Wednesday, October 18, 2006

ISA Expo In other wireless and networking news, Dust Networks and Emerson Process Management announced that Dust's Time Synchronized Mesh Protocol is the technology used in Emerson's Smart Wireless products announced a couple of weeks ago. Sensicast, another wireless mesh networking provider, announced an ASP model, that is it will host the software application for companies using its sensors and network. It also announced integration with application software from these suppliers: Citect, Iconics, Invensys Wonderware, National Instruments' LabView, NK Technologies. Cirronet was showing a ZigBee based wireless sensor network integrated with asset management software from Aleier. I spent some time with Phoenix Contact people (Thanks to Liesa Hall). That company continues to release products enhancing its Ethernet switch and router lines, wireless communication products and power/data connection systems. (more later) 9:23:06 AM    comment []

ISA Expo Day One of this year's installment of ISA Expo in Houston is in. I'd have to say I was hoping for more wireless announcements than there were, but wireless is still the buzz at the show. The Hart Communications Foundation showcased members' support of the Hart protocol over wireless--especially with brief presentations by ABB, Endress + Hauser, Emerson Process, Honeywell Process, Siemens and Yokogawa. Hart also promoted the enhanced electronic device description language (EDDL) at its press conference and announced the winnter of the Hart Plant of the Year Award. This year the prize goes to -- The BP Canada Energy NGL Operations plant in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. For a decade, BP engineers have used the digital process variable output of their Hart-enabled temperature and pressure transmitters to improve the accuracy of the plant's liquid pipeline custody transfer measurements. In other foundation-related news, The Fieldbus Foundation announced creation of a Certified Solution Provider program to encourage greater support for fieldbus device development and to define an acceptable level of expertise for Foundation-certified solution providers. In conjunction, the Foundation also announced a Certified Training Program. It also announced an integrated development environment for device description development, testing and debugging. It also announced the appointment of John Rezebek of ISP chemicals in Lima, Ohio as Chair of the End User Advisory Council. [I gotta give John a plug. I knew him in my previous life as a sales engineer and he started my education into process control.] A final plug (thanx and tip of the hat) to Mike and Marsha Bryant, here at ISA with the AS-interface booth. I was in deep concentration trying to find a booth and obviously lost, when Mike broke my concentration then they helped me find that booth. Good to see them here. More later. 8:43:05 AM    comment []