Plant Engineering articles from March 2009

Plant Engineering archives from March 2009

Fixing the global economic crisis.
March 1, 2009... By Dr. Gerald W. Cockrell, CAP 2009, ISA president, Indiana State University It's the question of the hour: how will automation fare in today's economic meltdown? Like the old saying goes, we have good news, and we have bad news; which do...

Downturn a good time to review, improve process optimization.
March 1, 2009... By Jim Cahill, Emerson Process Management The global economic slowdown seemed to hit with full force this past fall. Financing for capital projects began to tighten, and hurdles to justify capital projects began to rise. For many process...

Enhanced simulation software released.
March 1, 2009... Staff KEYWORD: simulation Plano, TX-based Invensys Process Systems released a new version of SimSci-Esscor's HEXTRAN 9.2 heat transfer and pinch analysis software. Upgrades and enhancements include the ability to run on Microsoft...

Vortex flowmeter.
March 1, 2009... Staff The Sitrans FX300 vortex flowmeter series is equipped with a temperature sensor and an optional pressure sensor, enabling the instrument to measure the temperature, pressure and flow of steam, gases and liquids. The flowmeter with...

Load cell interface card.
March 1, 2009... Staff The LCIC-WIM is an intelligent load cell interface that features USB/RS-232/RS-485 interfaces with a speed of up to 52,000 samples per second. The interface features an 8-digit LED display, powerful 32-Bit/135 MIPS DSP for high speed...

Plant visualization software.
March 1, 2009... Staff EZPlantView is a software tool that provides engineers and managers visualization into the plant from the convenience and efficiency of their desks. The economical software package can be installed on any Windows-based PC in...

Guided wave radar transmitter.
March 1, 2009... Staff The Rosemount 3300 series of guided wave radar transmitters with HART to Modbus converter has been upgraded to include Modbus ASCII and LevelMaster protocols in addition to the previously available Modbus RTU. The ability to...

Choosing a control system: PLC or DCS.
March 1, 2009... By Todd Stauffer and Bob Nelson, Siemens Energy & Automation Inc. Today, the economic pressures facing us (and our companies) are at levels few have ever seen. These challenges make it all the more imperative to select the technology that...

Adopting Power over Ethernet.
March 1, 2009... By Ed Nabrotzky, Molex Inc. Ethernet has become a comfortable technology for users around the world. It will inevitably dominate the manufacturing plant floor. However one aspect of Ethernet - Power over Ethernet (PoE) - is a less...

Managing batch process security.
March 1, 2009... By Karl Williams and Daren Moffatt, Invensys Process Systems Batch process security moves beyond tracking and traceability Batch process control systems have seen a great deal of change in recent times, including more connectivity and...

Spell it right: It should be 'By American'.(Editorial)
March 1, 2009... Bob Vavra, Editor The so-called "Buy American" provision of the new economic stimulus package is like plastic surgery - it may make you feel better about yourself, but it's simply cosmetic. And there's always something that can go wrong...

A new dimension for the plant floor.
March 1, 2009... By Robert Shear, Autodesk Inc. 3D modeling offers a deeper vision of plant operations During the past 20 years, 3D tools and workflows have become the norm in plant design, engineering and construction. The benefits are so compelling...

Next-generation controllers reduce costs, increase productivity.
March 1, 2009... By Greg Dixson and Bjoern Falke, Phoenix Contact Automation Systems Seemingly buried by the daily doses of economic bad news lies the reality - perhaps slightly forgotten - that periodic downturns are nothing new to manufacturing...

Early adoption of Smart Grid can deliver cost, quality benefits.
March 1, 2009... By Tom Hulsebosch, West Monroe Partners The Obama Administration stimulus package proposed a strategic investment to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future. The plan includes investments in renewable generation, grants to...

A look at 70E rules opens new Arc Flash U.
March 1, 2009... Staff KEYWORD: Arc flash The second year of Arc Flash University, Plant Engineering's successful series on the cause and prevention of arc flash injuries on the job, opened its second year on Feb. 26 with a look at the rule changes...

Desktop power supplies.
March 1, 2009... Staff The TRG45 series external power supply is suitable for use with compact and lightweight portable equipment. The design provides 45 W in a small package and features a universal 90-264 Vac input. The units are available in fully...

A 7-step process to solve VFD harmonic issues.
March 1, 2009... By Randy Barnett, American Trainco Inc. for Fluke Corp. Several options exist to mitigate harmonic problems in plants. Unfortunately, there is no one solution that fits all applications. Finding and choosing the correct option for your...

Manufacturing plant as classroom: Reinventing continuous learning.(Dur-A-Flex Inc.)
March 1, 2009... By Bonnie Del Conte, CONNSTEP Inc. On a cold winter morning in East Hartford, CT, Dur-A-Flex's owner and CEO was nowhere in the building. Not on the plant floor, or in his office. Not on the phone or in a meeting. Instead, Bob Smith was...

2009 Manufacturing Summit: New strategies, solutions to meet challenges.
March 1, 2009... Staff With manufacturing struggling in 2009, new ideas and new strategies are needed to help manufacturing leaders do their jobs better, faster, safer and more productively. To help lead this effort, Plant Engineering magazine brings...

Moving toward manufacturing sustainability.
March 1, 2009... By Greg Gorbach, ARC Advisory Group We are nearing the tipping point where global awareness of the climate problem finally shifts to global action. To avoid severe environmental and human consequences, society must limit the increase in...

Future 30.
March 1, 2009... Staff Manufacturing's future is already on the job Young people are finding their way to manufacturing, and are finding success. Plant Engineering's Future 30 program is a year-long series highlighting the future manufacturing...

Hannover Messe wooing U.S. manufacturers.
March 1, 2009... By Bob Vavra, Editor Hannover Messe has a reputation as the world's leading manufacturing trade show. They are working to get this part of the world to come to Hannover Fair for this year's event. Manufacturing executives with ties to...

Even robots are having trouble finding work.
March 1, 2009... Staff North American-based robotics companies report that new orders sold to North American manufacturing companies fell by 21% in units and 16% in dollars in 2008 compared to 2007. The sharp decline accelerated in the fourth quarter when...

Sorter software module.
March 1, 2009... Staff The UniSort MXT software module is a patent-pending sortation subsystem for increasing sorter throughput. A PC-based upgrade to new or existing systems, the software module achieves higher throughputs by maximizing product density....

Lifting arm.
March 1, 2009... Staff The redesigned Easy Arm Q/iQ intelligent lifting arm integrates the G-Force Q and iQ lifting technology and processor-controlled servo-drive system into an articulating jib design. Suitable for precision placement applications, it...

Sanitary bag-dump station.
March 1, 2009... Staff A new sanitary bag-dump station for pneumatic conveying systems collects dust created during manual dumping of bulk materials. A high-velocity vacuum fan draws airborne dust onto two cartridge filters, and automatic reverse-pulse...

Lift truck.
March 1, 2009... Staff Designed for narrow-aisle applications, the 9000 Series Swing-Reach lift truck features ac technology and regenerative lowering that automatically recharges the battery and LED compartment lights. The truck can operate in aisles as...

Letters to the Editor.
March 1, 2009... Staff Relays vs. PLCs in safety systems I can't believe what I just read in your magazine "Selecting safety system designs" by Charles M. Fialkowski (January 2009 AppliedAutomation ). Please allow me to take issue with the...

Discrete automation spending to slump.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Staff A new study by the ARC Advisory Group finds that spending on automation in discrete manufacturing leveled off in 2008 and may actually drop a bit in 2009 before rebounding. ARC sees a growth in the overall discrete automation...

Schreiber joins Bachelor Controls.
March 1, 2009... Staff Philip Schreiber has joined Bachelor Controls Inc. to lead the company's expanded efforts in providing manufacturing information management solutions using analytical and intelligence software tools. Bachelor Controls (BCI) provides...

Becoming 'trap active:' Asset management is gaining steam.
March 1, 2009... By Kerry Philips, Armstrong International Smart Services Group Asset management is getting a lot of attention during these turbulent economic times. Financial planners shudder every time the phone rings because they know another client has...

AIChE encouraging next generation of engineers.(American Institute of Chemical Engineers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Staff KEYWORD: AIChE The American Institute of Chemical Engineers is supporting of a variety of initiatives that encourage students to learn more about the rewards of an engineering career. In addition to its ongoing efforts with...

High-speed conveyor backstop clutches.
March 1, 2009... Staff The Morse high-speed conveyor backstop clutch allows users to reach high line speeds and is available in sizes ranging from 7,000 to 722,000 foot-pounds. The design incorporates a complement of anti-rollover cams and dual...

Heavy-duty drum motor.
March 1, 2009... Staff Available in two versions, the 220 Series drum motor features an internal gearing system with 97% efficiency and uses less power than many conventional drives. It is self contained, enclosing the motor, gearbox and bearings inside a...

Energy-efficient space heaters deliver green plants and profits.
March 1, 2009... By Ken Williams, Cambridge Engineering Inc. Heating industrial buildings is now a bigger challenge than ever before. Companies need to save energy, improve indoor air quality and get "greener" by reducing their building's carbon emissions...

On the level: Dealing with non-linear shapes.
March 1, 2009... By Mike Mendicino, Pepperl+Fuchs Many process applications require volume/level measurement to be automated. A big advantage of automating is the data can be acquired continuously rather than as discrete points in time. If consumption...

Recovering from crisis.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Jack Smith, Editor In his address to a joint session of Congress on February 24, President Barack Obama said: "The answers to our problems don't lie beyond our reach. They exist in our laboratories and universities, in our fields and our...