Industrial Factory Automation

The Technology Academy 's expert Simon Robertson has developed two courses for those working in technology industries. 'Successful Project Management for Technical Professionals' and 'Successful Risk Management for Technical Professionals' will take place on 29-30 April and 13-14 May respectively, at The Holiday Inn, south Reading. The Technology Academy's new courses will equip technical managers and team leaders with the necessary tools to reduce project costs, improve team efficiency, reduce risks and improve design quality and system performance. The intensive two-day workshops will provide participants with proven techniques, processes and tools to deliver challenging technical projects on time, to budget and within specification. Course leader and trainer Simon Robertson, is an experienced project manager that has worked within leading technology companies such as Microsoft and Fujitsu for the past 20 years, successfully delivering various ground-breaking ...

Evologics S2C acoustic modems have been used in an underwater communication project for the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) in Singapore. I2R is building an Underwater Acoustic Sensor Network (UASN) and the S2C acoustic modems perform as network adapters for underwater nodes, providing both the physical layer and the data link layer required for networking applications. Robust instant message delivery and an efficient high-speed point-to-point communication, together with broadcasting capability, is said to allow for powerful network protocol development. I2R tried out different networking protocols, evaluating their feasibility for various application scenarios. I2R reported that the reliability features on S2C modems helped achieve excellent packet delivery ratios. Results from the experiment over four hop networks showed P2P mode with achievement of 100 per cent packet delivery.

Biofocus has received EUR1.6m (GBP1.43m) in target acceptance payments for its oncology target discovery collaboration with Ortho Biotech Oncology, part of Janssen Pharmaceutica. In the two-year target discovery collaboration, initiated in January 2008, Biofocus performed assay development using cancer cells, target discovery with the Silenceselect adenoviral collection and target validation. As part of the collaboration, Biofocus developed advanced cellular assays using high-content imaging and identified and validated novel drug targets for cancer areas with unmet medical need. The collaboration has been extended into 2010 to enable Biofocus to further develop complex screening assays for additional targets. Biofocus may receive success-based payments of up to an additional EUR4.5m should certain downstream criteria be reached by Janssen.

Rotork has announced how it has supplied more than 80 ATEX-approved IQPro intelligent electric actuators with factory fitted Profibus cards for the Vopak Skarvik 1 project in Gothenburg. Skarvik 1 is a fully automated petroleum tank storage project 10 new tanks are being constructed and a PLC-controlled SCADA system installed to enable Class 1 hazardous products including petroleum to be pumped to and from any location on the site. Rotork's actuators will take on flow control duties throughout the site, operating gate valves on the tanks and on a new main manifold and pipe rack that will distribute the products around the plant.