Plant Engineering articles from September 2007

Plant Engineering archives from September 2007

In 1912, Practical Engineer helped plant managers improve.
September 15, 2007... By Bob Vavra, Editor While 2007 is the 60th anniversary of Plant Engineering magazine, it's not as if the idea of publishing a practical periodical guide for the plant engineer was invented in 1947. Plant Engineering was founded by...

Unlocking the potential of fieldbus: FDT, EDDL work together in harmony.
September 15, 2007... By Scott Bump, Invensys Process Systems Fieldbus advancements certainly hold great promise for reducing costs and improving efficiency in today's chemical industry as well as other process plants. But even the most dedicated fieldbus...

Manufacturing's future: Punctuating the discussion.
September 15, 2007... Bob Vavra, Editor I'll be moderating a discussion at National Manufacturing Week in suburban Chicago on Sept. 26. We'll talk about 'The Future of Manufacturing.' It's a pretty weighty topic, but drinks will be served, so I think we'll get...

Fuses vs. breakers.
September 15, 2007... By Jack Smith, Managing Editor Make the proper choice to preserve people, equipment Eventually, every plant electrical system will experience overcurrents. Moderate magnitudes of overcurrent can overheat system components and damage...

Plant Engineering to mark 60 years, look at the future at NMW gala.
September 15, 2007... Staff National Manufacturing Week is always a special time for PLANT ENGINEERING magazine. After all, the event and the magazine grew up together throughout the 1950s. On the occasion of the magazine's 60th anniversary, PLANT...

Chem Show, Automation Fair highlight October trade events.(Conference news)
September 15, 2007... Staff Occupying the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Chem Show 2007 features the nanotechnology and nano-bio convergence symposium and workshop, a gathering to discuss the continuing emergence and application...

Maintenance strategies for effective operations.
September 15, 2007... Staff The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy division of the U.S. Department of Energy offers a series of fact sheets on its Website (www.eere.doe.gov ) that focus on best practices in many areas of energy efficiency. This fact sheet...

Varied HVAC systems to be featured in sustainable ASHRAE headquarters.
September 15, 2007... Staff Forging ahead on its path to sustainable operations, ASHRAE is renovating its Atlanta-based headquarters. The facility will feature two separate HVAC systems among its new features, all of which are designed to allow the facility to...

Study: 'Reverse brain-drain' harming U.S. competitiveness.
September 15, 2007... Staff The problem of worker immigration is seen as one of migrants doing farm work or illegal immigrants crashing American borders. A new study by the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation shows a far different picture of the...

Jeffrey, Johanson to be honored at 2007 ISA gala in Houston.
September 15, 2007... Staff William Jeffrey, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and K. Arvid Johanson, former chief control system engineer for Union Carbide Corporation/Bechtel Association, will be honored by ISA at its awards gala...

Power transmission, motion control sales continue upward trend.
September 15, 2007... Staff The Power Transmission Distributors Association released June 2007 month-end trend data for distributors and manufacturers of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products. Following last month's jump in sales, U.S....

New data show manufacturing expansion is accelerating.
September 15, 2007... Staff The National Association of Manufacturers pointed to a recent Federal Reserve report that industrial production rose 0.3% in July, the third increase in the past four months, as an indication of a stable growth for industry. ...

Looking at Lean in a new way accommodates unique workers.
September 15, 2007... By Tim Sullivan, Iowa State University Extension Center for Industrial Research and Service What do you do when many of the standards of Lean cannot be applied to an organization that otherwise needs to streamline its operations? For Paul...

Georgia Tech gives students an early lesson in workplace safety.
September 15, 2007... By Rick Robinson, Georgia Institute of Technology As part of an effort to increase job-safety training and awareness among younger Americans, scientists from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have joined with OSHA and other groups...

Controlling welding fumes, gases in the workplace.
September 15, 2007... By Christopher J. Cole, The Lincoln Electric Company The control of fumes and gases in arc welding is an important workplace health and safety issue. Fortunately, many solutions are available to improve fume control, providing users with a...

Debunking the ERP myths.
September 15, 2007... By Terry Ray, IBM Understanding the real risk for asset-intensive companies The goal of having one enterprise resource planning solution for all business processes is still popular, yet the idea is no longer practical, particularly in...

Why air cylinders fail, (and what's to be done about it?).
September 15, 2007... By Ernie Lunski, Parker Hannifin Corp. Pneumatics is typically the technology of choice for applications such as material handling and small-parts assembly, but new capabilities - including closed-loop control, precision pneumatic...

Load cells.
September 15, 2007... Staff LCR series S-beam load cells feature five-point, NIST-traceable calibration. Available in ranges from 25 to 10,000 pounds, the load cells are constructed of lightweight aluminum for ranges as high as 1,000 pounds; stainless steel...

Temperature controller.
September 15, 2007... Staff The E5CSV temperature controller offers setup and monitoring for disturbance-sensitive applications. It features a shorter mounting depth than previous models. Applications include fryers, wrappers and sealers. The controller has a...

Pliers.
September 15, 2007... Staff The J2000-9NECRTP side-cutting pliers feature multiple designs, contoured and cushioned handles and are designed for use on non-insulated connectors, legs and terminals. Journeyman pliers come with a built-in crimper and tape-pulling...

Torque arms.
September 15, 2007... Staff EZ-Glider telescoping torque arms can work with higher torque output tools and are designed to reduce repetitive motion injuries and eliminate torque reaction of power and pneumatic tools. The components are collapsible and are made...

Bulk bag conditioner-unloader.
September 15, 2007... Staff The bulk bag conditioner-unloader system loosens bulk solid material and allows the material to discharge through a bag spout. It features two hydraulic rams with contoured end plates. A Spout-Lock clamp ring creates a high-integrity...

UPS systems.
September 15, 2007... Staff SmartOnline three-phase UPS systems feature small-footprint cabinets and a front-panel battery access to simplify runtime scalability. The systems provide loss-of-power protection for mission-critical equipment in computing,...

Compact fluorescent lamp.
September 15, 2007... Staff The SpringLamp, part of the 289 Series, is a 68-W CFL with a higher Wattage option for industrial applications and provides light levels equivalent to a 300-W incandescent lamp. The lamps run at 4,200 initial lumens and feature...

Vibration software.
September 15, 2007... Staff Ascent 2007 vibration analysis software supports Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows XP Professional x64 editions. The software leverages communications and database management of information from the vbSeries instruments, vbOnline...

Energy metering.
September 15, 2007... Staff The PowerLogic high-density metering cabinet is designed to provide accurate energy monitoring. Available in type 3R outdoor or type 1 indoor configurations, it enables facility managers to allocate and bill for energy based on...

Oxygen analyzer brochure.
September 15, 2007... Staff A brochure detailing the Rosemount Analytical X-STREAM In-Situ oxygen analyzer describes how the product provides measurements and can reduce energy expenses and lower maintenance costs. The literature dictates the use of the...

Hosedown stations.
September 15, 2007... Staff The STVM-iLoc line of steam/water hosedown stations provides hot water for washdown by blending steam and cold water to the required temperature. The ball-valve interlocking system eliminates the need to re-adjust the desired...

Info management system.
September 15, 2007... Staff An environmental health and safety information management system is designed to promote consistent regulatory compliance and uniform record keeping. The system integrates with previous EHS infrastructure, and automates environmental...

Ball valves.
September 15, 2007... Staff The SK Series of multipurpose ball valves features 316-stainless-steel construction, low-torque operation, spring-loaded seats and a floating ball, which are designed to provide leak-tight integrity in low and high-pressure systems....

Pressure transducer.
September 15, 2007... Staff The Compact 3100 series pressure transducer features a footprint of less than 1 inch in diameter and stainless-steel construction. The transducer's ASIC design offers accuracy to 0.25% full scale, long-term stability of 0.1% per year...

Enterprise asset management system.
September 15, 2007... Staff Asset Suite 6.0 features enhancements in work management, supply chain management, usability and internationalization, a library of tailored pages and a Web service catalog. The application's Foundation Architecture, a...

Infrared thermometer.
September 15, 2007... Staff The NP-IR2 infrared thermometer allows users to take measurements from a safe distance and has a temperature range of -58 to 750 degrees F. The thermometer also features 9-to-1 distance-to-spot size, selectable temperature units F or...

Tubing.
September 15, 2007... Staff I-flex PVC tubing and connectors provide electrical wire protection outside the control cabinet and is suitable for use in both indoor and outdoor environments. The tubing maintains its tensile strength and withstands temperatures...

Data display.
September 15, 2007... Staff The large display series serial slave display provides a way to view data in a larger format. The series is available in display heights of 2-A1/4 inches and 4 inches, providing readability from 130 feet and 180 feet, respectively....

Plasma cutters.
September 15, 2007... Staff Pro-Cut plasma cutting systems 25, 55 and 80 incorporate Vortech technology torches and Parts-in-Place torch safety features, which prevent the torch from operating when sensing parts are not in proper position. The Pro-Cut 25 weighs...

Segment protector.
September 15, 2007... Staff Suitable for use with both Foundation fieldbus and Profibus PA and a Foundation fieldbus power supply, the segment protector acts as an interface between the trunk cable and other field devices. The hot-swappable T-bus connection...

Storage hot room.
September 15, 2007... Staff The Sahara Hot Room Model S32 is an energy-efficient oven designed to heat 32 drums or eight totes by using its steam features. The oven is constructed of stainless steel and is also available in electric forms. The unit features a...

Flowmeter.
September 15, 2007... Staff The ST50 series flowmeter features A[+ or -]1% accuracy configuration for line sizes ranging from 2 to 24 inches. The flowmeters measure airflow from 1 to 125 SFPS, nitrogen from 1 to 150 SFPS and compressed air from 4 to 400 SFPS....

Industrial Ethernet switches.
September 15, 2007... Staff A series of industrial Ethernet switches is available in five-port (EKI-2525), eight-port (EKI-2528) and ten-port configurations with gigabit Ethernet capabilities and modular fiber optic cable connections. The switches feature dual...

Goggles.
September 15, 2007... Staff Wheelz protective eyewear is part safety glasses and part safety goggles. It has a ventilation system that helps reduce fogging by circulating air through the optical chamber and an elastic head strap that adjusts to the user's head...

Manufacturing and shipping software.
September 15, 2007... Staff The Open MFG data recorder uses a wireless application to process outbound shipments and inbound order in a single step. The recorder can access sales orders when handling outbound shipments, scan or key in each item as it is pulled,...

Door controller.
September 15, 2007... Staff The Reader Control Module (RCM) III with power-over-Ethernet transmits electrical power and data to remote devices over an existing Ethernet network's twisted-pair CAT5 cables. The door controller is IEEE 802.3af-compliant and...

Ball valves.
September 15, 2007... Staff Camseal N-stamped, metal-seated ball valves feature zero leakage of the body, seat and stem. The valves are capable of meeting zero bubbles for four minutes at 50-psi and 1,000-psi nitrogen. The chrome-carbide coating helps keep the...

Fall kicks off with Webcasts on wireless, motors, EAM.
September 15, 2007... Staff Tackling problems on the plant floor is like tackling football players - good technique and aggressive play usually works. There's no better time to practice tackling than the fall, and there's no better forum to tackle plant floor...

Look, listen for NMW Podcasts online.
September 15, 2007... Staff National Manufacturing Week is Sept. 25-27, and PLANT ENGINEERING will have a major presence at this year's event. Beyond coverage of our 60th anniversary celebration and release of our study, 'The Changing Role of the Plant...

Nilfisk-Advance enhances customer Website.(Website overview)
September 15, 2007... Staff The recent relaunch of the Nilfisk-Advance Website at www.pa.nilfisk-advance.com is designed to make customer navigation and product searches easier and faster. 'The enhanced features of the new Website are based on feedback...

LIVE HELP features added to Sierra Instruments site.
September 15, 2007... Staff Sierra Instruments has added a LIVE HELP online instant messaging service. The program is designed to give customers access to trained personnel who can answer application questions. The Website is...