Control Engineering articles from December 2005

Control Engineering archives from December 2005

Research value.(Editorial)
December 1, 2005... Control Engineering has a long history of researching the industrial automation market. What began years ago with our monthly Product Focus feature (now known as Product Research to underscore the articles' research component) has blossomed...

Software upgrade for EZTouch users.
December 1, 2005... We've made 50+ Improvements to our Software Get all our new Enhancements for your current EZTouch panels... Just by ordering our FREE CD! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Upcoming Enhancements: Visit EZAutomation.net for the latest...

Industrial embedded controllers.(product EXCLUSIVE)
December 1, 2005... MPC5554 32-bit embedded controller, based on PowerPC architecture, extends Freescale Semiconductor's MPC5500 family to the industrial market. MPC5554 offers system performance up to five times higher than its MPC500 predecessors, meeting...

Robust Ethernet switches.(product EXCLUSIVE)
December 1, 2005... Weidmuller's 8-, 16- and 24-port copper/fiber managed Ethernet switches provide robust Ethernet management capabilities. Equipped with a full range of standard features, the switches enable comprehensive visibility into industrial Ethernet...

Hurricanes don't derail performance.
December 1, 2005... The pivotal point of the third quarter 2005 was the damage wrought by Gulf Coast hurricanes--Katrina, Rita, and Wilma--and the resilience of domestic consumer and manufacturing economies to absorb these shocks and keep moving forward. At last...

Integrator selection: another option.
December 1, 2005... In Control Engineering's June 2005 issue, the p. 80 "Back to Basics: System integrator alternatives" article listed the strengths of four system integration services options. As executive director of CSIA (Control and Information System...

Who owns the data?
December 1, 2005... At least once, and usually several times in every IT or integration project, someone asks the question: "Who's the data owner?" This question reflects older system architectures which considered owning the data as a measure of system...

Lab courses go virtual.
December 1, 2005... A number of universities have maintained a dedicated laboratory course as part of the process control sequence, but those numbers have been shrinking due to the high resource requirements of lab courses and the pressure to reduce the number of...

Engineers, scientists, skilled production workers missing in action.
December 1, 2005... Washington, D.C. -- The vast majority of U.S. manufacturers are experiencing a serious shortage of qualified employees, which in turn is causing significant impact on business and the ability of the country as a whole to compete in a global...

Check reasons for next technology investment.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Arlington, MA -- There's no such thing as a perfect-world scenario for a technology investment decision. "Due diligence process is often rushed, plagued by unavailability of information, and conducted by people who have limited experience or,...

PLC use to increase; collaborative systems effective for discrete manufacturers.(NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Dedham, MA -- More people are expected to use programmable logic controllers, and collaborative systems are useful for more effective discrete manufacturing environments, according to separate studies by ARC Advisory Group. (For more PLC...

Advanced microscope installed for materials analysis.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Hillsboro, OR -- Ohio State University's Center for Accelerated Maturation of Materials (CAMM) has begun using the FEI Titan 80-300 microscope, reported to be the world's highest-resolution, commercially available, scanning/transmission...

Advice offered: effectively, efficiently apply controls.
December 1, 2005... St. Louis, MO -- Efficient applications of automation can make manufacturing more profitable (and desirable as a career choice). Effective use and integration of information throughout manufacturing can make the enterprise safer, more reliable,...

Automation hunger increases for food, beverage markets.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... New York, NY -- According to a Frost & Sullivan study, 2004 revenues in the food-and-beverage market were $2.7 billion. The global automation-and-software solutions market has had moderate growth rate in the past. However, the company expects...

Mobile system brings calibration services to users.(Sypris Test and Measurement Calibration)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Orlando, FL -- Sypris Test & Measurement Calibration has launched a mobile system to bring calibration equipment and personnel to the user. The third-party mobile calibration provider names Eaton, AT & T, ITT Industries, the Federal Aviation...

Speed, validation reasons for pharmaceutical manufacturing win.
December 1, 2005... Austin, TX -- Faster time to market, easier validation, and operations excellence based on real-time diagnostics in smart field devices were reportedly among reasons Emerson was selected to manage, configure, and start-up a project to increase...

Machine safeguarding solutions grow at 8.4% rate.(NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Dedham, MA -- Machine safeguarding solutions is one of the highest growth segments in the industrial automation sector, according to ARC Advisory Group Safety. Human, machine, and environment has moved to the forefront in manufacturing. The...

Standard changes for measuring distribution transformer loss.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Rosslyn, VA -- After considerable input from the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Electrical Manufacturing Association (NEMA) has revised its standard for measuring distribution transformer loss. TP 2-2005, "Standard test method for...

Award for work in advanced process control.(NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Cincinnati, OH -- The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has awarded the Computing Practice Award to Dr. Mike Morshedi, inventor and co-inventor of several multivariable predictive control technologies in widespread use today. The...

By the numbers.
December 1, 2005... 6 high-end control applications show how "PC-Based Control Delivers for Manufacturing," the cover story in this issue. For more applications, read the article online, under December 2005, at www.controleng.com/archives 7 ways that system...

Easier connectedness.(Editorial)
December 1, 2005... Efforts continue to expand connections among plant-floor systems, the rest of the enterprise, and beyond. Many plants contain patchworks of custom code tying one system to another, which discourages upgrades, for fear something no longer will...

PC-based control delivers for manufacturing: increasing numbers of manufacturing applications benefit from the flexibility, access to software tools, and lower system cost attributed to today's PC-based controls. Ease of connectivity to business systems 'sweetens the pot.'.(personal computer)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2005... Influences of personal computer (PC) technology are all around us. Penetration of PC control into industrial communication, operator interfaces, production monitoring, and so on is enormous. PCs also have spawned a host of application software...

In-line instrumentation: established technology remains relevant as refinements keep traditional measurement devices competitive in the face of non-intrusive technology advances.
December 1, 2005... In-line measuring, monitoring, and analysis is found in all process industries. Whether involving liquids or gases, in-line methodologies provide a variety of benefits over sporadic grab samples, including greater data reliability, accuracy,...

Distributed intelligence puts processing power where it's needed.
December 1, 2005... The Perils of Processor Overload Machine design engineers are increasingly replacing mechanical motion systems with servo-based axis control to yield higher speeds, more productivity, and greater reliability. But as designers shift more of...

PCs control welding of nuclear fuel rod spacers: transferring up to 8,000 parameters in under a second called for a PC-based 'PLC.'.
December 1, 2005... To ensure that robots safely weld components for a nuclear reactor requires monitoring and control beyond what typical technologies can offer. Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF) GmbH, based in Karlstein, Germany, commissioned assembly and...

Shock testing with multi-tasking motion controller: fox Racing Shox employs a new stress-testing machine, which uses a motion coordinator, servo drives, and linear actuators for motion and data analysis.
December 1, 2005... Today's extreme mountain-bike riders subject suspension forks to high stress forces. After miles of ascents and descents on some of the world's toughest terrain, the forks have a tendency to fatigue. If failure occurs, it's typically on the...

Software speeds Nissan's model-based design: automaker halves development time for an emission-reduction system meeting California's partial zero-emission vehicle-standard.(nissan motor company ltd)
December 1, 2005... New emission standards, environmentally conscious customers, and engineering tools challenge automobile manufacturers. Even with those challenges, however, Nissan Motor Company Ltd. sought to be the world's first automobile manufacturer to...

Compact proximity sensors.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... MicroBox compact capacitive proximity sensor is a self-contained unit measuring 34 X 16 X 18 mm. It comes in two versions: a proximity sensor for part/product presence and a Smart Level Technology device for liquid level detection. The latter...

Safety light curtains.(inside machines: products)
December 1, 2005... C4000 Palletizer, C4000 Eco, and C4000 Basic Plus safety light curtains extend the existing C4000 line. C4000 Palletizer combines the absence of muting sensors, modules, and lamps with the ability to safely transport pallets or palletized goods...

Connectors, mounting rails.(inside machines: products)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... ZK1020 IP-Link Bridge connectors and ZS5300 I/O mounting rails are designed to simplify installation of Beckhoff Fieldbus Box I/O products. They are intended for applications that require IP67-rated I/O terminals mounted outside a cabinet or...

PLCs maximize machine, motion control.
December 1, 2005... Control engineers now have at their disposal a wide variety of logic devices to program processes and machines. Computers and computer technology provide almost unlimited control possibilities no matter what the application. PLCs remain a...

Flywheel power system.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... VSS+ next-generation advanced voltage support solution flywheel power system is designed to improve overall uninterruptible power system (UPS) reliability by replacing or extending the life of lead-acid batteries. System reportedly provides...

Kit speeds motion system design.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... MC73110 brushless motor control IC developer's kit (DK73110) features high-efficiency MOSFET amplifiers. Integrated board and software package lets designers build a high-performance stand-alone motor controller, amplifier, or intelligent drive...

Next-generation operator interface.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... Programmable C-more next-generation operator touch panel comes in either grayscale (15 shades of gray) or full color (256 to 64,536 colors, depending on model). STN grayscale and color displays are available in a 6-in. touchscreen. Color TFT...

Flat-panel monitor.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... FPM-3060G 6-in. flat-panel monitor features high luminance, compact design, and can be easily integrated with UNO-2000 and MBPC-200 fanless embedded platform products for a physically separated operator interface terminal. Suited for machinery...

Plug-in, modular valve.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... VTSA (Type 44) valve Series is a highly modular system using plug-in, sub-base style valves. Valve terminal is easy to assemble or modify. Sub-bases and valves can be easily added or removed. System conforms to ISO standard 15407-2, which...

Hands-free belt clip.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... Belt clip lets an operator attach any hand-held box to the clip for hands-free operation by simply drilling two holes. Clip is made of ABS plastic with a UL94-HB flammability rating. Standard colors are black or light gray; other colors and...

Digital display for flowmeters.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... DM 15 remote digital display indicates flow rate or temperature readings using the company's ST and GF Series thermal-dispersion mass flowmeters. DC-input indicator offers a high/low alarm setpoint option that can be set to any point...

Miniature data logger/DAQ system.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... isoLynx SLX718 data logger/data acquisition system is composed of compact SLX718 units and the company's miniature SensorLex 8B isolated analog signal conditioners. Family of instruments offers stand-alone or PC-tethered data logging and the...

High-speed, small-sized scan camera.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... CV-L107CL high-speed 3-CCD line scan camera fits in a cube that measures 90 X 90 X 90 mm and uses a standard interface. It features 3 X 2,048 pixel resolution, 19 kHz line rate, flat-field and shading correction, and optional individual...

Eight-port Ethernet switch.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... Skorpion switch for industrial automation systems uses 1.61 in. of DIN-rail space and provides eight 10.100 Mbps shielded RJ-45 ports; each port supports auto-negotiation protocol to select data rate, duplex, and flow control. Features include...

Enhanced development environment.(PRODUCTS & software)
December 1, 2005... Proficy Machine Edition 5.50 enhanced engineering development environment for programming, configuration, and diagnostics of GE Fanuc controllers includes symbolic variable-based programming, a tool chest for reusable code, and a test edit mode...

Temperature transmitters.(PRODUCTS & software)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Series of five low-cost transmitters with 0.08% accuracy includes two units with narrow-profile (12.7 mm) DIN-rail mounting that allow stacking of multiple transmitters in a small space. Model 9100D is HART compatible; Model 7600D is...

Backplane with 20 slots.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Dual Star VXS backplane features 20 slots. VME switched serial device includes two hub slots and 18 payload slots and comes in an 18-layer controlled-impedance stripline design. A low dielectric Nelco PCB material improves signal performance,...

Motor controller has advanced diagnostics.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Allen-Bradley SMC Flex motor controller with integrated I/O modules features two inputs and four outputs. It is said to help users control processes and monitor motor systems from a networked soft-starter, moving control of some industrial...

Camera has all-pixel readout.(Toshiba Teli Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... CS3969DCL camera uses a 1.5 megapixel, 2/3-type progressive scan CCD, said to provide sharper, more detailed pictures of moving objects than conventional machine-vision cameras. CCD pixels are arrayed in square grids to facilitate computation...

Servo motor family expands.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Line of brushless rotary servo motors expands to include MPP092x, MPP100x, and MPP115x motors equipped with a resolver, standard 2,000-line incremental encoder, Heidenhain EnDat absolute encoder (single or multi-turn), or Stegmann Hiperface...

Multi-channel digitizers.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Octopus family of multichannel digitizers features up to 8 channels, up to 4 GB of on-board acquisition memory, and up to 125 MS/s sampling per channel in a single-slot PCI card. Modular components let users custom-build their unit according to...

Rules-driven product management.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... RuleStream 6.0 .Net-based version of the company's rules-driven product management (RPM) software aggregates and manages intellectual property (IP) assets to automate complex decisions for all product-centric operations. Package allows access...

New 2006 B & R catalog.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2005... Looking for a new integrated automation solution? B & R's new catalog provides the comprehensive product information you need! Whether you are looking for Visualization, Motion, Controls or a single software Package--you can find it all in our...

Current Transformers, Transducers & Accessories.
December 1, 2005... 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,...

Heat exchangers.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Air-to-air and air-to-water heat exchangers remove heat from sealed electronic enclosures, panels, and cabinets for indoor and outdoor applications. Ten times more efficient than air conditioning, with no maintenance. Nema 12 units are stock...

Precision Encoders ...(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... 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...

2004 full-line signal conditioning catalog.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... New 240 page catalog of Instrument Class[R] industrial signal conditioning, data acquisition and data communication products that protect and condition critical signals from RTDs Thermocouples, Load Cells and other sensor devices. Includes DIN...

Free 2006 NI Measurement and Automation Catalog.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Featuring new product information, comparison charts, key specifications, and information on: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * NI LabVIEW 8 Distributed Intelligence * PCI Express M Series * PXI Flexible-Resolution Digitizer * USB...

AC Power Distribution & Control System.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... AC Power 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,...

Wireless cloud.
December 1, 2005... Certainly industrial instrumentation pros are well versed in wired, but not necessarily wireless, technology. Moreover, with endless corporate downsizing, plants are lucky to have specialists with the knowledge and time to just keep "old"...

Get the "genuine article": how to use Control Engineering's 2006 Automation Integrator Guide in print and at www.controleng.com/integrators.
December 1, 2005... You don't have the time--or the money--to gamble with unproven automation, instrumentation, or controls. As the old saw goes, quality doesn't cost, it pays. So Control Engineering produces this annual hardcopy tool to complement its December...

Value means more than price: system integrators and end-users share tips on assessing an integrator's true worth.
December 1, 2005... When it comes to buying houses, diamonds, computers, and bicycles, it's generally true that, "you get what you pay for." It's much more difficult to place an objective value on a service. The best mechanic in town may be the expensive...

Do integrators really provide added value?
December 1, 2005... In "My Fair Lady" when Eliza Doolittle sang, "Words, words, words! I'm so sick of words,"* she was referring to their pronunciation rather than their actual meanings. But when it comes to "added value," I would venture a guess that most...

Motion integrator solves push-pull problem: evaluation of one problem reveals the cause of another.
December 1, 2005... Polyair manufactures protective packaging products for many industries, including pharmaceutical, automotive, electronics, catalog and mail order, publishing, and cosmetics. For years it used converting equipment to produce air-cell lined...

Inspection system for beer keg quality assurance: creating a safe-and-reliable, beer-barrel, cleaning, and pressurization line.
December 1, 2005... Green Bay, Wis.-based Tosca Ltd. cleans and reconditions many different food-industry containers. Examples include: bulk cheese containers; bulk plastic bins, for pizza crust production and transportation; returnable plastic containers, for...

2006 directory of industrial automation system integrators.(AUTOMATION INTEGRATOR GUIDE)(Directory)
December 1, 2005... A A & E Conveyor Systems, Canton, GA 30115, Tel: (770) 345-7300 A & E Engineering, Inc. 100 Wright Sullivan PO Box 1367 Greer, SC 29652-1367 Tel: (864) 801-0882 Fax: (864) 801-0884 E-mail: wright@aeengr.com...

Anatomy of a successful integration company.
December 1, 2005... The success of a system integration company lies primarily in how well it delivers its principal product--service. Since the concept of industrial automation service is something of an intangible concept, compared to the very tangible...

React proact: anticipate. Make better business decisions faster--with the industry's only combined Production and Performance Management software solution.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... In business, expensive stuff happens. By the minute. So why be reactive when you can be proactive? Quickly predict problems before they appear. And exploit opportunities before they vanish. Look to Wonderware--the only software provider that...

System integrators sound off: during the inaugural session of the Wonderware and Microsoft Solution Provider Conference, system integrators voiced their questions about security, patch installations in regulated environments, legal issues, and the business benefits of Microsoft .NET.
December 1, 2005... Afforded the opportunity to ask questions directly to a panel of Wonderware and Microsoft experts, as well as a lawyer and system integrator firm representative, the system integrators in attendance at the first Wonderware and Microsoft...

Integrating with BizTalk server.
December 1, 2005... Though one might be tempted to think that Microsoft solutions are only for Microsoft shops, this is not the case. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of BizTalk Server customers use it in tandem with J2EE components. Nearly every...

Wonderware Certified System Integrators.
December 1, 2005... These firms have invested in training on key technologies to solve the problems you'll face at the different levels in your enterprise and have taken steps to demonstrate an ability to deliver successful projects at those levels. ...

Securing control networks.
December 1, 2005... It was, the plant process engineer recalled later, like helplessly watching a train wreck. Or an outbreak of the flu. One by one the systems on the plant floor, the ones running the process control network (PCN), quit responding and shut down....

Cookie cutter approach to faster project start-ups.
December 1, 2005... How the unifying framework of ArchestrA technology within Wonderware software offerings absorbs project application changes and allows capture and reuse of engineering for Supervisory HMI, SCADA, Production and Performance Management...