By Rick Pedraza, Managing Editor, Digital Media

Open is as Open Does

This month on ControlGlobal.com’s Process Automation Radio Network, CONTROL Editor in Chief Walt Boyes sits down with Betty Naylor-McDevitt, marketing director for Foxboro, to talk about upgrade and migration for distributed control systems the Foxboro way.

Naylor-McDevitt has worked her way up through both the technical and engineering and sales and marketing tracks at Foxboro to become one of the most recognized experts on DCS systems. When it comes to control system migration, it’s often apparent when the smoke and mirrors come out, but that clearly isn’t the case here. Naylor-McDevitt shares her view of upgrading, migration and open systems in enough detail to satisfy even the most dedicated power user. Listen to or download the podcast at ControlGlobal.com/DCS.html.

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Winning the Battle for Interoperability

In a special-to-the-web article for OPC Connection, OPC specialist Eric Murphy presents his thoughts on what it will take to achieve the mission of true interoperability. As Murphy notes, getting all sides to comply with the rules and best practices for this pressing issue can be an uphill battle. So to combat the problem, the OPC Foundation has created the OPC Enhanced Certification Program, a testing methodology that strives to ensure secure, reliable and interoperable high-quality OPC solutions for the end-user community—now and in the future.

Read his take on some of the alarm management approaches being used today, and why he believes achieving interoperability will ultimately be more like a running skirmish against hostile opposition—painful and costly. Go to ControlGlobal.com/OPC.

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Avoiding Alarm Management Pitfalls

Alarm Management

The noble goal of reducing the overload of process control system alarms has lead to many approaches, some more worthy of the task than others. Our own little way of contributing to the topic takes the form of the newly created Alarm Management Technology Library at ControlGlobal.com.

This one-stop, educational shop for industrial control professionals provides a wealth of information, along with solutions for avoiding alarm management process pitfalls. Efforts to combat the cumulative effects of decades of neglect have greatly increased interest in the subject of alarm management. The problems are large and complex, and the solutions are not simple. The Alarm Management Technology
Library organizes for you everything on the subject of alarm management. Included are papers on how to formulate an approach to analysis and solution development that is not limited by static preconceptions and artificial restrictions, and an online mechanism for rating your own plant’s alarm system performance.

Find out how your alarm system compares to the industry standard and learn how to optimize your alarm system for improved process reliability, productivity and safety. View online intelligence reports, white papers, articles and technical book abstracts on all things related to alarms by going to ControlGlobal.com/alarms.html.

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WHITE PAPERS

Utilizing Real-time Asset Management
This paper provides the keys to improving the use of asset information that lies locked away within the various control systems and data warehouses common in industry.  >> Download Now

The Ins and Outs of I/P Transducers
This paper provides an understanding of the factors involved in making the correct product selection, installation and maintenance of I/P transducers.  >> Download Now

Wireless Sensors for Energy Monitoring
This paper examines the application of SensiNet in some specific applications for building and facility energy management.  >> Download Now

SPECIAL TO THE WEB

SP100 Wireless Standard Survey
Help serve the future of process automation. Tell the SP100 committee what you want in wireless standards and products.  >> Take the survey

Process Control Technology Libraries
Last month’s event in Baltimore included hands-on labs, technical sessions and workshops on advanced automation, integrated control and information architecture.  >> Read more

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