MatrikonOPC™ announced today that it has acquired OPC Unified Architecture (UA) Embedded Server Software Development Kit (SDK) technology from Embedded Labs Ltd., the world’s leading provider of the technology, and positions MatrikonOPC at the forefront of the emerging device-to-enterprise open data connectivity segment.

As the next generation of OPC, the powerful and flexible features of OPC UA provide control automation systems with open standard connectivity regardless of the operating system (OS) being used and for the first time, for low-level devices that do not even use an OS.

“This technology complements MatrikonOPC’s existing portfolio,” said Jeff Gould, general manager-MatrikonOPC. “Unified Architecture technology extends our data connectivity offerings from the desktop down to the micro-controller level.”

Invensys, a focused supplier of state-of-the-art industrial software, systems and control equipment to the world’s major industries, has created a first-in-kind alliance with Callisto Integration, a global leader in manufacturing consulting and systems integration. Callisto was formed in 2012 through a merger of Aseco Integrated Systems and Progressive Software Solutions, both award-winning Invensys endorsed system integrators since the program’s inception in 2009.

Through the alliance, Invensys and Callisto will operate as a seamless services organization optimized for project design and delivery, providing customers in the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industries with a scalable team and extended solutions capability, leveraging sustainable, standardized solution sets while maintaining a low total cost of ownership for customers.

“Our North America clients want to partner with a provider that can deliver the best software, solutions and services, backed by industry-leading domain expertise,” said Rashesh Mody, senior vice president, software services and support, Invensys. “To remain competitive, our customers need a cost-effective implementation plan that delivers maximum value in the shortest possible time. Our alliance with Callisto will do just that.”

As far as additional alliances are concerned, “Callisto is among the first partner to meet our stringent criteria for this level of alliance, and we are hopeful that other partners will soon follow suit,” Mody said.

“Callisto Integration has always provided high-quality solutions based exclusively on the Invensys suite of advanced applications,” added Tim Fief, vice president of sales, Callisto Integration. “This alliance formally commits our relationship and further aligns our solutions to Invensys’ future roadmap and strategy to help our customers achieve real-time operational excellence.”

Technip was awarded by ADMA-OPCO(1) a lump-sum turnkey contract for the engineering, procurement, construction, pre-commissioning, commissioning and start-up assistance for flares modification and revamp project on Das Island. Das Island is located 290 kilometers offshore Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in the Gulf.

The project aims to mitigate the hazards due to the existing atmospheric flares on offshore associated gas and upcoming integrated gas development facilities, and the risk of gas exposure for personnel during operation and maintenance of these facilities in case of flame out.

The scope of work includes the:

• relocation of the South Relief flare to the east of the existing flare F-14,
• installation of two new ground flares at the existing South Relief flare location,
• demolition of the F-11 and F-14 flares,
• replacement of a tip for flare,
• new electrical substation.

Technip's operating center in Abu Dhabi will execute the project which is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2015.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that its subsidiary Yokogawa America do Sul Ltda. has signed a partnership agreement with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) on the evaluation of field wireless technology based on the ISA100.11a*1 industrial automation wireless communications standard.

Through this partnership, Yokogawa will provide Petrobras technical support on the use of field wireless communications and have the opportunity to demonstrate its field wireless products at this company’s test plant. To broaden the use of ISA100.11a-compliant products and related services in plant-wide wireless communications applications, Yokogawa is aggressively promoting its “Wireless Anywhere” business concept. Petrobras, on the other hand, wishes to gather more data about the use of this technology in its production processes with the aim of assessing wireless communication robustness and performance. In so doing, it will be able to properly apply this technology and fully explore its benefits.

Yokogawa will provide Petrobras technical support in the area of field wireless communications. Our wealth of knowledge and experience in this field will allow Petrobras to accelerate the introduction of this technology at its facilities.  Yokogawa will also support the Petrobras technology development and application group in the conduct of large scale tests of field wireless systems at a Petrobras test plant. Data on device installation conditions and system configuration as well as insights into user needs that are acquired through these tests will be used to advance Yokogawa’s development and promotion of field wireless products.

The ISA100.11a standard ensures high reliability, application flexibility, network expandability, and compatibility with a variety of wired communication standards such as FOUNDATION™ fieldbus, HART®, and PROFIBUS. “ISA100.11a full functional” field wireless network systems and devices make use of state-of-the-art dual redundant technologies that enable a much higher level of reliability, and allow massive scalability and long-range communications.

The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces today that early-bird registration is open for its 8th Marketing and Sales Summit, which will be held 11-13 September 2013 at the W New Orleans hotel, just steps from the famed French Quarter.

By registering by 15 June 2013, ISA members will save $110 on registration costs ($445 early-bird rate versus full rate of $555), and Automation Community members and the general public will save $100 ($595 early-bird rate versus full rate of $695). To register now, click here. (Select “Register Online” under the ABOUT tab.)

The theme of this year’s summit, “Innovation in Automation: Navigating the Maze of Customer Connections,” focuses on giving marketing and sales professionals the tools, strategies and insights needed to successfully negotiate their way through today’s fast-changing automation and control marketplace.

Key topic areas include: best practices in social media, guerilla marketing, brand marketing, market-driven product development, winning complex accounts, business development, advertising in the digital age, and more.

Attendees will:

• Discover practical, proven strategies to improve their customer relationships, and boost their marketing and sales results.
• Participate in a variety of expert-led workshops, panel discussions, and tutorials.
• Discover how to leverage social networks to their advantage.
• Learn to influence prospects’ and customers’ perceptions of cost, value and benefits in complex sales.
• Recognize the most effective marketing tools and processes in a rapidly evolving environment.
• Master how to generate reliable ROI data.
• Come away with solutions and ideas they can immediately put to work.
• Secure valuable new contacts.

For more information, visit www.marketingsalessummit.com

KBR (NYSE: KBR) today announced it was awarded a contract by Pacific NorthWest LNG Ltd., a subsidiary of Malaysia’s state-owned oil company (PETRONAS) and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX), to execute front-end engineering and design (FEED) and early detailed engineering work for a world-scale LNG export facility at Lelu Island near Prince Rupert, British Columbia. KBR is partnered with JGC Corporation for the project.

The purpose of the project is to process shale gas produced from British Columbia’s North Montney region into LNG that is suitable for export. The contract calls for FEED and early detailed engineering work for a two-train LNG plant with a yearly capacity of 12 million tons and associated shipping facilities. Associated facilities include utilities, storage, loading, ship berthing and personnel accommodation facilities. This project allows KBR to build on our extensive Canadian experience and resources including work that is already on-going in other parts of British Columbia.

"We are pleased to play an important role in this world-scale facility. This award is further indication of KBR's position as a leading provider of gas monetization solutions for our clients around the world," said Mitch Dauzat President, KBR Gas Monetization. "We look forward to working with Pacific NorthWest and our partner JGC Corporation on this historic LNG export facility."

Chiyoda Corporation, Japan’s leading engineering and construction firm, announces that its subsidiary in Qatar, Chiyoda Almana Engineering has been awarded a FRONT END ENGINEERING DESIGN (FEED) and ENGINEERING, PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT (EPCM) for brown field projects designed to deliver asset integrity, growth and development at Pearl GTL, the world’s largest gas-to-liquids plant.

Contract Period is 4 years + 1 year extension (as option) whereas scope of work is Engineering and project management services including FEED and EPCm activities at Pearl GTL plant.

Through this contract, which is in line with Qatar Shell’s commitment to support the social and economic pillars of the Qatar national vision 2030, Chiyoda group is aiming to contribute further to Qatari sustainable development. Chiyoda group, through its global operation network, intends to roll out its “Project Lifecycle Engineering” services in other countries including the Middle East and elsewhere while strengthening its regional business development.

National Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI) today announced Chameleon for NI CompactDAQ, a software package developed by NI Gold Alliance Partner PVI Systemsand available on the LabVIEW Tools Network, to create turnkey systems for NI data acquisition hardware that are simple and intuitive to set up and operate. These scalable systems can span to a large number of channels, yet still be managed within a configuration-based environment without programming.

The combination of Chameleon and the NI CompactDAQ platform is ideal for a variety of structural test and monitoring applications, including pressure and strain measurements for jet engine testing, transportation shock load measurements, strain acquisition for vehicle-to-structure impact testing and vibration measurements for marine structures and aircraft. Chameleon has a strong track record of success with military accounts, such as Northrop Grumman Corporation and Raytheon BBN Technologies.

Highlights

• With Chameleon, a new software product built by PVI Systems and powered by NI LabVIEW system design software, engineers can get data acquisition and logging systems up and running in minutes to acquire and log static and dynamic signals from microphone arrays, accelerometers, bridge sensors, thermocouples and other sensors without any programming.
• Available on the LabVIEW Tools Network, Chameleon software is designed to work with a variety of NI CompactDAQ chassis, including the new stand-alone system. This system features a built-in dual-core Intel processor and onboard storage to deliver high-performance processing and logging in a single, portable chassis.
• For fully customized data acquisition and logging systems, users can combine NI CompactDAQ systems with LabVIEW to achieve the highest level of flexibility.­

Chameleon for NI CompactDAQ: http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/210876

Stand-Alone NI CompactDAQ Chassis: http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/210805

NI CompactDAQ Platform: http://www.ni.com/data-acquisition/compactdaq/