Plant Safety and Security
Selecting a protection and control automation system
A few guidelines will help engineers avoid automation or controls pitfalls and make the best choice for their industrial clients. » more
Machine safety: DANGER: Machine without brain requires yours!
Who really has the brain, the machine or the person? Whether it’s the operator, maintenance technician, set-up technician, engineer, or clean-up staff, the human brain has capabilities that surpass... » more
Reliable electrical connections help safety, productivity
Case study: Faulty electrical connectors cause 1000 amp safety issues. Pierced cables create short in automotive manufacturing plant. » more
Machine Safety: Only engineers can lead the Risk Assessment process?
An incremental documented process called “Risk Assessment” is required in many updated standards. And, a new standard, ANSI B11.0 – 2010, Safety of Machinery – General Requirements and Risk... » more
Machine builder safety system protects workers, simplifies design
Inside Machines: Pulp and paper machine builder implements safety system to help protect workers and simplify machine design. Engineers at Automatic Handling International use integrated safety... » more
Top Control Engineering articles, August 2012
The most-visited articles at www.controleng.com during August 2012 included articles on the Mars Rover Curiosity, industrial Ethernet essentials, System Integrator Giants 2012, Engineers' Choice... » more
Smarter and safer recovery from mature and remote assets
Upstream oil and gas production is becoming more difficult as old fields are depleted and new fields are more remote. Integrated operations can facilitate safer and more profitable operation in... » more
Protection, arc flash mitigation using internal VFIs in liquid substation transformers
From our previous discussions about the Cooper HDC liquid transformer with internal, under-liquid VFI’s, expanding the use of the VFI takes this concept a step further, and makes a great way to... » more
Beyond the network firewall
Since many industrial devices are soft targets for hackers, placing smaller firewalls deeper in networks near PLCs or embedding them in such controllers is a practical way to add a higher level of... » more
Distributed safety IO modules without controller
SafetyBridge technology from Phoenix Contact allows a user to distribute I/O modules in a network without a safety controller. » more
Machine Safety: consensus standards and OSHA compliance
In our plant we comply 100% with the OSHA regulations of 29 CFR 1910.xxx for machine guarding and personnel safety. Accordingly, OSHA would have no grounds to cite us for violations, right? » more
Top Control Engineering articles, July 2012
The most-visited articles at www.controleng.com during July 2012 included articles on system integrators, mobile device security, pneumatic actuation, a PLC Product Exclusive, video game influence on... » more
Evaluating a process safety system
Maybe your company bought a legacy facility, or you have moved to a different plant, but you have to determine if an existing safety system is up to snuff. Where do you start? » more
Emerging safety technologies
As technology becomes more sophisticated, the variety users have to choose from continues to increase. » more
Five Proven Methods to Boost Operator Competency with Simulator Training
Are you worried about operator competency? The Abnormal Situations Management Consortium says that of the $20 billion that industrial plants lose every year, 40% is attributable to human error.... » more
Isolated analog signal conditioner
The 8B43 analog signal conditioner by Dataforth includes 10 modules and has a special input circuit that provides protections against accidental connection of power-line voltages up to 240 V AC. » more
Selecting a protection and control automation system A few guidelines will help engineers avoid automation or controls pitfalls and make the best choice for their industrial clients. » more
Machine safety: DANGER: Machine without brain requires yours!Who really has the brain, the machine or the person? Whether it’s the operator, maintenance technician, set-up technician, engineer, or clean-up staff, the human brain has capabilities that surpass... » more
Reliable electrical connections help safety, productivityCase study: Faulty electrical connectors cause 1000 amp safety issues. Pierced cables create short in automotive manufacturing plant. » more
Pulling uranium from seawater
A new material in development may make fueling nuclear reactors with uranium harvested from the ocean more feasible. » more
A new material in development may make fueling nuclear reactors with uranium harvested from the ocean more feasible. » more
Generating electricity from wastewater
Microbial fuel cells can now produce electricity directly from wastewater, opening the door to a future in which waste treatment plants not only will power themselves, but will sell excess... » more
Microbial fuel cells can now produce electricity directly from wastewater, opening the door to a future in which waste treatment plants not only will power themselves, but will sell excess... » more
DHS, IAEA ink collaboration pact
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security signed a pact to deepen nuclear security collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency. » more
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security signed a pact to deepen nuclear security collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency. » more
Summer cyber institute a success
As a student there is nothing better than hands on training and that is just what graduate students pursuing careers in cyber security got in a weeklong summer institute. » more
As a student there is nothing better than hands on training and that is just what graduate students pursuing careers in cyber security got in a weeklong summer institute. » more
Machine Safety: Only engineers can lead the Risk Assessment process?An incremental documented process called “Risk Assessment” is required in many updated standards. And, a new standard, ANSI B11.0 – 2010, Safety of Machinery – General Requirements and Risk... » more
Machine builder safety system protects workers, simplifies designInside Machines: Pulp and paper machine builder implements safety system to help protect workers and simplify machine design. Engineers at Automatic Handling International use integrated safety... » more
Top Control Engineering articles, August 2012The most-visited articles at www.controleng.com during August 2012 included articles on the Mars Rover Curiosity, industrial Ethernet essentials, System Integrator Giants 2012, Engineers' Choice... » more
Smarter and safer recovery from mature and remote assetsUpstream oil and gas production is becoming more difficult as old fields are depleted and new fields are more remote. Integrated operations can facilitate safer and more profitable operation in... » more
Machine Safety: an automatic sequencer does what?
In the world of machine control and machine safety, to really appreciate where we are today, don’t we need to have a reasonable understanding of where we’ve come from? » more
In the world of machine control and machine safety, to really appreciate where we are today, don’t we need to have a reasonable understanding of where we’ve come from? » more
Protection, arc flash mitigation using internal VFIs in liquid substation transformersFrom our previous discussions about the Cooper HDC liquid transformer with internal, under-liquid VFI’s, expanding the use of the VFI takes this concept a step further, and makes a great way to... » more
Beyond the network firewallSince many industrial devices are soft targets for hackers, placing smaller firewalls deeper in networks near PLCs or embedding them in such controllers is a practical way to add a higher level of... » more
Distributed safety IO modules without controllerSafetyBridge technology from Phoenix Contact allows a user to distribute I/O modules in a network without a safety controller. » more
Remote monitoring market exceeds $29 billion in 2011
The world market for remote monitoring services was worth more than $29 billion in 2011, equivalent to $2.4 billion in recurring monthly revenues across the year, according to a recent study. » more
The world market for remote monitoring services was worth more than $29 billion in 2011, equivalent to $2.4 billion in recurring monthly revenues across the year, according to a recent study. » more
Machine Safety: consensus standards and OSHA complianceIn our plant we comply 100% with the OSHA regulations of 29 CFR 1910.xxx for machine guarding and personnel safety. Accordingly, OSHA would have no grounds to cite us for violations, right? » more
Deliver greater reliability, security to the digital factory
Improvements gained in terms of accessibility, efficiency, and productivity with automation systems must be accompanied by a high-level of protection against attack both from the outside and from... » more
Improvements gained in terms of accessibility, efficiency, and productivity with automation systems must be accompanied by a high-level of protection against attack both from the outside and from... » more
Top Control Engineering articles, July 2012The most-visited articles at www.controleng.com during July 2012 included articles on system integrators, mobile device security, pneumatic actuation, a PLC Product Exclusive, video game influence on... » more
Evaluating a process safety system Maybe your company bought a legacy facility, or you have moved to a different plant, but you have to determine if an existing safety system is up to snuff. Where do you start? » more
Emerging safety technologiesAs technology becomes more sophisticated, the variety users have to choose from continues to increase. » more
Five Proven Methods to Boost Operator Competency with Simulator Training Are you worried about operator competency? The Abnormal Situations Management Consortium says that of the $20 billion that industrial plants lose every year, 40% is attributable to human error.... » more
Isolated analog signal conditionerThe 8B43 analog signal conditioner by Dataforth includes 10 modules and has a special input circuit that provides protections against accidental connection of power-line voltages up to 240 V AC. » more
Understanding proximity sensor IP ratings
The IP ratings established by the IEC are often misunderstood or misapplied, which can cause problems for the user and potentially be dangerous. » more
The IP ratings established by the IEC are often misunderstood or misapplied, which can cause problems for the user and potentially be dangerous. » more
176 of 824