Advanced remote monitoring for natural gas infrastructure.

Enhances safety, increasing reliability and ensuring regulatory compliance.

The Fisher™ ARMOR™ solution for improving the operation of natural gas utility grid systems has been introduced. This digital field monitoring device features advanced measurement and communication capabilities designed specifically to enhance safety, streamline data collection and ensure regulatory compliance — all while supporting a digitally native workforce.

Natural gas utilities often need to monitor and analyze key variables at multiple points throughout their distribution systems, with data and information available locally or remotely. These capabilities are needed to improve safety and compliance, as regulatory bodies increasingly push for mandated monitoring at all natural gas district stations.

Enhanced monitoring can also improve efficiency by reducing the need for frequent field visits and excessive maintenance. Existing solutions are either too limited regarding the number of variables measured and communication options, such as with chart recorders and meter sets, or too complex, typically using remote terminal units based on programmable logic controller (PLC) technology.

ARMOR addresses these and other issues as the only natural gas monitoring device of its type that can monitor pressure, travel and discrete input. Pressure measurement includes up to three values for monitoring at various points in the network to provide system status and equipment operational performance.

Its templated and configurable dashboards and reports, along with its mobile app, simplify data gathering and analysis. It can serve as a regulator or station monitoring solution, and it can be used for end-of-line monitoring.

The new Fisher device leverages the trend of SCADA systems evolving to include cloud capabilities by providing additional monitoring capabilities through a cloud-based platform, making data accessible anytime, anywhere. 

The DeltaV™ SaaS SCADA platform complements ARMOR, providing a proven monitoring platform with analytics capabilities. This allows for data-driven decision-making with predictive analytics, a feature not available with most competitive products. It has an intrinsically safe battery with up to a 5-year life span. It's built to withstand harsh environments with an IP66 water and dust resistance rating, a CSA Class 1 Division 2 certification, and an operating temperature range of -40 degrees Fahrenheit to +160 degrees F.

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@Emerson_News @EmersonExchange @EmersonProcess @EMR_Automation @FisherValves #PAuto #Utility

Cybersecurity partnership joined.

The Utilities Technology Council (UTC) has officially joined ISASecure®, the globally recognized certification program assuring the cybersecurity of industrial automation control systems by validating conformance to the ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards.

UTC is a global association focused on the intersection of telecommunications and utility infrastructure. Through advocacy, education and collaboration, it works to create a favorable business, regulatory and technological environment for organizations that own, manage or provide critical utility telecommunications systems. The new partnership between ISASecure and UTC reinforces their strong mutual commitment to safeguarding operational technology (OT) systems from cyber threats.

“It is an honor to welcome the Utilities Technology Council into the ISASecure program,” said ISASecure program manager Mark DeAngelo. “UTC recognizes that today’s critical infrastructure needs a comprehensive and rigorously validated cybersecurity strategy. We look forward to working with them as we advance our mission of industry collaboration, certification and standards-based product development to achieve an intrinsically secure world.”

Furthermore, through the partnership with UTC, ISASecure certificates will be recognized in the UTC ARMOR™ program to enhance awareness of vendors’ conformance to the ISA/IEC 62443 series of OT cybersecurity standards.

“The Utilities Technology Council is excited to join ISASecure in facilitating adoption of the ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards,” said Cordell Briggs, vice president of advocacy and cybersecurity at UTC. “Our partnership aligns with UTC’s strategic plan — key areas of focus include engagement with the utilities industry around security and critical infrastructure protection, as well as educating the industry on cybersecurity requirements and issues.”

UTC recently collaborated with the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISAGCA), which advances cybersecurity awareness, education, readiness and knowledge sharing to underscore the broad applicability of the ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards. In 2024, UTC, Cumulys and ISAGCA prepared a report titled “North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP) and ISA/IEC 62443 Comparative Analysis.” 

UTC has also hosted webinars with ISAGCA to socialise the report’s findings.

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@UTCNow @ISA_Automation @automation_com #Standards #PAuto #Cybersecurity

Handheld thermal imagers affirm commitment to continuous improvement.

Next-generation models provide inspectors, technicians and engineers with faster boot-up, higher temperature range, enhanced image quality, and remote monitoring.

Two new thermal imaging spot temperature cameras: the FLIR TG268 and TG298 have been released by Flir. They are built on the robust success of the FLIR TG267 and TG297 and provide professionals in the utility, manufacturing, electrical, automotive, and industrial sectors with lightweight, handheld, affordable condition monitoring tools featuring a number of key improvements.

Among the enhancements implemented by FLIR are higher temperature ranges to encompass even more applications, improved resolution of thermal images, and larger data storage capacity. FLIR is also introducing on-camera condition monitoring and connectivity to its METERLiNK app for file transfer to mobile devices.

“Whether you are inspecting electrical or mechanical systems, monitoring equipment for signs of degradation, ensuring energy efficiency in building inspections, or conducting process manufacturing or quality assurance checks, our new TG268/TG298 thermal imagers will bring additional accuracy, speed, ease-of-use, and clarity to your processes,” says Linda Haals, Product Manager at FLIR. “Depending on your application, you can benefit from the Type-K thermocouple probe of our TG268 or the high-temperature range of our TG298. Ensuring temperature monitoring has never been simpler or quicker.”

The FLIR TG268 thermal imaging spot temperature camera takes users beyond the restrictions of single-spot IR thermometers to view and evaluate hot and cold spots that may signify potentially dangerous issues. Perfect for the uncompromising requirements of commercial electrical, facility maintenance, and HVAC applications, this innovative thermal camera cuts diagnostic time through targeted temperature acquisition (with bullseye laser capability) while simplifying repair and maintenance reporting.

Built to withstand tough operating environments, the FLIR TG268 features an industrial design with IP54 rating, 2 meter drop test, 100-bright flashlight, and Type K thermocouple. Its quick boot-up time of approximately 6 seconds ensures readiness for checking everything from electrical connections to mechanical breakdowns quickly and precisely. With the TG268 users can:

• Accurately measure temperatures from –25°C up to 400°C (752°F) with a 24:1 spot size ratio and bullseye laser pointer.
• Improve the detail of native thermal images with Super Resolution (upscaling to best-in-class 320×240).
• Diagnose problems faster with FLIR-patented MSX® (Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging) image enhancement. With MSX, users can add detail by embossing visual scene details on full thermal images, providing added context to target potential faults accurately and troubleshoot repairs.
• Take advantage of the FLIR METERLiNK app (with Ignite Sync) to monitor measurements remotely (at safe distances) and document inspection data for in-the-field report generation and sharing. The app provides a live view of data readings from up to seven paired devices.

The FLIR TG298 is an industrial thermal diagnostic tool that offers accurate temperature measurement and the ability to image up to 1080°C (1976°F) with a 30:1 spot size ratio and bullseye laser pointer. Applications include the temperature measurement and remote monitoring of high-temperature applications such as glass furnaces, kilns, and forges as well as manufacturing applications.

Offering the same added value and features of the TG268, users of the high-temperature TG298 model can easily stay ahead of issues with on-device temperature trending, logging, and alarms (now audible), allowing for easy monitoring and prediction.

Accessories (included) for both instruments include a wrist strap lanyard, pouch and USB Type-C cable.

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@flir @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #TandM

Champion resellers and service partners!

Seeq Corporation has announced its 2021 Reseller and Service Partners of the Year. These partners have been selected for their excellence in providing value to customers, their continued investments in technical expertise with their Seeq-certified employees and training professionals, and for creating awareness of Seeq through collaboration in marketing activities and events.

Seeq enables engineers and scientists in process manufacturing organizations to rapidly analyze, predict, collaborate, and share insights to improve production outcomes. Seeq customers include companies in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, mining, food and beverage, and other process industries. Investors in Seeq include Insight Ventures, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, Altira Group, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Cisco Investments.

In 2021, Seeq announced a $50 million Series C funding round led by Insight Partners, was recognized by Frost & Sullivan’s North American Technology Innovation Leadership Award for Seeq Data Lab, and expanded its products and capabilities, including support for machine learning innovation.

“We are pleased to select four companies as our 2021 Reseller and Service Partners of the Year,” said Will Knight, Head of Worldwide Partner Sales at Seeq. “These awards recognize the impact these partners have on empowering our customers to create advanced analytics insights, and the standards they have set for excellence in delivering the next generation of process manufacturing improvements.”

Resellers of the Year Asia Pacific Nukon is Seeq’s 2021 Asia Pacific Partner of the Year. Nukon was selected among Seeq’s reselling partners for its focus on customer support and its tremendous growth in the Australian market, more than doubling its revenue over the previous year. The company provides a variety of OT and IT solutions and services to its clients in the consumer goods, infrastructure, utilities, and waste management industries.  “We’re honored to be selected as a Seeq Partner of the Year for the second year running,” says Alec Konynenburg, General Manager at Nukon. “Nukon prides itself on providing the best solutions for clients, and Seeq’s capability allows us to do this through their unique set of offerings. The Nukon and Seeq partnership is built on joint values and commitment to our customers, and we’re excited to continue to provide this value in 2022 and beyond.” Americas  Swan-Black is Seeq’s 2021 Americas Partner of the Year. Swan-Black was selected for its rapid growth in the Americas and globally, and its support for Seeq’s customers in the food and beverage and bioscience industries. Swan-Black has expertise in batch and continuous manufacturing processes, with a focus on applying advanced analytics to improve business outcomes.  “We are incredibly honored to be recognized by Seeq as Partner of the Year for the Americas,” says Joe Gardner, Practice Lead at Swan-Black. “The Seeq solution and the team’s support of our efforts empower us to deliver meaningful process data insights for our customers, leading to increased process efficiency and optimization. We look forward to our continued partnership with Seeq and the value it will bring our customers well into the future.” EMEA Crucial Solutions and Services (CSS) is Seeq’s 2021 EMEA Partner of the Year. CSS was selected for its support and leadership of Seeq’s customers in the Middle East, notably its collaboration on Saudi Aramco’s industrial digitalization initiatives. The company provides a variety of technology offerings to its clients in the oil and gas, petrochemical, and power and utilities industries.  “CSS is dedicated to providing customers with game-changing services and solutions that optimize their efficiency and enhance business growth,” says Sulaiman Alzuhair, Founder and CEO at CSS. “Seeq’s complementary products and capabilities enable CSS to achieve this mission and we are honored to be selected as the Seeq Partner of the Year for EMEA.” Service Partner of the Year BKO Services LLC is Seeq’s first Service Partner of the Year recipient. BKO was selected for its expertise in the oil and gas and power generation industries, its work on Shell’s upstream digital initiatives and Tranter’s use of advanced digital tools to manage its clients’ fleet of heat transfer equipment, and its investment in Seeq-certified employees. In 2021 alone, BKO added five certified partner analytics engineers and one certified instructor to its team. The company provides data engineering, machine learning, and OSIsoft application development services for the oil and gas, power, and other process manufacturing industries.  “As the true value of data analytics and machine learning become more apparent, technology must not only keep pace with the increasing availability of data, but effectively utilize it to improve operations and safety,” says Shaun Wright, CEO of BKO. “We are pleased and proud to be a Seeq partner and part of the radical mindset shift driving this rapidly emerging field of science and technology.”

Seeq’s worldwide growth is fueled in part by its partnerships and commitment to cloud-based computing. Seeq is available in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) marketplace, is an AWS Industrial and Energy Competency Partner, and supports many data storage services, including Amazon Redshift, S3, plus machine learning in SageMaker, and others.

On Microsoft Azure, Seeq has been available as a SaaS application in the Azure Marketplace since 2019, with support for many Azure cloud services including Synapse, Azure Data Lake, and Active Directory. Seeq also supports connectivity to Azure Data Explorer, Time Series Insights, and Power BI.

In addition to cloud partnerships, Seeq connects to an extensive set of data storage platforms from vendors including OSIsoft, Siemens, GE, Honeywell, Inductive Automation, AVEVA, AspenTech, Yokogawa, InfluxDB, Snowflake, and others.

@SeeqCorporation @BkoServices #PAuto 

Infrared inspection capabilities in hard-to-reach areas.

Kit improves usability for underground utility vault inspection and applications requiring CAT IV 600 V Safety Rating.

Two additions have been made to Teledyne FLIR's VS290 Thermal Videoscope Kit family of devices - the VS290-33 Thermal MSX Videoscope Kit and the VS29-21 Thermal Videoscope Kit. 

The VS290-33 features a rounded, dual thermal-visible probe for increased flexibility in conducting underground utility-vault inspection and other high-voltage scenarios that require a CAT IV rating. The VS290-21 provides thermal-only building, mechanical, and electrical inspection capabilities for hard-to-reach areas from crawlspaces to inside motors for construction and maintenance professionals.

Along with the new Videoscope Kits, the company is offering the VSC-IR33 and VSC-IR21 probe attachments as accessories for existing VS290 customers who already have the VS290 kit with the original VSC-IR32 probe with rectangular tip.

The rounded VSC-IR33 dual thermal-visible probe is just 19 mm in diameter, meaning it can fit within tight spaces and holes without sacrificing side-viewing capabilities. The probe houses both a 160 × 120 thermal camera and a two-megapixel visible camera, along with a bright LED work light, to provide MSX imagery in both light and dark spaces. FLIR’s proprietary MSX (Multispectral Dynamic Imaging) on-camera software takes key details from the visible image and embosses them on the thermal image, providing perspective and crucial contextual clues to help users assess potential issues accurately and safely.

The VSC-IR21 probe offers similar specifications in a thermal-only package that is slim enough to access hard-to-reach spaces and locate potential problems faster than ever before. It features the same 160 × 120 resolution as the VSC-IR32/33, but in a forward-facing camera that’s designed to help users view inside walls, within machinery, and in other tight spaces.

The VS290 Videoscope Kits are compatible with FLIR Thermal Studio Suite software for quick report generation along with post-processing and analysis. The software enables operators to document and share issues and include before-and-after imagery to demonstrate the problem has been resolved. In total, users can capture up to 80,000 radiometric JPEG images via the on-board 16 GB internal storage, and then upload them to a PC via a USB-C cable.

On the base units, operators can view live video and captured images via the 3.5-inch color display. The display includes the option of adding isotherm color alarms to quickly identify potential issues in real time across a temperature range from -10 to 400 degrees Celsius (14 to 752 degrees Fahrenheit).

The entire family of VS290 Videoscope Kits feature IP67 camera tips and IP54 rated base units and probes, providing a high level of protection against dust and water. The base units are also drop-test rated for two meters to handle the rigors of industrial and outdoor environments.

The VS290 Thermal Videoscope Kits and probe accessories are available to purchase today from preferred channel partners and at teledyneflir.com. Visit the VS290 product page for local pricing and availability.

@flir @mepaxIntPR #Pauto #Utility