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Welcome to the February 2010 issue of ICEnews, the Instrumentation, and Control Engineering news source.  ICEnews is a compendium of useful information which we endeavour to issue quarterly.

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Editorial

A new decade and what for the future of automation? 

So we enter a new decade, the advances in Automation in the noughties were wide ranging, we had fieldbus "coming of age" after a huge war of the various standards, wireless has advanced in leaps and bounds and predictive maintenance is replacing planned maintenance. 

So how about the 2010 decade?  Lets get out the crystal ball and put some thought into some of the potential advances which will occur in our dynamic discipline along with the some of the risks and rewards. 

(1) Fieldbus - This technology is moving but the progress is slow, the promise of fieldbus safety instrumentation systems (SIS) in the noughties did not eventuate...talk about trying to move a "monolith", however we should see the first early adopters taking on the SIS technology in the next couple of years with it being more accepted as technology of choice by the end of the decade. Wireless fieldbus is likely to be developed over the decade. 

Risks
There will be a reluctance to take on the technology because of the very fact that it is safety related and this is likely to curtail its use. Project managers will no doubt take their usual risk adverse stance and so continue with outdated technology unless forced by a "forward thinking" technology team. For the majority of companies these managers do not exist.   Also the competence of engineers, technicians and users will still be a major issue as the training budgets are continuously shaved, apprentices are really "journeymen" these days rather than true 'tradesmen", having come from the "old school" of a fantastic five year apprenticeship I know that there is no way one can become "expert" without comprehensive training.

Rewards

The rewards are certainly "out there" if the risks are managed effectively. When fieldbus is designed, installed and maintained by fieldbus savvy engineers and technicians it really can offer efficiencies and cost savings.  However with a less than competent team we will hear the old tale "4-20 mA is easier to install, maintain and takes less time to commission". 

(2) Wireless - The advances in wireless are likely to have the biggest effect in the Automation world over the decade, advances in nanotechnology, power supplies, batteries and solar power will mean wireless will become more attractive as technology of choice.

Risks

My view is that whilst Wireless is very secure, in strategic industries is it really the right choice? Whilst none of us want to see conflict as we know it does happen.  In this scenario wireless is an obvious target in that any disruption can make a plant come to a stop. Another potential "fieldbus war" is in the offing as 3 standards are being proposed to the IEC, and of course the challenge of different frequencies in different regions of the world.

Rewards

The ease of installing wireless has great rewards, no cabling makes a huge difference and is a massive cost and design saver. 

(3) Instrumentation - Nanotechnology will come to the "fore" here as well, with instrumentation becoming even more reliable, transmitters may adopt dual sensor validation as a norm. Multivariable and non contacting techniques are likely to advance considerably, these will be very attractive in hazardous industries as safety is considerably enhanced. Instruments will be come smaller and potentially local inside a contained accessible interface within a vessel or pipe, communicating via wireless powered by internal dynamics such as vibration. 

(4) Fire and Gas - CCTV Advances in the visible and non visible parts of the spectrum are likely to provide monitoring of gas clouds, fire and smoke potentially in one camera. 

(5) Predictive Maintenance - Condition Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance will continue to evolve, driving down the cost of maintenance even further and ensuring that machinery is fully utilised over its lifecycle and is fixed only when it is close to being broken. I envisage that instrumentation such as control and emergency valves will include options to fairly "bristle" with condition monitoring equipment.
Hopefully companies will wake up to the "real" advantages of Asset Management Systems and fully utilise and fund them across the whole plant lifecycle rather than installing them at project commencement and then not having the funding in place during the operational phase. It is likely that we will see further companies opting out of maintenance of larger plant items entirely, instead utilising remote hubs via contractors to maintain equipment who get paid on a "performance basis".

(6) Safety Instrumented Systems - Major developments are likely with these systems, including fieldbus as the platform. SIS instrumentation will be enhanced further, perhaps negating the need for some of the redundancy at present required. 

Finally I just hope that we get a quantum change in management over the next decade which really understands the importance and potential of automation and its associated workforce to an organisation...however like many I will not hold my breath over this one...spoken like a true engineer J . 

Food for thought, what do you think?

Jim Russell

ICEart - Technical articles related to instrumentation and control (Just "click" on the Hyperlink for the full article or paper)

Did you know that Automation.com has a series of neat Automation Cartoons in their Techie Lounge - Videos, Cartoons and other fun Automation stuff area? 

“Our ISA” is a community of automation professionals discussing and debating the past, present, and future of the International Society of Automation.  Anyone who has a point to make, a bone to pick, or a wrong to right can do it here.

MTL Instruments and Byres Security Inc. has announced the introduction of the new Tofino® Event Logger Loadable Security Module (LSM) as part of the Tofino Industrial Security Solution. Designed to record network security events and alarms, even when communication links are interrupted, the product facilitates proactive measures to improve plant availability. This new Tofino module also collects data for ANSI/ISA-99, ISO/IEC and NERC-CIP standards compliance.

PLCopen and OPC Foundation release first results to the public - PLCopen and OPC Foundation combine their technologies to a platform and manufacturer-independent information and communication architecture. This mix of OPC Unified Architecture (UA) and IEC 61131-3 creates interesting options for the realization of automation structures. Objective is to increase the reusability of controllers and visualization modules and their communication - in the long run the efficiency of the engineering process clearly increases.

Emerson Process Management have announced the release of the Fisher® EZHSO Series Regulator as well as Whisper Trim® Cage options to the EZH and EZHSO Series.   The EZHSO design incorporates a patent-pending spring cartridge that offers a fail-to-open alternative, ensuring gas delivery and maximizing uptime. The Whisper Trim® Technology provides efficient noise prevention at the source and the cage can be easily retrofitted in the field.

Honeywell has announced it has acquired rights to technology developed by Shell Global Solutions (Shell) for gathering field data and helping industrial plants to safely increase production while reducing maintenance and operating costs.

Changes at ISA - A Current Volunteer Leader's Perspective - Faced with unprecedented declines in demand for training, advertising, and exhibit space, the International Society of Automation (ISA) has had to make drastic cuts in its budget for 2010. Some significant areas where cuts have been made are in the areas of professional staff, frequency of publication of InTech magazine, ISA E-News production and distribution, and future ISA EXPO offerings.

AVEVA has released an extensive set of valuable enhancements and additions to its industry-leading AVEVA Plant solutions. Delivered to customers together with the latest releases of the 12 series products, these new and improved features provide a range of user benefits which increase productivity in many areas of plant engineering and design. They have also announced that WorleyParsons, a global provider of technical, project and operational support services; recently signed a contract to significantly increase the company's usage of AVEVA Plant solutions. This new contract supplements a 2-year global contract for AVEVA Plant solutions placed by WorleyParsons' Kuala Lumpur office in mid-2008. With both contracts, AVEVA Plant solutions will be used in WorleyParsons centres in Singapore, Brunei, Jakarta, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi, Lagos, Perth, Melbourne, Chile, Trinidad, Houston, Beijing and London.

ICEbooks – Useful books, software and new releases related to Instrumentation and Control.

Need some technical “know-how”? ICEweb has a page which details a selection of excellent Instrumentation, Automation, Control, Electrical, Electronic and Information Technology books from IDC Technologies. These can be purchased from ICEweb . Also detailed are other links to more useful references.

Programmable Controllers, 4th Edition - Thomas A. Hughes - This fourth edition of Programmable Controllers discusses all phases of programmable controller applications from systems design and programming to installation, maintenance, and start-up. Used as a resource by thousands of technicians and engineers, this applications-based book provides a clear and concise presentation of the fundamental principles of programmable controllers for process and machine control, increased coverage of all five standard PLC programming languages – Ladder Diagram, Function Block Diagram, Sequential Function Chart, Instruction List, and Structured Text – includes numerous programming applications and examples clearly explain each programming language.

Real-Time Execution for IEC 61499 - Alois Zoitl - IEC 61499 is the newly adopted standard for distributed control systems and follows on from the IEC 61131 standard for programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This book discusses real-time execution of the models defined in the IEC 61499 standard with a closer look at predictable, event-triggered real-time systems.

Collaborative Process Automation Systems - Martin Hollender - Providing a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in Collaborative Process Automation Systems (CPAS), this book discusses topics such as engineering, security, enterprise connectivity, advanced process control, plant asset management, and operator efficiency.

What’s in your pocket? Why not fill your pocket with an IDC pocket guide. Their six Engineering Pocket Guides are bursting with over 500 pages of valuable information.  The six titles include: Instrumentation, Electrical Engineering, Data Communications, Formulae and Conversions, Electronic Engineering and Industrial Automation. Whether you are interested in just the one title or if you need the whole set send an email to books@idc-online.com .

Mastering Split-Range Control - PIDTutor has released a new book "Mastering Split-Range Control".  Split-range control uses a single controller with two control valves to maintain a single process variable.  It can be used for a variety of applications, such as heating and cooling of a tank or a room.  Split-range control is widely used in the process industries, such as pulp and paper, oil and petrochemicals, and mining. This 30 page book is designed to help technicians and engineers to implement and troubleshoot split-range control applications.. It deals with all aspects of split-range control, including: When to Use Split-Range Control / Costs and Benefits of Split-Range / How to Configure in a PLC or DCS / How to Calibrate Valves for Split-Range / Operator Training / Troubleshooting. This book is available on-line via Amazon's CreateSpace at https://www.createspace.com/3395995 .

ICEbus - Information on any of the 26 different bus systems in use in the area of Instrumentation and Control.

Moore Industries-International, Inc. has been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,633,733 for an innovative fieldbus power supply design to benefit the company’s fieldbus division, MooreHawke. The patent, entitled Short Circuit Detector for Fieldbus Cable System Network, was invented by MooreHawke’s Hassan El-Sayed out of Manchester, Great Britain. The Short Circuit Detector technique is ideal for a next generation fieldbus power supply. The recently approved patent protects a novel technique to detect a cable fault in Fieldbus networks, regardless of length, providing the ability to detect faults in specifically longer cables. Existing technology cannot detect short circuit conditions in long cables since the technology cannot differentiate between a true load and a cable fault. If a short circuit occurs in a long fieldbus network cable, the conditioned power supply will continue feeding current to the load. This is because the cable loop resistance seen by the conditioned power supply is almost equal to a loaded fieldbus segment. Under these circumstances, the power supply cannot differentiate between a true load and a cable fault on the basis of current drawn. The Short Circuit Detector technique lends to electronic circuits capable of detecting an electrical short circuit in fieldbus networks using an innovative frequency oscillation circuit. The short circuit detecting circuit can also prevent the conditioned power supply from feeding current into the load of the fieldbus network by causing the power control to be switched off and automatically restored once the fault is removed.

The Fieldbus Foundation has announced the establishment of the Fieldbus Foundation Australian Marketing Committee (FF AMC). The committee has been established to promote the benefits and adoption of Foundation technology throughout the Australian market. Foundation technology benefits include reduced wiring and installation costs, easy integration with asset management systems and savings in operations and maintenance.

New Fieldbus Power Module drives Segment Trunks beyond 1km Boundary - MTL Instruments have announced a new development to its range of F800 Fieldbus power supplies. The F800 series is designed to provide the most cost effective fieldbus power conditioner solution for large fieldbus projects with eight or more fieldbus segments on each system controller. The new F802 power pack can power eight fieldbus segments at 28-30V, with a design current of up to 500mA/segment. This makes the F802 ideal for applications requiring very long fieldbus segments.

The Fieldbus Foundation has announced its 2010 General Assembly will be held on March 24-25 in Houston , Texas . The 2010 General Assembly, themed, “FOUNDATION Fieldbus – Asset Management Made Easy,” will include a comprehensive, end user-oriented agenda consisting of fieldbus project case studies and tabletop exhibitions.  The program on Wednesday, March 24, will feature a keynote address by a prominent industry executive, updates on the latest FOUNDATION technology developments, and technical presentations by prominent fieldbus end users.

Fieldbus Foundation Praises Expanded Collaboration On Field Device Integration - The Fieldbus Foundation have praised an expanded automation industry collaborative effort intended to accelerate deployment of Field Device Integration (FDI) technology.  Key automation suppliers have agreed to enlarge the scope of the Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) Cooperation Team into the FDI Cooperation, which is supporting a uniform device integration solution for process industries across all host systems, devices and protocols as required by end users.

The Fieldbus Foundation have announced the release of its updated Foundation fieldbus Host Test Kit (HTK) DD Application Module (Version 2.0.0). This powerful test kit, driven by the foundation's End User Advisory Council (EUAC), includes hardware and software for testing the functionality of a fieldbus host and its conformance with the Foundation host profile specifications.

The Fieldbus Foundation have announced that a new ARC Advisory Group white paper describes the benefits of control in the field (CIF) with Foundation fieldbus. According to ARC, a manufacturing research and advisory firm based in Dedham, MA, USA, CIF strategies supported by Foundation technology improve process control performance by allowing for superior reaction to deterministic disturbances in industrial plant operations. In the white paper, titled "The Business Value Proposition of Control in the Field," ARC describes the incorporation of a function block structure and other supporting functions in Foundation fieldbus providing a complete automation infrastructure for operational excellence.  Embedded control functionality in Foundation devices is one of the key enablers for achieving high availability control and a stepping-stone towards single-loop integrity. You can get a copy of the white paper here. 

The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that it has registered the first Foundation fieldbus H1 device couplers. The new device coupler registration process provides automation end users with greater assurance of the interoperability of independently manufactured fieldbus physical layer components.

FDT Technology Provides Valuable Information on the Desktop - End Users Benefit from Trend in Increased Visibility of Diagnostic Information - David Huffman - Visibility and simple presentation of diagnostic information is growing more important every day. We see the influence of developments in this area from the printers in our homes or offices to some of the latest "heads up" displays in our automobiles. So it should be no surprise that similar advances are being made for the control platforms and critical instrumentation in our manufacturing facilities.  

CAN-do Cable Solutions for Many Applications - Previously, automobiles utilized harnesses (many wires wrapped together) to directly wire individual devices, such as a brake pedal to the brake lights, creating a jumble of wires throughout the vehicle. Using as few as two wires, a CAN system connects the engine management ECU with other ECUs for controlling the transmission, airbags, antilock brakes, automatic windows and other electronic devices. Using a CAN system improves functionality, diagnostics and monitoring capabilities while providing greater reliability due to fewer needed wires and connections. Thanks to Northwire.

Rockwell Automation announced that it is supporting the release of a free, open-source EtherNet/IP software stack for I/O adapter devices developed by the Vienna University of Technology. Designed to connect a wide range of products using open communication standards, developers can download the new license and royalty-free adapter stack through SourceForge.net (http://opener.sourceforge.net/). 

ICEed - Educational links associated with Instrumentation, Control and Fire & Gas.

Call for Papers - If you have an upcoming conference and are calling for papers please contact us.

"Build on Your Knowledge" … has been selected as the theme of the 2010 Emerson Global Users Exchange conference, being held September 27th – October 1st at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Centre in San Antonio, TX. Attendees continue to confirm that the greatest value of the Emerson Global Users Exchange conference is the wealth of knowledge, solutions and experience shared by users and industry experts. With this Call for Presentations, Emerson invite you to share your knowledge with your fellow process automation professionals from around the world.

Safety Control Systems Conference Calgary, Canada - 11th & 13th May 2010 -Are you a Professional in the Safety Industry? Presenters are required to submit an abstract and present their papers for the upcoming Safety Control Systems Conference 2010. Presenters are also required for Johannesburg South Africa - – 6th, 7th & 8th July 2010 and Electrical Arc Flash Technical Forum, Melbourne, Australia – 14th & 15th April 2010

E-Learning 

IDC have a range of E-Learning courses Covering  Data Communications,   Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering,  Instrumentation, Mechanical Engineering and Project Management . 

Advanced Diploma of Industrial Automation - Commences 8th March 2010. View the detailed course brochure.

Training and Workshop Schedules

IDC have a huge range of workshops and training courses worldwide. 

MIS Training Institute have announced a five-day course, 'IT Security School' 8-12 March 2010, Hong Kong.  This new course covers essential areas you need to know to construct an effective info-security framework. You will gain a business-oriented, architectural perspective that defines how to organize and oversee a risk-based enterprise info-security program, combining best practices with key physical and IT safeguards.

Canadian company ACM Facility Safety have announced their 2010 Training schedule. 

The PTO and PROFI Interface Centre (PIC) have announced the 2010 dates for PROFItech classes, now beginning their tenth year! PROFItech classes are offered for both PROFIBUS and PROFINET. Attendees who successfully complete the written and practical tests are rewarded with the title Certified Network Engineer. They also earn 24 Professional Development Hours (PDH). Each class runs Monday through Friday, beginning at 1:00pm on Monday. The classes are held in Johnson City, TN.

Institute of Measurement and Control Safety Panel - Two one day Master Classes for the Process and Machinery Sectors - Wednesday 10^th and Thursday 11^th March 2010 - The Centre, Birchwood Park , Warrington , UK. The Safety Panel of the Institute of Measurement and Control is running two one day Master Classes aimed at the Process and Machinery Sectors with a linked theme of Risk Assessment and SIL Determination. These Master Classes will provide a unique opportunity for delegates to experience and compare the different techniques for Safety Integrity Level (SIL) and Performance Level (PL) determination that are a requirement of the Functional Safety standards BS EN 61511, BS EN 62061 and EN ISO 13849-1. Each Master Class will also include a perspective on risk assessment and the standards by the HSE.

Explosion Science Course - Includes gas and dust explosion theory,  DSEAR & ATEX regulations, Ignition theory and protection concepts - 2nd, 3rd March, 1st, 2nd June 2010, 14th, 15th September 2010, 7th, 8th December 2010 - Course location: GexCon UK Ltd, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, England. This training course provides a full understanding into the phenomenon of explosions, what effects and consequences can be expected, how to become compliant with the regulations in force whilst delivering a sound basis of safety to protect personnel and equipment as far as reasonably practicable.

Matrikon is offering Alarm Management, Analysis and Rationalization Two Day Courses - Via a series of lectures and practical hands on exercises, learn the fundamentals of alarm management through to advanced high level alarm design in this new advanced alarm management training course. Participants will learn the various systematic approaches to improving the quality of their alarm systems and what is the minimum requirement to adhere to the new standards. Detailed knowledge will also be gained on various advanced alarm system design techniques such as state-based alarming, predictive alarming, and model-based alarming. February 22 - 23, 2010 King of Prussia, PA, United States, February 25 - 26, 2010 Houston, TX, United States, March 2 - 4, 2010 Sydney, NSW, Australia, March 10 - 11, 2010 Toronto, ON, Canada, March 23 - 25, 2010 Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, May 11 - 13, 2010 Melbourne, VIC, Australia. They are also offering Enhanced Loop Tuning Workshop - 1 Day courses providing delegates with basic revision of the PID algorithm and its digital implementation (e.g. PLC or DCS) and progresses through an examination of all the common industrial processes. There is a section on measurement and control hardware and the effects of poorly designed or maintained equipment when trying to optimize a control system. Building on this knowledge the delegates will learn all the skills to analyse and tune the majority of control loops in their own plants - March 26, 2010 Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, May 14 - 14, 2010 Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

ICEfolks - News about promotions and changes for people in the Instrumentation and Control Engineering World.

Please let us know of any personnel or other job changes in your organisation.

AVEVA Group plc the leading provider of plant and marine design and engineering lifecycle solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of William Muldoon  as Executive Vice President of North America (Canada and USA). With more than 20 years of experience in executive leadership and sales roles, Mr. Muldoon is ideally suited to lead AVEVA, Inc.'s operations and directly contribute to the company's overall growth in the engineering software industry.

The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced that they have awarded the following the rare honour of ISA Fellow in 2009, congratulations to you all;
Lawrence Barone, Jr. - In recognition of: contributions to the design, development, and implementation of control systems
da Costa Bortoni- In recognition of: educational and technical contributions used on several energy management processes
Dennis Brandl - In recognition of: contributions to the science, practice and standardization of batch processing
Eric Byres - In recognition of: contributions to the fields of industrial network design and process cyber security
John W. Gay - In recognition of: the development and implementation of control algorithms used in fossil fuel power plants.
Ulrich Gokeler - In recognition of: contributions to the specification and development of chromatographic applications used for process and environmental measurements. 
Robert Heider, PE - In recognition of: contributions to the simulation, development, and implementation of advanced control strategies.
Marcos Peluso - In recognition of: contributions to the development and deployment of industrial field instrument digital communications.
H.L. “Leo” Staples, Jr. - In recognition of: contributions to the practical application of automation technology in fossil power plants.
Angela E. Summers, Ph.D., - In recognition of: contributions to education, technology, and standardization impacting safe automation in the process industry.

AIM, the international association and recognized authority on bar code, RFID, and enterprise mobile computing, have announced that a search has begun for a new President. Dr. Clive Hohberger, Chairman of the AIM Board of Directors said "The AIM Board and staff wish to express our appreciation to Dan Mullen for his long and loyal service to AIM, and wish him success as he pursues other interests". 

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Patrick D. Gallagher, Ph.D. by unanimous consent as the 14th director of the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. Gallagher has worked at NIST since 1993 as a scientist and as a laboratory director. 

The International Society of Automation have announced Bill Lydon, automation industry writer, analyst, and consultant, as the new chief editor of InTech, beginning January 2010, read more here.

ICEJobs – Vacancies and Wanted  

Jobrapido enables you to search through over 150,000 jobs posted on job boards, recruitment agencies and company websites. 

Looking for a job? See ICEweb's employment pages.

ICElinks - Electronic newsletters and links of potential interest to our readers.

A really great website for the latest news is the Read-Out Instrumentation Signpost.

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Are you into Hydraulics? Brendon Casey's Inside Hydraulics Newsletter contains loads of technical tips and money saving techniques.

Automation World offers some electronic newsletters of interest including;

• Automation Skills - Tips and tricks to improve your business, IT and control system skills.
• Industrial Ethernet - How to apply Ethernet networking in manufacturing.
• OPConnect - The Newsletter of the OPC Foundation.
• Packaging Automation Review
• Process Automation - Getting Value from Process Automation
• PROFINET News - The Ethernet Source for Industrial Automation and Integration.
• Motion Control - The Latest in Motion Technologies and Applications.
• Safety Automation Review - Solutions for the Safety Professional.
• Totally Integrated Automation - Your Source for Automation News.
• Wireless World Review - The present and future of wireless innovation.

The Flow Control Network has a excellent newsletter for flow "buffs".

Jim Pinto's Website has lots of great content pertaining to Automation..

ICEmerge — Mergers, acquisitions and news from the Instrumentation Control Engineering community.

GE and FANUC LTD have announced that the two companies have completed their agreement to dissolve the GE Fanuc Automation Corporation Joint Venture. This agreement reverts the respective portions of the joint venture back to the parent company and allows each company to focus on its existing businesses and pursue growth in its respective core industry of expertise. The two companies will now operate independently as GE Intelligent Platforms and FANUC LTD.

Pepperl+Fuchs has acquired Walsall Ltd., a company incorporated in the United Kingdom. With this acquisition they  intend to expand the Process Automation Division to include expertise in the development and manufacture of electromechanical equipment for use in hazardous areas.

ICEnew — Great new Technical Links posted on ICEweb.

Just click on the title header to go to ICEweb's super pages on each of the following subjects.

Analysers - ICEwebs Analyser pages cover many types of analysers plus their associated sample systems.

The International Society of Automation has announced that it will host the 55^th Analysis Division Symposium 26-29 April 2010 at the Astor Crowne Plaza in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. This year's theme, “Analytical Solutions in a Not So ‘Big Easy’ Economic Environment,” covers process analysis topics ranging from methods and applications to compliance, system operation, and maintenance. 

Emerson Process Management have announced the availability of the Rosemount Analytical X-STREAM XE process gas analyzer that combines web-browser-based accessibility with advanced processing capabilities. With expanded data communication, calibration, and event logging capabilities, the X-STREAM XE is an ideal choice for more complex process industry gas analysis requirements.

Servomex have announced the release of  SERVOPRO FID for hydrocarbon measurement - The Servomex SERVOPRO FID is the ideal analyser for users who need accurate hydrocarbon measurement in a single versatile, easy-to-operate unit.

Cables - The following Technical Articles from Northwire Inc have been added to ICEweb's Cable Page, check it out for some great information. 
- Cable Fables - Confusion and Misconceptions about NFPA-79 -  Confusion abounds about the “new” NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) regulations pertaining to UL-recognized (AWM style) cable. Long after the practice became widespread, inspectors became aware of the ubiquitous use of AWM (Appliance Wiring Material) style cables in machine interconnecting sensors, actuators, switches and other components—often as part of premolded connector assemblies. The 2007 change to the NFPA-79 electrical code states that AWM-style single-conductor wire or multi-conductor cable is not permitted on machinery unless it is part of a UL-listed assembly. In other words, machine wiring requires UL-listed cable. Clearly, UL-listed cable has been available for many years. So the real question is, which UL listing is appropriate for particular applications?
- Flame Testing - Testing for Flame Resistance of Electrical Cables - Harold Gjerning – Agency Compliance Technician - The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) publishes flame-resistance standards through its published National Electrical Code (NEC). Other agencies, such as UL and CSA also publish standards and also define certain tests for determine flame resistance (or lack thereof). Flame resistance requirements are for the most part governed by local and national codes which define the various levels of flame hazard, plus the severity of the fires to which cables may be exposed. The important considerations are propagation of flame, support of further combustion, generation and propagation of smoke. The NEC deals primarily with fire hazards in buildings, whereas UL and CSA deal with requirements based on use.
- Custom Cables for Medical Applications - Medical cables have to meet requirements that are more demanding than the non medical variety.  This article discusses these. 
- Slimmer Cables Can Take More Flexing
- Selecting the Right Cable for Foundation fieldbus Control Networks – What you need to know - Sandy Fulton - FF-844 is the Fieldbus Foundation cable compliance specification. FF-844 includes the electrical requirements of ISA 50.02 and IEC 61158, but it also contains some additional requirements which help you know your cable is the right cable for use in FOUNDATION fieldbus control networks.|
- Cable Innovation Makes Industrial Networking Faster, Easier & More Reliable - Cable Innovation Makes Industrial Networking Easier, Faster and More Reliable - As engineers and systems integrators gain experience with FOUNDATION™ fieldbus installations, they are realizing the advantages of multi-pair fieldbus trunk lines in plant installations. These users are simplifying installations by merging formerly scattered control and instrument points into common bus segments and junction boxes. The benefits include installation cost savings, more compact cable housing in a tray or conduit and neater assemblage in the junction boxes. Instead of running bundles of single-pair trunk lines, cable specifiers are requesting multi-pair fieldbus trunk cables.
- Know Your High-Flex-Life Cable - When your application calls for cable meant to stand the tests of time and motion, you need to know what to purchase and what constitutes product quality. Cable designed to survive 10 million to 20 million flexing cycles is high-flex-life cable. It’s different from high-flex cable, which is designed to be supple and highly flexible. High-flex-life cable may actually feel stiffer than high-flex cable. The two products are distinctly different and mutually exclusive. Try bending the cable, twisting it, pulling it, rolling it back and forth in a track, having it bear weight, rubbing it and subjecting it to extremes of temperature and to solvents, oils and chemicals. Now do these things 10 million times in continuous motion, without ceasing. You’ll learn the difference between highflex- life and high-flex cable quickly – one cable isn’t the same as the next.
- Why Order Custom Cable? - Ted Beach - A project engineer can choose off-the-shelf cable – the manufacturer's way – and then adapt it to specific needs, or that same engineer can choose custom cabling designed for a specific purpose – the project engineer's way. There are advantages and disadvantages to both choices. this article reviews these.
- Cable Goes Twist Friendly - Constant motion can turn ordinary wiring into a big maintenance item on equipment. Read how continuous motion can destroy ordinary cables and what Northwire is doing to produce cable that will last millions of twist, roll, and bend cycles. Consider how typical industrial-automation equipment works today. Most of it is in use nearly 24/7. It frequently contains robotic elements and assemblies that execute motions repeating hundreds of times or more every minute. No question that these applications put stringent demands on moving parts. This is true even for the cabling that connects moving equipment to controls. This cabling can see millions of flex cycles in the course of normal use. From Machine Design.
- Out of the Frying Pan and onto the Cable - Teflon® and Other Fluoropolymers - Teflon, a product developed by DuPont and a common coating on cookware, is one of a group of compounds known as fluoropolymers. Fluoropolymers are fluorocarbon-based polymers with multiple strong carbon–fluorine bonds. Teflon FEP - a different grade than the product used on cookware and other fluoropolymers possess special electrical properties and have a high resistance to solvents, acids and bases. These and other characteristics make fluoropolymers ideal materials used in the manufacture of wire and cable products.
- Current Capacity of Copper Conductors

Control Valves - A Control Valve Repository which just has heaps of great useful technical information.

Thanks to Samson Controls Australia ICEweb's Control Valve page has been updated to include the following useful information;
The Plant Maintenance Resource Centre has some very useful links on Control Valves including;
- Control Valve Actuator Operating Modes - Details on fail safe conditions, fail closed and fail open.
- Control Valve Concepts - Control Valves Do What They Are Told!
- Control Valve Flow Characteristics - Trim design will affect how the valve capacity changes as the valve moves through its complete travel. Because of the variation in trim design, many valves are not linear in nature. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VALVE CAPACITY AND VALVE TRAVEL IS KNOWN AS THE FLOW CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VALVE. Valve trims are specially designed, or characterized, in order to meet the large variety of control application needs. This is necessary because most control loops have some inherent nonlinearities, which you can compensate for when selecting control valve trim.
- Control Valve Packing - Packing is a sealing system which normally consists of a deformable material such as TFE, graphite, asbestos, Kalrez, etc. Usually the material is in the form of solid or split rings contained in a packing box. Packing material is compressed to provide an effective pressure seal between the fluid in the valve body and the outside atmosphere.
- Control Valve Seat Leakage Classifications - There are actually six different seat leakage classifications as defined by ANSI/FCI 70-2-1976. But for the most part you will be concerned with just two of them: CLASS IV and CLASS VI. CLASS IV is also known as METAL TO METAL. It is the kind of leakage rate you can expect from a valve with a metal plug and metal seat. CLASS VI is known as a SOFT SEAT classification. SOFT SEAT VALVES are those where either the plug or seat or both are made from some kind of composition material such as Teflon.
- Control Valve Terminology - A comprehensive terminology list.
- Control Valve Tips & Tricks - An excellent list of useful tips and tricks for the control valve user.
- Control Valves - Flow Recovery Coefficient
- Control Valves - Pressure Recovery Factor
- Improving Valve Life and Operating Efficiency The Easy Way -  John C. Robertson - Eight often-overlooked valve maintenance basics.
-  Use of Ultrasonic Analysis in the Testing of Isolating Valves - Offshore installations use a series of isolation valves to divert the flows from the various pumps. One of the main reasons a pump test can "fail", is if the isolating valves are passing. This article describes testing the isolating valves using ultrasonic analysis. Overhaul of an isolating valve costs significantly less than undertaking an unnecessary pump major overhaul.
- Valve Positioners - Some general but useful information on valve positioners.
- Positioner and Actuator Operating Modes - The terms "direct" and "reverse" are frequently used when discussing control valves, positioners, and controllers. While the definitions of direct and reverse seem pretty straightforward, they cause quite a bit of confusion - especially when split-ranging is done. 
- Your Best Bet in Control Valves - Hans Bauman - Control valves may be the most important, but sometimes the most neglected, part of a control loop. The reason is usually the instrument engineer’s unfamiliarity with the facets, terminologies, and areas of engineering disciplines, such as fluid mechanics, metallurgy, noise control, and piping and vessel design that can be involved depending on the severity of service conditions - From ISA and InTech.
- Determine the Characteristic Curve of an Installed Control Valve - Jeff Sines - The performance of a control valve is defined by its inherent and installed characteristic curves. The inherent characteristic curve is a plot of the percent of valve opening vs. the percent of maximum flow coefficient (CV). The inherent characteristic curve is determined by measuring the flow rate at various positions of valve travel with a fixed differential pressure across the valve (typically 1 psid) and calculating the CV at each position using a form of the generalized Control Valve CV equation - From Engineered Software.

Emerson Process Management have announced the release of the 475 Field Communicator 3.2, which includes the new ValveLink Mobile application. ValveLink Mobile allows users to access predictive diagnostics from Fisher^® FIELDVUE^™ digital valve controllers in the field and transfer the results to AMS^™ Suite,

Control Systems - Covering vast array of technical subjects on Control Systems such as Advanced Process Control, Alarm Management, Batch Control, Cascade Control, Compressor Surge Control, Control Room Design, Control Forums, Fuzzy Logic, Decentralised Control,  Pneumatic Controllers,  Process Sequence Control Documentation Standards, Programmable Automation Controllers, Loop Tuning and much more.

This GREAT page which gets over 330 page views per month (this is control people actually looking at the content rather than hits) is available for sponsorship, for details please contact ICEnews 

Improving PID Controller Performance - Proportional integral derivative (PID) control is the most commonly used control algorithm in the industry today. PID controller popularity can be attributed to the controller’s effectiveness in a wide range of operation conditions, its functional simplicity, and the ease with which engineers can implement it using current computer technology. This paper covers some of the PID drawbacks and how to resolve them while improving performance in current implementations through changes in the algorithm - from National Instruments.

This is a pretty "neat" concept - Tuning the Forgotten Loop - We can tune PID controllers, but what about tuning the operator? - Steve Rubin - The purpose of tuning loops is to reduce errors and thus provide more efficient operation that returns quickly to steady-state efficiency after upsets, errors or changes in load. State-of-the-art manufacturers in process and discrete industries have invested in advanced control software, manufacturing execution software and modelling software to “tune” everything from control loops to supply chains, thus driving higher quality and productivity. The “forgotten loop” has been the operator, who is typically trained to “average” parameters to run adequately under most steady-state conditions. “Advanced tuning” of the operator could yield even better outputs, with higher quality, fewer errors and a wider response to fluctuating operating conditions. This paper explores the issue of improving operator actions, and a method for doing so.

Operators on alert - Operator response, alarm standards, protection layers keys to safe plants - David Hatch and Todd Stauffer - As plants run closer to their performance limits with fewer operators and support staff, alarm management is becoming paramount to maintaining plant safety. The key to maximizing the safety protection the operator provides is creating an environment where they are able to detect, diagnose, and respond to alarms properly and on time. One way to do this is adopt the requirements and recommendations of the standard on alarm management (ANSI\ISA-18.2 standard, Management of Alarm Systems for the Process Industries) and take a coordinated approach to alarm management and safety instrumented system (SIS) design. The ANSI\ISA-18.2 standard offers guidance on how alarm management can help a plant operate more safely. The standard can also bring together the disciplines of alarm management and safety-system design, which must work more closely to prevent future accidents. Thanks to InTech and ISA.

Tune 50 Control Loops a day - With ExperTune's PlantTriage software, an engineer or technician can now tune over 50 control loops a day. PlantTriage identifies loops to be tuned and gives the best PID values. Before-and-after simulations quickly confirm the settings. The browser-based tools accelerate tuning time to mere minutes. See “How to Tune a Loop in 60 Seconds” on the PlantTriage "YouTube" channel, at http://www.youtube.com/PlantTriage .

The following papers are available thanks to Apex Optimisation, see more on ICEweb's Control Systems Page.
Experience with “Grey Box” Modelling and Optimisation of Refinery Processes - An Rigden, Henrik Terndrup and Marco Smaling. This paper discusses experience with an alternative approach to process modelling and realtime optimisation at the Chevron refinery at Pembroke, UK and focuses primarily on the optimisation of the Heat Exchange Network of the crude unit as an example of the modelling and real time optimisation of non-linear systems using a “grey box” modelling approach. Thanks to Apex Optimisation.
Timely Advanced Control Upgrades: Recapture and Multiply Benefits - Andrew Taylor - This paper discusses the establishment of Advanced Process Control (APC) in refining, petrochemical and oil & gas production facilities and the various mechanisms which dictate the lifecycle of an APC application. The benefits of appropriate APC upgrades are examined with the key elements of a variety of case studies highlighted. The case studies cited include an APC technology upgrade and various APC revamps following process context changes (e.g. clean fuels refinery upgrades). The key elements in an APC lifecycle management program are proposed. from ProSys Engineering.
Modern Advanced Control Pays Back Rapidly - From Hydrocarbon Processing 
Optimize Surge Vessel Control - From Hydrocarbon Processing 
Refinery Fuel System Control and Optimisation - Pavlos Ioakimidis, Henrik Terndrup, Andrew Trenchard - This paper discusses an application of Honeywell’s Robust Multivariable Predictive Control Technology (RMPCT) to the control and optimisation of a refinery fuel system. A plant-wide fuel system application was commissioned in August 2003 and has delivered significant financial and operational benefits.
LPG Fractionation Unit Advanced Control Revamp - Woodside Energy Ltd and ProSys Engineering Pty Ltd - WEL are mature users of advanced process control technology with a decade of experience in use of Multivariable Predictive Control (MPC) technology. This technology uses a dynamic process model coupled with an embedded optimiser to control multiple input – multiple output systems. Use of MPC has delivered substantial economic benefits to WEL’s bottom line and set the company apart from most of their Oil & Gas peers. Seven MPC applications were commissioned on the Fractionation Unit in early 1997 with an immediate improvement in process stability and profitability. With gradual change in the process conditions due to throughput increases, the performance of the MPC had deteriorated. In addition, with the prospect of LPG production losses being suffered due to Fractionation Unit capacity constraints, a review of the MPC design with a capacity maximisation focus in mind was appropriate.
Real Time Optimisation of Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel Production -Francisco Arista, Andres Porcel, Pedro Villar, Henrik Terndrup,Marco Smaling - This paper discusses the experience with real time optimisation of the production of Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel at CEPSA’s Huelva La Rabida refinery and describes how these functionalities are integrated as well as some novel techniques used for the modelling and optimisation of this relatively complex system.
Condensate Stabiliser MPC Revamp - Most MPC technologies use dynamic process models coupled with embedded optimisers to control multiple input – multiple output systems. Dynamic process model accuracy is the proverbial Achilles’ heel of any MPC application, as model mismatch is the main cause for MPC application performance degradation. The challenge, however, is often to determine the causes of the model mismatch. The Stabiliser MPC applications at the Karratha Gas Plant suffered similar performance degradation problems and the performance of the applications has gradually degraded over the last few years to the point where the service factor of the applications had dropped significantly. This was particularly evident during the summer months when the applications were not maximising feed rates. ProSys Engineering Pty Ltd now Apex Optimisation assisted with review and revamp the MPC applications on the Stabiliser trains, this paper discusses this.
Moomba Gas Plant Throughput Maximisation - This paper discusses process control improvement at the Santos Moomba site. One of the initial objectives was to maximise plant throughput capacity and this was pursued via three primary mechanisms:
(1) Minimising DP across the CO2 removal trains;
(2) Minimising the LRP inlet pressure in order to facilitate a plant inlet pressure reduction. This provides immediate production improvement from all field compressors and provides an improved basis for reconfiguration of the reciprocating compressors to deliver more flow at constant power (and reduced field to plant inlet DP).
(3) Using the SWQ pipeline surge capacity to dynamically reduce feed gas supply to Moomba without reducing the production rate at Ballera. This helps eliminate spikes of high Moomba inlet pressure which would otherwise result in field compressor high discharge pressure trips.
Advanced Process Control Boosts Plant Performance - Andrew Taylor, Daniel Duff y and Randall Yeates - This article describes an initiative undertaken by Santos and Apex Optimisation to improve the profitability and operability of the Port Bonython liquid hydrocarbons processing plant in South Australia through multivariable predictive control (MPC).
Precipitation Tanks – Multivariable Predictive Control Magic - This paper discusses a project to minimise the potential for overflow incidents at an Aluminium refinery. 

Corrosion - Need to know about a corrosion issue? You are likely to find an answer in these pages.

Condition Monitoring - This is a new page on ICEweb, hence we are looking for more technical papers. 

Data Loggers  - See ICEweb's Comprehensive Data Logger page. 

Dynamic Process Simulators and Training Systems - Plenty of information on this subject.

Electrical - Many pages on the various Electrical subjects.

Review of Emergency Lighting and Way Guidance Systems for Offshore Structures - This 86 page document prepared by the HSE UK presents a review of emergency lighting and way-guidance systems for offshore structures, carried out by the Environment Group and the Fire Research Station of the Building Research Establishment, for the Health and Safety Executive Offshore Safety Division and managed by the Marine Technology Support Unit.

Enclosures - We have added additional technical references to our Enclosures page, thanks to our sponsor Weidmuller Australia .

Electrical Cabinet Construction  - Lots of examples and technical information along with some innovative solutions are detailed - Thanks to our valued sponsor Weidmuller Australia.

Keep Your RF at Home - Jud Strock - Your product design is underway, and you expect to have a prototype completed in two months. That will be soon enough to start thinking about EMC, and a good enclosure will solve all of your EMC problems. Right? Absolutely not. The enclosure is an integral part of your product, and the time to choose an enclosure is at the very beginning of the design cycle - thanks to Evaluation Engineering.

Typical Instrument Enclosure Specification - This document highlights the typical items that need to be considered when specifying an enclosure. From INTERTEC Instrumentation.

Engineering Tools for Control, Fire and Gas, Instrumentation and Electrical Engineers - Watch Out - a new ICEweb page coming soon!

ESD Valves - Shutdown and Blowdown

Flow - These pages cover; Coriolis, Metering,  Multiphase, Orifice Plates, Ultrasonic, Thermal, V-Cone, Vortex and more!

Flow & Measurement Articles - This super website contains an absolute "swag" of published articles on flow and measurement written by Dr. Jesse Yoder.  These articles have been published in various trade journals beginning in 1995. 

Fire and Gas - Technical Papers covering many aspects of fire and gas engineering.

Honeywell Analytics Gas Book - This updated handbook is intended to offer a simple guide to anyone considering the use of gas detection equipment. It provides an explanation of both the principles involved and the instrumentation needed for satisfactory protection of personnel, plant and environment. The aim has been to answer as many as possible of the most commonly asked questions about the selection and use of industrial gas detection equipment.

Gas Hazards & Areas - This technical article covers Flammable Gas Hazards, Flammable Limit, Flammable Gas Properties, Flammable Gases Data , Toxic Gas Hazards, Hygiene Monitoring, Toxic Exposure Limits, Toxic Gases Data, Asphyxiant (Oxygen Deficiency) Hazard, Oxygen Enrichment, and Typical Areas that Require Gas Detection.

Principles of Gas Detection - This technical article covers Combustible Gas Sensors, Catalytic Sensor, Sensor Output, Speed of Response , Calibration, Semiconductor Sensor, Thermal Conductivity, Infrared Gas Detector, Open Path Flammable Infrared Gas Detector, Electrochemical Sensor, Chemcassette® Sensor  and Comparison of Gas Detection Techniques. 

Gas Detection Systems - This technical article covers Cables and Junction Boxes, Location of Sensors, Typical Sensor Mounting Options, Typical System Configurations, Installation Methods.

Addressable Gas Detection Systems - Analogue Gas detection systems serve many applications and are installed across the whole spectrum of industry. These systems have provided solutions to monitoring problems for many years gathering information on changing levels of gas for trending and logging applications or as part of safety warning/shutdown systems for Toxic and Flammable gas applications. From Extronics.

Fire and Gas Detection Mapping - Computer aided design to increase safety and reduce cost - Kevin Keefe -  Using highly developed assessment methods together with custom software the flame detection assessment, gas detection assessment and heat detection assessment packages are able to review and assess arrangements from initial designs through construction and onto existing installation. The assessments are used to optimise and validate designs and maybe used in formal safety studies - from Micropack. ( Go to page 20)

Fire Protection adds Value to Offshore Project Planning - Larry Watrous -  The importance of fire protection in the design and construction of offshore structures can be a critical factor in the success of today’s offshore oil and gas projects. Integrating this component into the planning of a production facility is taking on increasing importance. This article addresses the changing needs and expectations, scope of equipment and services, and regulation in the fire protection discipline, as well as the capabilities and roles of the fire protection professional. The article further emphasizes the timing necessary for implementing a formal fire protection program in the design and construction of new offshore structures or the revamping of existing facilities, and the need for the expertise of a trained fire protection engineer to be involved with the development of all phases of these projects - from Mustang Engineering.

Design Engineering Key to Adequate Fire Protection - Larry Watrous - This article has useful tips on the skills required of a Fire Protection Engineer - from Mustang Engineering.

Hazardous Areas Instrumentation and Electrical Equipment - A huge technical library of Technical Information covering a wide range of Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas.

Abhisam Software have released their E-Book - Practical Guide to Hazardous Area Classification , this inexpensive publication only costs US$27!

Certification & Classification - Covers European and Rest of World Hazardous Area Standards and Approvals, ATEX, Equipment Markings, Area Classification, Apparatus Design, Apparatus Classification, Ingress Protection of Enclosures and Safety Integrity Levels (SIL).

The following links to Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas basic information plus links to a series of incidents on video are from EPEE Consulting
- Gases and Vapours 
- Combustible Dust
- Flammable / Combustible Liquids

NOPSA Safety Alert 33 is a Real Eye Opener - It highlights inappropriate or poorly maintained electrical equipment seen on inspections of offshore facilities.

High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems - (HIPPS) -A swag of information on this interesting subject.

Shutoff Valves - This paper from Mokveld highlights the HIPS applications.

Instrumented Protection Systems – HIPPS, High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems - High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS) are used to reduce the risk that a system can exceed its design pressure to a tolerable level. Conventional design standards applied in the oil and gas industry stipulate that final protection of piping and pressure vessels against over-pressurisation shall be provided by means of mechanical relief devices. Sometimes the use of these devices, like relief valves, is undesirable or impossible. Instrumented protection systems provide a technically sound and economically more attractive solution to this problem in situations where:
- Extremely high-pressures, or flow rates are processed.
- Environmental constraints or restrictions limit the use of conventional relief systems.
- The economic viability of a development needs improvement.
- The risk profile of the plant must be further reduced.

High Integrity Protection Systems (HIPS) for Flare Load Mitigation - Angela E. Summers, Ph.D., P.E., President, SIS-TECH Solutions, LLC - The American Petroleum Institute (API) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) provide criteria for the protection of vessels and pipelines from excess pressure. In conventional design, a Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) is used as the primary means of protection, and a flare is used to safely combust the gases relieved during an overpressure event. Although conventional, the use of a PRV is sometimes an unattractive proposition, particularly where the pressure relief involves a large flare load. API 521 and Code Case 2211 of ASME Section VIII, Division 1 and 2 allow the use of an SIS in lieu of a PRV as long as the SIS meets or exceeds the protection that would have been provided by the PRV. As an SIS, the design must follow the safety lifecycle provided in the United States standard ANSI/ISA 84.01-1996 or the international standard IEC 61511. The required risk reduction results in the need for high SIS safety availability; therefore, these systems are often called High Integrity Protection Systems (HIPS).

Flare Header Over-pressure Protective System using HIPS - In the chemical process industry, a key safety consideration is the control and response to over-pressure situations. Traditionally, pressure relief valves and flares were used to handle the relieving of vessels from over-pressure in the worst case scenario. When units are expanded, modified, or when a new unit is being integrated into a plant, existing flare capacity may be inadequate. Flare capacity, an essential safety design feature, is normally sized on the basis of handling the largest release resulting from a single contingency for a unit. Conventional design of over-pressure protection systems require additional flare capacity either by installing another flare system or reducing contingencies of existing flare systems. An alternative is to apply High Integrity Protective System (HIPS) to reduce some single contingencies to double contingencies, thereby allowing continued operation without compromising safety, or requiring additional expansion or investment in the flare system. A properly designed and applied High Integrity Protective Systems (HIPS) may be used to reduce loads to existing flare systems or provide additional safeguards where conventional pressure relief devices have proven to be unreliable. The use of HIPS also conforms to ISA S84 "Application of Safety Instrumented Systems for the Process Industries" and the Draft International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61508 Standard "Functional Safety: safety-related systems", Parts 1 through 7 - from processoperations.com . 

Hydraulics - Need some information on Hydraulics?  Look at ICEweb's page. 

Instrumentation Valves and Fittings - ICEweb has very comprehensive pages on this subject. 

PCA and Prochem Pipeline Products have announced that they have joined forces to promote and distribute Tube-Mac Industries Non Welded piping systems and Flushing services.

Level - Technical Information covering a wide range of level subjects including General Theory, Capacitance, Displacer, Float/Magnetic, Radar, Ultrasonic, Boiler Level and more!

New Technologies - This section of ICEweb is dedicated to new and emerging technologies

Pressure - Covers General Theory,  Technical Papers,  Transmitters, Regulators, Safety Tips, Blockage Tool and more Pressure Related Technologies.

Pressure Relief Valves - A very comprehensive resource covering Technical Papers, Technical  Manuals, Engineering Handbook, Calculations, Sizing, Selection and Relief Design.

Rupture Discs - Specifications, Standards, Technical Papers and Articles.

Test and Calibration - Technical Papers and Articles on  how to test and calibrate along with typical equipment.

The following calibration links are from Dickson
Are All Metrology Labs Alike? - Short answer – NO!!! In fact, to those of us in the industry who truly know what it takes to recalibrate instruments to objectively defined standards, a better question might be— Are you using the equivalent of a meat thermometer to validate conditions in your processing plant or laboratories?
“Before” Calibrations Count More than Many Think - As most know, temperature and humidity dataloggers and chart recorders need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure this accuracy, and competent quality managers need to establish schedules for recalibrations that reflect due diligence to monitor that temperatures and humidity are kept within acceptable and pre-defined tolerances. But "recalibration" can mean different things, and what could be termed "recalibration on the cheap" does NOT demonstrate the accuracy of your recorded data (instruments).
Monitoring Revisited - While most pharmaceutical quality managers realize the importance of temperature and humidity tracking to guarantee both quality and compliance, the way in which many go about it is adding hidden costs. Technology for temperature/humidity tracking continues to evolve, and there are numerous time-saving features in recent temperature/humidity data loggers that can make a difference. On one hand, some quality managers are doing too much to track temperature /humidity data, while on the other hand some are doing too little. For many, it’s timely to revisit temperature and humidity monitoring. Here are some key points to consider.
Monitoring Temperature and Humidity - Monitoring temperature and/or humidity conditions is an essential ingredient of a wide range of quality assurance applications. There are many common methodological errors, however, in ways that this task is approached that either compromise quality standards or add unnecessary time and expense to the monitoring task. Insufficient calibration of temperature and humidity monitoring instruments is high on the list of problematic areas. Mismatching technology to the monitoring task at hand is another problematic area. This article revisits technology trends in monitoring instrumentation, provide tips on calibration and discuss common methodological errors that quality managers should avoid.
Calibrate - How Often? - This article details the various calibration steps.
Get Before Data - Before data (a.k.a. "as received data") documents the accuracy of your data logger or chart recorder before it is calibrated. When your instrument is re-calibrated it is returned to original specifications. You cannot retroactively obtain "before" data.
1-Point, 3-Point, or Custom Point? - Choosing between 1-Point, 3-Point and Custom Point Calibrations is very straightforward when you know how calibration REALLY works... 
Calibration Glossary - A useful glossary explaining calibration terms.

Security - We all need to be much more today of security issues and the technology available to overcome them. 

Maritime Security: Meeting Threats to the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry - This paper covers challenges faced by the oil & gas industry in securing its vital offshore production assets. It discusses key requirements for an effective platform security strategy, and describes the latest technology enabling an integrated security management system - from Honeywell.

Solenoid Valves   - A comprehensive Technical Reference

I missed this one...but it is such a neat product that it is worth highlighting...Ed! Back in early 2009 Numatics introduced the G3 Fieldbus, the next generation electronic platform that allows easy access to I/O connections; it’s easy to assemble, install, commission, and maintain. The G3 Fieldbus is the only pneumatic valve manifold on the market today to contain a graphical display used for configuration/commissioning and diagnostics. The same electronic modules can be used for centralized or distributed architecture. It can handle up to 32 solenoids per manifold. Have a look at the catalogue which gives an excellent technical overview. 

Surge and Lightning Protection - It will never happen to me? Don't you believe it...Globally, some 2000 on-going thunderstorms cause about 100 lightning strikes to earth each second!! This page provides a comprehensive range of links to help resolve the potential effects.

Proper Copper Grounding Systems Stops Lightning Damage at Nebraska FM Station -  What could be more vulnerable to lightning than a 500-ft antenna tower poking into the Nebraska sky on a summer afternoon? And what could be more at risk from serious lightning damage than the sensitive electronic equipment in a radio station’s transmitter room? One station knows these hazards all too well. KROA, a 100-kW FM station with studios and tower in Doniphan, Nebraska, learned first-hand what happens when lightning strikes and where the lightning goes if the tower it strikes is connected to high-resistance ground.

Terminals 
Applications in the Oil and Gas Industry - This application bulletin illustrates the practical concepts and special features  in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industries - Thanks to our valued sponsor Weidmuller Australia.

U Tube Videos - There are a useful series of videos on U Tube giving examples of how to connect using Weidmuller terminals:
Screw Type Terminal Blocks W-Series
Tension Type Terminal Blocks Z-Series
IDC Type Terminal Blocks I-Series
Push-In Type Terminal Blocks P-Series

Test and Calibration - You can find a huge range of Test and Calibration technical papers and articles in ICEweb's comprehensive page, thanks to our sponsor Zedflo Australia. 

Ultimate Calibration - Learn the secrets of advanced calibration with this free 170 page handbook from Beamex - you will have to register to get a copy. 

Temperature - Covering a whole range of temperature measuring techniques along with General Theory, Conversions, Selection, Application this page must be your first choice when looking for quality technical information.

Valves - ICEwebs Valveweb page has been completely reworked to help you get to your required information quickly and efficiently.  Thanks to our sponsors tyco flow control pacific

Variable Speed Drives - Check out ICEwebs new Variable Speed Drives Page. We are looking for more technical papers on these and other Electrical subjects. 

ICEsafety — Information and News on Safety Instrumented Systems , Burner Management Systems, Manufacturing & Safety Automation,  and Health & Safety.

HIMA Australia are running the following courses;
- TÜV Functional Safety Program - This course has been developed to provide an overview of current industry standards such as AS 61508 and AS 61511, functional safety concepts and current tools used to determine safety levels while applying industry recognised techniques and methodologies.  
Perth 29 June- 2 July 2010 , Melbourne 23-26 November
- Analysis & Design of SIS Course - The objective of this course is to provide engineers with the functional safety knowledge required to analyse and design safety instrumented systems for the process industry in compliance with the analysis and realisation phases of the AS 61511 safety lifecycle.
Darwin 23 February, Perth 20 April , Adelaide 27 April, Brisbane 8 June .
- Operation & Maintenance of SIS Course - The objective of this course is to provide operations and maintenance personnel with the functional safety knowledge required to operate and maintain any safety instrumented system such that the designated functional safety is maintained throughout the operation and maintenance phase of the AS 61511 safety lifecycle.
Darwin 24 February, Perth 21 April, Adelaide 28 April, Brisbane 9 June .
- Electronic Machine Guarding - This training course is designed for electrical workers who design, modify, service and commission machines with electrical safeguards. From concept to commissioning, and well into the operational phase of a device, participants will have the skills and knowledge to comprehend and solve most machine safety problems.
Melbourne 16-17 February 2010, Melbourne 16-17 March, Adelaide 4-5 May . 
- HIQuad Maintenance Course - The HIQuad maintenance course is a two day course designed to provide hands on practical troubleshooting experience for the HIQuad range of safety controllers. Students will build an understanding of the safety principles of HIQuad programmable electronic systems.
Perth 9-10 March 2010
- HIMatrix Engineering Project Development - This training course is designed to provide the knowledge required for control engineers to design, develop and deploy functional safety projects using HIMatrix Controllers. Participants are introduced to ELOP II Factory and guided through its vast array of functions. Details of how to utilise ELOP II Factory for rapid and accurate project development is discussed.
Perth 30 March – 1 April 2010
- HIQuad Advanced System Training - This course provides a complete overview of the safety lifecycle of the HIQuad Programmable Electronic System (PES). It provides training on hardware and communication configurations including system architectures and maintenance along with the configuring, loading and modifying of a HIMA PES application program.
Perth 13-16 April 2010  

Abhisam Software have released a comprehensive e-learning course on Safety Instrumented Systems - This course on Safety Instrumented Systems is designed to make the learning experience comfortable and easy. Everything is explained in easy to understand terms, with plenty of graphics, interactive simulations and worked problems. Everything that you need to know about Safety Instrumented Systems, put together, in an easily digestible form, stripped of all the complexity, but still useful to impart skills to you that you can actually use in your work. This course is NOT a rehashed power point presentation. It is a full fledged e-learning course with interactive animations, simulations, graphics and text. It also has many worked out example problems, to help understand the logic behind designing and operation of Safety Instrumented Systems. For full details of the contents see here.  Order now for an Early Bird Price of only US$157!

What is Conformity assessment? - Conformity Assessment is defined as "activity that provides demonstration that specified requirements relating to a product, process, system, person or body are fulfilled."

What is CASS? - Accredited Certification for Safety Systems -  to IEC 61508 and Related Standards - CASS is a scheme for assessing the compliance of safety related systems with the requirements of IEC 61508 and associated standards. It provides a systematic approach to be used by certification bodies and others when assessing compliance at all stages from the specification of safety requirements through the design, development and manufacture of system components to integration, commissioning, operation and maintenance. At each stage CASS takes the conformity assessor through the logical steps of defining the scope of the assessment, the target of evaluation, the requirements to be met and the process of demonstrating and recording conformity.

Legacy Systems - Basic Principles for Safety - Engineered systems are relied upon for safety in a wide range of work environments. There is however, a general lack of awareness of the exact role played by such systems, and whether adequate safety is, in fact, being achieved. This is particularly true of systems that have been in place for many years. This document describes how to assess the capability of so called Legacy Systems, focussing on how electrical, electronic, or programmable devices achieve adequate safety in conjunction with other technologies such as mechanical systems and operational expectations.

Toolbox Talks - This excellent page from the 61508 Association gives you the essential toolbox tips in just a few sheets that will help your team to all be “singing from the same hymn sheet” which covers:
• Directors
• Senior Management
• Purchaser
• Project Manager
• Project Engineer
• Inspection and QA
• Operations
• Maintenance
• Service Engineer
• What is Functional Safety Management
• Proven in use / Prior use claims
• Functional Safety Management cross-reference
between IEC61508 and IEC61511

SIL-Loops to the Rescue - Poor Process Design shouldn’t have to Hide behind Safety Loops - Clive de Salis -You’ve probably never thought of it this way but it really is true: To have an SIL-rated loop is a failure. An SIL-3 safety loop means that the layers of safety that we as chemical engineers have put in place in the process design are inadequate to such an extent that the risk of the fatality is 1000 times the wrong side of tolerable. The failure, therefore, is a failure of the chemical engineer to design a process that has sufficient layers of safety to not require an SIL-rated loop.

The 61508 Association provides additional articles to promote the benefits of IEC 61508 and accredited certification.

SIS- TECH have announced their DIAMOND-SIS automated independent backup ( AIB ), a low-cost, standalone safety instrumented system (SIS) that backs up current process control trip logic and meets the requirements of IEC 61511. The system includes an IEC 61508 logic solver that is functionally independent from the process control system, supplements existing logic, and meets all appropriate safety standards. The AIB is ideal for legacy process control systems where users implemented safety logic in their DCS software, but their solution doesn’t meet modern safety specifications. The AIB can be installed to provide either SIL2 or SIL3 protection, without requiring any changes to the existing hardware or DCS software. It can also be used on new control systems at a lower installed cost than a Safety PLC.

When the Ethernet Powerlink protocol stack was made available as open source software, managing body EPSG was generally agreed to have pulled off an industry coup. The organisation has now gone further by offering the full SIL 3-approved Powerlink Safety code to third party developers on open source terms. Since Safety systems would appear to carry a greater burden of responsibility and liability for parties to the development process, how will an open source sign-off work? EPSG executive officer Anton Meindl, Ixxat CEO Christian Schlegel and intellectual property lawyer Till Jaeger explain the proposition

The International Society of Automation have announced that the 2010 Industrial Automation Safety and Security Symposium, sponsored by the ISA Safety Division, will take place 28-29 April 2010 at the Astor Crowne Plaza in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. This year’s symposium will focus on threats—including cyber security threats—to industrial environments and the steps engineers must consider when designing and optimizing industrial processes and Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS).

Safety Control Systems Conference 2010 - 12 - 13 May, Calgary, Canada -  This conference presents an industry-wide forum to examine and discuss the latest international practices and standards in safety control systems. Case studies and practical applications will be presented by specialists experienced in safety life cycle activities such as a hazard and risk assessment and the determination of Safety Integrity Levels (SILs). Topics will be relevant to a wide range of industry sectors including machinery and automation plants, chemical processes, energy and power, pulp and paper and petrochemicals.

Lessons Learned from the Buncefield Explosion  - Deflagration to Detonation Transition - Deflagration-to-detonation transition is the general process by which a subsonic combustion wave (deflagration or flame) becomes a supersonic combustion wave (detonation). The Buncefield explosion investigation offers some lessons for the offshore industry. The severity of the explosion that occurred in the Buncefield oil storage depot (UK, December 2005) caused the Major Incident Investigation Board to announce that further work was required to identify the mechanism for generating an unexpectedly high explosion overpressure. A review of similar incidents identified that the explosions at Port Hudson (USA, December 1970) and Ufa (Russia, June 1989) were similar to the Buncefield explosion. In their preliminary report, the Buncefield Explosion Mechanism Project Team, identified the detonation of part of the vapour cloud as a more likely mechanism than deflagration. ( See the report www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr718.pdf - be prepared for 226 pages!). While many of the circumstances of the Buncefield incident are applicable to the offshore environment, the mechanism of deflagration to detonation should be considered as a possible major hazard initiator, especially if existing analyses have been restricted to deflagration events. Operators are encouraged to review the findings of this report and establish whether ‘deflagration to detonation’ events are possible on their facilities. From NOPSA.

Thanks to Pilz Australia ICEweb's Manufacturing and Automation Safety Page has been updated to include the following useful technical papers;
- Emergency Stops – Make sure yours Comply - As Emergency Stops are the last line of defence in machine safety it is imperative that they operate correctly when/if required. So what are some of the things you can do to ensure the E-Stop will work when called upon? This technical paper takes a detailed look at the different types of Emergency Stop Devices and what you can do to ensure their effectiveness. Thanks to our sponsor Pilz Australia.
- Safety Blows the Wind - Wind turbines fall under the scope of the Machinery Directive - The revised version of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC comes into force on 29.12.2009. Even wind turbine manufacturers will be required to deal with the new Machinery Directive because, by definition, a wind turbine is a functional machine, and as such it falls within the scope of the Machinery Directive.
- Safety Compendium - For the application of functional safety standards - The primary purpose of safety technology on and in machinery is to protect people from potential hazards. At the same time it protects the environment and the actual machine from harm. The new safety compendium is aimed at all those in mechanical engineering who deal with the issue of functional safety and all its associated aspects. The compendium is intended as an orientation guide for the application of functional safety standards. View the compendium for free here.
- Safety of machinery - Notes on the application of standards EN 62061 and EN ISO 13849-1- Are you a machine manufacturer or system integrator? Do you upgrade machinery? This is what you need to consider in future in terms of functional safety! What do you need to do to place a machine on the market in compliance with the directives? The EU Machinery Directive stipulates that machinery should not present a risk (risk assessment in accordance with EN 1050 or EN ISO 14121-1). Given that there is no such thing as zero risk in technology, the aim is to achieve an acceptable residual risk. This technical article compares the two standards. From Siemens.
- IEC/EN 62061 "Safety of Machinery – Functional Safety of Safety-related Electrical, Electronic and Programmable Electronic Control Systems" - Some useful notes on this standard. 
- Selecting Protective Devices - Standard EN ISO 12100-2 notes on selecting protective devices - If the hazards cannot be prevented or sufficiently limited by constructive measures, protective devices must be planned and provided. The selection of a suitable protective device must be made either in accordance with an existing machine specific provision, e.g. a European C-standard, or on the basis of a risk assessment of the respective machine.
- Guarding with opto-electronic protective devices IEC TS 62046 "Safety of machinery – Application of protective equipment to detect the presence of persons" contains basic information for selecting, applying, connecting and putting active opto-electronic protective devices and pressure-sensitive Safety Mats into operation. It addresses the authors of machine-specific C-standards, designers, test centres and anyone that is involved with the professional installation of such protective devices. The information refers to the recommendations of IEC TS 62046 as the international state of technology. In principle to be observed with priority: the operating instructions of the protective devices, regional regulations or machine- specific standards.
- Selecting and applying opto-electronic protective - The steps required in accordance with the standards.
- Calculating safety distance - Opto-electronic protective devices can only perform their protective function if they are installed with a sufficient safety distance from the nearest point of operation. The safety distance from the protective device to the point of operation must big enough that the dangerous movement will have stopped before a part of the person’s body can reach the point of operation. This note refers to the calculation formulas of ISO 13855/EN 999 "Safety of machinery – Positioning of protective equipment with respect to the approach speeds of parts of the human body" and the recommendations of IEC TS 62046.
- Calculation safety distance, right-angle approach - Calculation formula for the minimum safety distance for AOPD with right-angle approach (point of operation guarding).
- Calculation safety distance, parallel approach - Calculation formula for the minimum safety distance for AOPD with parallel approach (danger area guarding).
- Calculation safety distance, access guarding - Calculation formula for the minimum safety distance of Multiple Light Beam Safety Devices for access guarding.
- US specifications for safety distance calculation - The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Volume 29, Part 1910, Subpart 0 defines the calculation of the minimum safety distance of a protective device. OSHA 1910.217 requires that with the installation of a Safety Light Curtain a minimum distance, which corresponds with the prescribed distance of a hard guard, is observed in every case (see OSHA 1910.217, table 0-10). If the safety distance calculation results in a greater value, this must be used.
- Guarding with hard guards - A note on guarding with hard guards (fence heights, fixing instructions, safety distances, etc.)
- Fixed hard guards - Fixed hard guards can always be used when the access to the danger area is not required during the normal operation. These include protective fences, barriers, fixed covers, etc. Fixed hard guards are also frequently used in combination with opto-electronic protective devices as supplementary protective devices. EN ISO 12100-2 requires that fixed hard guards must be firmly held in their place with constructive measures.
- Movable hard guards - If the access to the danger area is required during the normal operation or for maintenance work, active opto-electronic protective devices, such as Safety Light Curtains or moveable hard guards such as protective doors or flaps, must be used. This kinds of movable protective devices must be position monitored via safety switches or safety guard interlocking, and electrically connected with the control unit (for further requirements see EN ISO 12100-2).
- Machine Safety in the EU and USA

The following are available from Proctor Machine Guarding - A short registration process is required to access them but it is worth it.
Risk Assessment Calculator (XLS) - A free Risk Assessment Calculator that is based on the requirements of BS EN 1050, the standard for machinery risk assessments. Designed to be easy to use, the Risk Assessment Calculator incorporates checklists and look-up tables to enable risk assessments to be carried out on almost any static machinery. A Hazard Rating Number (HRN) and Risk Level are calculated automatically for each identified hazard, thereby indicating at-a-glance where users should consider taking action. The Risk Assessment Calculator is based on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, though very little knowledge of this software package is required in order to use the tool. All of the calculations are handled automatically, leaving the user to enter the data and decide on the values to use for 'Likelihood of Occurrence', 'Frequency of Exposure', 'Degree of Possible Harm' and the 'Number of Persons at Risk' using the guides provided.
Free Guide to Machinery Guarding Standards - A free guide to machinery guarding standards. Available as a PDF document that can be printed by the recipient, this guide is the second edition of the hugely popular 'On Your Guard', updated to reflect changes in standards and with additional references to conveyor guarding.
Workshop Safety Free Guide - A free guide to workshop safety that will benefit anyone responsible for the safety of machinery and work equipment.  The guide covers the following topics: costs and benefits; regulations and legislation; general requirements for machine guards; specific machine types; other measures relating to machinery safety; standard; official information and guidance; useful resources; and sources of further information. 
Machine Accident Investigation Kit - a free Machine Accident Investigation Kit that will help small and medium-sized manufacturing companies perform investigations so that they meet their statutory obligations and prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.
Safety Distance Calculator (XLS) - a free Safety Distance Calculator for establishing the required safety distances and heights of machine guards in accordance with BS EN 294, Safety of machinery - Safety distances to prevent danger zones being reached by the upper limbs.
Guide to the new Machinery Directive -On 29 December 2009 the existing Machinery Directive will be replaced by a new Directive 2006/42/EC, which has important implications for companies building or importing machinery for use in the European Economic Area. Procter Machine Guarding is offering a free 'Guide to the New Machinery Directive' to help companies prepare for the new regime. Although the main thrust of the new Directive is simplification and clarification - especially with regard to relationships with other Directives - there are other changes that will have a significant impact. In this third amendment of the Machinery Directive, alterations have been made in respect of the scope, partly-completed machinery, fixed guards, conformity assessment procedures, enforcement and other areas.
FREE White Paper: new Machinery Directive and Fixings for Fixed Guards - The new Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the latest edition of the guarding standard BS EN 953 include a requirement for fixings for fixed guards to remain attached when the guards are removed.  This white paper explains the requirement and provides information to help designers select fasteners for particular guarding applications.  Useful design tips will also help to minimise the costs associated with installing captive fasteners. 

ICEtools— Software and offers that will help with engineering design.

Really excellent free tools to help you in your job and at home can be found on ICEweb’s “Tools” page.

Cool "Techie Website" -  WolframAlpha is sponsored by  Stephen Wolfram who developed Mathematica - the scientific software program used in colleges all over the country.  It is effectively the GOOGLE for SCIENTISTS.  Simple word queries can be useful in getting answers to everything. 

ICEwireless – News and technical links to Industrial Instrumentation Wireless items of interest

The following wireless links are thanks to our sponsor Abhisam Software  http://www.abhisam.com/index.htm

RFID Case Study ebook -This excellent 61 page technical reference has details on 25 different RFID applications from around the world. The password to the document is "abhisam". . http://www.iceweb.com.au/Newtech/RFID/RFIDCaseStudyBook.pdf

Sponsor Abisham Software have provided the world's first FREE RFID e-learning course which is a no obligation , no strings attached, absolutely free RFID course, that can be downloaded to your own PC and you can view it without any restrictions at all! Plus it's a REAL e-learning course, NOT somebody's stale Power-Point presentation! It has plenty of flash based animations, graphics and text, with a self-assessment test. The visuals help you learn key concepts QUICKLY and EASILY.

ICEweb's comprehensive wireless page has many links to a wide range of excellent papers on wireless.

The HART® Communication Foundation (www.hartcomm.org) have welcomes the recent report and confirmation by NAMUR that WirelessHART™ technology meets the requirements for wireless sensor networks in process applications. After conducting an extensive multi-vendor field test, NAMUR reports that WirelessHART Communication provides the flexibility, security, robust performance, coexistence with other radio technologies and device interoperability within a WirelessHART network that its members should expect.

Wireless ball back in ISA’s court - The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) confirmed to ISA shortly before Christmas that it must hear the appeal filed by CONTROL magazine editor in chief Walt Boyes and others against the ratification of the ISA 100.11a wireless standard back in August 2009. Thanks to the Instrumentsignpost.com. 

Emerson’s Rosemount® TankRadar Rex and Pro tank gauging system now include Smart Wireless functionality. With innovative Smart Wireless technology, new-radar based Rex and Pro systems can be installed in a storage tank farm without the need to install costly long distance signal wiring.  Tank gauging data from remotely located tanks, previously collected manually or not at all, can now be easily integrated into the control system, resulting in more efficient tank capacity utilization, more accurate inventory and better loss control.

Wireless Considerations in Hazardous Areas
Resilient Wireless Ethernet on an FPSO - The need to provide Ethernet connectivity to locations round production plant or other facilities is becoming more common place due to the fact that most modern control and instrumentation equipment is now supplied with an Ethernet interface as the primary means of communicating with the device. In many cases it is simply a matter of running an Ethernet cable from the switch to the device as this more often than not provides power as well using the 802.3af POE standard. From Extronics.

Making Safe Waves in Hazardous Areas White Paper - As wireless devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers become more reliable and cost effective, there is growing interest amongst the process industry as to the benefits to be found from enabling such devices to be used in hazardous areas. However, unlike most industries this is not a simple task. Installing wireless networks in hazardous areas requires careful, expert planning and execution. From Extronics.

Wireless Technologies take Personnel Safety in the Process Industries to a New Level - In modern times the Process Industries have implemented many strategies to improve the operational safety of plants to protect personnel and the surrounding environment, to the extent that accidents are thankfully few and far between. From Extronics.

In an advance that might interest Q-Branch, the gadget makers for James Bond, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and partners from industry and academia have designed and tested experimental antennas that are highly efficient and yet a fraction of the size of standard antenna systems with comparable properties. The novel antennas may be useful in ever-shrinking and proliferating wireless systems such as emergency communications devices, micro-sensors and portable ground-penetrating radars to search for tunnels, caverns and other geophysical features. Read More. 

ICEtime¾ Seminars, Tradeshows, Conferences and Events of interest to our readership.

If you would like to have your event listed in ICEtime, please send a note or press release to ICEnews.

Take a look at ISA's comprehensive calendar of Automation events

2010

March

9  FDT Technical Seminar - Hilton Long Beach , Long Beach, California, USA

9 - 10 Oil Sands Automation Conference - Oil Sands Discovery Centre Fort McMurray, AB, Canada

24 - 25  Fieldbus Foundation 2010 General Assembly - Houstonian Hotel, Houston , Texas USA.

April

6 -9 The International Multi-Conference on Complexity, Informatics and Cybernetics: IMCIC 2010 - Orlando, Florida, USA.

14 -15 Electrical Arc Flash Forum Melbourne, Australia

14 - 15  ISA Edmonton 2010 Exhibit & Conference - Edmonton Expo Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada

25 - 29  55th Analysis Division Symposium: Analytical Solutions in a Not So "Big Easy" Economic Environment - Astor Crowne Plaza, New Orleans, USA.

28 - 29 Safety and Security Symposium 2010 - Astor Crowne Plaza, New Orleans, USA.

May

12-13 Safety Control Systems Conference 2010 - Calgary, Canada

26-28  Chinese Control and Decision Conference (2010 CCDC) - Xuzhou, China 

June

29 to July 2  The 3rd International Multi-Conference on Engineering and Technological Innovation: IMETI 2010 – Orlando, Florida, USA

June 29 & 30   PROFIBUS & PROFINET User Conference - Stratford Manor, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, UK.

September

27th to October 1st 2010 Emerson Global Users Exchange conference - Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Centre in San Antonio, TX. 

October

4 - 7 ISA Automation Week: Technology and Solutions - Westin Galleria Complex, Houston, Texas, USA.

ICEsponsor¾ Newsletter Sponsor Recognition

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