Articles and News

Automation.com, September 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Bill Lydon talks with Jeff Kodosky, Cofounder of National Instruments and Father of LabVIEW, to discuss real-time control and particularly his continuing work on the problem of visually programming real-time- control applications.

Automation.com, September 2011 By Chris Bowman, TR Electronic Like any industrial communications, there are advantages and disadvantages to using EtherNet/IP. Informing oneself of the limitations will help you to determine if EtherNet/IP is the right way for your installation.

Evaluation Question

Livestream Schedule: Marketing & Sales Summit

Automation.com, August 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Cyber Security is a hot topic that has become more intense since the notoriety of the Stuxnet virus. I interviewed Eric Byres, one of world’s leading industrial automation cyber security experts, to gain a greater understanding of the challenges and solutions for industrial cyber security.

Automation.com, August 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Norm Gilsdorf of Honeywell Process Solutions sits down with our editor, Bill Lydon, to discuss their organizational changes, asset management, PLC competition, wireless, skill crisis, energy and sustainability.

Survey of the century's most important contributions to the practice of "control."

Automation.com, August 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Raj Batra and Adreas Aufenanger of Siemens Industry sit down with our editor, Bill Lydon, to discuss Siemens' global realignment, their process industry initiatives, and their vertical market applications focus.

Automation.com, August 2011 By Eric Byres This tale doesn’t have princes or frogs in it, but instead it deals with SCADA and industrial control system security. It is the myth of the "air gap" between control systems and the rest of the world. Believing in it leads to a false sense of complacency by both end users and vendors, making it a very dangerous fairy tale indeed.

Automation.com, August 2011 By Joe Ciringione Cable carrier systems not only transport energy, data and media to various types of machines, but also greatly influence energy costs. To keep energy costs low, one important consideration is the amount of pull-push, or driving force, that is required at a given speed to move the cable carrier.

Do you understand suppressed and elevated ranges? Here's an approach with a differential pressure transmitter measuring the level of a tank.

Automation.com, August 2011 By Brian Oulton, Rockwell Automation Proliferation of process instruments on EtherNet/IP may signal the start of a trend.

Automation.com, August 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor David Van Wyk, Vice President of Project Management for Walt Disney Imagineering, explained the team's Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) process at the recent Siemens Automation Summit. The IPD method helps Imagineering produce some of the world's most distinctive storytelling experiences that continue to deliver a high wow factor.

Power generation industry vendors are looking for ways to augment or retrofit their systems so that they’re able to provide the functions the owner operators will need.

The ISA Mentor Program connects early career professionals to seasoned professionals who are willing to help coach, guide, and share expertise.

You cannot avoid the need to spend time in the field. Knowledge can be accelerated by communicating with the "best," directly and through ISA publications

Automation.com, July 2011 By Ray Rogowski, Honeywell Wireless has matured to a point where it’s operating around the world in many different industries. And, while its capabilities continue to be uncovered, it’s apparent that wireless assets are influencing users with improvements beyond just cost savings over wired systems.

Automation.com, July 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Peg Stein, Director of Marketing in the equipment group at UOP, presented industry information, analysis, and opinion about the oil and natural gas industry at the recent 2011 Honeywell Users Group Americas Symposium.

Low-cost, low-quality products & services can generate a lot of revenue in the short term, but lack of quality will shorten the revenue opportunity.

Automation.com, July 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor There is a continuing discussion about upgrading aging automation systems and TCO is one method used to make decisions. These investments should be analyzed as serious strategic business investments within a defined lifespan. There are a number of factors to consider in this analysis including business, technical, and operations.