Computer Software

Website: www.abb.com

ABB has announced the release of Asset Master, a new software program to assist customers in improving asset performance, duration of operation and up time, company officials say. The software also provides traditional set-up tools for instrumentation configuration and calibration.

Asset Master can manage up to 500 ABB and non-ABB devices, depending on the fieldbus configuration. Devices can include flowmeters, analyzers, actuators, control valves and positioners. Intended for engineering and maintenance personnel, Asset Master supports ABB and third party devices communicating via HART, PROFIBUS and FOUNDATION fieldbus. It provides online monitoring and tuning, online and offline device configuration, parameter adjustment, diagnostic alerts, asset monitoring, calibration management and integral work order processing.

Asset Master is built from the same software as ABB’s 800xA control system, making the configuration screens, asset alerts and operations methods identical in both. Asset Master installation can be expanded into an 800xA control system without the need to re-engineer any existing configuration.

Contact: Deacom Inc., 950 West Valley Road, Suite 3000, Wayne, PA 19087-1707, 610-971-2278, Fax 610-971-2279

Website: www.deacom.net

Deacom Inc., a producer of integrated accounting software packages for process and mixed-mode manufacturers, has introduced an e-commerce system designed for cheese and dairy manufacturers.

Sales Order Entry 2.0 places control in customers’ hands by allowing them to securely create new orders, check order histories, confirm shipments and verify order details from a company’s website, according to Deacom.

Company officials note that this e-commerce system allows customers to have real-time access to billing data directly from a company’s website, which eliminates the costly and time-consuming process of printing and mailing invoice statements. Past and current invoices are filterable by date and order type to allow customers to verify account balances during any specified time period for any specified order type. In addition, customers can generate reports based on average order size or units shipped.

The Deacom e-commerce software is integrated into accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning Software systems. Data entered into the system through the e-commerce portal drives internal sales orders, production, purchasing inventory, lab and regulatory reporting and accounting processes. Officials note that not only is data only entered into the system once, but it remains accurate throughout the businesses systems.

Contact: FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 888-463-6332

Website: www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/carvershock061107.html

FDA recently released a new tool to help growers, packers, processors, manufacturers, warehousers, transporters and retailers in the food industry determine the vulnerability of individual food facilities to biological, chemical or radiological attack.

The software program, called the CARVER + Shock Software Tool, is a science-based prevention strategy to safeguard the food supply. The name of the risk assessment software is derived from the acronym CARVER, which refers to six attributes used to evaluate targets for attack:

• Criticality: What impact would an attack have on public health and the economy?

• Accessibility: How easily can a terrorist access a target?

• Recuperability: How well could a system recover from an attack?

• Vulnerability: How easily could an attack be accomplished?

• Effect: What would be the direct loss from an attack, as measured by loss in production?

• Recognizability: How easily could a terrorist identify a target?

The CARVER tool also evaluates a seventh attribute, the psychological impacts of an attack or “shock” attributes of a target.

CARVER + Shock was developed by FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, the Institute of Food Technologists, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, National Center for Food Protection and Defense, state representatives and private industry representatives.

The software tool is the latest in a series of food defense efforts by FDA following the terrorist attacks of September 2001 and part of a broader food protection strategy currently under development.