Emerson Process Management has announced plans for the multi-million dollar renovation and expansion of its Fisher control valves research and development facilities in Marshalltown, Iowa, USA. The project will create the Fisher Technology Development Centre, which will be the industry’s largest and most advanced flow control research facility. It will be staffed by employees from Emerson’s current research and development facility, with plans to add 15 R&D engineers. Construction is expected to begin in 2007. Ted Grabau, director of global technology for Fisher products, siad that the new facility will quadruple current air and water flow rate capabilities to permit testing of valves for larger and higher pressure applications. Pressure and flow sub-systems will also be increased to support noise abatement research and product development. New flow sciences research labs will support multi-phase, cavitation and real world fluid control problems and there will also be expanded dynamic performance test loops to accommodate larger valves. The new centre will support all new product development and provide an improved customer demonstration and customer witness testing capability.
