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Welcome to this Special Edition of ISA Automation Week Daily Update. Instead of our typical e-newsletters this week, we will be sending out three issues of this Daily Update (on October 18, 19 & 20) which will cover highlights from ISA's Automation Week in Mobile, AL, USA.

A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors
ISA would like to extend a special Thank You to our Sponsors for their support of ISA Automation Week, the organization and the global automation community.

Legal impact of automation standards? It depends.
Track: Installation, Operations, & Maintenance
An automation standard is in the eye of the beholder, and its legal impact depends on its "category." Such was the message on Wednesday afternoon from nationally recognized automation attorney Mark Voigtmann at ISA Automation Week.

Strategies for basic and advanced PID control of reactors
Track: Automation & Control System Design
Greg McMillan's "Biological and Chemical Reactor Control Opportunities" tutorial at ISA Automation Week 2011 provided a tour of strategies for basic and advanced PID control of reactors. Many of the control systems were applicable to continuous and fed-batch reactor control.

Understanding existing levels of threat
Track: Safety & Security
An overview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and how it interacts with the private sector kicked off one technical session on safety and security at ISA Automation Week. Dan Bernett outlined the work of the department and in particular the Critical Sector Security Program (CSSP).

Utilize all data from wireless, smart instrumentation
Track: Wireless Technology and Applications
This ISA Automation Week technical session illustrated that today there is a great deal to be gained by deploying asset management, and the technology is now readily available to support these applications including wireless technology.

Energy optimization presenters offer ways to improve energy management
Track: Energy
ISA Automation Week technical session, "Energy Optimization: Monitor, Improve and Sustain Energy Productivity," included three presentations offering different toolsets to help attendees improve their energy management.

Safety, security: How they differ, where they are the same
Track: Safety & Security
Safety & Security technical session at ISA Automation Week discussed the similarities and differences between safety and security and how we could create similar levels for security like we have safety integrity levels (SILs) for the safety industry.

Exploring distillation column control fundamentals
Track: Automation & Control System Design
Terry Tolliver's "Fundamentals of Distillation Column Control" tutorial begins with an introduction to the various hierarchical levels of column control: basic, sub optimizing, and optimizing. As he points out, basic column control is most important because the more advanced schemes build upon it.

aeSolutions announces aeShield Safety Lifecycle Management System
aeShield is a comprehensive platform for executing a sustainable risk management program through the automation of the safety lifecycle process.

Kepware Technologies updates KEPServerEX Version 5.7
Enhancements in KEPServerEX version 5.7 includes Lufkin Modbus Serial, Bristol BSAP IP, Alstom Redundant Ethernet and Weatherford 8500 Serial drivers for the oil & gas and water & wastewater industries.

GF Piping Introduces Signet 9900 Transmitter
Signet 9900 Transmitter provides an interface for Flow, pH/ORP, Conductivity/Resistivity, Pressure, Temperature, Level, Salinity and other sensor types that output a 4 to 20 mA signal.

Fluke introduces ScopeMeter 190 Series II Portable Oscilloscopes
These portable scopes are safety rated for CAT III 1000 V / CAT IV 600 V environments.

Yokogawa offers new model of data acquisition, display station
Equipped with a new touch screen operator interface, the Yokogawa DXAdvanced Touch is a new model series of the DXAdvanced R4 data acquisition and display stations.

LUDECA introduces wind turbine vibration analyzer
VIBXPERT II is the latest addition to the PRUEFTECHNIK family of portable route-based vibration data collectors that combines the advantages of a rapid processor with a brilliant energy-efficient color VGA display.

ISA Publications has several new and revised books available to meet the needs of less-experienced engineers and technicians, as well as advanced automation professionals. Visit the ISA Bookstore at ISA Automation Week (Booth 400) to browse (or browse online) through the numerous technical resources offering practical applications, methodology, and problem-solving in the automation field.

Essentials of Modern Measurements and Final Elements in the Process Industry: A Guide to Design, Configuration, Installation, and Maintenance - $119.00
This comprehensive resource aims to increase awareness of the opportunities afforded by modern measurement instruments and final elements, and to show how to get maximum benefit from the revolution in smart technologies. It builds an understanding of the fundamental aspects of measurements, measurement instruments, and final elements for applications in the process industry.

Control Loop Foundation - Batch and Continuous Processes - $109.00
This book is a guide for engineers, managers, technicians, and others that are new to process control or experienced control engineers who are unfamiliar with multi-loop control techniques. After the traditional single-loop and multi-loop techniques that are most often used in industry are covered, a brief introduction to advanced control techniques is provided.

Win a Kindle!
While visiting the onsite ISA Bookstore, take advantage of the great opportunity to view the technical books and CD-ROM resources onsite. As an added bonus, you can also enter your name into a drawing to win a new Kindle loaded with select ISA eBooks. A raffle will take place at 3:15 p.m. each day. You can enter one time per day, but you must be present to win. Don't miss out on this $400 value!

Browse more Books on the ISA Automation Week Portal.

Review of IEEE 802 standard developments from an ISA100 perspective
IEEE Standards for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks (IEEE 802) has been developing wireless standards since the late 1980s, and they are still going strong. In the past, some of these developments, especially 802.11 and 802.15, have had a significant impact on industrial wireless systems.

Daily drawing draws crowd to ISA Bookstore
Each day at ISA Automation Week, there is a drawing at the busy ISA Bookstore booth for a Kindle.

Browse more ISA News on the ISA Automation Week Portal.

Mardi Gras Reception - Celebrating FIRST
Free to attendees and suppliers, our Wednesday evening Mardi Gras Reception - Celebrating FIRST® at ISA Automation Week was all about fun as we networked in the birthplace of the original Mardi Gras. The event featured a prize ceremony and guest appearance by NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb.

#ISAutowk - the highway to the world
This year's ISA Automation Week has a large screen onsite for Twitter showing all the tweets being sent by attendees and participants in the proceedings.

Thursday's Question of the Day
In your opinion, what is the most important automation technology today?

What's happening around town?
Wow, last day already! If you are spending the evening here in Mobile, Ala., tonight might be the night to wind down, take in some culture, or simply enjoy a nice dinner in the company of old - or new - friends. Or you can finish your stay in Mobile with a big bang by taking in some live music. Perhaps you will find yourself at one of these places tonight.

Navigate your way through ISA Automation Week with PathFinder
Navigate your way through the dozens of conference options with PathFinder. PathFinder assists you in selecting your own unique combination of sessions - a conference "path" - that shapes a learning experience suited to your individual job function and professional goals.

Join the Twitter conversation at ISA Automation Week with #isautowk
Share your ISA Automation Week 2011 experiences with other attendees and to the rest of the world via Twitter. During ISA Automation Week 2011, a Twitter feed will be displayed on the concourse by the technical session rooms. Learn how to join the conversation.