18/3/2010
Advanced control reduces hydrogen venting and increases fuel supply
to onsite boilers - Emerson Process Management’s PlantWeb™ digital architecture is
helping the INEOS Chlor plant at Runcorn (GB) reduce annual fuel costs by approximately £3
million (ca €3.4m). Using PlantWeb’s advanced control and predictive maintenance technologies,
INEOS Chlor has been able to reduce venting of hydrogen gas and instead use it as a fuel to heat
onsite boilers for power generation.
Initial element of strategic alliance! - An initial element of the strategic alliance
betweek Pickering Interfaces & Geotest-Marvin has been the creation of a joint web site designed
to educate ATE users about the broad range of test products offered by both companies and to help
users choose the best products for their application. The Alliance combines Geotest's expertise
in Digital test, system integration and ATE software with the unmatched breadth of Pickering's
catalog of PXI Switching and Signal Conditioning products.
New
Intrinsically Safe sensor gives absolute measurement - A new MTS magnetostrictive sensor
marketed by RDP Electronics offers the opportunity to capture highly accurate positioning
measurement data in hazardous areas.
Standard
and customised load measuring pins - LCM Systems designs, manufactures and supplies a
comprehensive range of Load Measuring Pins (LMP) for a wide range of applications including crane
overload protection, winch force monitoring and mooring tension measurement. Alongside standard
ranges constructed in high tensile stainless steel, in-house design engineers can also provide
customised solutions depending on particular application requirements.
IR imaging and thermography portfolio for scientific, industrial
and security applications - Xenics is extending its range of products to the very promising
high-volume security and high end thermography markets. At this year's SPIE DSS (5/9 Apl 2010
Orlando FL US) the company will highlight its substantial innovations by showing high quality
products such as the Onca, Xlin and Meerkat families.
Enhancements to single board computer - GE Intelligent Platforms's
recently-released A10200 AdvancedTCA® single board computer will now be offered with the option
of the latest Intel® Xeon® processor 5600 series, formerly codenamed Westmere-EP and launched
today by Intel. This innovative technology provides the dual processor A10200 with up to six
cores and 12 Mbytes of L3 cache for each CPU, enabling a processing performance improvement of up
to 50% compared with the dual Intel Xeon processor 5500-based version of the A10200, which
continues to be available.
T&M catalogue published - Yokogawa Europe has produced a new shortform
catalogue containing a comprehensive overview of the company's ranges of test & measurement
instruments and solutions.
Quick
connection technology for ProfiNet - The new RJ 45 plug connectors with Quickon fast
connection technology for Profinet from Phoenix Contact allow four AWG22 wires to be quickly and
reliably connected. The PNO Guideline specifies AWG22 wires to configure Profinet topologies.
17/3/2009
| Beannachtaí na
Féile Pádraig |  | St Patrick's Day
Greetings |
16/3/2010

Automation at scout jamboree! - The Baltimore/Washington
D.C. Section of the International Society of Automation (ISA) have offered to serve as exhibit
volunteers in the Automation Federation’s Technology Quest Exhibit at the upcoming 2010 Boy Scout
Jamboree 26 July – 4 August 2010 VA US).
Innovative
motorised torque arm improves reliability and compactness in speed reduction applications -
A brand new motorised version of the Dodge torque-arm shaft-mounted speed reducer from
Baldor Electric Company will make its European debut at Hillhead 2010. (22/24 June 2010 GB) The
product provides a breakthrough in compact and robust speed reduction, and complements Dodge's
renowned belt-driven speed reducers.
Sensor for
autosports - A new low-cost miniature laser displacement sensor that is particularly
suited to autosports ride height adjustment and can also provide precision distance measurement
in tough industrial environments is available from Variohm EuroSensor. The C-LAS-LT-65-ANA has a
0...+10V analogue output and is an ideal solution for the dynamic set-up of rally cars and some
of the less well funded race series such as Formula 3000 where savings of up to 50% can be
realised over other manufacturers laser sensors.
Magnetostrictive transducers -
Gefran's MK4-S and IK4-S magnetostrictive linear position transducers now feature
increased performance and higher EMC noise immunity thanks to an improved electronic design. The RS422-SSI
interfaced transducers, available in IP67 sealed profile (MK-4) and open rod (IK-4) versions, benefit from
contactless technology for extremely long life and low maintenance and can offer from 50 mm to 4 metres stroke
length with positioning resolution to 2 µm.
Making even
more sense for machine protection - Monitran has launched six new ranges of general
purpose sensors. All sensors in the new ranges are available as top- or side-entry and with
integral cables or connectors. Submersible and intrinsically safe versions are also available.
15/3/2010
12/3/2010
New brochure to clean up! - Emerson Process
Management has published a new brochure that describes Fisher® cavitation control for dirty service applications. The
brochure introduces four Fisher technologies that can be used in severe liquid flow conditions. They include the
NotchFloTM DST control valve, Dirty Service Trim (DST), DST-G control valve, and 461 angle valve. Cutaway images and
product data are included in the brochure. |  |

Does a shielded cabling system provide better protection against background
noise and AlienNEXT effects than an unshielded cabling system??? - While this has always
been the assumption of most cabling engineers around the globe, it has now been proven by this
comparative live test study of the GHMT AG!
Are we what we eat? - Automating a process to check that the
sandwiches packaged for sale in a supermarket correspond to what it says on the label was a
challenge faced recently by Stemmer Imaging. The company undertook a feasibility study which
required that the sandwich was imaged through the 'clear' plastic packaging, while the label on
the packaging was also read.
Favorably priced solution to visualize process flows -
Today, simple and cost-efficient solutions are required for the automated operation of machines
and plants: With its web panels, based on web technology, Phoenix Contact is offering a simple
and favorably priced entry-level solution for the visualization of process flows of machines and
plants. The new HMIs are suitable for operator control and visualization - especially for smaller
machines where complex system screens do not have to be visualized.
Long-travel threaded test probe - The new P31/G test probe
from Peak Test Services features a long plunger and a travel distance of 14.3 mm, making it
ideally suited to test applications where contact has to be made deep inside a connector.
Temperature
measuring system to fly at Las Vegas! - Seica has just introduced "Flying IC Thermal
Detection Units" on its line of Aerial flying probers. Two IC Thermal Detection Units, are
positioned on each side of the unit under test to detect thermal parameters of ICs under power.
The purpose is to compare temperatures of "known good" boards to "suspect" boards and indict bad
components in the depot repair environment.
Connector series with tripled voltage transfer capability - Hartings's surface-mount
compatible series of DIN 41 612 connectors now has triple the voltage transfer capability of earlier versions.
Digital multimeter technical library on CD - Keithley
Instruments has published a digital multimeter (DMM) technical library for engineers and
researchers who use DMMs for a wide range of applications. This CD-based library includes more
than 100 documents, including measurement tips, application notes, and product selection guides.
Torque transducers provide wide range of in-stock options -
Datum Electronics successful M420 Series rotary torque transducers are now available from
stock in a wide range of sizes and intermediate torque ranges.
Wireless starter gets smarter - Emerson Process Management has expanded its configurable Smart Wireless Field Starter Kit to include the Smart Wireless THUM Adapter and Wireless Position Monitors. These WirelessHART devices easily convert wired HART instruments and valves into wireless, for delivery of once stranded data improving plant performance and safety.

Unique
training experience for British automation people - The PROFIBUS Group has announced that Manfred Popp, author of three
influential books on industrial communications - The Rapid Way to PROFIBUS, The Rapid Way to PROFINET, and Industrial Communication with
PROFINET - will be presenting a PROFINET Product Development course in Manchester (GB) on 5th May.
Safety management certified - Four engineers at systems
integration specialist Hima-Sella have successfully completed the TUeV Functional Safety (FS)
Certification Course, led by global functional safety expert Clive Timms.
11/3/2010
10/3/2010
Grant for SMEs announced - National Instruments has
announced a grant programme to support Irish and British micro, small and medium-sized
enterprises in embedded development.
Best managed company named - At a Gala Awards Symposium
held recently in Dublin and attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen T.D., QUMAS was named as
one of Ireland's Best Managed Companies by Deloitte.
Flying penguins! - Festo's famous bionic AirPenguins
will be flying at The Gadget Show Live. Visitors can watch the popular Channel Five TV (GB)
show's presenters perform a live version of the TV programme, and attend a range of special
theatres and features to gain insight into top gadgets of the past, present and future, as well
as see the Festo penguins fly.
Raman images and analysis become even easier - The
XploRA™ Raman microscope has been launched with the ground breaking SWIFT confocal Raman
image operation from HORIBA Scientific, and will enable this compact analytical Raman
spectrometer to enter into the realm of the research microscope.
Torque tension testing - RS Technologies, part of PCB
Piezotronics, has introduced LabMaster Portable Model 3210 for joint analysis torque-tension
testing. Manufacturers who use threaded fasteners to assemble their products can benefit by using
this system to verify the performance of their fasteners.
9/3/2010
Measurement of forces underwater -
When approached by a customer to measure in harsh environments including submersion in water due to flooding and in high humidity conditions, Applied Measurements were able to supply an off-the-shelf solution in the form of their DDEN series of loadcells.
Transmitters convert up to three measurements into wireless signals -
Honeywell has added universal input/output (I/O) transmitters to its family of XYR™ 6000 wireless products. The transmitters allow manufacturers to wirelessly monitor more plant points with fewer devices.
Sensors for water
treatment - Water treatment applications place high demands on pressure and level measuring instruments. For these applications,
Baumer offers robust sensors which are suitable for high vibrations as well as for the use with aggressive media. For example, sensors made
of seawater-resistant Hastelloy C and with a ceramic sensing element are available for desalination plants.
EMEA distributor of the year -
Farnell has been presented with the 2009 EMEA Distributor of the Year Award by Honeywell Sensing & Control. The important award recognises the high levels of sales and service performance achieved by Farnell during what was a challenging year for the electronics industry.

Medium voltage power
products to support network upgrade - ABB has signed a $12 million framework agreement to supply medium voltage power equipment to
ESB Networks, Ireland's nationwide power distribution utility.
Maintenance free torque sensor - Building on its worldwide
reputation for high precision sensors, Kistler Instruments has developed a range of value for
money sensors aimed specifically at manufacturing, production and quality assurance applications.
The latest new product is the Type 4520A contactless, low maintenance torque sensor at around the
same price as slip-ring types,
Accelerometer with digital temp compensation -
Meggitt Sensing Systems has announced the global market launch of Endevco® model 7290E, a high-precision variable capacitance accelerometer with integral digital temperature compensation, designed for accurate measurement of low-frequency events and offering best-in-class thermal zero shift and sensitivity shift performance.
EX i isolation amplifier with SIL and Zone 2 certs -
Phoenix Contact has added two new modules to its range of safety-relevant applications: The repeater power supply PI-EX-RPSS and the
isolation amplifier PI-EX-AIS correspond to the requirements of EN 61508 for Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 2 and have been available since
autumn 2009.
8/3/2010
5/3/2010
Accelerometer is ideal for model and structural analysis -
Kistler Instrument Corporation has debuted the Type 8688A, a globally patented (U.S. patent number 12,088,325) series of low-cost high-sensitivity IEPE triaxial
accelerometers, with optional TEDS, designed to simultaneously measure vibration in three orthogonal axes.
How to save energy: fieldbus conference topic -
PROFIenergy technology will be described and explained further at the annual PROFIBUS and PROFINET User Conference, scheduled for 29-30 June 2010 at Stratford-on-Avon (GB), alongside several other papers that discuss how PROFIBUS and PROFINET systems can be integrated into energy management programmes, particularly in relation to energy efficient drives.
Cost-effective intelligent servo drive - Based on the
Technosoft MotionChip™ DSP technology, ISD860 is a flexible intelligent drive specially
developed for motion applications that need cost-optimized design, embedded intelligence,
networking possibilities and high servo performance control.
Designing greener cars requires sophisticated testing - The
automotive industry's race to develop a new generation of high Performance, low emissions power
plants has lead to the emergence of high capability test beds that simultaneously monitor
multiple parameters. This need has been converted into a market opportunity by Sensor
Technology.
Growth and opportunity in gloomy times: e-learning - IDC has now launched this trial concept into The Engineering Institute of Technology to focus on advanced distance learning in engineering and technology in areas such as industrial automation, electrical and mechanical engineering and industrial IT.
Drag and drop I/O mapping with built-in oscilloscope for tuning
and diagnostics - ORMEC has announced the global launch of MotionSet™, a powerful,
easy-to-use proprietary commissioning software, designed expressly for use with new ORMEC
XD-Series Indexer Servo Drives.
How has the new social networking order effected publications in the automation sector? -
A fascinating podcast has been released by Telesian Technology, the American comopany provides marketing, Web development, and e-business services especially in the field of automation.
podcast. This interview was with two of the leading editors in the sector, Walt Boyes of Control Magazine and Gary Mintchel of Automation World.
How secure is your industrial network? - The
International Society of Automation (ISA) recently announced the release of Industrial Network
Security, 2nd Edition by David J. Teumim. This easy-to-read book introduces managers, engineers, technicians, and operators to how to keep
industrial networks secure amid rising threats from hackers, disgruntled employees, and even
cyberterrorists.
4/3/2010
First on-demand LIMS -
Thermo Fisher Scientific launched of its software-as-a-service (SaaS), enterprise-class laboratory information management system. LIMS-on-Demand™ which allows organisations of varying types and sizes to leverage all the benefits of an industry-leading LIMS solution without the time and cost typically associated with on-premise software installation. This was during Pittcon 2010.
European legislation drives need for hydro-meteorological
expertise - OTT Hydrometry's Managing Director Simon Wills says, "It is no
longer sufficient to develop instruments alone; it is also necessary to provide a high level of
expertise in areas such as the design of monitoring arrangements and in the collection and
interpretation of data." In response to the changing needs of the market, OTT Hydrometry has recently recruited Robin Guy as a Senior Technical Engineer.
Extended fixed cost of ownership plus added benefits and discounts
for thermal imagers - Fluke has introduced a range of CarePlans for recent and future
purchasers of Fluke's latest Thermal Imagers.
Water & Waste conference details announced - The
organisers of WWEM 2010 have announced that this year's Conference title will be 'Water
Monitoring in the 21st Century'. The Conference presentations will provide information on the
latest regulations affecting process and effluent monitoring with authoritative speakers from the
British Environment Agency, ABB, SIRA, and UKAS.
Multi-application test system for optical devices and transmission
systems - The Yokogawa AQ2210 Series is a new version of the company's multi-application test
system: a modular system designed to offer a wide range of measurements on optical devices and
optical transmission systems.
 Calibration, maintenance, test and measurement - In the
February/March issue of Read-out highlights the calibration, maintenance, test and measurement
sector of automation. |
3/3/2010
Elemental analysis - anywhere, anytime, anyplace - A
transportable version of the Teledyne Leeman Labs Prodigy ICP Spectrometer has been developed to
enable high quality laboratory analysis in the field.
Mobility validation -
Invensys Operations Management has announced that its Wonderware IntelaTrac™ mobile solution has achieved Enterprise Mobility validation through Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Validated Solution Program. The IntelaTrac solution is a mobile workforce and decision support system.
Gateways extended with integrated 2-port switch -
HMS helps to reduce system integration costs by releasing three new versions of the Anybus X-gateway family with Profinet-IRT functionality and with integrated 2-port switch technology.
2/3/2010
 Test and measurement catalogue published - Keithley Instruments has
published its 2010 Test & Measurement Product Catalogue in CD form. The CD offers details and
technical specifications on Keithley's general-purpose and sensitive sourcing and measurement
products, DC switching, RF/microwave switching, data acquisition solutions, and semiconductor
test systems. Useful selector guides and tutorials simplify choosing the right solutions for
specific applications. |
Virtual instrument cluster - Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe
(FME) has announced a new application concept showing the possibilities for virtual
instrumentation in future passenger and commercial vehicles. The intention of developing the
virtual cluster application was to provide a 'right-sized' complete system solution including
hardware and software components, a demo application, as well as tool support to enable a quick
start to development.
Process industry essentials in automation - The
International Society of Automation (ISA) has announced the publication of Essentials of Modern
Measurements and Final Elements in the Process Industry: A Guide to Design, Configuration,
Installation, and Maintenance by Gregory K. McMillan.
50 MHz function generator hits new price point - The new
TG5011 from TTi is a combined function/arbitrary/pulse generator with a frequency range covering
1 uHz to 50 MHz. At under #900 (ca [euro]990 this morning!) the generator achieves a new price point
below that of competitors' products offering only 20 MHz or 25 MHz bandwidth.
Maintenace management portfolio - SoftSols Group has
extended its range of innovative solutions with the acquisition of Plan4 from Solutions PT. This
Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) expert, which has a 25-year track record of
success in the market, has announced the acquisition as part of its ongoing commitment to deliver
simple, affordable software solutions which provide an outstanding return on investment.
1/3/2010
Vibration testing -
Fluke has introduced the unique, handheld Fluke 810 Vibration Tester. The most advanced troubleshooting
instrument available for vibration, the Fluke 810 enables maintenance teams to rapidly collect data and diagnose
and solve mechanical problems with an affordable, easy to use tool. Viewer PC software included with the product
enables transfer of data for machine setups, more detailed diagnosis and diagnostic reporting.
Power quality analysis via Bluetooth -
Outram Research has announced that Bluetooth(R) is available across its entire power quality range, becoming the first manufacturer to enable Bluetooth remote control on all its products. This means that power engineers can control the entire range of Outram's power quality analysers with one application running on a PDA.
New energy meters and controllers at NEMEX'10 - Carlo Gavazzi is using
this year's NEMEX exhibition to present its latest products to address the energy market.
Fieldbus gateways -
The new AS-Interface gateways for Profibus-DP from Phoenix Contact set themselves apart by the fact that AS-Interface networks can be simply integrated into a Profibus-DP system. The devices have a rugged stainless steel housing with IP20 protection and have been designed for installation in control cabinets.
Remote video surveillance capabilities -
Control Microsystems Inc. (CMI) and Longwatch, Inc., a leader in integrated video surveillance systems, today announced the ability of the SCADA host platform, ClearSCADA, to provide video surveillance of remote processes and assets. Existing industrial networks can conveniently and cost-effectively transmit video images over the SCADA communication infrastructure.
Collaboration on dementia
research - Thermo Fisher Scientific is collaborating with the BrainMet (Bioimaging of Metals in Brain
and Metallomics) Centre at Forschungszentrum, J¨lich, (D) to advance dementia research by studying the effects of
metals and metalloproteins in ageing and in the origin of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's diseases and Wilson's syndrome.
Differential pressure transmitter is easy to interface -
The D02 is the new-generation differential pressure transmitter from Sensor-Technik UK. The device features a piezoresistive measuring element in a compact and robust stainless-steel housing to satisfy a wide range of differential pressure measurement tasks in applications ranging from mechanical engineering and industrial control to filter supervision and flow measurement.