Plant Engineering articles from April 2006

Plant Engineering archives from April 2006

PE poll.
April 1, 2006... Our March question at www.plantengineering.com: "What capital purchase does your plant need to make next?" Your responses: Software 23% Pumps 22% Compressors 18.3% HVAC 16.3% Drives 12.2% Motors...

CAP exam prep demo offered by ISA.(Instrument Society of America services)(Certified Automation Professional )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... ISA has recently released a fully operational free online demo of its Certified Automation Professional Learning System. The system is a comprehensive CAP exam preparation and professional development tool. The program combines printed...

Bentley, GoogleEarth connect project online.(Google Earth service)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Bentley Systems has connected MicroStation to the Google Earth service. As a result, for the first time, users can view and navigate 2D/3D models of infrastructure projects in the context of the Google Earth environment. MicroStation is...

New Heidenhain Website has manuals, training.(Heidenhain Corporation service introduction)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Heidenhain Corporation's new Website at www.heidenhain.com centralizes the published information that Heidenhain provides on topics relating to precision measurement components. The North American marketplace can access all in various languages...

Techsolve site offers leaner look at lean.(service introduction of websites)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The experts at TechSolve have found a way to be even "leaner" and this time not on the plant floor but in cyberspace. With the launch of a newly redesigned Website, www.techsolve.org, TechSolve has pulled together educational resources on...

Redefining what 'better' means in manufacturing.(plant engineering celebrations)
April 1, 2006... There are two fundamental principles guiding manufacturing at the plant level today. They are reflected in the technology PLANT ENGINEERING celebrated March 20 at the 2005 Product of the Year dinner. You can see this year's winners starting on...

NMW speakers emphasize common ground with China.(National Manufacturing Week)
April 1, 2006... The role of a growing global economy was on the minds of attendees at the 16th National Manufacturing Week keynotes this week in Rosemont, IL. The topic was also the topic of three addresses by leaders from industry and government. ...

NMW survey: cautious optimism, cautious growth in 2006.(industrial survey)(National Manufacturing Week)
April 1, 2006... The 2006 National Manufacturing Week survey of manufacturers in the United States shows that 44% expect manufacturing to trail the overall economy in 2006, up from 34% in the previous year's survey, and that a substantial majority expect the...

Metalform Mexico adds new programs.
April 1, 2006... New features, including a pavilion and promotional services, have been added to the 2006 Metalform Mexico trade show to address the needs of Mexico's manufacturing base as well as requests from exhibitors. The only event focused on metal...

Activplant names Williams CEO.(Performance management solution company Activplant new appointments)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Performance management solution company Activplant has named Ted Williams as the company's new chief executive officer. Williams joins Activplant from Computer Associates and is an 11 worked at MRO Software for 11 years, will lead the company's...

appoints Campbell, Bonfante to editorial posts.(Plant Engineering magazines new appointments)(Editorial)
April 1, 2006... PLANT ENGINEERING magazine has named Kevin Campbell as senior editor, with responsibility for covering mechanical, maintenance and management news and issues. Senior editor Jack Smith will continue to cover the automation and electrical...

Astronaut among keynotes at ABB's Automation World.(ABB Asea Brown Boveri Ltd event)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... ABB's 2006 Automation World event will be May 8 through May 11 at The Hilton Americas in Houston. The 2006 Automation World offers a series of solution-focused seminars and work groups as well as a number of keynotes on key issues facing...

Auto sector sees growth and retreat.(buyouts to its manufacturing workers)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... In the same month as General Motors announced it would offer buyouts to its manufacturing workers as part of its economic restructuring plan, another international automaker announced plans to expand operations in the U.S. GM's plan to...

ARC conference to focus on enterprise performance.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Top industry visionaries will share their experiences and best practices for driving manufacturer enterprise performance at ARC Advisory Group's Fourteenth Annual Forum, "Driving Enterprise Performance through Next Generation Manufacturing...

Siemens Automation Summit is June 6-8.(conferences)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Siemens Automation Summit, Siemens Energy & Automation's 2006 Users Conference, has expanded its scope to join multiple Siemens automation business units distributed control systems, manufacturing execution systems, discrete automation and...

Standards group for interoperability formed.
April 1, 2006... The creation of the Manufacturing Interoperability Guideline Working Group, a collaborative venture of ISA, MIMOSA, OAGi, OPC, and WBF, was announced this week. The Working Group is the next step in the previous announcement by the Open...

'Innovation Blitz' jump-starts expansion for Quick Start.(HUMANSIDE)(Company overview)
April 1, 2006... Allen Brue, president and CEO of Quick Start Products and Solutions, Inc., was facing a challenge common to senior executives of both large and small manufacturing companies--how to expand his business. Although the company had experienced...

Many facets to an effective asset management strategy.(portfolio management)
April 1, 2006... We've made considerable progress over the past several years in increasing senior management awareness of the importance of reliability principles, the foundation of operational excellence, a condition that is difficult to find in U.S....

RCM systems analysis process requires step-by-step effort.
April 1, 2006... The systems analysis process is used to implement the four basic features which define and characterize RCM. This process is comprised of seven steps that have been developed from experience as a most convenient way to systematically delineate...

Thinking inside the box: energy costs driving ac drive innovation; AC drives control the speed, torque, direction and resulting horsepower of ac induction motors. They're resulting ability to smooth machine startup and shutdown reduces electric power consumption and maintenance.(energy costs management)
April 1, 2006... The types of ac drives used with ac induction motors are V/Hz, encoderless and flux vector. While there are many drives available for synchronous and servo motors, induction motors have the majority of applications. Sensorless vector control is...

Repair or replace? Make the right decision on motors.
April 1, 2006... Motor failure is never a good thing, and it always occurs at the worst possible time. If there's a bright side, it's the chance to evaluate your repair and replacement options and "get it right" for the long pull. To make the best of this...

Myths and realities of asset optimization.
April 1, 2006... Fueled by the introduction of intelligent field devices and automation platforms capable of collecting and reporting asset health information, much has been written about asset management and asset optimization recently. Consequently, there are...

Celebrating excellence: Plant Engineering honors Top Plant, Product of the Year winners at gala dinner.(awards)
April 1, 2006... Honorees at the 18th annual PLANT ENGINEERING Product of the Year dinner March 20 in Rosemont, IL got a glimpse at the present and future of manufacturing. The awards dinner drew more than 120 award winners in 16 categories to Rosemont, where...

Infrared vs. gas-fired heat? Examine space to make the right choice.
April 1, 2006... Large structures such as manufacturing complexes and warehouses present unique design challenges when it comes to developing heating system concepts. These buildings not only cover large areas, but they tend to be high-bay structures and have...

Touch-screen terminal.(Magelis XBT-GT 1000 Series terminal is small and compact)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The new Telemecanique Magelis XBT-GT 1000 Series terminal is small and compact, yet powerful enough to support high-end HMI applications. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just 3.8 inches wide, the monochrome graphic terminal is programmed with...

Online diagnostics.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... TSI Incorporated now offers on-line diagnostic and interactive guides to make it easier to maintain CA-CALC analyzers in-house. Available at http://combustion.tsi.com, this interactive support helps users troubleshoot problems by providing...

3-phase power conditioner.(Power Conditioner)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Sola/Hevi-Duty Solatron Plus 3-Phase Power Conditioner protects against common power quality problems by providing true voltage regulation, surge protection, and noise isolation--even through inductive and poor power factor loads. Within an...

Solid-state transducers.(Electronic components)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... OMEGA's PX209 (cable style) and PX219 (connector style) transducers deliver consistent accuracy in small, stainless steel cases-with either 0 to 5 Vdc, 0 to 10 Vdc, or 4 to 20 mA outputs. A four-active-arm bridge sensor employs a micro-machined...

Ultrasonic switches.(material may be transparent or colored)(Contrinex, Inc)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Contrinex, Inc. has introduced its new Series 1180/1181 and Series 1300-1303 ready-to-connect ultrasonic proximity switches, designed to be used wherever distances have to be measured in air. The targets can be in the solid, liquid, granular,...

High-luminence LED.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... enLux Lighting's new 6K Series LED OutdoorArea Light features excellent heat dissipation, which enables it to have an operating range of some 50,000 hours. The enLux 6K Series OutdoorArea Light uses patented Chip-On-Board technology developed...

Site survey software.(improve maintenance painting planning of on-site plant survey data)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Sherwin-Williams Industrial and Marine Coatings has a comprehensive software program, Site Survey, designed to enable plant maintenance decision-makers to maximize their investment in plant assets and minimize plant maintenance costs. The...

Vertical conveyors.(Steel Continuous Vertical Conveyors)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Stainless Steel Continuous Vertical Conveyors from TKF Inc. provide high speed up-and-down service with up to 40 loads a minute, have proven ideal for the packaging, food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The conveyors offer numerous...

Hot-oil cleaning system.(thermal-fluid systems)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Paratherm Corporation has given its hot-oil system cleaning liquids line a new name: The Sludgebusters. Both the Paratherm SC system cleaner and the Paratherm LC system cleaner remove sludge and carbon build-up in thermal-fluid systems over...

TOrderpickers.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... The Raymond Corporation's 5000 Series orderpickers uses Raymond's ACR System. The 5000 Series is designed to boost productivity, enhance operator comfort and confidence, and deliver all this performance at the lowest cost of ownership. The...

Shelving drawers.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2006... The Rousseau modular drawers for shelving can help you gain up to 50% to 70% of your space. There are several drawer dimensions available: 36 inches, 42 inches and 48 inches wide by 18 inches and 24 inches deep. They can store many different...

Antares EPM Systems LLC.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... Did you ever wonder just how much your engineering ogranization can benefit from adopting a Project Management System? Our self evaluation tool will give you some answers. Project Management Systems are not just for the mega-projects anymore....

Miller Revolution[TM] Harness.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... The NEW Miller Revolution Harness is engineered with 7 unique components and more than 11 key product features. It incorporates key benefits identified by those professionals using fall protection equipment--comfort, fit, durability,...

Easy Arm[TM].(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... Our award-winning G-Force[TM] lifting technology is now available in an ergonomic articulating jib design. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * 150# lifting capacity * Standard spans of 6', 8' & 10' * Perfect for work cells with low...

New from Hyster Company--Freighter's Special--available only on W40Z series motorized walkie lift trucks.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... (Greenville, N.C.--Americas Division Headquarters)--Hyster Company offers a new option, the Freighter's Special, exclusively on the Hyster[R] W40Z Series walkie motorized line. This 4,000-pound capacity lift truck offers superior productivity,...

Swagelok[R] 40G series one-piece instrumentation ball valves.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... Swagelok[R] 40G series one-piece instrumentation ball valves are for use in environmental applications where outdoor ambient temperatures fluctuate, as well as in heated-process applications with elevated process fluid temperatures. The valves...

McGill[R] Camrol[R] and Trakrol[R] bearings.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... We offer the broadest range of cam follower bearings on the market including: standard duty, heavy duty, special duty metric, corrosion resistant, sealed, and crowned OD, in both stud and yoke configurations totaling over 1400 standard designs...

Orival, Inc.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... Providing automatic self-cleaning filtration systems for removal of suspended solids from water is more than a job for Orival--it's a way of life. Orival's network of application specialists will provide expert solutions tailored to your...

12:1 infrared thermometer with adjustable emissivity--OS562.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... Omega's low-cost OS562 is the ultimate tool for temperature measurements with non-contact measurement capability and compatible with type K thermocouples. Its user-friendly, 5-key operation offers max, min, DIF (differential), hold, and AVG...

Ultra Flow[TM] 4000/8 precision grout.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... UltraFlow[TM] 4000/8 offers advantages that no other grout matches when fluidity, extended working time, precision alignment, and early strength gain are needed. It is non-shrink, fluid for 30 minutes, workable for 1 hour, can be coated in 24...

Model 777-KW-/HP Power Monitor.(Product Mart Showcase)
April 1, 2006... The Model 777-KW/HP Power Monitor, a voltage, underpower and electronic overload relay in one, provides the best protection for any motor. It is ideal for protecting magdrive pumps; low horsepower pumps and motors; metering pumps; mixers and...

Krylon Products Group introduces a complete line of Commercial Coatings.(Krylon Commercial Coatings)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... (Cleveland, Ohio) -- Krylon Products Group is expanding its offering of bulk coatings with the launch of Krylon Commercial Coatings[TM]. The Commercial Coatings line will include interior and exterior latex and alkyd paints in a variety of...

Vaisala Hand-held Dewpoint Measurement down to -60[degrees]C.(Literature Guide)
April 1, 2006... The Vaisala DRYCAP[R] Hand-held Dew-point Meter DM70 features a graphical user interface, data-logging, analog ouput, measures pressurized processes up to 300 psig with an accuracy of [+ or -]2 [degrees]C down to -60 [degrees]C. The DM70 serves...

New! Industrial spray products catalog 70.(Literature Guide)
April 1, 2006... Catalog 70 from Spraying Systems Co. contains the newest innovations for spraying air and liquid, an updated technical reference section to help you specify the right nozzle, and optimization tips to improve your productivity. www.spray.com ...

Robert W. Campbell Awards highlight safety excellence.(Campbell Award Program Committee)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Robert W. Campbell Award Program Committee's call for applications for the 2006 award seeks successful business models from organizations that excel in both SH & E and business performance. Case studies must demonstrate how measurable...

OSHA, warehouse group alliance highlight forklift safety.(International Warehouse Logistics Association)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... OSHA and the International Warehouse Logistics Association have renewed their alliance for another two years to further improve worker safety and health in the areas of forklift operations, materials handling, and hazard communication and...

Off-the-job injuries outpace gain in workplace safety.(National Safety Council)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Contrary to popular belief, today's workers are safer on the job than they are at home or in their communities. According to the National Safety Council, recent gains in lowering workplace death rates--down 17% since 1992--have been undone by...

Why does OSHA's rulemaking process take so long to complete?(Occupational Safety & Health Administration (US government))
April 1, 2006... The news this week at OSHA involves the hearings on the proposed Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution; Electrical Protective Equipment standard. This proposed standard was published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2005....