Automation authors honoured by international society #PAuto #ISAuto #ISAutowk

"Each year, ISA is proud to recognize and thank all of the talented authors and contributors who help develop, review and deliver outstanding ISA publications and technical resources to automation and control professionals throughout the world," says Susan Colwell, manager of ISA's Publications Department.

Best seller 2012

This year's awards ceremony was held in concert with the 2013 ISA Automation Week technical conference, which took place last November. Winners are recognised for their editorial contributions to a wide range of ISA publications, including ISA books; InTech, ISA's bi-monthly magazine for automation and control professionals; and ISA Transactions, ISA's bi-monthly professional journal dedicated to the science and engineering of measurement and automation.

Awards and award recipients
• The Keith Otto Award recognized the author of the best article in InTech magazine. The award was presented to Chuck Mina for his article in the March/April 2012 issue of InTech entitled, “Disposable automation – Single-use technologies for biopharmaceutical manufacturing.”  Mina is deputy director of Automation Engineering at Sanofi Pasteur (the vaccines division of Sanofi) in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, USA. He also has worked on a variety of biotechnology projects at Amgen and Eli Lilly.

• The Nels Tyring Award recognizes the author of the best published article in one of the Society’s journals. Dennis Brandl is this year’s recipient for his July/August 2012 InTech article on factory automation, “Business-to-shop integration realized through B2MML.” Brandl is the chief consultant for BR&L consulting, which specializes in manufacturing IT and flexible manufacturing solutions. He has been involved in MES, batch control, and automation system design and implementation in a wide range of applications over the past 25 years.

The John McCamey Award recognizes promising young authors who publish their first article in one of the Society’s publications. This year’s award also recognizes one of the important tenets of the ISA Mentor program, which is to foster publishing by practitioners to advance knowledge in the automation profession and provide recognition to the individual. The award recipients are ISA Mentor program protégés Danaca Jordan and Héctor Torres, and their mentors Hunter Vegas and Greg McMillan, for their article in the January/February 2013 issue of InTech titled, “Enabling New Automation Engineers.”

Danaca Jordan is a manufacturing staff engineer at Eastman Chemical Company in the US. She focuses on automating and optimizing batch logic and operations while managing capital improvements. In high school, she was a team captain in the FIRST® Robotics Competition.

Héctor Torres is a senior process and control engineer at Eastman Chemical in Mexico.  Actively involved in the ISA Mentor Program, Torres possesses more than 15 years of experience in process and control engineering and project management.

Hunter Vegas, P.E., is a senior lead project engineer at Avid Solutions, Inc. He has executed nearly 2,000 instrumentation and control projects over his career, and is an expert in field instrumentation sizing and selection, safety interlock design, electrical design, advanced control strategy, and numerous control system hardware and software platforms.

Greg McMillan, an ISA Fellow, is a retired Senior Fellow from Monsanto-Solutia. McMillan has received many prominent awards in the automation field. In 2003, he was honored by InTech magazine as one of the most influential innovators in automation. He received the ISA Life Achievement Award in 2010. McMillan established the ISA Mentor program in 2011.

• The Raymond D. Molloy Award is presented in honor of Raymond D. Molloy’s contributions to the automation profession. Molloy was a major driving force in the ISA publications program for more than 20 years and maintained a keen interest in ISA’s publication of high-quality books that met the needs of measurement and control professionals. This award was presented to Terry Blevins, Willy Wojsznis, and Mark Nixon, who are the 2012 best-selling ISA authors for their book Advanced Control Foundation: Tools, Techniques and Applications. Their book sold the most units of any new book published by ISA in 2012.

Terry Blevins is a principal technologist in the future architecture team of DeltaV Product Engineering at Emerson Process Management. Blevins has worked as a systems engineer and group manager in the design and startup of advanced control solutions for the pulp and paper industry for more than 15 years. An accomplished author, he has written more than 70 papers on process control system design and applications.

Willy Wojsznis is a member of the future architecture team of DeltaV Product Engineering at Emerson Process Management. Wojsznis has been involved in the development of advanced control products for more than 20 years, focusing on model predictive control, data analytics and auto tuning. His work has resulted in more than 30 patents and more than 40 technical papers.

As a member of the wireless team at Emerson Process Management, Mark Nixon takes an active role in the development of the WirelessHART specifications and the development of the IEC 62591 standardization. Nixon’s current research includes control using WirelessHART devices, data analytics for batch processes, wireless technology in the process industry, web-based user interfaces, operator interfaces and advanced graphics. He has written numerous papers and currently holds more than 45 patents.

• ISA Transactions Best Paper Award recognizes the best technical paper published in ISA Transactions in the previous year. The winning paper, “Robust control strategies for an electric motor driven accumulator with elastic web,” (ISA Transactions, Vol. 51, Issue 6), ” was judged to be the best paper published in the journal in 2012. Former ISA Transactions Editor-in-Chief Russ Rhinehart presented the award to Dominique Knittel, who accepted it on behalf of his co-authors, David Kuhm and Mari-Ange Bueno.

Dominique Knittel, Ph.D., is a full professor in control and mechatronics at the University of Strasbourg in France, where he has worked since 1992. His research interests include modeling and robust control, mainly for industrial Roll-to-Roll systems. Since 1999, he has been the head of the French research group in Roll-to-Roll systems. He has directed more than 30 doctorate and master thesis.

David Kuhm obtained a Master’s degree in Industrial Computing and Automated Systems at University of Strasbourg (France) in 2007 and a Ph.D. in Mechanics-Mechatronics in 2011. He was research assistant at the Engineering School INSA Strasbourg 2010-2012. Currently, he is deputy technical director at Schroll Company, Strasbourg.

Marie-Ange Bueno obtained a Ph.D. at the University of Haute Alsace (Mulhouse, France) in 1995. Since 2005, she has served as full Professor in the School of Engineering ENSISA (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs Sud Alsace, Mulhouse) in the fields of textile and mechanical science and engineering.

Event partner announced

Falcon Electric is an ISA Automation Week Partner.

ISA Corporate Partnerships Program

ISA’s Corporate Partnerships Program offers companies customized packages, combining ISA products and services with marketing opportunities across all channels, and providing a streamlined approach to corporate sponsorship. Three partnership levels are offered: ISA Strategic Partners, ISA Corporate Partners, and ISA Automation Week Partners. The program, in its fourth year, is limited to a select group of companies at each level to maintain the highest level of visibility for each partner.

Falcon Electric’s partnership agreement with ISA ensures that the company and its solutions will gain privileged brand exposure and marketing promotion at ISA Automation Week 2013, the premier international event for automation and control professionals scheduled for November 2013 in Nashville (TN USA).

In addition, the partnership has paved the way for an educational webinar developed jointly through the input of subject matter experts from both companies. The seminar, “Protecting Automated Systems in Harsh Environments,” to be held 30 April 2013 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., eastern standard time, will discuss how to protect automated systems against disruptive and costly power interruptions.

This is a highly informative session, particularly valuable to help electrical design engineers, project managers and plant/maintenance operators better understand the power requirements of critical automation equipment, and learn how to improve system uptime and reliability.

“Falcon Electric is excited to become an ISA Automation Week Partner,” said Ron Seredian, Vice President of Marketing for Falcon Electric. “Given that ISA Automation Week draws such a highly engaged group of automation and control professionals and decision-makers, we are eager to gain opportunities to promote our power protection expertise, and build a strong dialogue with attendees. In addition, our partnership with ISA enables us to explore new ways to collaborate with ISA and leverage our mutual strengths. Our joint webinar in April, focusing on the challenges of power protection in harsh environments, is a great example.”

“ISA is proud to welcome Falcon Electric as an ISA Automation Week Partner,” states Jennifer Infantino, ISA’s Manager of Marketing, Communications, and Corporate Partnerships. “We’re eager for ISA members and the automation and control community at large to learn more about Falcon Electric’s power solutions.”

Session presenters include power industry veteran, Michael A. Stout, Vice President of Engineering at Falcon Electric, and a highly recognized authority on computer and industrial automation, and power conversion; and Lawrence (Larry) Thompson, an ISA subject matter expert and author who has extensive career and teaching background in electronics, measurement and control, and computer networking.

24/7 process support

PlantFloor24, the world’s first full-service, platform-independent, 24/7 hardware, software and process support solution was launched recently by Maverick Technologies. Customers, partners and members of the media toured the new operations center, where they have resources on-call 24/7/365. Among those attending the launch were, ISA Executive Director, Pat Gouhin,  - Maverick Technologies is an ISA Automation Week partner - and the distinguised Automation journalists, Walt Boyes, of Control and Gary Mintchel of Automation World.

Pat Gouhin (ISA) with Maverick's Paul Galeski

Paul Galeski, CEO and Founder said, "You’ll be hearing a lot about PlantFloor24 over the next few weeks — and about operational support and improvement. This concept will change how plants maintain, monitor and optimize their assets."

Senior consultant Peter Esparro added, “This solution really comprises a spectrum of offerings. On one end, you have manufacturers that will outsource a large portion of their automation services, and on the other you have manufacturers that are just looking for resource augmentation.”

“It’s a fully secure operational center with remote monitoring, biometric hand scans, backup generators and war-room style views into operations,” said Kirk Norris, senior vice president, Strategic Manufacturing Solutions.

Not only will this center and the PlantFloor24 solution be a lifeline for manufacturing facilities, it will provide manufacturers across the globe with the ability to:
• Reduce operational costs
• Augment staff with multidisciplinary skills
• Improve asset management

"This launch truly changes the game, finally addressing some of the major gaps that have held manufacturers back in the quest for integrated operational efficiency." concluded Paul Galeski.

Call for papers for #ISAutoWK 2012

The Program Committee of ISA Automation Week 2012: Technology and Solutions Event (#ISAutowk) has issued a Call for Papers inviting authors, experts, innovators, thought leaders and automation professionals to submit abstracts for presentation consideration at the conference, to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, USA, 24–27 September 2012.

The Call for Papers for the event solicits abstracts that cover topics for the following tracks, as they relate to automation:

Operational Excellence:
Control Performance
Asset Performance
Human Performance
Safety/Environmental Performance

Technology Excellence:
Security
Wireless

Abstracts may be submitted for various presentation opportunities, including:
Paper Session
Panel Session
Tutorial Session
Poster Session


"Take this opportunity to present your findings, work, success stories or research at one of industry’s most highly regarded technical conferences. In addition to its traditional technical program, the business side of operations—how to optimize and increase the efficiency and profitability of operations—will also be covered,” said Peter Martin of Invensys and ISA Automation Week 2012 program committee chair.

“In a downturn or recovering economy, looking at optimizing operations should be at the top of every executive’s list. Knowing that a loop-tuning process can reduce operational cost, or maximize up-time can be the difference between profit and closing down. From a hands-on perspective, it’s equally important to understand ‘why’ it’s important to calibrate a certain way,” Martin continued.

The ISA Automation Week 2012 technical program is building upon its initial success and will continue to be a knowledge-focused event that will bring top professionals in automation and control together for an intensive technical conference and networking opportunity with key industry suppliers. Sessions will be educational and applications-based, rich in content, and delivered by subject-matter experts in each field. Returning in 2012 is Technician Day, a program that offers content relevant to technicians and that ranges from basic to advanced topics.

An integrated solutions provider showcase floor and increased supplier participation will complement the technical program. Two 400-square-foot Technology Solutions Theaters on the showcase floor will integrate technical content via standards briefings, solutions provider technical presentations, and more.

The ISA Automation Week 2012 Program Committee represents ISA members, industry experts, academia and published authors, across industry.

General Chair
Ken Baker, former ISA president

Program Chair
Peter Martin, Invensys

Vice Program Chair
Alison Smith, Aspen Technologies


Program Committee Members
Jeff Arbogast, Air Liquide
Gerald Cockrell, Indiana State University
Barry Young, ARC Advisory Group
Dean Ford, Glenmount Global Solutions

Building automation

A new Technical Division, the Building Automation Systems Division was approved at the ISA's annual Fall Leaders Meeting in October in association with Automation Week. The new BAS technical division will launch January 2012.

Pic: CPL CONCORDIA Soc. Coop.

The Building Automation Systems Division was organized for building automation professionals who design, build, install, troubleshoot, operate and manage building automation systems, and who seek to adhere to best practices to ensure optimum system operation and performance. The division was formed to aid these professionals as they apply available standards and technology to building control systems.

Technical divisions are ISA membership groups that offer networking and educational activities to members around the world who work in the same industries or who have similar technical interests. Networking can be done via email discussions lists, in person at events and via newsletters. Technical division members are encouraged to write, review, and present technical papers at ISA symposia and ISA Automation Week; and to publish technical papers. Division members also plan and conduct ISA’s annual symposia. ISA has 16 other Technical Divisions that are divided between two departments, the Automation and Technology Department and the Industries and Sciences Department.

Process control on track!

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has just announced the offerings of its Advanced Process Control Techniques Track at ISA Automation Week 2011 scheduled for  Mobile, (AL US, 17-20 October 2011). The Advanced Process Control Techniques Track offers in-depth sessions focused on techniques and applications of advanced control, including classical advanced applications (ratio, override), model predictive control, methods for diagnosing control system health, applications for optimizing process performance and more.

The Advanced Process Control Techniques Track session titles include:

• ARC Inside: The Automation Market Outlook and Business Performance Strategies for 2012 and Beyond – Presents drivers and trends in automation and helps attendees benchmark their plans and objectives
• Model Predictive Control and Real Time Optimization – Explains the essence of Model-Predictive Control and Real-Time Optimization
• Advanced Applications I – Covers advanced techniques in process control
• Advanced Applications II – Continues advanced techniques in process control  
• Performance Analysis of Controlled Systems – Teaches techniques for performance assessment and diagnosis of multivariable controlled systems
• Simple Model-Based Control Techniques – Shows how to implement, in-house, simple model-based controllers to solve the nonlinear problems of many processes
• Optimizing Control – Presents applications that use control to optimize process performance
• Statistical Methods for Analysis and Modeling – Teaches how to rationally analyze process, models and controller performance using statistical techniques
• Advanced Control Techniques – Offers techniques and methods to implement advanced or adaptive control

“ISA’s expanded annual conference offers an extraordinary opportunity for automation and control professionals to learn from the best in the field. Industry’s brightest professionals across all functions will meet to share their expertise and experiences. This track will give attendees the in-depth knowledge of process control techniques and applications that will bring them up-to-date on the latest technical information and how they can apply it on the job,” said ISA Automation Week 2011 Program Chair, Greg McMillan, of Emerson Process Management.

Examining the automation market

ARC Advisory Group is once again a partner for ISA Automation Week (#ISAutoWk). This annual event brings together end users, manufacturers, industry organizations, and the press for three days of informative automation technology and problem-solving presentations along with exhibits by key technology providers.

ARC is hosting a mini-forum at Automation Week 2011, ARC Inside:  Automation Market Outlook and Business Performance Strategies for 2012 and Beyond, where ARC Analysts will share results of timely market research and provide useful recommendations to help companies prosper in highly competitive global markets.  Presentations include:

Building on the success of their previous collaboration, ARC complements ISA’s excellent practical programs by providing a strategic perspective for managers and practitioners of process automation.  The combined programs will provide the broad insight necessary for the workforce to navigate the increasing challenges ahead.  Understanding the future landscape will help organizations focus on the appropriate automation strategies and investments during an uncertain economic landscape.

Automation career day speaker!

Calum Pearson served as Company Manager for KÀ (one of Cirque du Soleil’s events), and was responsible for managing operations of Cirque du Soleil’s fourth permanent show in Las Vegas. He brings over 17 years of operations and management experience in the entertainment industry to Cirque du Soleil. Prior to joining Cirque du Soleil, Pearson spent 16 years touring with music productions, including Bon Jovi and Van Halen, and family acts such as Disney on Ice. His responsibilities progressed over the years from lead rigger to technical director and company manager.

The International Society of Automation (ISA) and the Automation Federation (AF) announce that the Vice President of Technical and Show Support for the Resident Show Division of Cirque du Soleil, Calum Pearson, will deliver the keynote address at Automation Career Day on Wednesday, 19 October 2011. This is one of the Automation Career Connections events held in conjunction with ISA Automation Week 2011: Technology and Solutions Event (17-20 October 2011 Mobile AL USA).

Automation Career Day will provide high school students the opportunity to learn more about careers in automation through a mini career fair. Students will be able to participate in a variety of informational and interactive displays and connect with industry representatives to learn more about automation and related careers. The goal of this event is to teach students about the many career paths available to them in automation and about the importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to their future endeavors.

During this year’s Automation Career Day event, Pearson will speak with students from the Mobile, Alabama, area about the science and technology behind the interworking of Cirque du Soleil’s shows and about the individuals who work with this technology to produce these entertainment events.

“As Cirque, or any industry looks to the future, it is impossible to do so without getting excited about the next generation of innovators. Automation Career Day is an amazing opportunity to meet with the kids who will shape tomorrow and see how we embark on that journey together,” said Pearson.

“We are very excited to have Calum Pearson from Cirque du Soleil as our keynote speaker for Automation Career Day. We are confident he will open the eyes of the students in attendance to the many possibilities that await them in the world of automation,” said Mike Marlowe, MD at the Automation Federation.

Advanced programme published for technology and solutions Event

The International Society of Automation (ISA),  holding its mid year Leaders' meeting in St Louis (MO US), has just announced the release of the Advance Programme for ISA Automation Week: Technology and Solutions Event.

Click to download programme

This annual, international conference is scheduled for 17-20 October 2011 in Mobile, (AL US).

The Advance Programme provides the technical conference overview, as well as:

• information on keynote speeches by control systems legends Charlie Cutler and Béla Lipták, and the general session featuring a panel of experts who will speak on the future of automation
• previews of the eight conference tracks: Advanced Process Control Techniques; Analyzers; Automation and Control System Design; Energy; Human Asset Optimization; Installation, Operations and Maintenance; Safety and Security; and Wireless Technology and Applications
• information on poster sessions and Technology Solutions Theaters
• a listing of participating suppliers
• a preview of Technician Day
• the ISA Fall Training Institute schedule
• registration options and more

Click on image on right to download and view the ISA Automation Week 2011 Advance Programme. It is also available in the May/June 2011 issue of InTech.

ISA Automation Week is a technical conference that features three full days of technical sessions; poster sessions; a dedicated Technician Day; an expansive Supplier Showcase; Technology Solutions Theaters on the Supplier Showcase floor offering standards briefings, author briefings and supplier presentations; and networking and social events.

ISA Automation Week Partners include ARC Advisory Group, ExperTune, Georg Fischer Piping Systems, Kepware Technologies, Mitsubishi Electric Automation, and Schneider Electric. ISA Strategic Partner, Test and Measurement is Fluke Corporation. GE Energy, Honeywell Process Solutions and OSIsoft, LLC are ISA Corporate Partners.

#ISAwk Partnership upgraded

OSIsoft, LLC, will be one of the elite companies featured in ISA’s Corporate Partnerships Program during 2011.

ISA’s Corporate Partnerships Program offers companies customized packages, bundling ISA products and services with marketing opportunities across all channels, providing a streamlined approach to corporate sponsorship. ISA’s program features three main levels of sponsorship: ISA Strategic Partners, ISA Corporate Partners, and ISA Automation Week Partners. The program, in its second year, is limited to a select group of companies at each level to maintain the highest level of visibility for each partner.

OSIsoft, a privately held company with operations worldwide, was an ISA Automation Week Partner in 2010 and made the decision to sign a higher level partnership, the ISA Corporate Partnership, in 2011. “We’ve seen the value of working with ISA,” said vice president of marketing Jon Peterson. “ISA’s members and customers are a dedicated, highly qualified group of industry professionals, and we look forward to building a great relationship with this community.”

OSIsoft delivers the PI System, the industry standard in enterprise infrastructure, for management of real-time data and events. The PI System is used in manufacturing, energy, utilities, life sciences, data centers, facilities, and the process industries. The system enables users to manage assets, mitigate risks, comply with regulations, improve processes, drive innovation, make business decisions in real time, and to identify competitive business and market opportunities.

OSIsoft’s partnership includes the sponsorship of several key ISA events
• ISA Safety and Security Symposium, held 13-14 April in League City, TX;
• ISA Power Industry Division (POWID) Symposium, held 6-10 June in Charlotte, NC;
• ISA Water and Wastewater Symposium, held 22-23 June in St. Louis, MO;
• ISA Automation Week, held 17-20 October in Mobile, AL.
The company will showcase its PI System and discuss industry specific implementation with conference attendees at each event.


“I have personally attended OSIsoft events, and I’ve been really impressed with its technology and its customer-focused approach,” said ISA President Leo Staples of Oklahoma Gas and Electric. “OSIsoft is a company that’s truly moving forward, and we’re excited about this partnership.”

#ISAwk Call for papers issued

The Program Committee of ISA Automation Week 2011: Technology and Solutions Event has issued a Call for Papers inviting authors, experts, innovators, thought leaders and automation professionals to submit abstracts for presentation consideration at the conference to be held at the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile (AL US) 17-20 October 2011.

The Call for Papers for the event solicits abstracts that cover topics for the following tracks, as they relate to automation:

Greg McMillan

The ISA Automation Week 2011 Program Committee represents ISA members, industry experts, academia, and published authors, across industry:
General Chair
Ken Baker, former ISA president
Program Chair
Greg McMillan, CDI Process & Industrial
Vice Program Chair
Dean Ford, MAVERICK Technologies
Program Committee Members
Jeff Arbogast, Air Liquide
Gerald Cockrell, Indiana State University
John Kuenzler, ARC Advisory Group
Greg Lehmann, URS Corporation
Dale Merriman, MerTech, Inc.
Russell Rhinehart, Oklahoma State University
Rick Zabel, Automation.com

Advanced Process Control Techniques
Analyzers
Automation and Control System Design
Energy and Environmental
Human Asset Optimization
Installation, Operations, & Maintenance
Networks and Use of Data
Safety and Security
Wireless Technology and Applications

"This is your chance to participate in the most pertinent and comprehensive technical conference for the automation profession. Essentially every aspect of process asset and human asset optimization is included. The scope of topics should help maximize loop and process performance and optimize the use of technology and resources,” said Greg McMillan with CDI Process & Industrial and ISA Automation Week 2011 program committee chair.

The ISA Automation Week 2011 technical program is building upon its initial success and will continue to be a knowledge-focused event that will bring top professionals in automation and control together for an intensive technical conference and networking opportunity with key industry suppliers. Sessions will be educational and applications-based, rich in content, and delivered by subject-matter experts in each field. Among new program features in 2011 is a dedicated Technician Day, that offers content relevant to this profession that ranges from basic to advanced topics.


“The range of topics starts with the development and justification of automation projects and continues to the use of the latest in measurement, valve, control system, and safety system technology. Other proposed topics cover selection of the best control strategy, enhancement of the power of the PID, addition of advanced control, installation and maintenance of the system, integration with the business and maintenance systems, use of data including data analytics, advances from the human design center for operator excellence, automation of loop tuning and metrics, education of automation professionals, operator training, improving operations and lowering total lifecycle costs,” McMillan continued. 

An integrated supplier showcase floor and increased supplier program participation will complement the technical program. Two 400-square-foot solutions swap theaters will be placed on the showcase floor and will integrate technical content via standards briefings, supplier solutions presentations, and more.


“We are encouraging engineers and technicians in plants and industry engineering centers, university professors and students, system integrators, architectural engineering firms, exhibitors, and suppliers to present how to improve project, system, operations, plant, and professional performance and advance our profession to the status it deserves," concluded McMillan.

The deadline for abstract submittals for consideration to present is 28 March 2011. More information about the Call for Papers, including a list of proposed topics, can be found on the Automation Week website.

Automation Week 2010 was held in Houston Texas. What did we and others think? See : Much done more to do! and Debacle or basis for development!

ISA Automation Week- Wrap-up!

"There are quite a few areas where we can improve our format and our execution, and we will."

Patrick Gouhin, ISA Executive Director

ISA Automation Week 2010: Technology and Solutions Event, held 4-7 October in Houston (TX US), wrapped up after an activity-packed week. The integrated conference-and-exhibit program and special events were focused around seven technical tracks with dozens of industry experts on hand to lead discussions, present papers, and answer questions about the hottest topics in each area. Nearly 1,700 people, from around the world, were present for the event.

“ISA Automation Week 2010, which was organized around a different model than past ISA EXPO events, introduced a new, innovative format to hundreds of dedicated conferees and exhibitors. It delivered first-class technical content, products and services on display by leading industry suppliers, and plenty of networking opportunities,” stated Gerald Cockrell, technical program co-chair.

“As a technical conference, ISA Automation Week met its goals and there are many success stories coming from this new event, including two outstanding keynote addresses, our PathFinder concept, the Online Community, and electronic proceedings, to name a few,” he continued.

Officially kicking off the conference, Dean Kamen, founder of DEKA Research and FIRST®, gave the opening keynote address. Kamen, who is an accomplished inventor, innovator, and engineer, strongly encouraged automation professionals to get involved with the future generation and to give back to the community through volunteering. Kamen’s speech rallied support for his proudest accomplishment, FIRST®, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. He also pointed out that many of his inventions and products were built on, or relied upon, automation, making the professionals behind those products his “idols.” See our comments: Technology as a sport, Dean Kamen enthuses #ISAwk.

The second keynote was delivered by David Cummings, global process safety management competency leader for DuPont Safety, Health & Environment (SHE). Cummings explored the key elements required to implement and maintain a consistent and highly reliable program to prevent process incidents, including risk management systems, safety culture, operational discipline, and organizational learning.

The ISA Automation Week technical program included 56 sessions which covered the latest topics within seven technical tracks: automation and control, energy, environmental, human asset optimization, safety, security, and wireless and networking.

The exhibition spotlighted more than 120 vendor exhibits, providing attendees the opportunity to meet and network with leading automation and instrumentation providers during scheduled breaks. Through these exhibits, attendees were able to get practical, real-world solutions to the theory presented during sessions.


“We made some excellent new business contacts, and were able to establish relationships with key industry professionals,” said Tim Donaldson, marketing director at ICONICS. "The ISA Automation Week format provides an opportunity to meet and network with decision makers as well as with those who influence, specify or recommend products for purchase. Our exhibit space for 2011 is already confirmed."

ISA Automation Week also introduced its successful new conference tool, PathFinder, which helped attendees select their own unique combination of sessions to create a customized learning experience suited to their individual job functions and professional goals. PathFinder does this by identifying the best conference path for each of five professional groups: technicians, engineers, management, marketing, and academia/R&D/scientists.

Another popular tool was the new ISA Automation Week Online Community. This social networking site allowed registered attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers to communicate with each other, create personal schedules, set up meetings, and link to their LinkedIn and Twitter accounts before and during the conference.

Also, participation in ISA’s 2010 Fall Training Institute, which ran concurrently with ISA Automation Week, exceeded last year's registrations, with 120 students served in 16 technical training course areas.


"To me, this new, conference-centered event is certainly different from what ISA has done in the past. It’s a step in a new direction and it shows that ISA is making progress toward evolving in today’s economy, while still working towards meeting the needs of the changing marketplace of exhibitions and conferences," summarized Ian Verhappen, director at Industrial Automation Networks, Inc.

Patrick Gouhin, ISA executive director and CEO, explained, “Hosting a new type of conference is always exciting, yet it can be very challenging too. Early indications show support for this new type of event, with a flow and functionality that would be different from past events. And though ISA has been hosting both large and small conferences for more than 45 years, we found that an all-new format like this one, can indeed present some struggles. There are quite a few areas where we can improve our format and our execution, and we will.”

See you in Mobile!

Ken Baker, general chair for next year’s ISA Automation Week, commented, “As we begin planning for ISA Automation Week 2011, we’ll build upon the strengths of this year’s event and adjust to the dynamic environment in which we operate. We’ll review the format and what we’ve learned, and we’ll look at ways to optimize all aspects of the experience for everyone.”

ISA Automation Week 2011 will be held in Mobile (AL US), 17-20 October 2011 “The facility there will give us more flexibility and options, especially on the exhibition side. It will offer a traditional conference and exhibition layout with all exhibits in one spot, a designated registration area, and dedicated session rooms, all conveniently located in a beautiful, waterfront site,” continued Baker.


“ISA Automation Week fulfills an important role in the automation field and as the premier automation conference in industry. We will continue to build the technical repository that is known as the automation body of knowledge,” concluded Gouhin.

Our other blogs on this event: Much done more to do!

The IET joins the Automation Federation

by Mark Landon

The IET and AF signed a formal agreement to collaborate on efforts to advance and grow the automation profession. This agreement was signed at ISA Automation Week 2010: Technology and Solutions Event in Houston, Texas, in the US.

Leo Staples speaks at the signing.

The IET will join the AF and the other AF member organisations—the International Society of Automation (ISA), the Organization for Machine Automation and Control (OMAC), and the Wireless Industrial Network Alliance (WINA)—in joint activities devoted to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); promoting the Automation Competency Model; and advancing the general public’s awareness of automation and technology.

The Chairman of the Automation Federation Energy Committee, Leo Staples, said, “The Automation Federation proudly welcomes the IET as our newest member organisation. AF and the IET share the same commitment to advancing and building the automation profession around the world. By combining our unique expertise and resources with our common interest in automation, our organisations are poised to make a significant impact on behalf of the profession.”

See Automation Federation release published on this site earlier

IET joins AF at Automation Week

ISA President-elect Leo Staples announces the affiliation of IET with the Automation Federation at Automation Week 2010

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has joined the Automation Federation as its newest member organisation. The two organizations signed a formal agreement to collaborate on efforts to advance and grow the automation profession. This agreement was signed at ISA Automation Week 2010.
Through its agreement with and membership in the Automation Federation, the IET will join AF and the other AF member organizations—the International Society of Automation (ISA), the Organization for Machine Automation and Control (OMAC), and the Wireless Industrial Network Alliance (WINA)—in joint activities devoted to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); promoting the Automation Competency Model; and advancing the general public’s awareness of automation and technology.
The Chairman of the Automation Federation Energy Committee, Leo Staples, said, “The Automation Federation proudly welcomes the IET as our newest member organization. AF and the IET share the same commitment to advancing and building the automation profession around the world. By combining our unique expertise and resources with our common interest in automation, our organizations are poised to make a significant impact on behalf of the profession.”
The Chairman for the Americas Regional Board of the IET, Steve Mustard, added, “The IET is pleased to be an active part of the Automation Federation. AF has accomplished so much of value in such a short amount of time, and we welcome the opportunity to be an integral part of their efforts. We are confident that by working with the Automation Federation, we will successfully enhance and accelerate public recognition of the automation profession worldwide.”
Dr. Gerald Cockrell, CAP, 2010 Automation Federation chair, stated, “Leo Staples and Steve Mustard were instrumental in the formalization of the agreement between AF and the IET. I commend them for their dedication to the profession. Their efforts have strengthened our efforts, AF’s and the IET’s, to promote and advance the automation profession. AF and the IET have already begun activities for the remainder of 2010 and for 2011.”

As reported by IET on same day (but posted by us on 19 Oct 2010)

FDT news unveiled at #ISAwk

FDT Technology Moves Closer to ISA Standard
ISA103 overcomes significant hurdles, accelerates ISA standard

The FDT Group announced that FDT Technology, a previously approved international standard (IEC 62453), has been approved by the ISA103 committee and is now pending as an International Society of Automation (ISA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard. Once approved, the value proposition of FDT that enables any fieldbus, device or sub‐system specific software tool to be integrated as part of a universal life‐cycle management tool for the American marketplace will be validated by two independent sources.

The ISA103 Field Device Tool Interface Committee was formed in 2006 to consider the adoption of FDT Technology as an ISA Standard. In May 2009, ISA 103 committee efforts were accelerated when FDT Technology was unanimously accepted by the International Electrotechnical Commission as IEC 62453. Since that time, the ISA103 committee worked to make the approved international standard available for approval by both the ISA and ANSI.

Chaired by Ian Verhappen, the ISA103 committee represents a cross section of industrial automation industry professionals including users, designers, implementers, educators and suppliers of leading industrial automation technology. The committee worked together to adopt the full suite of FDT standards as ISA‐103.00.01 through ISA‐103.00.09.

Adoption of these standards will support the most commonly used protocols implemented in the process and factory automation industries today. “The team could not have picked a better time to approve standardization efforts with the large number of projects that are being planned to enhance productivity while reducing integration costs,” said Verhappen. As a result of this effort, end users will have the freedom to choose best in class FDT based products allowing engineers access to their smart instruments in a rich graphical environment including tools that will allow users to make better use of diagnostic information, improve ability to perform maintenance and much more. Wil Chin, Research Director, ARC Advisory Group commented, “With formal IEC, ISA, and ANSI approvals, users can deploy standard FDT Technology globally and expect seamless integration of asset information that can be freely distributed between the plants without custom intervention.”

To confirm the strong acceptance of device integration based on FDT Technology, a public review of the standards has been submitted for adoption as an ISA/ANSI standard benefiting the US industry and its ability to better compete in the global automation and control community.

Once complete, the ISA Standards and Practice Board will vote finalizing the ISA103 standard by December, 2010. Moving forward, the ISA103 committee will focus on keeping pace with FDT specification updates and the late 2011 maintenance cycle of the IEC 62453 standard. As FDT Technology moves along its future development path with additional enhancements such as FDT 2.0 and new annexes to incorporate additional communication protocols, the ISA103 working group will ensure that the pending ISA and American National Standard is maintained to support the automation industry and the American market.

New FDT 2.0 Adds Features to Enhances Performance in a Full .NET Environment

The FDT Group, AISBL released the draft of its new FDT 2.0 standard to start its membership review process. This major update transitions the FDT standard to a full .NET development environment and provides significant performance enhancements for large installations and adds a wealth of new features requested by the manufacturer and end user communities. While the capabilities of the standard have been greatly enhanced, the number of interfaces has been reduced by nearly 50 percent to make it easier to develop and maintain FDT based applications.

“Our technical development team has done an outstanding job of catapulting the standard forward while ensuring backward compatibility to the installed base,” stated Glenn Schulz, Managing Director of the FDT Group. “The FDT standard has earned the reputation of being the standard that brings other automation standards to a common, interoperable platform for the benefit of the end user. This tradition will grow with the ability to use the upcoming FDI device package within FDT as a configuration method for process industry devices.” c
Wil Chin, Research Director, ARC Advisory Group commented, “The remarkable growth of the FDT standard in terms of vendor support and end user adoption is ensuring its continued success. The additional capabilities of FDT 2.0 make it the appropriate platform for process and factory automation applications regardless of network types and device configuration methods.”

Tightly coupled to the new FDT 2.0 standard is a richly integrated development environment (IDE) called FDT Express. “When we set out to update the FDT standard, we committed to fully author the standard within the development environment. This allows us to release FDT Express coincident with the release of the standard,” noted Ted Takeuchi, VP of Technology for the FDT Group. “FDT Express significantly reduces the development time of FDT applications while ensuring compliance to the standard." FDT Express will be made available without charge to all members of the FDT Group.

The FDT Group is also preparing its supporting infrastructure for the new standard. Common
components, test tools, the style guide, the life cycle policy, and the product certification process will all be brought forward to match the new standard. Immediately after the members who chair the technology leadership positions have concluded their review of the draft standard, the general membership of the FDT Group will formally enter in the review process of the new FDT 2.0 standard prior to its anticipated public release in the first quarter of 2011.

First FDT Americas Certification Testing Site
Center will offer DTM certification testing, analysis services and will welcome end user visitors to see FDT in action.

Lorain County Community College in Elyria, OH will be the home to the first FDT certification testing center in the Americas. This new center will support the global automation market by providing consultancy services in the areas of DTM analysis, testing of communication, gateway and device DTMs during development and final DTM certification testing to ensure conformance to the FDT specification. In addition to these services, LCCC will host an in‐house integration evaluation and testing lab providing a hands‐on facility for users to validate benefits of FDT Technology, implementing asset management strategies based off FDT Technology.

FDT Technology known as IEC 62453 provides the device integration standardization solution for the communication and configuration interface between all field devices and host systems. DTMs are the ‘key driver’ to provide a centralized remote access point for horizontal and vertical data flow, allowing for a safer work environment by reducing the number of trips to the field and lowering start‐up and commissioning costs.

The opening of the certification testing center supports a $5.5 million grant from the Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering (WCSSE) that LCCC recently received. The WCSSE Program as outlined is funded by the State of Ohio’s Third Frontier Program (TFP), supporting economic development objectives allowing transition from older industries to newer, high‐growth industrial technology markets like sensor technology. “This is an exciting step for Lorain County Community College,” said Duncan Estep, Director, FDT Technology Certification Testing Center –Americas. “The college’s alignment with the FDT Group and their international membership of leading automation users and suppliers builds on the steps we are taking to make Lorain County and Northeast Ohio a center for the automation and sensor markets.”

Currently the center is installing lab equipment and building competency as it prepares for the rigorous accreditation audit to be conducted by the FDT Group. Once complete, LCCC will receive accreditation status as an official FDT testing laboratory for three years. After that time, a repeat audit will be performed to ensure the integrity of the activities conducted at the facility. All test laboratories are audited against the official FDT ‘test and certification quality assurance system.’ These guidelines state that each location must meet the following three guiding principles:
• Must maintain as an independent entity to ensure no commercial influence.
• Will establish a quality management system to ensure reproducibility of test results.
• Required to provide detailed documentation and provide outstanding technical expertise in certifiable equipment and the official testing tools.

LCCC will provide complimentary services to the DTM certification testing activities. With consultancy services now available, LCCC can provide assistance to companies specifying DTMs for their automation products or to DTM software developers to provide guidance and expedite efforts for DTM implementation and certification. LCCC will soon provide an independent environment for integration evaluation and a testing center to allow end users access to a single product or a complete multi‐vendor control system. LCCC has been equipped with state of the art products from FDT member companies allowing suppliers and system integrators the opportunity to conduct interoperability testing prior to project, and so much more.

The FDT Group is projecting a healthy 45% annual growth rate in devices supported by DTM certifications for 2010, providing the automation market with over 2700 devices supported by certified DTMs. “This is the perfect time to initiate this activity in the North American market,”
Tobias Horn, Chairman of the working group Test & Certification stated, "Certification of FDT based products is one of the main customer requirements and therefore also a key goal of the FDT Group. The Test & Certification Team strives to ensure that all preconditions such as test specifications, test tools and accredited test sites are available all over the world. With the first official FDT test site in North America we will have achieved a major milestone for FDT Certification and the contribution of the LCCC will multiply the acceptance of FDT in the North American Market."

FDT maintains certification capabilities globally including locations in Germany at BIS Prozesstechnik GmbH, Dietz Automation, Ifak system GmbH, and M&M Software GmbH; Switzerland at Endress+Hauser Process Solutions AG; and China at M&M Software (Suzhou) GmbH.

Location & dates announced for #isawk 2011

Major automation event invades deep south!

ISA Automation Week 2011 will be held at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center in Mobile, (AL US), on 17-20 October, 2011.

“The City of Mobile has welcomed us with open arms. From top to bottom, Mobile is a perfect match for ISA Automation Week 2011. The convention center is a state-of-the-art facility that will accommodate our expected growth and expansion and enable us to continue providing a quality experience for attendees,” said 2010 ISA President Nelson Ninin in Houston during this year's event.

Winner of numerous architectural awards, the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center offers the event a flexible floor plan that will accommodate a planned expansion from 2010 in response to increased demand from industry.

“ISA Automation Week will continue to raise the bar for the technical conference. With an exhibitor waiting list of almost 50% of our total 2010 capacity, we’re expanding in response to the positive feedback and interest industry has shown this premier event. ISA’s unbiased technical content is, and has been for decades, unmatched by most other automation conferences in the US and perhaps the world,” said ISA Executive Director and CEO Pat Gouhin. “With early interest and demand, we are very excited about our 2011 annual event-"

Conveniently connected to the convention center via a skywalk, the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel will serve as ISA’s official host hotel. Historic Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa will provide additional meeting space for auxiliary events held during the week.

Mobile, along with most cities on the Gulf of Mexico, provides a great market base for ISA Automation Week exhibitors, with several key industries represented, including petrochemical, aerospace, automotive, steel, energy and general manufacturing. Its attractive coastal location offers attendees traveling from around the globe a welcome, relaxing venue as they pursue their professional development goals.

"The Mobile Section of ISA is looking forward to welcoming ISA Automation Week 2011 to the city of Mobile. We're thrilled to contribute to ISA Automation Week and are looking forward to making it a huge success,” concluded ISA Mobile Section President Ryan McKee.

Scholorships announced

ASCO Numatics has announced at the ISA Automation Week's Yapfest event the recipients of the 2010/2011 ASCO Numatics Industrial Automation Engineering Scholarships. Nicole Legenski of Blandon, Pennsylvania and Karl Kirsch of West Lafayette, Indiana will each receive a $5,000 scholarship. Additionally, ASCO Numatics will make $1,000 grants to the engineering departments of Pennsylvania State University and Purdue University, the schools which Legenski and Kirsch, respectively attend.

“This is the third year that ASCO Numatics has offered this scholarship program and we continue to be impressed by the caliber of applicants,” said Robert W. Kemple, Jr., executive vice president, sales and marketing - Americas, ASCO Numatics. “Through their academic and personal achievements Nicole and Karl have demonstrated potential for leadership and innovation in the industrial automation industry and we are very proud to support them.”

Legenski is a junior at Pennsylvania State University studying for a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Kirsch is working toward a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Purdue University. He received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in 2009.

The scholarship awards were presented at the annual ISA Young Automation Professionals Festival (YAPFEST). YAPFEST is part of the 2010 ISA Automation Week: Technology and Solutions event held at the Westin Galleria Complex in Houston. ISA hosts YAPFEST for automation professionals between ages 18 and 30.

The scholarships are awarded annually based on the candidate’s potential for leadership and for making a significant contribution to the engineering, instrumentation, systems, electrical, mechanical, and automation professions, particularly as they relate to the application of fluid control and fluid power technology. A panel of ASCO Numatics and independent judges selected the finalists.