Get the "genuine article"

How to use Control Engineering's 2006 Automation Integrator Guide in print and at www.controleng.com/integrators

By Richard W. Phelps, on behalf of the Control Engineering Staff -- Control Engineering, 12/15/2005

You don't have the time—or the money—to gamble with unproven automation, instrumentation, or controls. As the old saw goes, quality doesn't cost, it pays. So Control Engineeringproduces this annual hardcopy tool to complement its December 2005 issue.

4 COVER: Value means more than price

Any good consumer knows that you can pay too much, but you can also pay too little. What is the balance between expertise and excess—humility or billing. Illustrations of the cost of too much "economy" are given, as is an example of competence being viewed as "too cheap."

8 Do integrators really provide added value?

Norm O'Leary, Control & Information System Integrators Association (CSIA), explains the true value system integrators provide.

9 Motion integrator solves push-pull problem

Polyair's protective packaging line was fractured by antiquated controls and programming errors. An upgrade by Custom Control Solutions improved production-run efficiency and greatly simplified operator training.

11 Inspection system for beer-keg quality assurance

The seemingly mundane task of inspecting cleaned beer kegs is more complex than it sounds. HiTech Control Systems, together with DVT Vision Systems technology, provided a safe and reliable cleaning and repressurization process.

14 Directory of integrators

Updated information for 2006 is provided by Control Engineering's consulting editor Vance VanDoren. The directory incorporates over 1,000 citations, many showing:

• Geographic region served;
• Product experience;
• Industries served;
• Engineering specialization;
• Corporate associations—indicating whether an integrator is a value-added reseller, distributor, or authorized system integrator;
• Annual revenue; and
• Professional associations.
• Searches may be carried out in the listings by name, with sponsored listings containing more data.

Automation Integrator Guide Online: Visitors to www.controleng.com/integrators can do multi-parameter searches in eight ways.

You can subscribe to the System Integration e-mail newsletter—and others—at www.controleng.com.

The System Integration Channel is online at www.controleng.com/integration.

If you are a system integrator for automation, controls, or instrumentation, you may add information to our online directory by using the link on Control Engineering's search page. To add your firm to the directory, click on the "Apply for a listing" link at the bottom of the page, or call 765-296-7600.

More information on advanced listings and promotional options are found at www.controleng.com/mediainfo.