From research for an article in the September 2010, Automation World issue, Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, discusses what several people have discovered about making manufacturing a strategic part of an enterprise. And, no, Gary is not a Juventus fan. He just liked the shirt when shopping on his last trip to Italy. He's hoping for one from Stuttgart while there next month.
Yokogawa announces the R1.02 upgrade to the Real-Time Production Organizer series, a suite of MES platform packages that integrate vertical production execution workflow across departments.
Electro-Sensors, Inc. announces its FM-approved temperature sensors now include a built-in conduit adapter and grease-fitting (zerk) tap. TT420-LT (Liquid Tight) temperature sensors combine a sensor, signal conditioner and loop-powered 4-20mA transmitter into a rugged and compact package.
Process and plant engineers in search of a flow switch/monitor that can be easily incorporated into gas and liquid process sampling systems will find that the Model FS10A Analyzer Flow Switch/Monitor from Fluid Components International (FCI) features a convenient SP76 adapter that supports NeSSI compliant hardware.
Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) announced it has collaborated with GLOBALFOUNDRIES to create a facility called Graphical Design Rule Manual (GDRM) that helps IC designers rapidly debug layout design rule violations by integrating the Calibre® RVE[TM] results viewing environment with GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ electronic design rule manuals. With GDRM, designers using the Calibre RVE tool to correct [...]
The automaker is installing Wi-Fi access points on its assembly lines to wirelessly deliver its Sync software to new Wi-Fi-enabled MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles as they are being built.
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Belden's Lumberg Automation line of products includes industrial Ethernet and fieldbus connectivity, as well as connectors/connectivity for general industrial applications.
Ideal for OEM and network-edge level managed performance, Hirschmann RSB20 swtiches provide a cost-effective, customized Ethernet communications solution.
The list meeting the requirements of the new ISA industrial wireless networking standard includes five device families from Honeywell and one from Yokogawa.
The Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) International today released Harnessing the Power of Metrics to Diagnose and Solve Business Problems, a white paper that illustrates a systematic approach for achieving the measurable business results demanded by enterprise managers.
Magma® Design Automation Inc. (Nasdaq: LAVA), a provider of chip design software, launched Quartz iPOP, the “improved Productivity, Operability and Performance” initiative to facilitate designers’ adoption of the Quartz[tm] DRC and Quartz LVS software for designs targeted at 65 nanometers (nm) and below. Magma’s Quartz products, the first truly scalable physical verification solutions, handle larger [...]
Marvell (Nasdaq: MRVL), a worldwide leader in integrated silicon solutions, announced it has acquired the intellectual property and assets of Diseno de Sistemas en Silicio S.A. (“DS2″), a supplier of high speed semiconductor solutions for powerline communications. Powerline technology converts any existing electrical power wiring into an intelligent, high-speed networking medium, enabling consumers to quickly [...]
The City of Naperville (Illinois) needed an Ethernet upgrade for its electrical substations to achieve 24/7 security monitoring and remote management. Belden's end-to-end Ethernet solution provided a highly reliable, easy-to-manage -- and secure -- substation network.
Wind farm components might experience extremes of temperature, humidity, vibration, EMI and lightning strikes -- to name just a few harsh environmental conditions.
Conveying signals between mission-critical measuring instruments and PLCs demands industrial-grade components that can endure high humidity, git, sludge and corrosive-type gases.
Outages already cost the power generation industry as much as $150 billion per year and any failed switch or cabling system component can mean repair costs of 15-20 times the cost of the component itself.
Harsh environments, like those experienced in the oil and gas industry, need networking and automation components that can withstand the stresses of the environment.
According to some studies, downtime in the Food & Beverage industry can lead to costs in the range of $20,000 to $30,000 per hour. How can you help ensure the reliability of your process?
In the oil, gas and petroleum processing industries, an integrated, environmentally hardened communications infrastructure is essential to high network performance, reliability and uptime. Here are six basic factors to consider in designing a communications network infrastructure for use in extreme conditions.
Considering environmental risks and selecting hardened cabling, connectivity, switches and hardware are essential to long-term network performance and reliability.
How Variable Frequency Drive technology can help water treatment plants reduce energy use, while saving costs and extending the service life of motor-driven equipment.
In todays world of electric energy generation, transmission and
distribution, the data communications and information technology (IT)
infrastructure plays a key role in enabling the implementation of
networked systems that can help maximize power output, better manage
capacity and increase safety, while reducing costs and waste.
A Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) regulates the speed of a 3-phase AC
electric motor by controlling the frequency and voltage of the power it
delivers to the motor. These devices, also known as Adjustable Speed
Drives or Variable Speed Drives, are becoming prevalent in a wide range
of applications throughout industry in motion control, conveying,
indexing and ventilation systems, for example, as well as processing
equipment, machining and other work areas.
Join us for a FREE hour-long presentation that will help automation and
networking/IT professionals understand the security strategies and tools
that are necessary for the adequate protection of their systemsboth
now and in the future.
Carrying power from AC drive systems to AC motors is a tough job. You need a cable that operates well in harsh environments, while also mitigating the challenges posed by high voltage spikes and noise.
You need rugged industrial Ethernet cables designed for today's harsh and sometimes hazardous environments to ensure optimum network performance and uptime. Never use commercial-grade products!
Industrial-grade active and passive components are essential to the long-term performance of Industrial Ethernet networks - can you risk using commercial-grade switches, cabling and connectivity?
Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) motors offer many benefits - including energy efficiency. But to achieve these benefits, you need to have the right VFD cable supporting the drive system. Find out which cable is right for your VFD application.
The Unified Production Model (UPM) for FactoryTalk® VantagePoint from Rockwell Automation provides a data bank for disparate systems, with out-of-the-box functionality for KPIs, dashboards and reports.
By pulling together data that had been isolated in multiple systems, FactoryTalk® VantagePoint from Rockwell Automation allows a leading steel producer to improve quality by increasing visibility, correlating potential defects and customizing reporting.
Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, discusses R&D leadership change at National
Instruments and the HP fiascoplus a quick review of Daniel Pink's Drive." Automation World attended and reported on NI Week in Austin, TX, Aug 2-4. For more details on the event, click here (http://www.automationworld.com/podcast-7425)for the podcast.
Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, hits the nature trail for this video essay on leadership in Automation. After visiting NI week, Gary provides insights on the leadership model at National Instruments. For more automation reports, visit www.automationworld.com/videos (http://www.automationworld.com/videos)
Omegas new line of thermometer/data loggers is the perfect choice for remote logging and ideal for use as a mobile measuring device for the industrial environment.
TURCK announces its new Distributed I/O Brochure, which encompasses TURCKs broad line of machine-mount and in-cabinet distributed I/O solutions, along with its BL ident® RFID system.
N-TRON Corp., a global leader in Industrial Networking, today expanded its unmanaged line of switches with the introduction of four new models-the 110FX2, 111FX3, 112FX4 and 114FX6.
HIS' new 22" Panel Mount Monitors and Touchscreens are available in black powder-coated steel and stainless steel, have been certified by UL for Type 4/12 and 4/4X/12 environments and have UL508 certification.
Exlar Corporation announces its award to provide linear actuators for the 6 degree-of-freedom motion bases in a South Korea museum theatre for 4D entertainment.
Moxa has launched three high power PoE (Power over Ethernet) IEEE 802.3 af/at industrial Ethernet switches aimed at power-hungry PoE-enabled devices such as PTZ cameras and long distance wireless access points.
Cell phones and a slew of emerging devices will power the market for consumer electronics and cell phone Microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensors toward solid, uninterrupted growth in 2010 and beyond, according to the market research firm iSuppli Corp. Revenue for MEMS sensors and actuators used in consumer electronics and mobile handsets is projected to reach $1.5 [...]
Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, wraps up NI Week down in Austin, Texas. The event, held in early August, saw the unveiling of LabVIEW 2010 and numerous technology presentations. For more information, click here (http://www.automationworld.com/news-7417).
Automation World was at National Instrument's NI Week, held in Austin, TX, Aug. 2-4. Below is a video essay from Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, and he provides an overview of the presentations, student challenges and automation products. Gary closes with an interesting thought that relates to his dialoge with
Martin Ford
by discussing the types of jobs that will dominate in the future.
The APAX-5070, a high-density Modubus/TCP remote I/O solution, allows
any PC, controller or HMI device to add remote I/O functionality to
access data and perform read/write actions.
OpenSystems Media is proud to announce the first EDA Virtual Conference, entitled EDA: The Next Big Things. Engineers from around the world are invited to learn about Analog and Mixed Signal, System-on-Chip, High-Level Design, and Verification. Each session will also include a special “Ask the Experts” panel for attendees to ask their questions and network [...]
Laird Technologies, Inc., a global leader in the design and supply of customized performance-critical components and systems for advanced electronics and wireless products, announced the release of its enhanced Cascade Series Thermoelectric Assemblies (TEAs). The Cascade Series TEAs are custom designed cooling assemblies that use multistage Thermoelectric Modules (TEMs) to achieve a high temperature differential [...]
The fieldbus-independent openSAFETY protocol was tested according to IEC 61784-3 FSCP 13 and approved by national IEC (International Electrotechnical Comission) committees representing 27 countries including China, USA and Germany, and is therefore released for international standardization.
Red Lion Controls, Inc. announces increased functionality and flexibility for their popular G3 Series Operator Interface family, now available with the new Ethernet expansion card, G3ENET.
At the 16th annual general assembly meeting held in Scottsdale,
Ariz., PTO, the trade organization for Profibus and Profinet in North America, announced
that the organization has a new namePI North America.
The lenses of some very large telescopes at the European Southern Observatory require an annual coating process to enhance photon recording. Historian and InfoLink products from Canary Labs were chosen to help monitor the process.
A multi-national power company uses the OPC DataHub from Cogent Real-Time Systems to centralize data collection and control of wind farms, resulting in a secure and automated real-time solution.
Entertainment production company, Hudson, uses OPC solutions from Kepware on its motion control platform to deliver robust reliability and seamless integration in entertainment projects ranging from Broadway to casinos and amusement parks.
Thomas Burke, president and executive director of the OPC Foundation, discusses OPC developments, such as collaboration projects for interoperability, the IEC standard for OPC UA, hands-on workshops for OPC users and developers, and highlights of OPC efforts around the world.
The vendors Tritex II linear and rotary actuators have added EtherNet/IP capability, with the accompanying ODVA Declaration of Conformity to the EtherNet/IP Specification.
The EL3681 and KL3681 I/O terminals include digital multimeters integrated directly into I/O nodes to provide a streamlined and low-cost alternative to stand-alone digital multimeters.
The e100 servo motor drive family has been re-engineered to become compatible with three industrial Ethernet standardsEtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP and Powerlinkas well as standard TCP/IP networks and the vendors Mint system building environment.
The EKI-2528PAI is a ruggedized 8-port unmanaged Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) Ethernet switch featuring a total of eight 10/100Base-TX Ethernet ports, four of which can supply power to PoE-compliant devices.
For many high-performance networks, delivering critical data packets on time can be more important than simply sending them through cables at high data rates.
Cameras and other peripherals are beginning to use Ethernet and TCP/IP protocol, accelerating the move toward flat, single-network architectures in factories.
As the latest extension to the Fisher Vee-Ball family, the V150E expanded outlet version valve features a transitional flow contour that increases in flow area from inlet to outlet.
Billed as the worlds first 640×480-resolution, uncooled infrared camera to be fully-compliant with both GenICam and GigE Vision protocols, the A615 is designed to provide both high frame rates and more than 300,000 pixels of accurate temperature measurement data.