Automation.com e-News - July 19, 2006

Dear %%if(%%firstname%% is empty,Colleague,%%firstname%%)%%: Here is this week's issue of the Automation.com e-Newsletter...


News Archive \| Suppliers \| Integrators \| Product Showcase \| Resources \| Jobs \| Classifieds
July 26, 2006 - Volume VII, Issue 29
Please forward this e-news to a colleague \| Subscribe to future issues \| Read past issues
In this Issue	Sponsored by National Instruments
From One Techie to Another: Online Factor Improves Productivity Featured Article: New Online Motion Components Selector Saves Time Product & Company News Featured Application Guide Choosing the Right Industrial Ethernet Switch Featured Event Worldwide Virtual Instrumentation Conference and Exhibition Featured Products: Laser Displacement Sensor CV-3000 Vision System MFT Hart Communicator Modbus Serial Servers PresencePLUS® P4 OMNI Vision Sensor New Job Opportunities New Auctions & Classifieds Dilbert Pick of the Week	Sound and Vibration Toolkit Easily handle audio measurements, fractional-octave analysis, sound and vibration displays and much more with the National Instruments LabVIEW Sound and Vibration Toolkit. Combined with the industry-standard LabVIEW development environment, this toolkit has one of the most comprehensive lists of sound and vibration application tools. Click Here to Learn More
From One Techie to Another
Online Factor Improves Productivity Have you ever searched (on your favorite search engine) for information on a particular product, service or company, but you couldn't find a web site with any information? It has happened to me a few times in the past and I think to myself...How can that be? How can anyone do business today without having some kind of presence on the Internet? As recent as ten years ago, we were forced to use hard copy resources to find most information, e.g. White Pages, Yellow Pages, Thomas Register, magazines, etc. Today, we turn to the Internet for even the most mundane information. Just this weekend, for example, I was looking for the exact location of a water park in a nearby city. I knew the name of the park and the city. One simple search on Google and a few seconds later, I had the exact location and I was on my way. Where else would you quickly and easily find this information? The Internet offers online resources that save us valuable time at both home and work. Sometimes, it's just a matter of finding the best resource for your application. I expect that we will continue to see more online productivity tools emerge. I'm always appalled when I hear about companies that don't allow their employees to access the Internet. It seems a little short-sighted. Sure, there will always be people who will abuse privileges, but it's extremely counter productive to cut everyone off from the most valuable information tool available. Because of the Internet and e-mail (the online factor), I am much more productive than I was a few years ago. Since many companies have downsized, it's even more important for each and every employee to be productive. As an online information source for industrial automation professionals, we attempt to provide you with valuable resources to make your job easier. In this issue, I'm featuring an article written by your's truly about an exciting new online motion component selector tool. If you use motion products, I'm convinced this tool will save you days, if not weeks of time. Read more at New Online Motion Components Selector Saves Time. If you personally use an online resource or tool that has saved you time or enabled you to be more productive, or if your company offers such a resource, please bring it to our attention so we can share it with other industry professionals. Enjoy the rest of this eNews! Rick Zabel Vice President, Editor-in-chief
Featured Article	Sponsored by Binder-USA
New Online Motion Components Selector Saves Time MotionInfo.com (www.motioninfo.com) is a new online motion control resource that offers a series of valuable new tools for selecting and sizing (coming soon) various types of electric motor-based products including motors, linear actuators, gear-motors, motors with matching drives, integrated motor drives, and motors with many different integral components. The site was launched by Motion Tech Trends, a leading electric motor and motion control marketing and technology consulting firm, who claims to offer users an unparalleled search experience. Read full article by Rick Zabel. More articles and white papers More application stories	707 Series M5 Threaded Sensor Connectors Binder-USA’s 707 series M5 threaded connectors, designed for ultra-small sensor applications, are available with 3 or 4 contacts. Molded plugs come in straight or angled versions. Sockets are available pre-wired or with DIP solder contacts. Samples are available upon request. Learn more about Binder-USA’s automation connectors
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: Beckhoff announces Ethernet/IP-Compliant bus coupler 7/25/06 ASI releases new DIN Rail terminal block catalog 7/25/06 FANUC Robotics introduces robot vision system 7/25/06 Igus announces flexible fiber optic cables for automated applications 7/25/06 Igus linear bearings and guide systems provide design freedom and flexibility 7/25/06 Igus cable carriers are designed for high-acceleration, high-speed applications 7/25/06 400 watt ruggedized converter from Schaefer has wide input range 7/25/06 Junot Systems announces new version of SAP ERP software suite 7/25/06 Dynomax introduces robot spindle at IMTS 7/25/06 Vacuum lifters from Anver adapt to fit parts 7/25/06 KUKA Robotics introduces family of six-axis robots 7/24/06 Belden moves into signal transmission, announces new master catalog 7/24/06 Danaher Motion introduces web store for Motion Control Solutions 7/21/06 New vision sensor from Omron is almost human 7/21/06 Bluetooth Serial Adapter from Sena Technologies replaces RS-232 Serial Cables 7/21/06 Hinged Cover Wiring Duct from Panduit offered in full range of sizes 7/21/06 PDI improves power distribution equipment 7/21/06 Safety interlock switch from STI provides tamper-resistant operation 7/20/06 Korenix managed Ethernet switch has dual homing technology 7/20/06 Baumüller servo controllers meet EN 954-1 standard 7/20/06 Alpha Gear Drives announces drive that shines surfaces 7/20/06 FieldServer Technologies introduces ControlLogix interface module and EtherNet/IP gateway <7/20/06 /li> Advantech launches industrial fanless PC for $1089 7/19/06 Acromag Ethernet I/O Blocks support Modbus TCP/IP 7/19/06 Ultra small proximity switches from Canfield Connector ideal for strict space requirements 7/19/06 Axiometek announces ultra low power embedded SBC with AMD LX processor 7/19/06 Guide from Contemporary Controls explains how to choose an Industrial Ethernet switch 7/19/06 Flowserve digital valve positioner receives IECEx certifications for hazardous locations 7/19/06 Company & Organization News: Moxa Technologies announces new distribution agreement with Tech Data Canada 7/25/06 Pepperl+Fuchs acquires intrinsic safety instrumentation business from Cooper 7/24/06 FKI Logistex receives service contract for Singapore Changi Airport 7/24/06 Automation Federation names Managing Director 7/24/06 Ethernet Direct expands operations worldwide 7/21/06 Fluke updates Electrical Measurement Safety video with latest NFPA 70E information 7/20/06 Deacom's president Deakins discusses ERP in "Better Process" podcast 7/20/06 GE Fanuc provides new program to give OEMs an edge 7/19/06 ISA's SP88 batch control standards to undergo revision 7/19/06 Cimetrix announces Beta program for Japanese TDI applications 7/19/06 Schneider Electric rebuilds, reopens four public schools in Indonesia tsunami region 7/19/06 Application News: Emerson supplying digital control valves worth $7.4 million to olefin plant in Taiwan 7/25/06 Matilda and Marv robots successfully complete response robot evaluation exercise 7/24/06 FlowSense awarded HVAC renovation project by the Minnesota Department of Corrections 7/20/06
Featured Application Guide
Choosing the Right Industrial Ethernet Switch Before investigating all the features provided by an Industrial Ethernet switch, you should first consider exactly what this type of device is and what it does. Contemporary Controls’ R&D Manager Bennet Levine has written a document that will aid users in this process. Levine recommends that you consult your vendors to determine the features supported on their Industrial Ethernet switches. “As there is no standard that dictates all the mandatory features provided on an unmanaged or managed switch, you will need to ask your switch vendor which features they include in their products,” explains Levine. The guide discusses the many options when purchasing one including: Auto-negotiation features Managed vs. unmanaged Advanced switch features such as IGMP snooping and redundancy Environmental concerns Determinism issues As an Ethernet user, learn to play the game successfully. This guide will help meet your Ethernet expectations in your applications. Click here to view the document.
Featured Event
Worldwide Virtual Instrumentation Conference and Exhibition August 8-10, 2006 - Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas As a proud media sponsor, Automation.com would like to invite you attend NIWeek 2006. Join engineers, scientists, educators, and exhibitors from all over the world in celebrating the 30th anniversary of National Instruments as well as the 20th anniversary of the award-winning NI LabVIEW graphical development platform. NIWeek 2006 features three full days of interactive technical sessions, exhibitions, and workshops on the latest developments for automation, manufacturing, design, and test. Click here to register for NIWeek 2006
Featured Products
Keyence laser displacement sensor, fastest in class, with 1 m range, measures any material or surface including high-speed and high-temperature targets. More Information on Keyence Laser Displacement Sensor
Keyence CV-3000 Vision System supports multiple color and monochrome cameras. Real-time trending of inspection data is displayed. More Information on Keyence CV-3000 Vision System
AD Products now offers the MFT Hart Communicator! See more about this multifunctional calibration equipment on our site! More Information on MFT Hart Communicator Contact AD Products for Product Literature or Application Assistance
B&B ELECTRONICS: Modbus ASCII/TCP to Modbus TCP/IP serial servers. Ethernet enable Modbus Serial Ports on Industrial Equipment. More Information on B&B Electronics Modbus Serial Servers Contact B&B ELECTRONICS for Product Information or Application Assistance
Banner’s PresencePLUS® P4 OMNI Vision Sensor offers 5 vision application tools in one compact enclosure. Pricing starts at only $1995! More Information on PresencePLUS® P4 OMNI Vision Sensor Contact Banner for Product CD or Application Assistance
Product & Supplier Search Other Featured Products for July Find Products by Category Find Manufacturers & Suppliers
New Jobs
Here's a list of new jobs posted on Automation.com: Automation Engineer: Concord, CA - Eichleay Engineers Inc. 7/19/2006 HMI Programmer (and more): Maryville, TN - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Sales Engineer - Controls Systems Integration: Minneapolis Area, MN - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Project Manager: Napa, CA - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Application Engineer: Multiple Locations, USA - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Automation Manager: Southern, MN - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Sr. Controls Engineer: Exton, PA - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Sr. Controls Engineer: Seattle, WA - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Controls Engineer: Twin Cities, MN - automationtechies 7/25/2006 Field Service Engineer: Upstate, NY - automationtechies 7/24/2006 Business Developer: Houston, TX - automationtechies 7/21/2006 Automation Engineer: Chandler, AZ - automationtechies 7/20/2006 Project Manager/Coordinator: Wilmington, DE - automationtechies 7/19/2006 Sales Engineer, Motion Control Products: Twin Cities, MN - automationtechies 7/18/2006 To view other recent job postings, please use our Job Search Function.
New Auctions & Classifieds
eBay hosts over 8000 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 de-motivation becomes leadership.
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, Editor-in-chief 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.