Wednesday, March 28, 2007

You can still get the WINA wireless webcast The WINA Webcast on the basics of wireless networking in industry was evidently overloaded with response today. Great to hear. If you couldn't get in or if you missed it, it will be available archived in a day or two on the WINA Website. I listened to the whole thing and thought they handled things very well--and it's non-commercial but technology-evangelist oriented. 12:01:06 PM    comment []

Business Conditions Improve Information from NEMA North American business conditions improved for the first time in eight months in March, according to senior industry executives responding to the National Electrical Manufacturer's Association's (NEMA) monthly Electroindustry Business Confidence Survey. The Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions climbed to 56.5 for the month, its highest level since April 2006. Moreover, the survey's measure of the mean degree of change in North American business conditions remained in positive territory for a second straight month, rising to +0.2 from +0.1 in February. The EBCI for future North American conditions indicated that survey panelists expect to see further improvement in business conditions over the next six months. While down from February, March's reading of 54.3 was the second straight to surpass the 50-point growth threshold. The Electroindustry Business Confidence Index gauges the business confidence of the electroindustry in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America, and is based on the results of a monthly survey of senior managers at NEMA member companies. Those companies represent more than 80 percent of the electroindustry. EBCI Report 11:57:21 AM    comment []

Wireless project Announcements of new projects are one of the staples of press releases in the process systems industry, and I don't usually have time to process them. But here's one from Invensys Process Systems announcing a wireless infrastructure project it is doing with Apprion at the Lost Pines and Sim Gideon power plants in the Lower Colorado River Authority. It seems appropriate as I'm listening to the WINA Webcast that I mentioned yesterday. I think the important thing within this announcement is that it points to the broad scope of wireless. It's a "technology" or better a "suite of technologies" that will do more than just connect sensors. Here's a synopsis of the stages of the project. The two LCRA plants will be linked with a layered WiMax/WiFi infrastructure. The solution includes: Comprehensive site assessment study Wireless network design, engineering, installation and commissioning Application qualification, implementation and integration Ongoing network administration, performance monitoring and tuning, security monitoring, infrastructure evaluation, scheduled upgrades and around-the-clock system monitoring The initial applications now in place include: Common, sitewide, mobile Voice Over IP (VoIP) system for hands-free, "push-to-talk" personal communications and paging anywhere in the Lost Pines Power Park via a WiMax broadband umbrella Wireless Public Address (PA) system Wireless LAN access in the main buildings, offices spaces, and conference rooms via WiFi hotspots Planned Phase 2 applications under consideration include: Remote wireless equipment condition monitoring Ammonia leak detection/alarm system Wireless fuel oil tank farm tank level monitoring Wireless material transfer monitoring Remote perimeter security video monitoring Tablet PCs that will provide process control operators with remote wireless access to the Foxboro and Westinghouse control systems currently installed in the Sim Gideon and Lost Pines power plants, respectively 11:31:53 AM    comment []