Articles and News

Solid-state relays (SSR) are able to perform many of the same tasks as electromechanical relay (EMR)s. The main difference is that SSRs have no moving mechanical parts within it.

AirMagnet supplies security, performance and compliance solutions for wireless LANs.

MultiPlus Solutions offers a complete ERP suite including finance, project control, maintenance, manufacturing, document management, and human resource management.

TÜV Rheinland North America moved its operations center to Boston’s Financial District at 1 Federal Street.

Groupement Berkine upgraded an aging Bailey control system with DeltaV Connect and operator stations, but retained the Bailey I/O and controllers.

An ABB FTIR analyzer was installed in November 2008 at the 250,000 barrel a day oil refinery of Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) in the Middle East.

Hint delivered an AML system for analyzer management for the pilot plants of STC at Brielle, in The Netherlands. STC institute trains process operators and instrumentation and control specialists.

Kiva uses hundreds of mobile robotic drive units to bring inventory on movable shelves directly to workers, allowing easy and efficient access to all inventory items at all times.

ABB will enable Brookfield Renewable Power to monitor, control and manage its entire fleet of power generation facilities in North America.

By Jack Wilkins, Canary Labs “Process Analytics Finds Process Problems,” describes how companies can gain great insight into how their process operates, find problems, and improve quality by using process analytical software.

UL 864 9th Edition governs the safety of fire alarm systems and equipment, including smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and fire alarms.

The new ESD system, comprising an H51q safety controller with nine input/output module racks, is housed in two switchgear cabinets, and uses 936 input and output signals.

CIMdata is forecasting that PLM investments in 2009 will decline 2.1% from 2008 results and the five year CAGR will be 3.5%— with investments growing to just under $31 billion in 2013.

Emerson’s Ovation SIS was certified as suitable for SIS applications up to and including SIL 3.

Beckhoff Automation also hired Ron Pryor as a Customer Service Engineer and Les Queen as an Application Engineer.

Improvements after installing PlantWeb, Ovation expert control system, Scenario simulation, AMS software and Smart Wireless technology include a 50 percent improvement in the plant’s ability to ramp up and down on demand

Michael Conger replaces Mark Kravik, who was president and owner since 1984 and is transitioning to chairman of the board.

ABB will provide power factor correction for 19 substations rated 33/13.8 kilovolts in central, southern and northwestern provinces, and for nine 132/33 kV substations near the capital.

ABB will implement an integrated SCADA solution to monitor and control the power stations and substations on the island of Malta.

ABB reduced the maintenance costs of Solvay Indupa’s PVC plant in Argentina by 20 percent while preserving high levels of equipment availability and reliability.

The catalog includes valve sizing charts, application sketches, and a features comparison chart showing industrial pneumatic directional control valves from all Rexroth catalogs.

Commtest hired Rod Acklin as Product Manager and Dr. Robin Williams as Technical Director.

Sustainability Report reveals the steps Siemens Building Technologies is taking to introduce greener, more sustainable practices throughout its U.S. facilities

ETG opened the first EtherCAT Test Center outside Europe in Kyoto, Japan.

The new subsidiary in Singapore is FRABA Pte. Ltd.

ABB will supply 400 HCEP instrument transformers to be installed at 140 substations in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Catalog covers safety couplings that disengage motor drives for overload protection.

The worldwide market for Intelligent Pumps is expected to grow at a rate somewhat less than the total automation market, but is expected to a bright spot in the overall pump market.

Partnership will facilitate vision system integration by combining Baumer digital cameras and Cognex vision software.

Catalog covers a broad range of fiber optic applications such as ruggedized RS232/422/485 products, SCADA systems, multichannel units for instrumentation and control, and RS485 PROFIBUS DP for process control.

The 76,000 sq ft center houses technicians, project managers and senior engineers who assemble and test complex automation systems destined for U.S. and international locations.

Manufacturing technology suppliers reacted with cautious optimism over reports that Ford posted the first sales gain in two years and that U.S. manufacturing activity slowed less than expected in July.

The position has been vacant since Kirk Kitagawa returned to Okuma Corporation Japan in 2008.

By Harry Kohal, Eagle Technology There are tools available to improve quality, manage lifecycle and provide qualitative and quantitative data to measure performance of people, assets and comfort in any facility or plant.

Automation.com, August 2009 By: Christopher Eckert & Attilio Bellman, Siemens IT Solutions & Services Plant managers require IT solutions that support production lines, just-in-time scheduling and demand planning. However, forecasting and demand planning is not standard in today's IT and manufacturing environments.

Hongyun Honghe Tobacco, the fourth largest cigarette producer in the world, plans to use Wonderware software to manage its utility operations.

EKI family of industrial Ethernet Switches and Media Converters have received Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Class 1, Division 2 (groups A, B, C, and D) certification for use in hazard locations.

DataMan 2D code verifiers enable auto industry suppliers to verify compliance with the new B-17 code quality guideline issued July 20, 2009, by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG).

Flowserve received more than $45 million in orders to provide safety-related valves, electric motor actuators, and control, ball and plug valves for the Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plants.

Honeywell will upgrade the Experion Process Knowledge System (PKS) at Konya Sugar’s Cumra production site.

New and exchange spare parts now carry a 1-year warranty and select items carry a 5-year warranty.

ABB won orders worth over $540 million from the Abengoa Group in Brazil for the world’s longest power transmission link--2,500 kilometers.

Invensys is providing multivariable advanced process control (APC) solutions to Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer.

Turbulence in the global market effectively put the brakes on the machine safeguarding market around the third quarter in 2008.

The worldwide market for Inductive, Capacitive and Ultrasonic Proximity Sensors will decline this year but is expected to strongly rebound next year according to ARC Advisory Group study.

DTE’s boot seal testing machine employs two motorized movement axes – one vertical and one horizontal – each driven by a Baldor MotiFlex e100 3-phase servo drive and servomotor

HI 3030 Multi-Scale Weight Controller is now Canadian Weights & Measures certified.

By Integration Objects Integration Objects used OPC to integrate a point to point connection infrastructure based on VMS and Unix platforms that connected all the Distributed Control Systems and other automation islands with Aramco’s PIMS (Plant Information Management System).

ABB helped the Myllykoski Paper mill in Finland reduce heating and electricity consumption while increasing production volumes.

Husky series industrial Ethernet switches and Retriever series industrial media converters comply with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Class 1 Division 2 approvals.

The office in Brisbane will provide access to MatrikonOPC's connectivity software, OPC training, and services for both current and prospective clients.

Solution for machine builders will help mechanical, electrical and controls design engineers to work together to analyze, optimize, simulate and select machine designs in a virtual design and production environment.

Comit Systems will deliver turnkey engineering services for integration of GreenPeak's wireless technology.

Orders decreased across all divisions and regions compared to the second quarter of 2008 on a combination of lower volumes and price decreases resulting from both lower raw material costs and reduced demand.

Catalog covers Vlinx low-cost, entry-level mini Ethernet serial servers, Elinx Gigabit Ethernet media converters, plus software enhancements to the Zlinx wireless I/O line.

The gearbox shaft loads form adds new charts for axial, radial and tilting moment loads, clearly showing the maximum and nominal ratings as well as the application profiles.

The highest honor bestowed by the International Society of Automation (ISA), Honorary Member, has been given to Moore Industries’ founder and President Leonard W. Moore.

As I travel from one user conference to another, there is one clear and consistent theme coming from the major automation suppliers. Services, which include systems integration, optimization, life cycle management, asset management, and maintenance, have become a major focus for many of them. Even in this challenging economy, the services groups within these organizations continue to grow – sometimes significantly.

The ARC study reports that the explosive growth that characterized the DCS (distributed control system) market up until 2008 is gone due to the global economic crisis.

Gas and flame detectors received IEC 61508 certification from FM Approvals, demonstrating suitability to Safety Integrity Level (SIL).

X-STREAM O2 combustion analyzer Quick Ship program helps customers get up-and-running quickly when the unforeseen occurs.

CBIT, a Mexican information technology company, helps customer to align their infrastructure to their business objectives.

Accreditation is recognition that the test laboratory is competent to carry out tests in compliance with PLCopen guidelines for the certification of IEC 61131-3 related products.

Microscan’s new global headquarters address is 700 SW 39th St., Renton, WA 98057.

ABB will supply electrical solutions in two projects for the City of Cape Town Electricity Services Department.

CD-Rom contains full versions of the company’s cable carrier, continuous-flex cables and bearings print catalogs.

Despite the recession, the Collaborative Production Management market continues to grow, albeit at a very modest pace.

ABB will provide onsite process control systems service and maintenance at Vale Inco's process plant located on the South Pacific island of New Caledonia.

Site covers PLC on a Chip based PLCs, Application Specific controls and PLC Education tools.

Emerson will install Ovation expert control technology to monitor and control solids processes at the MWRDGC.

FCI’s brochure describes level, flow and temperature instrumentation solutions for the nuclear power industry.

Cognizant will help improve the design, development and delivery of Invensys Operations Management’s products and solutions.

Dozens of European business leaders engaged in roundtable discussions of current global economy and the role technologies play in meeting the needs of manufacturers.

Phoenix Contact received a Quality Assurance Notification (QAN) certificate to design and produce products that meet the ATEX (Directive 94/9/EC and IECEx) standard for explosive atmospheres.

Testifying before the House Small Business Committee, Douglas K. Woods, President of AMT, said the effects of tax breaks and other provisions within the stimulus law have so far been minimal on the struggling manufacturing industry.