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February News in Brief
Published:  01 February, 2011

♦  The Hong Kong-based motor manufacturer Johnson Electric has developed an electronically commutated brushless motor technology for dishwasher pumps which, it says, will reduce vibration levels compared to pumps driven by traditional synchronous or induction motors, as well as reducing energy consumption by around 40%.

♦  Rockwell Automation has developed a free online tool that analyses a site’s water, air, gas, electricity and steam performance and compares this with others in the same industry and across other sectors. A real-time report allows employees to identify and implement strategic changes to improve performance at one site or across an organisation.
 
♦  By 2015, the global market for Mems (micro electromechanical systems) devices will be worth $9.2bn, according to a new forecast from Global Industry Analysts. It says that Mems demand fell markedly during the recession but has now revived and suppliers are looking to break into new applications areas for microsensors and microactuators.
 
♦  Three cyber-security experts – Eric Byres of Byres Security, Andrew Ginter of Abterra Technologies and Joel Langill of Scadahacker.com – have written a joint White Paper explaining how the Stuxnet worm operates and spreads, and what operators of control and Scada systems need to do to protect their critical systems.
 
♦  Autodesk has updated its free AutoCAD WS Web and mobile application that uses cloud computing technology to allow AutoCAD users to view, edit and share their designs via Web browsers and mobile devices. Among other improvements, the app now supports viewing, editing and sharing of 2D Inventor DWG files.


♦  The Automation Federation (AF) is leading a new manufacturing technology project within the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems programme. The aim is to develop an international network through which the Automation Competency Model, developed by AF and the US Department of Labor in 2009, can be disseminated and updated. This network will be called the Automation Competency Model Network (ACMN).