Processingtalk newsletter issue 316

Innovation by Sick

Written by the Processingtalk editor Feb 8, 2010

The Sick Group, based in Germany, but with half their employees in other countries, is quoted to be one of the world's leading producers of sensors and sensor solutions for industrial applications. Over the past year Sick has placed a strong emphasis on the development of the business of their process automation division, which even a year ago was approaching 20% of the whole business, with a process turnover of 136Million Euro.

Dr Robert Bauer, Chairman, explains that "Innovation is the central element of our corporate mission statement": this is confirmed by the figures, where 10% of the yearly sales value is typically invested back into R+D, a sum on a par with the annual company reported earnings. So when faced with the recession at the end of 2008, the probably typical Sick response was to announce the "Sick Innovation Marathon for 2009", a publicity generation campaign and worldwide sales offensive, promising one new sensor solution each week, aimed at increasing production efficiency for the users. This has now been completed, with 52 new products or product ranges released, up to around the time of the 100th anniversary of Erwin Sick's birthday, the founder of the company in 1946.

It was at PPMA in September last year that Sick launched their Industrial Instrumentation division in the UK, with pressure, level, flow and temperature measurement sensors: this week they expand their pressure sensor portfolio with a simple, compact pressure switch (Link). The PBS is suitable for process applications, as well as hydraulic and pneumatic systems, machine and plant engineering. The neat design incorporates a digital display of the analogue pressure reading, plus LED indicators showing the PNP/NPN switch output states, all within the 38mm diameter housing. Once screwed into position, the electronic connections and display can be rotated to suit the operator and cabling, without compromising the IP67 housing. Sick seem to have met their objective, providing an innovative quality instrument based on the best technology plus efficient and economic production.

Top Products featured this issue

[1] E+H DP TRANSMITTER FOR HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS

(Endress+Hauser, 03 Feb 2010)

The Endress and Hauser Deltabar M PMD55 differential pressure transmitter comes with an epoxy-coated aluminium housing that offers process safety in harsh environments. With measurement accuracy of 0.075 per cent and a pressure measuring range of 10-40mbar, it offers outstanding performance in demanding process conditions.

[2] FAST ACCURATE ENVIRONMENT MEASUREMENT FROM TESTO

(Testo, 05 Feb 2010)

The new Testo 622 and Testo 623 measuring instruments provide an overview of humidity, temperature and pressure conditions at a glance: designed to deliver the ambient climate data, time and date instantaneously, these new instruments are vital for fast, accurate measurement. The user can view either the humidity or the temperature values of the past days in the histogram, displaying the measurement values for the past hour, two hours, 12 hours, 24 hours or 12 days.

[3] SPIRAX SARCO EXPANDS 2010 STEAM TRAINING PROGRAMME

(Spirax Sarco, 08 Feb 2010)

Spirax Sarco has added four courses to its 2010 training schedule to include new modules on controls and heat exchanger applications, combustion efficiency and metering. The 2010 training programme comprises 79 courses in total, covering 13 different topics and encompassing all aspects of the design, operation and maintenance of steam systems, from water treatment to energy management.

[4] HEATPACK SUPPLIES TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED HOT WATER

(TLV, 04 Feb 2010)

TLV Euro Engineering has launched the Heatpack range of packaged heat exchangers, with capacities from 120 to 2,350kW: these are designed to supply temperature-controlled hot water for clean-in-place, low-temperature hot-water and domestic hot-water applications. Standard features include an independent high-limit cut out; safety-valve protection; bellow-sealed isolation valves and a condensate-removal system based on the TLV free-float steam trap or Powertrap pump.

[5] TRIMEC RATE-TOTALISER DISPLAYS FLOW DATA

(Trimec Europe, 05 Feb 2010)

Trimec-Europe has brought out a flow-rate and totaliser unit designed for computing and displaying flow rates and totals from any flowmeter with pulse, sine wave or frequency outputs. The RT20 Rate Totaliser can be battery or externally powered and features a six-digit large LCD total, eight-digit cumulative totaliser and five-digit rate display, in engineering units as programmed by the user.

[6] ROSEMOUNT VORTEX FLOWMETER WITH SS HOUSING

(Emerson Process Management, 05 Feb 2010)

Emerson has expanded the range of Rosemount 8800 Series Vortex flowmeters with the addition of stainless-steel transmitter housings, which are often required for corrosive environments, to increase the reliability and longevity of the transmitter in offshore oil, gas and marine applications, reducing the overall cost of ownership. Typical applications include high-pressure gas or water injection for enhanced oil recovery.

[7] POTENTIOMETER PROVIDES NON-CONTACT MEASUREMENT

(Variohm Eurosensor, 02 Feb 2010)

Variohm Eurosensor has announced the availability of the Magnetopot non-contacting linear potentiometer, based upon a fully sealed membrane strip and a simple magnet, which provides position feedback from 8mm to 1200mm in a low profile housing. It is suitable for hydraulic and pneumatic position sensing as well as other medium precision position feedback applications such as liquid-level monitoring.

[8] PARKER OFFERS KARRYKRIMP HOSE-CRIMPING PROMOTION

(Parker Hannifin - Parker Sales UK, 08 Feb 2010)

The Parker Hannifin KarryKrimp enables companies with regular hose requirements to create their own leak-free, high-quality assemblies quickly and cost effectively, and in a special promotion, KarryKrimp portable hose-crimping technology is available for GBP1, with any order of hoses and fittings. To ensure crimping is achieved correctly and safely, users should be trained in line with Parker standards, for example, through a local Parker distributor.

[9] RITTAL POWER CIRCUIT BREAKER SELECTION INCREASED

(Rittal, 08 Feb 2010)

The Rittal Ri4Power low-voltage switchgear system Form 1-4 has been tested for accommodating the latest circuit breakers from Moeller, Cutler-Hammer and Eaton. This means that the Ri4Power circuit breaker sections are now suitable for circuit breakers from eight manufacturers including ABB, Mitsubishi, Schneider, Siemens and Terasaki.

[10] WOLFLITE XT HANDLAMP IS ATEX APPROVED

(Wolf Safety Lamp, 02 Feb 2010)

Wolf Safety Lamp has launched the ATEX-approved Wolflite XT handlamp to satisfy any portable lighting requirement: it incorporates the latest LED technology, delivering 200 Lumens output on full power - an increase of five times the light output from the previous Wolf H-251A handlamp. Powered by Lithium-ion batteries, the lamp can be fully charged from flat in three to four hours.

Application Stories and Case Studies

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY MONITORS NYNAS STORAGE TANKS
(Emerson Process Management - Wireless, 03 Feb 2010)
Nynas has installed Smart Wireless technology from Emerson to upgrade an underground storage tank monitoring system.

CO2 CAPTURE PROJECT UTILISES HEAT EXCHANGERS
(Alfa Laval, 02 Feb 2010)
Statoilhydro and the Norwegian government have partnered for a CO2 capture project at a technology centre in Mongstad, north of Bergen, which will utilise heat exchanger technology from Alfa Laval.

ARTESIS MCM UNIT DIAGNOSES EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS
(Artesis, 04 Feb 2010)
Artesis has proved its ability to diagnose equipment problems and anomalies after a pump failure occurred at a Wessex Water pumping station near Yeovil, within days of the date it predicted.

PPG SELECTS GEMBA GAIN4 EFFICIENCY SOFTWARE
(Gemba Solutions, 03 Feb 2010)
Gemba Solutions has been selected to install its Gain4 Efficiency software to improve the efficiency of PPG Architectural UK manufacturing plants in Birstall and Morley, West Yorkshire.

ROTORK COMPLETES VALVE ACTUATION PROJECT FOR GASCO
(Rotork Fluid Systems, 03 Feb 2010)
Rotork Fluid Systems (Australia) has completed a valve actuation project for Gasco involving fuel-gas valve trains and control skids for three API 560 gas-fired direct heaters.

ROXAR SUBSEA METERS INSTALLED IN GAS FIELDS
(Roxar, 04 Feb 2010)
Emerson Process Management has announced that its Roxar subsea Wetgas meters are to be installed in the Greater Gorgon natural gas fields.

DYNASONICS FLOWMETERS HELP SAVE WATER
(Dynasonics, 08 Feb 2010)
Dynasonics ultrasonic flowmeters have been used in an application where open ditch irrigation has been replaced by a closed pipe system and precise flow control via wireless communications.

LINATEX SUPPLIES SAND FILTER BED PROCESSOR TO BWHW
(Linatex, 05 Feb 2010)
Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water (BWHW) has commissioned a 25tph sand-processing system from Linatex for its Knapp Mill site in Christchurch.

Technical Guides

JAMES WALKER PUBLISHES COMPRESSION-PACKINGS GUIDE
(James Walker and Co, 03 Feb 2010)
The James Walker compression-packings guide provides technical information for OEMs, design engineers, maintenance staff and procurement executives across all industrial sectors.

CATALOGUE DETAILS HUMIDITY MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS
(Michell Instruments, 02 Feb 2010)
Michell Instruments has launched a new edition of its moisture and humidity product catalogue, which contains information on the company's relative humidity and dew-point solutions.

ABB GUIDE ADVISES ON STORAGE-TEMPERATURE RECORDING
(ABB Automation Tech (Instrumentation and Automation), 03 Feb 2010)
A best-practice guide offering advice on the best techniques to safely record the storage and transportation temperatures of pharmaceutical product is available from ABB.

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES CAN IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY
(Apprion, 08 Feb 2010)
Apprion offers guidance on how to achieve success with wireless technologies, which could help improve productivity and plant efficiencies.

Webinars, Training and Exhibitions

REMSOL SEMINAR TO RAISE AWARENESS OF WASTE ISSUES
(Remsol, 04 Feb 2010)
Remsol discusses waste-disposal descriptions and its forthcoming seminar that is aimed at raising awareness of the issue.

ENDRESS+HAUSER TO EXHIBIT MONITORING SOLUTIONS
(Endress+Hauser, 04 Feb 2010)
Endress+Hauser will show monitoring and targeting solutions for metering, data collection, analysis and reporting at Maintec 2010, scheduled for on 2-4 March at the NEC in Birmingham.

FULTON TO SHOWCASE BOILER PRODUCTS AT FOODEX
(Fulton Boiler Works, 04 Feb 2010)
As well as promoting the J Series vertical and Europack electric steam boilers, Fulton will be using the Foodex show to showcase its Modsync boiler sequencing and TDS energy-recovery systems.

HAZARDEX CONFERENCE SET FOR FEBRUARY 2010
(HazardEx UK and International, 02 Feb 2010)
The HazardEx 2010 exhibition and conference is set to be held on 24-25 February in Harrogate, UK.

ORGANISERS ARRANGE IWEX SEMINAR PROGRAMME
(IWEX at Sustainability Live!, 03 Feb 2010)
The IWEX SustainabilityLive seminar programme will open with a session on flood management.

WEBINAR ON TUNING CASCADE LOOPS IN NORMAL MODE
(Top Control, 03 Feb 2010)
Top Control is to hold a free webinar, on 9 February 2010 at 10am EST, to explain how to tune cascade loops simultaneously in normal mode using new tools and methods.

DEACOM INVITES ERP SOFTWARE USERS TO CONFERENCE
(Deacom, 04 Feb 2010)
Deacom is inviting users of the Deacom Integrated Accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software system to attend its annual user conference.

New Product Developments

NET SAFETY FLAME DETECTORS USE HART PROTOCOL
(Net Safety Monitoring, 05 Feb 2010)
Net Safety Monitoring has announced its entire line of explosion-proof flame detectors uses the HART communication protocol.

EXAIR DETECTOR LOCATES COMPRESSED-AIR LEAKS
(Good Hand UK, 05 Feb 2010)
The Exair Ultrasonic Leak Detector (ULD), available through Good Hand UK, is a hand-held instrument that can locate leaks in a compressed-air system.

SUNCOMBE LAUNCHES PORTABLE CIP SYSTEMS
(Suncombe, 04 Feb 2010)
Suncombe has announced the launch of the new range of MobileCIP portable CIP systems.

INTERTEC DEVELOPS RANGE OF STEAM HEATERS
(Intertec Instrumentation, 03 Feb 2010)
Intertec has developed a range of steam heaters for field instrumentation protection applications.

PERMANET SYSTEM WIRELESSLY TRANSMITS NOISE DATA
(Halma Water Management, 03 Feb 2010)
The Permanet system from Halma Water Management receives data from Permalog+ noise loggers deployed on water pipes to listen for leaks and transmits this information to an office computer.

FESTO ACTUATORS OFFER +/-10 MICRON REPEATABILITY
(Festo, 04 Feb 2010)
Festo has released a range of ultra-compact precision electric actuators that can be ordered from its online shop.

Commercial news

SKF UK CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY
(SKF, 05 Feb 2010)
4 February 2010 - SKF is celebrating its 100th anniversary in the UK.

FROST AND SULLIVAN ANNOUNCES ANALYST BRIEFING
(Frost and Sullivan, 08 Feb 2010)
Frost and Sullivan will host an analyst briefing to discuss recent trends of the European pumps market on Thursday 11 February 2010.

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