Using modelling and simulation to optimise plant control systems
17 November, 2011Increased emphasis on more environmentally friendly, efficient, and safe processes has led companies to focus optimisation efforts across entire plants.
National Instruments Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite
02 November, 2011 byThe latest version of the NI Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite software provides a comprehensive collection of analysis and signal processing tools for noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) testing, machine condition monitoring (MCM) and audio test applications. Engineers can use the suite as stand-alone software or combine it with NI hardware and NI LabVIEW system design software to simplify test system development and control.
COTS technology reduces cost and increases competitiveness
26 October, 2011 by Matej KrajncThe main trends in manufacturing today are the needs to reduce costs and increase competitiveness. As a result, many Australian manufacturers are moving manufacturing facilities offshore.
National Instruments Watchdog Agent Prognostics Toolkit for LabVIEW
12 October, 2011 byThe Watchdog Agent Prognostics Toolkit for NI LabVIEW expands the capabilities of LabVIEW in machine prognostics and health management (PHM) applications. The toolkit is a product of collaboration between NI and the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Center on Intelligent Maintenance Systems at the University of Cincinnati. It is designed for serving engineers’ increasing demand for monitoring and reporting the health status of machines, structures, components and systems.
National Instruments VeriStand 2011 real-time and HIL testing
05 October, 2011 byNational Instruments has released NI VeriStand 2011, its configuration-based software environment for creating real-time testing and simulation applications including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulators and test cells. This updated version includes a real-time stimulus profile tool that expands deterministic test execution with looping and branching structures, composable arithmetic functions and multitasking. Engineers can combine NI VeriStand 2011 with INERTIA, an add-on from Wineman Technology, which adds a suite of tools to NI VeriStand for optimised closed-loop control of dynamometer and servo-hydraulic-based test cells.
Intergraph Standard Database for SmartPlant Reference Data
23 August, 2011 byIntergraph has released the newest version of Standard Database for SmartPlant Reference Data, a preconfigured, best-practice solution to enable rapid implementation of SmartPlant 3D and SmartMarine 3D (collectively known as Smart 3D), and materials management. The Standard Database reduces the effort required to define items, descriptions and dimensions that satisfy requirements throughout various phases of a project by delivering a comprehensive range of commodity codes used to uniquely describe materials through a project life cycle, while employing sophisticated and exhaustive rules to maintain material descriptions.
National Instruments CompactRIO cRIO-908x systems and sbRIO-9605/06 boards
03 August, 2011The NI cRIO-908x systems feature an Intel Core i7 1.33 GHz dual-core processor for increased processing power, Xilinx Spartan-6 field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and the option of a Windows Embedded Standard 7 (WES7) OS configuration for monitoring and control applications that require high performance and the ruggedness of CompactRIO.
National Instruments LabVIEW 2011
03 August, 2011National Instruments has released NI LabVIEW 2011, the 25th-anniversary version of its system design software. It is designed to increase development efficiency through new engineering-specific libraries and its ability to interact with almost any hardware device or deployment target.
Schneider Electric MachineStruxure automation software solution
29 July, 2011 bySchneider Electric has launched MachineStruxure, an automation offer designed to give OEMs the ability to engineer an entire machine from one software package - creating time, cost and energy efficiencies. It is based on flexible hardware platforms and a comprehensive single software suite, SoMachine, which simplifies programming and commissioning of the machine by building all the required elements into one software environment.
MathWorks Simulink Design Verifier v2.0
26 July, 2011 byMathWorks has announced that Simulink Design Verifier now includes Polyspace analysis technology for automated error detection in Simulink models. Simulink Design Verifier 2.0 integrates Polyspace error detection with existing property proving and test generation capabilities to help reduce the time required to find and fix the root cause of design errors, decreasing the overall cost of verification and validation.
Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Batch version 11
10 July, 2011 byThe application development capabilities of FactoryTalk Batch software have been expanded to help users design and run batch applications more rapidly. Version 11 features intelligent recipe capabilities, secure operator overrides, expanded data collection and reporting and improved material management capabilities.
MathWorks SimDriveline software
09 July, 2011 byThe new version of SimDriveline software helps simplify the integration of other physical domains into drivetrain models, including thermal losses in geartrains, electrical solenoids and hydraulically actuated clutches. SimDriveline, based on Mathworks’ Simscape technology, helps engineers model and simulate mechanical systems in Simulink for a variety of automotive, aerospace, defence and industrial applications.
Non-invasive loop design
06 July, 2011 by Arkadiy Turevskiy, Brian McKay, Doug Eastman and Paul Lambrechts, MathWorksProportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers are ubiquitous. Designing and tuning them may appear simple in theory, but it can be difficult and time consuming in practice. Using model-based design, the development process can be improved by systematically designing, testing and implementing PID controllers on programmable logic controllers (PLCs), programmable automation controllers (PACs) and microprocessors.
National Instruments announces 2011 Green Engineering Grant program
19 April, 2011National Instruments has announced its 2011 Green Engineering Grant program, a worldwide competitive program that fosters rapid design, prototyping and commercialisation of promising new renewable energy, energy-efficiency and smart grid systems.
Rockwell Automation Motion Analyzer software v5.0
22 March, 2011 byRockwell Automation has released a new version of its Motion Analyzer software, designed to help machine builders obtain the full benefits of a mechatronic design approach by making it faster and easier to analyse, optimise, simulate and select motion control systems.
