Featured Articles:
-Software for Programmable Automation Controllers
-Signal Conditioning for PC-Based Control
-PACs for Communications and Data Handling
-New Guises, Protections for Industrial PCs; and more

Resources & Literature:
-Opto 22 Support Blog Answers Questions
-Schneider Electric opens Industrial Solutions Center
-Schneider Electric launches OEM technology and solutions center; and more

Application Stories:
-Optical Fibers Need Critical Process Control
-Full Transparency Without a Central Process Control System
-World's Largest Coca-Cola Plant Uses OPC DataHub; and more

Featured Training:
-FREE Training on Opto 22’s SNAP PAC System
-OPC Foundation Training Seminars
-Opto 22 Lunch & Learn; and more

Product Announcements:
-Beckhoff Automation announces CX1010 Mid-range Embedded PC
-AutomationDirect introduces Industrial Ethernet Switches
-NI announces LabWindows/CVI 8.5
-Opto 22 Releases SNAP PAC Serial I/O processors ; and more

Company News:
-Research on PLCs and PACs
-Frost & Sullivan predicts PLC sales in China to reach $1 billion in 2013; and more

Featured Events:
-ATX - Automation Technology Expo West
-2008 Motor, Drive & Automation Systems Conference
-Instrumentation & Control Master Series; and more

Software for Programmable Automation Controllers
If you’re looking at PACs for your monitoring, automation, and data acquisition applications, you may be wondering how PACs are programmed. This white paper explores some of the most important features of software for PACs.

Signal Conditioning for PC-Based Control
Control Engineering, January 2008
By C.G. Masi
Control-system designers need to pay extra attention to signal conditioning issues when using PC-based controllers. PACs and PLCs don’t have the same problems.

PACs for Communications and Data Handling
Control, January 2008
By Dan Hebert
Many process control applications require much more than just real-time control, and extensive communications and data handling can tax the functionality of PLCs. In these instances, a programmable automation controller (PAC) can be a good fit. Most PACs are derived from the PC world; hence their relative strength when it comes to communications and data handling.

New Guises, Protections for Industrial PCs
Control, January 2008
By Jim Montague
Reports of the demise of the industrial computer have been greatly exaggerated. Sure, recent technical advances are making the desktop PC-in-a-box and many of its traditional capabilities unrecognizable. However, there remain many applications in which operators need screen-based HMIs on or close to machines, production lines or other systems.

When is a PLC like a typewriter?
Control Engineering, December 2007
By Thomas R. Kurfess
The PLC vs PAC argument, from a different perspective.

Considerations for Choosing a Programmable Automation Controller
Many automation manufacturers are offering PACs now, and the capabilities of these controllers vary. When you’re choosing programmable automation controllers for your application, here are some considerations to keep in mind.

Browse these and more articles and white papers on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.

Opto 22 Support Blog Answers Questions
Opto 22 users can go to this blog and see the latest fixes to hardware and software. By subscribing, customers can ask questions.

Schneider Electric opens Industrial Solutions Center
ISC provides solutions, engineering support, consulting and project management services to manufacturers and industrial customers.

Schneider Electric launches OEM technology and solutions center
TASC provides a dedicated team of specialists from multiple disciplines who serve as a single-point resource for technical and application support.

OptoVideo: PAC-Based Motion Control
Four-minute video shows how to use SNAP PAC System Motion Control with the G4 Handler. It shows how motion control, digital and analog control, and data acquisition are all handled by one PAC programmable automation controller

Browse these and more resources and literature on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.

Optical Fibers Need Critical Process Control
Control Engineering, January 2008
By Kelly Downey, Opto 22
Lumenyte, a fiber optics manufacturer, is using Opto 22 Snap PAC systems to control and monitor a host of equipment used in the manufacturing of its plastic optical fibers, including levels, flows, temperatures, and pressures in a process using more than 35 various sensor inputs.

Full Transparency Without a Central Process Control System
Process and Control Today, January 2008
Instead of an expensive centralized process control system, Follmann & Co, a chemical company in the UK, used compact modular controllers and HMI control terminals from Mitsubishi Electric. Follmann uses MX Sheet software to feed the process data from the controllers directly into the existing office software.

World's Largest Coca-Cola Plant Uses OPC DataHub
By Cogent Real Time Systems
Coca-Cola’s Ballina Beverages facility, recently installed the OPC DataHub from Cogent Real-Time Systems to log alarm data and create end-of-shift reports. The plant, located in Ballina, Ireland, sends alarm data from RSLinx to a OPC server, through the OPC hub, and to an Excel spreadsheet.

Inspection Capabilities are Looking Up
Automation World, December 2007
By Terry Costlow
The Kendall-Jackson winery packages more than 3 million cases of wine each year, so it’s a big challenge to position labels on bottles.. Kendall-Jackson handled its labeling problem with PC-based control and the CIVision 360 Full View inspection system. Four cameras simultaneously examine a bottle as it leaves the labeling space.

True PC-Based Control
American Machinist, October 2007
Fluid Line Products in Willoughby, Ohio, replaced some outdated equipment with true PC-based controls: the P100 THINC-OSP Microsoft Windows and PC-based control from Okuma America Corp.

Browse these and more application stories on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.

FREE Training on Opto 22’s SNAP PAC System
Opto 22 offers FREE SNAP PAC System training classes held at company headquarters in Temecula, California. The four-day, hands-on class provides an overview of Opto 22’s simple answer to complex automation problems.

OPC Foundation Training Seminars
The OPC Foundation and its sponsoring members will host eight Training Seminars during 2008, in Long Beach in February; Boston in March; Pittsburgh in April; Seattle in May; Nashville in June; Milwaukee in September; Cincinnati in October; and Richmond, VA in November. Seminars cover the fundamentals of OPC including Servers, Clients, OPC Data Access, OPC Unified Architecture, Best Practices and Compliance.

Opto 22 Lunch & Learn
Opto 22's Lunch & Learn program is designed to give customers a new way to familiarize themselves with the company's flagship SNAP PAC System and the rest of the Opto 22 product line while enjoying a free lunch at their own place of business.

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 Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.

• Divelbiss releases HEC-2000 PLC
• Semaphore introduces Kingfisher G30 Compact SCADA System RTU
• austriamicrosystems introduces the AS1542 12-bit ADC
• Siemens introduces Simatic Field PG M2 programming device
• IntelliCom announces NetBiter Serial Server for Rockwell PLCs
• IXXAT adds CANopen to ProConOS Runtime System
• RTA releases InstantPLC chip
• FieldServer introduces SlotServer Fire Alarm interface for ControlLogix

Browse these and more Product Announcements on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.

Search all Products by keyword, category, manufacturer or release date.

Research on PLCs and PACs
Control Engineering, December 2007
By Dick Johnson
Programming software is a bigger differentiator than hardware features, say respondents, who are also looking for a variety of networking options. In the most recent survey, done in conjunction with Reed Research, 548 respondents made it clear that the modern PLC/PAC has met their expectations.

Frost & Sullivan predicts PLC sales in China to reach $1 billion in 2013.
Developing customized products for specific industries that have particular requirements could help companies attain an edge over competitors.

ARC predicts China PLC Market to hit $1.3 billion by 2011
The China market for PLCs is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4% over the next five years. The market was close to $750 million in 2006 and is forecasted to be over $1.3 billion in 2011.

Schneider Electric sales up in third quarter
Schneider Electric sales for the third quartertotaled €4,468 million, up 28.4% from the year-earlier period.

Browse these and more company and organizational news on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.

ATX - Automation Technology Expo West
January 29-31, 2008 Anaheim, California
Latest advances in automation including assembly systems, custom automation, control software/hardware, motion control, robotics, sensors, vision inspection systems, and much more.

2008 Motor, Drive & Automation Systems Conference
February 14-15, 2008 - Atlanta, Georgia
Two-day conference is focused on the latest advancements and economics in electric motor, drive & automation technology. Topics discussed will include new motors, drives & automation systems, system design and integration for optimum performance, new components and materials, advancements in electronics and control, testing systems and techniques.

Instrumentation & Control Master Series
February 25-28, 2008 Manchester UK
The I&C Master Series is brings together an elite group of instrumentation and control engineers for an intensive, compressed 4 days of learning covering the key areas of instrumentation and control.

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.

2008 Siemens Automation Summit
July 23 -25, 2008 Chicago, IL
The 2008 Siemens Automation Summit has presentations from industry experts and analysts, and customer case histories which detail the benefits of Siemens products.

Rick Zabel
Vice President, Publisher
Automation.com

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