Control System World

This application note documents the required procedure for integrating the Digi One IAP serial server with a DeltaV Virtual IO Module with Generic EtherNet/IP firmware (IOD-4104). Reference manuals for both the Digi One IAP and the DeltaV Virtual IO Module firmware IOD-4104 are provided in the beginning section of the application note.

Please click 'Digi One IAP Serial Server Integration with DeltaV Virtual IO Module' for details.

MILWAUKEE, March 15, 2012 — The new Allen-Bradley CompactLogix 5370 programmable automation controllers (PACs) from Rockwell Automation bring machine builders a high-performance, right-sized integrated motion control solution for their machine applications. The 5370 series, which includes the 5370 L1, L2 and L3 controllers, features enhanced performance and motion capabilities while leveraging the common design and networking environment of the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system. This gives users access to the extensive capabilities of the Logix Control Platform in a small, integrated and cost-effective package.

When used with the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 350 servo drive, the CompactLogix 5370 series provides both performance and cost competitiveness for machine builders requiring up to 16 axes of complex motion, all on one standard industrial network – EtherNet/IP. The EtherNet/IP connectivity offers up to 250 percent more communication bandwidth than previous CompactLogix controllers, helping enable more network devices and higher performance control.

SNC-Lavalin (TSX: SNC) has announced that it has signed a project management contract with Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) for the Delta Caribe Oriental Project. The value of the contract is approximately $133 million CDN.  The Delta Caribe Oriental project is in the Sucre State in northeastern Venezuela and consists of four offshore gas fields; Dragon, Patao, Mejillones and Rio Caribe, as well as a substantial onshore development for industry, named Complejo Industrial Gran Mariscal Ayacucho (CIGMA).

Working closely with PDVSA, SNC-Lavalin’s project management team will supervise the work of contractors who will be providing engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning services for the offshore and onshore facilities. There are also major social and infrastructure aspects to the project, which will serve to develop the Güiria region, including programs to train Venezuelan personnel to operate and maintain the facilities.

“This type of technological alliance in the offshore sector strengthens and increases knowledge in all our businesses, including civil engineering in ports, airports, docks, and subsea gas pipelines. The work that we have awarded to SNC-Lavalin results from years of studies” said Douglas Sosa, General Manager, Offshore Division, PDVSA, “Taking into account the magnitude of our projects, we have decided to create a high-performance team with state-of-the-art technology and the experience we need to develop the gas supply belt and the social infrastructure required in Sucre State”.

Amplicon announced the launch of their newest addition to the Industrial Ventrix range featuring Intel Ibex Peak chipset with RAID functionality.

The latest addition to the Amplicon Ventrix 1020 series comprises a high performance 1U 19” Rackmount RAID system. By taking advantage of the Intel iCore processors and industrial hard drives these new additions deliver a higher level of reliability and availability by utilising road mapped components ensuring repeatability.

With twin removable hot swap 2.5” hard drives as standard giving the added security of data retention when using RAID (available RAID configuration 0, 1, 5, 10). In addition the Ventrix 1020 series supports various operating systems and as with all Amplicon industrial computers, it can be tailored to suit your individual requirements.

For further details please visit Amplicon Ventrix 1020 series

The Canary Enterprise Historian has been used in applications ranging from 100 tags to over 1 million tags, demonstrating scalability without the need for special computing hardware. It has the capability to log more than 3.6 million updates per second, easily meeting the requirements of high speed applications. The Enterprise Historian can log from any data source that meets the OPC DA (Data Access) specification. Enterprise Historian itself is an OPC HDA (Historical Data Access) compliant server, allowing you to use other OPC HDA compliant programs to access the data.

Using the Enterprise Historian Administrator tool any historian on your network can be monitored and configured from a single location. Administrative features such as automatic dataset validation, archiving, roll over and roll up, audit trails, and performance monitoring make the Enterprise Historian capable of running in a complex enterprise environment. Multiple Enterprise Historians can be used for redundancy and high data availability needs.

For further information on this product please click CanaryLogger - Enterprise Historian

Steam, gas, and the most varied liquids play an important role in all industrial fields. To optimize costs and process sequences, their consumption, storage, and demand have to be controlled at regular intervals. Vortex meters are eminently practical for such tasks. They are easily assembled, reliable, accurate, and suitable for almost any fluid. Above all for steam applications, these versatile measuring devices have, in the meantime, quite established themselves. Users profit from several aspects of the new devices: they are highly resistant, work reliably under even the harshest of conditions and offer convenient evaluation functions. Versions with an integrated temperature sensor, for instance, render additional sensors and calculator units to balance the energy of saturated steam superfluous for many applications.

To further read this article please click 'Vortex Meters for Liquids, Gas, and Steam'

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA (15 March 2012) – The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the International Society of Automation (ISA) to promote ISA courses to the CABA membership.

ISA is recognized worldwide as a leader in non-biased, vendor-neutral education and training programs for automation professionals. Industry professionals, whether experienced engineers, practicing technicians, or newcomers to the industry, can hone their skills at ISA’s regional training centers, through onsite training programs at their companies, or via distance education. Many ISA courses are lab intensive to reinforce important skills.

ISA’s extensive instructor-led curriculum is organized into three training paths. Although ISA’s certification programs for technicians and automation professionals are not tied directly to ISA’s training courses, the training paths are designed to cover the body of knowledge for technicians and automation professionals and can be helpful to those preparing for certification as an ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP) or ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST).

When most people think of counterfeit and substandard cable, they think of bulk cable and their backbone and horizontal runs. But don’t underestimate the importance of patch cables in your channel. Patch cables are the most overlooked component of the Permanent Link. Remember the saying, “A chain is only a strong as its weakest link?” The same principle applies to the permanent link. If a patch cable is non-compliant, it can ruin expensive electronics, invalidate warranties, cause poor network performance, and lead to a loss in productivity. Risky business.

The CCCA did large-scale performance testing of Category 6 copper patch cords. Test results showed an 85% failure rate in cables produced offshore by companies who are largely unknown in North America. 78% of the failing samples failed NEXT tests by a margin of 3 dB or more. A second sample set of Category 6 copper patch cords produced by multiple, well-recognized manufacturers was also tested and showed a 0% failure rate.

To further read this guide please click 'The importance of superior patch cables'