Automation.com e-News - September 13, 2006

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September 13, 2006 - Volume VII, Issue 36
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In this Issue	Sponsored by National Instruments
From One Techie to Another: Skills Assessment for Automation/Controls Engineers Featured Article: Corporate Cultures, Part 8 - Honeywell Culture Drives for Leadership Product & Company News Featured Applicatoin Tool Guide to Sensor Technology for Material Handling Featured Seminars Free Machine Vision Seminars Featured Products: E-direct On-line Instrument Shop PLC Control with PC Features Nexa Building Automation Solution SNAP-AITM-8 AB® Essential Components Catalog New Job Opportunities New Auctions & Classifieds Dilbert Pick of the Week	LabVIEW 8.20 – 20th Anniversary Edition National Instruments LabVIEW is an industry-leading software tool for creating user-defined design, control, and test systems. For 20 years, engineers and scientists worldwide have relied on LabVIEW graphical development throughout the product design cycle, gaining improved quality, shorter time to market, and greater engineering and manufacturing efficiency. Learn how you can use LabVIEW to easily acquire, analyze, and present your data. Take the guided tour.
From One Techie to Another
Skills Assessment for Automation/Controls Engineers As many of you know, Automation.com’s sister company is automationtechies.com, a recruiting services group for direct-hire and contract automation professionals. One of their challenges during the interview process is determining the candidate’s actual skill level for various positions. It’s pretty easy for candidates to write a great resume and it’s easy for many candidates to interview well on the phone and in-person. So how can interviewers determine which candidates actually have the right skills for the job? How about a skills assessment test? ISA offers the Certified Automation Professional (CAP) Program, but very few professionals have received the certification and I’m not aware of any companies that require this certification for employment. Until (if and when) the ISA CAP Program picks up steam, there really isn’t an existing skills assessment test for automation and controls engineering. If you know of any such test, please bring it to my attention. As a result, automationtechies.com is in the process of developing a skills assessment test that they can administer to determine a candidate’s technical abilities (relevant specifically to automation and controls engineering). They would like your help to develop questions for the test. If you have ideas for good test questions, please submit the questions and answers to: test@automationtechies.com. If they use your questions you will receive a $50.00 Best Buy gift certificate. Enjoy the rest of this eNews! Rick Zabel Vice President, Editor-in-chief
Featured Article	Sponsored by B&B Electronics
Honeywell Culture Drives for Leadership With annual revenue of about $30B and current market-cap of about $32B, Honeywell is arguably the largest US-based automation company. The company operates with four segments: Aerospace, Automation & Control Solutions, Specialty Materials, and Transportation Systems. Here’s an updated view of the corporate culture. Read full article by Jim Pinto. This article is No. 8 in a Series of Articles on Corporate Cultures. Other articles by Jim Pinto More articles and white papers More application stories	Small PLC Capabilities – at programmable relay prices from B&B Electronics - Custom high-speed processor rivals small PLCs. Inputs and outputs expandable to 44 I/O. These intelligent relays control almost any discrete system. Program through face panel or download FREE software. Ideal for many applications like car washes and packaging machines. More Information or Request Catalog
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: National Instruments Adds Low-Speed CAN Connectivity for Automotive Applications 9/12/06 Rockwell Automation provides safe power-down on drives 9/12/06 National Instruments enhances DeviceNet Driver for Control Applications 9/12/06 Red Lion HMI lets Operators see Machine Vision Images 9/12/06 Universal Flow Monitors exhibits vortex shedding flowmeters at ISA Expo 2006 9/12/06 Korenix offers Ethernet media converter for copper to fiber 9/12/06 Intermec announces mobile computer with wireless and GPS 9/12/06 Axiomtek announces Panel Computers for Kiosks 9/12/06 Intermec introduces bar code scanner that reads up to 50 ft 9/12/06 Pepperl+Fuchs releases Guide to Sensor Technology for Doors, Gates and Elevators 9/12/06 Intermec Introduces Rugged Fixed-Mount Computer 9/12/06 Standard-Knapp infeed technology eliminates lane jams and reduces downtime 9/12/06 Agilent Technologies updates electrical performance validation software to PCI Express 1.1 and 2.0 9/12/06 Parker Releases Servo Drives with DeviceNet™ Fieldbus Interface 9/11/06 ASI announces Modular Temperature Sensor Conditioners 9/11/06 Exele Releases New Version of OPC Calculation Engine 9/11/06 Acromag announces interchangeable I/O modules 9/11/06 Pepperl+Fuchs introduces Photoelectric Sensors with Background Suppression 9/8/06 Microscan releases new bar code image capture and storage software 9/8/06 OMRON announces aluminum RFID Inlay that is comparable to copper 9/8/06 Bosch Rexroth Web Site offers CAD downloads, configurators and literature 9/8/06 Thermo Electron enhances Spectroscopy Software 9/8/06 TURCK announces fieldbus-compatible Motor Control 9/7/06 PANDUIT releases V4.0 Physical Layer Upgrade for PANVIEW™ 9/7/06 Mettler Toldeo announces Weighing Base for Washdown applications 9/7/06 Wonderware Releases OPC DA Servers for GE PLCs 9/7/06 Parker releases Drive with resolver feedback 9/7/06 Flowserve launches Valve Analysis Software 9/7/06 RF Monolithics launches Wireless Mesh Networking Module 9/7/06 InterTech Development achieves excellent accuracy in leak test calibration 9/7/06 Acrosser launches Intel Ultra Low Voltage Celeron Mini-ITX Motherboard 9/7/06 WAHL announces Rugged Pocket Thermometers 9/7/06 ITT reduces lead time for microminiature connectors 9/7/06 Advantech Launches Intel Pentium 4/Celeron Industrial Panel PC 9/6/06 Data converters from B&B Electronics have optical isolation 9/6/06 MooreHawke's Redundant Fieldbus System Switches Automatically to Backup Segment, Avoiding Process Shutdowns 9/6/06 Industrial flat panel monitor from Beijer Electronics suits machines 9/6/06 Ethernet Direct announces Managed Industrial Ethernet Switches 9/6/06 Adept Introduces part feeding software at IMTS 2006 9/6/06 Pepperl+Fuchs introduces Diagnostics Module for fieldbus 9/6/06 Pittman announces quiet, smooth motors and gearmotors 9/6/06 Square D molded case circuit breaker extends maximum range to 3000A 9/6/06 Agilent Technologies introduces wireless communications test set platform 9/6/06 Agilent Technologies announces signal analyzer for wireless devices 9/6/06 Company & Organization News: Verano acquires e-DMZ Managed Security Service 9/12/06 SME Announces M. Eugene Merchant Memorial Scholarship 9/12/06 Lantronix Announces Its Second Annual Wireless Design Contest 9/12/06 Schneider Electric acquires GET Group PLC in the UK 9/11/06 ELUTIONS acquires Wizcon Systems 9/8/06 ISA updates and expands Online University 9/8/06 LXI Consortium Applauds Blog Hosted by Test & Measurement World Magazine 9/8/06 Advanced Control Systems signs Today’s Technologies and New England Mechatronics as reps 9/8/06 Schneider Electric launches Motion Competency Center 9/7/06 Schneider Electric Acquires France's Napac 9/7/06 Keithley’s Metrology Services earns ISO 17025 accreditation 9/7/06 Thomson wins Control Design’s “Reader’s Choice” Award Winner in Ball Screw/Lead Screw Category 9/7/06 SCP certifies Invensys Product Support group 9/6/06 Epson Robots announces North American Robot giveaway 9/6/06 Igus sponsors BEST Robotics Competition 9/6/06 Flowserve Opens Quick Response Center in the Netherlands 9/6/06 Inexcon Technologies and Junot Systems Announce Alliance 9/6/06 Application News: Baldor's Ethernet servo drives help Ishida increase speed of food tray sealing 9/11/06 FlowSense awarded HVAC system improvement project from USDA 9/11/06 Emerson to automate hydrotreating unit in one of China's largest refineries 9/8/06 Kyland's Communication System Used in Chinese Wind Power Station 9/8/06 Invensys upgrades automation system at Teck Cominco Metals 9/7/06 FKI Logistex awarded contract with Schenker AB distribution center 9/7/06
Featured Application Tool
Guide to Sensor Technology for Material Handling Pepperl+Fuchs is offering a free Guide to Sensor Technology for the Material Handling Industry. The fully-illustrated guide highlights sensing solutions for storage and retrieval systems, continuous conveyors, overhead conveyors, cranes, automated transport systems and forklift trucks. Featured technologies include photoelectric sensors, inductive sensors, ultrasonic sensors, AS-Interface networking components, RFID identification systems, barcode imagers, data transmission equipment, position tracking equipment, encoders, cordsets and accessories. Request your Guide Today!
Featured Seminars
Free Machine Vision Seminars Cognex Corporation announced a new series of free machine vision seminars exclusively for manufacturing professionals. These popular half-day events show how machine vision can be applied to improve quality and reduce costs. Cognex now offers four different seminar tracks for various applications and experience levels: Machine Vision Seminars provide a general introduction and show how companies use vision sensors, ID readers, and presence sensors to improve quality and boost productivity. Direct Part Mark Identification Seminars examine the most important factors to consider when implementing DPM ID for part traceability. Food and Beverage Package Inspection Seminars focus on the application of machine vision to ensure package integrity, label accuracy, and product traceability. Automotive Error-Proofing Seminars deal with complex and demanding automotive industry requirements for error proofing, robot guidance, and quality assurance. More Information on Machine Vision Seminars.
Featured Products
E-direct is the On-line Instrument Shop for process control instrumentation from Endress+Hauser. More Information on E-direct On-line Instrument Shop Contact Endress+Hauser for Product CD or Application Assistance
PLC Control with PC Features - Combine the flexibility of a PC with the ruggedness of a PLC More Information on WAGO's PLC Control with PC Features Contact WAGO for Product Catalog or Application Assistance
Improve tenant service and reduce costs for centralized control and monitoring of facilities. More Information on Citect's NEXA Contact Citect for Free CitectSCADA Trial or Application Assistance
Quadruple the density: New SNAP-AITM-8 from Opto 22 offers 8 thermocouple/millivolt inputs in a compact analog module. More Information on SNAP-AITM-8 from Opto 22 Contact Opto 22 for Brochure or Application Assistance
The Allen-Bradley® Essential Components Catalog from Rockwell Automation. 10,000+ components delivered to your desk. Order your FREE copy. More Information on AB® Essential Components Catalog
Product & Supplier Search Other Featured Products for September Find Products by Category Find Manufacturers & Suppliers
New Jobs
Here's a list of new jobs posted on Automation.com: PLC Programmer: Westbrook, ME - Remstar International, Inc. 9/11/2006 Electrical Project Engineer: Aurora, IL - Processing Technologies, inc. 9/11/2006 Industrial Automation Sales: GBO/RAL, NC - Regan incorporated 9/08/2006 Engineer, Controls: Manville, NJ - Olson Motor & Control Co Inc 9/07/2006 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
Maybe we should introduce “alternative interrogation tactics” to the corporate setting? ;-)
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.