All I can say about the 2016 PACK EXPO is “Wow!” It was huge, beneficial and educational. My first time at the show left me with one lasting impression: I needed one more day. From packaging equipment and conveyors to powder handling and conditioning systems, all aspects of food processing, packaging and shipping were on display. New technology could be found around every corner.
New technology is celebrated in this last issue of 2016. We are proud to present Processing magazine’s Breakthrough Products of 2016 HERE. Among the winners are equipment offerings that manage and navigate tough processing environments; meet changing standards; and provide monitoring, control and automation solutions for modern process facilities. These awards recognize major innovation and incremental improvements in the process industries, and we happily congratulate the 2016 recipients. Be sure to nominate your favorite products and services for the 2017 Breakthrough Products. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 1, 2017.
Also in this issue is our Smart Instrumentation special section. With the Industrial Internet of Things and the ability to access data and controls from a desktop PC or a mobile device, innovations in this area occur almost daily. This special section features an article on the move from process timers to flowmeters that track flow rates and send the output to a programmable logic controller where it is recorded to determine the amount of chemical that flowed over a period of time (HERE). Information can be used to determine chemical costs and usage as well as address U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations. In addition, smart level measurement is discussed HERE. Guided wave radar level measurement reduces safety risks, helps meet regulation compliance and improves accuracy.
With this last issue of 2016, the Processing team wishes you and your family a wonderful holiday season. We look forward to reconnecting with you and making 2017 an even better year for our friends in the process industries.
Happy holidays!
