Articles and News

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.