4 Types of GE Instrumentation

CIMTEC is excited to announce that we’re now an authorized distributor of GE Measurement and Control Solutions (GE MCS), which features their Sensor and Measurement products. GE Measurement and Control products help you do an array of things in order to keep your processes and applications running smoothly in your business, all with simple, efficient, and highly accurate technology from GE!

The Measurement and Control line of products from GE features sensing devices, measurement instrumentation, and analyzers. All of these will enable you to easily monitor and control all your processes and applications while keeping your place of work secure.

No matter which solutions you’re considering, GE offers a lineup of impressive products to make your job simpler and your workplace easy to monitor yet productive. From thermal validation to ultrasonic measurement, gas analysis, and process control implementation, these solutions work to keep your industry safe while meeting regulations.

Regardless of your industry, CIMTEC is here to provide the best automation consulting and help you discover if GE MCS equipment can make your job easier and your automation systems safer. What are four types of GE instrumentation that we offer?

Flow Meters

Don’t settle for equipment that only works with a certain type of pipe size or flow condition, therefore limiting adaptability. GE offers ultrasonic flow meters that not only take reliable measurements every time, but they’re able to do so with many different pipe sizes and flow conditions. Best of all, these versatile flow meters are maintenance-free. Their measurements are accurate, their features are user-friendly, and GE’s flow meter products are flexible to suit your needs.

These flow meters include fixed-installation or portable ones, depending on your unique needs and industry conditions. They’re designed to be easy to use and adaptable for different conditions. Not sure what type of flow meter would work best for your application needs? Our automation consultants at CIMTEC can sit down with you to determine what you’re looking for and if GE flow meters can fit your business and its needs. With versatility, high accuracy, and zero maintenance, GE flow meter products could be a perfect solution for your business!

Gas Analyzers

The GE MCS line of products offers gas analysis meters in order to make your work environment as safe as possible while also increasing efficiency and improving reactors. These hydrogen, oxygen, and flue gas analyzers work with industry applications to deliver on all types of analysis from O2 combustibles to H2 for hydrogen-cooled generators. Trust your workplace safety to an industry-leading brand that provides accuracy and efficiency all in one with GE MCS.

Regardless of which applications or conditions you have, consider gas analyzers from GE. From the DF-300E group of oxygen analyzers to the oxy.IQ Analyzer—a fuel cell oxygen transmitter—CIMTEC can help you and your business discover how gas analyzers from GE can keep your business safer than ever, boost performance and productivity, and meet regulations.

 Moisture & Humidity Measurement

Need a reliable moisture sensor? GE delivers on analyzers, transmitters, and portable hygrometers with features that’ll deliver on your unique needs as well as your budget. When you need the most sensitive, most stable, and fastest probes to keep your environment ideal, you need GE moisture analyzers. Their moisture generators are designed to be completely accurate with minimal maintenance.

When you need versatile moisture analyzers, humidity calibration systems, and precise levels of water vapor, GE delivers on a variety of solutions to fit your business’ needs with their MCS products. At CIMTEC, our years of experience and expertise are here to guide you through the process of designing an efficient automation system and we’ll work with you to decide which GE moisture analyzer will work best with your system design and unique needs for your industry.

 Pressure & Level Measurement

When you need pressure measurement equipment, you need a reliable brand that you can trust to deliver on controllers, calibrators, and transmitters for all your industry applications. GE has one of the most comprehensive silicon processing facilities around the globe. They convert silicon into sensors and gauges with micromachining, and their engineering teams know how to use different materials and technology to create superior sensors that’ll work with your industry applications.

GE’s pressure and level measurement solutions include temperature calibrators such as those from Druck and portable calibrators to provide you with state-of-the-art communication and data integration. Need intelligent workflow on the move? GE had you in mind when they designed these pressure and level measurement solutions!

Other GE pressure and level measurement products include the DPI 611, DPI 620IS, and the new Druck DPI 620 Genii. GE also offers handheld test tools in order to help you on the go, from digital pressure gauges to the DPI 800/802 series of easy-to-use handheld instruments.

When you need reliable industry controls from a trusted brand, look no further than GE MCS with CIMTEC. Our years of experience combined with our knowledge of GE make us adept at engineering solutions that incorporate the best products into a custom solution for your industry applications. Contact us today to discover how these four types of GE instrumentation can make all the difference in your business!

Proficy 9 License issues

In some situations, the Proficy License Server service gets hung up during the hardware check and fails to find a license. This may cause other Proficy services to stop. These 9 steps should lead to a resolution. 

Resolution

1.       Open the Registry Editor.

2.       Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ccflic

3.       Right-click .ccflic, point to New and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.

4.       Name the new DWORD hw_bypass.

5.       Right-click hw-bypass and select Modify.

6.       In the Edit DWORD dialog box, click the Decimal option and type 1 in the Value data box.

7.       Click OK.

8.       Exit the Registry Editor.

9.       Restart the Proficy Licensing service.

3D Printing’s Possibilities!

           3D printing has arrived and taken the tech community by storm. Here at CIMTEC, we currently have three 3D printers in our office. One of our engineers, Todd, is our 3D printing guru. Todd is usually running several printers for most of the day. Todd loves 3D printers because of how practical the machines are. He explained to me that the practicality of the machines rests in their ability to create an extremely diverse array of objects. Todd claims his personal printer at home is the best investment he has ever made. He explained that his printer makes home improvements easier due to its ability to replace a broken object in minutes. 3D printers may be able to reshape our world. In this post, I will detail how they could.

            3D printers are already able to print organic matter. Some scientists believe that, in coming years, 3D printers will also be able to reproduce human organs. This would be a remarkable feat that could potentially save millions of lives. The technology would be able to use stem cells from the individual to print the organic matter, thereby making the organ specific to the individual.

            This technology is years away, but corporations have already started planning for the possibilities. One such company is L’Oreal, which “is pushing to 3D print skin. The work has huge implications. Most obviously, it will enable L’Oreal to lab test the safety and performance of cosmetic products on 3D bio printed skin. The result will be much more affordably, quickly and easily tested products, throughout the design process – instead of needing to assess their reaction with real bodies or hair before the final stages of testing.” (Leonard King, Forbes)

            The ability to print genetic organs offers the possibility of revolutionizing the beauty business, and more importantly our understanding of human health.

            3D printers have another incredible possibility, replacing the manufacturing of some goods entirely. The digital design schematics for many products are currently available on the web. Most are free of charge while some are for sale at a low price. Printing the exact digital schematics of goods could revolutionize the way we shop. Imagine, if a user wanted a pair of new Nikes, they might only need to buy the digital schematics and then print the shoes in their own home. That is the direction that 3D printers very well could be taking us.

            One thing is certain. 3D printers are here to stay.

CIMTEC Problem Solving

This piece consists of three separate case studies, which highlight the problem-solving ability of CIMTEC. The company names will remain anonymous.

1) Problem / Requirement:

Problems holding tolerances on upstream processes and manual assembly, resulting in high scrap levels of finished products.

Solution: Precision Assembly System

CIMTEC developed an automated assembly using two six-axis robots, with the robot presenting each component to a camera for inspection prior to assembly so out-of-tolerance sub-components would not result in a scrapped final assembly.

Result:

The customer not only achieved huge savings by eliminating the amount of scrap, but also increased overall quality and production by detecting faulty components before final assembly.

2) Problem / Requirement:

Scrap on a multi-layer web line was too high, due to problems with web movement causing poor seals.

Solution: Dynamic Tracking System

CIMTEC engineers provided a system that added cameras to measure the web position in both X and Y axes, with servos to move the press based on data from the camera.

Result:

The accuracy provided by this measurement system resulted in a measurable reduction in scrap, thus increasing product quality. The savings were dramatic, and the customer is moving forward with similar applications on more lines of productions within the facility.

3) Problem/ Requirement:

The company needed to maintain tighter tolerances on steel plate thickness used by their customers in stamping operations.

Solution: Laser Thickness Measurement System

CIMTEC developed and installed laser thickness monitoring to log dimensions and reject out-of-tolerance steel plate. Data derived from logging over time allowed a reduction in plate thickness from the previous manufacturing method.

Result:

The company saved a considerable amount by reducing raw material cost. Data derived from logging over time allowed a reduction in plate thickness from their supplier, saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

GE IP 90-30 Goes Mature – CIMTEC has you covered

On October 1, 2015, GE IP announced that the popular 90-30 PLC has been placed in Mature status.  Here is the message from Connie Chick, GE 90-30 Controller Product Manager:

         

  “…we are announcing that the Series 90-30 moves to Mature* status October 1, 2015, with the PACSystems RX3i taking over all its application capability. The PACSystems RX3i is built on the Series 90-30 tradition of great reliability and performance.”

CIMTEC is the place for on-going GE 90-30 parts and support:

•  Hundreds of thousands of dollars of New 90-30 components in stock, direct from the factory
•  Full in-house Repair capability with a huge supply of Pre-Repaired parts that can be shipped immediately while your part is repaired
•  Programming tools, manuals, and documentation on all 90-30 parts and systems
• The best Technical Support team with over 60 years’ experience with the 90-30 PLC system, available for Phone and On-Site support

CIMTEC has been through this before.  In 2009, GE IP discontinued the 90-70 PLC line.  Today, CIMTEC is the only company with over $5 million of Factory-New 90-70 units and a deep inventory of Pre-Repaired and Remanufactured parts.  Plus, we are the only Factory-Authorized 90-70 Repair Center in the world!

So, how can CIMTEC help?

If you’re concerned about how this announcement will affect your business, we can help.  CIMTEC has put a couple wonderful programs in place for you.

First, we have an on-site Risk Assessment program where we will audit all of your current 90-30 PLC systems, listing all components used in each system.  We will also do a complete inventory of your spare 90-30 parts.  With this information in-hand, our team of PLC engineers will analyze your situation and recommend the proper spare parts, programming software updates, and other special considerations that will allow your 90-30 systems to run for many years to come.  The final Assessment document is a useful tool for planning your PLC asset future.

Second, CIMTEC is the leading GE PLC Migration company.  For years, we have been migrating GE PLC systems to the latest platform.  Learn about our 7-Step Migration process in our eBook entitled, 7 Steps to a Successful PLC Migration .

CIMTEC is in the business of supporting your PLC investments.  Don’t let the end of the 90-30 line concern you – we are here to get you through it.

EPSON Robots Newest Addition to CIMTEC Automation Product Offering

CIMTEC Automation is pleased to announce the latest addition to their growing distribution line with Epson Robots, the #1 SCARA Robot Manufacturer in the World.  The agreement includes distribution of all of Epson Robots automation products including their large lineup of SCARA, 6-Axis and Linear Module robots as well as integrated vision, fieldbus I/O and many other industrial automation products offered by Epson Robots.  CIMTEC Automation will help Epson Robots continue to grow robot based automation usage and solutions into North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

“With over 25 years of experience, CIMTEC Automation has proven themselves as more than just a distributor of products, but as a premier solutions provider in the Industrial Automation market in the Southeastern US and we are proud to have them as a part of our distribution network,” stated Michael Ferrara, Director of Epson Robots. CIMTEC’s industry-specific knowledge and experience with PLC’s, Controllers, Vision Systems, robots and many other automation products make for a natural fit to add Epson Robots products to their product solutions lineup.”

Epson Robots is the global leader in PC controlled precision factory automation, with an installed base of well over 45,000 robots and a product line of hundreds of models of easy to use SCARA, Cartesian and 6 axis robots based on a common PC based controls platform. Building on a 30 year heritage, Epson Robots today delivers robots for precision assembly and material handling applications in the aerospace, appliance, automotive, biotechnology, consumer product, electronics, food processing, medical device, pharmaceutical, plastics, semiconductor, and telecommunication industries. 

  

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Advancements in Robotics

           In the last fifteen years, robotic automation has changed manufacturing tremendously.  By being able to create products timely, accurately, and cheaper than ever before, robotic automation has enhanced our human understanding of efficiency.  In this piece, I am going to detail three revolutionary advancements in robotic automation projected to hit the market in the next five years. I will also give a brief overview, which will aim at displaying how and why intelligent machinery (automated robots) intertwined with advanced analytical systems produces incredible results.

           To begin, I must engage in the current debate surrounding Artificial Intelligence, and the so-called rise of the robot. According to “University of Oxford researchers Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne, [who] estimated in 2013 that 47% of total U.S. Jobs could be automated by 2033. The combination of robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning is so powerful that some white collar workers are already being replaced – and were talking journalists, lawyers, doctors, and financial analysts” (Erik Sherman, Forbes). The only people who aren’t in real danger of losing their jobs are those in highly creative spaces. There are several forward thinking businessmen who have already begun embracing the fact that most blue collar jobs will be replaced and are planning accordingly to these projection, among them are Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Eric Schmidt (Google, DeepMind), Jeff Bezos (Amazon, BlueOrigin), Elon Musk (Tesla, Paypal, SpaceX), and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook). Unfortunately, if you work as a; bank teller, receptionist, mailman, travel agent, bus driver, accountant, coffee barista, anesthesiologist, taxi cab driver, telemarketer, or newspaper correspondent, than your job will more than likely cease to exist to humanity by 2030. Why? Two Words - Robotic Automation. Robots are not only more cost effective, but in many situations, they are more accurate and efficient than their human competition could ever be. Artificial Intelligence will revolutionize the analytical capability of nearly every industry. We are going to be able to dissect current economic institutions, or manufacturing practices, and through detailed analytics rebuild them as better than they have ever been before. Robotics and automation are the keys to humanity disrupting outdated institutions and practices, and remolding them with smart technology and analytics performed by machines.

           In the years between 2017 and 2025 using estimated “global manufacturing labor costs at $6 trillion annually, McKinsey forecast that advanced robotics could have an economic impact on the manufacturing sector of between $720 billion to $1.45 trillion annually” (Colin Lewis). The five areas that have already begun to take off in robotics, and will continue to do so in the next five years are:

1) Medicinal Robots- Have already began being used in some surgeries. They are incredibly accurate, and cost way less than your top surgeon. Some medicinal robots can also diagnose illness more accurately and faster than a doctor ever could. They have begun being used in third world countries, and were even exploited during the Ebola virus outbreak.

2)  Drones-  Or unmanned aircrafts, will change a variety of sectors. Most notably will be the transportation of goods. Delivery of goods/services by drones may not be legal yet, but when in history has economics not prevailed. If it is tremendously more cost effective than its other option, than the cost effective option will prevail as it always has. In the next five years, the FAA has projected 30,000 drones to be active in our American skies. That is an astounding figure.

3)  Driverless Cars/Buses- This is already among us. The CEO’s of Ford, Tesla, GM, Jaguar, Audi, and Porsche expect to have completely automated cars on the road by 2018. This is incredible; by 2030 it is quite possible that no self-driven cars will be allowed on roads reserved for fully autonomous vehicles. Why? Safety of the passengers, autonomous cars are a prime example of how automation in robotics creates a more cost effective, accurate, and therefore efficient option than the human option of old.