www.controldesign.com September 2008 Control Design 33
Alarm/Annunciator1. Rockwell Automation 33%
2. Patlite 13%
3. Edwards 9%
Ametek Panalarm 9%
5. Federal Signal 6%
Ball Screw/Lead Screw1. Danaher Motion 14%
2. THK America 11%
3. Bosch/Rexroth 7%
Tolomatic 7%
Exlar 5%
NSK 5%
Controller, CNC1. GE Fanuc 46%
2. Rockwell Automation 13%
3. Siemens E&A 10%
4. Mitsubishi 7%
Controller, Loop1. Honeywell 19%
2. Rockwell Automation 11%
Yokogawa 11%
Siemens E&A 10%
5. Invensys 6%
Red Lion 5%
Controller, Motion1. Rockwell Automation 34%
2. Yaskawa 7%
Siemens E&A 6%
Mitsubishi 5%
Controller, PLC1. Rockwell Automation 47%
2. Siemens E&A 10%
3. GE Fanuc 7%
AutomationDirect 6%
Schneider Electric 5%
Rockwell Automation Bulletin 855P Panel Alarms
Danaher Motion/Thomson MetricLeadScrew
GE Fanuc 30i Controllers Rockwell Automation CompactLogix L23
Rockwell Automation Kinetix Integrated Motion
Honeywell UDC3500 Controller
11 companies that were listed in ’07.
Twelve companies, four more than in ‘07, won in multiple
categories. Perennial heavyweight Rockwell Automation
won or tied for first place in 20 hardware and software
categories. Other multiple winners include Emerson
Process Measurement with four category wins; Danaher
Motion, General Electric and Parker Hannifin won three
times, while Belden, Cisco, Hoffman, National Instruments,
Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact and Turck each won twice.
Many firms were clear winners in their category. This
year, 39 (vs. 35 last year) categories had winners with mar-
gins of greater than 10 percentage points.
Despite more clear wins, close races decided by a margin
of five percentage points or less increased to eight, compared
with seven in 2007. Five of those races ended in statistical
dead heats between two or more companies.
Service Scores Continue to SagOf the 107 individual companies in the product category
results, you awarded 69 service and support scores of 4.0
or better (very good-to-excellent performance on a 1-to-5
scale). Compared to this 64% rate, last year you gave ser-
vice kudos to 70% of the companies, and 80% in ’06.
Again this year, more service recognition fell in the
4.0-to-4.1 score ranges. You assigned 56% of the service
recognitions to the 4.0-to-4.1 ranges, compared with 43%
last year. Awards in the 4.3 or higher score ranges dropped
to a total of 29, or 17% of the total service recognitions,
compared with 47 (nearly 30% of the total) last year.
Highest service praise this year—at 4.4—was awarded
to Endress+Hauser in the Flow Measurement category,
Phoenix Contact for Connectors and Cordsets, and Siemens
E&A for Flow Measurement.
Every company making the service and support list should
be pleased. Some achieved great service marks more than
once. The table on p. 44 lists those companies that voters say
have terrific service/support in specific product categories.
Rockwell Automation was recognized in 25 product
categories. Phoenix Contact, Yokogawa and Siemens E&A
garnered seven recognitions. Emerson Process Manage-
ment received six.
AutomationDirect, Banner Engineering, National Instru-
ments and Schneider Electric each received five, while
Beckhoff, Danaher Motion and Invensys each were recog-
nized four times.
Endress+Hauser, General Electric, Honeywell, Mitsubishi
and Yaskawa achieved service/support recognition three
times, and B&R Industrial Automation, Belden, Eaton,
IDEC, Omron, Pepperl+Fuchs, Pilz Automation Safety, Red
Lion Controls, Rittal, Sick, Tolomatic, Turck and Wago all
were recognized twice.
Listed alphabetically, here are ’08’s fast companies.
Hoffman Poly Type 4XPolyester Enclosure
Hoffman Zone HazardousLocation Enclosure
Readers’ Choice Awards
Industrial Network Hubs/Routers/Switches1. Cisco/Linksys 25%
2. Belden/Hirschmann 17%
3. N-Tron 12%
Moxa 10%
Phoenix Contact 10%
Input/Output Systems1. Rockwell Automation 42%2. Siemens E&A 10% Wago 9% Turck 8%5. Opto22 7% Phoenix Contact 6% Beckhoff Automation 5%
Intrinsic Safety Components1. Pepperl+Fuchs 30%
2. Rockwell Automation 13%
3. Turck 10%
R. Stahl 8%
5. Banner Engineering 5%
MTL 5%
Linear Actuator/Slide/Guide1. Danaher/Thomson 10%
Parker Motion 10%
Festo 9%
4. THK 6%
Tolomatic 6%
Intelligent Actuator 5%
Machine Vision System1. Cognex 54%
2. Banner Engineering 14%
3. National Instruments 10%
Keyence 9%
Measurement, Flow1. Emerson Process 22%
2. Endress+Hauser 11%
3. Yokogawa 7%
Siemens E&A 5%
Danaher Motion ElecTrak Pro Electric Linear Actuator, Parker HPLA Linear
Actuator and Festo DNCE Linear Actuator
Cisco Industrial Ethernet 3000 Series Switches
Rockwell Automation CompactBlock Guard I/O
Pepperl+Fuchs HiC Intrinsic Safety Isolator
Cognex In-Sight Micro
Emerson Process Flowmeter Family
Differences of less than 3% are not statistically significant
Readers’ Choice Awards
38 Control Design September 2008 www.controldesign.com
Measurement, Level1. Emerson Process 20%
2. Endress+Hauser 11%
Ohmart/Vega 11%
4. Siemens E&A 8%
5. Yokogawa 5%
Measurement, Load Cell/Weighing System1. Mettler Toledo 28%
2. Honeywell Sensotec 15%
3. Rice Lake 12%
Hardy 11%
Measurement, Pressure1. Emerson Process 26%2. Endress+Hauser 12%3. Invensys 6% Honeywell 5% Omega Engineering 5% Siemens E&A 5% Yokogawa 5%
Measurement, Temperature1. Emerson Process 20%
2. Omega Engineering 8%
Endress+Hauser 7%
4. Minco 5%
Watlow 5%
Measurement, Vibration 1. GE Energy/Bently-Nevada 22%
2. Rockwell Automation 14%
Emerson Process 14%
4. Kistler 7%
Hardy Instrument 6%
Metrix 6%
Motor, Industrial Electric1. Baldor 45%
2. Emerson Motor Technologies 9%
Regal-Beloit 9%
General Electric 8%
5. Rockwell Automation 5%
Motor, Linear1. Parker/Trilogy 13%
Rockwell Automation 13%
3. Baldor 9%
Yaskawa 9%
Motor, Servo1. Rockwell Automation 29%
2. Yaskawa 10%
GE Fanuc 8%
4. Danaher Motion 5%
Motor, Stepper1. Danaher Motion 16%
2. Parker/Compumotor 8%
Sanyo-Denki 8%
Oriental Motors 7%
Motor Starter1. Rockwell Automation 50%
2. Schneider Electric 17%
3. Eaton Electrical 9%
4. Siemens E&A 6%
Sprecher+Schuh 5%
Operator Interface Terminal1. Rockwell Automation 47%
2. AutomationDirect 9%
Pro-face/Xycom 7%
4. Beijer 6%
Siemens E&A 6%
Maple Systems 5%
Panel Meter1. Red Lion Controls 43%
2. Precision Digital 17%
3. Yokogawa 12%
4. Newport Electronics 7%
Simpson Electric 6%
Rockwell Automation Direct Drive Motors and Parker Hannifin R10
Ripped Ironcore Linear Servo Motor
Mettler Toledo Cornerstone Combo XS
Emerson Process 5400 Radar Level Transmitter
Emerson Process 3051S Pressure Transmitter
Emerson Process 3144P Temperature Transmitter
GE Energy Asset Condition Monitoring
Baldor Super-E Motor
Rockwell Automation MP-Series Low-Inertia Servo Motors
Danaher Motion CT Series Step Motor
Rockwell Automation SMC Flex Soft Starter
Rockwell Automation PanelView
Red Lion Controls Panel Meters
Differences of less than 3% are not statistically significant
Readers’ Choice Awards
Pneumatic Components1. Numatics 26%
2. Festo 19%
SMC 17%
4. Parker Hannifin 8%
5. Bimba 5%
Power Supply1. Sola/Hevi-Duty 27%
2. Rockwell Automation 11%
3. Phoenix Contact 7%
Puls 7%
IDEC 6%
Acopian 5%
Presence Sensing1. Banner Engineering 21%
Turck 20%
3. Rockwell Automation 17%
4. ifm efector 7%
Keyence 7%
Sick 6%
Programmable Safety Controller1. Rockwell Automation 25%
2. Pilz Automation Safety 15%
3. Banner Engineering 8%
Siemens E&A 8%
5. Omron STI 5%
Relay1. Rockwell Automation 26%2. IDEC 13%
Omron 11%4. Schneider Electric 10%5. Tyco/Potter & Brumfield 7%
Finder 5%Phoenix Contact 5%
Safety Network Components1. Rockwell Automation 32%
2. Siemens E&A 13%
Banner Engineering 11%
4. Pilz Automation Safety 10%
5. Omron STI 6%
Schneider Electric 6%
Rockwell Automation GuardLogixNumatics Generation 2000 Series
SolaHD SDN and SDP Power Supplies
Turck Proximity Sensors and Turck Proximity Sensors and Banner Engineering SensorsBanner Engineering Sensors
Rockwell Automation General-Purpose Relays
Rockwell Automation SensaGuard Non-Contact Switches
You Need ATEX.We’ve Got ATEX.
ATEX CONTROL PANELEQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION
UL / cUL ClassifiedClass I, Division 1, Groups BCD;Class II, Groups EFG, Class IIIClass I, Zone 1 AEx d IIBEx d IIB
ATEX Certifications 1712 II 2 GD Ex d IIB+H2 T6(T5 Tamb+55C)Ex tD A21 IP66 T 100°CType 4 (4X w/stainless steel hardware)IP40 or IP66 w/N4 Gasket
www.controldesign.com September 2008 Control Design 43
Safety Relay1. Rockwell Automation 36%
2. Pilz Automation Safety 13%
Banner Engineering 13%
4. Omron STI 8%
5. Schneider Electric 5%
Siemens E&A 5%
Single-Board Computer1. Advantech 25%
2. Ampro 9%
Software, CNC1. GE Fanuc 27%
2. Mastercam 9%
4. Siemens E&A 6%
B&R Industrial Automation 5%
Mitsubishi Electric 5%
Software, Data Acquistion1. National Instruments 25%
2. Rockwell Automation 16%
3. Invensys 9%
Software, E-CAD1. Autodesk 64%
2. Bentley/ECT 9%
3. Solidworks 6%
Eplan 5%
Software, HMI 1. Rockwell Automation 30%
2. Invensys 16%
3. GE Fanuc 7%
AutomationDirect 5%
Pro-face/Xycom 5%
Siemens E&A 5%
Software, Motion Control1. Rockwell Automation 40%
2. Siemens E&A 9%
3. Beckhoff 5%
Mitsubishi 5%
Yaskawa 5%
Software, PC-Based Machine Control1. Rockwell/Allen-Bradley 22%
2. National Instruments 12%
3. Phoenix Contact 9%
4. Beckhoff Automation 6%
Software, PLC Programming1. Rockwell Automation 55%
2. Siemens 8%
AutomationDirect 6%
GE Fanuc 6%
5. Mitsubishi 5%
Schneider Electric 5%
Stack Light Tower1. Rockwell Automation 48%
2. Patlite 14%
3. Schneider Electric 9%
4. Eaton Electrical 6%
IDEC 6%
Terminal Blocks1. Phoenix Contact 22%
Rockwell Automation 21%
3. Wago 18%
4. Wiedmüller 9%
ABB/Entrelec 8%
AutomationDirect 7%
Wire & Cabling 1. Belden 48%
2. Alpha Wire 9%
3. Lapp USA 7%
Anixter 6%
Rockwell Automation 1492 Terminal Blocks and Phoenix Contact Clipline
Rockwell Automation Guard-master Minotaur MSR300
Advantech PCA-6194
GE Fanuc MTE
National Instruments LabView 8.6
Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical 2009
Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View
RSLogix 5000 Programming Software
Rockwell Automation PC-Based Machine Control Software
Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000
Rockwell Automation Bulletin 855F Compact Control Tower Lights
Belden Electronics Industrial Data Solution Cables
Differences of less than 3% are not statistically significant
Readers’ Choice Awards
44 Control Design September 2008 www.controldesign.com
4.4Endress+Hauser ................................. Flow Measurement
Phoenix Contact ...............................Connectors/Cordsets
Siemens E&A ..................................... Flow Measurement
4.3B&R Industrial Automation ................ Industrial Computer
Banner Engineering ..................................Machine Vision
Banner Engineering ......................................Safety Relay
Cognex ....................................................Machine Vision
Emerson Process ..........................Pressure Measurement
Emerson Process ....................Temperature Measurement
Invensys .................................. Data Acquisition Software
Mitsubishi................................................ CNC Controller
National Instruments ................................Machine Vision
N-Tron ............................Network Hubs/Routers/Switches
Ohmart/Vega ......................................Level Measurement
Pepperl+Fuchs ............................Instrinsic Safety System
Phoenix Contact .................... Wired Network Components
Red Lion ...................................................... Panel Meter
Rockwell Automation ........................Connectors/Cordsets
Rockwell Automation .................. Data Acquisition System
Rockwell Automation ...................Instrinsic Safety System
Rockwell Automation ............ Operator Interface Terminals
Rockwell Automation .............Safety Network Components
Rockwell Automation .................................... Servo Motor
Rockwell Automation ............. Wired Network Components
Tolomatic.........................................Ballscrew/Leadscrew
Turck ...............................................Connectors/Cordsets
Turck ................................................... Presence Sensing
Yokogawa ........................................... Flow Measurement
Yokogawa ...........................................Level Measurement
4.2AMCI ....................................................Encoder/Resolver
Banner Engineering ......... Programmable Safety Controller
Belden/Hirschmann .........Network Hubs/Routers/Switches
Danaher Motion................................Ballscrew/Leadscrew
Danaher Motion.....................................Encoder/Resolver
Emerson Process Management ...............Level Measurement
Emerson Process Management ........... Vibration Measurement
Emerson Process Management ...Wireless Network Components
Encoder Products ..................................Encoder/Resolver
Endress+Hauser .................................Level Measurement
Endress+Hauser ......................Temperature Measurement
Festo .......................................... Pneumatic Components
Finder ................................................................. Relays
General Electric ........................................ Electric Motor
Hardy Instrument ............. Load Cell/Weight Measurement
Lenze/ACTech ............................................ Electric Drive
National Instruments ................ Data Acquisition Software
National Instruments .................. Data Acquisition System
Pepperl+Fuchs/BPS ............................... Enclosure Purge
Phoenix Contact .............................. Input/Output System
Precision Digital ........................................... Panel Meter
Rockwell Automation ...........................Alarm/Annunciator
Rockwell Automation ................ Data Acquisition Software
Rockwell Automation ......................... Industrial Computer
Rockwell Automation ....................... Input/Output System
Rockwell Automation .................................. Motor Starter
Rockwell Automation ..........Programmable Safety Controller
Rockwell Automation ....................................Safety Relay
Rockwell Automation .......................... Stack Tower Lights
Schneider Electric ........................................Safety Relay
Schneider Electric/CST ..........................Encoder/Resolver
Sick .................................................... Presence Sensing
Sick/Stegmann ......................................Encoder/Resolver
Siemens E&A ........................Safety Network Components
Tolomatic...............................Linear Actuator/Slide/Guide
Yaskawa ...................................................... Servo Motor
Yokogawa ................................... Data Acquisition System
Yokogawa .................................................. Data Recorder
Yokogawa ..................................................... Panel Meter
Yokogawa ......................................Pressure Measurement
4.1ABB Entrelek ..........................................Terminal Blocks
Autodesk ............................................... E-CAD Software
AutomationDirect ................. Operator Interface Terminals
AutomationDirect .....................................................PLC
AutomationDirect ...................PLC Programming Software
AutomationDirect .......................................HMI Software
AutomationDirect ....................................Terminal Blocks
Baldor ...................................................... Electric Motor
Beckhoff...........................................Industrial Computer
Beckhoff.....................................Motion Control Software
Beijer .................................. Operator Interface Terminals
Belden/Hirschmann ............... Wired Network Components
Cisco/Linksys ..................Network Hubs/Routers/Switches
Danaher Motion......................Linear Actuator/Slide/Guide
Dell ..................................................Industrial Computer
Eaton Electrical ......................................... Motor Starter
Emerson Process Management ............ Flow Measurement
Eplan .................................................... E-CAD Software
Honeywell .....................................Pressure Measurement
ifm efector ........................................... Presence Sensing
Invensys ....................................................HMI Software
Invensys .......................................Pressure Measurement
Lapp USA ...................................................Wire & Cable
Omega Engineering .................Temperature Measurement
Phoenix Contact ................................................... Relays
Pilz Automation Safety...........Safety Network Components
Pilz Automation Safety..................................Safety Relay
Red Lion ..................................................Loop Controller
Rittal ........................... Industrial Enclosure, Non-metallic
Rockwell Automation ................................ CNC Controller
Rockwell Automation ................................. Electric Motor
Rockwell Automation ..................................HMI Software
Rockwell Automation ...................Motion Control Software
Rockwell Automation .....PC-Based Machine Control Software
Rockwell Automation ................................................PLC
Rockwell Automation ..............PLC Programming Software
Saginaw Engineering ........... Industrial Enclosure, Metallic
Schneider Electric ...................................... Motor Starter
Siemens E&A ........................................... CNC Controller
Siemens E&A .................................. Input/Output System
Siemens E&A ...........................................Loop Controller
Siemens E&A .................. Programmable Safety Controller
Siemens E&A .........................PLC Programming Software
Wago .............................................. Input/Output System
Wago ......................................................Terminal Blocks
Yaskawa ...............................................Motion Controller
Yokogawa .................................................Loop Controller
4.0Advantech ...................................Single-Board Computer
Agilent ...................................... Data Acquisition System
B&R Automation ....................................... CNC Software
Banner Engineering ............. Instrinsic Safety Components
Banner Engineering ............Wireless Network Components
Beckhoff......................................... Input/Output System
Beckhoff...................PC-Based Machine Control Software
Danaher Motion............................................ Servo Motor
Eaton/Vickers ................................Hydraulic Components
Exlar ...............................................Ballscrew/Leadscrew
GE Fanuc ................................................. CNC Controller
GE Fanuc ..................................................... Servo Motor
Heidenhain ...........................................Encoder/Resolver
Hoffman ............................. Industrial Enclosure, Metallic
Honeywell ........................ Load Cell/Weight Measurement
Honeywell ................................................Loop Controller
Hydraforce ....................................Hydraulic Components
IDEC ......................................................... Power Supply
IDEC ................................................. Stack Tower Lights
Invensys ................................................... Data Recorder
Keyence .............................................. Presence Sensing
MasterCam ............................................... CNC Software
Mitsubishi................................................. CNC Software
Mitsubishi.............................................Motion Controller
Moxa ..............................Network Hubs/Routers/Switches
National Instruments ................................. Data Recorder
National Instruments .....PC-Based Machine Control Software
Omron ................................................................. Relays
OmronSTI .............................Safety Network Components
Opto 22 .......................................... Input/Output System
Parker Hannifin .............................Hydraulic Components
Patlite ................................................Alarm/Annunciator
Phoenix Contact ........PC-Based Machine Control Software
Phoenix Contact ......................................... Power Supply
Phoenix Contact ......................................Terminal Blocks
Puls .......................................................... Power Supply
Rice Lake ........................ Load Cell/Weight Measurement
Rittal .................................. Industrial Enclosure, Metallic
Rockwell Automation ................................Loop Controller
Rockwell Automation .............................Motion Controller
Rockwell Automation .................................. Power Supply
Schneider Electric .................Safety Network Components
Schneider Electric .............................. Stack Tower Lights
Sola Hevi-Duty ........................................... Power Supply
Sprecher+Schuh ........................................ Motor Starter
Tyco/Potter & Brumfield ........................................ Relays
Watlow ...................................Temperature Measurement
Yaskawa .....................................Motion Control Software
The 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards Service and Support LeadersControl Design’s readers tell us these companies provide very good (4.0) to excellent (5.0) service in these categories. Only those companies that received the minimum 5% vote share in the preceding pages were considered.