In this Issue

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From One Techie to Another

Product Announcements & Company News

Featured Application Tool: Measurement and Control Designer CD

Featured Products:
Vision Software
Distributed I/O System
Non-fused Modular Switch Disconnects

New Job Opportunities

Featured Training Course: ICN110-Basic Instrumentation and Controls

New Auctions & Classifieds

Dilbert Pick of the Week

Services offered by Automation.com & Automationtechies

We'd Like to Hear from You

From One Techie to Another

Hello everyone,

Wow, it's warm here. I'm sitting here in Minneapolis, MN with my widows open and it actually feels muggy outside. It's early April and our high temperatures have been 20-25°F higher than average (normally about 50°F). I won't complain though, because other parts of the country, particularly NJ, are experiencing some major flooding.

My topic of discussion this week centers around vendor-specific conferences, user meetings, and trade shows. More and more vendors are hosting these self-centric events, for example Rockwell's Automation Fair, ABB's Automation World, National Instruments' NIWeek, Invensys' Customer Conference and Honeywell's Users Group Symposium, just to name a few. Typically, these events include training sessions, new product introductions, and vertical market solutions.

Aside from Rockwell's Automation Fair, where attendance is in the 10,000+ range, the attendance to other similar vendor-specific events is in the 2000-3000 range. Not a bad turnout, especially with such a captive audience.

In the past couple of years a lot of the major vendors have not participated in major trade shows. We all know that attendance has been down at these shows. Is attendance down because the majors are not participating or are the majors not participating because the attendance is down? Maybe both?

From my perspective as a news editor/media representative, it's difficult to attend all of these various events during the year, and as a result I don't get the in-person contact with some of the major vendors that I'd like to. A few years ago, I could go to one or two of the major trade shows a year and touch-base with most of the major vendors. I would think it's also difficult for users to attend as many of the vendor-specific events as they'd like. So, do users only pick the vendors with the largest installed base at their facility? If so, are users missing out on potentially better solutions offered by another vendor?

As users of automation and control products, is it easier for you to get approval to attend major trade shows or vendor-specific events? Do you find more value in the vendor-specific events or the major trade shows(of the past and/or present)? Send me your feedback via e-mail or post your opinions in our discussion forum at: Vendor-Specific Events vs. Major Trade Shows.

Enjoy the rest of this e-news!

Rick Zabel

Featured White Paper

Introduction to EtherCAT - Ethernet Control Automation Technology
This paper introduces EtherCAT, an Ethernet-based fieldbus system. EtherCAT sets new performance standards. Handling is straightforward and similar to a fieldbus, thanks to flexible topology and simple configuration. Moreover, since EtherCAT can be implemented very cost-effectively, the system enables fieldbusses to be used in applications where fieldbus networking was not an option in the past.

Articles and white papers on various automation topics
Application stories using various automation products

Complete our 2005 Salary Survey

Hear all about it...industry news is published on our site daily. Here are the latest news headlines for your review...use the following links to read the full article. Check out our Daily News Headlines page frequently to stay up-to-date on the industry events.

Product Announcements:

• Beckhoff Introduces AX2500 Series of Multi Axis Servo Drives Now With Ethernet Interface 4/5/05
• IntelliCom's Modbus Web Gateway Now Supports Logging, Alarms by eMail, SMS 4/5/05
• Intermec Introduces Its Most Rugged Mobile Computer 4/5/05
• Honeywell Releases Latest Version of Asset Manager 4/5/05
• Measurement Computing Introduces 8-Channel, USB-based Thermocouple Input Device for $299 4/5/05
• Lumberg Introduces New IP20 “Slice Style” DIN-rail Mountable Terminal Block I/O System 4/4/05
• ASI Introduces Increased Safety ATEX Approved Terminal Blocks 4/4/05
• Hoffman and ECT International Partner to Enhance Promis•e Electrical System Design Software 4/4/05
• Canary Labs Announces Trend Export Software Component 4/4/05
• Intermec Gains Speech Recognition Support with SyVox Speech IDK 4/4/05
• Oxford Sensor Technology Introduces OST-Find Software to Simplify Robot Guidance in Automated Welding Applications 4/4/05
• igus' iglide R Plastic Bearing Earns Best Product of the Year from Design News - Motion Control Category 4/4/05
• Ormec Introduces Free Motion Systems Solution CD-ROM 4/1/05
• JAI PULNIX Introduces Color Camera Packed with Features 4/1/05
• SIXNET Introduces New 9-port Ethernet Ring Switch 3/31/05
• Rockwell Automation Expands Options in the Allen-Bradley POINT I/O Family 3/31/05
• TURCK Introduces M23 Assembled Powerfast Cordsets and Receptacles in 6 & 8-pin Configurations 3/31/05
• Datalogic Introduces New DX6400 and DX6500 Compact Omni-Directional Scanners 3/31/05
• igus’ Standard Polymer Cable-carrier Material Meets Class 1 Clean Room Requirements 3/31/05
• igus Introduces Chainflex Air Pneumatic Hoses Resistant to Abrasion, Oil and Coolant 3/31/05
• Bosch Rexroth Introduces Easy-2-Combine – A New Multi-Axis Automation System for Assembly 3/30/05
• Industrial Evolution Acquires WEB*VMI Inventory Management Business (for Chemical & Bulk Products) 3/30/05
• Weidmuller Introduces New Power Distribution Blocks 3/30/05
• Quatech Introduces New Four- and Eight-Port MEI (Multi Electronic Interface) Device Server Models 3/30/05

Company News:

• National Instruments Updates Q1 Business Outlook 4/1/05
• Invensys Announces New Name for Its Industry-leading E-commerce Site 4/1/05
• Fluke Introduces the Priority Gold CarePlan, Offering Comprehensive Calibration and Support 3/30/05

Application News:

• We Energies Selects Invensys to Implement SimSci-Esscor Operator Training Simulators 4/4/05
• ABB Wins First System 800xA Extended Automation Project for RNS-NIS Refinery in Serbia 3/31/05
• Flowserve Supports SPAWARSYSCEN Charleston Automation Efforts 3/31/05
• Emerson Awarded Contract by Glow Group of Thailand to Optimize Three Cogeneration and Utility Plants 3/30/05

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Request other product catalogs

Featured Products

Product & Supplier Search

• Other Featured Products for April
• Find Products by Category
• Find Manufacturers & Suppliers

Here's a list of new jobs posted on Automation.com:

• Control System Technician/Engineer: St. Paul, MN - Automatic Systems Company 04/04/2005
• Industrial Controls Technician: La Verne, CA - VaCom Technologies 04/03/2005
• Business Development: York, PA - FEC Technologies, Inc. 04/01/2005
• Sr. Controls Engineer: Marshfield, WI - ESE, Inc. 03/31/2005
• Technical Sales Engineer: LA & Orange County, CA - Retrofit Service Co., Inc. 03/30/2005
• Automation & Control Technicians: Ventura, CA - Instrument Control Services 03/30/2005
• Electrical Registered Engineer: St. Paul, MN - automationtechies 04/05/2005
• E&I Process Control Project Engineer: Houston, TX - automationtechies 04/05/2005
• Sales Representative: Central, FL - automationtechies 04/05/2005
• Controls Engineer: Algeria - automationtechies 04/04/2005
• I & C Programmer: North of Dallas, TX - automationtechies 03/31/2005

To view other recent job postings, please use our Job Search Function.

ICN110-Basic Instrumentation and Controls
Dates: April 18-22, June 13-17, Oct. 17- 21
Location: West Berlin, NJ
Cost: $1500.00 US

This course is a must if you maintain or support process controls systems for manufacturing. This 5-day intensive course will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to Instrumentation
• P & ID Drawing Standards
• Loop Diagrams
• Pressure, Level, Temperature and Flow Control Valves
• Troubleshooting
• Digital Controllers
• Advanced Process Control Techniques

This course prepares students for the ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST Level 1) exam. This is a five-day course with day five dedicated to the student who desires to become ISA certified. There will be a review of all of the covered subjects, a question and answer session and a review of examination taking procedures. This will be followed by a final practice examination that will be graded and reviewed in detail. The course includes a detailed organized binder for easy reference.

For more information or to register, please complete the Online Request Form.

Other Training Courses & Seminars
Browse for training courses, seminars, web-seminars and workshops offered by various training organizations, product manufacturers and suppliers in industrial automation, process control and instrumentation. For information on specific training courses and seminars, please use the following links:

• Bar Code Training
• Data Acquisition Training
• Data Communications and Networking Training
• Electrical Controls Training
• Instrumentation & Process Control Training
• Machine Vision Training
• Motion Control Training
• OPC & Industrial Networking Connectivity
• Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) Training
• Risk Assessment Safety Training

New Auctions & Classifieds

• Control Systems & PLCs
• Drives & Motion Control
• Fieldbus, DeviceNet, Ethernet
• Instrumentation
• Operator Interface Panels
• Power Supply, Circuit Breakers
• Relays, Timers, Counters
• Robotics
• Sensors
• Switches
• Temperature Controllers
• Valves & Flow Controls
• Wiring, Connections & Cables
• Other

• Automation.com Advertising Opportunities - Generate leads and promote your company and products with this e-newsletter and online at Automation.com, the industry-leading industrial automation and control resource on the web. Review our Media Kit or contact Rick Zabel.
• Article, White Paper & Application Story Publication - To have your industry-related articles, white papers or application stories published on Automation.com, please contact Rick Zabel for more information.
• News Release Publication - To have your company or product news published on Automation.com, please send your press releases to press@automation.com.
• Job Posting - Post your job openings on Automation.com and find out why we're the industry's preferred resource for posting automation, process control and instrumentation job opportunities. Post Your Job.

• Direct-hire Recruiting - Our industry experts will seek out and pre-screen the top performers. If your resources are limited or if time is a factor, we'll find the talent you need. Contact Alan Carty today for more information at 1-877-300-6792 or Send a message.
• Contract Recruiting, Employer of Record Services - Need engineers, programmers, or technicians, but can't hire full-time employees? Consider contract employees! Let us handle your administrative headaches including Employer of Record, payroll, and other functions. Find a Contract Employee

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I hope you enjoyed this e-news update!

Rick Zabel
Vice President
Automation.com
6455 City West Parkway
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Phone: 952-563-5444
Fax: 952-563-5449

For editorial and advertising inquiries, please contact Rick Zabel or see our Media Kit.