Control Engineering articles from February 2005

Control Engineering archives from February 2005

Security: a national priority.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
February 1, 2005... By saying, in February 2003, that the protection of control systems had become "a national priority," President Bush set off a flurry of security activities in the industrial sector. We remain, however, a long way from reaching the goal of...

Nano controller programmable with Bluetooth wireless, Ethernet.(control equipment)
February 1, 2005... Telemecanique Twido nano controller is billed by its manufacturer, Schneider Electric, as the first nano PLC with embedded Ethernet capability that can be programmed with either Bluetooth wireless or Ethernet. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

4 paths to engineering, maintenance integration.(opinion SOAPBOX)
February 1, 2005... While the outlook for manufacturing appears relatively bright, challenges loom. Investment in new technologies and new facilities is increasingly expensive, and the rapid rise of international competitors is forcing U.S. manufacturers to...

Sarbanes-Oxley and manufacturing IT.(IT & engineering INSIGHT)(Key performance indicators)
February 1, 2005... Primarily focused on accounting and financial controls and reporting, the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002 and recent actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have imposed new requirements on auditors, corporate boards, and...

Utility integrates control across 41 remote stations: Orangetown Department of Environmental Management & Engineering upgrades controls for pumps, motors, drives, and ultrasonic level controls.(application UPDATE)(services of Optimum Controls Corp.)(sewage pump stations )
February 1, 2005... Running, maintaining, and upgrading a sewer system is challenging enough when a municipality has unlimited project funding. However, when funding is tight and a manufacturer no longer supports installed control equipment or can provide a...

OMAC planning to merge with ISA.(Open Modular Architecture Controls)(Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society)
February 1, 2005... Research Triangle Park, NC -- The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society (ISA) has confirmed that the Open Modular Architecture Controls (OMAC) Users' Group was expected to vote Feb. 3 to merge with ISA. The vote was expected at...

Green Hills files antitrust lawsuit to fight Wind River litigation.(NEWS)(Green Hills Software Inc.)(Wind River Systems Inc.)
February 1, 2005... Santa Barbara, CA -- Green Hills Software Inc. reports that it has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit to stop Wind River Systems Inc. from reportedly abandoning their mutual customers. Green Hills adds that Wind River also recently sued it...

Embedded, LabVIEW-based PAC Delivers.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2005... Embedded, LabVIEW-based PAC Delivers: * Low-Cost Customization * Advanced Control Capabilities * High-Speed--Up to 1 MHz Digital Control Loor [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Download a technical white...

Embedded Systems Conference 2005 to feature microprocessor summit, seven new seminars.(NEWS)
February 1, 2005... San Francisco, CA -- Thousands of engineers and other technical professionals will explore the latest embedded hardware and software technology products from more than 350 exhibiting companies at Embedded Systems Conference (ESC), March 6-10,...

Worldwide batch control market.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The worldwide market for batch process control is expected to grow at a nearly 6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from $2.8 billion in 2004 to more than $3.7 billion in 2009, according to a recent study, "Batch Control System Worldwide...

IEEE creates registry to aid use of analog sensors in digital networks.
February 1, 2005... Piscataway, NJ -- The Institute of Electric and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recently created a registry to support plug-and-play use of analog transducers in networks containing digital sensors and actuators. The registry, an extension of the...

AVG recovers from fire to launch eight product lines.(NEWS)(AVG Automation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Bettendorf, IA -- A year ago on Feb. 21, AVG Automation's Uticor manufacturing and engineering center went up in smoke, halting production. Thanks to state and local assistance, activity resumed a few days later in a nearby closed food store....

Open-system HMI market expected to triple.(NEWS)(human-machine interfaces)(services of IMS)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Wellingborough, U.K. -- The worldwide market for open-system human-machine interfaces (HMIs) will more than triple over the next five years, according to a recent study by IMS Research. The market is projected to grow at a 25.4% compound annual...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2005... * The listing for Loman Control Systems Inc. in Control Engineering's 2005 Automation Integrator Guide, mid-Dec. '04, p. 40, included an incorrect Control and Information Systems Association (CSIA) logo. The listing should have included the...

Hottest articles of '04.(Editorial Think AGAIN)
February 1, 2005... Here are the hottest Control Engineering Online articles of 2004, based on number of times each piece was opened in electronic form. If you missed any of these the first time around, you'll want to go to this column online and print them, or...

Control systems cyber security: terrorist threats, hackers, disgruntled employees, and vulnerable process control systems in highly volatile industries give plenty of cause for concern. Should voices calling for greater security be heeded, or are they just the cries of modern-day Chicken Littles?(Cover Story)
February 1, 2005... Insurance companies, lawyers, governments, and individuals throughout the world are increasingly concerned about the possibility and impacts of cyber attack against manufacturing and critical infrastructure. Likewise, manufacturing and critical...

Beyond flow: higher accuracy, self diagnostics, low maintenance characterize this next generation of measurement devices.(NEW TECHNOLOGY FLOWMETERS)
February 1, 2005... New technology flowmeters really aren't very new. Many of these devices--defined by most as encompassing Coriolis, ultrasonic, electomagnetic, vortex, and occasionally multivariable and thermal types--have been around for years. They are new,...

Hands-on face-time: more than 27,000 attendees are expected to visit more than 1,000 exhibitors in eight trade shows, 300 conference sessions in 10 tracks, seven keynote speakers, 14 pavilions, and other special events during NMW 2005, March 7-10, at Chicago's McCormick Place.(NATIONAL MANUFACTURING WEEK 2005)(National Industrial Automation Show )
February 1, 2005... Virtual reality just isn't as good as real reality. E-mail, Internet, Power Point presentations, Webcasts, and video clips are nifty, but they still can't replace talking face-to-face with other engineers; examining new devices hands-on; or...

Closed-loop stepper motion alternative: this subset of traditional step-motor control uses feedback devices and 'sensorless' methods to provide a cost-effective alternative for some motion applications with safety, criticality, or precision requirements.(STEP-MOTOR CONTROL)
February 1, 2005... Most step-motor-based motion systems operate in open loop and thereby provide a low-cost solution. In fact, stepper systems offer the only motion technology inherently capable of position control without feedback. However, when step motors move...

Enclose and protect.(RESEARCH ENCLOSURES)
February 1, 2005... End-users and OEMs enclose sensitive control equipment and instrumentation to protect against environmental hazards. Enclosures also make equipment safer and more convenient, suggests product research from Control Engineering/Reed Research...

Encoders guide Superjumbo wing assembly: the CNC riveting/drilling head that secures the 260-ft wingspan of the Airbus A380 Superjumbo with rivets and bolts relies on the accuracy of linear encoding systems.(application UPDATE)
February 1, 2005... The new Airbus A380 Superjumbo, now under construction in Europe, is the largest commercial aircraft in the world. With 555-passenger capacity, and a wingspan in excess of 260 feet, building the giant double-decker calls for highly innovative...

Wireless module links industrial applications.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... PPM-Wireless PC/104-Plus module enables both 802.11b and rapid 802.11g wireless networking capabilities. Technology provides a high-speed, industrial data network based on MiniPCI wireless modules and Ethernet, using a TCP/IP protocol stack to...

Stand-alone servo controller, driver.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... SilverDust is designed to drive high-pole-count, microstep-capable (1.8[degrees]) NEMA 17 and 23 frame step motors. Combined with a high-resolution encoder and a step motor, the device provides a high-performance rotary positioning system. It...

Industrial-strength Ethernet switch.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... ET-5RS EtherTrak real-time ring switch features ultra-fast, fault-tolerant network redundancy essential in critical systems. Switch is said to provide all the capabilities needed to keep networks up and running. Rings are self-configurable and...

Encoder for speed-controlled drives.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... HOG 163 incremental encoder is intended for use with speed-controlled drives in tough environmental conditions. Hollow-shaft encoder has bores up to 70 mm in dia. It features resolution of up to 5,000 pulses per turn and a compact sealing...

Board-level motion control.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... Magellan PC/104 motion controller is available in 1, 2, 3, and 4-axis versions. Card provides advanced motion control features, including trajectory generation, servo-loop closure, quadrature signal input, motor output signal generation, and...

Washdown sensor for harsh use.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... Elf series of washdown photoelectric sensors features IP67 rating and is suitable for use in harsh environments and for presence/absence detection on bottles, cans, or cartons. It comes in two sensing types: retro-reflective and proximity....

Battery-powered wireless transmission.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... Wireless system measures and transmits temperature and pressure signals from an explosion-proof Division 1 area to a safe area, eliminating the need for costly conduit and cable runs in hazardous locations. A rugged NEMA 4X version is also...

Microcontrollers have self-reprogrammable flash memory.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... Four new high pin-count, high-density members of the PIC18F family offer 96 and 128 KB self-reprogrammable, high-endurance flash memory with up to 10 MIPS performance over an operating voltage range of 2.0 to 5.5 V. NanoWatt technology power...

Open-loop control revisited: in situations where continuous process knowledge can be traded for ruggedness, simplicity, and low cost, open-loop control may prove to be a valuable actuation alternative to more complex feedback systems.(control equipment)
February 1, 2005... Open-loop control continues to find relevance in industrial, military, and aerospace applications despite its simplistic and less-than-perfect performance as a control mechanism. But what is open-loop control? Examples can be found in the...

High-precision load cells.(INSIDE MACHINES Products)
February 1, 2005... Mass Monitor moment-insensitive load cell for OEMs achieves high resolution and weighing accuracy reportedly 10 times greater than conventional strain-gauge technology. Device is intended for products and systems that use a digital signal and...

Vibration analysis instrumentation.(INSIDE MACHINES Products)
February 1, 2005... Di-440 vibration analyzer combines handheld computing technology with a range of analysis modules to create a simple-to-use, multi-function tool for maintenance, inspection, and analysis applications. Modular tools include a user-configurable...

Automation software toolkit.(INSIDE MACHINES Products)
February 1, 2005... Latest version of EPAS-4 PacDrive automation software toolkit features a fully documented software template to harness best practices in programming. Version 16 is said to be even more effective as a preventive maintenance and service tool....

3-way, high-pressure ball valves.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... HCV 3-way high-pressure steel ball valves come standard with through-mounting holes on all sizes through 1 in. and are available with SAE, NPT, or BSPP thread configurations from 1/4 in. to 1 1/2 in. Valves are designed for a wide range of...

FEA software streamlines training.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... QuickField 5.2 finite-element analysis (FEA) software features new analysis options and reduces effort required for initial training from minimal to almost none. Microsoft Windows-based tool for electromagnetic, heat transfer, and stress...

Self-powered, resettable counter timers.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... Panel-mounted 1/32-DIN DP-CH counters and DP-TH timers incorporate a large 0.3 in. (8 mm) high, liquid crystal display for easy viewing. Powered by an internal battery, they have a data retention life of at least 10 years, with no connection to...

Software reduces design time.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... FMSsoft design software V 7.0 permits users to lay out, plan, and design structures in 3-D made with framing, workstations, and conveyor components from the company's Linear Motion and Assembly Technologies business unit. Built-in Web link lets...

Color-display panel meters.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... UDM Series panel meters are a family of TRMS modular instruments for advanced applications. Included are UDM35, which are 3.5-digit instruments, and UDM40, which are 4-digit devices. Among features of the 48 X 96 mm meters are powerful scaling...

Portable notebook computer.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... MobileForce M220 rugged portable notebook computer runs on an Intel 1.4 GHz Dothan LV processor. Features include low power consumption, large storage capacity, and lightweight design. Bay 1 can accommodate an optical drive or a second battery....

Leak test instrument designed to reduce costs.(Products & software)
February 1, 2005... Sentinel M24 leak test instrument from Cincinnati Test Systems provides repeatable, high-resolution tests, fast cycle times, VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) graphics, and an enhanced operator interface. Device incorporates Quik Test...

Sensible automation products direct from the factory.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 1, 2005... 400 exciting new products from EZAutomation, a new division of AVG who designed and manufactures the original EZTouch and EZText panels. 8 new product lines offering EZPanel Enhanced, EZText Enhanced, EZMarquee, EZTextPLC, EZTouchPLC, EZPLC,...

2004 full-line signal conditioning catalog.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 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...

AC Power Distribution & Control System.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 1, 2005... 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,...

Current Transformers, Transducers & Accessories.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 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,...

Precision encoders ...(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 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...

Thermocouples, make your own.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 1, 2005... DCC's HotSpot welding unit allows thermocouple wire to be formed into freestanding beads or welded to metal surfaces. The HotSpot provides a quick, simple, accurate, low cost means of fabricating thermocouples on a "when needed and where...

Free 2005 NI Measurement and Automation Catalog.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 1, 2005... The 2005 Measurement and Automation Catalog from National Instruments features new product information, comparison charts, key specifications, and related Web links to ni.com, including: NI LabVIEW 7.1 graphical development environment....

Eurotherm's 3000 series.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 1, 2005... Eurotherm's 3000 series Temperature/Process controllers provide a new level of user convenience. Scrolling text display delivers plain language messages to let operators and engineers alike know exactly what is happening to the process. Other...

Operator interface terminals.(PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE)
February 1, 2005... 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,...

PLC change management.(back to BASICS)(programmable logic controllers)
February 1, 2005... Automation control systems often involve an array of PC workstations, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), robotic controllers, and HMI (human machine interface) workstations. Control logic is stored either in the device or on an associated...