Posted by The Webmaster on December 4, 2009 under ISA News | 
The International Society of Automation is pleased to announce Bill Lydon, automation industry writer, analyst, and consultant, as the new chief editor of InTech, beginning January 2010. Lydon will lead the InTecheditorial team and manage the strategy and content of the print, digital, and online versions of the magazine in collaboration with the InTechEditorial Advisory Board. He will draw from the expertise of ISA’s Members and leaders to focus on the most important automation industry news and trends, and provide unbiased coverage of the automation market. Subject-matter experts will develop stories and cover the important industry issues outlined in the 2010 InTech editorial calendar to meet the technical information needs of automation professionals around the world.
Lydon brings more than 10 years of writing and editing expertise to InTech, plus more than 25 years of experience designing and applying technology in the automation and controls industry. Lydon started his career as a designer of computer-based machine tool controls; in other positions, he applied programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and process control technology. In addition to working at various large companies (e.g., Sundstrand, Johnson Controls, and Wago), Lydon served a two-year stint as part of a five-person task group, where he designed controls, automation systems, and software for chiller and boiler plant optimization. He was also a product manager for a multimillion-dollar controls and automation product line and president of an industrial control software company.
“It is indeed fortunate that we have been able to have somebody as well qualified as Bill Lydon,” said Vitor Finkel, ISA Publications Department vice president. “Here is somebody who has dirtied his hands, so to speak, with real instruments. Not only that, but he also has experience in designing automation software. He is one of those rare people with practical experience and the ability to write—the ideal person to be at the helm of the leading automation publication.”
“InTech,” says Lydon, “is the conduit for ISA Members to share their rich and valuable sources of knowledge to improve controls and automation effectiveness.”
Trained as a group problem-solving facilitator at the Creative Education Foundation, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, Lydon now facilitates groups to help them solve problems and identify opportunities. “I hold those people who work in controls and automation in the highest esteem,” comments Lydon, “and I believe their honorable professions are key to industry, society, and the environment.”
In addition to serving as chief editor of InTech, Lydon also will continue his independent editorial work with other companies, such as Automation.com. This arrangement further strengthens ISA’s newly announced partnership with Automation.com to jointly publish several e-newsletters for InTech and Automation.com subscribers.
For more information about InTech magazine, visit www.isa.org/intech. Industry experts and potential article contributors may submit article ideas and feedback, as well as product press releases and other news announcements, to Emily Kovac, InTech Associate Production/Copy Editor, at ekovac@isa.org.
Posted by The Webmaster on November 3, 2009 under ISA News |
The International Society of Automation recently unveiled plans for its new event, ISA Automation Week: Technology and Solutions Event, to be held 4-7 October 2010 at the Westin Galleria Complex in Houston, Texas, USA.
ISA Automation Week will feature intensive educational and applications-based technical conference sessions delivered by subject matter experts. Discrete and process automation professionals will have a chance to learn techniques and solutions for creating more efficient, productive, and economical manufacturing processes. ISA training courses and standards meetings will also be held concurrently, making ISA Automation Week a one-stop shop for automation and control knowledge and networking opportunities.
The ISA Automation Week conference program will focus on the latest industry developments and standards in key manufacturing disciplines like automation, energy and power, green manufacturing, instrumentation and process control, safety and security, systems and enterprise integration, and wireless, networking, and industrial communications. Conference sessions will include both theory-based and applications-based presentations to appeal to a wide variety of automation and control professionals. The event will feature a focused exhibition area for a limited number of companies to showcase products and services during scheduled networking and exhibit sessions. Currently, 65% of the space available for the exhibit has been sold.
“ISA Automation Week is organized around a different model than ISA has used in the past. The new model focuses on the conference as the center of the event, because we believe that automation and control professionals at every level seek knowledge above all else. By centering the event on the conference, we can help exhibitors create more successful interactions with serious and focused attendees at all levels,” said ISA Executive Director and CEO Patrick Gouhin.
“ISA is all about knowledge. The conference focus of this event will help us deliver a top-notch technical curriculum to our attendees, and it will benefit our partners and exhibitors as well,” said ISA Automation Week Program Committee co-chair and 2009 ISA President Jerry Cockrell of Indiana State University. “By drawing on our connections to the academic community to develop presentations in addition to our strong applications-based technical network, we can create a well-rounded program that attracts all levels of automation professionals.”
The increased focus on the conference aspect of the event is a positive development for automation suppliers as well, said 2010 ISA President Nelson Ninin, who is the President of Yokogawa America Do Sul SA. “We believe that an educated prospect is a qualified prospect. Our attendees will spend three intensive days learning about the latest technologies and solutions in the world of automation and control, and they’ll be ready to see the products that our partner companies have to offer in those areas. This is a great opportunity for a company to showcase its products as solutions to the technical challenges and developments presented in the conference sessions.”
An Exhibitor Advisory Committee and other feedback mechanisms are being created to solicit input at various stages of the development process for the 2010 event and events in future years. Companies or individuals interested in learning more, or providing input toward the development of ISA Automation Week, should contact ISA at feedback@isa.org, or call +1 (919) 549-8411.
Posted by The Webmaster on October 6, 2009 under ISA News |
The ISA100.15 Working Group (WG15) is seeking technical presentations from wireless backhaul/backhaul providers that will form the basis for the Working Group’s recommended best practices and standards considerations for interoperability of wireless backhaul/backbone networks, wireless sensor networks, and wireless devices usable by the process automation industry. The requirements for the presentations submitted in response to the RFI are provided in the ISA100.15 Working Group Request for Information (RFI). The RFI document can be downloaded from ISA at http://www.isa.org/isa100wireless/ISA100WG15RFI. Interested parties must respond with their intent to participate by October 16, 2009. Instructions for indicating intent to participate are in the RFI document.
The ISA100 committee established WG15 in June 2008. Composed of process automation users, vendors and service providers, WG15 is chartered to define recommended best practices and standards considerations to enable interoperability between backhaul/backbone wireless networks and field wireless networks and devices. Wireless backhaul/backbone networks provide support for a variety of process control protocols which includes, but is not limited to, Fieldbus Foundation High Speed Ethernet (HSE) and ISA100.11a protocols. It is expected that other traffic such as voice and video will share the same backhaul/backbone network in a segregated manner.
For more information about ISA100, visit www.isa.org/isa100wireless or call (919) 549-8411.
Posted by The Webmaster on September 29, 2009 under ISA News |
Lisa Long, Safety Engineer with the U.S. Department of Labor-OSHA, will present a keynote address at ISA EXPO 2009 in Houston, TX, on 8 October titled, “Overview and Findings from OSHA’s Refinery and Chemical National Emphasis Programs.”
As Safety Engineer at the U.S. DOL-OSHA for the past two years, Ms. Long has primarily focused on Process Safety Management. Prior to working at the U.S. DOL-OSHA, Ms. Long was an investigator at the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, where she led several major investigations involving chemical facilities. Prior to working in U.S. government, she worked for 12 years for several major chemical companies in positions including, process engineering and production management.
In her presentation abstract, Long notes that “following a large number of fatal or catastrophic incidents in the petroleum refining industry, OSHA launched a significant Process Safety Management (PSM) enforcement program; the Petroleum Refinery National Emphasis Program (NEP) was initiated in June 2007. A similar NEP was launched for the chemical industry in July 2009. Both programs use a newly developed inspection protocol to inspect petroleum refineries and chemical plants under federal jurisdiction.”
Long’s presentation will describe the Refinery and Chemical NEP inspection protocol and procedures, and will review preliminary findings from the Refinery NEP, including data on the most frequently cited paragraphs of the PSM standards and example citation language.
“Safety is a top concern from the plant floor up in industry today,” said ISA Director of Convention Services, Dale Lee. “We are honored to have Ms. Long address ISA EXPO attendees on such a critical subject.”
The ISA EXPO 2009 conference will feature six Exchange Conference Tracks centered on key issues facing instrumentation, automation, and control professionals. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss best practices, lessons learned, and potential solutions to specific automation problems as part of the conference’s technology exchange format.
For more information about ISA EXPO 2009, or to register, visit www.isa.org/isaexpo, or call + 1 (919) 549 8411.
Posted by The Webmaster on under ISA News |
ISA will bring the Wireless and Networking Exchange to ISA EXPO 2009 at the Reliant Center, Houston, Texas, USA, on 6-8 October 2009.
The wireless and networking exchange technical conference sessions will cover information on every mode of industrial networking, including wireless, fieldbuses and protocols, fiber optics, industrial Ethernet, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), signal compatibility, safety buses, EDDL (Electronic Device Description Language), FDT, network selection, and ISA-100 wireless standards. Conference presenters include experts from Ford, Boeing, BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, PPG, Anheuser-Busch, Shell, Bechtel, and more.
Just announced, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will offer a one-day workshop for wireless sensors for the factory floor on Tuesday, 6 October at ISA EXPO 2009. The workshop, titled “Future Directions and Priorities for 21st Century Agile Manufacturing,” will help identify industry needs, define current and future challenges, and highlight end-user priorities in using wireless sensors for shop floor applications to achieve 21st century agile manufacturing. Results of the workshop will help set future directions for research and development and set the basis for new standards.
Those interested in learning more about or attending this free workshop should contact Kang Lee at kang.lee@nist.gov.
For more information about the Wireless and Networking Exchange or the one-day workshop, visit www.isa.org/expo or call + 1 919 549 8411.
Posted by The Webmaster on September 23, 2009 under ISA News |
Industrial security takes center stage at ISA EXPO 2009 on Wednesday, 7 October featuring presentations by security experts with U.S. Department of Homeland Security experience, as well as a groundbreaking hack and defend tutorial and demonstration on wireless security.
Securing the Nation’s Industrial Control Systems Infrastructure
Sean McGurk, DHS Director, Control Systems Security Program (CSSP), will present the ISA EXPO 2009 Keynote Presentation. In his presentation, entitled “Securing the Nation’s Industrial Control Systems Infrastructure”, McGurk will discuss the current threat landscape, common vulnerabilities and security issues facing critical infrastructure control systems, and mitigation strategies being developed to address these challenges. He will also discuss current program efforts including how to become directly involved in securing the Nation’s critical infrastructure control.
Industrial Security and the Political Control System: A View from Washington
Greg Garcia, President, Garcia Strategies, LLC, will deliver the featured presentation, entitled “Industrial Security and the Political Control System: A View from Washington”. Garcia served as the nation’s first Presidentially-appointed Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Communications (CS&C) for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, from 2006-2008. During his tenure, the U.S.Department of Homeland Security affirmed the urgency of cyber security across the nation and embarked on a comprehensive cyber initiative that will measurably strengthen the security of our nation’s networks against domestic and international threats.
Live Hack and Defend Industrial Wireless Systems Demonstration
Wednesday’s security spotlight will also feature a live “Hack and Defend Industrial Wireless Systems” demonstration. The never-been-done-before wireless hack and defend tutorial session will give attendees the chance to learn techniques about breaking and defending wireless systems, as well as pose questions to the experts.
ISA Security Lounge
The ISA Security Lounge will offer meet-and-greet opportunities with ISA EXPO keynoters—including Sean McGurk and Greg Garcia, industry leaders, recognized professionals, presentations, and running demonstrations of cyber security related topics of interest featured during the technical conference.
The ISA EXPO 2009 conference will feature six Exchange Conference Tracks centered on key issues facing instrumentation, automation, and control professionals, including a dedicated track on industrial security. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss best practices, lessons learned, and potential solutions to specific automation problems as part of the conference’s technology exchange format.
For more information about ISA EXPO 2009, and registration, visit www.isa.org/expo, or call + 1-919-549-8411.
Posted by The Webmaster on September 15, 2009 under ISA News |
The ISA Standards & Practices Board (S&P) has voted to approve the ISA-100.11a wireless standard “Wireless Systems for Industrial Automation: Process Control and Related Applications,” thereby making it an official ISA Standard. The approval of this major new industry standard by the ISA S&P Board certifies that ISA’s accredited procedures have been followed in the development of the standard.
The ISA-100.11a standard received final approval by the ISA100 committee in July of this year with 81% of the voting members approving, before being passed along to the ISA S&P Board. With the ISA S&P Board approval, the ISA-100.11a standard will now be submitted to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for approval as an ANSI standard, and will be submitted to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for consideration as an IEC standard.
“The ISA-100.11a standard was developed by a committee consisting of over 600 end users and equipment manufacturers from around the world, and represents a truly consensus standard created in an open, unbiased forum by a global team of industry experts,” said Wayne Manges, ISA100 co-chair from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The ISA100 committee was established by ISA to address wireless manufacturing and control systems in areas including:
- the environment in which the wireless technology is deployed;
- technology and life cycle for wireless equipment and systems; and
- the application of wireless technology
“The committee has been very active in pursuing its charter and I am delighted that this initial standard has been issued,” said Manges.
The ISA-100.11a standard is intended to provide reliable and secure wireless operation for non-critical monitoring, alerting, supervisory control, open loop control, and closed loop control applications. The standard defines the protocol suite, system management, gateway, and security specifications for low-data-rate wireless connectivity with fixed, portable, and moving devices supporting very limited power consumption requirements. The application focus addresses the performance needs of applications such as monitoring and process control where latencies on the order of 100 ms can be tolerated, with optional behavior for shorter latency.
“To meet the needs of industrial wireless users and operators, the ISA-100.11a standard provides robustness in the presence of interference found in harsh industrial environments and with legacy non-ISA-100 compliant wireless systems,” said ISA100 co-chair Pat Schweitzer of ExxonMobil. The standard addresses coexistence with other wireless devices anticipated in the industrial workspace, such as cell phones and devices based on IEEE 802.11x, IEEE 802.15x, IEEE 802.16x, and other relevant standards. Further, the standard allows for interoperability of ISA-100 devices.
The standard is available at www.isa.org/ISA100-11a. For more information on the full scope of ISA100 committee activity, visit ISA100.org or call +1-919-549-8411.
Posted by The Webmaster on August 11, 2009 under ISA News |
The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced today its Automation Career Connection activities as part of ISA EXPO, an Automation Week event, 6–8 October 2009 at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas. Automation Career Connection is designed to help introduce middle and high school students, college students, and young automation professionals to careers in automation.
Three events make up Automation Career Connection: iAU2M8.09, YAPFEST, and the pilot Undergraduate Student Research Conference. Each event includes unique, educational activities designed for each age group.
The second annual iAU2M8.09 is designed for middle and high school students in the Houston, Texas area. This event will bring nearly 600 students and their teachers together for tours of the ISA EXPO show floor; educational demonstrations related to automation; and a keynote presentation delivered by Joel Leonard, executive producer and host, SkillTV. iAU2M8.09 will take place on Thursday, 8 October 2009.
The fourth annual YAPFEST is a social networking party for ISA EXPO attendees ages 18-30 who want to learn about careers in automation. “YAPFEST is a key opportunity for young people to mingle with leaders in automation, peers, and Members of the Society for automation professionals, ISA,” said Bernard Penney, director, marketing and communications, ISA. “Events like YAPFEST offer attendees an economical opportunity to make potential career connections and build a professional network in one location,” Penney added. YAPFEST is scheduled for Tuesday, 6 October 2009.
The first ever Undergraduate Student Research Conference (ISA – USRC) is being offered as a pilot project under the ISA Professional Development Department (PDD). The PDD invited a small number of schools to participate in this information exchange and the following will be represented in Houston, Texas for this first ISA – USRC:
- Instituto Tecnologico Superior de Tantoyuca, Veracruz, Mexico
- Lee College, Baytown, Texas
- St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation, St. Petersburg, Russia
The ISA – USRC will take place on Tuesday, 6 October 2009 and all ISA EXPO attendees are invited to observe.
“Automation Career Connection will provide students with a platform to share their fundamental knowledge and help them make connections in industry,” said Dale Lee, director, convention, education, and certification, ISA. “It will also help generate buzz with the next generation about what automation professionals actually do and why their jobs are important,” Lee continued.
For more information about Automation Career Connection events, including sponsorship opportunities, visit www.isa.org/connect.
Posted by The Webmaster on August 4, 2009 under Automation Federation News, ISA News |
The Automation Federation reports that the automation profession has been recognized by two groups within the United States government.
The first occurred on 30 June 2009 when the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations included language in their 2010 Congressional budget report that recognizes the importance of automation for the future of manufacturing in the United States. The language directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP) to consider the importance that automation plays in accelerating and integrating manufacturing processes. The language also encourages NIST and MEP to consult and collaborate with independent experts in the field of automation.
On 30 June 2009, Senator Barbara Mikulski, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted report language (including the excerpt shown below) to accompany H. R. 2847 (Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010). Already, H. R. 2847 has passed the House. View the full report.
“Supporting the Nation’s manufacturers, especially small businesses, is critical to keeping America innovative in a global marketplace. ITS [Industrial Technology Services] provides a bridge for advancing cutting-edge technologies with cost-saving measures. The Committee is encouraged by the administration’s healthy request for ITS, which shows a genuine intention to partner with industry for the benefit of the Nation’s future. The Committee supports NIST’s requested allocation of funding for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Program [MEP] and the Technology Innovation Program.
Within MEP, NIST, and its partners are directed to consider the importance automation plays in accelerating and integrating manufacturing processes. The topic of automation cuts across all levels of industry, rather than serving as a stand-alone technology, and particularly affects the fields of control systems cyber security, industrial wireless sensors, systems interoperability, and other basic automation technologies necessary for the success of industrial enterprises. NIST is encouraged to consult and collaborate with independent experts in the field of automation to support the agency’s efforts in working with industry to increase innovation, trade, security, and jobs.”
The Automation Federation is poised to provide the encouraged expert collaboration through their ongoing communications and relationships with NIST and MEP.
Mike Marlowe, director of government relations for the Automation Federation, said, “We look forward to seeing this language become part of an official bill, and encourage the Members of Congress to contact us to learn more about automation, automation professionals, and the importance they play in the future viability of U.S. manufacturing.”
Read the rest of the article at the national ISA website, ISA.org.
Posted by The Webmaster on July 20, 2009 under ISA News |
From ISA.org:
The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces the co-location of seven events throughout the week at ISA EXPO 2009, held 6-8 October at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas. Co-locating organizations include ARC Advisory Group, Industry2Grid (I2G), MCAA, OpenO&M, Microsoft and the Microsoft Manufacturing User Group (MSMUG), Houston SmartPlant Instrumentation (LTUF), and WBF. The co-location of these events with the ISA Fall Training Institute, Industry Standards Forum, six technical conferences, and the exhibition brings an abundance of technical content, professional development, and networking opportunities to attendees. Details about each co-located event follow.
ARC Advisory Group will host an Asset Lifecycle Management (ALM) Knowledge Exchange and Technology Showcase that includes a series of educational workshops and presentations by ARC analysts, end users, and leading technology suppliers. Topics will cover recent ALM developments and best practices that enable asset-intensive organizations to reduce risk, reduce costs, reduce downtime, reduce energy use, and reduce the carbon footprint of complex capital facilities.
The Committee of the National Institute of Standards and Technology industry2Grid (I2G) Summit will provide an overview of NIST and I2G SmartGrid activities as well as a forum for identifying and discussing issues of importance to industry.
The Measurement, Control & Automation Association (MCAA), the industry’s trade association, will hold an Industry Breakfast. Jeff Dietrich, Senior Analyst with the Institute for Trend Research will update MCAA members on the economy and the business cycles of the key customer industries for MCAA products. Additionally, Paul Rasmusson and Mike Willey, principals of Global Foresight Group, will provide a mid-year update to their 2009-2011 market forecast, which is prepared exclusively for MCAA members.
The OpenO&M demonstration is a collaborative effort with POSC Caesar, FIATECH and key ISO Working Groups, as well as leading solutions suppliers. It will enable the needed sustainable IT and IS infrastructure spanning Engineering and Construction, Operations and Maintenance, Controls and Enterprise Business Systems. Rather than having isolated islands of activity linked by unsustainable proprietary integration solutions, the suppliers of all major classes of industrial systems are now adopting open standards based interfaces providing the needed levels of sustainable interoperability.
OpenO&M will also conduct an Executive Summit for those with strategic accountability for plant and platform performance. This summit is designed to help management understand the business value of ISA membership and ISA standards activities through an executive level discussion and private demonstration of the next generation of open standards-enabled plant and platform management solutions.
Microsoft and the Microsoft Manufacturing User Group (MSMUG) will hold their annual Worldwide Manufacturing Operations Forum. Microsoft will present its role and strategy in manufacturing operations, an updated roadmap of its key products and technologies, as well as the broader strategy to secure and manage IT assets in this area. The forum will also address how software enhances role-based productivity allowing for better collaboration and availability of information, and leading to faster and better decision making.
The Houston SmartPlant Instrumentation (LTUF), a group of Intergraph’s SmartPlant Instrumentation Automation Software users, will hold its fall meeting at ISA EXPO this year. LTUF is a group of professionals who are joined by a common interest in applying products to the field of Instrumentation Automation, Engineering, Design, Drafting, and Maintenance. “The LTUF chose ISA EXPO as a vehicle to host the LTUF Quarterly Instrumentation Automation Forum because of the leading edge instrument technology it offers that coincide with our focus in industry,” said John Dressel, Houston SPI LTUF Chair.
WBF, the Organization for Production Technology, will offer two seminars: Non-Stop 88 – Applying Batch Methods to Continuous and Discrete Processes and “Getting Real” with ISA-95 and B2MML: Implementation Case Studies. Dennis Brandl will conduct the two seminars, during which he will discuss real world examples of applying standards he has helped develop.
“Welcoming these technical organizations to co-locate their events at ISA EXPO 2009 will allow attendees an expanded opportunity to meet some of the most influential and preeminent professionals in industry. It’s a once a year opportunity to attend one event and network with your colleagues from various industries and organizations while keeping up with the latest standards and technology in the industry,” said Dale Lee, director, convention, education, and certification, ISA.
ISA EXPO is the meeting place for management, engineering, production, IT and R&D professionals responsible for automation, control systems, plant-wide communications/networks, plant operations and maintenance, and systems integration in a continuous or batch manufacturing environment. The annual event provides in-depth technical coverage of topics critical to automation and control success.
For more information about ISA EXPO 2009, visit www.isa.org/expo or call (919) 549-8411.
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