Articles and News

An unnamed manufacturer of cable and conductors in Spain used Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture, including CompactLogix PLCs connected to PanelView Plus operator terminals via EtherNet/IP.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor These results of the Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable (PAR) Emerging Technology Benchmarking Survey addressed major automation topics including DCS vs. PLC, Fieldbus Technology, Smart Devices, VFDs, PAT, APC, Wireless, Operator Interfaces, Computing Technology, Validation and Skills gaps.

The Milwaukee office is headed by Joel Warren. Rick Forsgren will manage the Eagan, Minnesota office.

Automation.com, January 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor The 17th Annual PI North America General Assembly Meeting was held October 4-6, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ and included vendors and users who provided updates on PROFIBUS and PROFINET technologies. Topics included PROFINET survey, GE IP, Chrysler-Fiat, Wireless and PROFIenergy.

Automation.com, January 2012 By Bill Lydon At the recent PI North America General Assembly Meeting, Bernie Anger of GE Intelligent Platforms discussed why they chose PROFINET as the backbone for their Programmable Automation Controller portfolio. The PROFINET philosophy fits with GE's evolving legacy of high performance distributed systems.

Catalog contains 100 full color pages of products from Omega’s automation line: PLCs, smart relays, enclosures, process measurement and control devices, motion control sensors, HMIs and more.

Test time for tuning temperature control can be reduced by using the near-integrating method. It identifies the deadtime and initial ramp rate.

This brings the total number of certified companies to 27 and of certified products to 39.

ABB provided 15 motor drives and PLCs to the Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Three companies--3S, logi.CAD and KW-Software--have incorporated the PLCopen XML specification into their products.

PLCopen Motion Control Specifications have been extended with the release of Part 5 and Part 6, adding fluid power to the spec.

The catalogs list more than 25,000 different products.

Linear programs and real-time optimization need the prediction to violation of constraints inherent in MPC.

Automation.com, December 2011 Gram Equipment in Denmark is a manufacturer of equipment for industrial ice cream production. To simplify system complexity, it based its control topology on an Allen-Bradley GuardLogix platform and EtherNet/IP.

Automation.com, December 2011 Askim Mek Verksted in Norway builds Battpacker wool production machinery. It upgraded to Control Logix PLCs, PanelView Plus HMIs, Festo plug-in pneumatic valves, and EtherNet/IP communications.

Automation.com, November 2011 By Bill Lydon for Automation.com Rockwell Automation introduced the new low-cost Micro800 PLC product line suited for standalone machine applications - a completely new architecture and not based on or compatible with the Logix Platform and Integrated Architecture.

Automation.com, December 2011 By ABB Describes the thinking that went into developing the ABB Process Automation Decision Tool.

Rockwell will replace the DCS at Nyrstar Hobart’s zinc smelting operation in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, with a PlantPAx process automation system.

The distinction between PLCs and distributed control systems is narrowing, but their combined market in Europe will hit €6.45 billion in 2017.

Automation.com, November 2011 By Eric Byres, Byres Security Inc. On one hand, industry is becoming increasingly concerned about just how vulnerable control systems have become to outside attacks. At the same time, new tools and applications that improve efficiency, but increase that exposure, are appearing daily. So must we sacrifice these gains in efficiency if we want to be secure?