What links together sour gas, declining fuel pressure and blow downs in the oil and gas industry? Well, they’re just some of the challenges in major projects that Australia’s biggest contractor, WorleyParsons, has grappled with in recent times. [ + ]

Antennas that are capable of transmitting radio waves turn components into intelligent objects. Researchers have now found a way to embed these antennas in fibre composites. As a result, the technology also works with carbon and glass fibres. [ + ]

The production of agricultural and industrial chemicals frequently involves the use of steam-powered plants, and pure water is needed to generate the steam for such plants. SKW Stickstoffwerke Piesteritz uses Phoenix Contact coupling relays to control their generators as they require less space in the control cabinet.

Woodside Petroleum has awarded Compressed Air and Power Solutions (CAPS) Australia a supply contract to provide an air compressor package for the new $5 billion North Rankin B Platform. [ + ]

Thousands of budding marine biologists have been invited to examine images captured by Sirius, an autonomous underwater vehicle belonging to the University of Sydney’s ACFR designed to track the location of kelp and sea urchin populations. [ + ]

Large smelters in electricity-intensive, metal-winning industries can use as much power as a medium-sized city, so finding ways to reduce their energy requirement is a high priority.  In a bid to help smelters cut their consumption and associated emissions, the Australian research agency CSIRO, in partnership with industry players, is assessing and testing new electrical connection systems. [ + ]

Accuracy statements issued by instrument manufacturers are often used as a basis for choosing devices for an application; however, these specifications are measured in laboratory conditions and may not give an accurate picture of the performance of an instrument under real process ambient conditions. [ + ]

Many operational and maintenance problems around a plant can be solved by deploying WirelessHART transmitters beyond the P&ID together with an asset management system and other software to obtain asset health information and other additional plant data. However, plant procedures must be written so as to make full use of this new information. [ + ]

Networks, properly designed for security and fully exploited, can add value to a business, but for many businesses in the Australian manufacturing industries, the fear of internet-borne nasties infecting a network is not uncommon, and may be unnecessarily limiting the productivity gains that current and emerging technologies offer. [ + ]

OneSteel Whyalla took advantage of a recent blast furnace repair to upgrade its critical skip hoist control system. Rockwell Automation provided a cost-effective solution which met and exceeded current safety requirements. [ + ]

A growing international coal gasification market offers potential for coal deposits previously ranked of low value to become a highly marketable resource. [ + ]

Little Creatures began when a group of friends decided to make an idea a reality. The company now produces more than 100,000 hectolitres of beer annually in Fremantle and will soon start production at its new brewery in Geelong. [ + ]

Researchers have achieved the wireless transmission of 40 Gbps at 240 GHz over a distance of one kilometre, setting a new world record that ties in seamlessly with the capacity of optical fibre transmission. [ + ]

Some of the best seats in the house at this year’s State of Origin rugby league matches at ANZ Stadium on 5 June and 17 July were occupied by fans who were probably unaware of the industrial gearbox engineering that brought them closer to the spectacle. [ + ]

What would happen if we went 25 years back in time and used the systems of today, or what would happen if we used these same systems for the next 25 years? For those living in the past it would feel alien and for those living in the future, the systems would be ready for the museum. So what exactly do we need? [ + ]