In This Issue
Take advantage of your FREE bronze profile!
CSIA offers premium package for partners on the Exchange
Global initiative heats up
GIL Automation is first certified member in Africa
CSIA Webinar Series
CSIA recertification perspective
Manufacturing adopts mobile devices
Members asked to respond to FIRST survey by Automation Federation
Anixter introduces new Levels program
Why Inductive Automation is committed to system integrators
The politics of compliance
CSIA members make headlines
Welcome new members

Agatos Software Engineering Pte Ltd  
Singapore 
 
Gwinn Integrated Solutions, PLLC
Rolesville, NC
United States

Letico Inc
Montreal, Quebec

ONG Automation Ltd
Cork, CO
United States

Skkynet Cloud Systems
Mississauga, ON

Thomas Controls Inc
East Brunswick, NJ
United States

Winmation, Inc
Austin, TX
United States

Congratulations to the following CSIA Certified members:

GIL Automation
Nigeria

*Applied Control Technology, Inc.
Texarkana, TX
United States

*ECS Solutions
Evansville, IN
United States

*recertified

 

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Tell your colleagues about CSIA. Find member benefits and an application at www.controlsys.org.

 

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The CSIA e-newsletter is now available in Spanish. To be added to the mailing list, please contact Marcela Vallejo.
Quote of the Month

"The marketplace in which you participate is a precise and accurate judge of your determination to succeed. When setbacks occur, ask yourself the following question, 'Did I fail or did I quit?' Failure is temporary. Quitting is permanent."

- Ken Edmundson

 

 The go-to resource for control system integration.  

July 2014  

Take advantage of your FREE bronze profile!

 

Upgrading your basic listing to a bronze profile on the new Industrial Automation Exchange is easy and it's free for current members for the first year. Plus, it only takes about 10-15 minutes - time well spent to market your company.

 

If you're an integrator or partner member, your company automatically received a basic listing on the Exchange, based on the information you gave us in your membership application. To receive the bronze profile, you must log on and complete the information.

 

What's included with a bronze profile? You can upload a company description, logo, 15 capabilities (including industries and specialties), company metrics and a "contact us" button. By adding this information to your profile, you ensure that your company appears in your prospects' search results when they look for the right company to solve their industrial automation needs. For an example of a member's bronze profile, see INDEFF Group's profile.

 

While you're on the Exchange, check out the additional features available at the silver and gold levels, available at a substantial discount to CSIA members.

 

The more companies with profiles and the more information posted, the more valuable the Exchange will become to your potential clients and the more likely they'll be to come back. Working together, we are raising the visibility of control system integration, particularly that of CSIA members!

 

Questions about the Exchange? Contact Eric Huemmer or call 608-310-5575. 

 
Right now! CSIA offers premium package for partners on the Exchange
Partner members: You've been hearing about the CSIA Industrial Automation Exchange for months. Now it's time to get on board.

In the next few days we'll be reaching out to you with a premium partner package that will take advantage of and showcase the partnership between system integrators and industry vendors.

Watch your email for more information or contact Eric Huemmer at 1-608-310-5575 or [email protected]

 

Global initiative heats up

by Greta Mattison, CSIA Global Coordinator

 

CSIA continues to strengthen the worldwide industry of control system integration by providing access to better business solutions to all integrators around the world! Here's a look at what CSIA has been up to lately to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our international members.

 

Latin America: Marcela Vallejo, CSIA Latin America (LATAM) Coordinator, has been quite busy following the CSIA Executive Conference in San Diego. Marcela's efforts have been primarily focused on planning a 2014 and 2015 event held in Mexico City. In this effort, we have identified topics most relevant to SIs in Latin America by surveying both members and prospective members. This event will provide added value to our Latin American members and foster greater awareness of CSIA in the region.

 

Eduardo Acosta, CSIA board director, Global Committee chair and president of Omnicon in Colombia, presented at a meeting of integrators in Costa Rica. There were about 30 people from a dozen different companies in Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Costs Rica, Honduras, Salvador and Panama). Many are interested in CSIA membership and the Exchange.

 

Europe: Following recommendations of CSIA European members in January 2014, the Board of Directors agreed to move forward in this region by developing a European Advisory Committee. This committee will be responsible for providing knowledge of the European market as well as providing guidance on next steps for CSIA in this growth initiative. Members of this committee have been particularly active and have provided a number of recommendations to lead CSIA in a direction that provides more visibility for the organization in Europe. Currently, CSIA staff is exploring opportunities to participate in various tradeshows throughout Europe to make CSIA known as the go-to organization for better business practices for SIs. CSIA has also initiated the translation of various CSIA marketing materials to allow for a greater reach to European members. We're excited to continue moving forward in this region!

 


GIL Automation is first certified member in Africa

by Bob Lowe, Executive Director

 

Let's give a big round of applause to GIL Automation in Nigeria! Don Roberts of Exotek recently audited GIL Automation at Certification Level 1, which is for larger integrators. They are a full service system integrator serving industries such as oil and gas, food and beverage, power, water and mining.

 

When asked why they decided to pursue CSIA Certification they wrote:  "It is part of GIL Automation's culture to work with standards and to be recognized in our area of specialty as competent to deliver all our products and services in various industries being served. Most importantly, GIL seeks to ensure client's satisfaction on all jobs executed. As a leading systems integrator from Africa, having CSIA will further enshrine our competence and adherence to global standards."

CSIA congratulates all the people at GIL Automation for their accomplishment as the first African-based certified member.

Operating a good system integration company is a challenge, as all of our readers know. Running one in a country with significant political challenges makes their accomplishment even more commendable.

 

CSIA is proud to say that we now have certified members on all continents except Antarctica, which is not likely to ever have a member. Our hope is that all system integrators globally will embrace CSIA Certification as an industry standard and implement CSIA Best Practices to meet the standard. Certifications are important to all industries - it's the only way for a client to know they are choosing and working with one of the most professional and capable integrators available.

 

webinar series
See all the archives on the webinar page.

COMING UP:

Wednesday, July 16, 2014, 11 a.m., EDT (New York) 

Best Practices in Project Risk Management

Jeff Miller, PMP - Director of Project Management, Interstates Control Systems, Inc.


One of the key responsibilities of a project manager is to actively identify and aggressively manage project risks. To do this effectively the PM must set a goal of early recognition and aggressive intervention in order to ensure high client satisfaction with minimal negative swings in gross profit. Project risks must be actively managed throughout the entire project lifecycle if risk management is to be effective. This presentation will focus on best practices in risk management that include risk identification, risk quantification, risk prioritization and risk response planning and implementation.  

Note: This webinar is based on Jeff's presentation at our conference. It is being repeated because of its high ratings by attendees. 

 

 

Software Toolbox
All webinars are hosted by Software Toolbox, a CSIA Partner member.

 

CSIA recertification perspective

by Bob Lowe, CSIA Executive Director

"We've certified multiple times - we've arrived." Nonsense. CSIA Certification is a journey, not a destination. Has any certified member had a perfect audit score? Of course not; there is always room for small incremental improvement. If the number of audits for certification (or number of years) is the X axis of a graph and the performance of a company is the Y axis with "perfection" being the highest point on the Y axis, the result would be an exponential curve. The rate of improvement diminishes with each recertification but there is improvement nonetheless. Without recertification audits, the curve will likely start a downward slope - that's backsliding.

A Certified member told me a story recently that they were in a meeting and a client complaint was being discussed. Someone said, "We need to use our complaint management system to manage this so there is evidence available when the CSIA auditor comes in." Would they have handled the complaint properly without being accountable to a CSIA auditor? Probably not. Thus, backsliding was prevented.

Has a member ever come away from an audit without at least one page of notes on how to finetune their company just a little more? Of course not. So the audit is more than just a test, it provides added insight.

Best Practices will continue to grow so audit criteria will gradually change so why not stay with it. Like physical conditioning, it's difficult to get back in shape once you're out of shape.

Please know that market influence is near the top of CSIA's strategy list, so market preference for CSIA Certified companies is just around the corner. Therefore, certified members are encouraged to continue with certification, for both external and internal reasons.

 

Manufacturing adopts mobile devices

by Bob Lowe, Executive Director

 

No doubt you get newsletters to keep current in our industry. I recently saw this short article in Manufacturing Business Technology that I found insightful. I also saw a presentation at The Automation Conference by one of our integrator members on how mobile devices are being used to increase efficiency and effectiveness in their work for their clients. Our 2014 conference theme was Moving at the Speed of Change so I hope this article helps you to keep up. Although manufacturing is the focus, no doubt it applies to process and other industries as well.

Members asked to respond to FIRST survey
by Automation Federation

by Bob Lowe, Executive Director

 

CSIA is an organizational member of the Automation Federation (AF). One of AF's initiatives is workforce development and FIRST, an international program for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) awareness, is significantly supported by AF. Mike Marlow, managing director of AF, has asked that CSIA gauge the interest of our members in the FIRST program so our leadership asks that you please complete this short survey. FIRST is an international organization, so this request applies to CSIA members globally, both integrator and partner. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Here is a brief description of FIRST:
Our mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

Dean Kamen is an inventor, entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for science and technology. His passion and determination to help young people discover the excitement and rewards of science and technology are the cornerstones of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

FIRST was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. Based in New Hampshire, USA, this not-for-profit public charity designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge and life skills.

Anixter introduces new Levels program 

by Rob Cotner, Anixter

 

A sneak peak of the Anixter Levels program was "launched" at the CSIA Welcome Reception in San Diego. We continue to put together a program that will give your organizations the tools to efficiently, quickly and correctly select the correct components for your industrial network projects.

 

What we have experienced in the industrial networking world is that it is very difficult to select the right product to match the installation environment. Unlike commercial networking, where all the cables and components are in climate-controlled environments protected from possible damage, the industrial network is subject to more extreme environmental conditions, such as exposure to oils, solvents, water pressure, UV, vibration and impact. Having experienced it ourselves, we know how difficult it is to select all the components for an end-to-end network that will work in your client's environment.

 

Anixter ran into a similar situation back in the 1990s when unshielded twisted pair wire was beginning to be used to transmit data signals. There were no standards or guidelines of what type of cable was needed to provide the proper bandwidth. So Anixter developed the Levels program that identified cables into Level 1 through 6. These later became a TIA standard that we know today as "categories." The two most common today being Cat5e and Cat6.

 

Today, Anixter is in the process of developing the Levels for Industrial Network Infrastructure. Although there are always exceptions to a particular environment, we are initially categorizing industrial components into three Levels for environments we believe are most common. Once you have chosen your network technology, our Levels program will then allow you to select the product that meets that technology but also fits in the environment its being installed.

We will be launching this program in the fall of 2014. To learn more, visit our Levels website.

 

Rob Cotner is director of marketing - industrial communications and control at Anixter. Anixter was a Diamond Sponsor of the 2014 CSIA Executive Conference.

 

Why Inductive Automation is committed to system integrators

by Don Pearson, Inductive Automation

 

Compared to other SCADA software companies, Inductive Automation has always had an uncommon focus on the needs of control system integrators. For example, it provides free technical support for its integrators, which now number over 1,000 in more than 80 countries. There are two main reasons why the company is so committed to integrators.


1. Inductive Automation's integrator roots run deep. Founder Steve Hechtman worked as an integrator for 25 years before starting Inductive Automation in 2003. Like many integrators, Hechtman became frustrated with expensive and impractical industrial software. He and his team set out to build a better solution, and those efforts led to the development of the software platform, Ignition by Inductive Automation�. With unique features like unlimited licensing, web-deployability, and quick installation, Ignition solves many pain points for integrators and users alike.

2. Inductive Automation understands that integrators are integral to its success. Any qualified integrator can join the Inductive Automation Integrator Program for free, and the program nurtures integrators' success in many ways. One of those ways is providing Ignition integrators with free technical support. This may be unusual for the industry but Inductive Automation views it as common sense: Why should integrators have to pay for support when they are promoting and selling the company's software?

In addition to free tech support, the program offers software discounts, the ability to implement a system using Ignition without upfront costs or obligations, and help with client leads. Even with all of these benefits, the company doesn't require its integrators to offer its software first or exclusively; it implicitly trusts them to make the best software recommendations for their customers.

See for yourself why the Inductive Automation Integrator Program is growing quickly. For more information about joining the program, please visit Inductive Automation today.

Don Pearson is chief strategy officer at Inductive Automation. Inductive Automation was a Platinum Sponsor of the 2014 CSIA Executive Conference.

 

The politics of compliance

by Jonathan A. Grode, Green and Spiegel

 

Regardless of geographic location and business, the manner in which a particular political administration enforces existing regulations can have a significant impact on not only the way a company operates, but also a business' exposure to both civil and criminal fines.

 

This phenomenon is exemplified by the manner in which the Obama Administration has changed the United States worksite enforcement system. Since the Senate passed its version of a comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) bill in June 2013 there has been no statutory change to U.S. immigration law as a deeply divided House has blocked all momentum in this regard. But, even without CIR, change has indeed occurred. 

 

Simply put, immigration worksite enforcement is at an all-time high under the Obama administration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is on track to conduct about 3,000 employer audits in 2014 for I-9 employment eligibility verification compliance (the process that all employers must complete for new hires within three days of onboarding - see Form I-9). During the four-year period from 2009 through 2012, ICE imposed approximately $31 million in civil fines related to I-9 audits. In fiscal year 2012 alone, the audits resulted in over 200 arrest warrants for company managers.

 

This increased focus on I-9 audits represents a significant change from the Bush administration years, when ICE's primary enforcement mechanism was workplace raids focused on the employees and their status, rather than audits directed at ascertaining employers' efforts to comply with document review and retention requirements of the law. From 2003 to 2008, ICE only issued $1.5 million in civil fines to employers.

 

Looking further into Obama's second term, it appears that the trend will continue. In February 2014, the DHS's Assistant Inspector General for Audits Mark Bell said that "inconsistent implementation of the administrative inspection process, plus the reduction of fines, may have hindered its [ICE's] mission to prevent or deter employers from violating immigration laws." As a result, it is expected not only that the rate of audits will continue through this year, but that the size of the fines assessed on employers will continue to increase.

 

Of course, it is wise for U.S. employers to take notice and ensure that their I-9 records are in order, but the overall takeaway is larger. Trends in enforcement of laws are as important as the laws themselves.

 

Jonathan A. Grode, a "hot stove" panel participant at the 2014 CSIA Executive Conference, is the practice director for Green and Spiegel U.S., an immigration law firm. He is also co-chair of the ABA Labor and Employment Section's Immigration Committee. He can be reached at [email protected].

 

 

CSIA members make headlines
in the headlines
Members that have been featured in industry media recently include: 

 

Autoware

Manufacturing Metrics that Matter

Automation World

 

Concept Systems

Reducing Total Cost of Ownership with Standards

Automation World

 

A Systems Approach to Operating and Maintaining Pumps

Process Heating

 

DMC Inc. Pediatric hospital works with CSIA member to develop unique test chamber
InTech 

 

Interstates Control Systems Inc.

Improving Food Safety with Integrated Systems

Automation World

 

Loman Contol Systems

Seeking Objectivity? Seek Out a System Integrator

Automation World

 

Malisko Engineering

Best Practices of Automated CIP Systems

Food Quality & Safety

 

Take Advantage of Advanced Automation Technologies

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

 

RedViking

Project Management Software Vs. Excel Checklists

Automation World

 

CSIA

10 Reasons Why System Integration is Important

Process India