September

What:

3M Engineering Group and Tour of 3M Utilities Plant
Note: We will be joined at this meeting by some members from local Chapter 211 of SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers)

When:

Thursday, September 18, 2008
5:30pm – 6:15pm   Food and Networking
6:15pm – 7:00pm   Presentation by Jorge Ibarra, 3M Engineering
7:00pm - 7:45pm   Presentation and tour by Mark Schuler, 3M Utilities Plant

Where:

3M Innovation Center, 6801 River Place Blvd
(entry drive is just north of FM 2222)

Cost:

There is no cost for this meeting. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience to Terry Hight at tehight@reynco.com or 512-507-9896.

Details:

Our kickoff meeting will be held at the 3M Innovation Center near 2222 and Riverplace. There will be two presentations during this meeting. The first will discuss how the Design Engineering group and the Process Instrumentation & Control Systems group manage and execute capital projects for 3M plants worldwide. The second topic of the meeting will be a plant tour of the adjacent Central Utilities Plant which is a cogeneration facility capable of producing all of the electrical needs of the 3M campus. There are two 6MW diesel/gas engine generators and a 2MW steam turbine generator, plus a wide variety of chillers and boilers and pumps.

October

What:

Day Long Bus Trip to Houston for ISA Expo 2008

When/Where:

Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Meet at 6:00am in the Reynolds Company south parking lot (9701 Metric Blvd, 78758) to board the bus.
We should return to Austin no later than 8:30pm.

Cost:

The cost for this trip is subsidized by the Bluebonnet Section, but we will be collecting $20 from current ISA Members and $30 from non-members.

Details:

The Bluebonnet Section has chartered a 56 passenger bus (yes, it is air-conditioned and has a restroom) for a one day trip to visit the huge ISA Expo trade show in Houston. The bus which will be preloaded with some breakfast snacks and drinks. We will get to the show at the Reliant Center about 10:00am and you will have six (6) hours to attend seminars and visit booths. AWC will pass out punch cards that you can get stamped at various key vendors’ booths; the winners will be rewarded on the return bus ride with prizes. We will board the bus at 3:30pm in front of the Reliant Center for the ride back to Austin. There will be box lunch sandwiches and beverages of all types. We should arrive back in Austin no later than 8:30pm. Seating will be limited, so please RSVP to John Dodge of AWC as soon as possible to guarantee your spot: john.dodge@awc-inc.com or 512-468-7886. If you have any questions, please contact Terry Hight at 512-507-9896.

November

What:

Industrial Ethernet Round Table at National Instruments

When/Where:

Thursday, November 13, 2008
National Instruments, 11500 N. Mo-Pac Blvd, Bldg C (southbound access road 1/4 mile south of Duval)
5:30pm – 6:15pm:   Food and Networking
6:15pm – 7:30pm:   Panel Discussion and Questions & Answers
7:30pm – 7:45pm:   Follow up questions at the product displays.

Cost:

No charge for this meeting, but you must RSVP to Terry Hight at tehight@reynco.com or 512-507-9896.

Details:

Our November meeting will be held at National Instruments, Building C Lobby. The topic will be a "round table" panel discussion of Industrial Ethernet by four (4) sales and marketing professionals who are knowledgeable in this technology. Among other things, they will discuss:

• Industrial Ethernet Protocols
• Remote I/O Networks using Ethernet
• Ethernet Switch Requirements
• Wireless Ethernet Considerations
• Convergence of Controls Networks with IT Enterprise

The discussions will be generic in nature and not "product pitches." But, there will be various products from National Instruments, ProSoft Technology, Hirschmann, and Allen-Bradley on display for your education, and the panelists will be available after the discussion to answer your specific questions.

December

What:

Annual Bluebonnet Section Holiday Party

When/Where:

Thursday, December 18, 2008
Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen (6319 N IH-35)
6:00pm

Cost:

$25 for Members and guests, $40 for Non-ISA Member
Everyone can order from the main menu and the Section will provide the appetizers. There will be a cash bar for alcoholic beverages.
You must RSVP to Terry Hight at tehight@reynco.com or 512-507-9896.