Automation induction!

Dave Emerson of Yokogawa Corporation of America has been selected by CONTROL magazine, to be inducted into the Process Automation Hall of Fame, Class of 2014. Mr. Emerson is director of Yokogawa’s U.S. Development Center.

Dave Emerson

The Process Automation Hall of Fame was created in 2001 to recognize the contributions made by outstanding process automation professionals working in the process automation and control industry. Members include Yutaka Wakasa, a former Yokogawa director and the first Japanese inductee, and Dr. Maurice J. Wilkins, Vice President of the Yokogawa IA Global Strategic Technology Marketing Center in Dallas.

The nomination of Mr. Emerson reflects the following significant contributions that he has made to the control industry:

He is the creator and co-developer of the Batch Markup Language (BatchML) and the Business to Manufacturing Markup Language (B2MML). Based on XML, these have become the de facto standards in the process automation industry for the exchange of ISA-95 and ISA-88  data between ERP and MES/control systems. B2MML has saved companies millions of dollars by reducing costs for their manufacturing operations.

He also served as Vice Chairman of the ISA-95 committee, played a primary role in the creation of a technical report on the integration of ISA-95 and ISA-88, and led the creation of the procedure function charts defined in ISA-88 Part 2. These two standards have been globally adopted by industrial automation system suppliers and have helped owners/operators lower their system integration costs and attain operational excellence by making more effective use of their manufacturing systems.

He has been instrumental in proposing and developing the ISA-106 standard and is currently serving as its editor. As a leading contributor to the ISA-106 committee, he is working to standardize the automation of continuous processes and thereby assure safer operations, less variability within processes, and improved profits.

Encouraged by this award, Yokogawa will continue working to contribute to society and achieve progress in the control industry by developing and introducing advanced control solutions based on excellent control technologies.

Not a bad result!

We have already reported on some of the winners in Control's  annual Readers' Choice of process automation users.

Emerson Process Management has again earned top rankings this year (2010). This marks the 18th consecutive year that Emerson products were chosen first in more product categories than any competitor. Considering that this is the 19th such survey this isn't bad!

Emerson earned 24 first-place wins – more than the next three competitors combined. In addition to categories for advanced process control software, asset management software, wireless infrastructure, and several measurement and valve technologies, users also named Emerson first for its overall capabilities in continuous regulatory control and batch process automation.

“We appreciate this vote of confidence in Emerson’s ability to help our customers meet their toughest challenges,” said Steve Sonnenberg, president, Emerson Process Management. “Our goal is to continue earning that confidence – not just in an annual survey but day after day.”

Emerson’s intelligent measurement, control, and analytical instruments, and its automation systems and software, are part of its industry-leading PlantWeb™ digital plant architecture, which helps process operations improve efficiency and profitability. The company’s Smart Wireless technology extends those benefits to areas that were previously out of physical or economic reach, and its human-centred design approach leads to innovative products and solutions that make users’ jobs easier.

Other recent honours for Emerson’s industry-leading technologies and services include the results of reader surveys by Chemical Processing and Control Design magazines.  Emerson Process Management dominated voting by Chemical Processing readers as they identified suppliers that best met their industry-specific needs.  And in the Control Design survey of equipment builders and system integrators, Emerson topped categories for flow, temperature, pressure, and level measurement, as well as for power supplies.

Number one in signal conditioners!

Moore Industries-International has been voted Number 1 in Signal Conditioners in the 2011 Control Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards represent the collective opinion of over 1,000 process automation professionals.

“To be mentioned in these Readers’ Choice Awards at all, regardless of position, means that the solution provider has not only consistently provided exceptionally fine quality products and service, but also has demonstrated those capabilities to a large number of very loyal end-user customers,” the Control Magazine article stated. "These are the suppliers who have consistently demonstrated excellence in customer service and responsiveness.”

Moore Industries provides signal interface instruments that convert, isolate, split, boost and step down process signals so field instruments can interface directly with indicators, recorders, DCS, PLC, and PC-based SCADA systems.  This includes the company’s miniMOORE family of multi-channel signal isolators and converters. The high-density miniMOORE signal conditioners deliver up to four low-cost I/O channels in a 1 inch (25.4 mm) footprint, which equates to 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) per channel.

To view the industry’s number one line of signal conditioners according to the readers of Control Magazine, go to the Moore Industries Signal Conditioner Selection Index at: http://www.miinet.com/products/sg_signal.shtml. In addition to the online product index, Signal Isolators, Converters and Interfaces: The “Ins” and “Outs”, a Moore Industries whitepaper, is available for download. 

"In search of the Holy Grail: Integrating Marketing and Sales"

To help marketing and sales execs in the automation markets meet the strategic and tactical challenges of the 21st century

Exchange concepts, strategies, and ideas for meeting today's marketing and sales challenges that will generate growth and profitability as measured in market share, revenue, relationship management, and more. Experience the collaboration between the best of automation's marketing and sales professionals. Enjoy several "best-practices" sessions you can adapt to meet your needs. Take advantage of great networking opportunities for in-depth information exchanges that can transform your marketing and sales outlook for 2010 and beyond. HAVE FUN! Join participants for dinner followed by an exciting ballgame when the Braves take on the Mets.

Have you registered for the ISA Marketing and Sales Summit yet?

Register early for the Pre-Summit workshops. Space is limited. Choose from Inbound Marketing, Selling More in a Turbulent Economy and PR 101.

There are some great presentations and great speakers lined up, as well as networking events, such as the welcome reception and the Braves game outing.

Among the contributers will Editor in Chief of Control Magazine, Walt Boyes explaining PR101 sometimes referred to as "the inside scoop on public relations, marketing and social media!" Bob Lobos of Wolfcreek Business Growth Institute will discuss "Selling in a turbulent Economy" and Jon DiPietro (DomesticatingIT) on Inbound Marketing.

Keynotes will include "Automation from a Wall St Perspective" from Mark Douglas of Longborough Research, and Jim Cahill, Chief Blogger with Emerson, one of the pioneers of Social Media in Automation, and indeed in any business and award winner for his Emerson Process Experts blog. Also from Emerson, Mike Boudreaux's presentation has a fascination title "Economics for Product Managers, It's not just for Professors and bankers."

There's lots more but why not download the programme for yourself here and find out for yourself! We have only mentioned the ones that leaped out at us from a very full schedule.

Hurry - Register Here, the discounted hotel rate expires on Tuesday, August 10. Visit the website - for details.

The Read-out Instrumentation Signpost are proud sponsors of this important event. Remember the dates are 1st to 3rd September, in the great city of Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia.

How has the new social networking order effected publications in the automation sector?

A fascinating podcast has been released by Telesian Technology, the American company which provides marketing, Web development, and e-business services especially in the field of automation.

This interview was with two of the leading editors in the sector, Walt Boyes of Control Magazine and Gary Mintchel of Automation World. Telesian's Juliann Grant wanted to find about how PR is changing with social media from their point of view. Social media has opened up many new outlets for marketing and PR folks, and editors are actively participating in social media too. What has changed, if anything?

If you download this blog you will learn that stupid is as stupid does in PR. Indeed, straight talker Walt is known for calling out PR pros on the PR Wall of Shame. Social media is changing the way we can share information. And there are many more outlets, that’s all good. But social media is not necessarily changing our relationships with editors and the press. Any good PR pro worth their salt knows that ALL relationships are important and care needs to be taken. Just because we have direct access to an editor or blogger’s Twitter ID doesn’t mean that’s the best way to pitch your idea. It could be, but every instance needs to be evaluated. PR professionals STILL need to take time to understand what an editor will be looking for and work from there. And many don't.

Anyway don't take my word for it, listen to the podcast yourself, it's entertaining as well as educational. And if you want publicity in Read-out or in any Automation periodical worth it's salt this is a good way to learn how!

Award for HMI software

InduSoft has won Control Engineering's Engineers' Choice Award in the HMI software category. Control Engineering changed its award process in 2006 and let its readers (instead of its editors) vote on the awards. Indusoft was chosen for the 2006 award, and it now receives the award for a second time in 2010.

Control Engineering 2010 Engineers' Choice Awards highlight some of the best new control, instrumentation and automation products introduced in 2009 as chosen by Control Engineering's print and online subscribers. Survey respondents were asked to select products based on technological advancement, service to the industry, and market impact.

David Greenfield, Control Engineering's Editorial Director, said, "With more than 600 votes cast in the Engineers' Choice Awards this year, all entries across the 29 product categories were exposed to an array of voting engineers' scrutiny. As a result, InduSoft's win of the HMI Software category award indicates a high level of end-user respect for their product. We congratulate Indusoft for its success in bringing to market a product of such high interest and value to the automation & controls engineering community."

"We are extremely proud to win this award," said Marcia Gadbois, Vice President of Business Development at InduSoft. "Engineers are continuing to put their trust in us. Customers are choosing InduSoft for HMI and SCADA projects based on our complete feature set, flexibility, and ability to support them."

Cornerstones of their Web Studio product include scalability across all Windows® platforms (including mobile, desktop, and server operating systems), service and support, open architecture, painless connectivity to external databases, and remote/Web features that allow personnel and processes to be more efficient.

See also

Engineers choice for connectivity! (Kepware)

First among signal conditioners (Moore Industries).

1st among signal conditioners

We cover the "best-of" rankings of the excellent American publication "Control" as the recipiants tell us. Although this is an American publication it does like most publications (including Read-out) have a web presence called ControlGlobal.

Moore Industries has been ranked first place in Signal Conditioners by Control Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards 2010. The top technology category rankings represent end-user sentiment, as the 2010 Control Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards were derived from the opinion of over 1,000 process automation professionals.

The Control Magazine article stated, “Our collective hats are off to all the solution providers that made this year’s list. To be mentioned at all, each supplier has successfully demonstrated to a significant, loyal contingent of users that they provide the very best technology in their respective domains.”

The company has consistently performed well in these awards, and especially in the Signal Conditioners category, with signature products like the CPT PC-Programmable Signal Isolator and Converter, and the rugged ECT-DIN Signal Conditioner. Recently, Moore Industries developed the award-winning miniMOORE family of multi-channel signal conditioners including the MIT and MIX with 2-channel, 4-channel and switch-selectable options.
To view the industry’s number one line of signal conditioners according to Control Magazine readers, please visit Moore Industries Signal Conditioner Selection Index. In addition to the online product index, Signal Isolators, Converters and Interfaces: The “Ins” and “Outs”, a Moore Industries whitepaper, is available for download.

Engineers choice for connectivity!

Kepware Technologies's KEPServerEX product has been selected as winner of the Connectivity Category in the annual Control Engineering Magazine, “Engineers Choice” Awards.

Control Engineering 2010 Engineers' Choice Awards highlight some of the best new control, instrumentation and automation products introduced in 2009 as chosen by Control Engineering's print and online subscribers. Survey respondents were asked to select products based on technological advancement, service to the industry, and market impact.

The “Engineers Choice” award winners are selected by close to 600 of Control Engineering’s readership, those with hands-on experience solving real-world problems. A total of 95 new products competed in this year’s award process. KEPServerEX was chosen as first in its category. KEPServerEX delivers a one server architecture with over 140 communication protocols to choose from, and client connectivity including standards – OPC DA, OPC AE, OPC UA (New) and native interfaces for Oracle, Wonderware (Invensys) and GE Intelligent Platforms.

“We work incredibly hard to make sure we deliver exceptional quality in our products,” explained Tony Paine, President of Kepware Technologies. “We have rigorous engineering and QA practices in place, and have a team of people with deep industry knowledge and application expertise. We spend every moment focusing on creating a better product for our customers and make sure our customers have a long term solution with Kepware. This endorsement means a lot to us all.”
“Kepware has won this award in the past and we are not surprised that they’ve done it again,” stated David Greenfield, Editorial Director for Control Engineering. “We see Kepware in the news on a consistent basis. They sure seem to be doing things right with their wide range of OEMs and customer endorsements.”