Control System World

ARC Advisory Group, the leading technology research and advisory firm for industry and infrastructure, released its new Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Software Supplier Selection Guide. The guide includes both selection criteria and guided workflow steps for choosing the correct EAM system and supplier. The scope of the criteria covers key aspects of EAM systems including asset information management, work order management, materials management, labor management, service contract management, financial management, reporting, and technology architecture. The guide has attributes tailored for industrial organizations, and allows those involved in a EAM selection process to make improved decisions more quickly.

Ralph Rio, Research Director, stated, “The key metrics for maintenance managers involve uptime, asset longevity, cost control, and safety across a diverse set of assets and technologies. To meet these critical objectives, executive management recognizes the requirement for a modern and reliable EAM system. In addition, the EAM system needs to integrate with other systems including condition monitoring and corporate finance.” Ralph continued, “The improved economy has unleashed a backlog of projects for new EAM systems among industrial organizations. To support the growing demand for help with supplier selection, ARC created the EAM supplier selection guide. ”

Details of this release can be found on ARC Web

Leveraging its world-wide leadership and expertise in industrial automation and control systems security standards and training, the International Society of Automation (ISA) today announces the introduction of its new, upper-level course, Advanced Industrial Cybersecurity (TS13).  This technical training course—which made its debut in March—capitalizes on ISA’s well-established, in-depth knowledge of industrial networks and applications, and cybersecurity standards that detect, assess and prevent security threats in industrial settings.

Students will learn how the ANSI/ISA99 (IEC 62443) Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security standards—developed by a cross-section of international cybersecurity subject-matter experts from industry, government and academia—provide comprehensive cybersecurity capabilities in all industry sectors.  Given the interconnectivity of today’s advanced computer and control networks—where vulnerabilities exploited in one sector can impact and damage multiple sectors—the ANSI/ISA99 (IEC 62443) standards are particularly effective since they are broadly applicable across industries.

“In today’s industrial production environments, the risks of cyberwarfare are growing and represent serious threats,” says Larry Thompson, an industrial network and control systems consultant and ISA Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®), who developed this new course. “There have been many serious cyberattacks throughout the world. Everyone involved in system-wide industrial networking and SCADA systems should take this course. The stakes are simply too high to not be prepared.”

The course covers the latest developments in cybersecurity, including practical guides to the design, implementation and testing of industrial networks and applications to ensure their security and reliability. Topics include the use of Internet technologies, web servers, TCP/IPV6, fiber optics, intrusion protection systems (IPS), virtual private networks (VPNs), firewall configuration and cryptography.

“This is a great class with an excellent instructor,” says student Chih Shen. “I am more sober to the attack scenarios out there in the wild, and more confident that I have the knowledge to defend against them.”

As part of the course, students participate in a variety of hands-on laboratory exercises, which include configuring industrial network security parameters and settings, utilizing security diagnostic tools and employing various troubleshooting tactics.  In developing the course, Thompson drew upon his vast experience in industrial data communications and encryption. Throughout his many years in automation, Thompson has served as a technician, technical trainer, test engineer, test engineering supervisor and course developer in electronics, measurement and control and computer networking.

To view a schedule of upcoming offerings and to register, visit www.isa.org/2013PR/TS13

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.

Invensys Operations Management, a global provider of technology systems, software solutions and consulting services to the manufacturing and infrastructure operations industries, has released SimSci Suite 2013, a DVD catalogue that provides a single source for all of its current SimSci-Esscor® design, operator training, simulation and optimization software. The DVD includes software updates that use common components to enhance the user experience.

“Combining these software updates onto a single DVD makes it easier for our customers to recognize and deploy newer and more current versions of our software more quickly,” said Tobias Scheele, Ph.D., vice president, advanced applications, Invensys. “Our customers requested better ways to maintain and update versions of our SimSci-Esscor design, simulation, training and optimization software offerings so we put many of them in one place. It is the best path forward, and makes it far easier for our customers to do business with us. This integrated bundle is the first step on our path to the future of simulation software, and it strengthens our customer partnerships by enabling them to more easily deploy and manage the software they need to drive real-time business optimization.”

SimSci Suite 2013 updates the following SimSci-Esscor products, which support the full plant lifecycle from process design to operator training and simulation to process optimization. The SimSci Suite DVD will be updated every 12 to 18 months with the most recent versions of the products. In addition to the current release, individual product patches or service packs will also be released as needed, providing an even more structured software deployment and maintenance for users.

An Open Day at the end of April celebrated the opening of Rotork Middle East’s purpose-built factory in Dubai. Situated in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, the new premises contain offices and workshops, with initially 15 sales and technical staff and plans for further expansion.

The new 600 square metre facility provides increased local support for business in flow control markets throughout the Middle East, where Rotork has been active since the 1950s. A Rotork regional presence was first established in Abu Dhabi in the 1970s.

Recent projects involving the Middle East oil and gas industries include the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline linking Habshan and Fujairah, the Ruwais Refinery expansion and the New Doha International Airport. Rotork valve actuation and control technologies are also widely utilised in the area’s water and waste treatment, power generation, desalination, infrastructure and environmental improvement industries.

As well as holding stocks of products and spares locally, the new facility will provide a full range of valve adaptation, retrofitting, site service and asset management activity encompassing electric and fluid power actuators and associated equipment. A driving force behind the expansion is the demand for reduced project downtime, with more scope for planned, emergency and preventative maintenance.

Rotork Chief Executive Peter France and Edward Hobart, HM Consul General in Dubai, performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, at which Graeme Mullin, HM Trade and Investment Advisor in Dubai and Terry Willis, Regional Director of the Energy Industries Council, were also present.

FLO-CORP announces the release of the Guardian 2000™, a wireless monitor that transmits data using cell towers and/or satellites, along with pinpoint location of the device through a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite chip. Cell phones, satellite phones, and GPS navigation systems are excellent examples of the technologies in use. FLO-CORP has packaged the benefits of these wireless communications with a web interface that makes process conditions readily available from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. This machine to machine (M2M) functionality is changing industries for the better by offering superior features at a lower cost.

Traditional remote process monitoring relies on wired infrastructure or radio. In some cases, tapping into an existing network or programmable logic controller (PLC) is quite simple. When tanks, open channels, pipelines, or other monitoring applications are located at the same physical location as the company or municipality, the cost of wiring is typically low. The Guardian 2000 is aimed at a different target, addressing monitoring applications that are situated away from existing infrastructure. This segment, typically dominated by radio transmitters, can be covered much more economically and reliably with new wireless monitoring technology.

In a typical remote monitoring setup, the Guardian 2000 monitors by waking up at set intervals, powering up the connected measurement device if applicable (a flow meter, level transmitter, etc), and checking the process condition. If no trigger point is met, the Guardian 2000 powers down the connected device and then powers down itself. The Guardian 2000 wakes up to transmit data to the Monitor My Guardian™ online interface as programmed, once a day for example. If while making a routine check the Guardian finds a process condition change, it can either wake itself more frequently to make additional checks or if an alarm point is met, it will send text and e-mail alerts and report the findings on monitormyguardian.com.

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Technip has been awarded by NOVA Chemicals Corporation the detail engineering, and procurement services contract for the Polyethylene 1 expansion project located at their Joffre site* near Red Deer in Alberta, Canada.  The project includes the installation of a world-scale 431-kiloton per annum (950 MM lbs/yr) single-train linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit. NOVA Chemicals will expand its total Joffre site polyethylene capacity by approximately 40% and will utilize existing site ethylene capacity.

Technip, in addition to detail engineering and procurement of the new reaction section, extrusion section, and railcar loading section, will modify the existing purifications systems. Technip will also design the plant off-sites, utilities, interconnections, and other supporting units for the facility.  Technip’s operating centers in Houston, Texas, Calgary, Canada and Chennai, India will execute the work under this contract. Work for this phase of the project began at the end of 2012, with completion of engineering in 2014, and systems start up in late 2015.

Water quality is a crucial factor for avoiding corrosion and scaling of turbines, boilers and pipes in power plants. Particles in the boiler feed water and steam shorten the lifetime of the turbines, leading to costly repairs or even replacement. Additionally, bad water quality leads to inefficient processes and increases maintenance efforts.

SWAS panels monitor the water quality in your power plant and keep the integrity of the water steam circuit safe at all times. Critical parameters such as pH, conductivity or sodium are reliably measured to prevent the accumulation of precipitation in heat exchangers, boiler pipes and superheaters. As a result, you get increased process control, minimized downtime and longer operational life for your plant. Moreover, our SWAS solution is modular, scalable and customizable to all your needs.

What is unique about the Endress+Hauser SWAS solution?

• Application specific, customized solution
• High quality instrumentation for increased plant safety and efficiency
• Suitable for use with Memosens digital technology for easy calibration, reliable measurement and user-friendly maintenance
• One transmitter for all parameters possible with Liquiline multichannel controllers
• Modular, scalable and easy to retrofit
• Reliable and safe operation according to various industry standards