Automation.com e-News - August 31, 2005



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August 31, 2005 - Volume VI, Issue 35
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In this Issue	Our Sponsor
From One Techie to Another: In Katrina's Wake Featured Article: New I/O Architecture Options Product & Company News Featured Application Tool: The ABCs of Managed Switches Featured Products: Pentafast Junction Boxes Galvanic Converters & Isolators New Job Opportunities Featured Training: Hands On Applications with PLCs New Auctions & Classifieds Dilbert Pick of the Week
From One Techie to Another
In Katrina's Wake My sympathies go out to all the people whose lives have been changed permanently by Hurricane Katrina. So many have lost their homes, businesses and livelihoods. As Labor Day in the United States approaches, I can only imagine the overwhelming amount of labor ahead for Katrina's victims. Labor Day is a day dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. Today, residents of the Gulf states need both social and economic support from all Americans. As engineers it's in our nature to make things work better and faster...to design and build a better system. Many of our jobs include automating laborious processes that were once performed by people. If only there were a way to automate the clean-up process associated with Katrina. Unfortunately, the only thing many of us can do to help is contribute money and/or time. Organizations like the Red Cross are poised for this kind of natural disaster, but they do need our help to work better and faster. According to CNN yesterday, "The American Red Cross has launched the largest natural disaster mobilization in its history". We certainly can't automate this process, but we can help the Red Cross run a little smoother. If you have the resources to spare, here's a link with information on how you can contribute: http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html. Maybe we can all give new meaning to this upcoming Labor Day. P.S. I was hoping to share the results of last week's survey with you, but we haven't received enough responses yet to provide any meaningful data. Please take a few seconds to complete our Online Information Request Survey at: http://www.automation.com/sitepages/pid2069.php. Thanks in advance for your feedback! Enjoy the rest of this eNews! Rick Zabel
Featured Article
New I/O Architecture Options The increasing number of distributed I/O options available today is steadily increasing to meet industry’s changing needs. Ethernet in industrial applications are growing rapidly. As Ethernet expands into high speed direct I/O control, the performance of the network infrastructure and I/O devices has been increased. This paper will describe the some of benefits and application factors of this new technology. This is the first in a series of white papers that were presented at the SPS Electric Automation America Exhibition and Conference in Chicago on May 23 -26, 2005. Read complete paper by Steven Redcay of Phoenix Contact. 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: Analog Devices and National Instruments Announce Availability for LabVIEW Embedded Technology for Blackfin Processors 8/30/05 SIXNET Enhances Its Line of Industrial Ethernet Gateways 8/30/05 Parker CTC Releases New InteractX HMI with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 & cGMP Compliance Toolset 8/30/05 STM Sensors Introduces New F3 microSpot Miniature Photoelectric Sensors 8/30/05 Invensys Controls and Cratlon Announce Wireless Sensor Development 8/30/05 New NI M Series Data Acquisition Board Lowers Connectivity Costs by 80 Percent 8/30/05 Junot Systems' NLINK Achieves SAP Powered By NetWeaver Certification 8/30/05 Advantech Releases Economical Industrial-Grade Ethernet Switch 8/29/05 ASI Introduces New Line of Sensor Cables and Connectors 8/29/05 EXELE Introduces OPCcalc, Calculation Engine Using OPC Tags for Inputs & Outputs 8/29/05 Rockwell Automation Adds Design Flexibility, Broader Connectivity and Easier Termination Options to its Allen-Bradley Flex I/O Product Line 8/29/05 Nippon Pulse Motor Introduces 4-Axis PCI Motion Control Card 8/29/05 Computing Solutions, Inc. Offers a Live Online Demonstration of LabSoft LIMS 8/29/05 Intermec's New IV7 Brings Customers First Gen 2 RFID Forklift Reader 8/29/05 Acromag Releases PMC Analog I/O with a Re-configurable FPGA 8/26/05 Independent Study Confirms High Availability of Siemens Process Safety System 8/25/05 ifm efector Announces New Line of Non-Contact PK Series Electronic Pressure Switches 8/25/05 FANUC Robotics to Introduce New M-6iB/6S Robot Series Solution Arm 8/25/05 Rockwell Automation Expands Predictive Maintenance Offerings With Complete Machinery Vibration Monitoring Solution 8/25/05 Flowserve Launches New Version Of Performance! Control Valve Sizing Software 8/25/05 IXXAT Introduces ETHERNET Powerlink PCI Interface Card 8/25/05 IXXAT Introduces DeviceNet Extension for canAnalyser 8/25/05 IXXAT Introduces CANcorder MMC Data Logger with Extended Scope of Functions 8/25/05 igus Introduces Versatile, Flexible and Low Cost DryLin W Linear Guide Systems 8/25/05 igus Introduces Chainflex CF170 Low-Cost Cable for Machine Tools 8/25/05 igus Offers System E2 Energy Tubes to Protect Cables from Debris While Providing Fast, Easy Access with Snap-open Hinges 8/25/05 Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. Introduces the SITRANS® Probe LU Ultrasonic Level Transmitter 8/24/05 RKC Instrument Announces High Speed Loop Controller With Embedded Profibus or DeviceNet 8/24/05 ABB Announces Intergraph SmartPlant® Instrumentation Has Been Industrial IT Enabled 8/24/05 KUKA Robotics Introduces Family of Clean Room Robots for Semiconductor Manufacturing 8/24/05 MDS Introduces Next Generation 5.8 GHz and 5.3 GHz License-free Wideband Solutions 8/24/05 Company & Organization News: NI CEO Previews Future of Virtual Instrumentation at 11th Annual NIWeek 8/30/05 Keithley Wins 19th Prestigious R&D 100 Award 8/30/05 DIA To Host Conferences On Computer Validation & IT with Focus on 21CFR Part 11 8/30/05 Allied Electronics Partners with STI to Distribute Machine Safeguarding Solutions 8/26/05 Weed Instrument Company Accepted as 'Encompass Asia Pacific' Partner of Rockwell Automation 8/25/05 KUKA Robotics Announces New Consortium for Flexible Manufacturing 8/24/05 FKI Logistex Appoints Ed Zahler To Project Management Role 8/24/05 Application News: Intermec Named to Provide RFID Printers to U.S. Government 8/29/05 ABB to Provide Control and Communication Systems for West African Gas Pipeline System 8/26/05 Honeywell Wins $48 Million Order For E-Retail Initiatives at Indian Oil & Hindustan Petroleum 8/26/05
Featured Application Tool
The ABCs of Managed Switches Why were managed switches developed? A one-page fact sheet, written by Contemporary Controls, explains the terminology and concepts of management. It’s a handy resource for engineers requiring quick information on this topic: important advantages what you can monitor, control, and predict; significant concepts such as trunking or port mirroring; and how to create a redundant system? Request this fact sheet, more information, or application assistance on Managed Switches.
Featured Products
TURCK's new 4 and 8-port Pentafast Junction Boxes with single output offer small footprint and excellent installation flexibility. More Information on Pentafast Junction Boxes. Request Product CD or TURCK Assistance
ASI introduces DIN-rail mountable Single Channel Galvanic Converters & Isolators for standard analog signals. More information on Galvanic Converters & Isolators Request Product Catalog or ASI Assistance
Product & Supplier Search Other Featured Products for August Find Products by Category Find Manufacturers & Suppliers
New Jobs
Here's a list of new jobs posted on Automation.com: Warranty Department Supervisor: Suwanee, GA - WEG Electric Motors Corp. 8/30/2005 Control Systems Technician: Albany / Endicott, NY - Turnkey Control Solutions, Inc. 8/24/2005 Applications Engineer: Akron, OH - automationtechies 8/30/2005 Field Service Engineer/Technician: Jacksonville, NC - automationtechies 8/30/2005 Sr. Controls Engineer / Project Manager: Minneapolis, MN - automationtechies 8/26/2005 To view other recent job postings, please use our Job Search Function.
Training & Seminars
Hands On Applications with PLCs When: September 19 – 21, 2005 Where: AIT Training Center in West Berlin, NJ Note: This course can be conducted at your facility or another location new you. The course is intended to give the student a practical approach to PLC’s thru hands-on programming of a PLC and Operator Interface Terminal. Examples and circuits will be discussed and implemented in real time. There will be a discussion on programming a batching process using the sequence method. The actual programming of a PLC and OIT will follow the discussion. Data will be programmed and embedded in messages to make the system seem realistic. Data entry will be added to change the amount of the batch ingredients before the start of the batch, and finally, a recipe selection routine will be programmed to allow selection of one of five different sets of batch recipe parameters. Request more information or register for this course Browse other training courses, seminars and web-seminars
New Auctions & Classifieds
eBay hosts over 6500 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
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I hope you enjoyed this e-news update. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding the content in this e-newsletter or on Automation.com, please don't hesitate to contact me. Rick Zabel Vice President Automation.com View our Privacy Policy For editorial and advertising inquiries, please contact Rick Zabel or see our Media Kit. For automationtechies recruiting and contract staffing services, please visit www.automationtechies.com.