Control Engineering articles from November 2003

Control Engineering archives from November 2003

Preparation for integration.(Editorial)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... Coursing through the ISA Show in Houston, I got the distinct impression that things are picking up in the controls and automation universe. There was definitely a certain--though I hate to use this word I will--"buzz" that was palpable in both...

Jobs down in 3Q '03, but other signs point up.(market Update)
November 1, 2003... The third quarter of 2003 (3Q03) seemed to bring good news to many sectors of the U.S. economy. The nation's GDP appears to be heading for a 4% increase, which would be good news for everybody. It showed more than a 3% increase in 3Q03. The...

Microsoft, Invensys form alliance for solutions.(ISA Expo 2003)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Houston, TX--Microsoft Corp. and Invensys plc unveiled an alliance Oct. 21 that they say combines Invensys' strengths in process and manufacturing and its expertise in key industries with Microsoft's platform, technology and enterprise...

14,500 visitors at ISA Expo suggest market rebound.(News)
November 1, 2003... Houston, TX--Preliminary estimates indicate that more than 14,500 people attended ISA Expo 2003, Oct. 21-23, at the Reliant Center. Visitors were from 70 countries and a range of industries, including petrochemicals, power generation, research...

Modbus Organization, IDA Group merging.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Houston, TX--Following a year of successful cooperation, the Modbus Organization (Hopkinton, MA) and IDA Group reported at ISA Expo 2003 that their members have agreed to merge. They say the new organization, Modbus-IDA, recognizes the...

OPC expands scope, alliances.(ISA Expo 2003)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Houston, TX--The OPC Foundation underlined its commitment to web services and XML at ISA Expo 2003; formed alliances with two industry groups to avoid standards duplication; and demonstrated operations and maintenance information standard...

Ametek buys Chandler Instruments.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Paoli, PA--To expand its high-end analytical instrument platform, Ametek Inc. recently purchased Chandler Instruments LLC (Tulsa, OK) for approximately $50 million. Chandler manufactures measurement instrumentation for the oil and gas industry,...

Honeywell's Industry Solutions reasserts growth.(News)(Honeywell)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Houston, TX--Calmer, more predictable times are ahead for Honeywell, according to Jack D. Bolick, president of the Industry Solutions business in Honeywell's Automation and Control Solutions group, who spoke Oct. 21 during an evening media...

IEEE-USA recommends grid investment, cooperation to prevent blackouts.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Washington, D.C.--To help prevent a recurrence of August 2003's widespread blackout in the U.S. and Canada, IEEE-USA's Energy Policy Committee recently stated that the government and electric industry should increase investment in the nation's...

ODVA 2003: General Motors standardizes on EtherNet/IP.(News, Open DeviceNet Vendors Assoc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Open DeviceNet Vendors Association (ODVA) announced Oct. 1 that General Motors Corp, has standardized on EtherNet/IP fieldbus protocol for its vehicle manufacturing operations. EtherNet/IP network will provide real-time communication...

Slower growth for distributed, remote I/O device market.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Natick, MA--The combined worldwide market for distributed and remote I/O products totaled about $2.5 billion in 2002, which consists of a little over 50% or $1.26 billion for products used with programmable logic controller (PLC) systems; 36.5%...

Ultrasonics drive flowmeter market.(News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Dedham, MA--Increasing adoption of ultrasonic flowmeters for custody transfer measurement of refined liquid petroleum products and natural gas will drive robust growth in the market, according to a new study by ARC Advisory Group. The worldwide...

How to improve techno-business.(Editorial: think again)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... How can you help improve your technology-interdependent business? * Make a realistic plan to satisfy stakeholders, communicate progress, and move products out the door; * Choose your customers in line with areas of expertise; and *...

Reach for machine safety: enclose the hazard, lock out access to danger, or sense intrusion and stop the process. It's within your grasp to help avoid deaths and injuries while optimizing production.(Cover Story)
November 1, 2003... How do you put a price on life and limb? Faster machinery, if well integrated, has potential to make more money. Downtime or lost time from machine-induced injury represents personal and financial loss for any operation. In the U.S. alone, 800...

Emulation and control system assurance: safety, system viability, and time-to-market issues are increasingly being addressed through a combination of simulation and emulation.(System Testing)
November 1, 2003... Determining that a control system works before you build it seems like a contradiction. At best, it represents a considerable challenge. Years ago--when the industry was young--you could build a prototype, try it out, make modifications, try...

Distributed power demands safe, reliable controls: as distributed and alternative power applications gain momentum, control hardware and software need to meet tougher system requirements.(Protect your Grid)
November 1, 2003... In the wake of the recent power outage in the Northeastern U.S. comes a fresh reminder of how we take uninterrupted supply of electricity for granted. The need to protect and make power supplies more reliable likewise comes to the forefront....

More capabilities meet more demands.(Focus: operator interface)
November 1, 2003... Operator interfaces (OI)--more elaborate, more efficient, more powerful. Today's OI systems are more complex than ever before, bringing more precise monitoring and control to the processes they oversee. And thanks to technological advancements,...

Common dc bus drive advantages.(technology Update)
November 1, 2003... Common dc bus drive systems are gaining in popularity. They are compact and require less cabinet space. Efficiency is enhanced because they share power on the dc bus. Ultimately, they are cost-effective solutions to common drive problems and...

Laser sensor vision system improves surface quality inspection.(integrator Update)
November 1, 2003... Jet engines typically contain hundreds of small stainless steel and Inconel fan blades to generate thrust. These blades usually wear and bend due to erosion and foreign object damage during normal flight operations. Overhaul facilities regrind...

Better brewing through automation.(the voice of Experience)
November 1, 2003... Starting life as one of many craft-brewing operations that grew from a basement operation into a full-fledged business, Fort Collins, CO-based New Belgium Brewing Co. has proven itself to be one of the few such businesses to have outlasted the...

Viruses and hackers and worms ... oh my!(IT & engineering Insight)
November 1, 2003... Computer viruses and worms are big topics in the IT world. Recent worms and viruses have infected company LANs (local area networks) and even shut down businesses. While these concerns were already important in the IT environment, they had not...

Process automation controllers.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... ControlWave Micro process automation control system combines technologies provided by PLC, RTU, and DCS architectures into a hybrid system well suited to process applications in the energy, water, and wastewater industries. It offers wide...

Stepping motors.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... P-type models of the PK Series 2-phase hybrid stepping motors achieve highest torque available for a 1.65-in. squaresized hybrid stepping motor, according to the manufacturer. Compact, lightweight design offers application and design...

Asset optimizer.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... ABB offers Optimize[IT] Asset Optimizer software for real-time asset information in the proper context to operations, maintenance and management personnel. The Asset Monitoring module acquires, analyzes, and reports asset status and current...

HMI/SCADA platform.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... iFix 3.5 software has new project management, data accessibility and security features. HMI/SCADA technology platform helps users develop, manage, and alternate between multiple applications and projects from a single development station....

Computer-on-module.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... ETX-PM CPU is the first computer-on-module based on an Intel Pentium M processor, says the manufacturer. Product delivers 1.1 GHz performance and 1 Gbyte of DDR RAM. Power consumption is comparable to a 1.0 GHz Intel Pentium III processor. With...

Integrated SBC.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... EBC-C3 highly-integrated, full-featured single-board computer offers a wide operational temperature range from -40 to 85 [degrees]C. EBX-sized unit runs Microsoft Windows CE.Net and XP embedded, Linux, and other x86-compatible operating...

Level inventory measurement.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... SmartBob II level measurement system uses a heavy-duty, direct-drive motor with electronic torque control to provide maximum pull strength throughout the entire measurement cycle. Cable and weight sensor probe descend to the material surface....

Report generation software.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... XLReporter Professional 5.0 automatically interfaces to any data source, creates a report in Excel, turns the report into actionable information, and sends it to printers, e-mail, file-servers, and Web servers. Latest version extends supported...

Linear position sensors.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... CSPR, an IP67 all-metal sensor, is part of the CSP family of commercial linear position sensors. Device is rated for use in rugged applications where repeatability and accuracy are required in a cost-effective package. Model includes...

Quick-connect wiring systems.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... Brad Power connection system products are modular, flexible, scalable, code-compliant, quick-connect wiring solutions that reduce installation costs and accelerate machinery commissioning, according to the manufacturer. Dual-rated STOOW and...

Smart sensors for machine vision.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... Legend 550 Series SmartImage sensors for machine vision incorporate a Texas Instruments DSP, increased RAM, and flash memory. The family of products offers gray scale and color models, as well as standard and high-resolution systems, and uses...

Digital pressure indicators.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... Series 7050 digital pressure indicators are designed to measure pressure to the highest performance levels available in a digital format. Three models meet a variety of performance and pressure range applications and budgets. All have long-term...

Universal transmitter.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... Omniterm TXB universal four-wire transmitter uses advanced digital measurement techniques and user-friendly software. Input accommodates most thermocouple and resistance bulb types, and voltages and currents from 1 mA minimum to 10 V dc maximum...

Modeling software.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... Hysys modeling software 3.2, part of the Aspen Engineering Suite, includes an oil and gas upstream product option that lets companies simulate and optimize upstream assets, including wells, flowlines, and facilities. Advanced modeling...

Spectrometer/detector interface.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... SpectraHub spectrometer/detector interface is compatible with all Acton Research detection systems. USB interface coupled with SpectraSense software and SpectraPro 2000 Series imaging monochromators permits scanning spectroscopy and data...

Direct-drive frameless motors.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... ULT direct drive frameless motors are suited for a variety of applications in medical devices, semiconductor equipment, and satellite tracking systems. More than 25 new versions of the motors have been created in the last 2 yr; new motor sizes...

Simple to install position sensor.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... Z115 cable-extension transducer is designed for measurement ranges from 2 to 100 inches. Using a spring-loaded cable reel in tandem with a precision potentiometer, the device makes consistently reliable position measurements without the...

Corrosion-proof enclosure.(Products & software)
November 1, 2003... FieldBlock bus network drop connection and I/O enclosure features a rugged, corrosion-proof design suitable for general purpose and non-incendive (Class 1, Division 2) process networking applications with flexible wiring systems. It can...

Introduction to thermocouples.(back to basics)
November 1, 2003... Despite being around for over 80 years, the selection and application of thermocouples continues to confound many users. Here's a bit about the basics of thermocouples. A thermocouple is two dissimilar electrical conductors joined together...