Communications Division

JoinCommunications – it is literally and figuratively the backbone for today’s industrial site. Industrial communications is so much more than simply specifying one protocol or transport medium.

It’s 2013 and the second decade of the new millenium. We have fiber, wireless, CAT6, radio modems, sat comm, industrial bus protocols (and more protocols). ISA's Communications Division is here to help sort out this maze.

Or on a more formal note, this ISA Technical Division focuses on the equipment, software, and protocols involved with transmitting, reporting, and processing of real-time data, including concepts relating to data acquisition, processing, storage and transmission, information theory, and industrial IT. The work includes data transmission to/between sensors and real-time computing/control systems via analog, serial, fieldbus, Ethernet, and wireless methods. In reality, this means we are concerned with all the “magic” that makes it possible for control systems to work.

Without the physical layer/hardware and associated operating systems and communications protocols working properly, it would be impossible to control the process. People tend to take the signal infrastructure for granted until it does not work, and then because it is about the “nuts and bolts,” there are few people available to able to actually help solve the problem. This is where the ISA's Communications Division can help you find the information you need to sort out these issues and more importantly help you make the right choice up front, so you do not get the 2 a.m. phone call.

We have two exciting opportunities this year where you cannot only learn about different communications technologies and how to properly apply them while also networking with the knowledge workers, your peers, who are making it all possible. The main event this years is our annual symposium in May we are co-hosting with ISA-100 our multi-track symposium in May in Baltimore, Maryland. Links to information on both events are below and on the navigation bar to the left.

Peter, Penny, George, and I hope to “communicate” with all of you regularly and soon.

 

To join the Commmunications Division simply follow the following link and follow the instructions provided there.


Contacts:
Peter Fuhr

Peter Fuhr
Director
Phone: (831) 574-5206


Stephen Allison


Stephen Allison
A & T Department VP
Phone: (865) 256-5485

John Campbell


John Campbell
Membership Chair
Phone: (281) 856-9576

Penny Chen


Penny Chen
Director-elect
Phone: (408) 636-8544
Fax: (972) 416-3966

Rodney Jones


Rodney Jones
Staff Contact

George Studor


George Studor
Program Chair
Phone: (763) 208-9283

George Studor


George Studor
Symposium Contact
Phone: (763) 208-9283

Ian Verhappen


Ian Verhappen
Newsletter Editor
Phone: (403) 829-1077

Ian Verhappen


Ian Verhappen
Past Director
Phone: (403) 829-1077

Ian Verhappen


Ian Verhappen
Webmaster
Phone: (403) 829-1077

Clifford Whitehead


Clifford Whitehead
Special Assignment
Phone: (440) 646-3779
Fax: (440) 646-4399