Top Control Engineering articles, November 2010

Most visited articles at www.controleng.com during November 2010 included new motor technology, the Engineers’ Choice Award nomination and voting page, patent help, acquisition news, and Leaders Under 40, among others.

December 7, 2010

Most visited articles at www.controleng.com during November 2010 included new motor technology, the Engineers’ Choice Award nomination and voting page, help for patents, acquisition news, simulator training, and Leaders Under 40, among others. November 2010’s leading Control Engineering online stories included:

Brushless permanent magnet ring motor, 14-inch, diameter 60-kW – https://www.controleng.com/single-article/brushless-permanent-magnet-ring-motor-14-inch-diameter-60-kw/5ef598c318.html ThinGap 14050 Ring Motor was developed under DARPA contract using patented ThinGap technology. The 14-inch diameter dc motor produces up to 60 kW, with smooth torque and speed because the design produces no rotor-to-stator magnetic forces, no cogging, no eddy current losses, and no hysteresis, company said. It has stainless steel rotor and up to 10,000 rpm.

Engineers’ Choice Awards – https://www.controleng.com/events-and-awards/engineers-choice-awards.html Vote now if you’re a subscriber – Engineers’ Choice Award products. Control Engineering Engineers’ Choice Awards highlight some of the best new control, instrumentation and automation products as chosen by Control Engineering‘s print and online subscribers.

Tips and tricks – Patents: 10 things engineers should know – https://www.controleng.com/single-article/tips-and-tricks-patents-10-things-engineers-should-know/fd851ef94f.html Basic patent knowledge can enrich engineers in many ways. Here are 10 tips every engineer should know about patent applications and patent law, including what not to do if you suspect infringement.

ABB to acquire Baldor Electric in a $42 billion transaction – https://www.controleng.com/single-article/abb-to-acquire-baldor-electric-co-in-a-42-billion-transaction/4c95e767c4.html ABB and Baldor announce a recommended offer for ABB to acquire Baldor for $63.50 per share, an overall transaction value of $4.2 billion, including net debt of $1.1 billion. (See photos and links to additional analysis at bottom of story.) The move, the companies said, is in line with ABB’s strategy to lead the multibillion dollar North American industrial motors business and be a global leader for movement and control in industrial applications (industrial motion).

The role of simulator technology in operator training programs – https://www.controleng.com/single-article/the-role-of-simulator-technology-in-operator-training-programs/cb88591ddf.html Can better training reduce the losses companies experience from human error as operators attempt to respond to abnormal situations? The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Abnormal Situation Management (ASM) Consortium estimate that U.S. process industries lose over $20 billion each year from abnormal situations. They have determined that 50% of abnormal situations are directly attributable to human error by plant personnel.

How to choose wireless technology for industrial applications – https://www.controleng.com/single-article/how-to-choose-wireless-technology-for-industrial-applications/d42d5ba444.html Wireless technologies are being adopted for simple monitoring, control to supervisory control and data acquisition. Wireless provides reliable data communications in interference-heavy environments. Information follows to help choose the best wireless technology for an industrial application.

Leaders Under 40: Control Engineering Class of 2010 – https://www.controleng.com/industry-news/top-stories/single-article/leaders-under-40-control-engineering-class-of-2010/5757d3a67f.html Meet the next generation of manufacturing automation and controls leaders. Control Engineering highlights 19 young professionals from around the globe who are making their marks in everything from system design to academia. These leaders aim to inspire others to get involved in engineering and resolve local and global challenges through smarter applications of automation and control technologies.

See all of Control Engineering’s most recent postings.

– Compiled by Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com