The process industry faces continued pressure to be productive, profitable and efficient, while dealing with the challenges of rising capital and labour costs in Australia. As a result, operators are looking for new ways to reduce costs and increase efficiencies. [ + ]

Working with academia and industry, the Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) supports research into all aspects of corrosion in order to provide an extensive knowledge base of the latest technologies and best practices in corrosion management. [ + ]

How I fell in love with the cloud. [ + ]

What's New in Process Technology interviews Chee Ban Ngai, who leads Honeywell's Industrial Cyber Security business in the Asia-Pacific region, and asks him about Honeywell's new Industrial Cyber Security Risk Manager system. [ + ]

LNG industries seek an accurate, simple and low-cost analysis solution for natual gas composition analysis. [ + ]

By now, many of us have heard of the Internet of Things and the principle of networking any number of devices and systems to assist us in our everyday lives - and the same thing is happening in the world of processing and heavy industry. [ + ]

Computers in food plants have to be cleanable so they don't add any contamination load to the end products. So they must be able to withstand the cleaning and sanitation regimes of the plant. [ + ]

Computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS) and enterprise asset management (EAM) applications can both be used in the industrial maintenance space. One might say that the relationship between the two is rather like that between a square and a rectangle - every EAM application can be used as a CMMS, but not every CMMS can be used as, or has the broad functionality of, an EAM application. [ + ]

In many industrial environments, pumping can consume anywhere from 25 to 50% of the plant's electrical energy. By replacing or upgrading pump systems with modern technology, huge reductions in CO₂ emissions and operational costs can be achieved.

Most industrial manufacturers use compressed air as part of their process. While the cost of providing this service is not as high profile as refrigeration or the raising of steam, it represents yet another overhead to the business and if not managed correctly is probably the most inefficient use of electrical power on your site.

The ACI Connect conference and expo, to be held at Sydney Olympic Park on 12-13 August 2015, will bring extra value to delegates with the just announced addition of Engineers Australia's inaugural Future Tech Forum to the conference program. [ + ]

Relays are used in almost every installation, yet the level of understanding of these devices is surprisingly low - they are much ignored, sometimes maligned and often an unknown necessity in nearly all process and control systems.

A new era of industrial innovation is upon us. Referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, the deeper meshing of the digital world with the world of machines holds the potential to bring about a profound transformation of industry worldwide.

Variable frequency drives can reduce energy consumption, improve real time control, and lengthen motor life. Selecting the right one for your application requires asking the correct questions. [ + ]

Safety and security work hand in hand in the manufacturing automation arena. However, despite more and more sophisticated, frequent and costly cyber attacks, security still does not receive the same attention as safety. There is a growing need to elevate security awareness to the same level as safety - ensuring not only a safe, but also a secure manufacturing environment. [ + ]