yemen, and the Foxboro implementation will be the first major DCS in Yemen.

Enhancements to DIAdem 10.1 interactive software for inspecting, analyzing and reporting test data, extend the platform’s data mining and data management functionality so engineers can share data among groups with DIAdem 10.1 and DataFinder Server Edition.

The Fieldbus Foundation held its inaugural EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) conference in Mannheim, Germany during the last week in September. The meeting was hosted by Pepperl+Fuchs at the company's headquarters.

Patrick Gouhin, Executive Director and CEO of ISA, joined 169 US business leaders in the banking, insurance, energy, aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical information technology and service sectors who attended a two-day summit in Mumbai.

Academia RFID offers courses in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Saint-John, Halifax and at their head-office, which includes a classroom and state-of-the-art RFID lab, in Montreal.

Carlo Gavazzi is using RTP's PermaStat PLUS compounds to meet ATEX requirements in its Tripleshield Capacitive Sensors. This compound is permanently static dissipative and provides the necessary surface resistance to meet the ATEX requirement of less than 1 Gohm.

The University of Kansas will be presenting "Intelligent Asset Management using RFID: Real ROI in Asset Management and Closed Loop Systems" on Wednesday-Friday, February 28 to March 2, 2007, at the Hampton Inn and Suites, Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri.

Enhancements include Startup Sequencing, Mechanical Trip Protection Replacement, GE Trip Protection Upgrade, and Westinghouse Trip Protection Upgrade functions.

Honeywell will install an Experion R300 PKS and other equipment valued at $3.7 million at Huntsman’s new polyethylene plant in Wilton, UK, due to open in 2007. The single plant-wide automation system will be provided through engineering contractor Simon Carves Limited and will include Honeywell C300 controllers, integrated safety systems and process field device integration.

Festo now offers individual services to customers wishing to achieve more efficient use of compressed air. The Energy Saving Service covers everything from consumption and leakage measurements to machine inspection and final analysis.

Rexroth catalog SC-400.10 features 128 pages of technical and ordering information and an overview section on Series QR1 pneumatic push-in fittings.

This announcement endorses the longstanding alliance relationship that DuPont and Rockwell Automation have shared over the last 15 years for PLC-based control systems. It now expands the relationship to leverage Rockwell Automation’s process system capability.

Barry-Wehmiller will purchase the assets of Sandiacre Rose Forgrove, a division of Molins PLC. Sandiacre will be integrated with Hayssen Packaging Technologies to form one of the largest flexible packaging equipment providers, with more than $80 million in revenues. Hayssen is a division of Barry-Wehmiller.

These new editions are the second publication of updates in 2006. More than 20 Specification Enhancements were integrated into these editions, allowing more comprehensive and useful information to be contained within EDS files, adding DTM configuration options, and facilitating the deployment of these networks with increased flexibility.

The "Field Device Tool for CIP Networks: Annex to FDT Specification" provides the schemas required to implement the Device Type Manager (DTM) configuration option for the currently available adaptations of networks built on the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP), which include DeviceNet, EtherNet/IP and ControlNet.

SERCOS International and ODVA announced that SI will adopt CIP Safety as its functional safety protocol for SERCOS. ODVA will extend The CIP Safety Specification to include safety profiles for SERCOS devices. SI will develop the SERCOS III network adaptation to utilize CIP Safety. SI and ODVA, jointly, will develop and establish conformance testing for devices implementing CIP Safety on SERCOS.

To date, the company has been selected to install its PlantWeb digital plant architecture with the Ovation expert control system at seven new coal-fired power plants, all slated to go into commercial operation within the next five years. These new plants represent an additional 5,505 MW of new generating capacity.

Gordon McFarland, senior power plant performance analyst with Emerson's North American Power & Water solutions division, has received the ISA's Standards & Practices Award. The award recognizes McFarland for his leadership in the initial development of fossil power plant standards, and for 25 years of continuous support and direction of those standards.

Emerson will install its PlantWeb digital plant architecture and an Ovation expert control system at Xcel Energy's new Comanche Power Station Unit 3, located near Pueblo, Colo. The 750-MW, supercritical plant is Xcel Energy's first new coal-fired electric generation unit in nearly 30 years.

The Ovation system has a bus platform that supports Foundation fieldbus, DeviceNet and PROFIBUS DP industry standard communications protocols. The bus platform also has the capability to incorporate emerging protocols, such as PROFINET and EtherNet/IP.

This achievement in the Kingdom is being celebrated with a gala dinner for customers and partners at the Sunset Beach Resort, Al Khobar.

The Industrial Automation display area at HANNOVER MESSE 2007 (the Hannover Fair, 16 to 20 April) combines three international trade fairs in one: INTERKAMA+, Factory Automation, and Industrial Building Automation. The range of products and services encompasses all key disciplines in the field of automation - from open- and closed-loop control technology, measuring technology, electronics and electrical engineering, to mechanical engineering, robotics and networking for industrial processes.

Enhancements to Wizcon 9.3 include two features for secure integration into enterprise IT systems and for video security in facility management. It integrates support of Active Directory / LDAP, which gives administrators the option to use their IT infrastructure to control login to Wizcon applications. A video management module enables building and facility managers to integrate video streams into their Wizcon application.

ISA will accept nominations for its 2007 Honors and Awards Gala until 10 February 2007. The Society recognizes the achievements of automation professionals around the world with Society Service and Technical awards. Many of the awards do not require the recipient or nominator to be an ISA Member.

Roberto Tunioli, Vice Chairman and CEO of Datalogic, is the winner of the 10th Italian edition of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which is given to business leaders who have distinguished themselves for their talent, initiative, commitment and contribution to the socio-economic growth of their country.

AMT is staffed and ready to provide a full range of programming, training and support services for Behr EcoRP6 robots, Behr fixed automation systems and Behr’s 3D-Onsite computer simulation software.

This desktop reference guide offers details and specifications on Keithley's general-purpose and sensitive sourcing and measurement products, DC switching, RF switching and measurement, data acquisition solutions, semiconductor test systems, and optoelectronics test hardware. Tutorials simplify choosing solutions for specific applications.

The BiSS webinar on December 6 is part of a campaign launched recently by Danaher called the "Campaign for Absolute Freedom," which seeks to accelerate the adoption of BiSS and encourages engineers to petition drive manufacturers to support the BiSS protocol on their drives.

The GRF has been re-engineered to make it last longer. GRF is a pneumatically controlled spring return gripper which is used to secure difficult parts with more force by positioning of the gripper finger. Gripper components are available with three different angles of rotation: 35, 90 and 95 degrees, depending on the grip required.

This new agreement expands Emerson's current use of Intergraph's lifecycle instrumentation engineering software and enhances interoperability and efficiency between Emerson's DeltaV digital automation system, a core component of the company's PlantWeb digital plant architecture, and Intergraph's SmartPlant Instrumentation software.

Rockwell Automation honored its most accomplished engineers at the 24th annual Patent and Innovation awards celebrations Nov. 14 in Milwaukee, and Nov. 16 in Cleveland, Ohio. Keith Nosbusch, chairman and CEO, and Sujeet Chand, senior vice president and chief technology officer, presented the company’s two most prestigious recognitions, the Odo J. Struger Automation Award and the Engineer of the Year award.

Bemis, the world's largest manufacturer of toilet seats, is to implement Barco's PLANTMASTER MES to provide real-time production monitoring, scheduling and operator tracking at its injection molding facility in Burnley, Lancashire, UK.

Ethernet Direct Asia Pacific has offices in Vietnam and agents in Singapore, Thailand and Middle East.

This 150-page guide provides complete technical information, features, benefits and an easy-to-use selection guide for RFID and barcode products, including a new family of barcode imaging cameras.

Leading Edge Controls, San Antonio, specializes in industrial control systems. Stephen Horras, founder of Leading Edge Controls, will direct the new location. The San Antonio location will also support the needs of established JMP clients, especially Toyota and their new 2000 acre truck manufacturing plant opening later this year.

Matrikon's Australian division will supply a Process Information Management System (PIMS) to Xstrata’s Australian copper and zinc-lead-silver operation, Mount Isa Mines. The solution will allow Mount Isa Mines to optimize metallurgical operations and increase production and processing performance through the web-based access to real-time and historical operations data.

The 12 minute on-line Flash demonstration shows how the company's software automates paper-based quality system processes. It covers Automating quality and regulatory processes, Document Control, Training Management, CAPA, Change Control, Quality Audit, Customer Complaints, Nonconformances and Sarbanes-Oxley Act processes.

Airbus selected National Instruments DIAdem data analysis and report generation software as its standard tool for processing wind-tunnel test data, including the effects of specific thermal and aerodynamic parameters on airliners.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Mitsubishi Corporation and Duro Felguera, a Spanish heavy machinery manufacturer, have jointly received orders for large-scale flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems from two major Spanish electricity providers: Iberdrola Generacion, SAU and Endesa Generacion, SA. The FGD system for Iberdrola will be an altogether new installation while that for Endesa is to upgrade a previously delivered FGD system.

PackML is a set of packaging machine language guidelines that have been developed by the OMAC Packaging Workgroup. Packaging machines that follow the PackML guidelines can be more easily integrated into a packaging line and their associated manufacturing execution (MES) systems, minimizing engineering costs and reducing project schedules.

The Silver Crescent Foundation and The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation will help South Carolina middle school students explore career opportunities in engineering and technology.

Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, has selected ABB to integrate numerous isolated automation systems at its Andina underground mine in Chile into a single, ABB-managed platform, using System 800xA Extended Automation. Andina is one of four underground mines that Codelco operates in Chile.

This brake and clutch solutions catalog details the complete line of electromagnetic friction brakes and clutches, and The Genuine Wrap Spring™ family of wrap spring clutch/brakes. The new AKB and PMB series power-off spring set brakes are also included.

Industrial Control Software Ltd has been awarded the 2006 Innovation Award by the Northern Offshore Federation in the UK. ICS won the award for a new software product they have just released which will revolutionize the way alarm overrides are handled in the Control Room by eliminating the need for paper logbooks.

ControlNet has been adopted by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the People’s Republic of China as part of a machinery industry standard for the People's Republic of China. This adoption, by one of the world’s leading technology countries, extends nearly the entire family of CIP Networks to China ’s manufacturing industry.