TECHNOLOGIES:

Scripting and Integration

In finance, industry and government, batch information processing was the first widely adopted strategy for applying the computer to problems of general interest.

And batch processing is still important. Every major bank, airline, manufacturer and government agency would stop without it.

Batch processing is one way for a computer to do its work. Once a batch process starts, it continues without intervention until all data is processed. Batch processing does not imply what the work will be or what kind of computer will do the work. Jim Manias, vice president of sales and marketing for software company Advanced System Concepts Inc. (www.advsyscon.com), Morristown, N.J., describes the situation: “Batch processing can be applied to anything. Traditionally, batch processes ran at definite time intervals: every other week or every hour... Read more

» INFRASTRUCTURE: They’re Still Workhorses, But Industrial Computers Evolve - Those old standbys, industrial computers, keep surviving and delivering in harsh environments—and, generally, provide factory-floor reliability on which end-users count.

“Industrial computers provide the platform longevity that manufacturers require,” claims Shoshana Wodzisz, business manager for industrial computers with controls vendor Rockwell Automation Inc. (www.rockwellautomation.com), Milwaukee. “If a computer needs to be swapped out, the end-user can save hours getting their application software up and running, over an off-the-shelf computer...” Read more

» AUTOMATION TEAM: Managing Large-scale Automation Projects - Large-scale automation projects are high-stakes affairs, and project management largely determines their success or failure.

For example, the modernization of an oil refinery encompasses multiple process control and other engineering technologies, costs tens of millions of dollars, and might employ hundreds of people in different countries around the world. The main project participants will be the customer, the automation supplier, and one or more engineering procurement and construction companies (EPCs).... Read more

» INDUSTRIES: Metals Gathering Momentum For Recovery? - A slight glimmer of recovery for the U.S. metals industry has appeared.

“The primary metals leading index increased modestly in Sept. 2009, pushing its six-month smoothed growth rate farther above the threshold that signals an increase in industry activity,” says the Reston, Va.-based Minerals Information Team of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in its Oct. 2009 “Metals Industry Indicator” report (MII, http://bit.ly/4wKmvL)... Read more

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