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.

---

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

New temperature & systems development centre.

A new development and production centre for temperature measurement and system products has been opened by Endress + Hauser at its Nesselwang site in southern Germany’s Allgäu region. The new addition further solidifies the family-owned company’s commitment to the region and expands its global network.

Official openning ribbon-cutting at the Nesselwang centre.

Endress+Hauser Temperature+System Products has invested approximately 17 million euros in the new facility. The four-story building is operationally carbon neutral thanks to climate-friendly energy systems based on geothermal heat and solar power. This demonstrates the company’s long-term focus and represents an active contribution to responsible resource management.

The facility’s newly built offices accommodate around 150 employees. They are versatile by design, offering a mix of quiet retreat options and collaborative workspaces. For employees, they are the ideal environment for developing ideas and bringing innovations to fruition. Further space for fruitful interaction is provided by the new staff restaurant on the ground floor. The new facility as a whole has increased the site’s usable floor area by 3,500 square meters.

“This investment is part of our strategy to expand our market position as a global player and further enhance our attractiveness as an innovative employer in the Allgäu region,” said Endress+Hauser Temperature+System Products managing director Harald Hertweck. Endress+Hauser Group CEO Dr Peter Selders offered the following comment: “As a family-owned company, we think and act long term. We strive for sustainable success. That is why we are constantly investing in our global production and sales network.”

---

@Endress_Hauser @Endress_IN @Endress_UK @Endress_US #PAuto #RandD #Germany

Pumps and systems appointment.

HNP Mikrosysteme has appointed of Suzanne Coleman Wilhelmsen as Head of Business Development for North America.

Suzanne Coleman Wilhelmsen

Prior to joining HNP Mikrosysteme, Suzanne invested herself and the majority of her career in the automotive industry, focusing her time and energy into companies including Audi of America and Audi AG in Ingolstadt, Germany, Volkswagen and Audi Financial Services (VW Credit), Lincoln (Ford) Motor Company, and Volvo Cars USA. Notably Suzanne managed the North American launch of the first generation Audi Q7, implemented many products and strategies to support these luxury automotive brands product growth and loyalty. Further, she played a critical role with Ford in successfully relaunching the Lincoln brand in the Great Lakes Region of the US. Her early career included an accomplished tenure in Change Management consulting with Accenture in the US and Europe.

“Suzanne brings deep OEM experience and extensive automotive product marketing know-how to our team. Her outstanding accomplishments in leading client experience initiatives, as well as her strong international business experience, is simply outstanding,” says Thomas Weisener, CEO of HNP Mikrosysteme.

In addition to living and working for many years in Germany, Suzanne has travelled extensively both internationally and nationally and is fluent in both German and English. Suzanne is a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), after which she went on to earn her Post-Baccalaureate degree in Art Education from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Suzanne is an avid skier and certified professional ski instructor, who also worked for Vail Resorts in her formative years. She enjoys trail and endurance running, as well as hiking, backpacking, camping, and the arts - especially ceramics. Suzanne’s greatest accomplishment, however, is her role as Mom to three.

Yvonne Eilers, CFO of HNPM added, “Suzanne’s charisma and leadership in working with our sales teams has already made an immediate impact on our sales growth, and solicited glowing reviews from our clients. We are all excited to welcome her as a member of our leadership team. ”

Suzanne will be located in Chicago’s western suburb of Schaumburg, (IL USA)

---

@PresseBox #HNPM #Automotive #USA

Towards next-generation automation platform.

New solutions to deliver smarter, safer, optimised and sustainable industrial operations

The first of a series of new technology releases has been announced. This series builds upon Emerson's Boundless Automation™ vision and serve as the foundation of its next-generation, software-centric industrial automation architecture. The new technology releases will transcend a traditional control system, creating a more advanced automation platform that contextualises and democratises data for both people and the artificial intelligence (AI) engines that shape the way the world operates.

“Boundless Automation is a big vision, but also a real one grounded in exciting new technologies available today, and more coming in the next two to three years,” said Nathan Pettus, president of Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “The solutions bringing our vision to life will have a tangible impact on projects our customers are developing right now. These innovations will break down silos of data in areas like sensing, analytics, reliability and control by creating a single ecosystem of seamlessly connected technologies that move contextualised data from the intelligent field, through the edge, and into the cloud.”

Technologies support new, boundless automation vision.
The company shared its new DeltaV™ Edge Environment at its Emerson Exchange Immerse event, at Aneheim (CA USA), convening industrial technology leaders from across the globe to collaborate on industry challenges, such as disparate software systems creating a barrier to connectivity across the value chain. Emerson’s DeltaV Edge Environment will provide more secure ways to move data from the automation platform to wherever it is needed – data lakes, data scientists, analytics applications in the cloud, enterprise resource planning systems, etc. – without losing valuable operational context.

Emrex Americas 2023 - Pic: Jim Cahill

The company has also announced the release of technologies supporting the increased bandwidth and intrinsically safe connectivity of Ethernet advanced physical layer (APL). By bringing technologies to market that enable APL across a broader spectrum of protocols, Emerson is making it easier for customers to integrate a wide array of intelligent field devices into the DeltaV automation platform, expanding visibility and empowering users and systems to manage a company’s most complex problems and system interactions.

As Emerson shifts toward an increasingly software-defined platform and eliminates traditional server and storage silos, its new DeltaV PK Flex Controller allows users to leverage subscription-based services to use only the technologies they need, with the flexibility to add functionality at any time. Subscription options also enable teams to reduce capital costs and shift expenses to the operating expense budget. As a next phase, Emerson will add more than 16 services to its subscription portfolio to provide customers with more flexible business models, empowering them to drive innovation and growth with ease.

Emerson has also added new software-as-a-service, cloud-hosted solutions to bring data from the edge into the cloud, helping combine cloud data with AI tools to upskill personnel and offset experienced worker shortages. Those AI analytics tools, including AMS Optics and Aspen Mtell®, will help teams build models for predictive and prescriptive maintenance strategies that unlock the autonomous plant, while simultaneously creating a new paradigm of centralised operations where highly skilled personnel work in tandem with AI.

Empowering richer, real-time analytics.
As expanded connectivity brings more assets, devices and data into the fold, teams will need more powerful tools to help them manage and use the information coming in from many different sources. Emerson’s Ovation™ Green solutions, including asset management and supervisory control and data acquisition software, represent a powerful suite of technologies to combine a utility’s renewable energy assets into a single management tool, unifying data and setting the stage for holistic automation across the power grid. Similarly, tools like AMS Data Server unshackle reliability data, making it easier for users to get critical information out of the intelligent field and into cloud-based applications for use by cross-functional teams.

“These new technologies from Emerson are available for inclusion in capital project planning today and will help companies better prepare for the rapidly approaching future of automation, driven by a shift to more efficient, sustainable production,” Pettus said.

Emerson’s emerging automation technologies shared at Exchange Immerse should help optimise performance, sustainability, safety and production for key industries including specialty chemical, energy, life sciences, mining, power generation and more.

---

@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #EmrEx

IIoT Systems and Devices for a wide range of applications and industries.

Advantech has published a comprehensive overview of their edge-to-edge-cloud solutions in the 2023 edition of their Industrial Systems and Devices Star Product Guide. The free to download 28 page brochure is a complete guide to their market leading IIoT product range, providing customers with everything they need to know to stay ahead of the curve with IIoT deployment; from IIoT hardware to innovative software for intelligent factories to industrial automation and their IoTMart/AOnline direct sales channels.

The product guide includes:

• Vertical Market Solutions
• Edge Computing
• Edge AI Technology
• Automation Control
• Intelligent Connectivity
• Edge Data Acquisition
• Wireless Sensing and Fleet Networking

The companies innovative IIoT Edge to Cloud Technologies include EtherCAT Control and I/O Systems, Advanced Computer Vision devices, Serial / USB Communications, Wireless I/O and Sensors, IIoT Gateways and RTUs, Connectivity and TSN as well as DAQ and Remote I/O and Domain Platforms suitable for Oil and Gas, Railway and Utility and Energy applications.

 

Customers also have access to advanced software solutions from Advantech such as:

• WebAccess/SCADA – IIoT application software.
• WISE-EdgeLink – powerful edge-to-cloud middleware for intelligent gateway solutions.
• WISE-DataConnect – IIoT device, platform, application and data management software.

The new catalogue illustrates how Advantech are leading the way with investment in key market areas including:

• Intelligent Factory Solutions to improve energy sustainability, equipment effectiveness and operation optimisation.
• Energy and Environment Solutions accelerating Cloud-Enabled IIoT and Smart Cities.
• Utility and Energy power Conversion Solutions for maximum energy transition.
• Intelligent Transportation Systems for modern infrastructures.
• Intelligent Systems and Platform Infrastructure for the IIoT.
• Embedded Automation Computers providing seamless connection and transmission for Edge IoT applications.
• Intelligent HMI and Industrial Monitors offering leading HMI Innovations for Smart Factories.
• Industrial Tablet Solutions supporting on-site management, manufacturing and patrol inspection.
• Edge AI Platforms and Industrial Servers delivering industrial AI Platforms at The Edge.
• Edge DAQ Devices, boosters for equipment manufacturers, rental services, and end users.
• EtherCAT Control and I/O Solutions offering integrated CODESYS solutions for real-time machine control and data acquisition.
• Industrial Communication providing seamless data connectivity from the network edge to the core.
• Data Acquisition and Control in diverse form factors to satisfy DAQ requirements.
• Serial and USB Communication Solutions improving legacy serial devices with IIoT.
• IoT-ready Remote I/O and Intelligent I/O Gateways providing transformation for the IIoT’s wider and larger applications.
• Wireless I/O and Sensors Industrial Wireless I/O and Sensor Modules for machine condition monitoring and cloud integration.
• Wireless Fleet and Industrial Networking for remote device management and data collection.

@AdvantechIA @Advantech_IIoT @proactivefleet #IIoT #PAuto

Renewable wood residues into chemicals.

A memorandum of understanding with Origin Materials, Inc. (“Origin,” “Origin Materials”) has been announced by Emerson. Origin is world’s leading carbon negative materials company, and Emerson are to provide advanced digital automation technologies and consulting services for Origin’s first world-scale manufacturing facility, Origin 2. Emerson has already supplied automation for Origin’s first commercial facility, currently under construction in Sarnia, Ontario (CDN).

Emerson’s expertise and advanced automation solutions will enable Origin Materials, based in West Sacramento, (CA USA), to fully automate its pioneering production process at Origin 2. The plant, to be constructed in Geismar, Louisiana, is expected to convert about 1 million dry metric tons of wood residues each year into carbon-negative materials for applications that include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and carbon black.

Origin’s platform technology turns the carbon found in sustainable wood residues into useful carbon-negative materials for a wide range of end products, including clothing, textiles, plastics, packaging, car parts, tires, carpeting, and toys, representing a more than $1-trillion total addressable market.

“We’re excited to partner with Emerson, a company known to enable operational excellence through advanced digital automation technology,” said John Bissell, co-chief executive officer of Origin Materials. “Using intelligent sensors, simulation, and data analytics modelling software we will drive productivity rates as we scale our business to meet the tsunami of global demand for sustainable materials.”

The Origin 2 plant, expected to be operational in 2025, will use Emerson’s Plantweb™ digital ecosystem, which includes intelligent sensors and control valves, production optimisation systems, advanced data analytics software, modelling and simulation technology, distributed control systems and secure networking.

“Leveraging a digital engineering strategy from the start will help bring bold, visionary concepts like plant-based plastics to market faster, helping accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy,” said Mark Bulanda, executive president of Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “With new decarbonisation technologies, it’s essential to be able to develop and scale innovative production methods with minimal risk and the greatest efficiency possible. Our collaboration with Origin is an exciting step toward realising the benefits of net-zero manufacturing for a more sustainable future.”

@EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @OriginMaterials @HHC_Lewis #PAuto

Acquisition strengthens thermal product and technology vision.

Watlow®, a designer and manufacturer of complete industrial thermal systems has just completed its acquisition of Eurotherm® from Schneider. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Eurotherm is a premier provider of temperature, power and process control, measurement and data management equipment, systems, software and services for global industrial markets. The company employs about 650 people worldwide, with headquarters in Worthing, (GB). and core manufacturing operations in Ledziny, Poland.

Rob Gilmore, Watlow’s CEO, said, “We are excited about Watlow and Eurotherm and all we will accomplish together. This acquisition aligns with our vision of providing innovative thermal products and technologies that help increase our customers’ competitive advantage. The combination of Watlow and Eurotherm products and technologies will create new global opportunities for our collective customers and allow us to focus our advanced thermal systems in important areas.”

Watlow will establish Eurotherm’s sites in Worthing and Dardilly (F) as Advanced Development Centers for its electronics and controls product offering and plans to invest in Eurotherm’s facility in Poland to become Watlow’s Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Europe. This additional capacity and capability also provide a path to growth in other parts of the world including the Americas and Asia.

@watlow @eurotherm @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Europe

Supporting technology start-ups!

Anglia Unicorn is a dedicated division to help technology start-ups get off the drawing board and into the market faster from Anglia Components. It was conceived to provide start-ups with the innovative technology ideas they need and offers engineering resources, evaluation hardware and software tools along with samples from Anglia’s world class technology partners, all free of charge.

Commenting on the launch, John Bowman, Chief Technology Officer at Anglia Components, said, “The support offered by Anglia Unicorn has been carefully curated to help technology start-ups and university spin-outs all the way through to venture capitalists, investors and equity funds who are working with technology companies that need help getting to the next level. We want customers to think of the Anglia Unicorn team as their technology adviser alongside their legal and financial advisers. This service isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ solution. We listen to what companies need, and provide a bespoke programme to meet those specific requirements.”

Although the partnership between Anglia Unicorn and the start-up ideally begins with a concept, in practice, the customer may already have a proof-of-concept based around an off the shelf solution such as a credit card sized single board computer or Arduino-type platform.

Anglia Unicorn is able to offer help regardless of what stage the project is at, they offer start-ups a free confidential consultation where they can discuss the concept, the key project milestones and the ultimate vision for the product. This meeting will yield key technology recommendations to help deliver this vision as quickly, reliably and cost-effectively as possible. This proposal is backed up with support from Anglia’s extensive engineering resource, which includes a highly skilled and experienced field application engineering team, along with access to other specialisations from the Anglia eco-system if needed.

@angliaLive @NeeshamPR #Pauto 

New CEO for wireless systems leader.

Swift Sensors has appointed Ray Almgren as Chief Executive Officer.  Almgren will lead the growth initiatives of the company to expand product offerings and to scale worldwide distribution channels.

Ray Almgren

Founded by current chairman Dean Drako, Swift Sensors has developed low-cost, monitoring solutions, making wireless IoT devices available for one-tenth the cost of traditional systems. These sensors are critical for operational efficiency and improvements, monitoring data such as temperatures for food processing and pharmaceuticals, or machine health and operation in industrial manufacturing.

Almgren joined the company in 2016 as the Chief Marketing Officer, and helped launch the company.  Almgren was named Chief Operating Officer in 2019.

“Ray brings extensive knowledge and experience in sensors, embedded systems and the Internet of Things (IOT).” said Dean Drako, Chairman. “His leadership of our product development and marketing strategy has been a key factor in our success.   As CEO, he will continue these initiatives and create a world-wide distribution channel for our products. Ray’s reputation in our industry as a strong technical and business leader is known throughout the world.”

Almgren joined Swift Sensors after a 28-year career at National Instruments (NI), where he served in numerous roles including Director of Engineering, Vice President of Product Marketing, and Vice President of Corporate Marketing. Almgren graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

@swift_sensors #PAuto 

The promise and reality of control systems.

The June edition of the AUTOMATION 2020 eBook (pdf) teaches about the promise and reality of control systems that combine new technologies with the robustness, security, and sophistication needed for industrial applications.

It also includes an in-depth look at single-pair Ethernet—the infrastructure for Industrial IoT—as well as component-level sensor technologies for servomotors and other machinery.

Chapter titles include:

• Single-pair Ethernet: The Infrastructure for IIoT
• On Your Mark, Get Set, Go – A Race to Build the Smart and "Always Productive" Plant
• New Freedom in Engineering: The ctrlX AUTOMATION Platform
• The Big Idea of Open Standard Control
• Case Study: Machine Builder Conquers Adaptive Limitations with PC Control

@ISA_Interchange @automation_com #PAuto 

Advanced analytics solutions.

e-matica, a leading systems integrator and applications development firm and a Select Partner for OSIsoft® and Seeq®, headquartered in Seattle, (WA USA), will partner to deliver advanced analytics solutions to their customers. The partnership will accelerate digital transformation by harnessing diagnostic and predictive analytics to enable greater operational efficiency and deeper insights across organizations.

Seeq software applications, Seeq Workbench and Seeq Organizer, enable manufacturing organizations to rapidly analyze, predict, collaborate, and distribute insights to improve production outcomes. Seeq is designed to run on-premise, on Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services cloud platforms, or in mixed on-premise and on-cloud deployments.

e-matica has provided innovation and process improvement to their clients for over 20 years in industries like power generation, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, and others. Combined with Seeq’s advanced analytics solution, the partnership is a natural fit that will benefit e-matica customers as they strive to get more value from their operations data.

"The decision to enter into a partnership with Seeq is in line with our growth strategy aimed at offering innovative solutions to help our customers improve their operations. Our customers work with data from different sources and have the need to analyze them effectively and efficiently—time is a key factor! Seeq makes it possible to find insights and share critical information quickly,” says Luca Spingardi, e-matica Business Development Executive. This sentiment is shared by Ernesto Bove, CEO, and Giuseppe di Bartolo, Sales Director, who have deployed many systems based on the use of historicized data for important Italian customers.

“Thought leaders like e-matica, with local customer and vertical market expertise, are critical to the success of Seeq,” adds Will Knight, Head of Partner Sales for Seeq. “Our customers rely upon them to deliver advanced analytics solutions that provide insight and drive results.”

#PAuto @SeeqCorporation @OSIsoft

Unique service for system developers of IPC and embedded systems.

Using Intel® "Coffee Lake" for medical technology

The perfect interaction of all components of a system is of decisive, especially in medical technology where it can be of life-sustaining importance. When developing a new medical computer system as an embedded IPC or a stand-alone unit, developers are faced with the challenge of selecting the core components mainboard, processor, memory and power supply concerning many criteria: computing and graphics performance, reliability, safety, connectivity, energy efficiency, thermal management, standards compliance, long-term availability, product support and many more.

With its proven Power+Board bundles, Bicker Elektronik, offers a unique service for system developers of IPC and embedded systems. As part of extensive in-house laboratory tests, the perfect matching combinations of high-quality power supplies and mainboards from AAEON, ASRock, Avalue, Fujitsu and Perfectron is ensured. Currently there are 12 form factors available. Additionally, customers will receive industrial grade processors, storage solutions with fixed BOM, expansion cards and mass storage devices – including personal design-in advice and support from Germany. Thus, all the core components of a medical computer system can be conveniently and safely obtained from a single source. With the preconfigured and tested bundle solutions, customers of Bicker Elektronik can save a lot of time and money in the process of product qualification. In addition, time-to-market can be significantly shortened.

Power+Board bundles for 8th generation Intel® Core™ processors
The new AAEON industrial Mini-ITX mainboards MIX-Q370D1 and MIX-Q370A1 for 8th generation Intel® Core™ processors (codename 'Coffee Lake') convince with performance, quality and compactness. With the high performance of Q370 Express chipset, coupled with up to 6 processor cores, fast DDR4 RAM and advanced graphics engines, the new mainboards are ideal for high-performance computing applications. The connection of fast SSD/Flash memory is implemented via m.2 PCIe Gen3x4. Numerous I/O interfaces, including USB 3.1 Gen 2 and Intel® Gigabit LAN, as well as multiple graphics outputs ensure extensive connectivity for a variety of applications. The two particularly flat and robust industrial mainboards are also suitable for 24/7 continuous operation in the temperature range from 0 to +60 °C. The differences between the two boards are in the specific interface equipment and type of power supply. Bicker Elektronik offers bundles with suitable and tested power supplies approved to international medical safety standards:

ATX power supplies
The mainboard MIX-Q370A1 is prepared for ATX power supply (+ 3.3V, + 5V, + 12V, -12V, + 5Vsb) and bundled with the newly introduced medical PC power supplies MHG2-5300G-B1 (300 W), MHG2-5400G-B1 (400 W) or MHG2-5500G-B1 (500 W) available from Bicker Elektronik. For international use, the energy-efficient switch-mode power supplies have a wide-range input (90 to 264 VAC) with active PFC Power Factor Correction and comply with EN / UL / cUL 60601-1 (Edition 3.1) and CCC standards. No base load is required at the outputs, so latest generation mainboards with special power saving modes are supplied safely. The temperature-controlled fan ensures quiet operation in a wide temperature range from 0 to +70 °C. In combination with the MIX-Q370A1 mainboard, including up to four Intel® Gigabit LAN ports, powerful video management systems with external IP cameras can be realized, for example.

Fanless power supplies
The mainboard MIX-Q370D1 is prepared for single DC power supply (+12V) and is available bundled with medical power supplies BEO-2012M(C) (200 W) or BEO-3012M(C) (300 W). The energy-efficient and robust BEO power supply design features high efficiency up to 94% and reliable 24/7 continuous operation in the extended temperature range. For international use, the AC/DC switch-mode power supplies have a wide-range input with active PFC and safety approvals IEC 60601-1:2005+A1:2012 (Edition 3.1), EN 60601-1:2006+A1:2013 (Edition 3.1), ANSI/AAMI ES60601-1:2005 (3rd Edition), as well as classification 2xMOPP for patient contact (Means Of Patient Protection). As an alternative to the integrated power supply with PSU series BEO, Bicker Elektronik offers a comprehensive range of external AC/DC desktop adapters with medical approval, such as BET-1012M (100 W). In addition to the already mentioned features, the bundled mainboard MIX-Q370D1 convinces with triple display support: Up to three independent displays can be controlled simultaneously. For connecting m.2 storage media, the MIX-Q370D1 supports the latest PCIe standard with up to 4 lanes and Intel® NVMe M.2 SSD.

High performance storage.
Beside suitable Intel® Core™ processors, Bicker Elektronik offers a large portfolio of industrial grade storage solutions with fixed BOM (Bill of Materials): The new M.2 SSD storage solution Cervoz T405 with capacities up to 2TB is equipped with future-proof NVMe interface and compatible with PCIe Gen3x4. The sequential read/write speed is up to five times higher than with SATA III. Numerous protection functions ensure maximum data security of the 3D-TLC-NAND flash memory. For optimum thermal management and lifetime extension of the high-performance memory module, the optionally available aluminum heat sink Cervoz HM8ALK can significantly accelerate heat dissipation (See image Bicker-PI-002-PowerBoard-Medical-Cervoz-T405-and-Heatsink-sRGB.jpg).

Individual heatpipe cooling solutions
For closed and fanless computer systems, Bicker Elektronik offers customized copper-based heatpipe solutions for effective cooling of high performance processors. The dimensioning and implementation of cooling solutions takes place in close coordination with the system developer and is based on the specific application.

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) 
The uninterruptible power supply (UPS) of systems and components is often essential in medical and laboratory technology. The modular DC UPS systems of the Bicker UPSI series provide effective protection against power outages, flicker or voltage drops. Available are open-frame variants for direct system integration (UPSI), robust DIN rail modules (UPSI-D), integrated combi solutions (UPSI-DP and UPSIC with integral energy storage) and outdoor IP67 versions (UPSI-IP). As energy storage, maintenance-free Supercaps and especially safe and durable LiFePO4 battery packs are available as well as Li-ion and lead batteries.

And more
In addition to the three-year equipment warranty, Bicker Elektronik GmbH guarantees a long-term availability of at least 5 years for the new Power+Board bundle solutions. Thus, applications in medical and laboratory technology particularly benefit from optimum investment protection and long-term availability. In addition to individual design-in advice and first-class service & support, the R&D engineers at Bicker Elektronik can also implement customer-specific special solutions upon request. The range of services is rounded off by comprehensive laboratory and measuring services for complete customer systems as well as power profile analyzes of the application for exactly dimensioned power supply solutions.

@bicker_de #Medical #Systems @PresseBox

Helping optimise gas production system.

Emerson has completed its $48 million (€34m) contract for automation systems and cloud engineering software-as-a-service for the Shah Deniz 2 project in Azerbaijan and is fulfilling an ongoing five-year services contract to help ensure reliable, safe operations. Emerson’s support services, predictive reliability software and digital twin solutions will help optimise operations and achieve reliable performance.

“Emerson’s Project Certainty model is designed to help companies ensure that complex projects do not overrun timelines and budgets, and Emerson’s MAC services are a core element of that strategy,” said Jim Nyquist, group president of systems and solutions for Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “We are proud to have helped complete this project ahead of schedule and excited to provide continued support to promote long-term successful operations.”

The $28 billion (€25b) project includes the first subsea development in the Caspian Sea. At plateau, the BP-operated Shah Deniz 2 is expected to produce 16 billion cubic metres of gas per year incrementally to Shah Deniz 1 production.

Emerson served as the main automation contractor (MAC) for the megaproject, with the company’s Project Certainty approach supporting a reduction of global automation engineering complexity, which contributed to production starting more than four months ahead of schedule.

Emerson’s advanced predictive reliability software and dynamic simulation software, parts of its digital twin solutions, will help anticipate upcoming reliability concerns before they impact production and simulate the impact of production performance improvements safely prior to execution.

Emerson’s MAC services and cloud engineering services helped incorporate multiple projects, global contractors and suppliers into a unified programme to ensure standardisation and maintain the project timeline. Virtualisation and implementation of the DeltaV™ distributed control system with Electronic Marshalling helped the project team eliminate design rework by making it easier to fit automation systems into the platform’s limited space.

 @EMR_Automation #PAuto #Azerbaijan @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis

TSN integration for Bus.

The goal set by PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) to integrate TSN as additional Layer 2 technology in the PROFINET architecture has been reached with the current PROFINET specification V2.4. The specification work has been completed and the three parts of the document are available for download on their website.

Manufacturers and users alike can interoperably implement the advantages offered by TSN, such as future-proof IEEE Ethernet technology with higher bandwidth, deterministic, flexible network configuration and a large range of chips already available.

The user interface remains unchanged, i.e., the use of IO data, diagnostics and parameterization, since the new TSN mechanisms act largely on the underlying communication layers. This makes it easier for users to get started with the new technology.

Through the dedicated work of experts from many companies, the specification was prepared in just over a year in an intensive development and review process. The open discussion and many years of experience of the expert contributors in the respective working groups ensure an accurate and complete technical description.

In addition, both the initial implementations as well as concepts for the certification were created early on in parallel. The stability of the specification could thereby be tested and also demonstrated at trade fairs. For easy understanding of the functionality, a guideline is also available that clearly explains the fundamentals of TSN.

PROFINET specification 2.4 and IEEE specifications are necessary fundamentals above all for the developers of the basic technology of hardware and firmware. The device manufacturers then simply use the corresponding stacks or modules and no longer need to understand the details or even implement them themselves. As a result, device manufacturers can simply expand their existing PROFINET portfolio with TSN.

Of course, the specification will continue to be maintained in the familiar annual maintenance process so that new customer requirements, experiences from the field or technological developments can be integrated in an open and easy-to-understand way. This process supports the “living” PROFINET standard, which has proven itself a million times over and is still developed continuously, according to user needs and compatibility.

@AllThingsPROFI  #PAuto

Energy harvesting experts strengthen British coverage.

EnOcean has appointed Simon Johnson to manage their sales in Britain. The specification specialist will be working to promote their successful energy harvesting technology into this fast-growing market including smart building projects and the emerging trend of modular homes. Simon will work closely together with John Corbett, Sales Director UK at EnOcean, and report to Jürgen Baryla, Vice President Sales.

Simon Johnson

Simon Johnson joins EnOcean from Theben AG, a specialist in smart home technology focussed on KNX, where he spent three years as Sales and Specification Specialist. Simon previously ran his own electrical contracting business. He has a keen interest in modern building control solutions, with a number of family home renovation projects to his name making him aware of the specific requirements.

“We are delighted to have Simon join the team with his high level of experience,” said Jürgen Baryla. “He has a successful track record of sales of smart building technology, as well as unique insight into installing these technologies and making them work in a real building environment. We believe he will be a real asset to our UK customers.”

Commenting, Simon said, “I am excited to be joining EnOcean. The company is extremely well placed to develop and manufacture the energy harvesting products needed for the smart future of our buildings. I believe EnOcean is in a unique position. It is a pioneer in energy harvesting devices and is large enough to invest in new ideas but small enough to be flexible.”

Smart building control solutions are proving popular in the territory with more commercial and residential projects adopting the technology. Legislation and tougher controls on energy usage are likely to further boost demand, which EnOcean is ready to fulfil enabling highly flexible and maintenance-free sensor solutions. “There can be huge benefits from monitoring the usage of buildings and internal environments using cleverly deployed sensors,” added Simon Johnson. “These include increased productivity, higher comfort, reduced energy costs, proactive rather than reactive facilities management and better use of space.”

@EnOcean #Appointment #Britain #BAC

Update enhances developer productivity.

National Instruments (NI) has announced the latest release of LabVIEW 2019 and LabVIEW NXG. These releases are proof of NI’s continued investment in the next generation of LabVIEW and systems engineering software. NI continues to focus efforts around optimisation in the test and measurement processes in key areas of test development integration, efficient automated testing, and access to data & systems.

The latest release of LabVIEW 2019 increases developer productivity through improved visibility in the IDE, powerful enhancements in debugging, and new datatypes to the G-language. Additionally, LabVIEW 2019 addresses a critical pain point for engineers: managing dependencies and versioning with fragmented, non-standardised methods, which perpetuate as challenges in code deployment. With the new distribution option of package installers in LabVIEW 2019, users can now implement a standardised distribution method with inherent version management and automatic dependency management to confidently replicate and share system software.

The newest version of LabVIEW NXG simplifies the most time-consuming tasks in automated test and automated measurement applications, from deploying and distributing code faster than before, importing and exporting MATLAB® data (. mat) for improved interoperability with third-party software, and additional capabilities added to Web VIs to give users better interaction and control with their applications. These enhancements help engineers meet challenging time-to-market requirements by reducing time-intensive set-up through rapid connectivity to instrumentation, removing integration bottlenecks that traditionally arise in bringing in 3rd party IP through native interoperability with other programming languages and toolkits, and increasing access to important data by lowering the barrier of entry to web technology.

"Using WebVIs allows us to provide our users an interface to the test management database from anywhere, anytime, and we were able to develop the web interfaces using just our core LabVIEW skills. We saved development time and the users have instant access to review data or change test criteria.” said Jeremy Marquis, Engineering Team Leader at G Systems, Inc.

As NI builds on its more than 30-year investment in software, these LabVIEW releases continue the fast-paced updates aimed to expand engineering capabilities from design to test. Whether an engineer is using LabVIEW for the first time or has been on an active user for years, LabVIEW 2019 and LabVIEW NXG are immediately accessible and will make an immediate impact.

@niukie  #PAuto #TandM @EdelmanUK

Phenomenal growth in China for systems house.

Zenith Technologies has reported 400 per cent growth in its Chinese operations in the last 3 years.
The company now has a presence working on sites across five Chinese cities – Shanghai, Suzhou, Xi’an, Hangzhou & Guangzhou - and employs a growing team to work across its client base supporting pharma and biotech companies with the implementation of technologies to improve manufacturing efficiencies such as Automation, IT, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Digital and Data Analysis.

Liang Zhou, China Manager with 
Trevor Marshall, Global Engineering Director.

With the Chinese life sciences market currently set as the world’s second largest national market, and with an expected value of $220 billion by 2022, Zenith plans to double its operations in the country over the next three years and expand its work with local companies as well as continuing to support global multinationals.

Liang Zhou, General Manager of Greater China said: “The Chinese market has been leading the way in revolutionary cell therapy innovations, which are changing the face of medicine delivery. There is growing interest in the adoption of automating processes in this area as companies build a new generation of facilities in line with stringent international standards with a view to supplying across the world.

“We are well placed to support clients here who would like to adopt these solutions and have already played an integral role in the development of technologies to oversee these key cell therapy innovations.”

Zenith’s success in China represents the company’s latest endeavour in the Asian market having first set up a presence on the continent in 2002 with the opening of its regional headquarters in Singapore.
In 2008 the company set up an office in India, which now hosts more than 100 employees and serves as a global support hub to deliver software projects anywhere in the world, featuring a remote engineering centre and 24/7 IT support desk service.

Zenith, founded in Ireland in 1998, has 16 offices worldwide with over 900 skilled employees delivering manufacturing software to the life sciences industry. Across Asia the company now has a total workforce of more than 200 professionals and is actively looking to new Asian markets to expand its footprint to support the burgeoning number of life science hubs.

Bryan McSwiney, Asia Director said: “After more than 15 years in the Asian market, a quarter of our global operations are now based here and the latest growth figures from China demonstrate that we go from strength to strength.

“We now have an established presence in five Chinese cities – a significant footprint within a relatively short space of time – as well as a thriving support hub in India and a widely recognised HQ in Singapore.

“With a solid foundation now firmly established in the Asian market, we look forward to building on our successes and working closely with local and multinational companies on the continent who can benefit from the diverse range of technologies we can introduce into manufacturing facilities.”

 @ZT_Global  #LifeScience #PAuto #Systems #China

Vision sensing!

The new Teledyne DALSA BOA Spot XL and XLE smart vision sensors, from Stemmer, bring great versatilty for error proofing, identification, general inspection and robotic guidance applications in manufacturing. These new models offer more features than previous models, allowing an even wider range of automated inspection and identification tasks to be performed, yet retain a highly competitive price point.

With a rich array of embedded vision tools and scripting options that allow these tools to be deployed in combination to solve simple or complex inspection tasks, BOA Spot is a vision sensor with many of the capabilities of a smart camera. This functionality has been further enhanced through the introduction of periodic and event driven scripting in the new XL and XLE models. Tools for part locating, feature finding, counting, measuring and code reading can now be linked together to createeven more flexible routines for manufacturing, error proofing, robot guidance or tracking applications.

The new XL vision sensors offer an embedded vision tool set exceeding those available on the BOA Spot EL and IDE vision sensors combined, with the QuickBarcode Direct Part Marking algorithm available on XLE version. New for the XL and XLE models is automatic reading of characters (OCR) based on a trained inference network built from Artificial Intelligence technology and an image calibration process that improves measurement accuracy by correction of perspective image distortion along with coordinate system mapping for robot guidance.

The new models are available with monochrome or colour sensors with a 640 x 480 pixel resolution, and also with a higher resolution 1280 x 960 pixel monochrome sensor. All versions are available with an integral M12 lens and ring light featuring a choice of white, blue or red LEDS. Alternatively they can be purchased with a C mount adapter and no lens, lens cover or light.

Built-in Ethernet factory communication protocols, versatile I/O for control and interfacing, flexible mounting options and a slim line form factor make them ideally suited for factory floor deployment. Further flexibility is provided through the option to upgrade existing BOA Spot models such as the EL/DIE to XL/XLE functionality.

Inspected images can be transferred to a networked drive using the FTP protocol. Easy set up is achieved via a web browser and a suite of support utilities is provided to centrally view and manage multiple cameras across a factory.

@stemmerimaging #PAuto

CTO fis expert in open architecture COTS.

Abaco Systems has appointed Lorne Graves as Chief Technology Officer.

Lorne Graves

Mr. Graves brings 20 years of experience as an engineering executive, working closely with various prime contractors on several key Electronic Warfare, SIGINT, and radar programs. Most recently, Mr. Graves served as Chief Technologist at Mercury Systems. Prior to Mercury Systems, he was Senior Design Engineer at Extreme Networks (Nasdaq GS: EXTR), a networking company.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lorne to Abaco’s management team as the Company embarks on its next phase of growth. Lorne has a tremendous reputation in the embedded computing market, and his leadership will advance Abaco’s position in open architecture COTS solutions,” said Mr. Rich Sorelle, President and CEO of Abaco Systems.

“I am excited to join Abaco and contribute to our mission of advancing the capabilities of the warfighter through game-changing mission ready embedded technologies,” said Mr. Graves.

@abacosys #PAuto 

Systems integrator has new MD.

Boulting Technology has promoted former Strategic Projects Director, Robin Whitehead as its new managing director.

Robin Whitehead

Having worked at the organisation since 2003, Robin has a clear understanding of the company’s capabilities and market sectors, and will lead a growing team to further develop Boulting Technology as a market leader in Britain for the delivery of low voltage (LV) panels, control systems, industrial networks and pump system optimisation.

Robin began his career with East Midlands Electricity Board within their electrical contracting division, progressing into various project delivery roles for the company’s data communications and networking solution department. He then moved to Siemens Network Services in the role of technical project manager for a global upgrade programme to deliver complex wide and local networking integration projects into live operational environments across the globe. He returned to Britain in 2001 as operations manager with network systems integrator STS Ltd before taking up a short programme management role at Cisco, from where he joined the Process Control department of Boulting Group in January 2003 as technical project manager.

“Over the past 15 years I have seen Boulting Technology grow from strength to strength. In these changing times as we move towards a fully connected world, where traditional and new technologies are converging and where our clients require increased visibility of their systems and time-critical data to be delivered securely, the services we are offering are also evolving. By providing a fully integrated offering to our clients, where our traditional competencies in systems integration, LV panels and industrial networks are further enhanced by our digital strategy and alliance partnerships, Boulting Technology is now better aligned to meet our clients' requirements and expectations," explained Robin.

“My career to date with Boulting has afforded me valuable insight into identifying what is required to enable a mature and established business such as Boulting Technology to grow and remain successful. Success requires the right people, a strong focus on long-term client satisfaction and excellent partner relationships. We employ great people and have solid foundations in place, and I intend to do everything I can to lead the company to build upon these to take Technology to new heights"

Robin, who graduated from Nottingham Trent University Business school with a PGDip Management Studies (DMS) and an executive MBA, replaces Ian Oliver as Managing Director of Boulting Technology. Ian led Technology for three years, following sixteen years previously running the Process Control department and has joined the main Boulting Ltd executive board as a Non-Executive Director.

@BoultingTech #Pauto @StoneJunctionPR