Re-release (hopefully this one transferred in its entirety) of Gary's update of ISA Expo and Advantech Conference. Recorded in Suzhou, China.

Gary interviews David Deitz, director of product marketing for Delta V, at the Emerson Global Users Exchange in Orlando about the rollout of the new DeltaV version 11 and its significant new features.

Recognizing considerable industry interest in the reorganization that created Invensys Operations Management, Gary sat down with IOM vice presidents Mark Davidson (global marketing) and Rashesh Mody (portfolio and strategy). The discussion included the new mission and how integration of the overall division's portfolio is evolving. The division includes such venerable brands as Avantis, Eurotherm, Foxboro, SimSci-Esscor, Triconex and Wonderware. Perhaps for the first time since they were brought together under Invensys the potential that could be achieved through integration is coming about.

Gary discusses the ISA Marketing & Sales Symposium and social media, discusses ratification of the ISA100.11a wireless network standard and implications versus WirelessHart, new products from Longwatch, Kepware and Online Development, plus his upcoming trips to Invensys Operations Management Client Conference, Emerson Exchange and ISA Expo.

Updated show notes: Gary talks with Mike Miller, business development manager with Rockwell Automation, about new machine safety standards effective Dec. 29, 2009. Functional safety is defined. EN ISO 13849 and IEC 62061 which replace EN 954 are explained. The impact of these standards and eventual benefits for machine builders and end users alike are also discussed. We learned on 9/9/09 that the European Commission has decided to postpone the deadline for manufacturers to comply with the new functional safety standard EN ISO 13849-1. In the meantime, they can continue designing to safety standard EN 954-1. The Commission said no further extension will be granted after 2012.

Gary goes international and talks Lean Manufacturing with Jean-Christophe Ledoux of consulting firm Accenture and Yves Vergnolle, of software supplier Apriso about a project where the companies combined to provide a software solution to companies looking for tools to help them implement Lean Manufacturing. The guests call in from France for this episode.

In this episode, Gary discusses the National Instruments NI Week reporting on LabView upgrades and parallel programming.

Gary discusses the recent organization moves at Invensys in this podcast from his mobile studio.

Gary talks with Mike Miller, business development manager with Rockwell Automation, about new machine safety standards effective Dec. 29, 2009. Functional safety is defined. EN ISO 13849 and IEC 62061 which replace EN 954 are explained. The impact of these standards and eventual benefits for machine builders and end users alike are also discussed.

Gary interviews John Dyck in this episode. John is Chairman of MESA International, the association for Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions. He discusses the new directions for MESA, the reasons that this software area is important to manufacturers and the new and exciting format for the association's gathering in the spring of 2010.

Gary interviews Lee Lane, business director, controller and visualization business, Rockwell Automation about what makes programmable automation controllers (PACs) different from programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in this series on control.

Back from vacation and a couple of trips Gary recounts his Middle East vacation (yes it was quite safe where he was). He recaps the ABB Automation and Power World conference, the Packaging Automation Forum and offers his point of view on the rumored Emerson acquisition of Rockwell. Aren't rumors great? Plus other news from the world of automation.

Gary Mintchell talks with Keith Updike, managing director of BBK--a manufacturing consulting firm--about Lean Thinking. The discussion includes ideas of implementing Lean and a vision of what a Lean Lifestyle entails.

Gary takes a look back at 2008 and ahead to 2009. Changes in automation supplier leadership are noted, and he exhorts listeners to promote the economic need for manufacturing to regain prominence in the United States.

Joe Grove, vice president of engineering at OSSID, a Pro Mach company, joins Gary for this discussion of how a packaging industry equipment manufacturer can use new technology along with in depth customer research to redesign machinery to achieve a competitive advantage and give customers added value.

Gary reports from Pack Expo. Thoughts on automation suppliers competing for OEM business, the recent spate of government bailouts and the upcoming Safety Automation Forum.

The HTML of process control. Gary interviews Jonas Berge, Director of PlantWeb Consulting for Emerson Process Management in Singapore. He discusses EDDL (electronic device description language), describing what it is, how it is used and the overall system from intelligent instruments to how the information is displayed in a client computer. More information is available at www.eddl.org.

Gary reviews trips to the Emerson Global Users Exchange and WonderWorld conferences. He offers thoughts on changes at Rockwell Automation.

Gary interviews Geoff Wickens, systems solutions manager for Endress + Hauser and a member of the marketing committee of the FDT Group. Wickens explains what FDT does and why it is of value for users of instrumentation and asset management systems.

Gary resumes his interview series with Paul Wacker on Ethernet. Paul is a product manager at Advantech and discusses technology and application of Power over Ethernet. This interview will also be the subject of an email newsletter sponsored by Advantech. Paul's previous interviews on Ethernet have been well regarded in the industry.

Recording in the mobile studio, Gary reflects on leadership and energy issues from his trip to Las Vegas to attend the Schneider Electric customer conference. That's two straight weeks of record attendance at conferences in a supposedly down economy. He also discusses the latest Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture release. He concludes with a discussion of the Packaging Automation Forum.

Recording in the mobile studio Gary catches up with a few weeks of travels including the Siemens ExiderDome, ideas from meetings at Emerson and NI Week. He takes a look at marketing, the automation system, need for accurate information from field devices, green automation, education and selling your ideas.

Gary reviews recent news in wireless, challenges listeners to read the Bill of Rights in honor of July 4, reports on Foxboro's 100 years celebration and discusses Honeywell Users Group.

Gary reviews what he learned from trips to Siemens, Automation Direct and B&R Automation, then the Rockwell Software RSTechEd event in Orlando. He includes a look at Rockwell Software strategy and business and the high points from Alvin Toffler's keynote and Q&A session at RS TechEd. He concludes with thoughts on making manufacturing an integral part of a company's business.

Gary offers an opinion on the Microsoft/Yahoo fiasco and the HP/EDS purchase. He discusses his recent trip to Texas and the ABB User Group and visits to National Instruments and Emerson Process. He concludes with thoughts on the progress of ISA100 wireless communication committee.

On the road again with Gary as he discusses the upcoming Automation Forum in May, automation supplier financials and the impact of the declining dollar, Jeff Hawkins and "On Intelligence" and Rockwell Automation's acquisition of Incuity.

Gary reviews the Yokogawa user conference and gives a virtual tour of the Siemens ExiderDome traveling exhibit in Mexico. He also discusses the struggles of Dell and Boeing in manufacturing. A final thought about wireless and the recent Webcast on wireless concludes the podcast.

On the road again, Gary reviews the WBF meeting, Interphex and a trip to ABB to take a technology dive into its system architecture. He also reviews Nicholas Carr's "The Big Switch."

Gary discusses new software from GE Fanuc that meets the competitive challenge and raises the ante. He also extends a challenge to OMAC to keep its momentum going, discusses wireless sensor products, green automation, an upcoming Wireless Webcast and the Packaging Automation Forum.

From his mobile studio on the backroads of Indiana, Gary discusses the departure of Fred Kindle from ABB and offers news and opinions of the news from the ARC Forum in Orlando

Kris Pister, CTO and founder of Dust Networks discusses wireless sensor networks, what mesh networking is, offers evidence of reliability and security, and discusses the economics of implementing the technology.

Happy New Year thoughts about top trends in automation for 2008. Technologies--networking, wireless, information and controllers. Also, how will the strategies of the automation technology suppliers play out during the year. Will there be more sales made over the Web this year?

Gary discusses the Make2Pack committee meeting, Rockwell/Dassault collaboration for digital factory, programming and time to market for OEMs.

Gary discusses the OMAC Symposium, standards, Honeywell's equipment health monitor, NI's move to OEM volume products, The Long Tail and why you should blog.

Gary interviews Jeff Becker of Honeywell Process Solutions about wireless technologies for industrial use including wireless sensor networks, WiFi, wireless for control and an update on the ISA SP100 committee.

Gary interviews Dave Bauman, Technical Director of OMAC. Dave reviews the OMAC presence at Pack Expo and explains what is happening with the organization's first annual Symposium to be held in the Seattle area Nov. 28-29. A tour of the Boeing 787 assembly facility is included in the conference. Discussion will center on integrating standards across process and discrete industries. Sign up at www.omac.org.

It's all about Ethernet. Gary talks with Paul Wacker, product manager for industrial communications at Advantech Corp. Topics include managed versus unmanaged switches, when to use IGMP snooping with EtherNet/IP and other protocols, the value of virtual LANs and some tips on network security.

Gary discusses Wonderware's latest product announcements plus product announcements and strategies gleaned from the Emerson Global Users Exchange in Dallas. He also reports on a new online store for automation components.

Gary excerpts his marketing communications keynote at PTO, updates the State Model challenge from end users discussing an interview with Rockwell and NI's new state chart module, reviews technology advances revealed at NI Week, and touches on travel to SEW Eurodrive and Ohio Northern University's robot lab.

Gary interviews Dave Bauman, Technical Director of OMAC. They discuss OMAC technologies such as PackML and PackTags plus OMAC's plans for demonstrations of technology during Pack Expo in Las Vegas October 16-18.

Gary updates Emerson's wireless information, addresses response to his challenge to automation suppliers about machine programming
and takes a look at brain drain.

Gary talks strategies in the wireless market and in the ever more competitive process automation market. He issues another challenge to machine control tech suppliers to make their programming environments more user friendly after Rockwell Automation accepted his last challenge to discuss their approach.

Gary visits the Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems Forum and Packaging Automation Forum, editorializes on programming standards and discusses the Rockwell purchase of IMS Triplex.

Gary visits Interphex, WBF and Matrikon conferences. How can we get people involved in technical leadership in automation?

Automating agriculture, OPC security, Schneider Electric support for CIP networks, FDT/EDDL cooperation, Hart Wireless Spec.

Gary Mintchell chats with Jim Pinto about his recent trip to India and a tour of Infosys. Information includes thoughts on global competitiveness, training, recruitment, ideas for American competitiveness.

Guest Paul Wacker, eAutomation Product Manager, discusses Ethernet in manufacturing with host Gary Mintchell. Topics include manufacturing environment and network administration tips.

News from ARC Forum and Fieldbus Foundation annual meeting including reports of interviews with industry CEOs, new products and more.

Siemens purchase, Bosch Rexroth technology, shout out to Radwell, Honeywell joint effort, who goes to conferences.

Emerson wireless announcement, process control system migration, is M2M growing, programming methods and systems

Built-to-change organizations, teams beat strategy every time, new year's resolutions (not)

News from Invensys User Conference, wireless, Make2Pack meeting, selling the new software solutions.

Innovation and leadership, the Yokogawa North American Users Conference. Technology and performance management.

Pack Expo observations; variable frequency drives; Schneider Electric changes; having great panel discussions.

News from Automation Fair including new products and important announcements on software direction.

News from the ISA Expo in Houston. Developments in wireless sensor networks.

News from the Emerson Exchange on wireless and from MESA International on Metrics Matter.

Gary interviews Carter Johnson, vice president of Visiprise and conference chair of the MESA International Plant2Enterprise conference that will be held October 9-12 at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando.

Production performance management and manufacturing intelligence. Empower operators to operate a plant profitably. Organize for the 21st century. Adobe version 8 3D and Connect.

eMvoy, a new company that offers nationwide rating of manufacturers searchable by location or category. OMAC comments and questions. New book "Thinking for a Living" about managing knowledge workers.

Trip reports on Profibus (PTO) annual meeting in Phoenix, National Instruments' NI Week and trip to Emerson Process. News from Automation Federation, HMS and general fieldbus thoughts.

Interview with John Ross of Citect
Dealing with Darwin
Guns, Germs and Steel
IAONA disbands
See you at Profibus Annual Meeting in Phoenix
Control cover story on Fighting the Fieldbus Wars -- really it's no longer war, just competition

Return from Alaska; ARC Forum; OPC UA spec released along with vendor support; Siemens and Emerson work for interoperability plus challenge to ODVA; manufacturing analysis-GM, Ford, Airbus;
Schneider, Invensys, MESA conferences; send ideas for 2007 coverage.

Honeywell Users Group and Rockwell Automation RSTechEd. Editor ethics, process control systems forum and energy harvesting device to charge batteries.

Reports on GE Fanuc and Siemens users groups, on demand computing and mobile applications.

Gary Mintchell's Automation Minutes including further notes on news from Hannover, MES/HMI and PLM combination, ISA standards updates, the ABB users conference and the Packaging Automation Forum.

Report on Boston trip for Invensys InFusion announcement. Report from Hannover Fair.

Not an April Fools joke, but ruminations on some market forces affecting automation professionals. Also announcing my upcoming trip to the Hannover Fair and thoughts on the Automation Federation (what, no AA 12-step jokes?).

Another edition of Gary Mintchell's Automation Minutes. News on important software survey, notes on standards, thoughts for marketing people, innovation and adoption of technology.

News and views from the world of automation from the editor in chief of Automation World magazine. Includes discussion of software interoperability and some Linux and Java thoughts.

Live from the ARC Forum in Orlando, Rockwell Sr. VP of Global Industry Solutions Keiran Coulton discusses his new role and the company's emphasis on vertical industry solutions.

Sitting in for Gary Mintchell, Dave Newcorn speaks with P&G's open architecture evangelist, Dave Chappell, direct from Italy, on the results of the Make2Pack meeting held earlier in the day with about 40 Italian packaging machinery OEMs. Chappell talks about the implications of Make2Pack for all machine builders, both foreign and domestic, as well as end users.

Some marketers "get it" and some don't. I just had a meeting with Bengt and Victoria from the Swedish HMI manufacturer Beijer, and they "get it." That is, they understand where automation is today and how to build a smart company.

Many executives are moaning about the coming loss of expertise as baby boomers retire taking all their knowledge with them. As Dorothy Leonard details in her books "Wellsprings of Knowledge" and "Deep Smarts" they really should be building a learning organization and building their knowledge pools to avoid that disaster.

Manufacturing software industry consolidation took a new turn last week as Gary Mintchell describes in this podcast. Not only was one company acquired, but a venture firm took an equity stake in another company and raised the bidding for a third. RSS has had a tremendous impact on the way information flows over the Web. Shouldn’t manufacturing software suppliers be looking at this technology as well?