ARC Advisory Group, the leading global research and advisory firm for manufacturing, industry, and infrastructure, announces the release of ARC STAR (Solutions That Accelerate Results), a domain-specific supplier selection service. This on-line, cloud-based, hosted solution provides easy-to-use tools that define a process and selection criteria for making strategic supplier selections. ARC clients can now make use of ARC’s proven supplier selection process, in an on-line, hosted, and guided environment. ARC STAR will be available for most key enterprise, automation, and manufacturing software application areas. At this release, ARC STAR is available for Advanced Process Control (APC), Analytics for Operational Excellence, Batch Control Systems, Collaborative Production Management/MES (for Discrete and Process Industries), and Distributed Control Systems (DCS).

The ARC STAR Supplier Selection Service guides users through a step-by-step process selecting and evaluating suppliers and their products against specific application and cultural requirements. The process guides the user through the project and team definition, reviewing and editing ARC-provided selection criteria and supplier questions, weighing selection criteria, developing a supplier Request for Information (RFI) list, evaluating supplier responses, and developing a final ranking of RFI results. ARC STAR then fully documents the process and results for management review and approval. ARC STAR helps ensure inclusive, fact-based, impartial supplier evaluations and selections, free of the user bias issues that typically hamper these activities. In addition, ARC estimates that ARC STAR can reduce the cost and effort of a supplier selection process by well over 50 percent.

ARC STAR Supplier Selection Service

The Automation Federation (AF) and its founding sponsor, the International Society of Automation (ISA), continue to build on their partnership with FIRST® to strengthen math and science teaching in K-12 education, and inspire and support a new generation of technology innovators.

Earlier this year, Marcus Rasco, a senior professor in electronics at DeVry University in Irving, Texas, and the president of ISA’s North Texas Section, served as a judge at the Dallas East Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, at the Dallas Convention Center.

Two years ago, the AF and ISA entered into a formal partnership with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to promote the importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and motivate young students toward careers in automation and engineering. As part of this alliance, AF and ISA members around the world are highly encouraged to participate in FIRST initiatives in their local communities.

“Participating as a judge in this competition enabled me to gain a first-row seat to the inventiveness, creativity and scientific aptitude of many of our young people,” Rasco said. “It was a great experience and it drove home the importance of continuing to help and encourage young people develop their technological skills and capabilities.”

For years, Rasco has been actively involved with school districts in northern Texas to place a greater emphasis science and technology instruction. He has helped conduct numerous robotics, electronics and biomedical-related workshops at middle schools, high schools and on the DeVry University campus.

Rockwell Automation has launched virtual image templates for the PlantPAx process automation system, including a system server, operator workstation and engineering workstation. These preconfigured, drop-in templates, delivered as images on a USB hard drive, help reduce validation costs and initial engineering time.

Installing a complete process automation system traditionally takes several days. A virtual image of each component, however, can be deployed in two to three hours. Once deployed, the components can be duplicated in minutes.

“Whether you’re operating one plant or many, virtual image templates significantly simplify the deployment and management of process control systems,” said Steve Pulsifer, director of Process Market Development, Rockwell Automation. “Plus, users benefit from immediate access to simplified upgrade and patch management typical within a virtualized architecture.”

The templates operate in an open virtual-format file, officially supported by VMWare vSphere. The three core elements are:

• Process Automation System Server (PASS): Provides central name resolution and look-up services across multiple computers for central administration of data throughout the PlantPAx process automation system. The PASS also provides data, HMI and alarm-server capability.
• Operator Workstation: Consists of the software needed for visualizing and controlling the process.
• Engineering Workstation: Includes all the necessary software to fully configure the control and visualization components of the PlantPAx process automation system.

Amplicon are proud to announce the launch of their exciting new web shop, NEXCOMSHOP.COM. This new addition to Amplicon eShops sees the internationally renowned industrial component manufacturer, Nexcom, working in partnership with Amplicon, the leading UK provider of industrial computing; together they offer the marketplace over 50 years of joint experience.

This new venture allows customers to rely on the outstanding Amplicon technical knowledge whilst having access to the Nexcom range of small form factor motherboards, compact rugged PCs, closed or open frame panel PCs as well as medically approved panel PCs. The Nexcom range delivers market leading designs and technology and their name is synonymous with quality and reliability.

NEXCOMSHOP.com allows you to find 100's of new products from Nexcom in a crisp, clean, and user friendly interface. You will be able to interact with our technical support and sales engineering team using the online Live Chat facility, for all of your sales and support requirements.