Electric motors are used in a multitude of applications within every conceivable industry. They are the workhorses of industry. Many applications require special consideration when selecting an appropriate motor. This article is written to qualify and assist the specifier in selecting an appropriate motor for a severe duty application. This excludes motors used in hazardous areas.

The West Australian node of the Nanostructural Analysis Network Organisation (NANO) was officially opened by the West Australian Premier Geoff Gallop on 17 December 2003. NANO is a Major National Research Facility (NANO-MNRF).

Professor Vernon Ireland is the new President of the Sydney Division of Engineers Australia.

Keen interest in EMEX 2004 as New Zealand’s leading showcase for industrial technology is indicated by exhibitor bookings currently coming in almost twice as fast as they did for the successful 2002 event.

The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) market within the manufacturing sector is forecasted to rebound over the next five years and grow from US$8.9 billion in 2002 to US$11.9 billion by 2007 for a CAGR of 5.8%, according to a newly updated study by ARC Advisory Group.

The worldwide market for plant-level expenditure in the chemical industry, which totalled more than US$214 billion in 2003, will reach almost US$241 billion by the end of 2008, expanding at a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 2%, according to a new study by the ARC Advisory Group.

Honeywell Process Solutions has announced that Mongolian petroleum distributor Magnai Trade Co Ltd has selected Honeywell to provide a complete automation system for its oil terminal in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. This is Honeywell’s first Experion PKS project in Mongolia.

Helsinki Energia has ordered metsoDNA automation solution for its coal-fired Salmisaari power plant in Finland. The automation system modernisation is a part of the power plant’s project of replacing the outdoor coal yard with the underground storage with four coal silos.

Honeywell Process Solutions has announced that it has been appointed as preferred control systems supplier by Woodside Energy Ltd, one of Australia’s leading resource companies.

The BOC industrial group from Windlesham, near London, is to play a key role in major Chinese industrial gases projects costing a total of more than 100 million US dollars. It is already the country’s leading company in this field.

Parker Instrumentation has been selected to supply components for the refurbishment of the Basra refinery in southern Iraq.

The Australian Marine Complex at Jervoise Bay, 25 km south of Perth, is set to become the largest marine engineering and fabrication complex in Australia following the investment of some $200 million by the state and federal governments.

The recent State Energy Minister meeting in Perth focused attention on the power generation sector as will Power Generation World 2004, which is a key platform and showcase for equipment manufacturers and service providers to the industry.

For the automation sector, the signs are looking good, six months ahead of the first Automatica International Trade Fair for Robotics + Automation to be held at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre — from Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 June 2004.

A team of mechanical engineering students from the University of Newcastle has been awarded a 'highly commended' third place at the Australasian 'Warman Student Design and Build Competition' held at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.