FEED FORWARD

Path of Progress, by Gary Mintchell

Sometimes, progress in the automation market takes a while.

We are often deluded into an expectation of rapid technological adoption rates and quick riches perceived in the high-tech market. But even there, adoption is often slower than popular press would lead you to believe. In the high-tech world, technology is the business - and it moves quickly. When technology is an enabler in a much larger enterprise that moves more slowly, then adoption must be weighed more carefully.

At the recent general membership meeting of the Profibus Trade Organization (PTO), the celebration centered on the number 20 million - that’s the number of devices with Profibus chips. The significance of the number lies not in market share, but in critical mass. At this quantity of products, digital networking has entered a mature phase of the product curve. Companies that have made the investment should now be seeing a return. And this in only 15 short years.

This information should provide important context for the current wireless wars. Wireless technology has been around manufacturing for a long time. Operations and maintenance personnel had radios many years ago. Many gravitated to pagers, then mobile phones - all wireless devices. Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) radios likewise are used for telemetry from remote terminal units to the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. For a time, embedded cellular technology was touted as a replacement, followed by WiFi (for “wireless fidelity,” built on the 802.11 standard of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)... Read more...

» Pinto’s Prose: ISA Global Strategy Moves Forward, by Jim Pinto
Just over a year ago, I considered ISA to be a “melting iceberg.” Since then, the organization has been making good progress, and plans are crystallizing for new growth and success.

Executive Director Pat Gouhin, who joined in January 2006, has excellent related experience with the dynamics of volunteer-driven organizations. He has clearly developed a strong relationship with the volunteer chain-of-command, which now has a consistent vision focused on the future... Read more...

ANNOUNCEMENT

OPC Foundation - OPC Seminar Denver

The seminar will cover all aspects of OPC Technology including OPC Servers, OPC Clients, Alarm and Events, Historical Data Access and OPC Best Practices. The program will end with a presentation on the new OPC Unified Architecture. September 18, Denver, CO.
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ANNOUNCEMENT

ISA EXPO 2007

Unlimited opportunity for exploration of key technologies, professional growth, and interaction with like-minded professionals. October 2-4, Houston, TX.
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*enter promo code W24657A for free registration!