Articles
Increased international cooperation on standards for energy efficiency needed
Cooperation on International Standards to promote energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions was given a major boost by a workshop in Paris, France, on 16–17 March 2009, which brought together 290 experts from the public and private sector. Presentations and discussion panels provided insights on the requirements and challenges related to energy efficiency and related standardisation work in a variety of fields, including industrial systems.
[ + ]Pump trend report
At ACHEMA 2009, which will take place from 11–15 May in Frankfurt am Main, manufacturers of pumps, compressors and fittings will be the largest contingent of exhibitors once more. 950 from 4000 exhibitors will be from this sector. For them and the 180,000 expected visitors, surely energy efficiency will be one of the main themes again this year. Solutions that improve availability will also have high priority.
[ + ]Radiometric measurement — at home in extreme process conditions
Radiometric measurement, also known as nuclear- or gamma-based measurement, is an extremely reliable and safe, non-invasive solution that is suitable for level limit detection, continuous level measurement, and density and interface layer measurement.
[ + ]1312/1392 load cells
The model 1312/1392 shear-web tension/compression load cells from BCM Sensor are alloy steel (1312) and stainless steel (1392) load cells with protection up to an IP66 standard. The 1312 is also nickel plated. They can measure in either tension or compression, and applications for these load cells include hopper scales and vehicles scales.
[ + ]Scalable mobile control system
The Scalable Mobile Control System from Hirschmann Automation and Control can be used for controlling and monitoring machine functions as well as for safe load indicator. The product family includes controls from the iFLEX series and the iSCOUT operating consoles. The modular concept also ensures that each solution can be adapted economically at any time to changed requirements.
[ + ]Installing fieldbus — Part 1
Fieldbus (the use of digital communications networks for distributed instrumentation and control) is a wonderful technology with many benefits, but fieldbus installation requires some additional considerations over and above normal 4–20 mA projects.
[ + ]Interface level detection — what to consider
Compared to standard level measurements in liquids, the detection and measurement of interfaces has its own particular challenges, leaving many interface applications without reliable level measurement. Most popular today are the electronic or non-mechanical solutions with no moving mechanical parts which offer much higher long-term stability and low-maintenance operation.
[ + ]Passive sonar flowmeter technology — operating principles
Flow measurements in the mineral processing and mining industry suffer from the limitations placed by previously available flowmeters including the commonly used instruments such as ultrasonic meters, magmeters, turbine meters, orifice plate meters, vortex meters, Coriolis meters and Venturi meters. The desire or requirement to make a non-contact measurement that is accurate and robust, and can be performed on practically any type of fluid within practically any type of pipe, has driven the creation of a new class of flowmeters.
[ + ]Process innovations support the Boddington Gold Project
The development of the process control system for the Boddington Gold Project in Western Australia, a joint venture by Newmont and AngloGold-Ashanti located 130 km south-east of Perth, is about to mobilise to a site-based phase. This follows an extensive design effort in Perth, Santiago (Chile), Melbourne and Brisbane. Effective teamwork by multiple partners in different physical locations has been vital to the success of the project to date.
[ + ]Component object-based supervisory systems — the benefits over traditional HMI development
There are several fundamental differences between component object-based and traditional tag-based human machine interface (HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) products. This article explains the differences between the two methodologies and shows that significant savings in development can be achieved with a component object-based SCADA product, and explains how to calculate the savings.
[ + ]Cleaning up one of Tasmania’s dirtiest jobs
Zinc smelting began in 1917 on the site of Nyrstar’s Hobart plant in Tasmania. For generations it has involved hard, dirty and risky jobs. One of the toughest — skimming the waste ‘dross’ off molten zinc just poured into ingot moulds — was done by hand with a rake, until four ABB industrial robots took it over in 2008.
[ + ]Profibus-DP bus interface module
GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of a Profibus-DP bus interface module for its 8000 line of general purpose and intrinsically safe I/O.
[ + ]Leaky cable antenna
Hirschmann Automation and Control has expanded its range of industrial WLAN products to include the leaky cable. This flexible antenna can be used to establish a pipe-shaped transmission field on the 2.4 GHz band with a range of up to 100 m. This easy-to-install solution is particularly suitable for use in long and narrow areas in buildings or production areas. The flexibility of the cable enables even corners to be lit up well.
[ + ]Bi-planar chain conveyor
The Realcold Millers Mechanical 3D-Veyor Bi-Planer Chain Conveyor systems are especially suitable for the food processing industry and have applications in many other areas requiring conveying systems.
[ + ]Robotic palletising and LGVs
The Euroimpianti Skilled ANT101 is a simple palletising robot. It has a modular construction and can be adapted to any pre-existing product conveyor and packaging line. The fully automatic, compact line dedicated palletisers remove the need for conveying to a centralised palletising area and enable independence of production lines. The Cartesian structured robot with four degrees of freedom houses one or two palletising stations and one pick-up conveyor. Its pick-up station conveyor has sloping rollers in order to guide and centre the cases before pick-and-place palletising. The adjustable pick-up gripper of mechanical or venturi vacuum style equipped with an anti-collision safety device provides the most flexible and reliable pick-and-place operation.
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