DCS

DuPont’s global alarm management leader, Nick Sands, walks Stan and Greg through the elements of ANSI/ISA-18.2-2016, “Management of Alarm Systems for the Process Industry.” By Greg McMillan and Stan Weiner Stan: I remember the alarm panels in the good old days of analog controllers. You had to be selective as to the type and number […]

Improved training methodologies and technology itself can narrow the skills gap, attract younger workers. The process industries face a demographic workforce gulf in part of our own making. “And we have only two levers available to address it,” said Vimal Kapur, president of Honeywell Process Solutions, in this morning’s Honeywell Users Group Americas keynote session […]

SMX removable media scanner, deep packet inspection among latest Honeywell cyber security enhancements.   When it comes to cybersecurity, there’s no set it and forget it. Today’s malicious probes, intrusions and attacks don’t just multiply, but constantly shift and evolve. This means cyber security solutions must also continuously update their awareness, coverage and responses to […]

PI&A market posts modest growth in 2015: MCAA

by Bill Fester on June 20, 2016

in DCS, Systems

The Process Instrumentation and Automation (PI&A) market in the United States did experience growth in 2015, however that growth was minimal. At $11.6 billion, the increase was 0.3 percent above the 2014 level of $11.1 billion, according to the latest Annual Market Forecast from the Measurement, Control & Automation Association (MCAA). Lack of growth was […]

Improving legacy automation systems can present a variety of challenges Process manufacturing plants are famous, some would say notorious, for their tendency to keep automation systems and associated networks up and running for decades. Some estimates suggest that easily half of the automation systems controlling North American plants have parts that are at least 20 […]

iemens hosted more than 130 girls in grades 5-12 and their parents at the Siemens West Chicago plant on Friday, March 13 for the 11th annual “Introduce a Girl to Engineering,” an evening where young women conduct design experiments, tour the factory and learn about careers in STEM and the manufacturing industry. “I like to […]

The OEM Conundrum

by Bill Fester on March 17, 2015

in DCS, Industries, Systems

Committing to an expansive strategy around data, information, and advice How much should OEMs concern themselves with the performance of the other guy’s machine, on which the performance of their machines might depend? Minding your own business is wisdom passed down from the ages, but it might not pay in the brave new world of […]

This demonstration shows how advanced features in DeltaV Virtual Studio provide for high availability and disaster recovery. Varying levels of availability protection in this demonstration show how DeltaV Virtual Studio ensures your system stays up and running or minimizes recovery time in a disaster event. Watch and learn more.  

Current available opportunities

by Bill Fester on September 11, 2014

in DCS, Emerson DeltaV, Jobs, Pharmaceutical

Current needs for DeltaV applications and programming include: Three opportunities for a DeltaV programmer with experience in creating code for pharmaceutical processes. Requires someone familiar with batch code writing on a DeltaV system with a very strong preference for someone with previous pharmaceutical experience. This is a contract role and my last for six months […]

Automation and Control in the Plant of the Future

by Bill Fester on September 11, 2014

in DCS, Industries, Systems

Sept 11, 2014 “It’s an interesting time in our industry, and not an entirely happy one,” said Walt Boyes, principal, Spitzer & Boyes, to open his keynote speech today at the Yokogawa Users Group Conference and Exhibition in Houston. “Changes are coming; changes are here, and all at once. Our traditional slow movement in adopting […]