Back to:

Process Control e-Newsletter Archive

Automation Portals

Process Control Portal

White Papers

		Optimization of energy usage Automation.com, May 2012 By ODVA ODVA describes optimization of energy usage (OEU) in the industrial sector and an overview of ODVA’s vision of a comprehensive approach to energy optimization including OEU in the industrial ecosystem; ODVA’s vision of OEU in the Production domain; Industrial use cases for OEU; ODVA’s technical approach to OEU; and OEU in practice.

		Report from the Field: Seven Best Practices for Automation Cyber Security and Compliance - 05/13/12 By Industrial Defender With cyber attacks against industrial and infrastructure automation systems becoming common, new tools and practices are essential to maintain security and compliance. This field report reviews the seven major cyber security issues that appear most frequently and explores the best practices required to solve them.

		Long-Term Instrument Control and Connectivity Solutions - 05/03/12 Automation.com, May 2012 By National Instruments The key to developing long-term instrument control applications is software and hardware that enable seamless connectivity to any instrument in an application and offer built-in capabilities for advanced data analysis and presentation. The two decisions, the instrument and the software, should be independent of each other.

		Manufacturing In The Cloud - 04/18/12 Automation.com, April 2012 By Bala Adiseshan, inKumo With the cloud, small and mid-size businesses can now acquire enterprise level capabilities that were previously out of reach. Overall, improving performance and agility has never been easier or less expensive.

		Maximize the Success of Your Control System with Object-Oriented Design - 03/19/12 Automation.com, March 2012 By Rick Slaugenhaupt, TechMinder Consulting Object-orientation is the technique of bundling code into individual software objects. Numerous benefits result from this and, in turn, those benefits streamline the effort of creating a rock-solid control system solution.


		HMI Platforms Evolve to Become Key Automation Solution Components - 03/09/12 By ARC Rather than being just a standalone component, the HMI device is evolving into a platform that helps solve manufacturing problems to improve business performance. This ARC insight explains how HMI Platforms evolve to become key automation solution components.

		Managing Obsolete Technologies: Strategies and Practices - 03/09/12 By ARC ARC surveyed the technology and practices typically found in manufacturing plants or factories used to manage, direct and control the production operation. This report analyzes these practices to help end users set viable strategies.

		5 Questions You Must Ask to Reduce Downtime & Improve OEE - 03/02/12 Automation.com, March 2012 By Inductive Automation In this white paper you'll learn what analysis methods are most effective to discovering downtime causes and events. You'll also get insights into critical issues that will boost your overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

		The Internet of Things - 02/27/12 Automation.com, January 2012 By Advantech The commercial and home uses of the Internet of Things are increasing on a daily basis. In the world of Automation and Control, the opportunities are quite literally endless, but several broad areas come immediately to mind.

		Installing Automation in Hazardous Areas - 02/27/12 Automation.com, January 2012 By Advantech This paper compares, contrasts and explains IEC and NEMA classification standards, and then explains how to protect automation system components using one of the three main methods of protection: Energy Limiting, Containment and Segregation.

		Using Guided Wave Radar in Steam loops - 02/09/12 Automation.com, March 2012 By Keith Riley and Ravi Jethra, Endress+Hauser White paper addresses the application of Guided Wave Radar to measure level in steam loops, including discussions of how this technology functions and differs from more traditional forms of level indication.

		How to Choose the Right Application Software for Your Measurement System - 02/04/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By National Instruments Application software lies at the core of modern data acquisition (DAQ) systems, making it imperative that you select a software tool that fits the needs of your application today and easily scales as your system matures. This paper walks through five questions to consider when choosing application software.

		Enclosures for hazardous areas: understanding the differences - 01/19/12 Automation.com, January 2012 By Gary Johnson, COOPER Crouse-Hinds UK When it comes to specifying enclosures for hazardous area electrical applications, engineers must ensure they fully understand IP protection ratings, as well as the implications of modifying an Exd or Exe enclosure prior to or after installation.

		How to Choose the Right DAQ Hardware for Your Measurement System - 01/12/12 Automation.com, January 2011 By National Instruments With many data acquisition (DAQ) devices to choose from, it can be difficult to select the right one for your application. This white paper outlines five questions that you should ask when selecting your hardware.

		Successfully Executing a System Integration Project - 01/12/12 By Beamex Paper, January 2012 Describes how Beamex’s CMX calibration management software can be used for the calibration of process instrumentation as part of a CMMS.

		Signal Conditioning: Getting the most for your money - 12/21/11 Automation.com, December 2011 By Acromag This paper reviews signal conditioning features such as accuracy, adjustability, isolation, surge withstand capability, RFI/EMI protection, packaging, and repairability.

		Simplifying Plant Safety Instrumentation - 12/21/11 Automation.com, December 2011 By United Electric Controls For point safety applications, a properly designed and implemented digital switch with self-diagnostics can be an important part of the solution.

		Safety in Drives - 11/21/11 Automation.com, November 2011 By Mikko Ristolaine, ABB Offerings from safe stopping to more elaborate monitoring functions are being introduced and are heralding new opportunities in machine safety.

		The Better Way to Choose a Process Automation Solution - 11/21/11 Automation.com, December 2011 By ABB Describes the thinking that went into developing the ABB Process Automation Decision Tool.

		The Effective Operator - 11/21/11 Automation.com, November 2011 By Hongyu Pei Breivold, et al, ABB Here’s how ABB's System 800xA helps improve operator effectiveness through improved situational awareness and better handling of abnormal conditions.

		Real Time Control Over the Web - 11/17/11 Automation.com, November 2011 By Steve Jahnke, Galixsys Networks Devices make use of the Web to send and receive data, usually from a cloud service or backend server. Most of the inherent latency and processing problems of the web can be removed if XML document passing is not used as the means to transmit generic commands.

		Building Distributed Monitoring and Control Systems With LabVIEW - 11/08/11 By National Instruments November 2011 This paper examines the benefits of creating distributed monitoring and control systems as well as the fundamentals of building these systems. Engineers can use the concepts presented in this paper to design reliable, high-performance systems that can easily integrate with future technologies.

		PC vs. PLC: key factors in comparing control options - 11/03/11 Automation.com, November 2011 By Bosch Rexroth When deciding whether to choose a PLC or PC, analyze and compare characteristics that could differentiate the two technologies such as operation, robustness, serviceability, hardware integration, security, safety, programming and cost.

		Building a Business Case for Wireless - 10/19/11 Automation.com, October 2011 By Apprion This white paper provides some best practices, core economic benchmarks and performance metrics to use when developing a strategy and plans for deploying wireless at a plant. It includes case study examples with proven real-world data of the positive ROI of industrial wireless application systems.

		Waste Water Treatment Control - 09/30/11 Automation.com, October 2011 By Hollysys Paper describes how a typical municipal waste water treatment operates - including mechanical treatment, biological and chemical treatment, sludge treatment and the instrumentation involved - and how a PLC-based control system, Profinet and Ethernet handle it all.

		Effective OPC Security for Control Systems - 09/26/11 September 2011 By Eric Byres and Darek Kominek By While the consequences of cyber attacks and malware are no longer in doubt, the question remains, "Exactly how can an engineer reliably secure his or her control system?" This white paper outlines a simple and cost effective answer – a security solution based on OPC technology that can be deployed in almost any industrial facility today.

		The Perils of a DIY Distributed Control System - 09/21/11 Automation.com, September 2011 By Tim Sweet, Honeywell Process Solutions For certain industries, a distributed control system (DCS) provides substantially more value as the basis for automating the plant than a programmable logic controller (PLC)-based system. When PLCs and HMI software packages are integrated, the result looks a lot like a DCS. But, all is not as it seems.

		IR imaging for machine vision and process control - 09/19/11 Automation.com, September 2011 By Jason Styron, FLIR Covers the technology behind infrared as a form of non-visible imaging, including detector technology, camera platforms, software, software analytics, and applications. The purpose of this is to highlight the use of IR technology for conventional machine vision applications.

		Increasing the Value of Automation for Industrial Infrastructure Projects - 07/29/11 By Tim Sweet, Honeywell Process Solutions This white paper discusses the use of modern automation technology to support industrial infrastructure projects in the world’s developing regions. It describes the latest innovative strategies for automating balance-of-plant units and other supporting assets in new Greenfield facilities.

		Optimization Solution White Paper - 07/28/11 By Honeywell Advanced control and real-time optimization tools have become necessary technologies for today’s process operating companies to compete and maintain profitable operations. This white paper describes Honeywell’s layered approach to optimization.

		SCADA Security: Challenges and Solutions - 07/12/11 By Metin Ozturk and Philip Aubin, Schneider Electric This paper presents the case for improving security to SCADA systems. It examines the factors that have contributed to the growing vulnerability of control systems, and presents new standards designed to protect critical infrastructure including the use of encryption and authentication for SCADA systems.

		Models for MES In an Enterprise Architecture - 07/04/11 Automation.com, July 2011 By Don Fraser, Jacobs This paper describes the modeling techniques applied for the integration of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) into enterprise architecture. The MES complements the ERP system by providing essential production information in a fully integrated environment that reduces the dependence on manual data entry.

		Improving SCADA Operations Using Wireless Instrumentation - 06/20/11 Automation.com, June 2011 By Hany Fouda, Schneider Electric Integrating wireless instrumentation with SCADA systems can drive operational efficiency and reduce deployment costs. The purpose of this paper is to explore the particular ways in which operators can tightly integrate wireless instrumentation networks with SCADA and realize the full benefits of such an integrated solution. Wireless Instrumentation

		Industrial PCs: Addressing the Top Five Challenges on the Factory Floor - 06/14/11 Automation.com, June 2011 By Phoenix Contact PC-based control systems are becoming increasingly common on the factory floor, but selecting the wrong industrial PC can lead to downtime, or even worse, lost production. By understanding the issues, a user can select the best industrial PC to meet the needs of a specific application.

		Boost Your PLC System: Advanced Analysis and Control - 06/07/11 By National Instruments In a typical PLC-based system, an input value is often compared to a set point for a binary result that turns on a light, opens a hatch, starts the conveyor, and so on. This level of functionality works well in most straightforward applications. However, more advanced control systems require additional analysis through signal processing and advanced decision making to calculate meaningful data before adjusting the output values.

		Aspect Object Technology - 06/06/11 Automation.com, June 2011 By ABB A central problem in plant operations as well as asset lifecycle management is that you need a way to keep together, manage, and have access to information about all different aspects of a great number of plant and process entities. White paper describes how the System 800xA handles it.

		Defense in Cyber Space - 05/19/11 By Trent Nelson, Idaho National Laboratory, and Jeff Becker, Honeywell For industrial facilities, the increased vulnerability of the enterprise resulting from open wireless architectures, coupled with a rise in cyber attacks, has made electronic security a major concern. This whitepaper discusses the present situation regarding cyber security, beating the hackers and how to protect plants against potential cyber attacks.

		Boost Your PLC System: High-Performance Analog Measurements - 05/19/11 By National Instruments We live in an analog world and we often find ourselves in need of high-performance analog measurements as we push the limits of automation technology. Can PLCs keep up?

		Expanding the Use of Smart Operator Panels - 05/14/11 Automation.com, May 2011 By Advantech One of the great benefits of smart operator panels is they can be used to provide HMI interfaces with many controllers. An operator panel can be connected to PLCs and other operator panels in a variety of useful ways, including remotely over Ethernet.

		Dealing with ICONICS GENESIS SCADA Vulnerabilities - 03/29/11 By Byres Security A number of previously unknown security vulnerabilities in the ICONICS GENESIS32 and GENESIS64 products have been publically disclosed. The release of these vulnerabilities included proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code. This White Paper summarizes the current known facts about these vulnerabilities. It also provides guidance regarding a number of possible mitigations and compensating controls that operators of SCADA and ICS systems can take to protect critical operations.

		Dealing with 7-Technologies IGSS Vulnerabilities - 03/29/11 By Byres Security A number of previously unknown security vulnerabilities in the 7-Technologies Interactive Graphics SCADA System (IGSS) product have been publically disclosed. The release of these vulnerabilities included proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code. This White Paper summarizes the current known facts about these vulnerabilities. It also summarizes the actions that operators of SCADA and ICS systems can take to protect critical operations.

		Protecting Water Industry Control and SCADA Systems from Cyber Attacks - 03/22/11 By Don Dickinson, Phoenix Contact To ensure the availability and reliability of water systems, the control systems and SCADA networks used to monitor and control plant processes must be protected against cyber attacks. It is important to understand the threats and associated risks to control systems in order to establish a plan for protecting critical systems.

		Find More Space in Your Control Panel - 03/15/11 By Eaton Optimize your panel designs. Learn options for distributing loads in industrial control panels and how to safely apply them, while adhering to Underwriters Laboratories® standard 508A and National Electrical Code®, NFPA® 70-2011.

		The Benefits of Using Rigorously Tested Routines from Numerical Libraries - 03/13/11 By Numerical Algorithms Group This white paper intends to help robotics and automation engineers understand how and why to incorporate use of extensively documented numerical libraries into their application development practices.

		Post-Stuxnet Industrial Security - 02/19/11 By Frank Dickman, Innonimate After Stuxnet, the threats from malware and insufficient IT security in automation networks can no longer be ignored. The real danger looming out there, however, is not from Stuxnet itself, but rather from mutations likely to be created by imitators.

		Why it's time to move to PROFINET - 01/26/11 By HMS Networks In the early days of fieldbus technology PROFIBUS followed a very aggressive growth curve. Within the Industrial Ethernet market, PROFINET has followed a similar path. Find out how implementing PROFINET into a device can extend its functionality for years to come.

		Non-metallic Enclosures in Outdoor Environments - 01/01/11 By Hoffman Enclosures can house electronic controls and electrical systems in outdoor applications, protecting sensitive components from extreme environments and hazards such as water, chemicals, temperatures, dust and dirt.

		Reducing the Risk, Cost and Frequency of Production Stoppages Using Network Redundancy - 12/03/10 By Mike Miclot and John Mower, Belden Whether your facility is involved in discrete or process operations, ensuring that it runs uninterrupted is critical to your bottom line. One way to minimize the risk of unplanned outages is to ensure that your communications keep flowing with a back-up, or redundant network.

		Top 5 OPC Questions Integrators Need To Ask - 10/16/10 By Matrikon While OPC connectivity should reduce system complexity and save project time, there is the potential for expectations and cost to go astray if certain project risks aren’t properly managed. There are five important questions integrators need to ask to ensure the success of any major OPC implementation.

		Intelligent Device Management: Device Diagnostics - 10/05/10 By Emerson Process Management Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) is the technology used by device manufacturers to control how the device diagnostics is displayed to the technician. EDDL makes diagnostics of intelligent devices easier thanks to user guidance such as wizards and help.

		Fieldbus Diagnostics: Latest Advancements Optimize Plant Asset Management - 10/05/10 By Stephen Mitschke, Fieldbus Foundation Advancements in field diagnostics support a structured approach to asset management, which simplifies operators’ tasks and increases their confidence in utilizing equipment diagnostics and asset software.

		Device Revision and Lifecycle Management Guide - 10/05/10 By Emerson Process Management How to keep systems up to date and compatible with new devices using EDDL.

		Alarm Response Management By GE Intelligent Platforms Too many alarms can just be a nuisance, but alarms requiring a correct emergency response can be dangerous. Alarm Response Management software, which layers easily on top of existing HMI/SCADA systems, enables companies to take action on alarms by guiding operators through the proper steps.

		The Changing Role of the Operator By GE Intelligent Platforms No longer are operators simply working within their traditional functional boundaries with established guidelines and procedures. They are increasingly expected to leverage their knowledge to make objective real-time decisions. Forward-looking businesses that recognize the value of today’s operator have begun adopting advanced software tools to support them as more intelligent problem solvers.

		Alarm Rationalization: Bounded vs. Unbounded Approaches - 09/20/10 By TiPS While the activity of alarm rationalization is straightforward, its application can range from simple to extremely complex, depending on resources and objectives. This white paper introduces two basic methodologies: bounded or unbounded, and evaluates the benefits of each.

		Increasing Productivity With Programmable Automation Controllers - 09/01/10 By GE Intelligent Platforms OEMs and end users in the rapidly changing automation industry can leverage the advantages of PAC technology to increase productivity. This white paper discusses some key PAC features and the advantages they can provide, helping users understand the depth of control system capability they may want to look for to meet their current and future application needs.

		ERP Software Feature Checklist - 08/27/10 By Software Advice This detailed Excel spreadsheet outlines the core features that you should consider as you develop your ERP software requirements. Rate ERP software systems against each feature based on the detailed definitions of each feature to create a side-by-side comparison matrix.

		Determining the Best Controller for Your Small System - 07/22/10 By Honeywell When choosing the type of control system for a particular application, there are many considerations that influence the decision. A DCS is designed for process control and a PLC is designed for machine or motion control. Here’s how to choose the right system for the job.

		Solutions for Small Specialty Chemical Sites - 07/22/10 By Honeywell White paper describes Honeywell’s Experion LS solution for small batch manufacturing sites.

		Using the Latest Batch Management Technology to Improve Business Results - 07/22/10 By Honeywell This paper considers typical requirements for safe and manageable batch control systems, and provides guidance for users who seek the latest process automation technology while making the most of existing plant assets and intellectual property.

		How to Select the Ideal Enclosure Gasket - 07/08/10 By Hoffman While gaskets are primarily used to exclude the external environment from entering an enclosure—such as dust, dirt, water, EMI and RFI—they can also be used to contain noise or other forms of interference generated from internal components.

		Mitigate Condensation Damage - 07/08/10 By Hoffman Electrical and electronic equipment are typically housed in an electrical enclosure to provide protection from the external environment. However, even with a sealed enclosure the introduction of moisture and water can result from a variety of circumstances.

		Select the Proper Enclosure for washdown environments - 07/08/10 By Hoffman Washdowns will remove all waste materials and residue from processing systems and controls, thereby preserving product quality. However, establishing a suitable washdown environment for the application at hand requires numerous steps.

		Apply Solar Shielding to Enclosures - 07/08/10 By Hoffman The temperature rise inside an enclosure above outdoor ambient is caused by internal equipment heat dissipation and solar energy absorption. This paper shows the beneficial temperature effects shielding the direct and reflective radiation from the sun.

		Global Enclosure Standards - 07/08/10 By Hoffman This white paper defines the industry standards that exist for electrical enclosures and compares the most commonly used standards -- IEC, NEMA and UL.

		OPC Server in Automation - 03/11/10 By Moxa Network management software compatible with SNMP is hard to learn and hard to use, and as a consequence did not gain widespread acceptance by control engineers. In this paper, we discuss the current status of OPC, and why you can benefit from using OPC Server in the automation industry.

		Automation and the Smart Grid: Energy Management Today - 02/19/10 By Opto 22 This white paper takes a look at electrical power in the United States today, investigates the nature of the Smart Grid, and suggests ways that small and medium-sized companies can - without waiting for future technological development - gather energy data and control electrical energy costs today.

		Advantages of a PC Based HART Communicator - 12/09/09 By Michael B. Fersky, ProComSol The HART Foundation’s SDC-625 standard defines PC-based HART communicators, and all DDs must comply with it. So what’s the difference between a $7,000 handheld HART communicator and a PC-based one?

		Tuning the Forgotten Loop - 11/30/09 By Steve Rubin, Longwatch The “forgotten loop” has been the operator, who is typically trained to “average” parameters to run adequately under most steady-state conditions. “Advanced tuning” of the operator could yield even better outputs, with higher quality, fewer errors and a wider response to fluctuating operating conditions. This paper explores the issue of improving operator actions, and a method for doing so.

		A Revolutionary Approach: Quad Redundancy Control By GE Intelligent Platforms White paper describes GE Intelligent Platforms’ approach to redundancy, using four redundant controllers—a Master Controller and three synchronized backup controllers. If the Master Controller or any of the system components fail, the system identifies the best backup controller to take over

		Six Sigma: What? Why? How? - 10/25/09 By Dataforth Six Sigma uses statistical analysis to quantitatively measure how a process is performing. That process can involve manufacturing, business practices, products, or service. To be defined as Six Sigma means that the process does not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO) – which translates to 99.9997% efficiency.

		Benefits of FF HSE with ABB System 800xA - 09/11/09 By David Huffman, ABB FOUNDATION Fieldbus High Speed Ethernet (FF HSE) has been a technology available to automation system suppliers since 1999, but very few suppliers have provided the full features and functionality to their clients. This white paper explains how ABB System 800xA uses FF HSE more extensively than other control systems.

		A Recipe for Success - 07/23/09 By GE Intelligent Platforms This paper explores the use of today’s recipe software solutions as a part of a control strategy to transform a company’s recipe area from a place of contentious schedule adherence and “roll-of-the-dice quality” to one that can reduce waste while increasing quality.

		Upgrading Your DCS: Why You May Need to Do It Sooner Than You Think - 07/21/09 By Chad Harper, MAVERICK Technologies The decision to upgrade a DCS is like the decision to upgrade your laptop or PC. Transferring files and programs is never easy, but using an outdated machine is even more of a chore. Support grows obsolete, old systems prove incompatible with new products, and speed and storage become major problems. Efficiency suffers as a result.

		Secure OPC Tunneling: Know Your Options - 07/16/09 By Software Toolbox & Cogent Real-Time Systems Anyone who has attempted to network OPC knows that it is challenging, at best. There are many options and solutions in the market that attempt to solve this challenge. This whitepaper shows how tunneling technologies solve the issues associated with networking OPC and what to look for in a tunneling product.

		Alarm Trips: The Ups and Downs - 07/09/09 By Moore Industries White paper contains information on the various types of alarm trips, effective applications, and safety factors and other considerations when implementing an alarm trip strategy.

		Honeywell I-MAC Provides Path to Operational Excellence - 07/07/09 By ARC Honeywell expands the concept of MAC with its Integrated MAC (I-MAC) concept that provides value in the form of operational, business, and project readiness from the early stages of a project through the operational phase of the plant.

		Best Practices to Support and Maintain Advanced Solutions - 07/07/09 By Honeywell Process Solutions There are potential challenges and pitfalls of supporting advanced solutions across the areas of process optimization, blending, alarm management, asset management, manufacturing execution systems, and more. This paper describes best practices that help avoid them.

		Making the Smart Grid Work - 06/11/09 By IP Huang, Advantech IEC 61850 was developed for communications between substations, internal communications within substations, and communications between various parts of the grid and the central control system for that portion of the grid. The key benefits expected to derive from IEC 61850 are exceptional interconnectivity, using one worldwide protocol, along with easy interoperability between systems and devices from different vendors.

		GE: The Advantages of Plant-wide Historians vs. Relational Databases - 04/29/09 By GE Intelligent Platforms While relational databases (RDBs) are designed to manage relationships between contextualized data, plantwide historians are built specifically for manufacturing and process data acquisition and presentation. They offer key advantages over RDBs, including built-in data collection capabilities, faster speeds, higher data compression, robust redundancy, enhanced data security and quicker time to value.

		Improving PID Controller Performance - 04/15/09 By National Instruments PID control is the most commonly used control algorithm in the industry today. PID controller popularity can be attributed to the controller’s effectiveness in a wide range of operation conditions, its functional simplicity, and the ease with which engineers can implement it using current computer technology. This paper covers some of the PID drawbacks and how to resolve them while improving performance in current implementations through changes in the algorithm.

		Custom Controller or COTS? Step-by-step guide to making the right choice - 04/06/09 By ARC OEMs typically have two choices, to develop "green boards," which are internally designed custom controllers, or to apply COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) micro PLCs. This whitepaper will examine some of the important and sometimes overlooked factors involved in choosing between a custom controller and a COTS micro PLC.

		Five Things to Think About Before Using Hardwired Controls Again - 04/06/09 By ARC For most OEMs, programmable relays can serve as a very cost effective controller for their products. This paper is written to help OEMs determine the "real cost" of using traditional hardwired controls by comparing it to the "real cost" of using commercially available programmable relays.

		Benefits of State Based Control - 03/25/09 By David A. Huffman, ABB State Based Control results in productivity increases, higher asset utilization of both people and process, automated responses and recovery for abnormal conditions and provides an environment for knowledge capture directly into the control design.

		Adding Process Control to a PLC-based System - 03/04/09 By Opto 22 Today's automation applications are less narrowly defined than in the past. Today, both discrete control and process control are often required to get the job done. Because of the architectural differences between a PLC-based system and a DCS, approaching a hybrid system from the PLC side can offer some challenges.

		Visibility, Enablement, and Process Innovation for a Mobile Workforce - 02/28/09 By Wonderware In a modern plant, the right time to view information is not when you are standing in front of an operator console. It is when you are in the field, in front of a failing piece of equipment or discussing a problem while on the move. More often than not, the right way to deliver information is by putting it in the hands of a mobile worker.

		The Secret Behind Wide Temperature Technology - 12/22/08 By Abel Lee, et al, Moxa Wide temperature industrial computers generally have an operating temperature range of -40 to 75°C. Designing such a computer requires a full understanding of the product’s thermal gradient to optimize the placement of components inside the computer.

		Expanding Allen-Bradley Logix Systems with Intelligent Remote I/O - 11/25/08 By Opto 22 With the new options provided by intelligent remote I/O, expanding an Allen-Bradley Logix system is no longer a dilemma. Instead, it's an opportunity to add functionality and explore opportunities while staying within your current system and within budget.

		Establishing Change Management for Your HMI/SCADA System - 07/28/08 By GE Intelligent Platforms There are more to costs than just those incurred through project development and ongoing maintenance. Change management technology offers an automated way to help an organization assess, monitor, manage, control—and lower—project costs as well as ongoing maintenance costs of HMI/SCADA and control systems. Registration required.

		Creating Secure OPC Architectures - 03/07/08 By Adriel Michaud, MatrikonOPC Technical guide on how to secure typical OPC implementations. It covers OPC DA, HDA, and A&E, securing OPC Servers from unauthorized OPC Client access, and restricting authorized OPC Clients to only the functions necessary.

		Improving Plant Production with Wireless Condition Monitoring - 01/10/08 by Jim Ralston, ProSoft Technology Mechanical failure of motors, drives and other vital electromechanical equipment are among the most common reasons for production stoppages. Fortunately, recent advancements in vibration monitoring and data analysis have lead to condition monitoring systems that can accurately detect a problem before failure, thus reducing costly machine shutdowns and maximizing production output.

		Introduction to Fieldbus - 03/08/07 By Moore Hawk Fieldbus is simple. So simple, you'll wonder what all the fuss is all about. In this white paper, we'll stick to the two basic fieldbuses used in process control: PROFIBUS PA and FOUNDATION fieldbus H1. We'll cover how fieldbus works, show how to connect instruments, and explain why - in most cases - you can't connect all 32 instruments on a single fieldbus segment as all the advertising claims. We will also talk about the differences between PROFIBUS and FOUNDATION fieldbus, FISCO vs. Entity intrinsically-safe fieldbus systems, installing redundant segments, and EDDL vs. FDT.

		A Critical Shift: How Adding Structure Can Make Shift Handovers More Effective - 03/12/12 Automation.com, March 2012 By Tom Plocher of Honeywell, et al. Shift logs are the mechanisms that help coordinate activities across shifts or teams. Industrial research has repeatedly argued for the benefits of imposing structure on shift handovers in the form of structured logs, checklists, and displays.

		Endress+Hauser Releases White Paper Showing How to Maintain pH Sensors - 02/27/12 Automation.com, March 2012 By Fred Kohlmann, Endress+Hauser White paper describes when and how to inspect, clean and calibrate pH sensors-including a complete decision tree diagram that outlines all necessary steps.

		FDI: Field Device Integration Technology - 02/07/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By FDI Cooperation FDT Group, Fieldbus Foundation, HART Communication Foundation, OPC Foundation, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International, are supporting and driving forward the development of FDI Technology. Here’s how FDI works.

		Wireless technology in industrial automation - 12/27/11 By Johan van der Westhuizen,Yokogawa The use of wireless technology in industrial automation systems offers a number of potential benefits. Here’s what Yokogawa thinks about wireless.

		The ISA S88 standard: A roadmap for automation - 09/20/11 Plant Services, September 2011 This paper explains the purpose and benefits of ISA's S88 standard. It includes ways this standard can help reduce engineering cost and serve as a management tool, ways it can be used to help control capital expenditure, enable more precise definition of operational requirements, identify what should and should not be automated and aid in definition of optimum levels of automation.

		Applying the total cost of ownership equation to process automation - 06/27/11 PlantServices, June 2011 By Honeywell This document will decode the background behind one of the manufacturing industries' most-commonly used, yet rarely fully understood, acronyms: TCO. Otherwise known as total cost of ownership.

		Five Factors for Selecting Fieldbus Valve Manifolds - 06/27/11 IEN, June 2011 By Enrico De Carolis, Numatics This paper presents controls engineers, specifiers, and buyers with 5 crucial factors they must consider before selecting pneumatic fieldbus valve manifolds — commissioning, distribution, modularity, diagnostics, and recovery — while also outlining some shortcomings of conventional approaches.

		Overcoming barriers to wireless adoption - 05/03/11 By Adrienne Lutovsky, ProSoft Technology Questions regarding security, reliability and capacity of wireless continue to prevent conservative end users from reaping its benefits. Can these be overcome?

		AVEVA publishes Operations Integrity Management paper - 03/08/11 Exploring critical business areas for both project and asset performance, the paper seeks to identify how Owner Operators can reduce operational cost and risk through an optimised information management strategy.

		Post-Stuxnet Industrial Security: Zero Day Discovery and Risk Containment of Industrial Malware - 03/03/11 By Torsten Rössel, Innominate Security Technologies AG Phoenix Contact’s new white paper explains how the FL mGuard with CIFS Integrity Monitoring can provide early warning about malware similar to Stuxnet.

		ODVA publishes white paper on industrial energy optimization - 03/03/11 ODVA plans to raise awareness of energy consumption and offer control strategies that can optimize energy usage throughout the industrial ecosystem from the plantfloor to the grid.

		Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Data Acquisition part 2 - 08/26/10 By Bob Judd, United Electronic Industries Part 2 introduces and explains some of the less common or "second tier" I/O DAQ hardware, as well as Communications I/O standards and clock, sync and timing standards.

		Improving SCADA Operations Using Wireless Instrumentation - 06/28/10 White paper from Control Microsystems explores the various ways in which operators can tightly integrate wireless instrumentation networks with SCADA systems in automation, process control, building automation, pipelines, W&WW plants and similar applications.

		Impact of Greenhouse-Gas Legislation on Solvents in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - 06/17/10 Solvent recovery offers simplified, low-risk method to reduce carbon footprint, shielding manufacturers from adverse effects of pending environmental regulations

		Selecting Air Conditioners for Industrial Enclosures By Judith Koetzsch, Rittal White Paper identifies factors that should be considered when choosing air conditioners for industrial enclosures. Topics include internal heat loads, various methods used to rate the cooling capacity of enclosure air conditioners, the impact of ambient conditions such as humidity, and energy efficiency.

		White Paper offers advice for selecting a process safety system - 04/19/10 By Rockwell Automation “Demanding Performance Requirements of Oil and Gas Industry Requires Careful Safety System Selection,” discusses the pros and cons of common design approaches.

		Achieving 21 CFR Part 11 Compliance - 04/18/10 White paper discusses the use of Yokogawa’s CENTUM VP distributed control system (DCS) to meet the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration’s 21 CFR § 11.

		Six Factors to Consider when Upgrading to an Industrial Grade IP Surveillance System - 03/11/10 By Edward Lu, MOXA IP surveillance offers the benefits of easy integration, remote accessibility, distributed intelligence, and scalability. “Video encoders” can be used to reduce the costs associated with converting from analog surveillance to IP surveillance.

		Managing Information throughout the Asset Lifecycle - 03/01/10 By Russ Novak, ARC Sponsored white paper explains how Mustang Engineering’s AVEVA NET solution is gradually replacing the old warehouse model of data collection with a modern information management solution.

		The Web of Things - 09/27/09 By Tridium Whitepaper discusses the state of device networks and how IP and Web technologies can become enablers to tap the huge potential of smart devices.

		The Promise of M2M: How Pervasive Connected Machines are Fueling the Next Wireless Revolution - 08/27/09 Embedded Computing, August 2009 By Syed Gilani, Mentor Graphics This paper defines the concept of M2M, cites examples on how M2M is being implemented in various businesses/industries, and discusses how some of the partners in M2M are beginning to offer innovative solutions. Registration required.

		Process Analytics Finds Process Problems - 08/12/09 By Jack Wilkins, Canary Labs “Process Analytics Finds Process Problems,” describes how companies can gain great insight into how their process operates, find problems, and improve quality by using process analytical software.

		Hacking the Industrial Network By Innominate Security Technologies While many engineers believe that their production networks are isolated from outside access, nothing could be further from the truth. It is common practice to include access to Web-based services on most programmable logic controllers. This report identifies incidents involving major corporations, utilities, nuclear plants and the Pentagon. A table of twenty-nine major incidents is provided, some of which were kept secret for years. Detailed footnotes and clickable internet research links are provided to document these incidents and each statement of fact.

		The Practical Benefits of Modular Industrial Enclosures By Nathan Xavier, Rittal Modular freestanding enclosures offer a number of key advantages when compared to traditional unibody enclosures. Many times these attributes are overlooked either out of a false perception of increased enclosure costs, a reluctance to change or a simple lack of awareness to the possible benefits of modular solutions.

		Applying Multicore and Virtualization to Industrial and Safety-Related Applications By Wind River Systems White paper shows how multicore and virtualization can help you improve device performance, reduce costs through hardware consolidation, and upgrade applications more cost effectively throughout the product lifecycle. Registation required.

		Video Monitoring Helps in Tough Economic Times - 03/11/09 By Steve Rubin, Longwatch Video monitoring can help companies survive through layoffs, plant closings, and idling of plants. The white paper explains that when plants have layoffs or shut down, much work remains to be done, often by a severely reduced workforce. Video can help pick up the workload.

		Boeing, Coca-Cola and General Mills say energy-efficient manufacturing a must - 03/09/09 "Perspectives on Sustainable Production: Delivering Economic Value and Serving Greater Good," features viewpoints from Rockwell Automation and its customers.

		Remote Site Technology for Infrastructure Management By Semaphore An RTU solves contention problems among the priorities of remote site automation, monitoring and telemetry. In many cases, the engineering team will select a device that is suitable for one role and end up with an integration project to accommodate the others. Here’s how an RTU solution can provide all the desired functionality in a single package.

		Taking out the Garbage: Making Windows XP suitable as a HMI Platform By Marty Huff, MSI Tec Windows XP can provide a robust HMI environment, and has several advantages over either Windows CE or Linux. Out of the box, however, Windows XP is not suitable to act as a HMI / SCADA platform. There are several "tricks" that can be performed to "take out the garbage" thus creating a stable, robust, and secure environment for your application.

		Rockwell Automation White Paper identifies competitive advantages of standards - 01/24/08 Paper shows why standards and regulations are important to global business, and why industry should care.

		Modbus White Paper available from Moore Industries - 11/02/07 The non-commercial white paper describes how Modbus works, and how it can be used in new and legacy process control and automation systems.

		Benefits of Fuzzy Logic for Advanced Process Control By Jeffrey Shearer, Rockwell Automation White paper provides best practices for designing with fuzzy control and examines its benefits compared to conventional control methods. In addition, the paper outlines how to develop fuzzy logic algorithms for the Allen-Bradley Logix family of programmable automation controllers.

		MooreHawke publishes white paper on Installing Fieldbus in Hazardous Locations By Bruce Bradley, Boehringer Ingelheim Chemicals This paper describes everything you should consider when applying fieldbus in hazardous areas, then shows how it was done. Author uses it in a class he teaches on hazardous environments.

Automation.com Real-time Information for the Automation Professional May. 25, 2012

Cart

Automation.com

NOTICE: Your use of Automation.com constitutes your agreement to the Legal Notices, Policies, Terms, and Conditions governing its use. You should review these terms before proceeding.Copyright © 2000-2010 Automation.com - automation.com, automationtechies.com, automationtechies, automationtechie, and Member-Match are all trade and service marks of Automation Resources, Inc. All Rights Reserved.