Automation.com e-News - January 31, 2007

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January 31, 2007

Sponsored by Advantech

In this Issue

Embedded Automation Computer

The eAutomation Group of Advantech introduces the UNO-2171 embedded automation computer that features Pentium M 1.4GHz CPU, includes two RS-232 ports, two RS-232/422/485 with automatic RS-485 data flow control ports, two 10/100 Ethernet ports, two USB 2.0 ports, PC/104+ expansion. It supports Windows XP, Windows XP Embedded OS, and Windows CE 5.0 and has great expansion capability and reliable design (fanless and diskless), ideal for an embedded platform.

Click here for more information.

From One Techie to Another:
Networking the Automation.com way... Coming soon!

Featured Articles:
Application Story: MACSEA improves Navy Ship reliability with machine monitoring & control

Case Study: Air Products realizes multiple significant gains with alarm management

Product Announcements:
Embedded device gateway, Operational InSight OPC software, Low power temperature transmitter, more

Literature, Events & Training:
PLC Training, S88 Webcast, more

Company News:
Beckhoff Automation new hire, ISA and OAGi standards agreement, Emerson and Honeywell win contracts, more

New Job Opportunities

New Auctions & Classifieds

Dilbert Pick of the Week

Sponsor: Autodesk		From One Techie to Another
Watch the free screencast and learn why AutoCAD Electrical is the only logical choice for electrical controls design. Find out how to reduce complex tasks, quickly build PLC I/O drawings, and minimize errors. Get the insider’s look at how AutoCAD Electrical helps you stay ahead of the competition. Go now!		*Networking the Automation.com* way...coming soon!** It's certainly no secret that networking is the most effective way to share ideas, learn from others, and grow your business. In many cases, it's not what you know, but who you know. Unfortunately, for many, the opportunities to truly network are few and far between, mainly because of time, travel and cost constraints. So what's an automation professional to do? Sure, there are a couple of automation-focused discussion forums on the web that allow you to communicate with other industry professionals, but they don't really allow you to network with your peers. What if I told you that in a matter of just a few weeks, we will be launching a true networking site, as part of Automation.com? Here are just a few of the features of the new site: Create your own profile with contact info, career info, education, interests, etc. Create your own home page with RSS news feeds, correspondence, calendar reminders Create private or open groups Join existing groups and communicate with other members Privately e-mail other members Invite other colleagues to join groups or events Search for other members, blogs, forums, etc. Create or respond to discussion forums, either private or public Read and create blogs View and post events to a calendar, either private or public and much, much more tailored specifically for the industrial automation industry Users will be able to browse the site without limit, but registration will be required to network with other members, add an event to the calendar, participate with a forum, start a blog, etc. I was debating whether I should share information about this new site with you yet. But, I'm so excited about this new networking opportunity, that I just couldn't keep it a secret any more. After working on this for months, we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are currently targeting a late February or early March release. If you would like to get a preview of the site before it's released to the public, please submit your e-mail address and I'll make sure you get a preview invitation. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting networking extension of Automation.com. Also, in case you missed the announcement in yesterday's Wireless Update, we decided to undertake 11 more Product Portals (for a total of 23). These 23 portals pretty much encompass every topic relating to industrial automation. Don't worry, we won't be publishing a monthly e-newsletter for each of these portals, but we will continually populate these portals with new products, company and organizational news, articles, white papers, application stories, events and other resources. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve on these product portals or topical e-newsletters, please don't hesitate to contact me. Enjoy the rest of this eNews! Rick Zabel Vice President, Publisher
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Sponsor: Exele
TopView® is a feature-rich and easy to use process alarming software package. TopView can monitor thousands of process points for user-configured alarm conditions with support for text and voice notification (email, pagers, cellular and land phones). Remote monitoring and acknowledgment from PC’s, Windows Mobile devices, and dial-in phones. Try it for free!

Featured Articles

Application Story: MACSEA improves Navy Ship reliability with machine monitoring & control
Military Sealift Command (MSC), as part of the U.S. Navy, provides strategic sealift and ocean transportation for U.S. military forces. The Navy places strong emphasis on reducing the total ownership cost of its assets throughout their life cycle. Cost reduction efforts are therefore focused on reducing manning levels and implementing Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) on future Navy ships.
Read full story

Case Study: Air Products realizes multiple significant gains with alarm management
Proper management of alarms and alarm data can be a significant source of “hidden capacity” in a plant, as this ethylene vinyl acetate plant discovered when they implemented a comprehensive alarm management program. Air Products was looking to make three improvements to their plant performance: a reduction in off-spec product, an increase in capacity by reducing cycle time and, due to reassignment of duties of the controlroom staff, a better way to present and prioritize alarms.
Read full story

More articles and white papers
More application stories

Product Announcements

	Lantronix launches $20 XPort embedded device gateway - 1/30/07 The XPort Direct embedded device gateway is a complete, miniaturized communications subsystem targeted at applications that need to move commands, status and information over IP networks or the Internet, to or from remote devices.
	ASI announces High Density PLC Relay Interface - 1/30/07 The 6.2mm wide PLC relay interface consists of a base terminal block and a pluggable relay. The heavy-duty long life electromechanical relays are rated for AC or DC circuits and are ideal for all types of inductive applications. The pluggable relays can be replaced quickly and economically without having to remove the wiring.
	Matrikon releases free Operational Insight Lite OPC software - 1/29/07 Operational Insight Lite, a software tool to acquire, display, and analyze OPC data, is available as a free download to a limited number of beta users in February, then will be free to all in April. It includes the ability to access both real-time and historical data.
	Advantech launches AIMB-554 ATX Motherboard with Intel Core 2 Duo Processors - 1/25/07 The AIMB-554 supports Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core Duo, and Intel Core Solo processors with 400/533/667 MHz FSB. When using the Core 2 Duo T7400 processor, the AIMB-554 provides dual-core processing with a 4MB L2 cache and advanced power management.

Other Product Announcements

Product & Supplier Search

Literature, Training, Events & Seminars

Featured Training: Understanding, Implementing and Troubleshooting PLCs
At this class, the student will gain an understanding of every aspect of what makes a PLC work. They should come away with the knowledge to troubleshoot a program and maintain the control system.
Topics include:

Introduction to Programmable Controllers
Number Systems and Codes Logic Concepts
Processors
Power Supplies
Programming Devices
Memory System and I/O Interaction
Discrete Input/Output System
Analog Input/Output System
Special Function I/O and Serial Communication Interfacing
Programming Languages
The IEC-1131 Standard Programming Language
System Programming and Implementation
System Documentation
Data Measurements and Transducers
Start Up and Maintenance
System Selection Guidelines

Students are encouraged to bring in their plant PLC programs for discussion and/or explanation. Each student will receive a 1000-page Programmable Logic Controller textbook for future reference.
Course information, schedule and registration form

Featured Webcast: Introduction to S88
February 21, 2007
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EST
This webcast includes an overview of the standard and its purpose with emphasis on the structure for automation and with elaboration of concepts such as recipe, hierarchy, equipment entities and interaction with enterprise systems. Presented by Lynn Craig, president of Manufacturing Automation Associates, Inc. He is past chairman of the World Batch Forum (now WBF) and the ISA SP88 batch control committee. He serves as convener of an international standards group addressing the same subject and leads a working group formed to define the integration of batch control and the S95 Enterprise - Control System standards. A registered professional engineer, he has participated in the design, installation and operation of more than 50 process automation systems.
Register for this webcast

Other Items:

Company & Application News

Here are the latest company and application 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.

Company & Organization News:

Hedland receives patent on MR flow transmitter 1/30/07
Beckhoff Automation hires Sales Manager for Mountain States 1/30/07
Groschopp signs Midwest rep 1/30/07
ISA and OAGi agree to work on standards 1/29/07
Walco named Siemens Solution Partner 1/26/07
Adept Technology to distribute packaging robots 1/25/07
Banner Racing kicks off 2007 season with Rolex 24 at Daytona 1/25/07
JAI signs distribution agreement with 1stVision 1/25/07
Beckhoff Automation promotes Mark Lewis to Support Manager 1/24/07
Loadstar Sensors completes Series B Financing 1/24/07
ATS opens Mexican office 1/24/07

Application News:

New Jobs

Here's a list of new jobs posted on Automation.com:

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:

Dilbert Pick of the Week

Your son has The Knack (movie).

I hope you enjoyed this automation 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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