Articles and News

SEL relays protect miner sleds that power the mining equipment, and drive sleds that power pumps, fans, lighting, and everything else in the mine.

New features add design functionality, increasing supplier integration and streamlining the circuit design process.

Integrys is a source of embedded computing, imaging technology, engineering know-how and local product support in Canada.

By Joachim Sahlqvist, IFS ISO 14224 constitutes a “reliability language” that can be used to improve communication in oil & gas rig or facility operations and maintenance. This white paper shows how enterprise asset management (EAM) software that is prepackaged to support ISO 14224 can speed up compliance with the standard and ensure successful generation of valuable KPIs.

Acnodes’ panel PCs are rugged, and provide various industries with reliable, high-performance computing technology solutions.

The compact overcurrent and overvoltage products are for use in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) equipment.

Yokogawa's Newnan, Georgia, Calibration Laboratory received ISO 17025 Accreditation and meets the requirements of ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994.

Honeywell will train technical personnel at Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Limited Liability Company’s new 200,000 barrel-per-day complex being built in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.

Zygo provides optical metrology solutions, high-precision optics, and optical assemblies for use in a wide range of scientific, industrial, and medical applications.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Fluke recently introduced Fluke Connect, a system which allows maintenance technicians to wirelessly transmit measurement data from their test tools to their smart phones. There is a lot of hype about the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing. To date, from what I have seen on the market, Fluke Connect is the most useful, productivity-increasing industry solution based on these technologies.

An individual should never stop learning and improving. You cannot improve unless you know what you are doing wrong.

After declining for two consecutive years, revenues for industrial geared products are forecast to grow 4.7 percent in 2014 to $13,218.2 million.

The building will provide larger quarters for training, a showroom for CNC machine demonstrations, service engineering, spare parts stocking, and applications engineering.

1,300 customers, distributors and Honeywell leaders and engineers attended the 2014 Honeywell Users Group (HUG) Americas symposium held June 2 through 6 in San Antonio, Texas.

Vortex and Coriolis flow measurement technologies enabled accurate and reliable measurements that reduced product loss in the MTBE plant by 150 metric tons per month, and improved boiler efficiency by 3 percent.

The free Safety Automation Builder tool now has Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish and Swedish languages.

Using leakage-free seated valves, two-way pressure reducing valves and a higher efficiency radial piston pump, Schwaebische Werkzeugmaschinen achieved energy savings of 73 percent on its BA 400 machining centers.

With the large-scale deployment of proprietary data on the cloud, testing solution companies are experiencing significant opportunities in cloud infrastructure testing and cloud based application performance monitoring (APM).

Sensors Expo will be taking place June 9-11, 2015 in Long Beach, California at the Long Beach Convention Center.

TRUCONNECT provides continuous data collection to provide customers with a clear view of crane usage.

Beamex donated calibration equipment, including multifunctional documenting calibrators and communicators, pressure pumps, and field temperature blocks, along with calibration management software.

Emerson opens liquid density meter calibration facilities in Boulder, Colorado and Slough, United Kingdom.

ISA Training and Education Programs in July

The deadline for early-bird registration for the 2014 ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls (WWAC) Symposium has been extended to 1 July 2014.

The Project Q data center in the city of Queretaro, México, had to route multiple cables and pipes through 45-centimeter thick walls, while maintaining the protective integrity of the walls. Roxtec cable entry solutions proved effective protection.

Kollmorgen supplied a motion control automation solution to IMA PG for their PG Express blister packaging machine.

Autopro Automation Consultants is a engineering and integration firm that specializes in the design and implementation of industrial automation solutions.

The equipment will provide students with hands-on CNC programming experience and help to familiarize them with advanced CNC machine tool operation and control techniques.

ASHRAE Guideline 13-2014, Specifying Building Automation Systems, provide designers of building automation systems (BAS) with background information, recommendations for good practice, project considerations, and detailed discussion of options with respect to the design of a BAS system.

Version 2014.1 specification updates enhance FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management (ROM) and the usability of FOUNDATION technology.

TSI Solutions is a factory automation systems house located in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Fuses, circuit breakers, power distribution blocks and surge protective devices (SPDs) for commercial, utility and residential solar segments reduce installation costs, maintain reliable operations, help enhance safety and maximize energy harvested.

Founded in 1939, Riken Keiki has been specializing in developing gas detection and monitoring solutions to help ensure safety in industrial sites for almost a decade.

The world market for operator terminals was worth $2.32 billion in 2013, and will generate revenues of approximately $3.16 billion in 2018.

By Dr. Alex Tarter, Ultra Electronics For less than the price of a nice dinner, and a weekend's effort, almost anyone can build a penetration device that can be slipped into a pocket, surreptitiously connect to the network, and used to remotely access systems anytime and from anywhere desired.

Originally installed in April 2012, the system captures braking energy for redistribution into the SEPTA power network while generating revenue with behind the meter load response to sustain the local grid and the wholesale energy market.

Isolated amplifier products carry the CE approval.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Communication technology is taking a role in strengthening U.S. manufacturing. Tom Bianculli, Motorola Solutions’ Senior Director of Emerging Business, talks about the type of technological advances that will improve operations on the manufacturing floor.

When performing a temperature calibration, it is important to remember that the uncertainty of calibration is not the same as the accuracy of the device.

Analyst views of the Internet of Things (IoT) vary drastically depending on how one defines the topic. As a result, there is the potential for much hyping.

Applied Motion Products was founded in 1978 and specializes in providing advanced stepper and servo motor drives to a broad range of industrial and OEM customers.

Course content has been prepared and written by a team of Subject Matter Experts who are Level 3 Certified Infrared Thermographers, each having over 20 years of professional experience.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Industrial control systems are the “brains” of any automated manufacturing system. Many of these systems require motion systems - “brawn” - to accomplish the physical aspects of automation. Motion technologies have improved and are refined to meet the new manufacturing requirements. MDA North America provides the opportunity for engineers to sharpen motion knowledge and learn from industry experts first hand.

By Bill Lydon, Editor After a successful debut in 2012, Industrial Automation North America (NA) is coming back to Chicago. Industrial Automation NA is co-located with the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS). The shows will welcome visitors at McCormick Place on September 8-13, 2014. As an added bonus, this year Industrial Automation NA will feature the inaugural Motion, Drive & Automation North America (MDA North America).

Six 100” video screens attached to six industrial robots help cruise ship operator take on-board entertainment and amenities to the next level.

The use of plant-wide feedforward control can move a plant quickly and smoothly for more flexible and efficient manufacturing.

Attendees at Sensors Expo who download the Sensors Mobile App can explore specific areas of the show through the scavenger hunt and collect points for each emBeacon they encounter.

April U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $175 million, up 2.1 percent from March’s total and down 3.3 percent from April 2013.

By Bob Dolin, Echelon The emerging Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) represents the next generation of control networks for building automation. But unlike the consumer Internet of Things, the IIoT isn’t starting from scratch.

While the global PLM market slowed in the second half of 2013, China had another strong year, with nearly 13% growth to US$845 million.

SKF Mobile Apps can be downloaded free to smartphones and tablets from the Apple app store and the Google Play store for use anywhere and anytime.

L.P. Larson is a predictive maintenance solution company based in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Rosemount 5300 Guided Wave Radar (GWR) level transmitters are now certified to IEC 61508 for safety instrumented functions up to SIL 3.

Exploring the Global Shale Gas Initiative—Potential opportunities for ISA

The 57th ISA Power Industry Division (POWID) Symposium attracted almost 200 attendees and 18 exhibiting companies.

SETPOINT CMS software will use OSIsoft’s PI System technology for its underlying real-time data infrastructure.

In 2013, about 179,000 industrial robots were sold worldwide, an all-time high and 12 percent more than in 2012. China, of course, is by far the biggest robot market in the world regarding annual sales.

Honeywell will supply technology to integrate Suncor Energy’s control and safety systems, manage alarms, and provide simulation software that enables critical operations planning and operator training.

Transparency Market Research says the global smart cities market is expected to reach a value of USD 1,265.85 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 14.0% from 2013 to 2019.

The office will be used for sales, training, parts warehousing and robot demonstrations.

Wetzel joins IMPERX from TRUESENSE Imaging, formerly Eastman Kodak Company Image Sensor Solutions group, where he held various product and sales management roles

The demise of DC variable speed drives has been predicted by many people for years, but the inherent advantages of DC current for applications requiring accurate control of motor speed and torque, especially at low or zero speeds, mean this technology is still very much alive.

By Pat Garrehy, Rootstock In our litigious society, the day is quickly coming when any manufacturer better be able to trace the history of anything they make. Where the law requires you to maintain accurate records for each unique Lot and/or Serial Number purchase and sale, you need Lot Serial Control.

WEBENCH PCB Export lets engineers create a power supply printed circuit board (PCB) layout and export it to computer-aided design (CAD) development platforms.

There is more hydrogen sulfide in our crude oil input than ever before. The H2S concentration in crude oil is of great concern to anyone transporting oil in their pipelines, buying oil, or receiving oil as feed to a refinery.

Siemens is using a mobile robot cell in its Bad Neustadt production facility for electric motors.

KUKA will be demonstrating its welding competence at the 19th Beijing Essen Welding & Cutting Exhibition from June 10-13.

igus and Germanischer Lloyd developed a new test standard for cables used in motion control applications aboard ships and in offshore applications.

The research report on mobile robotics market provides detailed analysis on a global basis, with further breakdown into various sub-segments.

CYE Petrol will use Emerson’s Micro Motion Certified Bunker Measurement Solutions to enable accurate, transparent fuel deliveries from two new bunker barges being built in Turkey.

The HIMA global group achieved record sales of 105 million euros, a 16% increase over the previous year. The global sales increase was significantly higher than the industry average.

Although it was a more costly option initially, the automated barrier door was clearly the best choice for protecting employees, minimizing downtime and keeping long-term maintenance costs low.

By Keith Schmitz, Rytec High Performance Doors At MINOR’S food processing plant in Cleveland a forklift picks up a bin of their product and carries it into the next room. Unlike most facilities the forklifts here never take a break because there is no one sitting in the driver’s seat.

April U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $391.53 million down 20.4% from March but up 9.8% when compared with the total of $356.52 million reported for April 2013.

Hoosier Energy operates eight power plants, including three renewable energy facilities and a 1,700-mile transmission network.