Control System World

National Instruments announced NI LabVIEW support for the new USB3 Vision camera standard through the NI Vision Acquisition Software driver package. The standard offers significant performance and usability improvements compared to USB 2.0 cameras and popular interfaces, such as GigE Vision, with faster bandwidth up to 400 MB/s and 4.5 W to directly power cameras. USB3 Vision cameras also offer plug-and-play functionality and ease of use through a standardized catalog of functions.

“More than 30 machine vision vendors have participated in the standardization of USB3 Vision,” said Eric Gross, chair of the USB3 Vision standardization committee and senior software engineer at National Instruments. “USB 3.0 ports are becoming mainstream on consumer and industrial computer products and, with this new standard, users can easily adopt cutting-edge technology for a wide array of vision applications.”

René von Fintel, product manager from participating camera vendor Basler adds, “With the easy connections and adherence to a clear standard, USB cameras are aimed at conventional industrial applications as well as medical systems, motion analysis and microscopy.”

The USB3 Vision standard supports easy camera connectivity to newer off-the-shelf computer products with built-in USB 3.0 ports, including the new NI PXIe-8135 embedded controller. Engineers and scientists can also take advantage of powerful image processing libraries from National Instruments with the NI Vision Development Module, which includes new 3D vision functionality, and NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection, the stand-alone configuration software environment for machine vision applications.

Foster Wheeler AG (Nasdaq: FWLT) announced today that a subsidiary of its Global Power Group has been awarded a contract by BHI Co., Ltd. for design collaboration on two supercritical pulverized coal (PC) fired steam generators for the Buk-Pyeong Power Plant project for STX Electric Power Co., Ltd. (STXEP).

BHI, which is Foster Wheeler’s licensee for utility PC technology in the region, will supply two 595 MWe (gross megawatt electric) supercritical PC steam generators and other major equipment for the project, which is located in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea. The Foster Wheeler design couples the company’s proven wall-fired PC steam generator with advanced BENSON vertical-tube (BVT) supercritical steam technology, achieving plant efficiencies well beyond conventional units.

Foster Wheeler has received a full notice to proceed on this contract. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed, and the contract value will be included in the company’s third-quarter 2012 bookings. Commercial operation of the new steam generator is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2015 for the first unit and second quarter of 2016 for the second unit.

“While the benefits of Foster Wheeler’s advanced supercritical PC technology have already been demonstrated in the utility market, this is our first such contract in the South Korean market,” said Byron Roth, Chief Executive Officer of Foster Wheeler North America Corp. “The combination of our design package and BHI’s equipment will deliver state of the art steam generator efficiency and environmental performance.”

“As Foster Wheeler’s licensee for this technology, we are delighted with the contract award from STX Electric Power,” said Geun-Heung Lee, Vice Chairman of BHI Co., Ltd. “We look forward to working with Foster Wheeler to build this environmentally friendly, advanced-technology base-load thermoelectric power plant in Korea.”

KBR has announced that it has been selected by GDF SUEZ Bonaparte Pty. Ltd. (GDF SUEZ), operator of the Bonaparte LNG project, to execute floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production vessel design work for its project offshore Darwin, Australia.

This award is one of two contracts being let by GDF SUEZ as part of an initial concept definition design competition for the vessel. The award also pre-qualifies KBR as a contender for the EPC delivery phase of the project. The concept definition work is already underway in KBR’s London operations centre in Leatherhead, and is expected to last up to 12 months.

KBR has developed an extensive global FLNG engineering capability in recent years, and draws on its experienced resource pool with capabilities in FPSO and onshore LNG EPC delivery.

“KBR is delighted to be working with GDF SUEZ on this project. We look forward to working together in a new relationship which we hope will prove valuable for both companies as this project moves towards the EPC phase,” said Roy Oelking, Group President, Hydrocarbons. “This work follows KBR’s recent FLNG front-end projects in London, Houston and Perth. FLNG represents a new market for the industry and KBR’s engineering capability is already being utilized in several FLNG projects around the world.”

Case Study by Yokogawa: The Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) is an efficient and cost-efficient solution to meet Singapore’s long-term needs for used water collection, treatment, reclamation and disposal. Conceptualised and managed by Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore’s national water agency, it was conceived as a cost-effective and sustainable solution to meet Singapore’s long-term used water needs.

One of the key challenges was field device management through PROFIBUS. PROFIBUS incorporates the field device tool/device type manager (FDT/DTM) technology, which enables the monitoring of measured data and the configuration of devices from the operator stations in a central control room. With these requirements in mind, the devices installed in the DTSS were all designed to the PROFIBUS specifications.

To read the Case Study in details click 'Yokogawa Flowmeters installed in Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore'

Rockwell Software Studio 5000 unified engineering and design environment, releasing later this month from Rockwell Automation, provides a framework for engineering collaboration. It sets the foundation for design tools that allow engineers to enter configuration and programming information only once, and then leverage it across their entire control system architecture from design to operation to maintenance.

“The Studio 5000 environment will bring the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system to the next level, building on the superior usability of Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000 software, further improving the user experience, and the design and productivity of automation systems,” said Kevin Zaba, vice president and general manager, Control and Visualization Business, Rockwell Automation. “Optimally integrated hardware and software means users can define data once and easily use it across the Integrated Architecture system. The data and tag structures are natively recognized and automatically picked up by the other system components, improving development efficiency and reducing programming errors. A unified engineering and design environment also communicates and performs at higher speeds. For customers, the result is improved productivity, shorter design cycles and a faster time-to-market.”

The debut of Studio 5000 software includes the Logix Designer application for programming and configuration of Allen-Bradley ControlLogix 5570 and CompactLogix 5370 programmable automation

controllers. Later versions will provide applications for other engineering tasks, such as HMI development, library management for reusable components, information integration and more.

Maintaining the familiar, user-friendly workflows and interfaces from the RSLogix 5000 design and configuration software, the new Studio 5000 environment creates an optimal level of integration within the Integrated Architecture system. Optimal integration is accomplished by embedding features such as program comments and descriptions, and a new alarm log, directly in the controller.

The new environment taps additional memory storage capacity in the latest generation of Logix controllers so program comments, for example, that describe the functionality of each line of code, can be maintained directly in the controller without reducing available user memory. Now, a complete project can be stored in the controller, with comments correlated for multiple users, reducing time and effort related to maintenance and troubleshooting.

Studio 5000 unified engineering and design environment photos: http://flic.kr/p/dkS4d4

Rockwell Automation has announced the addition of new energy intelligence capabilities in software applications. The new tools – the FactoryTalk VantagePoint Energy bundle, FactoryTalk EnergyMetrix software, and Allen-Bradley IntelliCENTER Energy software – help plant and operations managers view resource consumption in relation to specific units, lines and machines, so they can make more informed energy decisions. Energy intelligence is an extension of the manufacturing intelligence capability of turning data into information for informed decision making, by leveraging power and energy equipment as data sources.

“Beyond monthly utility bills, many companies lack insight into their consumption data for WAGES (water, air, gas, electricity and steam),” said Mike Pantaleano, business manager, Information Software, Rockwell Automation.

Manufacturing plants consume more than one-third of the global energy used annually. Unfortunately, many companies do not have information on the day-to-day energy consumption within their plants. “In order to identify opportunities for improvement, manufacturers need usage data from all areas of the facility to set baselines and better track variations for their entire operation – whether a single plant or a global production infrastructure. Energy-intelligence strategies leveraging FactoryTalk software enable companies to report and visualize their consumption in a way that can reduce the time and effort associated with regulatory compliance, cut operating costs and maximize profit,” said Pantaleano.

For more information on this subject click 'Energy Intelligence through new capabilities in Softwares'

Traditional thermal sensors have two sensors, one temperature sensor and one velocity sensor, each in a separate probe sheath.

QuadraTherm (the term “Quad” meaning “four”) introduces four sensors—three precision platinum temperature sensors and one patented DrySense mass velocity sensor. The iTherm “brain” uses these sensor inputs to calculate gas mass flow rate in a completely new and more accurate way.

Features:

• Accuracy of +/- 0.5% of Reading
• QuadraTherm™ Four-Input Sensor
• DrySense™ No-Drift Velocity Sensor
• Built-in Flow Conditioning
• iTherm™ Proprietary Algorithm Set
• iTherm™ Gas Property Library
• Change Gases: Dial-A-Gas™
• Change Pipe: Dial-A-Pipe™
• Multivariable: T, P, Mass Flow

To learn more about the product click 'Flow Meter QuadraTherm'

The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces that it has produced a new book designed to help the next generation of automation engineers steer clear of common career obstacles and reach their professional objectives.

101 Tips for a Successful Automation Career by Gregory K. McMillan and P. Hunter Vegas consolidates career planning recommendations, guidance on technical issues and challenges, interpersonal and workplace advice, and philosophical observations.

“Through our combined 70 years of experience in management, instrumentation, electrical design, modeling and control, Hunter and I have installed hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of equipment and managed thousands of projects,” says McMillan, a highly acclaimed automation professional and ISA Life Achievement Award recipient. “Along with our many successes have come some hard lessons learned. We wrote this book to share what works and what doesn’t in order to guide and assist younger automation engineers in their professional journeys.”

Written in an inviting, easy-to-read style, the book is aimed at automation engineers involved in controls systems and instrumentation, and engineering students approaching graduation.

“The book is an interesting mix of facts, advice and useful tips gleaned from our many years in the automation field,” remarks Vegas, senior project leader at Avid Solutions, an industrial process control system integrator based in Winston-Salem, N.C. “It’s not your typical technical resource. It provides a great deal of useful information that is simply not available anywhere else. It’s like gaining all the insights and perspectives of a life-long career in automation without experiencing the gray hair.”

Examples of topics addressed include:

• Planning a career in automation
• Surviving a control system start up and living to tell the tale
• Avoiding technical and interpersonal pitfalls
• Dealing with bosses, vendors and co-workers
• Becoming the “go to” person

“We hope that by reading this book, you’ll avoid the errors that we and others have made, and you’ll be better prepared to navigate your way to a long and successful automation career,” Vegas adds.

Download the TOC of the Book

Download the Preview of the Book

To read introduction and purchase the Book