Control Engineering articles from April 2002

Control Engineering archives from April 2002

Contemporary controls to open factory in China. (Up Front).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Chicago, Ill.--An automation company with firm Midwestern roots is about to take the strategic step of opening a 16,000-[ft.sup.2] production plant in Suzhou, China, near Shanghai. Making this announcement at National Manufacturing Week (NMW)...

NAM survey: Manufacturers expect 0-2.5% GDP growth. (Up Front).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Of the 312 manufacturers answering the National Association of Manufacturers' (NAM, Washington, D.C.) latest annual survey, 91.7% expect U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) to grow 0 to 2.5% during 2002. Released on March 18 at NMW 2002, the...

Olflex renamed Lapp USA; introduces cables. (Up Front).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Olflex Wire & Cable announced at NMW 2002 that it was recently merged with sister company Contact Electronics, and then the two were renamed Lapp USA by their corporate parent, Lapp Group. The newly joined firm has also relocated to new...

Programmable batch control cuts overfill, aids ISO 9000 effort. (Online).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... While working to secure its ISO 9000 certification, State Chemical (Cleveland. O.) recently replaced deteriorating batch controls in its 30,000-[ft..sup.2] plant with Easy Link solutions from Burkert USA (Irvine, Calif.) consisting of its Type...

Technology update: Software boosts control. (Online).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Manufacturers, suppliers, and OEMs are EVE under constant pressure to reduce project times. One solution is to take a modular approach to automation, but programming communication links is more complex with distributed automation solutions. The...

Software review: Optimize process with simulation. (Online).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... A process control system's function is maintain unit operations of the process at specific values/setpoints or within determined bounds. One way to determine the optimum set of operation parameters is by using models developed for computer...

OPC Foundation counters infringement lawsuit filed against end-users. (News).(Solaia Technologies L.L.C.'s patent infringement lawsuit against Clorox Co., Konica Corp., Jefferson Smurfit Corp., Bayerische Motoren Werke AG)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Chicago, Ill.--In a recent statement to its members, the OPC Foundation expressed disappointment that Solaia Technologies LLC (Chicago, Ill.) filed a patent infringement lawsuit last year against several customers of OPC members. Solaia...

Baumer Electric. (News).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Baumer Electric (Southington, Coan.) introduced MagRes magnetic absolute encoder, which features up to 10-bit resolution in a single-turn configuration, and ProCoder multi-turn absolute optical rotary encoder, which employs a modular,...

Ci Technologies. (News).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Ci Technologies (Sydney, Australia; Charlotte, N.C.) exhibited its Citect V5.41 that now has features to help manufacturers meet requirements of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 21 CFR Part 11 regulation on electronic signatures and...

Entivity. (News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Entivity (Ann Arbor, Mich.), a combination of the former Think&Do and Steeplechase companies with minority investment from Schneider Electric, announced that it expects to release updated versions of EntivityVLC 6.0 in April 2002 and...

GE Fanuc. (News).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... GE Fanuc (Charlottesville, Va.) offered its Six Sigma expertise via its new Global Solutions Business that assesses, designs, implements, and monitors e-manufacturing systems that align factory-floor operations with critical business needs....

IMG. (News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... IMG (Woodland Hills, Calif.) announced that it has signed an OEM license agreement with Intellution (Foxborough, Mass.) to offer its My-TSoft programmable onscreen keyboard utilities with Intellution's latest iFix and iBatch products. IMG is a...

Integrated Control. (News).
April 1, 2002... Integrated Control (Huntington, N.Y.) introduced InteMod Control System, a system designed specifically for applications requiring complex control to be used with a minimum of user training (i.e., fast food). Using a 128 x 64 or 240 x 128 LCD...

Emerson Process Management's Intellution division. (News).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Emerson Process Management's Intellution division (Foxborough, Mass.) introduced infoAgent, a web-based tool for accessing, analyzing, and reporting production data in a format designed by the user. Using an intuitive data presentation toolkit,...

Lumberg. (News).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Lumberg (Midlothian, Va.) introduced its new Fixcon industrial connector standard for sensors and actuators. Jointly developed by Lumberg Automation Components GmbH & Co. KG and Escha in Germany, Fixcon features a quick plugand-lock mechanism...

OPC Foundation. (News).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... OPC Foundation released its OPC XML specification based on XML and Microsoft .Net technologies. The specification can be downloaded in April 2002 from OPC's web site at www.opcfoundation.org. OPC XML builds on the existing OPC Data Access...

Remke Industries Inc. (News).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... Remke Industries Inc. (Wheeling, Ill.) exhibited its Micro-Link Shielded Connector, a new addition to its Tuff-Link line of molded connectors. Micro-Link features a 3600 aluminum mylar foil shield that minimizes electrical interference, which...

Sensors Expo coming to San Jose. (News).
April 1, 2002... San Jose, Calif--The first of this year's two Sensors Expo events will be held May 21-23 at the San Jose Convention Center. The exhibition and conference will provide some of the latest information on nanotechnology; MEMS/MST/MM; biosensors and...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2002... * An incorrect web address was listed for Applied e-Simulators (West Richiand, Wa.) in "Progressive Innovations, 1 5th Annual Editors' Choice Awards;' CE, Mar.'02, p. 38. The correct web address is www.ae-sim.com. * An incorrect location...

Much for all, or all for a few?.(OPC Foundation should hold "open systems" patents)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
April 1, 2002... How'd we get to the point where manufacturers and end-users are getting sued for patent infringement for what they believed to be open technologies? (Gary Mintchell and Jim Montague have been following developments; see "News" in this issue.)...

Integrator registration aims to promote excellence: Andits by the Control System Integrator Association certify members' business practices so clients don't have to.
April 1, 2002... For lawyers, it's the bar exam. For doctors, it's "the boards." For control system integrators, there's the Professional Engineering (FE) exam, at least for the engineers on staff. But is it enough for a system integrator to have an office...

'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you!'.
April 1, 2002... As scary as that sounds, governments' regulations about electronic records and signatures hold the potential to produce measurable business benefits. However, it requires a corporate-wide strategy and executive-level commitment. Otherwise...

Non-contact sensors advance for discrete manufacturing: Proximity and photoelectric sensing products and technologies gain intelligence, downsize packaging, and incorporate lower cost memory, enabling more versatile applications.
April 1, 2002... There really is a lot to talk about in the area of discrete sensors. Some may wonder what can be done to proximity or photoelectric switches. Surely there can be no more advances with limit switches. Well, that attitude is just plain wrong....

Safety networks begin to emerge: Despite reluctance and regulations, safety fieldbus networks are starting to be developed and implemented by users seeking potentially huge savings.
April 1, 2002... The idea of a safety fieldbus may seem like an oxymoron. How the heck can you logically have one twisted-pair control loop operate in a safety-related environment that is traditionally, and often legally, required to have redundancy via...

Users seek reliability, accuracy, and ruggedness. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Even in the ever-evolving world of process control, things occasionally find equilibrium. At least, for the short term. Usage trends for process variable transmitters (PVTs) have done that since Control Engineering and Cahners Research surveyed...

Transmitter performs under pressure. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Newnan, Ga.--EJA Series digital pressure transmitters, also known as the DPharp, meet 6-sigma conformance criteria and boasts resistance to overpressure events common in many applications. Dpharp's exclusive digital sensor eliminates the need...

Demanding application transmitters. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Stamford, Conn.--TX1500 Series transmitters are comprised of isolated 4-20 mA devices intended for demanding applications. The transmitters are isolated to 1,500 [V.sub.rms], and feature 9-50 V compliance, a turndown ratio of 10:1, NMV...

Flowmeter is accurate, reliable. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Greenwood, Ind.--Promass 80/83 flowmeters offer accurate, cost-effective, and reliable Coriolis flow measurement. In addition to excellent repeatability, the units are said to provide extremely accurate measurement of mass and volume flow in...

'Smart' transmitters. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Phoenix, Ariz.--Honeywell's ST 3000 Series 900 Gauge Pressure Transmitters bring "smart" technology to many pressure measurement applications with varying process interface requirements. They output a signal proportional to the measured...

Pressure transmitter family. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Foxboro, Mass.--Invensys Process Systems' Measurements & Instruments unit offers a new family of Foxboro pressure transmitters. The family--which includes a versatile Multirange line, a high-performance Premium Performance line, and a...

Custody transfer flow measurement. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Peabody, Mass.--UFM500, Altosonic V, liquid ultrasonic process meter maintains an uncertainty of less than [+ or -]0.5% of rate. Accuracy is better than [+ or -]0.15% of rate, over a 2:1 turndown and [+ or -]0.2% of rate, over a 10:1 turndown....

High-tech diagnostics. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Spring House, Pa.--The newest version of Siemens Sistrans P, DSIII Series pressure transmitters being configured and distributed exclusively here in the U.S. by Siemens Moore Process Automation Inc. DSIII pressure transmitter incorporates...

Historical transmitters, next generation. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Eden Prairie, Minn.--For many users, "Rosemount" has historically meant "pressure transmitter." Model 1151, introduced in 1969, then Model 3051, introduced in 1988, provided users with the high reliability, installed repeatability, and...

Flowmeters feature add-on transmitters. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Boulder, Colo.--Micro Motion's Coriolis flowmeters feature many add-on transmitter modules, ranging from basic, single-variable flow measurement to enhanced multivariable transmitters with mass, volume, temperature, and density outputs. These...

'No threat' transmitters. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... City of Industry, Calif.--Approved by various international regulatory agencies, Barton/Fuji's FCX transmitters are intrinsically safe and explosion-proof. For a wide range of applications and process media, FCX transmitters measure, display,...

Level transmitters. (Process Variable Transmitters).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Tustin, Calif.--8250 ProcessPro level transmitters are designed for use with their developer's pressure, magnetostrictive, and ultrasonic level sensors. They are said to provide an industry-first turnkey continuous level measurement system...

New IT contactors and starters offer all 24 V dc control. (Exclusive: Products & Software).(intelligent technologies)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Milwaukee, Wis.--Focus on 24 V dc for control power expands into new electromechanical contactors and starters just introduced by Eaton Corps Cutler-Hammer business unit. They're part of Phase 2 in an evolving program called Intelligent...

Development tools speeds motion system projects. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Austin, ex.--Motion Assistant is a new point-and-click software tool that speeds programming and prototyping of motion systems using motors and positioning devices. Motion Assistant helps to further reduce development time by deploying...

Brushless Gearmotors include brake and feedback. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Ronkonkoma, N.Y-- TitanTrue Brushless Gearmotors, available in three sizes, inte grate a planetary gearhead optional emergency brake, and feedback device into the servo motor structure. The 60-mm size has rated continuous torque up to 7 Nm (62...

5-phase microstepping motor and driver. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Torrance, Calif.--Nanostep CFKII Series consists of a 5-phase hybrid stepping motor and a high-resolution microstepping driver. Motors--standard or high-speed models--come in four sizes (1.1-3.35 in. (2) cross section) with a holding torque...

Wraps ensure wire protection. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Burgaw, N.C.--Spiroband spiral wrap offers protection for wire bundles from external hazards in a variety of service conditions. Spiroband firmly holds wire bundles while allowing flexibility to accommodate the rigidity of the each bundle. The...

Inform added to AIMstar. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Foxboro, Mass.--AIMstar Inform is the latest addition to AIM AT information management platform. AIMstar Inform enhancements include flexible data views that allow users to set filters, sorting schemes, and scan rates to produce very specific...

Alert Manager improves asset management. (Products & Software).
April 1, 2002... Phoenix, Ariz.--Release 140 of Honeywell's Alert Manager expands integration capabilities to collect, organize, analyze, and identify equipment and process conditions that may, if left unattended, lead to failures and unscheduled process...

Ultrasound 'hears' the solution. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Rockaway, N.J.--Printing and paper processing machines must not pull in more than one sheet of paper, carton, or plastic at a time. If this should occur the machine components could be severely damaged. This is where an automatic monitoring...

PlantWeb adds predictive maintenance alerts. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Austin, Tex.--Emerson Process' PlantWeb Alerts, in combination with Emerson's digital intelligent field devices and systems, automatically performs predictive diagnostics, prioritizes maintenance alerts, assembles diagnostic result information,...

Develop process performance baselines. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Hubertus, Wis.--PlantTriage is an ExperTune software application that allows developing and operating against performance baselines and "not to exceed" thresholds. Using PlantTriage templates, groups of loops, units, or entire plants can be...

Intelligent distributed I/O modules. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... San Diego, Calif--I/O Pak family consists of three product series. The C-Series is broadly classified as 100 Hz, 16-bit analog measurement devices with Modbus-RTU, Profibus-DP, and simple ASCII communications options. They are solutions for...

Integrated measurement system. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Marlborough, Masss.--Spider8 is an integrated digital measurement system that also includes components for signal conditioning, A/D conversion, filtering, and data acquisition in a compact housing. Spider8 plug-in modules, which can be...

Latching relays. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Northfield, Ill.--The 385 Series latching relay is a mechanically latched, electrically reset relay used in applications where the relay contacts need to remain in the last set position with the power off. The device's one-piece terminals are...

Fiber-optic sensors. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Buffalo Grove, Ill.--The PD60 family of fiber-optic sensors and accessories features programmable, self-teaching setup that can be controlled through the keyboard on the device or remotely by wire. The amplifiers have a 10-30 V dc power supply...

Portable shaker. (Products & Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Houston, Tex.--Model 630 is a portable shaker, a device used to provide sensor verification in the shop or field. This self-contained device can measure acceleration, velocity, and displacement and provide a bright LED readout of the measured...

Control valves deserve your respect. (Back to Basic).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... When was the last time you heard someone say they were going to "calibrate" a control valve? To most people the term "field instrumentation calibration" applies to analyzers, switches, and transmitters. The reality is, field...