Articles and News

Emerson won a contract to install its PlantWeb digital plant architecture with the Ovation expert control system at Plum Point Energy Station, a new pulverized coal-fired plant in northeastern Arkansas. The Ovation system will monitor and control the IHI boiler, as well as the burner management system and balance of plant processes.

JetCon 1301 Industrial 10/100Base-TX to 100Base-FX Multi-Mode fiber converter has been passed the EtherCAT system test.

"Motion, Drive & Automation" (MDA) trade fair for power transmission and control will be part of HANNOVER MESSE 2007 (the Hannover Fair). The net display space covers approximately 50,000 square meters, making MDA one of the biggest display areas at HANNOVER MESSE. Around 1,300 international exhibitors will be showing products for power transmission and control from 16 - 20 April 2007 in Halls 19 to 26.

INTROL Group in Poland will represent all Ethernet Direct’s product lines, including Industrial Ethernet, Industrial Conversion, Industrial Modem, Serial to Ethernet, Data Acquisition Modules, Fiber Optic Ethernet, Media Conversion, Power over Ethernet, and DIN-Rail Power Supplies.

GE Fanuc Automation, a unit of GE Industrial, recently participated in a web cast with Toray Plastics and MESA International entitled, “ISA-95 Accelerates Implementation and Lowers Lifecycle Costs.” The web cast is part of a series of events sponsored by MESA’s Technical Committee.

The two companies will work together to provide Abnormal Condition Management (ACM)-compliant Operator Graphics Style Guide and Object Library products. The partnership will also jointly develop & deliver a range of services including how-to workshops, graphics philosophy development services, gap analysis services, custom graphics development and graphic deployment services.

Parani-MSP100 Bluetooth to IP gateway connects Bluetooth devices to a 10/100 Base-T Ethernet network. Supporting point to multi-point connectivity to 7 points, it transmits data from each Bluetooth terminal to a management station via TCP/IP at a rate of 723Kbit/s. Connections can be extended up to 14 using an optional USB extension dongle.

Objective Interface is providing its small-footprint, high-performance ORB express communications middleware to student teams developing prototype software defined radios (SDRs) and participating in the SDR Forum's Smart Radio Challenge.

East Kansas Agri-Energy is expected to achieve an estimated annual value of well over $2.5 million through the deployment of Pavilion's Ethanol Solution at its Garnett, Kansas plant. Through this installation, Pavilion enabled the plant to increase yield of dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS) and wet distillers grain with solubles (WDGS).

A fully-automated bending and punching cell developed by Unison helped tubular metalworking contractor Olicana Products to dramatically increase its manufacturing capacity. The cell is programmed to fabricate bath stands for four of Europe's leading bathroom product manufacturers. It currently produces W-shaped tubular frames with up to six bends and fixing holes every 11 seconds.

Four new courses reflect technology innovations released by Emerson in the last seven months, and customer requests for expanded offerings in these areas. Courses cover Turbomachinery Diagnostics, analyzing data collected from essential motor-pump machine trains, Laser Alignment, and advanced signal processing.

FieldServer Technologies will be demonstrating its gateway products for the building automation industry at the AHR Expo 2007 in Dallas, Texas at booth 1633.

Invensys Process Systems has implemented a comprehensive Avantis enterprise asset management system at the Platte River Power Authority in Colorado for its generation, distribution and maintenance operations, which includes a 274-MW coal-fired power plant located north of Fort Collins. The Avantis.PRO asset management software application is being used for maintenance management, inventory control and procurement for generating machinery, distribution yard equipment, transmission lines and towers, as well as vehicles and other company assets.

Honeywell will design and implement a process control system for Italcementi Group’s new production facility in Martinsburg, W.Va. The new system is part of a larger expansion project that will help one of the world’s largest cement producers meet growing United States demand while ensuring product quality.

The program includes standard shipping within 15 working days after receipt of an order, 10-day shipping for simple 2-pass cables, and 5-day shipping service for as much as 5,000 feet of custom-built cable after approval of drawings. Next-day or same-day shipping of custom-built cable is also available to customers who stock their product at Northwire.

Programmable end-of-arm tooling assists molders and manufacturers in cost reduction and efficiency. It can be programmed to automatically relocate four separate component holders within the cycle of the robot. Each of the four tool holders can be used for vacuum cups or grippers mounted on individual linear actuators which can be programmed for up to 28 separate locations.

SHL Automation will use the KUKA KR 16 robot in its Automated Grinding system. The new system is designed to grind, scotch and measure door handles, and allow manufacturers to improve worker safety and product quality. The new system will be demonstrated at SHL’s open house scheduled to take place at SHL’s headquarters on December 5-7 from 10am to 1pm.

Dynomax will open a new support facilty in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, in late November. The new facility, which will supplement existing Mundelein operations, is currently undergoing renovations to support the controlled environment necessary for precision manufacturing and assembly.

Continuum Integrated Tray/Shrink System is ideal for packaging loose containers and multipacks in a variety of materials, including glass, PET, HDPE, metal and fiber cans, HiCone, shrink bundles, and paperboard overwrap. These products can be packed into both corrugated and chipboard trays.

Emerson will install its PlantWeb digital plant architecture with the Ovation expert control system and Foundation fieldbus technology at the new Ratchaburi power plant in Thailand. When completed, the two-unit, combined-cycle plant will have a production capacity of 1,400 MW. The first 700-MW unit is scheduled to begin commercial operation in March 2008, with Unit 2 to follow in June 2008.

Honeywell will provide an advanced automated process control system with integrated wireless technology for Masteel, one of China's largest iron and steel manufacturers. The contract includes Honeywell's IntelaTrac PKS process control system, Uniformance PHD, LIMS. Digital Video Manager (DVM) system, and design, engineering, commissioning, testing and maintenance services.

An inventory, navigation and picking system, integrated by Primary Marking, combines Intermec 750 mobile computers and SF51 scanners with Genesta's SyVox speech recognition software. The combination increases productivity without sacrificing the accuracy of scanning. Primary Marking also developed custom interface software that allows the collected data to go directly into Lighthouse for the Blind's ERP system.

Invensys will install an InFusion-based SCADA system to monitor and control 56 substations and automation points located along the company's Myrtle Beach and Moncks Corner electrical distribution network in eastern South Carolina. Monitoring and control will include Power Factor Control by switching capacitor banks, to maximize the efficiency of power distribution, driving direct cost savings.

Livingston & Haven will sell and support Precise Automation’s products in Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. These products include PrecisePlace robots, Guidance motion controllers and PreciseVision software.

M-Series sensors are being used to increase the safety and efficiency of international coastal shipping between European nations. The highly accurate magnetostrictive level sensors provide precise measurements of hazardous materials being carried by fuel barges as required by the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN).

Honeywell has been recognized for Excellence in Automation and Process for helping maximize energy and operational efficiency at the Samsung Fine Chemicals facility in Korea. The honor was presented to Honeywell at Asian Power Awards 2006.

Deutsche Messe AG and Fiera Milano S.p.A. have agreed to jointly promote and stage trade fairs in selected growth markets around the world, including the booming markets of India and China. Three new trade fairs on automation, motino control, and material handling have emerged from this alliance and will take place concurrently 27-30 November 2007 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Center.

ABB's 800xA Extended Automation system will provide control and monitoring of tanks and reactors, batch control plus control functions for automatic valves, stirrers and analog measurement signals for the process. The systems also include functions for the assembling and handling process, operational data management with functions for reporting and archiving.

The X-Mark line of cabinets, enclosures, racks and accessories for manufacturing facilities and IT environments will now be sold under the Belden brand.

Dow Corning is using a dynamic simulator, built and implemented by Invensys Process Systems, to train operators at its Barry, South Wales, production facility in the UK. It is anticipated that use of the simulator will result in significant savings in training and manpower costs, enhanced plant safety and increased productivity.

Deltran spring and electromagnetic friction clutch/brake products have been paired with Thomson mechanical motion control solutions. The new line is called Thomson-Deltran.

As automation equipment continues to decrease in size and increase in complexity, sensor manufacturers are striving to provide smaller sensors with greater capabilities that meet new user requirements. Many new designs can function in confined spaces where traditional, larger, barrel-shaped proximity sensors cannot.

The KUKA KR 500 robot will be used as the building block of Primal Rides’ new robotic gaming ride. The interactive ride can be designed to match customer’s requirements in theme, intensity and realism. Additionally, the ride offers the option to cost effectively change themes to adjust to rider appeal. Primal Rides will be showing a scaled down concept version of the ride on their booth (#4004) at the IAAPA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia November 15-18, 2006.

Intermec commemorates the company's 40th anniversary with a series of celebrations at its offices around the world. Intermec was founded in 1966 as Interface Mechanisms, a start-up company developing dual-image tape, a machine readable code used to compile data for the phototypesetting industry. One of the company's early leaders, Dr. Dave Allais, went on to invent Code 39, still one of the world's most widely used bar code symbologies.

In this capacity, Mr. Welch will help Invensys develop and deliver a new suite of comprehensive enterprise network and security solutions to Invensys' global customers. He has 24 years of experience in the services industry. This includes positions with companies such as Digital Equipment Corporation/Compaq Computers, Nortel Networks, and Unisys.

Engauge Controls has implemented Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture on its latest gantry units. The Allen-Bradley ControlLogix controllers with integrated motion control and FactoryTalk View human-machine interface (HMI) software help them simplify programming and configuration, reduce development costs and speed system installation.

Opto 22 has announced partnerships with Allesco Corporation, Fluid Conditioning Company, Kiser Controls Company, and MCR Technologies, Inc. Each of these distributors will add the complete line of Opto 22-brand hardware and software to their already extensive selections of industrial automation and control equipment.

ISA EXPO 2006 wrapped up on Thursday, 19 October in Houston, Texas. The three day event, held at the Reliant Center, featured a cutting-edge technical conference, a renowned training program, and an exhibition featuring some of the newest technology on the market today.

PTO is offering a free booklet that takes a fresh look at Industrial Ethernet and addresses some of the myths and facts about PROFINET. The booklet: "PROFINET or The Story of Pretty Polly, Sweet SUE and the White Knight," is available on request in hardcopy, or for download in.PDF format

AMI Semiconductor, a manufacturer of integrated mixed-signal and structured digital products, has introduced the AMIS-49200 Fieldbus Media Attachment Unit (MAU). The new device can be used as a near pin-for-pin replacement for the Yokogawa (SAA22Q transceiver, which is no longer in production. It provides a physical interface between bus wiring and actual measurement devices in industrial process automation applications.

Data Systems International will host ON '07: The dcLINK Conference, June 11-13, 2007, at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference will help dcLINK customers expand their understanding of the strategic business benefits of real-time data capture using RFID, data collection, and mobile applications.

Keithley and Mesatronic developed advanced probe cards for semiconductor parametric testers used in RF and low current DC applications. When the new probe cards are available later this year, they can be used with Keithley parametric testers for simultaneous extraction of RF and very low level DC current parameters on any combination of probe pins that contact a semiconductor wafer.

Online Shopping Cart System features Online Quotation, Online Purchase Orders, and Credit Card Orders. A customer can use the Online Quotation on the website to get a quotation for products, and can buy industrial Ethernet switches online with a credit card.

Developed for contractors, industrials, OEMs, inspectors, and educators, the materials provide a training resource to help electrical industry workers comply with the latest NEC and industry standards; select and apply overcurrent protective devices; determine fault current levels; and analyze and improve electrical system performance and stability. Publications and e-training are available on line.

LAN eXtensions for Instrumentation (LXI) is the LAN-based successor to GPIB, providing additional capabilities that simplify system creation. In addition to clarification of language, the standard now includes a section on the use of non-LXI devices within LXI-based systems. A free download is available.

It's easy to see why web-based systems are gaining popularity. Web-based systems install and run client applications from any web-browser and when users login they always get the most recent version of an application. There are no client licenses manage, no tedious software installations, no application files to copy over and no communication configurations to setup.

Emerson completed an automation upgrade of the Silane unit in the REC Silicon plant in Moses Lake, Washington, migrating the company's existing PROVOX control system to a DeltaV digital automation system. A new plant-wide MES network was installed that hosts an OSIsoft PI data historian. The project also included new AMS Suite predictive maintenance software.

Honeywell continues its "Sensing and Control" educational series on Wednesday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. (ET) with a webcast for design engineers involved in specifying and selecting pressure sensors and transducers for OEM applications. The presentation will include a discussion of technologies used by pressure transducer manufacturers and Honeywell's Advanced Thick Film (ATF) technology employed in Series MLH pressure sensors.

Ian Nimmo, Founder and President of User Centered Design Services, joins PAS at an upcoming Alarm Management Workshop as a co-instructor. Mr. Nimmo will bring a strong focus on Abnormal Situation Management (ASM) to help teach the seven steps to effective alarm management together with Bill Hollifield, PAS Principal Alarm Management Consultant, in San Francisco on December 7th and 8th.

OutBound Shipping's customized solution incorporates a multi-carrier certified shipping application using .NET and XML technologies.

The new group--SIMATIC IT Business Unit--combines the company's MES group with the Manufacturing Intelligence capabilities of IndX, a software company acquired by Siemens in 2003. It will offer a single-source solution for every manufacturing software need - from the plant floor to the executive office. The SIMATIC IT Business Unit employs 80 associates with operations in Aliso Viejo, Calif., Spring House, Penn., Houston, Texas, and Chicago, Ill.

ABB and Automated Logic Corp have agreed to jointly pursue facility automation projects, focusing on GxP production, laboratory and clean room facilities, as well as other critical or regulated environments. The agreement combines the strength of ABB in regulated environments and process applications together with the strength of ALC in full turn-key installation of commercial and critical building management applications.

The partnership will deliver world-class security solutions to a wide range of commercial businesses, public sector organizations and industries across East Africa. In particular, the partnership will deliver port-of-entry security solutions at airports and seaports within one of Africa’s largest tourist destinations.

The FDA recently issued a final guidance meant to help pharmaceutical companies operate modern quality systems that are fully compliant with Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations. This question-and-answer article provides pertinent facts about the FDA's "Guidance on Quality Systems Approach to Pharmaceutical CGMP Regulations," issued on Sept. 29, 2006.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals chose GE Fanuc's Proficy™ Plant Applications Batch Execution software, running on a Proficy HMI/SCADA - iFIX® platform, for two main pigment manufacturing processes at its Paisley, Scotland plant. Key factors in the decision were the recipe consistency, the flexibility and the ease-of-use offered by the software, part of the Proficy Production Management solution suite.

Rio Tinto Coal Australia Hunter Valley Operations and Matrikon won the "Minerals Process Plant of the Year" Award at the Australian Mining Prospect Awards for Innovation in Coal Prep Plant Control Optimization.

The free catalog introduces 10 new products including the UEILogger family and an embedded Linux toolkit for the company's PowerDNA product line. The catalog can be downloaded as a PDF.

The new course catalog from Emerson's Educational Services, available on CD, describes some 300 training courses designed to facilitate the engineering, operation, maintenance, and optimization of industrial process automation systems and devices. Engineers and technicians who take these courses are better able to optimize the performance of their processes, and enhance productivity in their plants.

TURCK appointed Dean McCaskill president of North American operations. In this role, McCaskill assumes complete responsibility for TURCK's operations, including its manufacturing facilities. McCaskill has more than 25 years of experience in the industrial manufacturing, distribution and business development sectors. Prior to joining TURCK, McCaskill served as general manager for Barnes Group. .

Unibend Control Software enhancements include: detailed torque analysis software for each axis which allows fabricators to track tubing quality and compare suppliers; a utility that captures usage data to assist productivity analysis; and the ability to dynamically control the profile of the carriage push cycle for finer control of bend quality.

ABB has successfully put into operation an automation system expansion at Alunorte's Alumina refinery in Barcarena, Brazil. This expansion project includes System 800xA Extended Automation and intelligent device integration. Since April 2006, after only five months of commissioning and 12 days of ramp-up operation, Alunorte has been operating at nominal load.

Green Planet process automation newsletter provides updates on the group's strategy, markets, organization, and major successes. Published bi-annually in spring and autumn It is available in hard copy format through local Pepperl+Fuchs representatives.

KONE's EcoMod solution for modernizing aging escalator equipment uses PEC's EcoStart to make the escalators more power efficient.

From 16 to 20 April, HANNOVER MESSE 2007 will be featuring 13 international flagship fairs for industrial technology at the same time and place at the exhibition grounds in Hannover, Germany. Together these events present a cross-section of all the latest technical innovations, trends and know-how for all the major industries. At least 6,000 exhibitors are expected to occupy a display area of over 200,000 square meters.

The TLS 2200 Thermal Labeling System Version 4.0 offers twice the processing power, along with additional features that enhance the printer's functionality and efficiency. The new version of the portable label printerprovides more value and labeling flexibility for industrial labeling applications.

N5430A function enables Agilent Infiniium oscilloscope users to create and execute application-specific measurements. This makes it possible for Infiniium oscilloscope users to develop custom math and analysis functions in the MATLAB software environment and execute them live on the oscilloscope screen, just like any of the scope's standard functions.

Emerson and OSIsoft announced continuation of their global value added reseller agreement of the last three years. Emerson will continue to incorporate OSIsoft's PI System into its automation projects that use PlantWeb digital automation architecture and services.

G Systems has been awarded a $1 million contract by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control to design, integrate and install an automated test station for the Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS) container launch unit.

Honeywell is expanding its presence in Southern Africa with the opening of a new office in Angola as part of its strategy to drive growth and provide strong process automation solutions to the oil and gas industry in the resource-rich region.

Innovex, a manufacturer of high-density flexible circuit-based electronic interconnect solutions, has selected Junot Systems’ NLINK product suite and SAP-certified interfaces to provide plant to enterprise (P2E) integration for their manufacturing facilities in Thailand.

OMRON will acquire NHK Spring's FTTH optical coupler business on November 1, 2006, as outlined in a preliminary agreement between the two companies that was announced on August 31, 2006. From November 1, the FTTH optical coupler business, which was based in NHK Spring's Yokohama head office, will be operated from OMRON's Kusatsu Factory.

On December 5th and December 7th 2006, Thermo will host a series of seminars in the Baltic Region. This series of seminars explores the challenges facing the process industry today and gives examples of organizations enhancing productivity in the laboratory and reducing costs, ultimately improving their competitiveness in the global market.

Web site contains information on machine vision products, including camera mounts, light mounts, adjustable mounts, vision fixtures, camera enclosures, adjustable mounting brackets, LED lighting, and machine vision lenses.

The report, ERP in Manufacturing Benchmark, surveyed more than 1,100 companies of all sizes on the total amount spent on software and external services. The report showed that Infor customers spend an average of 44 percent less on services than the nearest competitor.

This alliance couples Emerson's Machinery Health Management services capabilities with RoMaDyn's 50+ years of in-field turbo machinery experience to create a network of machinery diagnostic services for critical rotating machines. Besides services opportunities, the two companies have jointly created a new training course on turbomachinery diagnostics to be introduced by Emerson in 2007.

MTS is supplying Temposonics position sensors to the K-RIG, a high performance data acquisition system that provides detailed information about NASCAR suspension systems. Designed by Livingston & Haven, the K-RIG uses the sensors in a racing simulator that is significantly more affordable than other simulators on the market, and is used by the top racing teams in NASCAR.

The OEM Accelerator program provides engineering services and tools to help life sciences machine builders and process equipment providers reduce their development costs and time to market. As a result, OEMs can provide their customers with predefined interfaces that can reduce risk, lower cost and speed integration time.

Services range from modifying an existing product to creating a new component or product. Cooper Bussmann Custom Products services include: design, prototype, test, manufacture and securing agency approvals to deliver a single-component, sub-assembly or a finished product.

The engineering service helps industrial facilities and OEMs increase assembly short-circuit current ratings (SCCR) for control panels to comply with 2005 National Electric Code® (NEC®) requirements and UL508A standards.

ODVA has more than doubled the size of its headquarters building at a new location in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This move has also expanded ODVA lab and training facilities to support the association’s growing testing and educational services for DeviceNet, EtherNet/IP, CompoNet and the semiconductor industry.

Participants can learn at their own pace and experience first hand how machine vision can help them stay competitive by driving down costs, increasing production and ensuring customer satisfaction. The Cognex University program provides many innovative educational options for beginners and advanced users.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased 48 percent to $686 million from $463 million a year earlier and the EBIT margin, or EBIT as a percentage of revenues, increased to 11.4 percent from 8.3 percent.

Rockford Systems, Inc. (RSI) will provide integration and installation services for SICK safety products on behalf of its Authorized SICK Distributors and end customers.

W. L. Gore & Associates has been selected as the sole supplier of protective vents for Intermec's CV30 Fixed-Mount computers. The POV/M12 vent and the BPC Series vents used in the CV30 allow for continuous exchange of gases and vapors, and they equalize pressure within the computer enclosure.

The new version includes a software interface (SST-PFB-CLX-DTM) that enables the SST PROFIBUS Scanner to configure and diagnose user-friendly DTM field devices by using FDT engineering tools such as PACTware or FieldCare. FDT (Field Device Tool) technology enables to standardize the communication interface between field devices and systems.

Designed for classroom based instruction, the one-hour presentation provides critical training for attendees on how to prevent serious electrical injuries. Particular emphasis is placed on teaching the dangers of arc flash and arc blast -- two highly destructive occurrences that can erupt with explosive force.

More than 2,100 people from 48 countries attended the 2006 Emerson Global Users Exchange in Nashville, which was held Oct. 2-6 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center. This year's conference was themed "Learn, Lead and Unleash," and was put on by Emerson's community of users.

Honeywell and one of China’s top universities will establish an integrated management and control laboratory. Honeywell will donate process automation software to the Automation Department of Tsinghua University, a major base of China’s scientific research and intelligent education.

SanYan has introduced a new web store for its family of industrial-grade video Surveillance control System & x86 embedded boards & thin clients. Purchases can be made via T/T wired transfer or credit card (in testing) or worldwide distributors channel, and products can be ordered in quantities.

Thermo Electron Corporation has established a new local customer support center for its informatics software and services in Dammam, in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The new helpdesk has been developed in close collaboration with the Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo group, Thermo’s partner in the region.

Thiele Technologies, a manufacturer of high-speed packaging equipment in Minneapolis, announced an agreement to acquire certain assets and the business of Streamfeeder, LLC of Minneapolis. Streamfeeder manufacturers material handling and packaging solutions for printing, converting and warehousing, including feeders, batch counters, accumulators, collators, bulk loaders, wrapping units and integrated systems.

Kobe Steel's copper coil slitting company, Suzhou Kobe Copper Technology Co., Ltd., will formally open in China tomorrow. Suzhou Kobe slits coiled copper sheet, which is used in electronic materials. The company is based in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, west of Shanghai.

The ETHERNET Powerlink Standardization Group (EPSG) has solved the challenging task of realizing deterministic, hard real-time communication between multiple controllers of different vendors. Technology providers participating in a demonstration at PACK EXPO include: B&R, Baldor, Fraba Posital, Lenze, Parker and Wago.

A series of motion control product catalogs make life easier for OEMs and machine builders implementing automation systems. Comprising nine separate publications, each dedicated to a specific area of motion control, the series builds into a comprehensive and accessible library of up-to-date system building information.

Ethernet Direct is cooperating with Catena AS to set up Ethernet Direct's base in Scandinavia region. Catena AS is a leading provider of products and solutions for communication in harsh environment where reliability is crucial. Catena is also a manufacturer of HDS weatherproof enclosures for emergency communication and safety systems.

This growth is reflective of Falcon providing the U.S. military and its subcontractors with COTS power conversion and protection solutions. Falcon's products support electronic systems for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, L-3 Communications, Raytheon, SAIC and other preeminent military, defense and aerospace organizations.

Products being exhibited include the DryLin ZLW linear actuator for compact, quick positioning of lightweight parts.; DryLin W compact linear guide system with a stainless steel shaft; DryLin linear slide tables; compact igubal pivoting bearings; and iglide plastic plain bearings.

Using the flexible M-Series sensors to fit 45 to 60-ft. tall vessels, the sensors provide both tank level and temperature measurement of flammable liquids. With a rugged design, the M-Series enables BP to monitor light oils, diesel fuels, and gasoline at various locations throughout the United States.

Trinity Integrated systems won a global award for innovation at the IET’s annual Innovation in Engineering Awards. Trinity won the Software Design award for its software translation tool.

The number of customers and prospects attending Customer Day at the ABB Low Voltage Products "Results-Driven Power Control" Roadshow here, on Thursday, October 18, set a record, as end users poured into the Crowne Plaza Hotel downtown to attend technical workshops and review the 25 product families on display.

Emerson delivered Daniel natural gas metering systems on 12 skids for fiscal metering on the Fujian LNG-import terminal project. The terminal is being constructed in Fujian Province, Peoples Republic of China. It is owned and operated by CNOOC Fujian LNG Co. Ltd., a co-investment of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Fujian Investment and Development Corporation.

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.