Cisco Partnership Headlines Emerson Wireless News
For a largely invisible networking technology, industrial wireless sure is showing some serious punch lately.

Emerson Process Management shared success stories and unveiled wireless initiatives on several new fronts at its Global Users Exchange 2007 conference and exhibition held this week at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas, near Dallas.

Emerson not only extended its PlantWeb architecture with a variety of new Smart Wireless solutions, it also unveiled a partnership with Cisco to deliver open-standard solutions for plant network-level wireless applications. Perhaps most important, Emerson reported on seven end users who have implemented its wireless solutions and achieved significant efficiency gains, time and labor savings, and other benefits.

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“By delivering a combined wireless architecture from Emerson and Cisco, we are enabling our process manufacturing customers to deploy flexible, scalable and safe wireless solutions and mobility applications in rugged plant environments.” Maciej Kranz of Cisco on his company’s strategic alliance with Emerson Process Management.

A Lesson in Leadership from Pastor Dave
Dave Beckmann, retired Emerson vice president of marketing, leaned on his training as a Presbyterian minister to deliver a classic three-point sermon on “The Engineer Revolution” during his plenary talk today. These three points, Beckmann said, are the clear indicators of to the revolution in engineering happening throughout the world—not just in process automation.

“Extraordinary performance,” he said, “requires three elements.” First, there must be a test; where there is no looming test there is no need to do anything different. Second, you must have the technology; it takes powerful tools to enable a quantum leap.

And third, you have to have the talent—knowledge-based, cross-collaborating teams that understand the challenge and employ the technology.

“It’s about creating a revolution in your own space,” Beckmann said.

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“It isn’t money or freedom or being listened that motivates people in their work: it is significance.” David Beckmann, Presbyterian pastor and retired Emerson marketing exec, offered his insights on today’s changing workforce.

DMI Acquisition Strengthens Emerson MES Offering
With the purchase earlier this year of Decision Management International, Emerson Process Management has emerged a significant player in the MES middleware space. Walt Boyes, editor-in-chief of Control, interviewed Frank Grywalski, president of Emerson/DMI, along with Bob Schiros of DMI and Bob Lenich, director of data management services and solutions for Emerson Process Management.

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People: The Only Sustainable Advantage
With a presentation sprinkled with humor, real-life examples and just plain common sense, Peter Schutz, former CEO of Porsche A.G., spoke to a capacity crowd during the first-ever management roundtable offered at the Emerson Global Users Exchange. Schutz currently lectures on leadership and business management techniques worldwide. He is author of The Driving Force, which also is available as a video.

"My formal training is as an engineer," he explained. "My favorite philosopher is Yogi Berra, who said, 'you can observe a lot if you just watch."

In the early days of business, a handshake was a contract. Then, administration was invented, which later spawned a whole new establishment called the business school, Schutz quipped. The companies that created centralized approaches to business administration first had competitive advantage. That was when computers were the size of an entire room, and only large companies could afford them. But since that time, a lot has changed. Computers are inexpensive, small and everyone has them.

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“Plan like a democracy, but implement like a dictatorship.” Peter Schutz, diesel engineer turned CEO of Porsche A.G., offered his take of on the keys to business success.

Partial-Stroke Testing Reduces $99 Million Risk
Some valves are a little stickier than others. Some are a lot stickier.

Operators at Valero’s refinery in Memphis, Tenn., had been suffering with an especially troublesome snort valve for several years until they got some help from their friends at VRC Co., Emerson Process Management’s sales representative in Brunswick, Tenn. The 24-in Fisher 8532 butterfly valve and its accessories are part of the 186,000-bpd refinery’s anti-surge application on its fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit.

The valve’s system also includes a Size 80 1061 piston actuator, go switch, manual operator, trip valve, accumulation tank and boosters on both sides of its cylinder. The valve itself is normally closed, opening only when a process upset occurs to release pressure to the atmosphere. This application also includes a 30,000 hp compressor and occupies a Class I, Div II area.

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“It’s just a butterfly valve, but associated with a really critical application.” VRC’s Zac Scott explained how partial-stroke testing helps Valero’s Memphis refinery ensure its valves work when called upon.