Build versus Buy - Understanding the Total Cost of Embedded Design
By National Instruments
When developing an embedded device, deciding which technology to implement as the system’s primary controller is one of the first key engineering milestones. You must decide which portion of the system to design and which portion to buy off the shelf. This tutorial outlines two options for developing a new controller – build or buy – and discusses the technical and financial risks associated with both.

Operating Systems: What’s really going on?
Embedded Computing Design, March 2008
By Jerry Gipper
The choices in commercial Operating Systems (OSs) with real-time capability keep getting better every year. They are easier to use and typically well supported with Eclipse-based and open source tools. Several suppliers have filled in the middleware gaps with application-specific stacks that speed platform development. This article looks at some of the trends making the most impact on these OSes.

IEC 61131 Cage Match—Prologue
Control Design, March 2008
By Jeremy Pllard
Columnist reminisces about the beginning of IEC 61131, when the reality didn’t live up to the claims.

The Status Quo Isn't
Control, February 2008
By Jeffrey R. Harrow
Web applications may be the next big thing in computing. Consider how web apps might enhance customer solutions: all the applications could reside and run on an always up-to-date web-based server that can access an extended information set. If it's you who provide this remote web app as a service, you can generate a continuing revenue stream! Are You Ready?

Fast Track with Linux
Control Engineering Asia, January 2008
By Anton Aendenroomer & Ian McLoughlin
A fully-fledged product, whether it is a data-logger, gateway, Web server, safety monitor, industrial controller or all of the above, can be developed in an incredibly short time by leveraging the power of embedded Linux.

Using XML in Automation
Automation World, January 2008
By Gary Mintchell
The Web standard for communicating information, the eXtensible Markup Language or XML, is more than eleven years old. Its use in automation is still in infancy, however.

Browse these and more articles and white papers on the Design, Simulation & Programming Software portal.

National Instruments Measurement and Control Designer CD
Up to 64 percent of your process or manufacturing application costs are spent on system configuration and development tine. In addition to hundreds of development resources, the FREE CD helps you select the best software and hardware for your system requirements.

Latest Version of EMC2 Available for free download
EMC2 is a software system for computer control of machine tools such as milling machines, cutting machines, robots, hexapods, etc. EMC2 is free software released under the terms of the GNU GPL (General Public License). EMC2 is a descendent of the original EMC software, which is in the Public Domain.

Free EPLAN Electric P8 Trial Software
EPLAN improves the engineering design times, costs and quality of Electrical Control Systems, Fluid Power Systems, and Instrumentation & Control Systems.

OPC Foundation opens Certification Test Lab
The OPC Foundation's test lab to validate and certify OPC products is located at Ascolab in Erlangen, Germany.

ACS Motion Control offers free development software
ADK software enables the implementation of complex motion-time-event sequences with accurate positioning and timing, and simpler applications such as point-to-point control.

Browse these and more resources and literature on the Design, Simulation & Programming Software portal.

CompactRIO Helps Nexans Spider Level Seabed
National Instruments LabVIEW and CompactRIO control hydraulic systems on the Nexans Spider remote operated vehicle (ROV) as it levels the seabed and clears a path for the pipeline.

Samsung Techwin Develops Real-Time Engine Simulation System
By: Moon Sohk Chae, Power System Research Center
Developing a proper engine simulator was vital to our ability to verify the safe and reliable functioning of the gas turbine engine controller we were developing. To implement a safe and highly perfected engine controller, we had to come up with a method of verifying the controller hardware and its algorithm before they could be integrated with an actual engine.

A Machine Renaissance
Control Design, March 2008
By Joe Morrissey, Conflex
Conflex, a builder of shrink-wrapping machines, substantially redesigned each machine in its product line and converted to Beckhoff’s DIN-rail-mounted embedded PC and IEC 61131-3-compliant automation and motion control software.

Building control system uses LonWorks
By Lonmark International
Floor controls are linked via a LonWorks network, using Siemens LMEC gateways onto a BACnet system which handles the interaction with the central AHU, boilers and chillers.

Managing MS Windows NT4
Control Engineering, January 2008
By Bob Vieraitis, Solidcore Systems
One class of systems where any change, authorized or not, creates a high-risk proposition is legacy systems running the Microsoft Windows NT4 operating system. Changes can cause in-production outages and downtime that threatens overall plant production. Here’s how one plant solved the problem.

Browse these and more application stories on the Design, Simulation & Programming Software portal.

Enable Training offers online courses for LabVIEW developers
For both commercial and academic users, LabVIEW Mastery is available as a series of three courses: Beginner, Applications, and Professional.

Graphical System Design with LabVIEW Statecharts Webcast
By National Instruments
LabVIEW 8.5 adds the ability to use statecharts in addition to many other development techniques for application and system development. Webcast shows how.

PLC Automation: PLC Structure, Programming, Installation, and Maintenance
April 7-11, 2008 Philadelphia, PA
This course will enable you to understand PLC architecture, configuration, installation, maintenance and ladder logic programming with over 50% hands on training.

Make2Pack Training Session at Packaging Automation Forum
May 19-20, 2008 Chicago, IL
OMAC will provide a half day training session for attendees on May 19 at 1:00 p.m. The session will include a Make2Pack Workshop and a Hands-on Connect-and-Pack Demonstration.

OPC and DCOM - free video training
OPC Training Institute (OPCTI) has published a free 6-part video on setting up DCOM for use with OPC. Titled "OPC & DCOM: 5 Things you need to know", the videos can be streamed from the OPCTI site (where you'll also find a whitepaper), or downloaded from Google Video.

Browse these and more training and seminar opportunities on Design, Simulation & Programming Software portal.

• ICS Triplex upgrades ISaGRAF 5 for INtime RTOS
• Enea enhances Element 3.0 network middleware
• SimSci-Esscor enhances PRO/II simulation software
• Real-Time Systems announces IEEE 1588 software stack
• OAGIS releases version 9.2 with ISA95
• Daintree Networks adds Zigbee support to SNA software
• Aonix Releases PERC Pico Tool Chain for Java
• McObject adds support for KD-Tree

Browse these and more Product Announcements on the Design, Simulation & Programming Software portal.

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National Instruments joins Multicore Association  
The Multicore Association develops standards that help shorten time to market for products that involve multicore implementations.

InduSoft Receives Frost & Sullivan Innovation Award  
InduSoft won for its Web Studio v6.1, the only HMI/SCADA solution that runs on almost every type of hardware.

Autodesk reports 4Q revenue of $599 million
Net income in the fourth quarter of the prior year was $96 million, an increase of 20 percent over the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007.

Matrikon promotes Lawrence and Funnell
Peter Lawrence has been appointed chief technology officer (CTO), and Jay Funnell has been appointed chief software architect (CSA).

PLCopen publishes standard on XML Control Logic  
PLCopen XML schemas and documentation as well as an introduction are available free on the internet.

Browse these and more company and organizational news on the Design, Simulation & Programming Software portal.

Emerson’s Scenario Simulation reduces plant startup time
Con Edison's East River Repowering Project realized a three month startup time reduction. Scenario simulation consists of actual plant control software and duplicate workstations that mimic the East River control room.

Simulation software helps Silver Eagle Refining meet Benzene emission regulations
Simsci-Esscor PRO/II simulation software helps refiner meet upcoming Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSAT) requirements for benzene emissions.

GrammaTech to supply NASA with safety software test technology
NASA-funded technology will advance the state-of-the-art in static-analysis testing of high-assurance software and help increase software reliability.

OPC Training Institute Selects Kepware for demonstrations
The OPC Training Institute (OPCTI) will use Kepware OPC products and technology in their training classes and webinars, especially when demonstrating OPC server functionality and device connectivity.

ABB’s Expert Optimizer increases production at cement plant
Expert Optimizer was installed at Buzzi Unicem USA Inc.’s Signal Mountain vertical raw mill and cement mill.

ExperTune and TiPS User's Conference
April 23-25, 2008 Houston, Texas
The conference on Common Sense Automation offers training, case studies, and roundtables, including a host of notable speakers.

Embedded Systems Conference
April 14-18, 2008 San Jose, CA
Attracts the industry’s engineers and engineering managers, media and technology analysts, executives, financial analysts, venture capitalists, and many of the largest hardware and software companies.

ISA International Instrumentation Symposium
May 5-8, 2008 Pensacola Beach, Florida
The 54th annual ISA International Instrumentation Symposium will include paper sessions, short courses, tutorials, and a student presentation competition.

17th CISM-IFToMM Symposium on Robot Design, Dynamics, and Control
July 5-9, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
ROMANSY2008 conference presents papers providing a vision of the evolution of the robotics disciplines and signaling new directions in which these disciplines are foreseen to develop.

Webinar covers Software Integrity Issues Faced by Food Manufacturers
April 2, 2008 1 p.m. EST
The webinar will discuss common data inconsistency issues faced by modern food manufacturers using multiple software systems to manage inventory control, lot tracking, accounting, production, regulatory reporting, sales order entry, and purchasing.

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Rick Zabel
Vice President, Publisher
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