Articles and News

By Bill Lydon, Editor Emerson’s Sonnenberg and Zornio discussed pervasive sensing as a growing trend. They framed the discussion around the idea of pervasive sensing as the way to achieve the pursuit of actionable information to improve operations and maintenance.

Exlar is a business unit of Curtiss-Wright Controls. Exlar designs, manufactures and sells linear and rotary motion products worldwide.

Averna will provide automated testing equipment for the PMA certification program of wireless charging devices.

As cyberattacks and threats to network security continue to rise, so does the need for securing industrial control systems for water and wastewater systems.

ARC forecasts solid growth for the safety system market, which will exceed $3 billion worldwide in 2017.

Firms in Mexico spent $535 million on packaging machinery imports in 2012, making their nation the world’s seventh-largest importer of packaging machinery.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Foxboro has dramatically stepped up the power of their controller with the Foxboro Evo process automation system introduction. This controller is a great example of the new breed of controllers that leverages the latest technology.

Kaiser Optical Systems makes Raman sensors and instrumentation, and advanced holographic components for spectroscopy, telecommunications, astronomy and ultra-fast sciences.

Savigent’s Catalyst Enterprise Historian will provide a fault detection solution for Seagate’s wafer fabrication data collection, storage, contextualization and analysis.

In this video case study, Dynagen, a Canadian control panel manufacturer, explains how they use Netbiter to remotely monitor gensets, pumps, compressors etc. in the field.

In this video case study, Carl Steffen, Engineering Services Manager at VRTX Technologies, San Antonio, TX, explains how they use Netbiter to remotely monitor their water treatment systems.

Premature valve failure results from seat erosion under low flow/high pressure drop conditions or when the valve is cavitating or flashing.

TriComB2B says business-to-business (B2B) decision makers are twice as likely now, versus two years ago, to use social media when gathering information before making a purchasing decision.

EMO will take place at the Hannover Exhibition Center in September of 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2025.

Catalog contains RFID systems (Tool ID, LF, HF, and UHF), vision sensors, and supporting accessories and cables.

Yokogawa will supply control systems, safety systems, remote instrument enclosures, and the analyzer shelters and analytical systems for the USGC Petrochemicals Project.

SK innovation will use Invensys’ SimSci ROMeo software to optimize and improve the performance of its refining and petrochemical operations in real time.

ABB will supply two 4.75MW wound rotor induction motors, ACS6000 frequency converters with mill application controller and remote diagnostic facilities, transformers, medium voltage cubicles and engineering.

Honeywell will provide Fusion4 technology to allow biofuels used in London buses to be blended directly at London bus depots, rather than mixing with standard diesel at refineries in Scotland.

ISA educational scholarships, which fund tuition, related expenses and research initiatives, are distributed annually to undergraduate students in two-year and four-year colleges and universities, and to graduate students.

The H1 ITK is an advanced testing solution benefitting both developers and end users of Foundation fieldbus H1 devices.

Automation IG integrates robots in MIG welding, resistance welding, material handling, vision guided, and offline programmed applications.

Designed for machine builders and operators, the Lenze library simplifies implementation of PackML standards using ladder logic.

Considerable capital investments helped to facilitate the first stages of their strategic growth plan.

Cincom Systems will add Memex’s MERLIN MES software to its ERP/CRM software.

Technical paper focuses on the implementation of a practical approach for fuel cells system data analysis.

Founded in 2004, Ocean Data Systems (ODS) develops software solutions for industrial analytics and reporting.

Centero offers product integration services to process control device suppliers who are adding ISA100 Wireless capability to products in their portfolios.

Festo borrowed the concept of energy transfer through the action of waves on water to show how delicate products like fruits and vegetables can be intelligently sorted by smart wave-action conveyors.

Aerotech surpassed $1 billion of motion control and precision electromechanical systems products shipped since the company’s inception.

ABB will provide planned and unplanned maintenance for the up- and mid-stream facilities at Queensland Curtis Liquefied Natural Gas (QCLNG).

Rockwell Automation donated $200,000 to the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) Education and Research Foundation.

Martin Rolland has been appointed as the head of eWON Japan.

MPLAB integrates the licensing, resale and support of both Microchip and third-party middleware, drivers, libraries and real-time operating systems.

Free chlorine monitors from Analytical Technology overcome the traditional issues associated with buffered amperometric monitors, such as manhandling 25 litre containers of buffer around sites.

HTS Texas, a commercial HVAC manufacturers' representative, has become an authorized partner of eSight Energy.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Over the last few years a number of automation vendors have announced various services including outsourced maintenance, system integration, manufacturing and business process consulting, and remote operations. I wonder if an automation vendor can continue to be effective as both a product company and services provider.

Datalogic is also buying 1.2% of IDEC.

QA Graphics provided floor plan graphics and custom 3D images that realistically represent the plant, chilled water system, condenser water system and chiller in place at a university.

Protecting industry and critical infrastructure from cyberattack requires the implementation of comprehensive industrial automation and control systems (IACS) cybersecurity standards, said Patrick Gouhin, Executive Director and CEO of ISA.

Recently I watched the movie Apollo 13 again, this time including my four children who had never seen the cinematic classic. I’ve personally seen it too many times to count; it’s one of my favorites—p

Wireless Networks for Industrial Automation, by Dick Caro, provides a clear, unbiased view of the emerging wireless communications market, and closely examines the latest advances in wireless technologies for process control.

Codenomicon Defensics and Load Testing platforms are recognized as an approved CRT (Communication Robustness Testing) tool for ISASecure control systems certification programs.

MAC Solutions bought Asgard Technologies, developer of the ProcessVue suite of alarm management and printer replacement software.

For the first nine months of 2013, motion control product shipments are down 5.4% from the same period in 2012, according to the Motion Control Association (MCA).

Students at Shelton State Community College, Alabama, will be educated in industrial technology topics designed to better prepare them for the transition from education into the manufacturing workplace.

Smart reset can reduce overshoot and faltering, and smart feedforward can provide a more complete and accurate feedforward action.

This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report (CTMR) collaboration, was down 3.8 percent from August’s total and down 3.1 percent from September 2012. Year-to-date shipments are $1.5 billion, which is down 6.7 percent from the same period in 2012.

Holcim’s Cement plant in El Salvador uses the ETAP Real-Time Intelligent Load Shedding (ILS) system to reduce power outages.

Flowserve will supply pumping systems for the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant located in Carlsbad, Calif.