Automation.com e-News - June 22, 2005



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June 22, 2005 - Volume VI, Issue 25
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In this Issue		Our Sponsor
From One Techie to Another: Survey Results - New Product Resources		Make the Switch to Phoenix Contact for Ethernet switches designed for industrial applications. Phoenix Contact offers a broad family of Ethernet switches with options and flexibility to meet your application needs. The line includes the new Managed Compact Switch that gives you full managed Ethernet messaging capability in a fixed configuration, compact design that’s perfect for distributed Ethernet applications. Our SF Switch offers full Ethernet switching for 8 or 16 (10/100 Mbps) ports with unique options for 1 or 2 multi-mode (100Mbps) glass fiber ports – all for the cost of a hub. Designed for 24/7 industrial use, SF Switch features including redundant power supplies, alarm contact, auto negotiation and cable auto crossing cut your system startup and maintenance time. All of our switch products make it easy for plant personnel to install, configure and maintain Ethernet systems. Find out how these switches can work for your application at www.phoenixcon.com/ethernet.
Featured Article: Managing Enterprise Performance with Web Services
Product Announcements & Company News
Featured Software: OPC Process Alarming & Notification Software
Featured Products: KL2531 & KL2541 Stepper Motor Terminals Flat Panel Monitors Weld Field Immune Proximity Sensors
New Job Opportunities
Featured Training: PlantWeb University Online Learning Center
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, I'd like to thank everyone who took our short survey last week on NEW product resources...we had 362 responses. As promised, I'd like to share the results of the survey. I maybe should have clarified the first question a bit. I meant to ask where do you go to find out WHAT new automation and control products are available. I agree that you can go to a specific manufacturer's site or a search engine (at least you should be able to) to find more information on a particular product, but how do you know when new products are available? Do you go browse all the Manufacturer's Web sites? Do you search for new products on Search Engines? Can you see all the new products in Trade Magazines? I don't think so. Question 1 was "Where do you go to find NEW product information? (select all that apply)". Please note that respondents could select as many choices as appropriate. 58% of respondents chose Trade Magazines 65% of respondents chose Manufacturer/Vendor Web sites 34% of respondents chose Trade Shows 37% of respondents chose Local Distributors/Sales Representatives 56% of respondents chose Industry Web sites 60% of respondents chose Search Engines 6% of respondents chose Other Question 2 was "Do you feel there is currently a good resource (i.e. magazine, trade show, web site, etc.) where you can find NEW product information?" 73% responded "Yes" 27% responded "No" I found it interesting that 73% indicated there is currently a (singular) good resource to find new product information, and 86% of the respondents selected two or more resources to find new product information. From this data and from what I know about other available resources, I can only conclude that most people think there are some good resources, but no single resource is satisfactory. A few people actually named a resource that they use most, and the only two responses that showed up more than once were Automation.com (7 times) and "Industry Friends or Colleagues" (6 times). On Automation.com, I personally feel we do a pretty good job of getting the word out about new products (at least better than most other resources). There is always room for improvement. A lot of companies, and not just the majors, make great and innovative products for automation. How would you feel about a resource that made NEW product information (from most, if not all, manufacturers) available as soon as the products are released? Wouldn't that be something? If you have any feedback on this topic, please don't hesitate to send me a message at the following link: http://www.automation.com/sitepages/pid1256.php. Enjoy the rest of this e-news! Rick Zabel
Featured Article
Managing Enterprise Performance with Web Services Web delivery of business and manufacturing process data enhances collaboration between multi-location plants. The facilities that yield the best performance can share results across the enterprise – learning about what works, and what doesn’t. Enterprise performance management using key performance indicators is becoming reality. Read full article by Jim Pinto. Other articles by Jim Pinto More articles and white papers on various automation topics More application stories using various automation products
Product Announcements & Company News
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: ASI Introduces New Custom Interface Modules 6/21/05 Honeywell Introduces Miniature & Subminiature Load Cells 6/21/05 Cognex Announces Free Trial Software for Checker Sensor 6/21/05 ISA Releases Safety Instrumented Systems Verification Resource 6/21/05 Bal Seal Engineering Introduces BalContact™ Springs for Medium– and High–Voltage Switchgear 6/21/05 MTL Introduces Matrix Total Control Brochure 6/20/05 Acromag Enhances BusWorks® 900EN Series Ethernet I/O Modules 6/20/05 WAGO Announces Ethernet Based PLC Gets IP-Filter 6/17/05 Kurt Manufacturing Company's New USB DigiDirect™ Hardware/Software Converts PC’s Into Full-Featured SPC Gauging System 6/16/05 HEIDENHAIN Introduces Extended Travel Absolute Optical Linear Scale 6/16/05 HEIDENHAIN Now Offers Contouring Control at Lower Cost with New Power Supply Unit 6/16/05 Company & Organization News: MDS Parent Company, Moseley Associates, Announces Agreement to Purchase Assets of Wi-Fi & Broadband Wireless Equipment Provider 6/21/05 Fieldbus Foundation Launches Workshop For Electronic Device Description Language Extensions 6/21/05 Intermec Technologies Corp. Named Top Solution Technology Integrator Partner By Cisco Systems Inc. 6/21/05 Dick Caro Tells Saga of Open Standards in Contemporary Controls’ Newsletter 6/20/05 Datalogic Complies with New European Union Directives 6/20/05 Research Points to Value of ISA 6/16/05 Application News: Foxboro Launches 'Control Room Makeover' Campaign 6/21/05 Silchester Controls Wins Contract with icax for Adaptable Control & Monitoring System for Tarmac Surfaces 6/21/05 ISA Volunteers Serve as Backbone for Worldwide Automation Standards 6/21/05 Honeywell Wins FEED Project for Pearl GTL Plant in Qatar 6/21/05 Emerson Wins Contract to Upgrade Combustion and Turbine Controls at PPL Generation’s Brunner Island Power Plant 6/20/05 Matrikon Technology Helps Statoil Monitor Offshore Assets 6/20/05 Emerson’s Digital Automation Chosen to Modernize Nine Plants in Europe’s Largest Petrochem Complex 6/17/05 IBM and Intermec Speed Generation 2 RFID System Implementation at METRO Group's Future Store 6/16/05
Featured Software
OPC Process Alarming & Notification Software TopView software is a powerful, yet easy to configure, process alarming tool for OPC-DA data sources. Running on the Microsoft Windows platform, TopView can monitor thousands of OPC tags and send alarm messages through email, alphanumeric pagers and cellular phones. Window and Alarm Results can be displayed in your web browser and easily published to remote Web Servers making TopView one of the easiest ways to get process data on the web. Through its rich alarming capabilities and notification methods, TopView allows you to quickly respond to abnormal process conditions, saving time, equipment, material and money. To request your evaluation copy, please use the following link: www.automation.com/sitepages/pid1962.php.
Featured Products
Beckhoff KL2531 and KL2541 Stepper Motor Terminals are a compact and cost-effective I/O alternative to traditional stepper controls. More Information on KL2531 and KL2541 Stepper Motor Terminals Request Product Catalog or Beckhoff Assistance
Advantech Automation offers Flat Panel Monitors starting at $845. More information on Flat Panel Monitors Request Product Product Guide or Advantech Automation Assistance
Omron's Weld Field Immune Proximity Sensors resist hot weld slag and reduce costs. More Information on Weld Field Immune Proximity Sensors Request Product Literature or Omron Assistance
Product & Supplier Search Other Featured Products for June Find Products by Category Find Manufacturers & Suppliers
New Jobs
Here's a list of new jobs posted on Automation.com: Electronics Design Engineer: Tucson, AZ - Dataforth Corporation 06/17/2005 Automation Engineer: Louisville, KY - automationtechies 06/21/2005 HMI Developer: Northern, FL - automationtechies 06/21/2005 Applications Engineer: Ceres, CA - automationtechies 06/20/2005 Controls Engineer: Lancaster, OH - automationtechies 06/17/2005 Manufacturing Engineer: Carbondale, IL - automationtechies 06/06/2005 Controls Specialist: Southern, MN - automationtechies 06/02/2005 Process Control Systems Engineer: Fairfax, VA - automationtechies 06/02/2005 To view other recent job postings, please use our Job Search Function.
Training & Seminars
Emerson’s PlantWeb University Online Learning Center PlantWeb University is a free, web-based learning environment from Emerson Process Management. It provides a flexible, convenient way to learn about new automation technologies and how they can affect your operation’s bottom line. Over 40 courses are available, with more on the way. Topics include: Selecting process-automation networks Planning and implementing a fieldbus project Evaluating improvement opportunities with OEE Streamlining maintenance Improving quality, throughput, and availability Reducing operating costs In one survey, 95% of the professionals who tried PlantWeb University said it better equipped them to evaluate technologies and make decisions. And 100% said the course content was both credible and accurate. Start learning today at www.PlantWebUniversity.com Browse other training courses, seminars and web-seminars
New Auctions & Classifieds
eBay hosts over 4000 auctions for industrial automation, control and instrumentation products. From PLCs to sensors, from motor controls to robotics...Use the links below to browse the latest new, used and surplus automation products by category: 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
Dilbert Pick of the Week
How to look like an over-achiever.
Automation.com Services
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.
Automationtechies Services
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
We'd Like to Hear From You
What kind of articles would you like to see? What content additions would you like to see on our web site? What would you like to know about other members? Suggest a new poll question. Are there any other services you think we should offer? If you have any feedback, please contact Rick Zabel. I hope you enjoyed this e-news update!
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