SCADA standard.

Provides a framework for modernising supervisory control and data acquisition systems and making them easier to design, build, operate and maintain.

The publication of ANSI/ISA-112.00.01-2025, SCADA Systems – Part 1: SCADA Lifecycle, Diagrams and Terminology has been announced by The International Society of Automation (ISA). This is now available for sale from their website and is, of course, accessible to ISA members as a membership benefit.

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is an automated control system architecture commonly implemented in industrial, utility and manufacturing environments. The ISA-112 Part 1 standard provides a vendor-neutral and technology-independent framework for the long-term management of SCADA systems and execution of SCADA modernization projects, offering a high-level overview of the SCADA lifecycle as well as diagrams and terminology. ISA-112 Part 1 applies to a wide variety of industries, including municipal water/wastewater facilities, oil/gas infrastructure, pipelines, dam/irrigation systems, electricity transmission/distribution, railways, highways, bridges/tunnels, airports, civil infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, defense and remote monitoring. Additional parts of ISA-112 addressing SCADA lifecycle review processes and SCADA architectures are also planned for release.

ISA-112 Part 1 is intended for companies, utilities, system integrators and others, whether they are designing a new SCADA system or upgrading existing legacy systems to meet modern security and connectivity requirements. An ANSI-approved American National Standard, ISA-112 Part 1 includes a functional architecture model and lifecycle framework applicable to every type of SCADA project, regardless of the type of industry, geographic location, technology, regulatory environment or operating history.

Particular areas of focus include organizing end-user SCADA systems standards, work processes for management and operation and a set of standardized workflows for designing, building, operating, maintaining, expanding and auditing SCADA systems.

Graham Nasby - ISA Committee

The ISA112 standard committee was initiated by a core group of experts from the oil/gas, pipeline and municipal water/wastewater sectors who saw a need for an industry-wide standardized framework for managing, designing, building and pricing SCADA systems. Since its inception, the committee has grown to over 350 volunteer experts from around the world representing a multitude of industries, all with the common goal of making SCADA systems easier to design, build, operate and maintain.

“The ISA-112 Part 1 standard has been developed to make it easier for end users to organize their SCADA system standards and communicate to others what their needs and wishes are. The standard also gives system integrators, vendors and consultants a standardized way to execute the design, implementation and ongoing enhancements to SCADA systems,” said Graham Nasby, founding co-chair of the ISA112 committee and systems lead – Eastern Canada at PBX Engineering Ltd. “ISA-112 Part 1 is a testament to ISA’s proven approach to developing consensus-based, vendor-neutral technical standards.”

 Those interested in learning more about ISA-112 Part 1 are invited to register for an upcoming webinar, “ISA-112 Part 1: The New Standard for Modernizing SCADA Systems.” This free webinar is scheduled to take place on 16 April 2026 at 11 a.m. ET.

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@ISA_Automation @automation_com  @ISAIreland #PAuto  #SCADA 

Benchmark for Test & Measurement.

Engineered to solve complexities of multi-channel signal routing in complicated test environments.

An industry benchmark for Test and Measurement (T&M) has been claimed with the introduction of Molex Cardinal Multi-Port High-Frequency Coaxial Assemblies. Supporting frequencies up to 145 GHz, this product represents a strategic expansion of the Cardinal family, evolving its proven mechanical integrity into the high-bandwidth spectrum required to validate the next generation of AI-driven architectures and 6G wireless infrastructure.

“The expansion to 145 GHz represents a natural evolution of the Cardinal product line, which was built to solve the growing need for increased port density without compromising signal integrity,” said Roman Buff, general manager, RF, Molex. “This new high-speed solution integrates high-frequency contact technology in the Cardinal multi-port housing, empowering engineers to bridge the gap from AI to 6G and test the silicon of tomorrow using the infrastructure of today.”

Testing ahead of the curve.
While 110 GHz has been the benchmark for high-performance testing, the surge in 6G research and AI backhaul demands a raised ceiling. The new 145 GHz Cardinal product from Molex characterizes signals that were previously beyond the reach of standard coaxial interfaces. The new assemblies deliver phase-matched, high-precision connections up to 145 GHz, optimized for minimal insertion loss and superior return loss at extreme frequencies.

This latest Cardinal solution also supports data characterization rates up to 448 Gbps, enabling use with next-generation devices and systems. By pushing the measurement envelope, this versatile product helps engineers meet today's standards while validating the silicon and networking protocols that will define the next decade of global connectivity.

The multi-port design of the Cardinal assemblies supports simultaneous, high-density testing in a compact footprint, accelerating research and development cycles. Designed for seamless integration across the Cardinal product ecosystem, the new assemblies provide a high-performance connectivity solution for a broad spectrum of industries, encompassing next-gen AI clusters, 5G/6G infrastructure, satellite communications, mmWave radar and the emerging requirements of terahertz imaging.

Molex consolidates multiple RF connectors into a single, multi-port housing, reducing testing cycles and total cost of ownership (TCO). The high-performance RF connectors and compression-mounted, solderless Printed Circuit Board (PCB) attachment elevate testing flexibility while reducing installation and rework time. The integration of high-frequency contact technology into the multi-port assemblies provides engineers with a smooth upgrade path and trouble-free transition from 110 GHz testing to 145 GHz capabilities.

A hallmark of the Molex Cardinal assemblies is connector repeatability, which is crucial in test environments where connectors are mated and unmated frequently. Cardinal Multi-Port High-Frequency Coaxial Assemblies are rated for reliable performance over 500 cycles. Most important, however, is that Molex uses highly precise connectors for greater repeatability, assuring consistent, repeatable performance from the first to the 500th measurement. This high-density PCB connector minimizes board real estate, allowing smaller evaluation boards to further reduce costs.

These Multi-Port High-Frequency Coaxial Assemblies are available now, with the Cardinal 145 GHz assemblies joining the existing lineup of 67 GHz Precision Coaxial Assemblies and 110 GHz Precision Coaxial Assemblies. Cardinal assemblies also offer versatile connector options, including vertical, right-angle and edge-mount PCB terminations, along with scalable, multi-port configurations, including 1x4, 1x8 and 2x8 for high-density setups.

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@MolexConnectors @mepaxIntPR  #TandM

Best software!

Ideagen has been named one of the ‘Best UK Software Companies’ for the third consecutive year in the G2 2026 Best Software Awards. The company also earned the Best Enterprise Resource Planning Products award, specifically noted for excellence in the Quality Management (QMS) and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) categories - reflecting the high esteem Ideagen solutions are held in the eyes of their customers.

Across its portfolio, the company earned an impressive 331 G2 badges in 2025, demonstrating consistent user satisfaction and product excellence.

Standout results in 2025 include Ideagen Quality Management being recognised as a Leader in 49 reports and Ideagen Quality Control winning 77 badges in 2025 - the highest number of total badges in the entire product suite. Across the portfolio, solutions achieved an impressive 125 number one rankings.

John Molamphy, Chief Technology Officer at Ideagen, said: "Being recognised in G2's Best Software Awards for the third consecutive year is a powerful validation of our AI-first approach to solving the complex challenges facing regulated industries.

“This honour reflects the trust more than 18,000 customers place in our platform to deliver the clarity and confidence they need to protect their people, operations and the world around them.

"What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that it comes directly from our customers - the safety managers, quality directors and compliance officers who rely on our software daily. Their feedback drives our innovation and reinforces our commitment to being the most insightful and enabling platform for organisations managing critical risk, quality and safety challenges."

This point was echoed by Godard Abel, co-founder and CEO at G2: "As buyers increasingly shift to AI-driven research to discover software solutions, being recommended in the 'answer moment' must be earned with credible proof. Our Best Software Awards are grounded in trusted data from authentic customer reviews. They not only give buyers an objective, reliable guide to the products that help teams do their best work, but they're also the proof AI search platforms rely on when sourcing answers. Congratulations to this year's winners, including Ideagen. Earning a spot on these lists signals real customer impact."

Customer feedback influenced the success including:

• “I have used Ideagen Quality Management for eight years and it is a great system to share documents, perform audits and report internal incidents. I use the system daily and it is a big part of my role as a quality lead.”
• “Ideagen Quality Control has been a game-changer for our team's quality management processes. The platform is incredibly intuitive, leading to a dramatic improvement in our efficiency, accuracy and compliance.”
• “Managing compliance monitoring within our organisation has always been a complex task. However, Ideagen has made this process much simpler and effective. It has significantly reduced the number of man-hours needed to manage our audits.”

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@Ideagen_Plc @G2dotcom #PAuto #Britain

Sovereign IT.

A strong European alternative to fragmented provider structures and hyperscale cloud models.

Thomas Krenn.AG and SCHÄFER IT Systems have entered into a strategic partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to provide companies and IT service providers in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland),  with a sovereign, European and economically controllable IT infrastructure. With their joint approach, the two partners are responding to key challenges facing modern IT strategies, such as increasing complexity, escalating performance requirements and the growing desire for independence from global cloud providers.

The cooperation focuses on pooling complementary expertise. SCHÄFER IT Systems contributes its experience with modular IT and data centre infrastructure, while Thomas Krenn.AG complements this with its expertise in the areas of servers, virtualisation and IT operations. Close coordination between the two companies results in an integrated approach with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. For customers and partners, this means fewer interfaces, reduced coordination efforts and significantly greater planning reliability.

Added value through integrated infrastructure.
The collaboration between Thomas Krenn.AG and SCHÄFER IT Systems has resulted in a joint product solution in the form of a coordinated all in one infrastructure platform. This connects central components of modern data centre environments to form a consistent overall system. The joint approach is based on a modular rack concept with direct liquid cooling as well as hybrid air and water cooling, and is designed for high power densities. Infrastructure, servers, virtualisation, monitoring and service are seamlessly integrated. For users, this means significantly simplified planning, faster implementation and stable, cost effective operation.

The cooperation pursues a holistic approach. Instead of isolated individual solutions, the partners are focusing on the coordinated interaction of infrastructure, platforms and services. The aim is to make IT projects easier to plan, minimise risks and reduce complexity throughout the entire life cycle. This positions both company systems as a strong European alternative to fragmented provider structures and hyperscale cloud models.

“This collaboration enables us to create genuine added value for our customers that goes beyond the familiar SCHÄFER solutions and technologies,” explains Thomas Wermke, Division Manager at SCHÄFER IT Systems. “It is about combining IT and infrastructure solutions, thereby making them easier to operate and plan for the long term. With clear responsibilities and a strong European foundation.”

Bernhard Seibold, Vice President of Product Management at Thomas Krenn.AG, also emphasises the strategic dimension: “Many companies today want more independence, transparency and stability in their IT. At the same time, the integrated infrastructure offers customers a solution that combines performance, cost effectiveness and operational reliability in a consistent approach.”

Several target groups benefit from this cooperation. Small and medium sized enterprises gain a reliable basis for setting up and operating modern IT and private cloud structures without having to deal with the complexity of traditional multi vendor projects. System houses and resellers benefit from clearly structured, reproducible solutions that are easier to plan and integrate into existing portfolios. Managed service providers receive a stable platform on which to build scalable service and operating models and strengthen long term customer relationships.

European independence as a business advantage A central element of the partnership is the shared commitment to digital sovereignty. As members of the Verein zur Förderung der IT aus Europa e. V. (Association for the Promotion of IT in Europe), both companies are committed to European value creation, transparency and long term reliability. The cooperation is therefore not only a technical scheme but also a strategic signal for an independent and sustainable European IT landscape.

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@ThomasKrennAG #SCHÄFER #IT#Systems #DACH #Europe

Founder's death announced.

The Imaging Source has announced with deep sadness the passing of its founder, Rolf Bollhorst.

"Rolf was a distinguished engineer and a guiding presence within the organisation. Through his innovation, entrepreneurial leadership, and strong personal values, he shaped both our company and the field of machine vision."

Throughout his career, Rolf demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his work and to the people around him. He was a respected mentor, always generous with his time and expertise, and consistently offered guidance and support to all who sought it.

"His passion for engineering and his collaborative spirit have left a lasting mark on the company, and we remain committed to carrying forward his vision and the principles he championed. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time."

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 @ImagingSource @UnnGmbh

Digitiser.

Ideal for developing a new scientific instrument or upgrading an existing platform.

Part of Teledyne SP Devices' 12 bit ADQ3 series, offers an exceptional combination of speed, resolution, and flexibility, making it a strong fit for demanding scientific, industrial, and OEM applications.

The ADQ35 is engineered for use in areas such as swept source optical coherence tomography (SS OCT), time of flight mass spectrometry, distributed fiber-optic sensing, LiDAR, scientific instrumentation, and automated test equipment. These applications require digitisers capable of capturing and processing large volumes of data with high fidelity and minimal latency. To meet these requirements, the ADQ35 delivers multi GSPS performance, efficient real-time processing, and high-speed data transfer — often positioned close to the detector to maintain signal integrity in compact or noise sensitive environments.

Performance and technical highlights.

The ADQ35 provides dual‑channel sampling at 5 GSPS or single‑channel operation at 10 GSPS, all with 12‑bit vertical resolution. Its DC‑coupled analog front end supports up to 2.5 GHz of input bandwidth with a 0.5 Vpp input range, and the 8 Gbyte onboard memory enables extended data capture. For high‑throughput applications, peer‑to‑peer streaming to GPUs reaches up to 14 Gbyte/s, supporting real‑time data transfer. Additional features such as programmable DC offset and availability in both PCIe and USB 3.2 form factors ensure flexible system integration.

Firmware and FPGA options.
The ADQ35 supports a range of application‑specific firmware packages, including standard data acquisition, waveform averaging, pulse detection, and SS‑OCT signal conditioning. For users requiring custom real‑time digital signal processing, the open AMD Kintex Ultrascale KU115 FPGA offers extensive resources for implementing tailored DSP directly on the digitiser. This reduces the need for post‑processing and enables real‑time decision‑making — an advantage for OEMs and researchers developing specialised solutions.

OEM integration and product variants.
Teledyne SP Devices provides advanced hardware and software tools that simplify OEM integration, accelerate development, and reduce overall system cost. ADQ35 is available with extended warranty options and integrates seamlessly with Digitizer Studio software for configuration and control. The ADQ35 offers a reliable, high‑performance foundation that shortens time‑to‑market and enhances system capability.

It is a robust, high-speed solution for next-generation data acquisition. With its flexible firmware, open FPGA, and industry-leading streaming performance, the ADQ35 empowers users to build faster, more accurate, and more efficient systems.

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@spdevices @mepaxIntPR #TandM #PAuto #OEM

Award for outstanding team engineering and innovation.

TOPTICA Photonics' TOPTICLOCK Team has been awarded the 2026 Paul F. Forman Team Engineering Excellence Award presented by OPTICA, recognising outstanding teamwork and engineering achievement in the successful transfer of cutting-edge research into commercial optical atomic clock.

The award honours the development of TOPTICLOCK, a commercial single-ion optical clock that combines ultra-low-noise photonics with advanced quantum technology to achieve unprecedented accuracy in an industrial form factor. Within just three years, the TOPTICLOCK Team developed and qualified the commercial optical quantum clock and successfully commissioned it at a lead customer site. From fundamental metrology to industrial reality.

The TOPTICLOCK initiative originated from a close collaboration between TOPTICA Photonics and Germany’s national metrology institute PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt). Building on the joint research project opticlock, coordinated by TOPTICA and PTB, the team transferred key know-how from a research demonstrator into an industrial optical frequency standard. The TOPTICLOCK Team consists of TOPTICA engineers and scientists with deep expertise in quantum technologies, lasers, photonics, and software, and PTB optical clock expert Dr. Nils Huntemann as scientific advisor. This close collaboration across institutional and disciplinary boundaries was a decisive factor in achieving the project’s ambitious goals.

Engineering excellence at the Quantum limit.
Optical quantum clocks provide unprecedented stability and accuracy. At their heart are a local oscillator, a quantum reference, and an optical frequency comb – each requiring extreme stability and control. In TOPTICLOCK, the local oscillator is a diode laser system whose linewidth is reduced to below the Hz-level by translating the passive length stability of an optical cavity into frequency stability of the laser. For long-term accuracy, the clock laser is disciplined to the electric quadrupole transition of a single laser-cooled ¹⁷¹Yb⁺ ion at 436 nm. Four additional frequency-stabilized laser systems spanning wavelengths from 370 nm to 935 nm are required to prepare, cool, and read out the ion’s quantum state. All optical, electronic, thermal, and magnetic influences on the ion must be precisely controlled or characterized to fully exploit the potential of quantum-state-based timekeeping. What makes TOPTICLOCK exceptional is not only its performance – with relative stability and accuracy on the order of 10⁻¹⁷, outperforming thermal-vapor-based optical clocks by around two orders of magnitude – but the fact that this performance is achieved in a transportable, industrial 19-inch rack system. All subsystems are integrated into two racks, combining optics, electronics, vacuum technology, control hardware, and comprehensive software into a reliable system designed.

“The engineering challenges to transfer a laboratory setup that can only be operated by experienced scientists into an industrial footprint – while maintaining world-class performance – are enormous,” said Dr. Stephan Ritter, Senior Director Quantum Technology Solutions, TOPTICA Photonics.

Impact Beyond the Lab.
This level of performance in an industrial form factor marks an important milestone on the path toward a future redefinition of the SI second based on optical clocks. Beyond fundamental metrology, TOPTICLOCK opens new possibilities for applications such as advanced time scales and time services, network synchronization, ground references for satellite navigation, and high-precision fundamental research.

“The Paul F. Forman Team Engineering Excellence Award recognizes exactly what made this project successful – a truly collaborative team that mastered extraordinary engineering challenges to bring quantum-enabled performance into the real world,” said Dr. Jürgen Stuhler, Vice President Quantum Technologies of TOPTICA Photonics. “This award underlines TOPTICA’s commitment to translating pioneering photonics and quantum research into technologies that create real impact.”

The TOPTICLOCK project once again demonstrates how close cooperation between research institutions and industry, combined with strong systems engineering and team excellence, can turn visionary science into commercial solutions.

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• See also Innovative optical quantum clock wins. (22/1/2026)

@TOPTICA_AG @OpticaWorldwide @PresseBox@UnnGmbh  #Pauto #Photonics