Headlines from November 15, 2013

Online Community Demonstrates Power of Industrial IP
As technology experts discussed emerging technology trends such as the Internet of Things, convergence, Big Data and analytics this week at Automation Fair, attendees also learned of a new source of network technology information: the Industrial IP Advantage community. Housed online at industrial-ip.org, the Industrial IP Advantage offers guides, case studies, technical white papers and online discussions on how Internet Protocol (IP) networking technologies can be used throughout the Connected Enterprise to boost productivity, efficiency and flexibility. Read more »

Plants Find Powerful Ways to Boost Energy Efficiency
The University of Texas at Austin generates 100% of its electric power, steam and cooling for more than 150 buildings comprising 20 million square feet. Electricity, chilled water, steam, condensate recovery, water and sewer lines all run underground in truly redundant loop configurations through a network of tunnels throughout the campus. The university's 135 MW of combined heat and power operates with 88% fuel efficiency at 99.9998% reliability. But it hasn't always been this way. "17 years ago, we were operating at 62% efficiency," said Juan Ontiveros, P.E., executive director of utilities and energy management for the university, speaking at the Power and Energy Management Industry Forum this week. Read more »

A Better Machine for the Connected Enterprise
At this week's Automation Fair, presented by Rockwell Automation in Houston, the Integrated Architecture booth was stuffed full of new products, from food-grade servo motors, drives and converters to the upgraded Dynamix 1444 Series system for condition monitoring, now with EtherNet/IP, and more. Seven existing Allen-Bradley ControlLogix isolated analog input/output (I/O) modules have been re-architected into three new designs with increased channel count, higher precision, faster response time and new interface capabilities. A newly enhanced FLEX I/O analog module, for example, is now HART 7.0-compliant, with an independent HART modem on each channel. Read more »

Tides of Cost and Waves of Eco Concern
Shifting energy equations. Increasing environmental regulation. Accelerating demand for larger, multi-use ships. When it comes to designing high-performance, cost-effective diesel electric vessels, today's shipbuilders face daunting challenges. For each new challenge they face, they must find a solution that can withstand the rigors of a marine environment. This week at the Marine Industry Forum at Automation Fair, marine industry professionals offered insight into industry trends and best practices that help drive efficiency, flexibility and productivity across a ship, address current environmental demands, and discover how to lower total cost of ownership, whether it's a private fleet or Navy transport vessels. Read more »

Chemical Makers Taking Steps to Corral Big Data
Newly abundant shale gas and the continued economic recovery are just two of the many positive developments affecting the specialty chemical industry. However, engineers and their companies still need some serious know-how to fully take advantage of these opportunities with the right data, analysis and tools, and by employing them in the right settings and at just the right times. Gordon Bordelon, principal consultant for chemical industry solutions at Rockwell Automation, outlined several chemical market trends and challenges for attendees of the Specialty Chemicals Industry Forum this week at Automation Fair, presented by Rockwell Automation in Houston. Read more »

Headlines from November 14, 2013

Smart Machines and Savvy Supply Chains
Manufacturers today want innovative machines that easily integrate into their plant-wide infrastructure. As a result, equipment and machine OEMs are responding with smart machines that seamlessly connect the factory floor with the enterprise. By using a single control and information platform, these machines can demonstrate an unsurpassed level of intelligence along with the ability to consume and generate information automatically. Read more »