Articles and News

By Bill Lydon Executives from supplier and end-user companies, along with a leading industrial business analyst provided their insights into the future of automation and industry issues. Peter Martin, Ph.D., Vice President, Business Value Solutions at Invensys, assembled and moderated the panel. Here's a summary of the discussions.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Greg Hale, Disney's Chief Safety Officer and Vice President, highlights how Disney uses innovative technologies to implement safety and maintenance systems and improve guest experience, including those with disabilities, at all of their theme parks.

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By George Buckbee The line-up includes papers on topics ranging from control hardware to performance improvement and advanced control techniques. Presenters from around the world will give you insight into new and different ways to address control problems.

By Maurice Wilkins Over a three-day period, the Human Performance Track explores all aspects of the process industries from a human perspective from how things are done today to how they may be done tomorrow and also some ideas about how to get in on the act.

By John S. Mitchell Inclusion of condition assessment information into process control and SCADA systems has extended the knowledge base and made operators more aware of production limiting mechanical condition.

By Graham Speake The threat to all companies is real whether it is from virus, worms, and other malware or from a determined hacker inside or outside your company. Large companies who take security seriously and have the luxury of budgetary and manpower availability are not immune from attack and compromise.

By Brad Carlberg This overview includes highlights of three sessions titled, "Plant-wide Wireless," "Energy Harvesting: Powering your Wireless Devices," and "Improving Plant Operations with Wireless."

Do You Care? I Do...

Loose and Tight Systems

Automation.com, September 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor Is it time for DCS suppliers to use open industrial Ethernet protocol standards for their backbone networks? I have asked major DCS suppliers this question and answers vary from supplier to supplier, but there are a few common issues.

Self-tuning adaptive control for an industrial weigh belt feeder

Any continuous waste stream is an excellent candidate for a money saving opportunity. Always keep an eye out for them.

Automation.com, September 2012 By Anup Varghese, Beroe Consulting The Media, Entertainment and Technology (MET) industry uses control and process automation equipment and services at amusement and theme parks. The growth of control and process automation in the MET industry is driven by three main factors which contribute to its future development.

By Peter Seeberg and Jürgen Lange, Softing An overview of collaborations between different organizations—including ADI, FDI, FDT, ISA-95, MES, MIMOSA, ODVA and PLCopen—and the OPC Foundation, and the resulting OPC UA Companion Standards. Part 5 in a series of eight articles.

Automation.com, September 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor Rockwell Automation is clearly focused on building a process automation business to compete in segments that have traditionally been dominated by DCS suppliers. I recently visited with their PlantPAx experts to discuss the system and explore this business initiative.

For a successful automation industry career, work together on a one-on-one basis, and seek inspiration and recognition as a team.

Software and hardware technologies are now available to create a comprehensive remote video monitoring solution. Advanced video management software technologies now provide integration of live video i

The ISA Mentor Program is an ad hoc and extra curricula activity worth sacrificing free time to advance the careers of young automation professionals.

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