Staff

Foxboro secures SCADA system contract in China

Foxboro, Mass.— The Foxboro Company, a unit of Invensys Process Automation, announced March 19 that it has been awarded a $15 million SCADA system contract for the Shanxi Wanjiazhai Yellow River Diversion Project in China. This important project, funded by the World Bank, diverts floodwaters from the Yellow River to communities in Shanxi province, thereby mitigating life-threatening flood...

Digital technology smartens Micro Motion sensor

Boulder, Colo.— Micro Motion Inc. unveiled its new MVD (multivariable digital) Technology at its Perspectives 2001 media event on Feb. 28-March 2. MVD Technology reportedly makes Micro Motion's flowmeters work smarter by using front-end digital processing to reduce signal noise and allow faster response time than with analog devices.

Breakout modules add convenience, protection

Healdsburg, Calif. —IO8 and IO24 Breakout modules provide additional convenience and protection for Eason 2000 and 4000 family Intelligent Operator Interfaces. These DIN-rail-mountable modules feature removable screw terminal connectors and ribbon cable for quick hook-up and provide LED indicators for debugging and hardware troubleshooting.

Entivity moves into project management

Entivity (Ann Arbor, Mich.)—the merger of Think & Do and Steeplechase—expanded into automation project management with its introduction of Automation ProjectNet on March 5 at NMW 2001. The new offering, adapted for automation in partnership with Citadon Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.) software for construction project management, allows users to view, share, update, and route docum...

Sinopec selects Aspen for 25 refineries

Cambridge, Mass.— Aspen Technology Inc. announced Feb. 14 an agreement to provide supply-chain planning and scheduling software to Sinopec, China's largest petroleum and petrochemical company. Sinopec will implement AspenTech's solutions to optimize crude oil selection and production scheduling among its network of 25 refineries.

Low-cost, Ethernet-enabled controller

Hauppauge, N.Y.—FEC-FC34 compact microcontroller contains Ethernet 10baseT connectivity with TCP/IP built in. Even though it is possible to connect with Ethernet/Internet connections, user program protection is standard for security. The 16-bit, 20 MHz processor allows multitasking of up to 64 programs.

Rockwell International adopts Rockwell Automation name

Milwaukee, Wis.— To better reflect its business focus, Rockwell International Corp. announced Feb. 19 that it will assume the name of its primary remaining subsidiary, Rockwell Automation, after it spins off its avionics business, Rockwell Collins (Cedar Rapids, Ia.), as a separate, publicly traded company in June 2001.

Ci Technologies launches three software tools

Ci Technologies (Charlotte, N.C.) announced three new software tools in its Plant2Business suite at NMW on Mar. 5. Plant2Net allows users to view plant information over the intranet/Internet with a browser such as Internet Explorer. Plant2Pocket delivers real-time, plant-floor information to mobile phones and personal data assistants.

Applied Data to use Synergetic chip in computer

Applied Data Systems (Columbia, Md.) and Synergetic Micro Systems (Downers Grove, Ill.) announced March 5 at NMW a collaborative design effort to produce a new 32-bit StrongARM computer incorporating Synergetic's EmbeddedComm/EC-1 universal fieldbus chip. The two partners report their new product suite will be sold to OEMs and equipment suppliers, and expect the suite to offer price and perform...

Fisher-Rosemount Systems streamlines supply chain

Austin, Tex.—To streamline its global supply chain, Fisher-Rosemount Systems announced Feb. 9 that it has agreed with ACT Manufacturing, Inc. (Hudson, Mass.), a global electronics manufacturing services provider, to establish a global "straight-through" manufacturing process for components used in its automation system solutions, from circuit board manufacturing through final assembly.