Articles and News

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.