User conference, pump portal, new company, and FDA compliance

Automation architecture leverages legacy systems Invensys released its new automation architecture at its user conference, Invensys Showcase, held the second week of September in Orlando, FL. ArchestrA is a comprehensive plant automation and information architecture that extends the life of legacy systems by leveraging the latest software available for those systems.

By Jack Smith, Senior Editor, Plant Engineering Magazine October 15, 2002

Automation architecture leverages legacy systems

Invensys released its new automation architecture at its user conference, Invensys Showcase, held the second week of September in Orlando, FL. ArchestrA is a comprehensive plant automation and information architecture that extends the life of legacy systems by leveraging the latest software available for those systems. Offerings built on this architecture enable decision makers to achieve business goals without abandoning prior investments in automation systems, production processes, or intellectual property. Software applications can be rapidly assembled rather than programmed. Reassembling existing applications can create new ones.

ArchestrA is said to be middleware that makes use of Microsoft Windows infrastructure to bring its users synergistic functionality using OPC and XML technologies. The middleware architecture is being applied across the spectrum of the Invensys company brands.

Field management demonstrated

Also demonstrated at Invensys Showcase was Foxboro’s I/A Series Field Device Manager (FDM). The FDM software is said to provide a universal solution for configuring, monitoring, and managing any field device tool (FDT)-compliant field device, regardless of device, vendor, or communications protocol. It will become a component within the ArchestrA integrated development environment.

It also provides extended frame services that make data from FDT-compliant field devices available to higher level applications using standard XML schema. This includes valve diagnostic applications, real-time alert applications, and preventive and predictive asset management applications.

Pump sizing and selection portal launched

PUMP-FLO Solutions has launched pump-flo.com , a free pump sizing and selection internet portal developed by Engineered Software, Inc. The service allows users to size, select, and configure centrifugal pumps from leading manufacturers’ catalogs. It also allows users to generate a dynamic pump curve based on a system design point curve. Additional search criteria includes fluid properties, motor sizing, NPSH calculations, pump limits, and system operating points. Once a dynamic pump curve is generated, users have the ability to trim impeller diameters, adjust operating speeds, and generate PDF curves and data sheet reports.

New software company formed

Newly formed Digital Facilities Corp. is a privately funded company that specializes in building management software and services. It offers integrated software solutions, consulting, and online services to building owners, plant managers, plant engineers, service providers (contractors, consultants, and distributors), and product manufacturers. It also plans to offer vertically integrated software tools that can be deployed in sync with each other.

The new company also announced it has signed licensing agreements with Toronto-based Digital Roof Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, it will offer enhanced versions of InfoRoof Professional, which features an organized database system, roof maintenance program, and report generators; and Proposal Writer, which produces professional quality proposals and reports that can incorporate photos and CAD drawings. InfoRoof Online will also be upgraded.

CMMS/EAM provider FDA compliant

SYNERGEN, Inc., a Walnut Creek, CA, CMMS/EAM provider, recently upgraded its Synergen Series, which will allow it to meet the FDA’s 21 CFR Part 11 compliance requirements.

The aforementioned FDA decree was born out of a public health protection mandate initiated in the 1990s requiring compliance of all regulated electronic records systems in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical products, cosmetics, food, and fine chemicals industries. The ruling requires companies to enact a validated system in which their electronics records and signatures are trustworthy, reliable, secure, and as legally binding as paper records and written signatures.

In the critical areas of security and auditing, Synergen had developed an architecture that provides a comprehensive audit trail with easily managed, user-defined audit logs. Security features require three levels of signature verification, ensuring integrity in secure data, transactions, record keeping, and binding electronic signature.