Articles and News

IDTechEx finds that in 2012 the value of the entire RFID market will be $7.46 billion, up from $6.37 billion in 2011.

Rotork valve gearboxes will operate giant butterfly valves to supply fresh water to the city of Shanghai.

Siemens will provide 18 Robicon Perfect Harmony medium voltage drives for Solana, a 280MW facility near Gila Bend, Ariz., which will be the world’s largest concentrating solar power (CSP) plant.

Automation.com, July 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor At Honeywell Users Group (HUG), 'Sustain. Ability.' was defined as including technology, performance, resources, market and regulatory demands; and described as a holistic approach to sustainability that includes best practices, design, build, operations, and management.

Speakers are now being sought for the Automate 2013 conference in Chicago, January 21-24, 2013.

Included in the kit is an AS-i Programmer that allows for master calls with the ability to configure and inspect any connected slave devices.

IMS Research estimates that world discrete machine safety component revenues grew by 17.5 percent in 2011, exceeding USD $2 billion.

Utilities are turning their attention to improving efficiency and control in the distribution segment of the grid that lies between the substation and the meter.

Control Performance, Asset Performance, Human Performance, and Safety and Environmental Performance tracks will be held during Automation Week, 24-27 September 2012.

The IP20 rating assures that a probe the approximate size of a finger is not able to make contact with any hazardous, energized parts.

SPA Automação was founded three years ago and has nine employees in their office near São Paulo.

Despite the decision by National Instruments to "obsolete" 5B modules in September 2012, Dataforth will continue to manufacture their 5B family of signal conditioning products.

Yokogawa will supply a CENTUM VP control systems, ProSafe-RS safety instrumented system, exhaust gas analyzers, and differential pressure/pressure transmitters.

An effective frequency domain approach to tuning non-PID controllers for high performance

Start a conversation with everyone responsible for the successful implementation, maintenance, and operation of your designs.

IMS says locating motor controls production closer to consumption is a rising trend in China, Brazil, and Eastern Europe.

Thomson Reuters released its impact factor ratings for scientific journals, rating ISA Transactions 21% higher than the previous year.

Michael Rothwell, Director of Controls and Industry Solutions (CIS) for Phoenix Contact, has been added to PI's Board of Directors.

Downloadable engineering files with integration specifications are available for TECHSPEC Imaging Optics.

National Instruments announced the keynote and summit presenters for the NIWeek 2012 worldwide graphical system design conference and exhibition on August 7—9 in Austin.

A Micro Motion MID-Certified (Measurement Instrument Directive) Marine Bunker Measurement Solution has been installed on a barge operated by Progressive Barge Line in the Port of New Orleans.

Rosemount Analytical wireless conductivity transmitters are being used to detect changes in boiler condensate conductivity which could be caused by cooling-water leaks in the turbine’s condenser.

Belden and Tofino Security have developed a product portfolio and business processes to protect critical infrastructure against emerging threats.

The office is located in Albany, the new technology center of Auckland. Neil Pearce will manage the office.

Letter to ISA Members: Proposal of Membership Dues Increase

Video by AMP shows how adding an encoder to a step motor system lets the drive monitor the motor’s position, closing the feedback loop and avoiding many of the limitations traditionally associated with stepper systems.

Automation.com, July 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor New controllers are integrating automation functions, bridging business systems with the plant floor and creating greater efficiencies and performance – all in an effort to achieve the vision of the digital factory.

IMS says the world market for machine vision grew more than 10 percent in 2011, but this level of growth is unlikely to be sustained.

The NEMA standard for motors and generators recently received approval from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Derek Carbin has served as the General Manager and president of Meggitt (Maryland). He retains the position of president.

By Dr Harry Zervos, Technology Analyst Energy harvesters and wireless sensors are not always deployed under "a walk in the park" operating environments. The most interesting applications tend to be in sectors where conditions are harsh or devices are inaccessible once deployed.

Kuka will supply the manufacturing line for the new Bell 525 Relentless super medium-class commercial helicopter.

EnOcean Alliance now has a membership base of 300 companies worldwide, developing innovative automation solutions for sustainable building projects.

Wonderware NorCal will distribute TopView alarm management, notification, and remote monitoring software product line in California.

Emerson installed PlantWeb digital plant architecture at three plants, including DeltaV digital automation systems, Rosemount instruments, and AMS Suite predictive maintenance software.

Part 2: Integrating Analyzers with Automation Systems in Life Sciences

AMT says orders were up 14.5% from April and up 19.0% when compared with the total of $398.10 million reported for May 2011.

Two-sided site serves both clients of control system integrators, and current and prospective CSIA members.

F&S says the European Industrial Networking/Communication Market was €854.1 million in 2010 and estimates it to reach €1,596.1 million in 2015.

Insensys will distribute Paradox Engineering’s PE.WSNi and PE.AMI solutions for industrial data acquisition, collection, transportation, storage and delivery.

Control system integrator guide explains the benefits of CSIA Certification.

Automation.com, July 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor Bill Lydon chats with Darius Adamczyk, new President at Honeywell Process Solutions about his thoughts on managing the company and his focus on increasing services for customers.

Prior to joining Geometric, Pascarella was responsible for Strategic Automotive Initiatives at Dassault Systèmes.

Winner of ISA’s prestigious Life Achievement Award & many times awarded for achievements during his career, Greg McMillan is ISA’s most prolific author.

Catalog contains extensive information on linear variable displacement transducers (LVDT), linear encoders and magnetostrictive transducers.

B&B Electronics provided an extensive fiber, cellular and wireless communications network for the Volvo Ocean Race Galway Grand Finale.

The plant currently under construction will be used as a peak load and reserve plant to replace the use of existing oil- and gas-fired boiler plants.

The more knowledge an industrial engineer masters, the more valuable he or she becomes.

The site provides a convenient way for customers to 'design' their industrial connector solutions.

Catalog covers metal, plastic, circular and rectangular connectors used in industrial, medical, instrumentation and renewable energy.

Yole Développement says MEMS will see double digit growth for the next six years, with 20% compound average annual growth in units and 13% growth in revenues, to become a $21 billion market by 2017.

DT-Remote app allows iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android users to view real-time data collected from remote dataTaker systems.

ABB will supply electrification and automation equipment to Swedish iron ore producer Northland Resources' new concentrator plant.

Datum Alloys will use the ERP to to replace its custom manufacturing and finance solutions in three countries.

Siemens recognized achievements of its customers and partners who are using Siemens technology to generate superior business results.

Improvements to water meters, municipal lighting and supporting information technology will reduce electricity consumption by 30 percent and water consumption by 70 percent.

T+H provides seamless integration of customer networks through all network levels – from device automation to the ERP system.

Frost & Sullivan says strict regulations in the oil and gas industry have resulted in end users being unwilling to risk their investment with pumps manufactured in Asia and the Far East.

Rotork K-TORK vane type valve actuators solved a difficult flow control application found in many coal-fired power plants – high-pressure bottom ash spray valve control.

Rather than building his own futuristic, high-tech conveyors, art director Page Buckner said he decided to use QC Industries' aluminum extruded AS40 conveyors.

The site shows how Mitsubishi’s solutions can reduce cost of powertrain machining and assembly, stamping, welding, painting, final assembly and parts production.

Kay is recognized for his contributions to arc-resistant medium-voltage control and protection technologies.

Travis Capps, vice president of energy and gases at Valero Energy, will be a keynote speaker at ISA Automation Week, 24-27 September 2012.

IMCO Engineering & Construction, based in Kuwait and Qatar, will use IFS to streamline processes such as project and contract management.

Automation.com, July 2012 By Inge Hübner After some teething problems, wireless technology, such as WirelessHART, is becoming more and more established in the process industry.

The testing session involved interoperability of the different implementations of the new IEC 62439-3 Ethernet redundancy protocols.

Ashcroft provides flexibility to modify fittings, outputs, enclosures, calibration, mounting methods and much more.

Certification from the HART Foundation is for the hardware and DD files, indicating full compliance with the HART Communication Protocol.

With dates in more than 60 locations in North America, Europe and China, the Showcase is designed to unveil the company’s revolutionary new automation solutions.

Catalog 70 covers Cable Glands, conduit hubs, conectors and cordsets.

For the past decade Gleason has been Regional Sales Manager for Eastern USA.

Automation.com, June 2012 By Chris Jones, Micro-Epsilon UK EtherCAT has established itself within the market as a communications standard that can offer true real time capabilities in automation technology. Micro-Epsilon has developed sensors and controllers with EtherCAT capability, enabling them to be smoothly integrated into existing control and automation networks.

The Supervisory Board laid the groundwork for the rebuilding of halls 19 and 20, as well as for several acquisitions in Germany and abroad.

Website covers sensors, transducers, vision, RFID systems and networking products.

The latest video describes multi-communications capabilities in a remote terminal unit (RTU).