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  • Automation.com Weekly e-Newsletter
    November 8, 2006
    Sponsored by National Instruments In this Issue

    Vision Builder for Automated Inspection

    More Info on Vision Builder for Automated Inspection

    National Instruments Vision Builder for Automated Inspection (AI) is a configurable machine vision development environment that requires no programming. With Vision Builder AI 3.0, you can solve most machine vision application challenges without the use of a programming language or complicated customization tools. Vision Builder AI includes NI Vision Acquisition software, a set of drivers and utilities that acquire, display, and save images from any NI frame grabber, GigE Vision camera, or IEEE 1394 camera.

    For more information visit
    www.ni.com/vision/vbai.htm.

     

    From One Techie to Another:
    Maybe you can't automate everything...the voting process

    Product Announcements & News

    Featured Article:
    Wireless Communication Saves the Day...And the Bottom Line

    Featured Catalog
    Education Services Course Catalog

    Featured Webinar
    Specifying and Selecting Pressure Sensors and Transducers

    Featured Products:

  • SIWAREX MS Micro Scale
  • ioProject Integration Kits
  • Industrial-Grade Chassis
  • Calculation Engine for OPC
  • New Job Opportunities

    New Auctions & Classifieds

    Dilbert Pick of the Week

    Sponsored by Northwire From One Techie to Another

    More Information on Retractile Power Cords

    Northwire’s Retractile Power Cords are ideal for applications that require movement including extension and retraction or torsional flex. Custom configured to meet your requirements for conductor construction, length, color, jacket material and more. They are available direct from the factory for faster delivery and guaranteed performance.

    For more information call 1-877-210-9942 or visit www.northwire.com/rc3.

     

    Maybe you can't automate everything...the voting process

    Maybe not yet anyway. I usually try to avoid the subject of politics in this e-newsletter, because it wouldn't be too difficult to alienate subscribers with differing opinions. You better believe I have my opinions, but they are better voiced among family and friends. Like a responsible citizen, I voted yesterday for who I believe to be the "best option" available. I hope you did the same. By the time you read this, the results will be in. Or, will they?

    According to a CNN article posted Tuesday afternoon, Polling places turned to paper ballots after glitches. Over half of all voters filled in a paper ballot that was then optically scanned to tally the votes. But, more than one-third of all voters were casting votes on touch-screen machines, many of which are new since the 2004 election. A large number of precincts were reporting problems with these electronic voting machines. Voting equipment companies said they hadn't seen anything beyond the norm and blamed the problems largely on human error.

    There are some definite issues with electronic voting as well as the optical scanners used to count paper ballots. Many voting machines have been criticized as being susceptible to hackers. Not to mention, the lack of a paper trail, so a later audit is impossible. I'm pretty sure these voting machines are not being continuously backed up in case of a catastrophic failure. As for the old "reliable" optical scanners, it has been proven that the memory cards holding the vote counts can be manipulated to steal votes.

    With so much at stake in this election, you would have thought that our government would have made sure that electronic voting equipment was bullet-proof, especially since one-third of all voters were using them. But, there is another side to this issue. Think about all the Americans (mostly older, but not all) who don't use computers every day (yes, they're out there), but were asked to vote using a touch-screen. Imagine the confusion. It wouldn't take too many non-computer savvy people to hold up the poll lines.

    Any type of automation requires training of both implementers and users. In the industrial world, most implementers and users have had some kind of formal training, but in the voting world, you are dealing with everyone over 18. I'm all for automation...it's in my veins. But, maybe it's just too early to automate a process that every Tom, Dick and Harriet have to participate in. Theoretically (hopefully), in 10 or 20 years, a much larger percentage of the voting population will be computer-friendly. And, maybe if we give it a few more years someone can actually design an electronic voting machine (or system) that is secure, reliable and bullet-proof. What a concept!

    In my precinct, and everywhere else in Minnesota, paper ballots where still being used. It was clear, it was easy, and it's done. No lines. No confusion. Maybe Minnesota election officials made the right choice.

    I can't wait to hear the "electronic fall-out" from this election. Or, maybe the issue will be hushed by some government-fabricated crisis. Conspiracy theory? Maybe. ;-)

    Enjoy the rest of this eNews!

    Rick Zabel
    Vice President, Editor-in-Chief

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    Sponsored by Lantronix

    Lantronix - Networking for the Industrial Environment

     

     

     

     

     

    Featured Article

    Wireless Communication Saves the Day...And the Bottom Line
    ThyssenKrupp's Waupaca Foundry prides itself on using state-of-the-art technology in its production processes. When plant 4 began looking at ways to improve efficiencies, three key factors drove the decision to implement a wireless communications solution: record keeping, accuracy, and cost reduction. The Waupaca Foundry in Marionette, Wisconsin reaped a $600,000 ROI when they decided to go wireless. With this huge success, ThyssenKrupp plans to use wireless instead of fiber between their power generator building and their main plant.

    Read full article

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    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.

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    Featured Catalog

    Education Services Course Catalog
    Emerson Process Management just released expanded educational course offerings for 2007. The new course catalog from Emerson's Educational Services, available on CD, describes some 300 training courses designed to facilitate the engineering, operation, maintenance, and optimization of industrial process automation systems and devices. Engineers and technicians who take these courses are better able to optimize the performance of their processes, and enhance productivity in their plants. Training is available across North America at factory locations, regional training centers, locally in hotels or at customer sites, as packaged programs or e-courses. Additional offerings include 18 new product courses and 3 new e-learning programs on safety instrumented systems and control system training for operators.

    More information on these educational services
    Featured Webinar

    Specifying and Selecting Pressure Sensors and Transducers
    Honeywell Design and Application Engineers will review major specifications, industry definitions, performance and environmental parameters, materials, and electrical characteristics of pressure sensor products plus provide an overview of classical industries and applications.

    The presentation will include a discussion of technologies used by pressure transducer manufacturers and will highlight Honeywell's proprietary Advanced Thick Film (ATF) technology employed in their Series MLH pressure sensors. Join us to find out more about specifying and selecting pressure transducers including:
    • Technical considerations in selecting pressure sensors and transducers
    • Understanding industry definitions
    • Technologies employed in the manufacture of pressure transducers
    • Honeywell's Advanced Thick Film (ATF) Technology overview
    • Honeywell's MLH Pressure Transducer construction and operation

    Register for this Webinar

    Featured Products
    SIWAREX MS Micro ScaleSIWAREX MS Micro Scale: The versatile weighing module for weighing and force measurement from Siemens.
    More Information on SIWAREX MS Micro Scale
    Contact Siemens for Product CD or Application Assistance
    ioProject Integration Kits Opto 22 talks Modbus RTU, ASCII, and TCP natively in SNAP I/O or through FREE ioProject Integration Kits.
    More Information on ioProject Integration Kits
    Contact Opto 22 for Product Brochure or Application Assistance
    Industrial-Grade Chassis Advantech Launches Two Compact Desktop/Wallmount Industrial-Grade Chassis with Front-Accessible I/O Interfaces and Expansion Slots
    More Information on Compact Desktop/Wallmount Chassis
    Contact Advantech for Product Guide or Application Assistance
    Calculation Engine for OPC Vendor neutral software, with unmatched performance and features, to easily create OPC-based process calculations. Free evaluation available.
    More Information on OPCcalc - Calculation Engine for OPC

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    Dilbert Pick of the Week

    How to use incompetence to climb the corporate ladder.

     

    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

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