Pillar to Post: Peter Welander's Blog
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Time to buy that electric car?
April 29, 2011
Have we reached the tipping point where an electric car will be cheaper? Watch this video. » more
( 1 Comment )
April 29, 2011
Have we reached the tipping point where an electric car will be cheaper? Watch this video. » more
( 1 Comment )
The man who invented data packets
March 31, 2011
Remembering Paul Baran and his work in networking. » more
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March 31, 2011
Remembering Paul Baran and his work in networking. » more
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Wireless electric Rolls-Royce
March 02, 2011
Have the ultimate in luxury and satisfy your inner technology geek all at once. » more
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March 02, 2011
Have the ultimate in luxury and satisfy your inner technology geek all at once. » more
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Stuxnet as precision weapon
January 18, 2011
Cyber rifle-shot at Iran’s nuclear program emerges in greater detail, but who pulled the trigger? » more
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January 18, 2011
Cyber rifle-shot at Iran’s nuclear program emerges in greater detail, but who pulled the trigger? » more
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Stimulate your thinking: look at PID in a different way
December 15, 2010
Maybe you should turn off the automatic tuning feature for a moment and consider what's really going on in that controller. » more
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December 15, 2010
Maybe you should turn off the automatic tuning feature for a moment and consider what's really going on in that controller. » more
( No Comments )
Automation in 2000, via 1927
November 08, 2010
The plot centers around the conflict between the leisure class (the head) that enjoys life at the expense of the underclass underground (the hands). The story is about the search for the heart that can unite the two. » more
( 1 Comment )
November 08, 2010
The plot centers around the conflict between the leisure class (the head) that enjoys life at the expense of the underclass underground (the hands). The story is about the search for the heart that can unite the two. » more
( 1 Comment )
Moving to the next biofuel generation
November 03, 2010
This week, The Economist has a survey of the future of the biofuels industry, headlined “The Post-Alcohol World.” The opening premise of the discussion is that ethanol as fuel has become passé due to its many drawbacks, e.g., low energy content relative to gasoline, tendency to absorb water, corrosiveness, etc. The real promise lies in so called “drop-in”... » more
( 1 Comment )
November 03, 2010
This week, The Economist has a survey of the future of the biofuels industry, headlined “The Post-Alcohol World.” The opening premise of the discussion is that ethanol as fuel has become passé due to its many drawbacks, e.g., low energy content relative to gasoline, tendency to absorb water, corrosiveness, etc. The real promise lies in so called “drop-in”... » more
( 1 Comment )
We, your shareholders, demand:
October 13, 2010
This morning I was reading an article in the Chicago Tribune that said three major energy producers (Valero Energy, Tesoro, and Occidental Petroleum) are getting grief from organizers within their shareholders. The shareholder groups, while representing very small segments of the total, are organized and taking the company management to task for spending... » more
( No Comments )
October 13, 2010
This morning I was reading an article in the Chicago Tribune that said three major energy producers (Valero Energy, Tesoro, and Occidental Petroleum) are getting grief from organizers within their shareholders. The shareholder groups, while representing very small segments of the total, are organized and taking the company management to task for spending... » more
( No Comments )
Cyber collateral damage
October 04, 2010
In wartime, innocent people are often killed or displaced by the combat: a civilian’s house is bombed or a child finds a landmine. The same situation is already being faced by control system users as cyber wars take place in our world. As more information on the Stuxnet worm emerges, it seems to be a cyber weapon that was very carefully designed and... » more
( No Comments )
October 04, 2010
In wartime, innocent people are often killed or displaced by the combat: a civilian’s house is bombed or a child finds a landmine. The same situation is already being faced by control system users as cyber wars take place in our world. As more information on the Stuxnet worm emerges, it seems to be a cyber weapon that was very carefully designed and... » more
( No Comments )
Reporting from San Antonio…
September 14, 2010
It’s almost time again for Emerson Global Users Exchange, which is certainly among the largest, if not the largest, single process industry user group event. This year it returns to Texas, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, September 27 through October 1. Emerson Process Management is one of the more progressive companies in our... » more
( No Comments )
September 14, 2010
It’s almost time again for Emerson Global Users Exchange, which is certainly among the largest, if not the largest, single process industry user group event. This year it returns to Texas, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, September 27 through October 1. Emerson Process Management is one of the more progressive companies in our... » more
( No Comments )
China leads both ends of energy spectrum
September 07, 2010
A wire service article last week made the point that China leads the world in atmospheric carbon emissions but also in renewable energy efforts. According to the Pew Environmental Group, renewable energy investments peaked in the U.S. in 2007 at about $33 billion. Since then they’ve dropped steeply, settling at $18.6 billion in 2009. China’s spending... » more
( No Comments )
September 07, 2010
A wire service article last week made the point that China leads the world in atmospheric carbon emissions but also in renewable energy efforts. According to the Pew Environmental Group, renewable energy investments peaked in the U.S. in 2007 at about $33 billion. Since then they’ve dropped steeply, settling at $18.6 billion in 2009. China’s spending... » more
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Maintaining a user perspective
August 26, 2010
Yesterday we posted a commentary by Herman Storey on why end users should care about converging wireless standards. To some his comments may seem controversial, at least within the vendor community. To many users, his thoughts are probably dead-on. I met Herman a few years ago while he was still with Shell. He was giving a presentation at a Fieldbus... » more
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August 26, 2010
Yesterday we posted a commentary by Herman Storey on why end users should care about converging wireless standards. To some his comments may seem controversial, at least within the vendor community. To many users, his thoughts are probably dead-on. I met Herman a few years ago while he was still with Shell. He was giving a presentation at a Fieldbus... » more
( No Comments )
Domestic oil sources drying up?
August 19, 2010
An interesting article recently made the point that crude oil production from Alaskan fields is declining, and the big pipeline that brings product south is reaching the point where it is turning into a maintenance problem. Long story short, these days the pipeline is delivering less oil, which increases problems with corrosion and damage from the... » more
( No Comments )
August 19, 2010
An interesting article recently made the point that crude oil production from Alaskan fields is declining, and the big pipeline that brings product south is reaching the point where it is turning into a maintenance problem. Long story short, these days the pipeline is delivering less oil, which increases problems with corrosion and damage from the... » more
( No Comments )
Cement producers and the EPA
August 11, 2010
You may have noticed recent announcements that cement producers will soon have to restrict emissions of mercury and other pollutants. New EPA regulations require that by 2013, cement producers collectively will reduce mercury and particulates by 92%, acid gasses by 97%, and sulfur dioxide by 78%. This has a familiar ring to it, and it took me back to an... » more
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August 11, 2010
You may have noticed recent announcements that cement producers will soon have to restrict emissions of mercury and other pollutants. New EPA regulations require that by 2013, cement producers collectively will reduce mercury and particulates by 92%, acid gasses by 97%, and sulfur dioxide by 78%. This has a familiar ring to it, and it took me back to an... » more
( No Comments )
Ethernet protocol detente
August 05, 2010
I'm out in Scottsdale, AZ, at the moment attending the PI North America General Assembly. (In years past, this would have been the PTO General Assembly.) Maybe it's just my imagination, but it seems that some of the Ethernet based protocols, including ProfiNet and its competitors, may be losing some of their combative nature and the Ethernet wars may... » more
( No Comments )
August 05, 2010
I'm out in Scottsdale, AZ, at the moment attending the PI North America General Assembly. (In years past, this would have been the PTO General Assembly.) Maybe it's just my imagination, but it seems that some of the Ethernet based protocols, including ProfiNet and its competitors, may be losing some of their combative nature and the Ethernet wars may... » more
( No Comments )
It can happen here?
July 29, 2010
While it seems that Siemens’ efforts to deal with the Trojan problem have been effective, the situation should remind us that such events must not be thought of as something that happen somewhere else. The folks from GarrettCom were reminding me of an article that we did last January, where we surveyed readers on their understanding of cyber security... » more
( No Comments )
July 29, 2010
While it seems that Siemens’ efforts to deal with the Trojan problem have been effective, the situation should remind us that such events must not be thought of as something that happen somewhere else. The folks from GarrettCom were reminding me of an article that we did last January, where we surveyed readers on their understanding of cyber security... » more
( No Comments )
If I lived in Poland, I’d buy Kujawski
July 22, 2010
This morning I was posting a story about how a rapeseed cooking-oil processing plant in Poland improved its production using more sophisticated automation. The name of the company is ZT Kruszwica, and their main brand name is Kujawski. As it turns out, Kujawski is the biggest seller over there. I’d never heard of it, but then most residents of Warsaw... » more
( No Comments )
July 22, 2010
This morning I was posting a story about how a rapeseed cooking-oil processing plant in Poland improved its production using more sophisticated automation. The name of the company is ZT Kruszwica, and their main brand name is Kujawski. As it turns out, Kujawski is the biggest seller over there. I’d never heard of it, but then most residents of Warsaw... » more
( No Comments )
China leads global energy consumption
July 21, 2010
Yesterday the International Energy Agency reported that China has overtaken the U.S. as the world’s largest energy consuming country. This wasn’t a surprise apparently, as the organization has expected this for some time. It did happen sooner than anticipated which is partly attributed to the fact that China’s economy has continued to grow while most of the... » more
( No Comments )
July 21, 2010
Yesterday the International Energy Agency reported that China has overtaken the U.S. as the world’s largest energy consuming country. This wasn’t a surprise apparently, as the organization has expected this for some time. It did happen sooner than anticipated which is partly attributed to the fact that China’s economy has continued to grow while most of the... » more
( No Comments )
Cyber security and the human factor
July 20, 2010
Yesterday we received a press release from Siemens warning users of a potential cyber security problem with one of its systems: “Siemens was notified about the malware program (Trojan) that is targeting the Siemens software Simatic WinCC and PCS 7 on July 14. The company immediately assembled a team of experts to evaluate the situation and is working... » more
( No Comments )
July 20, 2010
Yesterday we received a press release from Siemens warning users of a potential cyber security problem with one of its systems: “Siemens was notified about the malware program (Trojan) that is targeting the Siemens software Simatic WinCC and PCS 7 on July 14. The company immediately assembled a team of experts to evaluate the situation and is working... » more
( No Comments )
Vilification of coal
July 13, 2010
Sunday morning I had a few minutes to look at the Chicago Tribune over the breakfast table. The headline on page 1 hit me: “Clean coal dream a costly nightmare.” I figured that they were talking about that FutureGen project that seems to be running by fits and starts, uses experimental technologies, and is ‘way over budget. But no, that’s not it. The... » more
( 1 Comment )
July 13, 2010
Sunday morning I had a few minutes to look at the Chicago Tribune over the breakfast table. The headline on page 1 hit me: “Clean coal dream a costly nightmare.” I figured that they were talking about that FutureGen project that seems to be running by fits and starts, uses experimental technologies, and is ‘way over budget. But no, that’s not it. The... » more
( 1 Comment )
Evolving wireless technology
July 09, 2010
During my post-RBI hiatus, I continued to pay attention to the areas I traditionally follow, at least to some extent. This included attending the Sensors Expo last month. Generally I go through that show pretty quickly since much of the equipment displayed is down at the component level and aimed more at OEMs than end users. Nonetheless, one of the items I... » more
( No Comments )
July 09, 2010
During my post-RBI hiatus, I continued to pay attention to the areas I traditionally follow, at least to some extent. This included attending the Sensors Expo last month. Generally I go through that show pretty quickly since much of the equipment displayed is down at the component level and aimed more at OEMs than end users. Nonetheless, one of the items I... » more
( No Comments )
Engineering information online, period?
July 08, 2010
Driving to work this morning I heard a story on NPR about Stanford University’s engineering library, and how they’re getting rid of their books and magazines. The whole article is worth reading (or hearing) but they made the point that information, especially engineering information, has moved off the printed page and onto the Web. This isn’t exactly news,... » more
( No Comments )
July 08, 2010
Driving to work this morning I heard a story on NPR about Stanford University’s engineering library, and how they’re getting rid of their books and magazines. The whole article is worth reading (or hearing) but they made the point that information, especially engineering information, has moved off the printed page and onto the Web. This isn’t exactly news,... » more
( No Comments )
Glad to be back at Control Engineering
July 06, 2010
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that RBI ceased publishing Control Engineering and dozens of other magazines on April 16. This follows closures of other titles earlier in the year and the sale of many from their stable. The company decided to get out of the business information business almost completely. Fortunately, CFE Media was formed to... » more
( No Comments )
July 06, 2010
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that RBI ceased publishing Control Engineering and dozens of other magazines on April 16. This follows closures of other titles earlier in the year and the sale of many from their stable. The company decided to get out of the business information business almost completely. Fortunately, CFE Media was formed to... » more
( No Comments )
Control engineer Barbie--almost
April 14, 2010
April 14, 2010 About a year ago I offered a suggestion that for Barbie’s 50th birthday, Mattel should create a control engineer Barbie to encourage girls to go into industrial engineering. They didn’t pick up on my suggestion, however, they now seem to be a step closer. In today’s Chicago Tribune, columnist Melissa Harris says that Mattel is... » more
( No Comments )
April 14, 2010
April 14, 2010 About a year ago I offered a suggestion that for Barbie’s 50th birthday, Mattel should create a control engineer Barbie to encourage girls to go into industrial engineering. They didn’t pick up on my suggestion, however, they now seem to be a step closer. In today’s Chicago Tribune, columnist Melissa Harris says that Mattel is... » more
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Building on the good things
April 13, 2010
April 13, 2010 “Massey has been repeatedly cited and fined for problems with the system that vents methane and for allowing combustible dust to build up.” So says an AP story in today’s Chicago Tribune about the disaster at the Big Branch mine with 29 fatalities. Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship will have to get used to seeing his name in the... » more
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April 13, 2010
April 13, 2010 “Massey has been repeatedly cited and fined for problems with the system that vents methane and for allowing combustible dust to build up.” So says an AP story in today’s Chicago Tribune about the disaster at the Big Branch mine with 29 fatalities. Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship will have to get used to seeing his name in the... » more
( No Comments )
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