Red Lion Controls: Overall Rating 88%
www.redlion.net
Here, the tasteful, catchy homepage serves as the cover to a rich book of process control-related content. That said, even this book can’t be judged by its cover; there’s more good stuff here than even an attractive cover portrays—ironically, that compliment is also a criticism, as one would never know about the depth of content here by the cover alone. First stop? The best area of this destination is the HMI section, so you’re in luck if that’s what you’re looking for. Here, the Technical Information subcategory leads to case histories, technical notes, tutorials, literature, software, sample databases, and drivers and other downloads. The tutorials are of particular note, but their .wrf files require a WebEx plug-in. (Please offer a more common format.) Content of the HMI section is broad (though it could be deeper)—the site’s developers would have hit a homerun if the other areas of the site (panel meters and process controls) were similarly populated. In those areas, content is certainly worthwhile, consisting mainly of manuals and CAD drawings, but doesn’t measure up to that of the HMI section. The Support area is also a good find, though valuable tools such as the included cross reference require competitive part numbers.
- The Products area is good; the Support area is better.
- Real pricing with online shopping surely beats the RFQ-only capability of many industrial sites.
- Customized products are available; an online form helps visitors take the first step in that direction.
- Distributor listings are helpful, but you may have to manually widen your search
- Clickable language translations present only first-level, general info