MatrikonOPC has announced the release of its OPC Server for Well site Information Transfer Specification (WITS) which provides open data connectivity to well site data systems using WITS-compliant devices. Areas in which WITS-based data is common at a well site include geology, drilling, cementing, drill stem testing, electronic data recorders (EDRs) that capture logging while drilling (LWD) and measurement while drilling (MWD) data.

“With the release of the OPC Server for WITS, end users gain direct access to their WITS data via any [OPC enabled] application,” said Darek Kominek, marketing manager at MatrikonOPC. “This application makes it easier to share and work with key data onsite and with the rest of the enterprise.”

Key features of the MatrikonOPC Server for WITS include:

• Support for communications through TCP/IP, UDP and/or serial channels
• Simultaneous support for WITS Level 0 compliant active and passive devices
• Permits read and write access to available data points
• Fully compliant with OPC DA 1.0, 2.0a and 3.0 specification

To learn more about the MatrikonOPC OPC Server for WITS, please visit:
http://www.matrikonopc.com/opc-drivers/opc-wits-level-0/base-driver-details.aspx

A new software generation delivers "Smart Engineering". After having successfully completed an intensive testing phase with pilot customers all over the world, Automation Studio 4 is now being made available to all users. Despite increasing product complexity, this newly designed integrated automation software fulfills three important goals at once: Keeping quality high, engineering costs low and time to market short. B&R has elevated software design efficiency to an unparalleled new level, allowing engineering processes to be implemented efficiently and effectively. Automation Studio 4 stands for "Smart Engineering".

With the new System Designer tool, hardware can be configured more easily than ever, faster than ever and with fewer errors than ever thanks to a visual editor and lifelike representations of hardware components. This design tool includes an automated plausibility check and configures basic parameter settings in addition to offering highly effective functions for reusing entire parts of a system. This approach goes a long way in providing optimal support for creating modular machines with all of their variants and options.

Product Website

Automation Studio 4 brochure

Agilent Technologies has introduced an enhanced version of its Dissolution Workstation Software, providing better data integration, method change control and instrument monitoring for controlling multiple dissolution systems. Dissolution is a technique used in the pharmaceutical industry to determine the rate at which pure active pharmaceutical ingredients dissolve.

The software supports laboratory capabilities to build, edit, search, retrieve, execute and archive all dissolution methods and test reports from a single interface. To improve efficiency, the new features allow users to:

• Consolidate and maintain electronic data in one location, with options for exporting information into a laboratory information management system or into business tools such as SAP Crystal Reports or Microsoft Excel.
• Monitor the dissolution apparatus for vibration, environmental impacts and failure investigation assistance when using the optional Instrument Module.
• Comply with the latest enhanced mechanical qualification guidelines, including verifying accessories prior to each test.
• Add an automated system-cleaning cycle to the end of each method, extending the life of dissolution equipment.

Organizations that are striving to enhance their operational efficiency and reliability can now realize additional value by utilizing the latest release of Rockwell Software Arena simulation software from Rockwell Automation. Arena v14.5 software extends the 3-D animation capabilities of the software to include material-handling components, such as conveyors and transporters.

The 3-D capabilities of Arena software enable users to better visualize the results of their business simulations in a realistic environment. These new capabilities extend this powerful visualization into the materials-handling area. Implemented within the Arena Visual Designer framework, 3-D animation components can be easily dragged and dropped into the simulation environment without the need for programming or coding.

Simulation provides insight into what changes or improvements are necessary prior to project implementation. A manufacturing plant or warehouse, for example, could determine exactly how many forklifts or how many feet of accumulator conveyor are needed in a new or existing facility before building the facility or purchasing the equipment.

“Businesses cannot afford to make costly mistakes when making changes to their business processes,” said Rob Kranz, director and general manager, Arena Software, Rockwell Automation. “The addition of 3‑D animation capabilities to material handling is one of the many ways that Arena software continues to provide companies with the means to quickly test and evaluate changes before making them in the actual process.”

For more information:

Arena Simulation Software: http://www.arenasimulation.com