ISA International Instrumentation Symposium report

May 21, 2015 - The 61st Annual ISA International Instrumentation Symposium (IIS), jointly developed with the Machinery Failure Prevention Technology (MFPT) Society, was held May 12 at the Westin Hotel in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. The event is jointly sponsored by ISA’s Aerospace Industries, Test Measurement and Process Measurement and Controls Divisions, and is recognized globally as a forum for discussion of new and innovative instrumentation techniques, developments and applications.

200 attendees, 90 industry experts and 18 exhibitor companies enjoyed more than 120 technical paper presentations, keynote addresses, panel discussions, networking receptions, a cutting-edge exhibit, technical tours, tutorials and an ISA training course on industrial wireless technology. The theme of the conference was “Technology Evolution: Sensors to Systems for Failure Prevention.”

“The 61st IIS Symposium provided a remarkable opportunity for ISA Divisions and authors to expand their professional networks and learn about innovative instrumentation techniques. Few forums offer this level of variety of topics and focus on current and pressing problems in industrial instrumentation. This was the instrumentation, prognostics, health management and automation event to attend in 2015 as leaders from ISA joined forces with MFPT to bring attendees seven tracks on health management and engineering,” said IIS General Chair Kash Behdinan, PhD., PMP.

Technical sessions, developed by ISA and MFPT, focused on key instrumentation challenges and developments across multiple industries. Topics covered included diagnostics, health management practices, control system instrumentation, communications and networks, process measurement and control applications, cybersecurity, signal analysis, condition based maintenance, process safety, test and measurement, failure analysis and prevention, fault detection and more. Tutorials covered key challenges and hot topics such as systems engineering, envelope analysis, generating business case analyses for implementing health management capabilities and, on the softer side, maintaining balance while managing a successful career.

Keynote addresses were delivered on Thursday, 12 May, after a welcome from ISA and MFPT leadership. The first keynote, titled “Bringing Back the '70s: Simplifying IC Manufacturing Problem Resolutions with Machine Learning," was given by Ben Eynon, Senior Director of Engineering Development at Samsung Austin Semiconductor. Next, Joshua Kennedy, Associate Director of Sustainment Analysis for the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, presented a dynamic address focused on “Managing and Implementing the Biggest CBM Program in the World,” covering trials, tribulations, and lessons learned.

The keynote sessions continued with Professor Dale Carl Teeters, Chair of the Deparent of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Tulsa. Professor Teeters’ keynote, titled "Nanotechnology for Improvement and Control of Power Systems," detailed the latest research and development work in this important area of study. Finally, Dr. William Kyle Simmons, Principal Investigator at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research, delivered a fascinating theory-based discussion on “Using Human Brain Imaging to Map the Neurocircuitry Underlying Food Motivation.”

In addition to the keynotes, tutorials and technical sessions, attendees enjoyed several receptions and networking events, including an awards presentation for each Society, throughout the conference. “ISA is pleased to offer attendees and exhibiting companies an interesting, broad conference program that focused on their specific challenges and opportunities,” commented ISA Executive Director and CEO Patrick Gouhin.

About ISA
The International Society of Automation is a nonprofit professional association that sets the standard for those who apply engineering and technology to improve the management, safety, and cybersecurity of modern automation and control systems used across industry and critical infrastructure. Founded in 1945, ISA develops widely used global standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; hosts conferences and exhibits; and provides networking and career development programs for its 36,000 members and 350,000 customers around the world.

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