Articles and News

Safety and environmental integrity have always been critically important aspects of industrial operations. In recent years with increased regulatory and business pressures, the importance of effective

Automation.com, August 2012 By Nicholas M. Veikos, CAE Associates Simulating product performance in the virtual world has proven to be a valuable asset to many organizations. The specific topic of this article is finite element analysis, but most of the concepts can apply to your favorite flavor of simulation.

By John Rinaldi, Real Time Automation This article examines USB and its applicability for factory floor applications. It addresses the history of USB, the technology, the advantages and limitations of USB in the factory floor environment and how USB will most likely be deployed in the coming years.

The course educates electrical professionals on safe and effective ways to install and troubleshoot issues with arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs).

Cerus designs, manufactures, and distributes motor controls, motor starters, contactors, protection devices, and variable frequency drives.

Beckhoff hired five more technical support engineers at the company’s Burnsville, Minn. headquarters.

Use a PID control to eliminate manual actions and scheduled actions whenever a reasonable PV measurement is available.

Catalog details the features, benefits and specifications of the company’s motion control solutions.

All about loop-checking with new ANSI/ISA standard

Automation.com, August 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor Greg Bodenhamer is responsible for Schneider Electric's internal integration and services group and has been building a program to cooperatively work with independent system integrators. The overall goal is to put the customer first and provide the most effective and efficient solution.

TNPI will use the software to integrate preventative maintenance records, asset data, equipment histories, and other pipeline data.

By Peter Seeberg and Jürgen Lange, Softing The third part of this series of articles outlines ten key reasons that have led to the development of an entirely new technology generation, the OPC Unified Architecture.

BMW's factory in Landshut, Germany, uses digital cameras from Allied Vision Technologies to test instrument panel carrier frames for the MINI Countryman.

Web Studio v7.1 provides students a complete SCADA/HMI package that enables them to develop real-world applications, without limits on development time.

Automation.com, August 2012 By Lantech In the case of industrial networks, managing the multicast video by IGMP snooping is a consensus for MIS. However, could IGMP snooping really satisfy for its video stream management in transportation surveillance project?

Metso will supply and start up Metso Paper Lab, its paper and board quality analyzer, at the Rayagada paper mill in India.

Connectivity is great for consumers and businesses, but the owners and operators of large and dangerous industrial processes ask a different question.

Enhancements to the H1 (31.25 kbit/s) device coupler test specification will help improve the reliability and availability of fieldbus control system installations.

The USAF awarded Clemson University a $245,000 grant to determine what causes people to trust and rely on automation.

The newly upgraded website features detailed information on FANUC CNCs, Drive Systems, Laser Systems and Service & Support.

Trine University offers the FOUNDATION Certified Professional course using a hybrid delivery method -- classroom, hands-on lab training combined with online lectures and tests.

Frost & Sullivan says end users may opt to replace older drives with new advanced ones at little extra cost premiums rather than spending on the repair of old drive units.

The site features a “Toolbox” section which was created to give those interested in EPSON robots a place to collect information they need to make informative decisions.

Rockwell will purchase the assets of the medium voltage drives business of Harbin Jiuzhou Electric Co. for $83 million.

The image sensors for the Curiosity's Navcams and Hazcams were built in Teledyne DALSA's Bromont, Quebec, semiconductor foundry.

This contract includes potential new projects for specialty chemical, advanced materials, agro sciences and plastics businesses.

Applications include automotive camshaft manufacturing, incineration of chemical waste, low-e glass tempering, temperature measurement during epitaxial deposition, and web monitoring of semi-permeable films.

Readers of an automation magazine liked the Rosemount 708 wireless acoustic transmitter from Emerson and the RAD-WHA-1/2NPT WirelessHART adapter from Phoenix Contact.

Technician Day, scheduled for 26 September, offers information that will help attendees sharpen their instrumentation and automation skills.

The overall design has been completely overhauled with sharpened clarity of structure, streamlined ergonomics, and enhanced user friendliness

The security of our infrastructure, facilities, and manufacturing plants is of high concern 24/7, and we all agree it is prudent to be informed and stay vigilant against external as well as internal t

Automation.com, August 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor To reach higher levels of productivity, Dow Corning made the decision to migrate 32 disparate and unique site-based control systems solutions to one globally consistent automation system - the Siemens PSC 7 platform.

The electrical analysis of the systems should not be assigned to a junior engineer.

Rice University is developing a visualization wall at its Chevron Visualization Laboratory, allowing scientists to transform detailed data into 3D imagery.

By Darryl Vipond, Vipond Controls Vipond developed a cloud-based SCADA system for the oil and gas industry using InduSoft's WebStudio HMI software. It eliminates the need to purchase, install and maintain local SCADA hardware and software at each site.

CSIA certified CITI and Intech Process Automation.

Practical Thermocouple Thermometry, Second Edition by Thomas W. Kerlin and Mitchell Johnson, focuses on practical aspects of how thermocouples work; how they go bad; how to access measurement accuracy; and how to select, install and operate them.

Prior to joining Control Station, he was Vice President of Sales at Integra-Cast and held various sales management positions at Emerson.

The website is the centralized hub for all of Okuma’s online properties, with connections to specialized platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

With the increased demand for automation professionals over the past year, many of you might be considering a job change, perhaps even a career change.

V-Cone Flow Meter obtained GOST-R Certification and now officially meets Russian national technical standards.

ABB will design, engineer and supply a new 380 kilovolt (kV) outdoor gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substation at the Ras Al Khair power plant to feed a new aluminium smelter.

Epicor will supply an ERP system to Golden Chip Company, a Saudi-based smart card manufacturer.

Rockwell Automation will provide a PlantPAx distributed control system (DCS) with solar field local controller panels for Godawari Green Energy in Rajasthan, India.

Interest in wireless sensor applications is going to spearhead the growth of a new niche market for these types of generators from 2015 onwards.

Frost & Sullivan says most direct current (DC) drive applications are being replaced by AC and servo drives in the European material handling industry.

ISA will present Paul J. Galeski with the Excellence in Leadership Award during its 50th Annual ISA Honors and Awards Gala, 24 September 2012.

Security Technology and Wireless Technology tracks will take place at ISA Automation Week 2012, scheduled for 24–27 September 2012

Since its startup in 1986, the power plant has been controlled with a Damatic Classic automation system supplied by Metso.

The certification ensures that the valves meet the functional safety requirements for Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 capable per IEC 61508.