Articles and News

The free 220+-page "Understanding New Developments in Data Acquisition, Measurement, and Control" handbook is a practical guide to high performance test and measurement. The handbook is divided into nine sections that discuss issues influencing the selection of data acquisition and control equipment.

Extio remote graphics units (RGUs) have been selected by ABB Automation Technologies for integration in the new ABB System 800xA Extended Operator Workplace, which provides a broad view of production processes to control room operators.

The resulting company, known as OA International bv, is a 200+ employee global automation solutions provider. Martin F. Wieffering, former CEO of KSE Protech is now OA International's Chief Executive Officer & Chairman.

S2 Technologies appointed MDS Technology as its distributor in Korea. MDS has been focusing on the embedded industry for more than 13 years, serving about 750 customers such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai and others.

Dataforth has increased production capacity by 50 percent through significant additions to production machinery, product inventory, square footage, and staff.

Halliburton Company will open its corporate headquarters office in the United Arab Emirates. Chairman, President and CEO Dave Lesar will move to Dubai. The headquarters in Dubai is the next step in a strategic plan announced in 2006 to focus on expanding its customer relations with national oil companies while concentrating more of the company’s investments and resources in growing its business in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Independent tests prove that the TRUNKGUARD device coupler works seamlessly with a DeltaV control system during repeated short-circuit testing and extreme temperatures. According to Evaluation International, TRUNKGUARD continued to operate and maintain communications with DeltaV after multiple short circuits on spurs, temperatures from -40 to 70°C, and operation at upper and lower voltage limits.

Emerson will engineer, project manage, install, commission, and provide long term support on automation solutions for the company's oil, gas and petrochemical facilities in Qatar.

Invensys will supply Foxboro distributed control systems (DCS), Triconex safety systems and fire & gas systems, and Foxboro instrumentation to Aker Kvaerner, Inc. for a new LNG receipt terminal being built near the Gulf Coast of Louisiana.

Nick will work with all vice presidents, corporate officers, directors and department heads to ensure that operations are in line with Moore Industries’ corporate goals and initiatives. Moore Industries is a leader in the design and manufacture of interface instruments and fieldbus equipment.

Stuart C. Irby Co. has become the authorized Allen-Bradley distributor for the Columbus and Meridian, Mississippi, markets. Irby will establish two new locations as full-line commercial and industrial branches to complement and expand their existing Mississippi footprint.

Jim Pauley has assumed the role of vice-chairman of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). He will also continue serving as vice-president, industry and government relations for Schneider Electric North America.

The Web site, "Manufacturing is Cool," was created by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation with the goal of inspiring pre-teens and teens to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing. It provides an inside look at how kid favorites - such as snacks, fashion, cars and cell phones - are designed and produced by engineers.

Fully searchable CD-ROM provides complete product and design information contained in the company's print catalogs. More than 1,000 pages of technical specifications, product numbers, dimensions and application tips on 28,000 products are fully searchable by keyword or product number.

ABB will supply burner management, boiler controls, and BOP controls for two 330 MW circulating fluidized bed boilers at Cleco Power's new $1 billion Rodemacher Power Station, a 660 MW generating unit near Boyce, LA. ABB will provide System 800xA with operator stations, Harmony Bridge controllers for monitoring and control, and PLC interfaces to the turbine controls via standard OPC technology.

Emerson won a $7 million contract to automate the four unit, 4,000-MW, coal-fired plant in April 2005. The plant, which is owned by Huaneng Power International, is the first 1,000-MW-per-unit power plant in China, as well as the country’s first to use ultra-supercritical technologies. Two of the four units recently went on line.

The online SIL Resource Center has examples of how to determine Safety Integrity Levels and Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), links to associated standards organizations, an extensive Questions and Answers section on the background and requirements of SIL and SIS process industry practices, along with a Common SIL Myths section.

Xycom Automation is adopting Pro-Face as its new corporate name. Xycom will remain a product brand name fully supported in the Pro-face family of Operator Interface and Industrial PC products.

Dr. James Truchard, CEO, president and cofounder of National Instruments was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering. Truchard was recognized for creating virtual instrumentation, which enabled the rapid development of customized measurement systems in industry, academia and classrooms.

Green Hills Software has teamed with Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing, who will offer developers complete embedded hardware/software solutions based on the Green Hills INTEGRITY RTOS and the MULTI development tool suite for modular computing and integrated subsystem applications in the defense and aerospace markets.