Manufacturing AUTOMATION magazine

"Canada's leading publication providing industrial automation news and technology information aimed at the discrete and process industries."

E-newsletter
May 2006
Volume 4, Issue 5

Today's e-newsletter is sponsored by...

A driving force in Canada since 1974, SEW-Eurodrive is the world leader in drive technology. SEW offers the industry's
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In this issue

From the editor: Budget 2006: A hit or a miss?
In the news

Berlet Magnetics acquires division of Eriez
ISA EXPO 2007 returns to Houston
Fluke adds thermography to its education program

People watching
Product focus: Motion control
Mark your calendars

From the editor

Budget 2006: A hit or a miss?

The feds unveiled the first conservative budget in more than a decade last week, and it is good news for Canadian manufacturers. Budget 2006 commits to keeping manufacturers' tax rates internationally competitive and opens the door to solidifying the issue of tax competitiveness as a priority for the future.

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) president and CEO Perrin Beatty says he is encouraged, calling it "a better budget for business" than the country has seen in the last five years. "While it falls short of CME's standard for tax competitiveness, it does include measures that will have a real benefit for business," says Beatty. "We weren't expecting a budget that would make competitiveness a priority, so this is definitely a positive step forward."

To make Canada's tax system more internationally competitive, the budget proposes to reduce the general corporate income tax rate to 19 per cent from 21 per cent by 2010; eliminate the corporate surtax for all corporations as of January 1, 2008; and eliminate the federal capital tax as of January 1, 2006, two years ahead of schedule. In addition, the budget supports a more skilled and educated workforce by proposing a new tax credit of up to $2,000 for employers who hire apprentices — a great incentive that will go a long way to encourage manufacturers to take on apprentices. For those companies who were having trouble seeing the benefit before, perhaps these numbers will give them the push they need to help groom future manufacturers. The budget also proposes a $1,000 grant for first- and second-year apprentices.

Some are very pleased with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's budget, while others are calling it a bunch of hot air, criticizing Harper for giving Canadians tax credits rather than funneling that money back to the provinces.

Politicians know that you can't make everyone happy, but Canadian manufacturers have a reason to pleased with this year's budget. It may not give them all of the tax breaks they want or need, but it is a start. And it supports tax breaks for businesses, as well as education — two things that Canada's manufacturing industry needs to stay competitive.

What do you think of the budget? What impact will it have on your business? Please send me a note and let me know what you think.

All the best,

Mary Del Ciancio
Editor
mdelciancio@clbmedia.ca

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Overall, were you generally happy with the measures outlined in Budget 2006?

Take the poll

Stay tuned for the May 2006 issue of Manufacturing AUTOMATION:

Cover story: Safety
Melitron Corporation has a true vision of safety at its Guelph, Ont.-based facility since installing a vision-based safeguarding solution on its press brake machines. We take a look inside the manufacturing plant and learn the benefits of such a solution.

Feature: Data acquisition
RFID is not just for supply chains. This article explores applications for RFID in manufacturing, and the opportunities associated with implementing RFID in a closed-loop environment. If you're trying to assess whether the technology makes sense for you, check out this article, which also includes a checklist of things to consider before implementing RFID.

Feature: Highlights from National Manufacturing Week
A snapshot of the people, products and presenters at National Manufacturing Week 2006.

Plus: News, appointment announcements and trends, as well as a selection of the latest wire and cable products, motion control products, data acquisition solutions, and communications and networking devices.

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In the news

Berlet Magnetics acquires division of Eriez
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Berlet Magnetics has acquired the specialty products division of Eriez of Canada, a provider of permanent magnet and electromagnet products. Berlet Magnetics is a division of Berlet Group of Companies, an ISO registered organization that has been designing, supplying and servicing industrial products across Canada for 45 years.
"[The] acquisition of [the] specialty products division allows Berlet to expand its scope of operations in magnets and magnetic-based equipment and solutions," says Dale McMillan, Berlet's vice-president.
Berlet Magnetics is located in Mississauga, Ont.

ISA Expo 2007 returns to Houston
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — ISA Expo 2007 will be held at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas from October 16 to 18. The event provides automation professionals with information about technology developments and applications, and gives them the opportunity to attend training programs, see trend-setting hardware, software and services, and network with thousands of professionals from around the world.
ISA Expo 2006 will be held in Houston, at the Reliant Center, from October 17 to 19.
www.isa.org

Fluke adds thermography to its education program
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Fluke Electronics Canada, a provider of professional electronic test tools, has added a new module on thermography and thermal imaging applications to its Education Partnership Program. The module, available free of charge to educators, provides more than two dozen application notes, case studies and training articles, a PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes, and a poster illustrating common thermography measurements.
The Fluke Education Partnership Program combines educational materials and application information with product discounts. Current modules available include: thermography; insulation resistance testing; oscilloscope ABCs; motor troubleshooting and maintenance; power quality; electrical measurement safety; electrical measurements on adjustable-speed drives; basic electrical measurement; process instrument calibration and maintenance; harmonics; and maintaining and troubleshooting HVAC/R systems.
Educators can enrol in the program by visiting http://support.fluke.com/educators.

Today's e-newsletter is sponsored by...

Manufacturing companies must follow bold initiatives to achieve sustainable Profitable Growth.
We help individuals and teams acquire and use 'Knowledge for Profitable Growth'.
Please visit www.essbsi.com

People watching

Thomas Ferguson

Ferguson elected president of the Hydraulic Institute
DALLAS, Texas — Thomas Ferguson has been elected president of the Hydraulic Institute for the 2006-2007 term. He will also serve as a member of the board of directors. Ferguson is a vice-president of Flowserve Corp., a provider of fluid motion and control products and services, and president of Flowserve Pumps. He has more than 24 years of experience in the flow control industry, including more than 15 years with Flowserve and one of its predecessor companies, BW/IP International. Prior to serving as president of Flowserve Pumps, a position he has held since 2003, Ferguson was president of Flowserve Flow Solutions. Before that, he spent nine years in various sales, marketing, technical and general management positions within Flow Solutions.
The Hydraulic Institute is an association of pump producers and suppliers in North America.
www.pumps.org

Harsco promotes Gerson
HARRISBURG, Penn. — Scott Gerson has been promoted to the position of vice-president and chief information officer at Harsco Corporation, a worldwide industrial services and products company. Prior to joining Harsco in early 2005 as vice-president of information technology, Gerson held senior management positions within the IT industry.
www.harsco.com

Product focus: Motion Control

Brushless DC servomotors
Pittman brand Elcom ST Series 1300 slotted brushless DC servomotors can achieve peak torque from 12.6 to 54.3 oz.-in., and continuous torque from five to nine ounce-inches, depending on the model. Robust rotor construction allows rotational speeds up to 8,000 revolutions per minute.
Three sensors are incorporated as standard components to provide rotor position feedback for electronic commutation. Other standard features include three-phase stator with six-slot silicon steel laminations; four-pole rotor integrating high-energy neodymium ring magnets for optimized motor performance; and large ABEC ball bearings with high dynamic load ratings up to 390 lb.
The motors are available in three lengths — 1.5, two and 2.5 inches.
PennEngineering Motion Technologies
www.pennmotion.com

Drive control
Wago Corporation has announced the addition of motion control capability in the Wago-I/O-System family of products. The 750-670 module provides stepper motor and servo drive control in a compact, 12-mm-wide package.
The 750-670 supports two pulse output patterns, step/direction or incremental encoder, which are configured via a function block in Wago's IEC 61131-3 programming tool, Wago-I/O-Pro CAA. Communication with the stepper or servo drive is established via an RS-422 interface and controlled by a variable output frequency up to 500 kHz. Two digital inputs can be configured to support common motion signals such as start/stop, jog/trip, right/left, reference, next position, end/stop and master clock. In addition, more than 16 different fieldbus communication types are available. Other features include 24-bit resolution for accurate positioning, and eight LEDs for status indication and diagnostics.
Wago
www.wago.com

Today's e-newsletter is sponsored by...

Mark your calendars

Six Sigma Summit
May 30 - June 1, 2006
The Holiday Inn on King, Toronto, Ont.
The conference covers Six Sigma in the manufacturing and service sectors. The sessions will also cover how to achieve continuing results and maintain senior management buy-in. For more information, visit www.iqpc-canada.com.

The 2006 Canadian Apprenticeship Forum
June 4-6, 2006
The Delta Centre-Ville, Montreal, Que.
Delegates will hear about the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum's research on the cost of apprenticeship and return on training investment. Updates on the Promoting Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship project will also be provided. Visit www.caf-fca.org for additional information.

ESPRIT World Conference 2006
June 5-8, 2006
Monterey, Calif.
The conference is designed to provide education and technical training on the latest version of ESPRIT software. Activities include brief general session meetings for all attendees, followed by a selection of intensive technical training sessions. For more information, visit www.dptechnology.com.

Lean Ergonomics Seminar
June 6-7, 2006
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Hosted by Humantech Inc., the conference will provide attendees with information to leverage ergonomic principles in lean manufacturing activities. Additional course information and online registration are available at www.humantech.com/seminars, or by calling Lauren Caris at 734-663-3330, ext. 137.

Southwestern Ontario Industrial Show (SOIS)
June 7-8, 2006
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, Kitchener, Ont.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a showcase of manufacturing solutions in Southwestern Ontario; hear insights about the future of manufacturing in the area; and view live machinery and product demonstrations. To register, visit www.reedexpo.ca/southwestern/.

Measure up for success
June 12-15, 2006
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.
Attendees will have access to more than 12 plant/facility tours, 20 workshops and eight international keynote speakers. For more information, visit www.measureupforsuccess.com.

Advanced Manufacturing Technologies 2006
June 19-21, 2006
London, Ont.
Sponsored by the Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Institute, the workshop is a forum to discuss emerging technologies and learn about the latest developments in manufacturing technologies. For more information, contact Hatty Verberne at 519-430-7092 or hatty.verberne@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

MainTrain 2006: Mastering Maintenance
November 28-29, 2006
Novotel Toronto Center, Toronto, Ont.
MainTrain 2006, the Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada's (PEMAC) third annual maintenance and physical asset management conference and workshop, gathers maintenance experts, consultants, practitioners and technology vendors to learn about asset optimization, equipment reliability and maintenance training. For more information, call 905-823-7255 or visit www.maintrain.ca.

Today's e-newsletter is sponsored by...

Machine safeguarding guide includes free CD-ROM version

Scientific Technologies, Inc. (STI) introduces their free 2006 Machine and Process Safeguarding Guide. This 850+ page guide is the most comprehensive machine and process safety product and technical reference guide available today. It includes 100+ pages of educational resource material, and features nearly 30 new products across a broad spectrum of safety technologies. The guide also comes in a CD-ROM version that contains the complete STI catalog, as well as Product Certificates and Declarations of Conformity, and downloadable CAD drawings.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you would like to share your comments about this e-newsletter, or have a news tip for Manufacturing AUTOMATION, please e-mail Mary Del Ciancio, Editor.

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