By the Numbers

By Staff -- Control Engineering, 12/1/2006

40 “concerned bodies” are on the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association (JEMA) link page among more than 60 organizations, including Japan Electric Measuring Instruments Manufacturers' Association (JEMIMA) and Japan Robot Association (JARA). www.jema-net.or.jp/English/09link.html

38% Control Engineering subscribers responding to a survey on Ethernet protocols say they started using Ethernet in industrial settings 6 or more years ago; 34% began 2-5 years ago; and 16% in the past 2 years; another 9% plan to start within 12 months; and 3% more in 13-24 months. See “Product Research,” in this issue, December 2006. www.controleng.com/archive

23 March 2007 is the “Report on Comments Mailing Date,” the next stage for revision of NFPA 70: National Electrical Code 2007, says the National Fire Protection Association. It covers “installation of electrical conductors, equipment, and raceways; signaling and communications conductors, equipment, and raceways; and optical fiber cables and raceways.” For more, go under “Codes & Standards.” www.nfpa.org

2 new OMAC interoperability guidelines are expected to be available by press time under the Packaging area of the site, from the PackML (machinery line) subgroup, which covers naming convention guidelines for communications between production machinery within the packaging industry. The documents are PackML V3.0 and PackTags V3.0. www.omac.org

3 winners of the first Control Engineering System Integrator of the Year award share their knowledge in a Webcast and in the Automation Integrator Guide cover story, mailed with this December 2006 issue and available online. www.controleng.com/integrators

8 CD-based standards collections from ISA include Batch Systems, Manufacturing Enterprise Systems (MES), Process Safety Systems, and Security, among others, if you're holiday shopping for a favorite engineer. ISA-Process Safety Standards CD-4th Edition is among new single CDs. A new or renewed society membership might be fun. As previously reported, next month ISA plans to offer standards free with membership. www.isa.org/standards

35 industries use web scanners; 9 paper related, 7 primary metals, 5 plastics, 8 textiles, 2 glass, and 1 each in nonwovens, electronics, photographic film, and tire fabric areas, says a Vision Systems International market report. Total available U.S. market for web scanners is 2,663 units; 1,210 units could be delivered. Worldwide market is 7,799 web scanners; 3,554 units could be delivered, not including replacement of older units. www.vision1.com/vsi/

$5250 more is what U.S. consumers can expect to pay for a hybrid vehicle powertrain (combining electric motors and drives with combustion technology), says the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Alternative Powertrain Study and Automotive Environmental Index (AEI), with data on fuel economy, air pollution, and greenhouse gases for 2006 model-year vehicles. Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Volkswagen have the most vehicles at the top of the index. www.jdpower.com