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Control systems and automation
B
ritish advanced engineering software specialist Emuate3D has
joined the e-F@ctoryAlliance of Mitsubishi Electric Europe, bring-
ing emulation and simulation software which reduces commissioning
time and cost for
Mitsubishi
controllers.
Emulate3D equipment layout models are designed to look and
work just like the real systems they represent, providing a valid test
bed for the control systems. Users can rapidly create layouts and
introduce products into the models for system validation prior to
hardware build.The software allows real-time testing of all controls,
enabling potential issues to be identified and corrected, and allowing
operators to become familiar with the systemoperation before it even
exists in its physical form.
Providing engineering designers with a virtual design and com-
missioning system, Emulate3D enables comprehensive testing of
complex control systems to be performed far earlier in the develop-
ment process. Not only does this accelerate development, it also
provides far greater scope for making operational changes that will
improve the control system.With all the development and validation
work performed so early in the design cycle, eventual installation
times for the hardware and the subsequent commissioning times
are significantly reduced.
The result of using Emulate3D software is more thoroughly tested
and robust control systems, delivered on time and to the client’s
specification. For the integrator, this means lower implementation
and support costs, and for the end user it means on-time production
starts, and faster ramps up to full production.
Enquiries: Visit www.mitsubishi-automation.com.
C
opa’s NET Protector surge arrester pro-
tects switches, Ethernet hubs and 10/100
Base T systems against surges. The device
provides low protection levels for all lines
and is suitable for use according to the light-
ning protection zone concept at boundaries 1
– 2 and higher.The 19” enclosure is equipped
with up to three eight-way surge protection
boards and only requires the space of one
vertical module for 24-ports. NET Protector
modules are normally installed in the 19”
cabinet, which houses the hub or switch.
They are inserted as a patch panel with
surge protection, or as a retrofitted device
for patching between the patch panel and
the device to be protected.The NET Protector
with its completely shielded 19” enclosure
and its 4TP panel for 100 BaseT Ethernet has
RJ45 connectors on both input and output
and is supplied with 1mfly leads as standard.
Only 1U in height with a depth of 80 mm,
the NET Protector surge protection modules
are available in eight, 16 and 24-way formats,
and are fitted with eight-way shielded con-
nectors.The NET Protectors offer a 100Mbps
data transmission rate and a response time
of < 1ns. A different protective circuit and
connection are provided by the protective
boards. Copa is represented locally by
Surgetek
.
Enquiries: Paul van As.Tel. 011 792 1303/4/5 or
email info@surgetek.co.za.
I
t is often said that central to cloud computing is the notion of loca-
tion independence.You don’t need to knowwhere the infrastructure
supporting the cloud sits, and you don’t care. As long as the cloud
delivers computing and storage capacity to the end user as well as
access to application software and databases, all within an expecta-
tion of a high degree of reliability and redundancy, the end user no
longer has to think about the data centre.
Following the ITWEB Cloud & Virtualisation Conference held in
Johannesburg in July, it was obvious to me that too little time is
spent thinking about the back end infrastructure when it comes to
cloud. Cloud offers the virtual delivery of data centre components:
virtual servers and storage and virtual networking. The decision to
house your cloud services operation, or actual cloud within a data
centre should involve consideration of connectivity and down time,
and the ability to match capacity with the requirement of the cloud.
In many respects, the concept of cloud and that of data centre
colocation are alike in their cost saving benefits to the organisation.
Accessing business applications through the internet reduces IT ex-
penditure and resource costs in the same manner as outsourcing your
data centre requirements.The cost of designing and building a data
centre is one saving, but the benefits of vendor neutrality in a data
centre and having access to numerous connections out of the environ-
ment is in most cases not possible for most in-house data centres.
Enquiries: Lex vanWyk.Teraco.Tel. 0860 837 226.
Valid test-bed for control systems
Surge protection for IT systems
Cloud is reliant on the data centre
Electricity+Control
September ‘12
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