Control Engineering articles from April 2004

Control Engineering archives from April 2004

Why the integration push?(Editorial)(Alain Dedieu)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... Since my arrival at Control Engineering, I've dedicated considerable column space to advocating the notion that engineers should notice all the talk surrounding the integration of plant-floor controls and automation to enterprise-level systems....

50 * 25 * 10 years ago.(History)(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... This page offers a look back on a variety of interesting items from Control Engineering's past issues, highlighting content from 50, 25, and 10 years ago. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] January 1955 Automatic flight ahead Started: a...

IAONA's IDA-Group, ODVA joined by SERCOS, EtherCAT, EPSG.(News)(Industrial Automation Open Networking Alliance)(Open Devicenet Vendors Association)(Ethernet Powerlink Specification Group)
April 1, 2004... Magdeburg, Germany -- Three more industrial network organizations agreed to work with IAONA, an "open-source" Ethernet organization of more than 130 vendors and end-users. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) that established IAONA as platform...

Rheinmetall sells Hirschmann to HgCapital.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Germantown, MD; Neckartenzlingen, Germany -- To finish divesting its electronics business, Dusseldorf-based Rheinmetall AG recently sold Hirschmann Electronics GmbH & Co. KG to European private equity investor HgCapital for 115 million euros,...

Shipments of DSP boards with FPGAs to increase.(News)(digital signal processing)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Natick, MA -- Shipments of merchant digital signal processing (DSP) boards are expected to increase at a 1.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2003 to 2008, according to a new study, "Digital Signal Processing (DSP): Global Market Demand...

Interphex 2004: emerson, GE Fanuc, Honeywell, Iconics prescribe new products.(News)
April 1, 2004... New York, NY -- Hundreds of exhibitors showed thousands of solutions to tens of thousands of visitors at the recent Interphex 2004 show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Here are some of the most significant advances in the process...

PTO, Interbus Club working group to migrate Interbus to Profinet.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Oak Brook, IL -- Profibus Trade Organization (PTO) reports that its parent organization, Profibus International, has formed a joint cooperative working group with the Interbus Club to migrate Interbus fieldbus protocol to Profinet. The working...

Belden selling some assets to Superior Essex; may close plant.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... St. Louis, MO -- Belden Inc. has agreed to sell parts of its communication cable business to Superior Essex Inc. for as much as $95 million, and may close its Phoenix-based facility. Superior Essex will buy selected inventories, machinery and...

Eaton acquires Electrum Group.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Cleveland, OH -- Eaton Corp. has acquired Electrum Group Ltd., a New Jersey-based provider of power management services and Webbased software for telecommunications, data center and government applications. Electrum had revenues of about $3.5...

GE Fanuc launches intelligence software, new CNC.(News)(GE Fanuc Automation Americas Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Charlottesville, VA -- GE Fanuc Automation Americas recently launched new shop-floor intelligence software to reduce machine downtime, optimize performance, and boost quality. It also introduced its next-generation CNC to the U.S. and...

Minimize downtime with electronic circuit protection.(Technology Update)
April 1, 2004... Switch-mode power supplies have many advantages, but when used to power industrial controls they can have one serious drawback. When a fault or overload occurs on one control circuit fed by a 24 V dc switch-mode power supply, the supply may...

Measure and improve.(Editorial think Again)
April 1, 2004... We cannot improve what we cannot measure. That's our world. Here are three opportunities to offer your measured expertise to bring about positive changes. One of the largest and most-distant sensors, the Hubble Space Telescope, will need...

Innovation transfer: experiences in the life-sciences industry serve as a lesson for all: reducing product time-to-market requires the knowledge of chemists, scientists, and technologists be accurately and efficiently transferred to process engineers and operators.(Cover Story)
April 1, 2004... Over the past two decades, significant socio-economic changes have occurred to impact how the life-science industry discovers, develops, and delivers new products. Most significant among these changes are: * An aging population; *...

Software tools advance embedded control: embedded application software developers target optimal code generation, code sizing, execution speed, and reliability.(Embedded Development)
April 1, 2004... Although the development of application software for any environment has similar traits, software for embedded control imposes more stringent requirements and limits. Execution speed, timing issues, memory size, extent of testing and safety...

Decentralized control: networks can enable less centralization; when you do decentralize, it should match application needs: speed, wiring, and manufacturing process design or lifecycle.(Networks)
April 1, 2004... History of centralized control in manufacturing and similar environments is--as with most technological developments--a double-edged sword. The situation is reminiscent of the two-headed animal from the Dr. Doolittle children's stories--the...

Ubiquitous servos: leverage design flexibility.(Focus Servos)
April 1, 2004... While servo motors have been successfully adapted to wide applications in various industries, manufacturers persist in expanding the flexibility of these motors. Servo motors offer sophisticated motion control over wide torque ranges in...

Why system integrators consolidate: the urge to merge spreads to the service sector of the automation industry.(Inside Look)
April 1, 2004... Merger mania that swept the industrial automation industry in the 1980s and 1990s made some of the largest product suppliers even larger--and eliminated others. A similar trend has begun among suppliers of contract engineering services. ...

Free, but not cheap.(IT & Engineering Insight)
April 1, 2004... Free software is an enticing proposition. It allows us to stretch our project dollars to implement better controls and procedures. There are free operating systems (Linux), process control applications (such as...

Exclusive: new ac drives 'easiest to set up'.(Products & Software)
April 1, 2004... Durapulse Series sensorless vector--plus closed-loop control--ac drives now expand AutomationDirect's offerings in this category with a product reportedly so easy to set up that "experienced users don't need to read the manual." Default values...

Redundant Ethernet switch.(Products & Software)
April 1, 2004... EtherDevice EDS-508 Series is a rugged switch designed for deployment in demanding environments. Eight-port devices provide 10/100BaseTx Ethernet and 100Fx fiberoptic connections. They also offer intelligent switching services, including...

Production software solutions.(Products & Software)
April 1, 2004... Business.Flex PKS suite of software solutions delivers production performance improvements for process industries. Release 130 unifies business goals and production automation to improve decision-making and execution, helping users achieve more...

Programming software upgrades allow code reuse.(Products & Software)
April 1, 2004... Upgrades to RSLogix 5000 programming software allow for reuse of previously written code and documentation to save control system development time. V.13 reduces time required to develop application code as well as for configuration and...

Handheld graphic HMI.(Products & Software)
April 1, 2004... QTerm-G55 handheld graphic operator interface terminal, newest addition to the family of Qlarity terminals, is rugged and lightweight. It uses screen graphics and a keypad interface and can be equipped with two EIA-232, 422, or 485 serial...

Application-specific spectrometers.(Products & Software)
April 1, 2004... Summit 6300 line of configurable single-beam spectrometers feature low stray light, wide dynamic range and performance in the ultraviolet spectral region of ~1 nm resolution from 190- to 400-nm. Designed for demanding environments, these...

Integrated test valve assembly.(Products & Software)
April 1, 2004... Integrated test valve assembly monitors steam-trap performance to help reduce costs related to steam and energy losses. Unit consists of two stainless steel general-purpose ball valves for isolation and testing and a two-bolt universal mount...

Operator interface terminals.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... QSI Corporation manufactures rugged handheld and panel-mount operator interface terminals for OEMs, for vehicle and industrial applications. Products include character and graphics terminals that are program-mable, customizable, CE certified,...

General purpose relays.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Kuhnke's relay catalog summarizes general purpose relays and introduces some of the latest innovations in the relay field. Highlighted is Kuhnke's Modular Family of relays which include Universal 10A, tube type, Ice Cube and PCB Interface...

Automation Solutions brochure.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Aerotech announces the Automation Solutions for Electronic Manufacturing, Test and Inspection, and Data Storage brochure that presents Aerotech's motion control and positioning system solutions for electronic assembly, pick and place, PCB laser...

AutomationDirect[R].(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... AutomationDirect[R] offers 3,500 brand name and private-labeled products through a new 1,300-page desk reference and Online Automation Superstore. The desk reference features product descriptions, technical information and price lists for PLC...

New isolated analog signal conditioning catalog.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... New 230 page catalog of high quality isolated analog and digital I/O modules to protect and condition critical industrial data acquisition and control signal from RTDs, Thermocouples, and other sensor devices. Includes Instrument Class[TM] DIN...

DASYLab V8--no programming required.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... The latest release of this easy-to-use software package for Windows-based data acquisition continues to provide powerful data acquisition, analysis and control features without programming. DASYLab Lite, Basic, Full and Pro editions include...

New in 2003.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Current Transformers, Transducers & Accessories Catalog 2011-170 page catalog featuring split-core and solid-core current transformers, potential transformers, electrical transducers for AC and DC applications, signal conditioners,...

Industrial Measurement and Control Brochure and Resource CD.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... National Instruments Industrial Measurement and Control Brochure and Resource CD provides information on how National Instruments hardware and software tools deliver advanced functionality and reliability for industrial applications such as...

Baghouse controller.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... B-PAC[TM] Series of Baghouse PLCs and Diagnostic Controllers seamlessly integrate intelligent filter cleaning, pressure sensing, particulate monitoring, auxiliary sensing (such as fan amps, temperature, airflow) and a wide range of control...

Electrical design software demo CD.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... Multi-media demo CD-ROM illustrates the functions of Promis-e electrical control system design software. Trial version also included. Powerful AutoCAD add-on has schematic design functions including auto ID assignment, auto cross referencing...

Precision Encoders ...(Product Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... EPC's new 104-page catalog features in depth descriptions of Accu-Coder[TM] Brand Encoders from Encoder Products Company. The catalog features a full line of incremental encoders, as well as EPC's new absolute encoder series, to meet a wide...

AC Power Distribution & Control System.(Product & Literature Showcase)
April 1, 2004... ACPower Distribution & Control Systems domestic/int'l configuration systems; OEM's & system integrators. Product is rack mounted & provides: circuit breaker protection, EMI/RFI filtering, spike/surge protection, remote power on/off,...

Is your HMI ergonomically correct?(Back to Basics)(human-machine interface)
April 1, 2004... Does your operator interface terminal give you a pain? No, not the frustrating kind of pain that comes from an application that just won't function properly, but real, physical pain. Like any other computer terminal, an HMI (human-machine...