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Alarms Standard Approved
It's true... Many people have told me about the pending approval of ISA18.2 on Alarms. Well, it happened. ISA-18.2, "Management of Alarm Systems for the Process Industries," has been approved by the ISA Standards & Practices Board and, following final approval by the American National Standards Institute, is expected to be published in July.
Alarm system management requires several activities and work processes connected by the alarm system lifecycle. The new standard defines the terminology and models for a common language to describe the alarm system. It also describes the activities required to achieve the desired performance of the alarm system and to maintain that performance.
"Improving the performance of alarm systems is essential to achieving operational excellence in manufacturing," stated Nicholas Sands of DuPont, co-chair of the ISA18 committee. "The activities covered in this standard will help solve the common problems with alarm systems, which will in turn reduce the frequency of safety incidents and plant upsets and lead to improved business performance..."
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Rockwell Software Tech Education
About 1,100 software technical specialists, Rockwell Software employees decended upon the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando June 22 for the annual RSTechEd event. Three days of keynotes and in-depth technical sessions are the order of the day in addition to the Manufacturing 2.0 executive session.
The number is down from last year--only to be expected--but not really that much. Perhaps 20 percent.
The people who were able to struggle up for the 8 am Monday morning keynote were treated to stories of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey team (known as the Miracle on Ice) and how the lessons the team learned are applicable to us today in our business and personal lives...
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Video interview about wireless and control
I recently traveled to California and stopped by the offices of Opto 22 to discuss wireless and control. My discussion with systems engineer Ben Orchard of Opto was video recorded. We talked about Opto's use of standards--and defined standards for all of you skeptics out there...
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Honeywell User Group Wrap Up
What the recent Honeywell User Group conference held in Phoenix June 14-18 lacked in overall attendance, it made up for in energy and enthusiasm. With company travel restrictions abounding, many companies just sent key decision makers rather than an entire team. Discussions were intense and attendees seriously picked sessions most applicable to their work.
Although "Return on Imagination" was the conference theme, the themes most featured by company speakers included "One Honeywell," energy and "One Wireless." One Honeywell refers to efforts to bring various businesses of Honeywell into technology collaboration where it makes sense in the market. For example, in energy markets, Honeywell has several businesses and technologies that can be integrated for a new set of products. Similarly in safety and security...
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Marketing and the Social Web
Marketing people are all rushing to try out "social media" for marketing purposes (advertising, pr, engage community, whatever). John Dvorak (the Cranky Geek) says here that they should watch out. People don't go to a place to meet their friends expecting to get overwhelmed with marketing messages.
He has a point that should be considered. That's why I like the way Jim Cahill approached blogging for Emerson Process Management. It's not the usual marketing stuff, but a way of bringing real experts (therefore the name Emerson Process Experts) into conversation, or at least awareness, to his community--and probably well beyond Emerson users...
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