April 2019  |  Vol. 4

5 Things You Need To Know

Bringing You The Latest Industry News

FEATURED THIS MONTH

  • PSS Course Catalog – 2
  • ECI Expands MSA Coverage – 3
  • IO-Link Technology – 4
  • ECI 50th Anniversary Special: Part 2 – 5
  • Flame Detection in Petrochemical Industry – 6

Welcome To Our Monthly Newsletter!

In this month’s issue of “5 Things You Need to Know”, we’ll provide insight into a few of the courses at this year’s Process Solutions Summit! Also included is an exciting announcement regarding MSA, an informative snip-it of Turck’s IO-Link Technology whitepaper, Part 2 of “The Early Days of ECI”, and the Importance of Flame Detection in the petrochemical industry.

PSS Course Catalog

Get a glimpse at some of the courses offered during this year’s Process Solutions Summit!

This year’s Process Solutions Summit (PSS) will be our biggest yet with more courses to choose from than ever before! With 36 courses available throughout the day, it may be difficult for some to decide which ones to attend. So, let’s dive into a few of them to give you a better idea!

IIoT/Industry 4.0

Today’s manufacturers need to be flexible, smarter, and more agile than ever before. Why? Because the digital transformation occurring across all industries is accelerating as connectivity to the internet continues to expand.

Taking the data collected and implementing solutions that optimize productivity and profitability are the catalysts for Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0.

Join Ankur Mohan from Rockwell Automation, Cory Perelman from CRB, or Adam Battineri from Endress+Hauser to discuss this important industry advancement!

Hands-On Demos/Labs

It’s one thing to discuss products and/or technologies, but even more beneficial to actually get hands-on with these products.

Luckily, this year’s PSS will have more hands-on opportunities and live demos than ever before. With designated areas throughout our facility, you’ll be able to get your hands on control valves, instrumentation, turbines, actuation technology, and more.

Innovative Products/Technology

From modern instrumentation to new actuation technology, this year’s PSS will feature tons of new industry innovations.

Join Endress+Hauser’s discussions on “Level Measurement in Solids Applications”, “Getting the Most Out of Your Instruments”, or BHGE Masoneilan’s on “Basics of Predictive Valve Diagnostics” and “Valve Digital Integration into Plant Asset Management Programs”.

Keep up with the latest news on the PSS by following us on social media!

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ECI Expands MSA Coverage

We shared some exciting news earlier this week! In case you missed it, read all about it below.

Earlier this week, ECI announced the expansion of our MSA Gas and Flame product lines to Industrial Applications and Markets in Northern New Jersey, Metro New York, and Long Island! We’re very excited to have this opportunity to enhance our customer service for our North Jersey and New York customers.

Our partnership with MSA spans over 30 years back to 1987 when we first began representing their Gas and Flame detection product lines. Over the past three decades, our dedicated MSA product experts and service specialists have grown into the team we have today.

Our team consists of nine talented ECI employees who provide superior levels of customer support through their knowledge and experience on MSA products/technologies. Each member of our MSA team is split between three departments: Service, Sales, and Application/Customer Support.

Our team consists of a dedicated group of account representatives, service technicians, and inside/application support:

Sales

  • Randy Ruth
  • Marcus Harburda
  • Sharon Marvill
  • Freddie Anderson
  • Jim DiNunzio

Service

  • Ed Lempa
  • Tom Baggstrom
  • David Golish
  • Kyle Devenney
  • Tameka Golden

Application/Customer Support

  • Lou Bouscio
  • Mark Donato
  • Aliza Mulloy

Learn more about our dedicated MSA team and each member in our “Meet ECI’s MSA Team” on our website here!

You can also read the full press release on our MSA expansion here!

ECI is now in Northern New Jersey and Metro New York!

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IO-Link Technology

Learn about the capabilities, limitations, and benefits IO-Link Technology provides for automated systems below!

IO-Link is a fieldbus independent communication interface for sensors and actuators. From parameter storage to detailed diagnostics, IO-Link’s advanced features and functionality have generated plenty of excitement over the years. But how does it work, and why should you care?

IO-Link applies to a broad range of applications in the automation industry, with benefits existing for even the simplest of applications.

Since it’s manufacturer and fieldbus independent, IO-Link can be implemented across a large variety of higher-level fieldbus protocols and product platforms. This is a huge benefit for engineers because they can standardize on a single sensor interface, creating uniform integration across many field-level devices.

IO-Link can also help reduce costs of specialty cabling and connectors thanks to process data being transmitted digitally.

So when is IO-Link right for your

application? Let’s take a look at an example of an application challenge to help identify how IO-Link might help you.

Challenge 1: Your I/O needs are changing, but PLC upgrade options can be inflexible or limited in I/O density.

Answer: By implementing IO-Link master fieldbus nodes, IO-Link-capable sensors, actuators, or hubs can be combined as needed to create high-density or mixed I/O systems without needing to change the PLC’s capabilities.

Read Turck’s full white paper to learn more about how IO-Link technology can enhance your process, saving you time and money!

IO-Link’s advanced features and functionality have generated plenty of excitement

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The Early Days of ECI – Part 2

In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, let’s take a look at the next part in the Early Days of ECI!

As you may already know, this year is Eastern Controls’ 50th Anniversary! In celebration, we wanted to share some notable parts of our history with you throughout the year. In the second part of our “Early Days of ECI” series, we’ll dive into the 1980s and 1990s – a pivotal time for our business!

In the 1980s, ECI said hello to new business and goodbye to old friends. Richard “Dick” Bright retired from ECI in 1986, leaving behind a legacy of exceptional service.

In 1987, ECI was awarded a partnership with Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) as their fixed gas and flame detection representative in the Mid-Atlantic region. By this time, MSA had established a strong 73-year reputation as the leading innovator in fixed and portable gas detection, along with their other lines of other safety equipment.

The 1990s brought even more opportunities for continued growth. In 1991, Robert Glomeau, a friend of Cliff McLaughlin Sr.

from their days working with Masoneilan, approached ECI with a new product he invented – what we know today as the REXA Actuator.

In 1994, ECI celebrated 25 years of exceptional growth and attended the National ISA Convention in Philadelphia, PA with our manufacturing partners to commemorate this milestone. And again in 1999, ECI celebrated another milestone – 30 years!

Stay tuned for the third and final part in our “Early Days of ECI” series, which will be released in May’s edition of 5 Things You Need to Know!

Check out Part 2 of our 3-part dive into ECI’s history!

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Flame Detection in Petrochemical Industry

The major petrochemical fire at the ITC plant in Deer Park, TX last month is a good reminder that flame detection is a necessity.

Sunday, March 17 was the start of a three-day battle with a dangerous chemical fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) petrochemical plant in Deer Park, TX. The fire originated in the middle of a section of the facility which contained 15 storage tanks in three rows of five.

In an air emission event report filed by the company on Monday, March 18, the cause of the fire was listed as a leak in a tank manifold.

There hasn’t been anything released since the fire outlining any potential flame detection equipment ITC had or didn’t have, but this unfortunate event is a good reminder that fires such as the one in Deer Park can (and should) be prevented.

Optical flame detectors are a necessity for hazardous environments within petrochemical, oil & gas facilities, industrial gas turbines, and many

others to help mitigate a potential catastrophic fire, explosion, or toxic gas release.

MSA’s line of flame detection provides users with superior immunity against potential fires and false alarms. The new FL500 UV/IR Flame Detector combines an ultraviolet sensor for quick response and an infrared detector that monitors radiation emitted by a flame. This combination offers increased immunity, operates at faster speeds, and is suited for both indoor and outdoor use.

Check out our case study on UV/IR Flame Technology and why you should consider it for your process. For more technical information on MSA’s UV/IR Flame Detector, visit their website here!

Don’t forget Flame Detection – it could be the difference between life and death.

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