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When things just work, work gets done. Kepware’s industrial connectivity software provides secure and reliable data from the shop ﬂoor to the top ﬂoor, so you can focus on productivity. Learn more at kepware.com/CE

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MARCH 2017 Vol. 64 Number 3

Features 34 Strategy and standards help determine Big Data, IIoT value Cover story: There are many tools for capturing the potential value Big Data and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) provide, but companies need to know what kind of information they want and how to gather it securely.

COVER: Powerful system integrated analytics tools help controls engineers optimize machines, equipment, and processes. Courtesy: Beckhoff Automation

36 Gathering Big Data analytics through network monitoring Cover story: Big Data analytics allow manufacturers to make smarter and better decisions, and improve operations and network monitoring.

38 Four IIoT connectivity challenges for manufacturers Edge computing: Companies looking to implement an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) strategy need to address several potential issues as they seek to bridge the gap between operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT).

40 Industrial Internet of Things makes Smart Grid smarter Duke Energy, an electric and gas company, is working to reduce downtime and improve customer service to its roughly 7.2 million customers in the Southeast and Midwest with Smart Grid technologies.

42 Standards revisions: robots and robotic systems The current version of the Industrial Robot Safety Standard, ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012, is a U.S. national adoption of the ISO 10218-2011, Part 1, Robots, and Part 2, Robotic Systems. Look for new versions of these documents in the 2020 or 2021 timeframe. Also, see information on collaborative robots, loading and unloading stations, end-effectors, and lockout and tagout.

44 Standardizing control system programming with IEC 61131-3 Industrial control system (ICS) programming—regardless of the controller type—can be implemented with the same standard, and the programs created with that standard can be transported from one compliant control system to another.

59 Digital Edition Exclusives Derive value from IIoT data. The IoT’s impact on process manufacturing environments.

MARCH 2017

CONTROL ENGINEERING

44 CONTROL ENGINEERING (ISSN 0010-8049, Vol. 64, No. 3, GST #123397457) is published 12x per year, Monthly by CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/ Co-Founder. CONTROL ENGINEERING copyright 2017 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. CONTROL ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL 60523 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. E-mail: customerservice@cfemedia.com. Postmaster: send address changes to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Email: customerservice@ cfemedia.com. Rates for nonqualified subscriptions, including all issues: USA, $150/yr; Canada/Mexico, $180/yr (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); International air delivery $325/yr. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $30.00 US and $35.00 foreign. Please address all subscription mail to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Printed in the USA. CFE Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.

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Are you ready for Smart Factory?

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input #4 at www.controleng.com/information

Ensure a Safe Pass With Your HART Data

When it comes to HART data, the SSX/SST Functional Safety Isolators and Splitters are game changers by passing on valuable HART data from your safety loops to your basic process control system or monitoring system. Unlike other isolators, the SSX and SST allow critical HART diagnostic, process and calibration information to pass through from ﬁeld transmitters to HART enabled host systems and vice-versa. They also serve as “blockers” to protect and isolate your Safety Instrumented System from inadvertent disconnections or failures in your auxiliary control or monitoring system.

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MARCH 2017 Vol. 64 Number 3

Inside Process Appears after page 47; Also, see the Digital Edition: www.controleng.com/DigitalEdition

P1 The PID learning process Many excellent loop tuning methods are available and many practitioners prefer tweaking proportional-integral-derivative (PID) tuning constants or using rules-of-thumb rather than doing a step test and data analysis. Knowing about PID components can help with tuning methods.

P5 Getting focused: Using 80 GHz radar sensors for liquid level measurement For liquid-level measurement, high-frequency, 80-GHz radar sensors offer greater capabilities through signal focusing.

Departments

8 Think Again Standards: Process automation interoperability in four years

10 Featured Products New PLC platform; serial-to-wireless converter

12 Research Using, integrating mobile devices

Control Engineering International 14 Boosting connected manufacturing intelligence in China 16 European Machinery Directive helps with machinery speeds.

Products 58

RIGHT: PLC data logger

ALSO SEE: wireless sensors, predictive analytics for pumps, wireless power meter

Integrator Update 17 Exploring factors that drive business value 18 How to buy or sell an engineering business

20 Control Engineering Feedback Wider capabilities via IIoT; lower project costs

22 Technology Update 22 Cybersecurity 25 Flexible automation

64 Back to Basics Ladder logic 305: ASCII and strings

News

RIGHT: Embedded computer

BELOW: Power output junction box ALSO: Functional safety transmitter, Ethernet switch, control panels

28 Tips for supply chain best practices, motor companies acquired 29 IIoT reference architecture; elastic actuators, self-organizing robots 30-32 Manufacturing benefits, beehive sensors; cybersecurity framework updated; pump insights; online headlines

www.controleng.com

CONTROL ENGINEERING

MARCH 2017

| 5

Sponsored by: Deublin, GTI, Rittal

Webcast Four: How IIoT helps cybersecurity efforts Thursday, October 19, 2017 Cybersecurity is a threat to enterprises large and small, at risk of being attacked from unexpected sources both inside and outside the enterprise. IIoT can reduce the cybersecurity risks inherent in legacy automation, instrumentation, equipment, and devices. The Industrial Internet Consortium has released a technical report for an industrial Internet security framework. The intent is to give all interested parties, including device makers, application developers, systems integrators and executives the guidance needed to deploy IIoT systems with best practices built in. The report will be the starting point for this Webcast presentation and discussion.

CONTROL ENGINEERING international

Boosting connected intelligence for China’s manufacturing industry Intelligent manufacturing is part of a wider strategy to promote manufacturing in China that has 226 state-sponsored projects and investments of more than $2.9 billion to improve automation and the interconnection and integration of equipment, according to Control Engineering China.

Intelligent

manufacturing, as one of the five major programs in the “Made in China 2025” strategy, already has become a highlight from China’s manufacturing industry, which is facing sluggish economic growth in addition to pressures related to transformation and upgrades. It is reported that, since June 2015 when the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China jointly initiated the special project for intelligent manufacturing, there have been 226 state-sponsored key projects, with a total investment of more than $2.91 billion (RMB over 2 billion). As a center for global manufacturing, China is incubating the largest intelligent manufacturing demand market in the world, bringing opportunities for traditional automation manufacturers. With a history of 113 years, Rockwell Automation interprets innovations in intelligent manufacturing from a “Connected Enterprise” perspective. One action cannot accomplish an internet enterprise, suggested Bob Buttermore, managing director of Rockwell Automation Greater China, who noted that intelligent manufacturing goals should be realized in a progressive and customized manner.

ADVICE

Intelligent manufacturing

KEY CONCEPTS Intelligent manufacturing is part of the Made in China 2025 strategy. Automation and equipment integration remain a challenge for many. Automation vendors can help match solutions for particular industries. GO ONLINE More information is with this article online; click on the headline in the digital edition to get there directly. See more international coverage at www.controleng.com/international and more IIoT coverage under the IIoT pulldown menu at www.controleng.com. CONSIDER THIS Are you concerned that manufacturers in China may be investing in intelligent manufacturing faster than you are?

MARCH 2017

Developing an internet enterprise requires innovation and intelligent manufacturing. Different enterprises may have different starting points along that path. Buttermore said, “Matters may not necessarily be settled at one go, even if it’s a newly invested and constructed factory.” Efforts may be required to comprehensively consider the demands, costs, and budgets of the customers, establish staged-based goals, and achieve such goals step by step. Plants with existing equipment have more factors to consider when upgrading intelligent manufacturing. For some manufacturing enterprises with a relatively high level of automation, the interconnection and integration of equipment is among the main issues to be solved. “Equipment from different manufacturers probably would be unable to be interconnected and integrated due to different networking protocols used,”

CONTROL ENGINEERING

Buttermore said, adding that “Rockwell Automation applies the most advanced technologies and realizes interconnection of equipment under different protocols or from different manufacturers via software.” In this way, customers’ prior investments can be preserved and better utilized, he said. Legacy systems, plant upgrades

In case of plants with a great number of old and outdated equipment, considerations would be more extensive. Generally, such old and outdated plants may face two circumstances simultaneously: a low level of automation and a large amount of equipment that cannot be connected to the network. The equipment different manufacturers have may be in use for more than 20 years. To upgrade to intelligent manufacturing from old and outdated plants, Buttermore suggested: 1. Assist users with a comprehensive analysis, finding the greatest challenges and greatest demands, and what issues are in greatest need of solving through integration. 2. Form specific plans as part of a longterm, progressive course.

To help, Rockwell Automation has established an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) “Connected Enterprise Maturity Model” to assist users in doing an assessment, securely upgrading networks, defining and organizing working data capital, deriving operational benefits through analytics, and with developing optimization and collaboration. Industry-specific approaches

Concentrated industrial research can help create customized intelligent manufacturing solutions. Due to differences in individual enterprises and industries, it is hard for enterprises to find a “universal” connected enterprise solution. With continuous integration of information technologies and operation technologies, automation suppliers are required to develop an in-depth understanding of users’ industries to shape intelligent manufacturing solutions appropriate to actual circumstances. www.controleng.com

Global tire market competition has become increasingly intensive in recent years. The Chinese market especially is facing serious pressures of overcapacity and anti-dumping sanctions. Compared with advanced tire manufacturers elsewhere in the world, the information technologies and automation levels of enterprises in China are relatively low. According to related data, there are more than 500 tire manufacturing enterprises in China, about 35% of the global tire output. However, total China manufacturing revenue is only 15% of the global market. More tire enterprises in China are hoping to increase the tire productivity and produce better tires with less cost by means of intelligent manufacturing so as to gain competitive advantages in global markets. Meanwhile, tire enterprises also are hoping to evade massive policy and regulation risks involved in global markets. “As we can see, many tire customers are establishing overseas plants, creating new opportunities for us,” Buttermore said. “Globalized service teams and advanced information software products can help users to organize production in line with local safety and other regulatory requirements.” Manufacturing execution system (MES) solutions can assist tire enterprises in enhancing controls,

improving visualization levels and tracing abilities on products and orders, enhancing competitiveness. Rockwell Automation has a long history with the tire industry, including, Buttermore said, by proximity. Rockwell Automation’s controller plant is near the largest U.S. tire production base. AllenBradley controllers from Rockwell Automation “have been widely applied by tire manufacturers from the very beginning,” Buttermore said. More automation collaboration

With the progress of the “Connected Enterprise” Strategy, Rockwell Automation is working on more in-depth cooperation on intelligent manufacturing with leading global customers in industries such as automobile, tire, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods. Buttermore said, “Future efforts will be made to intensify input and promotion of the Connected Enterprise in fields of consumer goods and bio-pharmaceuticals. We hope to provide better intelligent manufacturing solutions for users in emerging and fast-growing industries.” ce

Aileen Jin is editor-in-chief, Control Engineering China. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

input #8 at www.controleng.com/information

‘

Old and outdated plants may have a low level of automation and a large amount of equipment that cannot be connected to

’

the network.

CONTROL ENGINEERING international

European Machinery Directive helps with safe machinery speeds European Union Machinery Directive includes standards that can help with permissible safe limits of operation, according to Control Engineering Europe.

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Machinery Directive standards can be used to determine safe machine operating speed. Speed monitoring is covered by B and/or C Type standards. GO ONLINE Read more with this posting online, including safety performance level determination and a link to the original at www.controlengeurope.com. See other international coverage at www.controleng.com/international. CONSIDER THIS Are you using risk assessments to help determine safe machine operating speeds?

MARCH 2017

While speed monitoring is often essential for safe control of a machine and protecting the operator, it is often overlooked when considering machine safety. To find permissible safe limits of operation, standards in the European Union Machinery Directive can help. The Machinery Directive is long and complex. Specifications to cover the design and manufacture of machines are helped by agreeing standards. Harmonized standards across the European Union (EU) give purchasers the confidence that a machine meets the requisite safety levels and presumes conformance to the Directive. The Official Journal of the EU provides a list; each of the Standards for the Machinery Directive is one of three types. A-Type Standard–Relates to basic safety containing basic terminology, principles of design and general aspects that can be applied to all machinery. B-Type Standard–Addresses a safety aspect or protective device that can be used in a wide range of machinery. This includes ISO 13849-1: Safety of machinery–Safety-related parts of control systems– Part 1: General principles for design. It also includes IEC 61496-1: Safety of machinery–Electro-sensitive protective equipment–Part 1: General requirements and test. C-Type Standard–Contains all safety requirements for a specific machine or type of machine. If this standard exists, it has priority over the A-type or B-type standard, for example, IEC 415-7: Safety of packaging machines–Part 7: Group and secondary packaging machines. The relevant directives and standards usually are added to the machine builder’s declaration of conformity, which has to accompany any machinery as per the Machinery Directive. Speed monitoring

Speed monitoring is covered by B and/or C Type standards, depending on the machine. Various machine speed parameters could influence the risk of harm on a machine against identified limits. If the machine exceeds those limits then suitable measures are initiated. The monitoring of the speed becomes a safety function. Machine types differ; if a C-Standard exists for a particular machine, then speeds may have been provided,

CONTROL ENGINEERING

though not always. Below are some examples: C-Standard: BS EN 693 covers the safety of hydraulic presses. It states that the closing speed shall not exceed 10 mm/s when using a hold-to-run control device. ISO 10218 covers the safety requirements for industrial robots (Part 2: Robot systems and integration). The standard states that the maximum speed of the Tool Centre Point (TCP) shall not exceed 250 mm/s in manual mode and shall be possible only with the added use of an enabling device. B-Standard: ISO 13849 is a B-Standard and covers the general principles for design of SafetyRelated Parts of Control Systems (SRP/CS). This standard can be used, where no C-Standard exists. No speeds are quoted but it does state that when safety-related parameters deviate from their limits then appropriate measures shall be initiated. IEC 61800-5-2 is a B-type standard and defines the safety functions for drives. It specifies the requirements and makes recommendations for the design, development, integration, and validation of adjustable-speed electrical power drive systems suitable for use in safety-related applications. The performance level (PL) of the speed monitoring circuit may be defined in the C-Standard. If no C standard exists, then ISO 13849 or IEC 62061 can be used. If, for example, a safe speed is identified as a condition for locking or unlocking a gate, then this would form part of the safety function and should undergo the same functional safety design process as the interlocking function. ISO 13849 and IEC 62061 both outline a method for determining the required safety performance level for a safety function. Each method can be used to determine the required PL, or the required safety integrity level (SIL) respectively. Careful consideration should be given to the determination of the required safety performance level of a speed monitoring circuit, and it should be designed accordingly. ce Dr. Martin Kidman is a safety specialist at Sick UK; edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com, from a Feb. 6, Control Engineering Europe article, “Sticking to the speed limit.” www.controleng.com

Ignition Gets It Done for Electric, Water, and Sewer Clarksville Light & Water Sees Versatility of Software

Clarksville Light & Water Co. (CLW) is a very progressive utility. New infrastructure, a fiber optic network, groundbreaking cybersecurity — these are just a few items CLW is using to improve services for its customers in Clarksville, Ark. Clarksville is home to nearly 10,000 people, but John Lester, general manager of CLW, doesn’t think small. “Even though we’re a small community, automation is just as important for us as it is for a multi-billion-dollar private utility,” said Lester. The desire for top-level automation led CLW to Ignition by Inductive Automation®. Ignition is an industrial application platform with fully integrated tools for building solutions in human-machine interface (HMI), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Ignition is so versatile, CLW will use it across three departments. It’s already working for water and electric, and will be used for waste water too. CLW was introduced to Ignition by systems integrator Brown Engineers. Success with Water “The first project was SCADA remote sites for the water utility,” said Dee Brown, principal and co-founder of Brown Engineers. “That included all the remote pump stations and tanks, and remote-operated valves. They had new infrastructure in place, but weren’t communicating with it yet.”

800.266.7798 www.inductiveautomation.com

New screens go along with new SCADA, new fiber optic network, new controllers, and more.

Lester gave Brown 30 days to get the project done. With the aid of Ignition, Brown Engineers was able to get the sites up and running within that timeframe. CLW won an Engineering Excellence Award for the speedy SCADA upgrade. The award came from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). Lester inherited a less-than-mature system when he arrived in 2013. “When I moved here, I realized the technology in the marketplace hadn’t been fully utilized,” he said. “We had some SCADA technologies and control technologies, but they were being used very sparingly. I realized we needed to do a major upgrade.” Another project, which involved Brown Engineers, was a $10 million expansion of the water treatment plant. The project was completed under budget and on time, in 14 months. CLW won an ACEC award for that project also. The expansion gave the plant a capacity of 16

Clarksville Light & Water Co. Case Study

million gallons per day. “Ignition was a good ﬁt for that project too,” said Brown. “We knew it could handle the big increase in I/O points while keeping costs down. Ignition’s unlimited licensing was a big beneﬁt for Clarksville.”

“We now have the capacity to do a lot of things to serve the community... We could create a government network, an education network — and it could be used by business, and public safety. There are many possibilities that can add value to our community.” – John Lester General Manager of CLW

The ﬁber optic network could help the region attract more businesses. “We’re getting a visit soon from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission,” said Lester. “They’ve asked me to make a presentation on this project, and what we’re doing with the SCADA system and the ﬁber.” Additionally, Brown and Lester were invited to speak about the project at the Smart Industry 2016 conference in Chicago. Secure Foundation CLW is also going the extra mile on cybersecurity, installing new cyber-secure controllers from Bedrock Automation. Brown Engineers suggested Bedrock™, and Lester saw the value immediately. “In today’s utility environment, cybersecurity is becoming a big concern,” said Lester. “Whether you’re a small utility or a large one, threats are hammering on your network every day. So we decided to move ahead with the Bedrock controllers.” CLW also has a new Network Operations Center (NOC) with large-screen displays and a weatherresistant vault for its servers. There is also a plan for continued improvements at the NOC.

Next Up: Electric “We have a 55-megawatt peak electric utility,” said Lester. “We’re a 100-percent purchaser of our power supply, so the use of that power is critical. There had been no SCADA system before, which is highly unusual for a municipal electric. But it gave us the chance to build from the ground up.” A unique aspect of the project is the creation of a ﬁber optic network. That network is part of the SCADA system, but it could support a variety of other uses as well. The ﬁber loop is nearly 17 miles long. And the cable has 288 strands, so the capacity is huge. “We now have the capacity to do a lot of things to serve the community,” said Lester. “We could create a government network, an education network — and it could be used by business, and public safety. There are many possibilities that can add value to our community.”

800.266.7798 www.inductiveautomation.com

The SCADA improvements have helped CLW reduce costs, improve efficiency, and have greater flexibility for the future. “We’ve been very pleased with Ignition,” said Lester. “We really like that we can use it for all three utilities.” Brown Engineers is based in Little Rock, Ark. The award-winning firm designs mechanical, electrical, fire protection, HVAC and plumbing infrastructure; automation controls; and monitoring systems. For more information, visit brownengineers.net

Watch the case study online at: bit.ly/ia-clarksville

Clarksville Light & Water Co. Case Study

INTEGRATOR UPDATE business value

Exploring the factors that drive business value Part 8 of this 9-part series looks beyond financial performance and explores how a wide variety of key drivers impact business value.

Most experienced business leaders recognize the importance of staying on top of financial data, and how critical financial performance is to the value of a business. However, knowing exactly what numbers to look at and what stories the trends tell is not always easy. A previous article in this Control Engineering series focused on financial indicators and how to use these to increase value. Other factors also play a key role in increasing value in a business including: The growth potential of a business Dependency issues the business may have with customers, employees, or vendors The health of a company’s cash flows The recurring nature of revenues The size of the business’s market share How satisfied the customers are Dependency issues on the business owner. Growth potential

This value driver helps identify the likelihood that the business will grow in the future, and at what rate.

Switzerland structure

This value driver covers dependency issues relating to any one employee, customer, or supplier. If any relationships ended within these categories of people, would the company encounter significant hardship? There are some considerations to evaluate to ensure business relationships are all in balance.

Valuation teeter totter

This value driver considers whether the business is more of a cash suck or a cash spigot. There may be different answers for different parts of the business, and it’s useful to identify the answer for various segments, as well as the whole, to understand how a product or service mix contributes to the whole picture.

Recurring revenue

This driver considers the proportion and quality of automatic, annuity-based revenue www.controleng.com

that is collected every month. Buyers like to see a steady stream of income from reliable sources. Monopoly control

Having the majority of market share within your geographical location or industry niche is an ideal situation, so it’s important to be able to answer questions including why the company exists or how you can deliver on customer needs better than competitors.

‘

Customer satisfaction may sound like an obvious driver, but not all businesses have procedures in

Customer satisfaction

Customer satisfaction may sound like an obvious driver, but not all businesses have procedures in place to capture feedback. This is important to either do more of what is working well or fix issues to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.

place to capture feedback.

’

Hub and spoke

A business that is too reliant on the owner to run the company can be less valuable to a buyer. While the owner often plays a critical leadership role, to be transferable, a business must be able to continue operations without the owner for an extended period. There are questions and factors to evaluate how dependent the business is on the owner. These questions and factors should provide a much deeper understanding of how to drive value to the business. Savvy buyers will be looking at these factors because they know they impact value. Whether you plan to sell in the near future or want to build value for your continued ownership, these questions will be helpful tools to review yourself or with your leadership team quarterly and annually. Whichever approach you take, it is important to set goals or key performance indicators, for each driver so you know what success will look like. ce

Catherine J. Durham is accredited senior analyst, principal, and president, Capital Valuation Group; edited by Emily Guenther, associate content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, eguenther@cfemedia.com.

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Factors that drive value to a business. Understanding ways to improve business value. Identifying how buyers evaluate business value. GO ONLINE For more about business valuations and links to parts 1 through 7 of this series, read this article online. In the digital edition, click on the headline or search the headline for www.controleng.com. Read more online about questions to ask when evaluating certain value drivers. CONSIDER THIS Should certain industries be more concerned with particular value drivers than others?

CONTROL ENGINEERING

MARCH 2017

| 17

INTEGRATOR UPDATE business value

How to buy or sell an engineering business An alternative view of how to conduct an organized, successful business valuation.

Control Engineering has been running a

9-part series on business valuation. Many thoughtful methods are employed in business valuation. Here is another view.

‘

The basics of a business valuation

Developing a rationale for the

sale or purchase of any business requires the care, knowledge, and experience of a professional who has performed a business

’

valuation.

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS The process of conducting a successful business valuation. Understanding the factors that could impact a business’s value. Identifying the steps to properly conducting a business valuation. GO ONLINE For more about business valuations, read this article online. In the digital edition, click on the headline or search the headline for www.controleng.com. CONSIDER THIS Is the business valuation process the same for new and old businesses that have a longer performance history?

MARCH 2017

The value of a business depends in large on the purpose of the valuation. A value for an estate is substantially different from a value for a purchase or sale. What really counts in the sale scenario is what the value would be to the subsequent owner. History, while it may be a guide, isn’t the main determining factor. Instead, what is it going to be worth going forward is the key. Additionally, solely denigrating multiples [some multiplier of a number from the income statement] is misleading. They can be useful for comparisons to other similar businesses. You can’t ignore them, just do not rely on multiples to the exclusion of other practical measures. There are many factors that have significant value for a business including exclusivity, sole ownership and control, integrating a useful technology for cost reduction or operation improvement, and the future income stream from a unique process technology or exclusive customer. The likelihood of a disruption or cessation of a unique quality is difficult to evaluate but still must be considered.

Organizing the business valuation process

Another thing to consider is that some consultants will say it takes a long time to develop a value. However, this depends on how the valuation process is organized. Use an outsider to conduct the business valuation and internal resources to gather the necessary information. Don’t pay for valuation work as a percentage of the “number.” While a good valuation job has elements of an appraisal, it’s not like an appraisal for tax purposes. Much of your judgement in either selling or buying involves speculation about what could happen if buying or selling the business goes well. Also think about the downside if it doesn’t go well. Not only will that affect you immediately but it can affect you the next time a business might be bought or sold.

CONTROL ENGINEERING

Selling or buying a business

An engineering business can take many forms. Most are like any professional practice, that is, doing work for clients and charging for the time involved or the service delivered. For some other types of professional practices, like an accounting firm, lawyer’s office, or an insurance brokerage, a number of clients make up the revenue base. Some professional practices can have very few. This impacts the business value. Typically, such businesses are sold or bought based on a multiple of revenues (like three times the average of three to five years’ sales). The more diversified the business, the better the multiple will be assuming average profitability. Perceived risks of dependence on a single client or just a few major clients may reduce the multiple and therefore the price. The engineering firm may benefit from diversification. Consider if there is a large potential in which the buyer is interested, like an exclusive but only partially-developed proprietary technique or process. Using a base price plus an “earn out” can provide the desired safety for the buyer and the deserved rewards for the seller. For example, a business that was sold had a two-year additional payout depending on gross profits over a base level. The first year was very profitable, but plummeted in the second. Putting the business valuation together

Developing a rationale for the sale or purchase of any business requires the care, knowledge, and experience of a professional who has performed a business valuation. There are good investment bankers and high-quality consultants who can guide business owners effectively. Use your staff to get the numbers together and rely on outside help and your own expertise to develop the business valuation. Remember, no one formula is right for every business. ce

Peter H. Burgher, CPA, AB, MBA has been an expert witness for 36 years during which he has developed, operated, and sold several technologybased businesses. Prior to that he was a managing partner in an international CPA firm. Edited by Emily Guenther, associate content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, eguenther@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

CFE Mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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FEEDBACK IIoT, automation costs

Wider capabilities via IIoT; lowering project costs Less customization, more standards, wider capabilities, and easier implementations are needed to improve the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and automation.

was very interested in the “Think Again” article, amount of hardware, eliminates purpose built “Finding IIoT benefits,” (Control Engineering, components, relies entirely on vendor standard December 2016, p. 8). It is true that the Indus- components and places all customization within trial Internet of Things (IIoT) can be used to the software. We can consistently hire resources optimize processes, make processes safer, lower to develop and maintain valuable software. To justify my first PC at work, I had to make energy use, enable regulatory compliance, increase a list of all the things I could do with the PC. My profits and improve operations sustainability. However, I think the industry is missing one list never envisioned all the things that we use great opportunity and that is using new automa- PCs for today. The same will be true for IIoT. tion technologies to greatly simplify the archi- However, reducing the size and complexity of our automation hardware tecture and greatly reduce the solutions is a more critical customization of the automaWe will never be able need. In fact, if we can reduce tion systems we have been costs, and simplify delivery installing for past three or to consistently hire and maintenance by reducfour decades. Today, the typical solution younger resources to ing size and complexity, we will enable doing even more for a major facility includes with IIoT. a complex and complicated maintain very large mixture of hundreds of marand complicated Too much cost shaling cabinets, hundreds of For two-thirds of my controller and I/O cabinets, hardware. 38-year career with Exxondozens of servers, dozens Mobil, I was involved in major of PCs and numerous other . capital projects with the last 15 years spent supcomponents. Additionally, every user wants it their way porting mega-projects. I realized a few years ago (the Burger King approach) including many fea- that the primary reason why project costs have tures that are not considered standard by their increased exponentially over the past decade is automation provider. This common approach that everyone is biased and burdened by histordramatically increases the total installed cost, ical practices that no longer apply or could be greatly extends the time to deliver, requires a automated. One example is what all applicable industries large project team, complicates installation and commissioning, increases the cost to update have done to program safety systems. The hisand maintain. Most importantly, the complexity torical practice has been for process engineers demands that we remain dependent on the aging to develop cause and effects. A safety engineer workforce. We will never be able to consistently programs the logic solver loop by loop, and then hire younger resources to maintain the current checks the programming loop by loop to verify the manual entries. very large and complicated hardware solutions.

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ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Automation technologies can help simplify the architecture and reduce the customization of the automation systems. Reducing costs, reducing size, and complexity will enable companies to do more with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Reducing project costs requires companies to challenge what worked in the past and seeing where improvements can be made. GO ONLINE Read this story online at www.controleng.com for more information and links to related stories about the IIoT. CONSIDER THIS What else can be done to improve the IIoT and automation?

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Different approach

We must have a different approach—one which uses new technologies to minimize the

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Improvements

We challenged all the major safety system suppliers to develop a translator to take the cause and www.controleng.com

In another example, piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) today are effectively started from scratch, and it takes months to develop, review, and approve a set of P&IDs. Aveva and Intergraph should develop graphics for vessels, separators, pumps, and compressors that are already fully instrumented. All an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC)

would need to do for P&IDs is construct them from building blocks included in the drawing software. This would save a considerable amount of time. ce Sandy Vasser is the retired IC&E Manager for ExxonMobil. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

Sandy Vasser, retired IC&E manager for ExxonMobil, spoke at the 2016 ARC Forum about improving the efficiency of automation implementation. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media

effects and directly program the logic solver. Because this is done automatically, no validation is required. This does not eliminate the functional testing, but it significantly reduces the manual activities. We learned that Siemens had actually developed such a tool a decade ago but few used it. This is now a tool ExxonMobil Upstream will be using for all future projects. There is a long list of improvements we convinced ABB, Emerson, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, and Yokogawa to commercialize under a program called “It Just Happens” and later “Think Differently.” We believe these measures reduce automation costs by 30% to 50%. To reduce project costs, every discipline must challenge ALL historical project execution processes and procedures, and eliminate or simplify the processes and procedures. Lowering costs

Everyone has tried low cost engineering centers but all they have done is take historical practices and used engineering resources with lower billing rates. There are some savings but a much greater cost reduction comes from eliminating or automating procedures. Unfortunately, the industry has realized lower engineering rates only and assumed success. MARCH 2017

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TECHNOLOGY UPDATE functional safety

Safety requires cybersecurity If it isn’t secure, it isn’t safe. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities represent additional failure modes and safety incidents not factored into traditional safety assessments. Consider safety when creating a business justification for cybersecurity risk assessments.

Functional safety

assessments are a well-established practice in machine and process automation. These assessments focus on random hardware failures or systematic software failures (such as bugs). However, cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities represent additional failure modes that may lead to incidents that are unaccounted for in traditional safety assessments. A business justification can be developed for discussing cyber risk assessments. The majority of factories and process plants today are controlled and operated by automation

systems built on Ethernet TCP/IP networks and legacy Microsoft operating systems. These systems are vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches resulting in potentially significant risks, including risks to health, safety and the environment. To address the risk, there’s a need to understand it—but how? Functional safety assessments focus on random hardware failures or systematic software failures (such as bugs) and generally do not consider cyber threats or cyber vulnerabilities. To understand cyber risk, it’s necessary to perform cyber vulnerability assessments and cyber risk assessments. Not surprisingly, this is exactly what cybersecurity standards and regulations require. Cybersecurity regulations, standards

Fortunately, there is help available now. Many standards and regulations have been developed over the last decade to address this known issue; our industrial control systems (ICS) are susceptible to cyber compromise. Agencies such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the International Society of Automation (ISA), the American Petroleum Institute (API), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and others have developed numerous documents describing the need to protect ICS from cyber attacks, as well as how to do it. Functional safety standards also now are beginning to require cyber vulnerability and risk assessments. The second edition of IEC 61511 (Functional Safety: Safety Instrumented Systems for the Process Industry Sector), was released in 2016. One new clause states that a security risk assessment shall be carried out to identify the security vulnerabilities of the SIS. Another clause states the design of the SIS shall provide the necessary resilience against the identified security risks. That’s as far as the new standard goes, but it Figure 1: An industrial control system (ICS) cybersecurity vulnerability assessment is an evaluation of an ICS design. A brownfield design starts with the ICS as-built or as-found drawings, such as the example shown here. All figures courtesy: aeSolutions

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does provide further guidance by pointing readers to an ISA 84 technical report and the ISA/ IEC 62443-3-2 standard (Security Risk Assessment and System Design) which covers how to perform cyber vulnerability and risk assessments. What is the cybersecurity risk?

There are different types or different components of risk, and cybersecurity is one of them. For example, there are different risks for money. People can be robbed, the stock market could crash, the financial institution that holds an account could fail or be robbed, or a cybercriminal could wipe out the account. Similarly, there are different risks to factory or plant operations. A mechanical device could fail, a human could make an error, an electronic component could fail or a cyber threat could compromise the control systems. To manage risk, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessary to understand all the components of risk, including cyber. While it is more difficult to grasp than mechanical risk, cyber risk can be assessed and managed. If that werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t true, bank accounts would probably already be emptied by cyber criminals. Cyber risk is generally considered a function of three variables: threat, vulnerability and consequence. Threats are the initiating event, such as a hacker or a computer virus. Threats vary with the skill or motivation of the hacker or the sophistication of the malware. Vulnerabilities are the inherent weaknesses in the system that allow the threat to be realized. Finally, consequences are the unwanted outcome should the threat be successful. Cybersecurity risk is a combination of the likelihood that a threat will exploit a vulnerability and the severity of the resulting consequence.

ICS cybersecurity vulnerability assessment

Vulnerabilities are a key variable in cyber risk. In theory, if there are no cyber vulnerabilities there is no cyber risk. Of course, in reality all ICSs have vulnerabilities, some more than others. The number and severity of vulnerabilities depends on the components used, how they are configured and how they are networked. So what is an ICS cybersecurity vulnerability assessment? It is an evaluation of a ICS design. In a brownfield design begin with the ICS as-built or as-found drawings. An example is shown in Figure 1. How is that control system constructed? What devices make up the system? How are they networked together? How do the networks www.controleng.com

communicate? Modern control systems are based on Ethernet networking and Microsoft operating systems. Understanding how these pieces go together can be very difficult in many facilities. Drawings that show the entire system architecture may not exist; these systems often have grown and evolved over decades. Start with an analysis of network communications to understand how these networks are constructed and, and how data moves throughout the system. This is done by recording actual network traffic and plotting it out to see the data flows. Identify what devices are communicating with each other. What devices should be communicating with each other? What devices are communicating with each other that perhaps should not be, or were not expected to be? Are any devices communicating using unexpected protocols? Are there control system devices that are trying to communicate to the internet? Plot the communications and look for anomalous behaviors. A vulnerability assessment would then analyze the actual servers and workstations that make up

Figure 2: A cybersecurity vulnerability assessment also requires partitioning the system into zones and conduits.

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Functional safety depends on cybersecurity. Determine cyber risk to the industrial control system. Prioritize risks; gain buy-in for mitigations. GO ONLINE See the Control Engineering cybersecurity page including more with this article online. CONSIDER THIS Have your risk assessments included safety and cybersecurity? If not, why not?

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TECHNOLOGY UPDATE functional safety

Figure 3 shows an example of a cyber risk assessment study excerpt.

the system. Most of the operating systems that are controlling the bulk of industrial facilities today are legacy Microsoft platforms such as XP and Windows Server 2003. Identify the vulnerabilities. Look at the control devices themselves, the programmable logic controllers, the safety instrumented systems, the operator interfaces, the variable frequency drives, the analyzers, etc. Most of these devices now have Ethernet ports and are connected to common networks that make up the control system network. The next step in a vulnerability assessment would be to partition the system into zones and conduits, as shown in Figure 2. Doing so helps better analyze the system and better design protections to limit communications to only that which needs to go into and out of a zone. A vulnerability assessment also should include a review of policies and procedures, and include a gap analysis. How does the system stack up against industry standards and best practices? Finally, the assessment should list the vulnerabilities that have been discovered and the recommended mitigations to close the gaps. ICS cybersecurity risk assessment

Understanding vulnerability is only one part of the equation. Cyber risk is combination of threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences. Most organizations want to understand what the true cyber risks are. A method has been developed to do so— it’s called a cyber risk assessment or cyber PHA (process hazards analysis). It’s a very systematic approach similar in many ways to a PHA or hazard and operability (HAZOP) study. The actual process is documented in the IEC 62443-3-2 stan-

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dard. The method has been applied many times within companies following the process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals regulation (29 CFR 1910.119). The method works quite well because it’s very similar in nature to a HAZOP, a technique that has been used in the industry for more than 40 years. An example of a cyber risk assessment study excerpt is shown in Figure 3. Instead of the traditional causes, in this study, look for threats. Also consider vulnerabilities and consequences. Use the same risk matrix used in ranking other risks within the organization. Performing such a study helps with prioritizing activities and resources, helps designers intelligently design and apply countermeasures, and helps document and justify decisions. A cyber risk assessment will document why certain controls were put in place, and sometimes why they were not put in place. This also can be a very effective training and awareness exercise. Like HAZOPs, these studies require a multi-disciplinary team. There needs to be people from IT (information technology), operations, engineering, and automation working together to study the system. Following the process, the team ultimately will develop a risk register and risk profile, providing a ranked set of risks, and an understanding where those risks are in the system. Ultimately, it’s possible to derive a set of recommendations and a plan to mitigate those risks. Cyber risk assessments benefits

Organizations can realize numerous benefits by performing cyber risk assessments. They are fundamental to any risk management program and provide a consistent method of communicating risk to management. Since no organization has unlimited resources and unlimited budgets, the results of the risk assessment can be very helpful to management in prioritizing mitigation efforts. The structured approach helps uncover hidden risk or overturn long-standing assumptions of areas of high risk which may have been overstated. Participation in the cyber risk assessment by subject matter experts is an effective way of training personnel on cybersecurity while at the same time improving their “buy in” to the proposed mitigations. Finally, the cyber risk assessment process produces detailed documentation and justification for the mitigations that are being adopted as well as those that are not. ce

John Cusimano, CISSP, GICSP, CFSE, is director of industrial cybersecurity at aeSolutions. www.aesolns.com. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE efficiency

Make flexible automation work Technology advances designed specifically for industrial automation have made it easier to design and implement flexible automation. Companies are seeing numerous benefits from using the new applications.

Employing flexible automation

technology now is vital for companies to sustain growth, keep a diverse range of products flowing through their lines, and minimize the downtime associated with product changeovers. Advances in industrial technology and the overall evolution of automation over the past century have been unprecedented. In that time, automation has gone from a “fixed” state to being more flexible (see Figure 1). Fixed automation is designed to produce a single product repetitively and efficiently. This concept worked well on manufacturing floors in the past, which often produced one or a limited assortment of products in very large lot sizes with limited variability. This type of automation is beneficial because the upfront equipment cost is lower than flexible solutions. Throughput also is optimized if the machine only runs a single part. However, modularity is not usually a consideration within the original design, which means converting machinery to support multiple product configuration is often impractical financially and difficult to implement. More configurability

The next level of automation, programmable automation, is designed to accommodate some configurability after implementation. This includes the ability to write new code to perform operations with mechanical changeovers that are performed manually. The downside is that the changeover process is often very labor intensive and requires significant downtime to replace tooling and make programming changes. The more modern approach is flexible or “soft” automation where the machine operator employs a mix of recipe control and mechanical automation that seamlessly converts one process to another at the touch of a button. This allows manufacturers to produce a wider variety of products through a single machine that is designed to adapt to address the next generation of products. Flexible equipment employs electromechanical automation that achieves positional control for quick and repeatable process changeovers. This allows a diverse range of products to flow through the line with little downtime (see Figure 2). www.controleng.com

Once any product variability is introduced into the system, fixed automation becomes extremely ineffective from a cost standpoint. Conversely, flexible automation becomes more cost-effective as product mix increases and becomes the optimal solution once a moderate mix is achieved. Outside influences

The rapid evolution of access to machine information and data management has created endless possibilities for flexible automation. The world has become much smaller and operates at a much faster pace than it did a decade ago. A constant supply of information is readily available, be it for use by machines or the humans interacting with them. The influence of robotics in industry cannot be overstated either. These factors have provided a setting that is allowing flexible automation to thrive. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) also is playing a major role in flexible automation. The IIoT describes a network of electronic devices embedded with software and sensors that provide an endless stream of information that can be used to improve flexible automation. Sensors that gather this data can be remotely accessed by virtually any

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Flexible automation will allow manufacturers more versatility in creating products while minimizing downtime. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industrie 4.0 will improve flexible automation by giving manufacturers and machines more data to work through. Existing technologies such as collaborative robots can help improve automation and make it more flexible on the plant floor. GO ONLINE Read this story online at www.controleng.com for additional information about flexible automation. CONSIDER THIS What other developments will improve flexible automation?

Figure 1. Automation has gone from being fixed and focused on one product to more flexible and able to seamlessly create multiple products. All figures courtesy: Parker Hannifin CONTROL ENGINEERING

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Collaborative robots, which allow for rapid repurposing and redeployment of mechanical automation, are also influencing flexible automation

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designs.

Figure 2: The chart highlights the relationship between the three automation philosophies and their cost-effectiveness. The horizontal axis displays the level of product variation from low mix to high mix product lines. The vertical axis displays cost-effectiveness.

machine (or person) to make real-time adjustments on the plant floor to maximize efficiency. Industrie 4.0, a European initiative designed to encourage manufacturers to develop smarter automated factories that essentially can think and respond independently to changing dynamics on the plant floor, also is pushing advancements in flexible automation. Industrie 4.0 focuses on developing smart factories, where automated equipment is programmed to be autonomous and require minimal human intervention. Collaborative robots, which allow for rapid repurposing and redeployment of mechanical automation, are also influencing flexible automation designs. As their name suggests, collaborative robots work in conjunction with people to perform a variety of tasks, in a manner that presents no safety risk. For instance, a collaborative robot can remove a part from a press and perform a finishing operation that would typically be performed by a person but not require the same level of machine guarding. There is also a lot of focus on maximizing throughput and reducing downtime on production equipment contrasts with an industry increasingly trending toward high mix, low-volume manufacturing. All of these outside influences are combining to create an environment that is helping promote flexible automation’s growth. Leveraging existing technology

Beyond the external developments that have paved the way for the expansion of flexible automation, the continued growth of existing automation technology has opened new doors. For

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instance, programmable automation controllers (PACs) have combined motion and machine control in one platform. These controllers are designed to support both overall machine management and specific coordinated motion through servo-controlled actuation. Compared with traditional fluid power, electromechanical actuation allows for more flexible positioning to accommodate new product sizes and process changes. Specific motion profiles can be created to address the needs of specific products going through the line. To realize the value of flexible automation, the system must be able to change setups between products quickly and seamlessly. To accomplish this, the actuators must have the ability to address a variety of decisions within the available workspace. As machine builders are pushed to address unique application challenges, component scale becomes more challenging. In the past, this may have been addressed by selecting different families of automation components from one machine to the next to accommodate changes in speed, payload, or thrust. It’s also important to select reliable components to prevent premature failure. Broader reach

Given the multitude of challenges that machine designers face in creating flexible automation, what can manufacturers of electromechanical components and mechanical stages do to alleviate some of these challenges? At least part of the answer is in designing scalable and configurable product platforms to address a broader range of application demands. Mechanical stages that are scalable were www.controleng.com

designed with the specific intent of addressing the significant amount of variance in application demands, such as capacity, speed, stroke length, changes in payload or moment load, thrust, and precision. A number of automation platforms, such as articulated robotic arms, can be employed to provide this level of flexibility. Traditional robotic arms were designed as fixed implants on a plant floor with the objective of producing one output. However, with the emergence of collaborative robots, it is easier to redeploy articulated arm systems in new applications. Linear mechanical stages can be deployed in single-axis or multi-axis orientations that offer inherent flexibility. As a single-axis stage, they are very cost-effective, but even in multi-axis configurations, typically Cartesian or gantry solutions are extremely cost-effective. Linear stages typically can achieve higher payload and precision and address a larger footprint than robot arms. (See Figure 3.) Touchscreens such as human-machine interfaces (HMIs) allow for recipe control and on-the-fly adjustment from one process to another. These screens can be preprogrammed with specific buttons and alarms, allowing the operator to preview system changes and select recipes that will implement the machine changeovers needed to accommodate different products or processes. Menu control through an HMI simplifies changing stroke and motion profiles to accommodate multiple package sizes.

Figure 3. Even in multi-axis configurations, typically Cartesian or gantry solutions are extremely costeffective. Linear stages typically can achieve higher payload and precision and address a larger footprint than robot arms.

Less downtime

More technological breakthroughs are undoubtedly around the corner to support the shift toward flexible automation. Other technologies that havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been deployed will be crucial in furthering the shift away from fixed and programmable automation. All these technologies, coupled with an ever-increasing flow of information and an ever-decreasing tolerance for downtime, will continue to set the stage for the expansion of the flexible automation age. ce Jeremy Miller is product manager, Parker Hannifin Corp. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com. CONTROL ENGINEERING

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INDUSTRY NEWS and events

Study identifies six best practices for supply chain transparency A study from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Global Supply Chain Institute outlined the best practices for leveraging transparency in supply chains for financial profit. The study describes six key practices:

“In fact,” he added, “many communications that brings see it as a work in process. about trust for suppliers and But it is important to estabconsumers. lish and stick to a set of ideThe SC Johnson Compaals and goals on which they ny, one of the best-practice communicate progress.” companies interviewed and While marketing incenthe sponsor of the report, 1. Embracing sustainability as a tives often provide the found that sweet spot allows major business driver motivation for transparmuch greater communication ency, UT’s study notes that Mike Burnette, than executives had expected. 2. Developing a culture of consumer demand for sus- director of Univer“Last year we took an transparency tainability creates risk in sity of Tennessee’s unprecedented step in the the supply chain. Partnering Global Supply Chain industry by launching the 3. Partnering with sustainable with sustainable suppliers Institute. Courtesy: first product with 100% of suppliers and ensuring that product University of Tennes- the fragrance ingredients materials are traceable are see, Knoxville disclosed,” said Kelly M. 4. Ensuring traceability to enable prerequisites to increased Semrau, senior vice presitransparency communications with the public. dent for global corporate affairs, com“Consumers want to know where munication and sustainability at SC 5. Finding the transparency sweet a product came from, all the way to Johnson. spot, and the cashmere goat herd on the slopes “We believe consumers should know of the Himalayas,” Burnette said. “A a product’s ingredients so they can 6. Employing outside auditing lack of ability to provide that kind of partners. information in the face of safety or Partnering with sustainable environmental violations can create a The company also must have com- negative perception of the brand that suppliers and ensuring mitments to sustainability as a major may require immediate remediation business driver and a culture of trans- and could take a brand years to recover that product materials are parency driven by executive leadership. from, if at all.” The report defined these two elements Poor traceability opens companies traceable are prerequisites as supply chain integrity. to the possibility of slave or child labor, to increased public “Companies don’t need to have their product contamination or the presence sustainability practices completely fig- of conflict materials in their supply communications. ured out,” said Mike Burnette, director chains. Divulging supplier partnerof the Global Supply Chain Institute ships often involves proprietary busiand a co-author of the study, “Creating ness information, however, and the make educated choices about what they a Transparent Supply Chain.” report advises finding a sweet spot in bring into their homes for their families,” Semrau said. SC Johnson worked with the InterMotor and power generation national Fragrance Association to companies acquired establish the ingredients’ safety and sustainability, exemplifying the report’s NIDEC CORP. has completed the acquisition of Leroy-Somer and Control Techniques, final recommendation: employ outside Emerson Electric’s motors, drives, and electric power generation businesses. The acquisiauditing partners. tions are intended to broaden Nidec’s motor offering and product lineup, including variable “Companies must choose these speed drives and a complete range of generators, and expand its global presence. These partners carefully, but they can never businesses, which employ approximately 9,500 people in 42 countries, will be part of Nidec’s hope to replicate the databases of Appliance, Commercial and Industrial Motor (ACIM) business unit. Through this acquisiindustry information that sustainability coalitions compile,” Burnette said. tion, Nidec plans to strengthen its ability to serve power generation, pumping, air moving, Katie Williams, University of Tenautomation equipment, and other applications with an expanded line of IEC motors, variable nessee, Knoxville. Edited by Chris Vavra, speed drives (VSDs), and integrated motor and drive packages. production editor, Control Engineering, - Edited from a Nidec press release by CFE Media. CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

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INDUSTRY NEWS and events

Four benefits of manufacturing automation In the United States, manufacturing accounts for $2.17 trillion in annual economic activity and more than 98% of U.S. manufacturers qualify as small businesses. Facing global competition, manufacturers must leverage every advantage to remain effective as they face global competition. Manufacturing automation, which includes robots, has been an essential part of this. Automation empowers small American businesses to stand toe-to-toe with entrenched rivals around the globe. With greater technical know-how and stronger strategy, these companies can continue to produce quality goods at affordable prices. But how does automation facilitate all that? What’s the secret? Start by focusing on these four benefits that automation offers.

1. Automation means higher productivity

End-to-end factory automation can double or even triple production compared to plants that use only a few automation systems. Not only that, but equipment can often be kept running

for longer periods of time with comparatively little impact on the maintenance outlook. This lets companies outperform even rivals with much simpler or lowquality goods.

2. Automation means lower overall costs

Through automation, the complex process of fabricating a product can be simplified to its most basic components. Automation systems can be continuously upgraded until they are as efficient as possible: Generating little waste heat, using the minimum power, and focusing on controlled and precise movements. All this makes manufacturing cheaper, which cuts cost and raises profit.

3. Automation means workplace safety

Even the most sophisticated robotic system is useless without human insight to guide it. When automation is deployed in a factory, it means team members no longer have to worry about the most dangerous and dirty tasks. Lifethreatening processes are often the first

to be delegated to robots. That reduces accidents and helps workers maintain their health over time.

4. Automation means high-level focus

Tedious manual labor can simply be left to the machines and allows manufacturing personnel can focus on the best way to improve efficiency on the floor, expand their products’ capabilities, and many other engaging tasks. There’s a good reason why manufacturing automation is being adopted from coast to coast: It benefits everyone. Thanks to automation, even small companies can bring about groundbreaking innovation that may be adopted around the world. Today, we’re in the midst of a new automation boom that promises to fundamentally transform how manufacturing is done. - Edited from the Robotics Industries’ Association (RIA) Robotics Online Blog. The RIA is a part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

Agricultural startup researching, developing beehive sensors

ndiana University alumni have launched an agriculture technology startup called The Bee Corp. that is designed to monitor conditions inside commercial beehives. The company is prepared to begin research and development, building, and testing sensors to better understand bee needs and behaviors as well as reduce the substantial negative economic impact of the phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder, and enhance beehive health in the United States and around the world. According to a 2014 White House fact sheet, honeybees contribute more than $15 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Former IU students CEO Ellie Symes, COO Simon Kuntz, CMO Wyatt Wells, and current student Lucas Moehle founded the Bee Corp.. Wells said commercial beekeepers travel around the country with beehives in their trucks to pollinate almonds, sunflowers, apples, and other fruits. “Since the onset of colony collapse disorder, or CCD, in 2007, beekeepers have experienced annual hive loss rates of 30% on average,” he said. “Simultaneously, demand for honey and crops that depend on honeybees for pollination has grown steadily, resulting in an increasingly volatile industry. Our aim is to gather information that we can use to help reduce this volatility and to do so in a sustainable

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way for both the bees and the market that depends on them.” The Bee Corp. owns and manages more than 100 hives in the southern and central regions of Indiana. “We collect a comprehensive data set to gain a stronger understanding about the factors that contribute to a strong, healthy hive as well as factors that cause hive mortality,” Wells said. “We will perform research to test the hypotheses from the data we collect.” Wells added the company has sourced sensor hardware from domestic and international suppliers. “During the next six months, we will dedicate most of our resources to research, which will be an ongoing process,” he said. “In the third quarter, we will split our focus between research, data analysis and prototype development.” The Bee Corp. was established after the founders won a $100,000 investment from the Indiana University Building Entrepreneurs in Software and Technology (BEST) Competition in February 2016. Investors include the Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. The Bee Corp. also has received guidance and mentoring from IU alumni as the founders have grown the business. Steve Martin, IIndiana University. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

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Your Global Automation Partner

System integrator firm appoints new CEO POLYTRON INC., an engineering consultancy and systems integration firm based in Duluth, Ga., announced the appointment of Ronald Rich to CEO as of Jan. 1, following the retirement of Polytron founder, Charles Jager. He joined Polytron in 1987 and has been an officer in the company since 1994. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Georgia and holds project management professional certification. “I am humbled by this appointment. I believe in the people at Polytron and I am excited about our future. We are uniquely positioned to be a dominant player as the industry moves into the digital transformation era. Digital transformation technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), product lifecycle management (PLM), smart manufacturing, and the like, represent tremendous opportunities for manufacturers to gain competitive advantages.” - Edited from a Polytron press release by CFE Media.

WARNING

Cybersecurity framework updated A draft update to the Framework for NIST’s program manager for the cyberImproving Critical Infrastructure Cyber- security framework. “This update is fully security—also known as the Cybersecurity compatible with the original framework, Framework—provides details on managing and the framework remains voluntary and cyber supply chain risks, clarifies key terms, flexible to adaptation.” and introduces measurement methods for To assist users wanting to apply the cybersecurity. The updated framework’s framework to cyber supply chain risk mangoal is to further develop the Nation- agement, the authors developed a vocabual Institute of Standards and Technology’s lary so all organizations working together (NIST) voluntary guidance to organiza- on a project can clearly understand cybertions on reducing cybersecurity risks. security needs. Examples of cyber supply The Cybersecurity chain risk management Framework was pubinclude a small business NIST: the Cybersecurity selecting a cloud serlished in February 2014 following a collaboravice provider or a fedframework update is tive process involving eral agency contracting compatible with the industry, academia and with a system integrator original and remains government agencies, to build an IT system. as directed by a presiIn the renamed and voluntary and flexible dential executive order. revised “Identity Manto adaptation. The original goal agement and Access was to develop a volControl” category, the untary framework to help organizations draft clarifies and expands the definitions manage cybersecurity risk in the criti- of the terms “authentication” and “authocal infrastructure, such as bridges and the rization.” Authors also added and defined electric power grid, but the framework the related concept of “identity proofing.” has been widely adopted by many types of The update introduces the notion of cyberorganizations around the world. security measurement to get the conversaThe 2017 draft “Framework for tion started, Barrett said. “Measurements Improving Critical Infrastructure Cyberse- will be critical to ensure that cybersecuricurity Version 1.1” incorporates feedback ty receives proper consideration in a largsince the release of framework version 1.0, er enterprise risk management discussion.” and integrates comments from the DecemApril 10 is the comment deadline on ber 2015 Request for Information as well as the draft Framework for Improving Criticomments from attendees at the Cyberse- cal Infrastructure Cybersecurity v1.1. curity Framework Workshop 2016. Gregory Hale is editor and founder of “We wrote this update to refine and ISSSource.com, a CFE Media content partenhance the original document and to ner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, make it easier to use,” said Matt Barrett, Control Engineering, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

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INDUSTRY NEWS and events Digital edition? Click on headlines for more details. See news daily at www.controleng.com/news

Process market opportunities for pump suppliers expected to decline in 2017 Destocking trends and consolidated end-user markets will continue to place pressure on positive displacement pump suppliers, especially those with products specialized for applications in underperforming process markets, until 2018, according to research from the IHS Markit Postitive Displacement Pumps Database. Upstream production cuts predictably led to suppliers revising their 2017 pump sales expectations downwards. Since early 2016, growth of commodity prices and upstream business confidence has prompted a slight recovery in production; improvements to production efficiency amid mergers and acquisitions have resulted in fewer opportunities for competing pump suppliers. Both active and reactive destocking are forecast to hurt process markets through 2017. Recent volatility in capital spending and uncertainty regarding future demand have led to efforts among systems integra-

tors and machine builders to reduce overhead and on-hand discrete stock. In addition, larger pump suppliers are providing more EPC and machine builder services. These two trends are driving the positive displacement pumps market to maintain supply with less lead time between orders and fulfillment, deflating sales to the intermediary market. Operational improvements

Industry analysts have noted that upstream efficiency improvements have resulted in an increase in volume output of approximately 20%, while also achieving a decrease in time of 20%. These trends are helping reduce the positive displacement pumps install base needed to maintain the current level of production. Kevin Schiller is senior analyst, IHS Markit, a CFE Media content partner. See more online.

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Headlines online Industry events At www.controleng.com, on the right side, click on the events box and scroll by month to see related industry events including: CFE Media’s Marketing to Engineers Event, Chicago, April 3, www.cfemedia.com/m2e/events/ Automate 2017, ProMat 2017, Chicago, April 3-6 www.automateshow.com, www.promatshow.com Wind Dallas 2017, Dallas, April 10-12 www.windenergyupdate.com/ operations-maintenance-usa/ Hannover Messe, Hannover, Germany, April 24-28 www.hannovermesse.de/home Offshore Technology Conference, May 1-4, Houston www.otcnet2017.org CSIA 2017 Executive Conference, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., May 2-5, www.controlsys.org/events

Top 5 Control Engineering articles Feb. 20-26: Most visited articles included safety instrumented systems, Engineers’ Choice, multi-platform fluency, SCADA/HMI cybersecurity, permanent magnet motors. PMI continues strong growth Institute for Supply Management’s purchasing manufacturers’ index (PMI) rose to 57.7% in February, the sixth month of growth. Company develops robotic arm for retail, food and beverage industry Ocado, a British-only supermarket company, is running a trial program with robotic arms in its automated warehouses for the picking and packing of shopping orders, and is hoping to have them replace humans for picking. Fog computing reference architecture The OpenFog Consortium released the OpenFog Reference Architecture, which is a universal technical framework designed to enable data-intensive requirements of the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Company expands consulting practice with focus on IoT, Industrie 4.0 CIMdata announced the expansion of its manufacturing systems engineering (MSE) consulting practice and will concentrate on emerging technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrie 4.0 practices. Step-by-step approach to Industrie 4.0 Companies that a take a pragmatic step-bystep approach to Industrie 4.0 are most likely to realize potential benefits for operations.

MARCH 2017

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CFE Media’s

Global System Integrator Database CFE Media’s Global System Integrator Database is an interactive community of global end-users and system integrators hosted by Control Engineering, Plant Engineering, and our global partners in Asia and Europe. The newest version of the online database is even easier to use. Features and updates:

• Relevancy score indicates how closely

• New feature allows an end-user to

• Users can now preview the most

• The most relevant data about an

an integrator’s qualifications match a user’s search criteria

pertinent data of a System Integrator before clicking to view the full corporate profile

“

request a quote for a project directly from the database site

integrator’s engineering services appear on one page on their corporate profile – other details are organized by tabs.

As a Systems Integrator there are quite a few options available for online advertising. They vary in functionality and design, but the Global System Integrator Database has been our go to. It is easy to use, professionally designed, and has given us a great deal of exposure to clients we wouldn’t normally be able to reach. We have had more clients contact us with this solution than any other System Integrator database combined. We not only going to renew our profile this year, we plan on upgrading.

”

William Aja, Panacea Technologies

Find and connect with the most suitable service provider for your unique application.

www.controleng.com/global-si-database

COVER STORY Big Data, IIoT

Strategy and standards help determine Big Data, IIoT value There are many tools for capturing the potential value Big Data and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) provide, but companies need to know what kind of information they want and how to gather it securely.

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ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Companies need to have a specific strategy before they try to harness value from Big Data and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Machine builders and end users have very different goals with Big Data and the IIoT, and companies need to account for that. Standardized data formats are bringing IT and automation closer together. GO ONLINE Read this story online at www.controleng.com for additional images and related stories about Big Data and the IIoT. CONSIDER THIS What else should companies consider when looking to derive information from Big Data or the IIoT?

MARCH 2017

ompanies that want to capitalize on Big Data and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are trying to unlock and harness the value from the data they are gathering. However, as the old saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and that is true in terms of machine and production data. A machine builder’s Big Data priorities may be very different from the information an end user manufacturer desires. The first steps required for determining the data types necessary for each application are identifying the key business and production challenges IIoT technology should address. After that, a plan must be created to store and analyze data to generate insights that will help support continuous improvement efforts within a company’s operations. On the end user side, this may include a wide range of information types—including categories such as direct, indirect, or derived data— depending on the established goals. Direct or “raw” data such as field sensor information is unfiltered and often hasn’t been converted into engineering units. Indirect data, such as motor temperature or vibration data, might be filtered. Derived data, which comes from data acquisition and subsequent calculations, include metrics such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Data details: users, machine builders

Most often, the end user seeks optimization of throughput and overall plant effectiveness by comparing production lines across the enterprise or streamlining operations via supply chain management (SCM) initiatives. These efforts are designed to enable the company to make positive changes such as shifting production runs to maximize throughput and product variety. Another strategy could involve implementing future-oriented concepts such as

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dynamic production allocation and object-oriented manufacturing where the IoT-enabled plant can autonomously move production steps based on machine line/module availability or other factors. Machine builders have a different focus and priority with Big Data. They use data to enhance machine performance or predictive maintenance services. They dive deep into the details of an individual machine’s operation through analytics software. Analytics tools assist in creating data models that help machine builders determine ideal machine operation variables and identify possible areas of improvement in terms of mechanical, electronic, and software components. Data analytics benefits

New analytics solutions provide a wealth of features that are designed to provide the perfect mix of high-performance and cost-effective operation. For example, high-level analytics software running on a PC-based control platform logs data cyclically. It leverages the speed of modern industrial Ethernet protocols to gather machine data in real time during every programmable logic controller (PLC) cycle. The data may include motion system performance, maximum torque, motor temperature, and machine state timing. The collected data can be used to help drive decisions on machine component specifications to remedy any perceived areas of weakness. Machine builders often require aggregated metadata to accompany the “regular” data as a means to correlate the many variables involved in machine optimization. For example, machine operating temperatures may be tracked over a long period of time and the accompanying metadata may be used to reveal the overall state of the machine when temperature spikes or dips occur. www.controleng.com

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Data may include motion system performance, maximum torque, motor temperature, and machine state timing.

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Big Data, IoT standards, protocols

Data structures and standards are important for assuring industry conformance and represent that important first step towards regulated data acquisition and transmission methods. As IoT and cloud technologies continue to make inroads into industrial markets, data and protocol standardization efforts will become important forces behind conformance and interoperability. Working groups such as the OPC Foundation have highlighted the need for improved data acquisition and transmission in higher-level systems while maintaining defined data structures and data access rights. More companies also are using established IoT protocols to transmit data to the dashboards of plant engineering staff and decision makers. These protocols are designed to define the data transports mechanism, which is a channel where the data can be moved to a local database or in a public or private cloud. The format of www.controleng.com

the recorded date is not defined by the protocol, which allows it to be packaged in a neutral format, such as java string object notation (JSON), or in a compact format such as binary. This datainterchange format is easy for industrial controls to understand and it enables interoperability for many cloud platforms, middle layer software, and analytics packages on the market. Standardized data formats represent another important step toward the convergence of information technology (IT) and automation. It also assures that industrial devices present all data in a widely usable format that can be parsed to find the data’s real value. Regardless of a company’s priorities and focus, there are hardware and software tools available to help generate more actionable data to improve production. ce

Cover image: Powerful system integrated analytics tools help controls engineers optimize machines, equipment, and processes. Courtesy: Beckhoff Automation

Daymon Thompson, automation product specialist, Beckhoff Automation. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, cvavra@cfemedia.com. CONTROL ENGINEERING

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COVER STORY Big Data, network monitoring

Gathering Big Data analytics through network monitoring Big Data analytics allow manufacturers to make smarter and better decisions, and improve their operations and network monitoring.

ig Data is thriving with multiple levels of information cascading across networks on a global basis with the direct intent to hike business efficiency and productivity while profits remain on an upward trend. When a manufacturer employs Big Data analytics, that means the business is much more dependent on the healthy and correct operation of the network than it ever has been before. The business is making decisions based on those analytics and if that data is not available, it can cost the business big time. When shifting the business over to a stronger dependency on technology, a network monitoring tool is very important to ensure everything remains functional and available. That’s because networks are getting much bigger and more complex, and as a result, there is a greater potential for multiple points of failure. A monitoring tool that keeps a watchful eye out for any missteps can help mitigate any issues. One case in point is manufacturing chips at Intel. The industry giant has to test every chip

that comes off its production line. That means running each chip through 19,000 tests. Using Big Data for predictive analytics, Intel was able to cut the amount of tests required for quality assurance. Starting at the wafer level, Intel analyzed data from the manufacturing process to focus on specific tests. The result was a savings of $3 million in manufacturing costs for a single line of Intel Core processors. By expanding Big Data use in chip manufacturing, the company expects to save $30 million. Keeping an eye on the network

But if the network is not able to pull key information from a myriad of sensors and get it into the proper analytics engine, then forget about the millions of dollars in cost savings. On top of that, Big Data also now involves the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which means an additional flood of data is coming from more sensors, which also can drive up the sophistication and the size of the network. Further, in certain processing environments

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Manufacturers that employ Big Data analytics are more dependent on the healthy and correct operation of the network than before. Operations can use Big Data analytics to dive deep, identify patterns and relationships among process steps and inputs, and optimize the factors that have the greatest effect on yield. Big Data comes down to networks and functional business units.

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Intel analyzed data from the manufacturing process to focus on specific tests. The result was a savings of $3 million in manufacturing costs for a single line of Intel Core processors. By expanding Big Data

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use in chip manufacturing, the company expects to save $30 million.

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Manufacturing operations can use advanced analytics to dive deep into historical process data, identify patterns and

GO ONLINE Read this story online at www.controleng.com for additional information about Big Data and the IIoT.

relationships among process steps and inputs, and then optimize

CONSIDER THIS What other benefits can Big Data provide for manufacturers?

can include supply planning, manufacturing process defect

MARCH 2017

the factors that prove to have the greatest effect on yield; benefits

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tracking, and supplier, components, and parts defect tracking. CONTROL ENGINEERING

www.controleng.com

like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and mining, extreme swings in variability are common. Given the added complexity of production, manufacturers need a deeper and more intense way to diagnose and correct issues. That is where analytics from a network monitoring tool come into play. By adding statistics and other mathematical tools to business data, it is possible to assess and improve practices. In manufacturing, operations can use advanced analytics to dive deep into historical process data, identify patterns and relationships among process steps and inputs, and then optimize the factors that prove to have the greatest effect on yield. In one survey, Tata Consultancy Services asked manufacturers to rate the following Big Data benefits and the biggest were product quality and defects tracking. Other benefits mentioned were supply planning, manufacturing process defect tracking, and supplier, components, and parts defect tracking. Analytics opportunities

With more users taking advantage of the opportunities analytics bring to the table, their networks are growing quickly. With that growth and reliance, being able to monitor what is going on is worth its weight in gold. From a Big Data point of view, manufacturers want to see the massive amounts of information they can process from other tools. It is possible to pull data from the network monitoring tool and export or extract that information out into other Big Data pulls that have analytics engines already developed. It is then possible to view network data and cull any vital facts showing possible anomalies or issues that support growing productivity within the manufacturing enterprise. In the operations technology (OT) environment, manufacturers are using Big Data to drive improvements to their product and their process. In that world, they have greatly expanded the size and complexity of their network to add these sensors in an effort to boost process knowledge and then drive the data back into their servers. They must ensure they can communicate with their sensors through their network, so that ends up being a real-time monitoring task. While the positive side is a vast wealth of knowledge that can help move the manufacturer forward, the flip side is that the move greatly expands its attack surface, so they need to have the capability to capture—and store—vital data www.controleng.com

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Manufacturers have greatly expanded the size and complexity of their network to add sensors in an effort to boost process knowledge and then drive the data back into their servers.

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Big Data comes down to networks and functional business units and the more the industry starts using networks and information technology (IT) resources, the more data that will end up generated which could give a big boost to any manufacturing enterprise.

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. to be able to do a forensic investigation just in case there is some type of accidental or malicious incident on the network. Archiving data

Along those lines, it is possible to archive network data over days, weeks, months, and years, to provide a different insight as to how the network has changed over time. Typically, the user would view capacity levels and then determine if an upgrade is in order. Now, with all the data available, the user can ask, “Do we need to upgrade or do we need to change what we allow on the network or should we split the network and take the traffic with this type of communication and move it over here instead so we are not spending too much money in one area when we don’t have to?” Big Data comes down to networks and functional business units and the more the industry starts using networks and information technology resources, the more data that will end up generated which could give a big boost to any manufacturing enterprise. That changeover to a stronger dependency on technology doesn’t have to be difficult. A network monitoring tool can ensure everything remains functional and available—and the process keeps rolling along profitably. ce

Gregory Hale is editor and founder of Industrial Safety and Security Source (ISSSource.com) a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, cvavra@cfemedia.com. CONTROL ENGINEERING

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EDGE COMPUTING IIOT

Business must develop a strategy and implement a solution that bridges the gap between operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT). Courtesy: Kepware

IIoT connectivity challenges for businesses Companies looking to implement an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) strategy need to address several potential issues as they seek to bridge the gap between operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT).

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Companies need to find a way to seamlessly enable devices or “things” that live at the edge of the network. Challenges include connecting disparate communication mediums and utilizing non-standard forms of communication. Companies that address these challenges will be able to mine the rich amounts of information the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) offers. GO ONLINE See additional information about edge computing and data storage at www.controleng.com.

1. Connecting disparate

communication mediums

CONSIDER THIS What other methods can be used to ensure a cohesive strategy for the IIoT? ONLINE EXTRA See related articles about the IIoT and Industrie 4.0 linked below and on the IIoT, Industrie 4.0 page.

MARCH 2017

Genpact Research Institute survey shows 81% of executives agree that Internet of Things (IoT) adoption will be critical to the future success of their companies, yet only 25% have a clear Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) strategy. As organizations look to develop such plans, one of the biggest challenges is seamlessly enabling devices or “things” that live at the edge of the network. To bridge the gap between operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT), businesses must develop a strategy and implement a solution that addresses the following four critical issues.

Very often, industrial networking technologies do not leverage Ethernet as their physical communications layer. Instead, they may use anything from RS232/485 to modems to proprietary wiring depending on the environment and what comprises the system. Likewise, the data protocols that are exposed over these

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communication mediums are not likely to be IP derivatives. Consequently, a hodgepodge of industrial networks has been created without attention to the future possibility of being connected to the Internet. As a result, organizations must develop a plan to enable such disparate communication mediums to work together to achieve a successful IIoT strategy.

2. Using non-standard methods of identification

Unlike IP addresses in the IT world, many industrial things don’t use standard addressable schemes for uniquely identifying themselves on the network. Instead, their schemes vary by vendor and type, and they may or may not have built-in discovery mechanisms. Innate knowledge by an integration expert is required to connect the things in a way that makes them function as a whole.

3. Determining a request/ response model

Industrial networks have historically followed a request/response model. If a particular www.controleng.com

thing is interested in a piece of data contained in another thing, it will make an appropriate connection, request the piece of data, and wait for a response containing the result. Although this pull model is fine for things living within the same digital boundary of operations, it won’t work for the outside IT world because of security and scalability requirements. Instead, IIoT likely needs a push model, where industrial data flows outbound to a cloud platform.

4. Enabling short-term data storage

Within the context of a single industrial network, thousands of things together may generate several thousand data points. Though this sounds like a small set of data, real-time operations requirements will necessitate these points to be sampled at sub-millisecond rates for data change detection. In the past, this high-frequency data would be simply analyzed, acted on accordingly, and thrown away. As companies move to making this data available to IIoT, they will need short-term storage to ensure it can be pushed to other parties when needed.

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disparate communication mediums can work together to achieve a

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successful IIoT strategy.

All these challenges are key for businesses to keep in mind when developing processes and identifying products to help bridge the gap between OT and IT. The IIoT presents great opportunities for organizations. But they first need a clear, cohesive needs strategy in place for that to happen. Organizations that have access to the most amounts of information will be able to make more informed decisions across the enterprise. ce Tony Paine is Kepware platform president. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

Webcasts

www.controleng.com/webcast

A plan is required to ensure

Control Engineering Webcasts help you obtain educational information on specific topics and learn about the latest industry trends. Check out some of our Webcasts on topics like: • Choosing sensors for the application • lloT series: OT/IT convergence, collaboration • lloT series: Edge, cloud, fog computing • lloT series: Maintenance optimization • System Integration case studies • lloT series: Network integration, cyber security • Motors and drives • Human-machine interface hardware, software

SMART GRID energy company uses IoT

Industrial Internet of Things makes Smart Grid smarter Duke Energy, an electric and gas company, is working to reduce downtime and improve customer service to its roughly 7.2 million customers in the Southeast and Midwest with Smart Grid technologies.

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS IIoT technologies are helping the Smart Grid. Duke Energy is using smart meters, self-healing networks, and smarter data management. More sensors and predictive analytics also help. GO ONLINE For more, see the Jan. 19 post, “Energy company using smart grids to reduce downtime.” See the IIoT page at www.controleng.com. CONSIDER THIS How could you be using Smart Grid technologies?

MARCH 2017

uke Energy, an electric and gas company, aims to improve metrics related to maintenance and downtime, and optimize energy supply to help improve customer relationships and revenue. And it’s using the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to help its Smart Grid initiative. Lynn Good, Duke Energy’s chairman, president, and CEO, talked about how IoT is playing a role. “We’re exploring how the Internet of Things and other advancements could make these types of applications possible and enabling consumers to customize their energy experience in unprecedented ways.” She continued that customers now are craving the same control and convenience from every service provider. “The bar has been raised, and the electric industry is no exception.” For example, the company has been using self-healing grid technologies to isolate and correct faults with millisecond decision cycles, as well as drones for monitoring hard-to-reach places, such as a 40-ft high transmission line or a 500-acre solar farm. Duke Energy is not alone in this technology innovation. Companies in the electric industry are considering such ideas as apps that turn smartphones into infrared cameras to find trouble spots on a power line, or augmented

reality (AR) glasses that let technicians view 3-D wiring schematics as they work. Self-healing networks

Sacha Fontaine has been a consultant for Duke’s smart grid division since 2010. He explained how Duke Energy has worked on advanced meter infrastructure (AMI), which connects smart meters, communications networks and data management systems together to enable customers to better manage their energy supply. He also talked deployment of self-healing networks. These networks, Fontaine said, offer value to the business and to the customer because they do what personnel used to do manually. In the past, an individual would monitor the system but wouldn’t automatically be alerted to a fault on the power line. Manually, they would have to see where to isolate the fault, so that the fewest number of customers are inconvenienced and left in the dark. Then, they would see what alternative sources of power could be used (not on the fault line). “It could take an hour. You have to send a crew to locate and isolate the fault, then get the power rerouted, and finally you could send the crew to fix the fault,” explained Fontaine. “With IoT, we have remotely controllable

BY THE NUMBERS Duke Energy, based in Charlotte, N. C., is a U.S.-based sustainable electric and gas company that serves roughly 7.2 million customers in the Southeast and Midwest. The 112-year-old firm owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation, and distributes it to its customers. The 58,200 megawatts cover some 104,000-sq miles with 250,200 miles of distribution lines. Almost all of Duke Energy’s power generation comes from coal, natural gas, or oil.

CONTROL ENGINEERING

www.controleng.com

devices through the grid that immediately alert us to outages. This takes it out of the hands of the dispatchers and puts it into a centralized system that would make the same decisions the system operator would make, but just a lot faster.” Through algorithms and machine-learning technologies, these networks can evaluate capacity, choose alternative sources, and isolate the smallest section of the network to isolate and repair. “What used to take about an hour now takes less than 30 seconds, so it’s a great improvement in terms of customer minutes of interruption,” Fontaine said. Another IoT project, AMI, was initially rolled out across five states in 2014. Duke, the biggest utility company in the U.S., worked with Itron, Cisco, and other tech firms to deploy smart meters—building blocks which enable distribution automation, distributed generation, and a host of other distributed intelligence and embedded sensing applications. Pilot projects allowed customers to track time-of-use rates, get peak time rebates, and see critical peak pricing. Customers in these pilot programs used smart thermostats, web portals, and direct load control devices to reduce their electricity consumption and peak demand. “AMI was a great example; smart meters allowed us to do remote readings of energy usage every 15 minutes instead of every month,” Fontaine said, adding, “the firm could remotely connect and disconnect service over the mesh network as necessary.” Other technologies are being looked at,

‘

Why Smart Grid? Integrating

renewables into the existing grid is not as simple as it might seem because it

happens without the utility controlling that power flow;

’

it’s a huge change. www.controleng.com

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IoT will play a big part here from evaluating customer connections to analyzing grid and weather conditions; sensors give intelligence and can lead energy providers to an age of smart

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energy and predictive modeling. but it’s at an exploratory stage. Fontaine urges companies to “Try and see beyond immediate benefits of technology,” saying that technology should be the “Building block for future benefits to customers and the company and not tech for tech’s sake.” Future of renewable energy

The future is “definitely going to be renewable energy, or what a utility company might call distributed energy resources,” Fontaine said. “Integrating that into the existing grid is not as simple as it might seem because of existing infrastructure—we built the grid to send power one way from plant to end customer. What’s happened with distributed energy—for example solar—is that now power can flow back into the grid, and this happens without the utility explicitly controlling that power flow. This is a huge change for utilities.” Fontaine added, “IoT will play a big part here from evaluating customer connections to analyzing grid and weather conditions. Sensors give intelligence and can lead energy providers to an age of smart energy and predictive modeling.” Good summarized the future of the company and its approach to innovation: “I often get asked the question, ‘Are you innovating fast enough?’ The answer is more complicated than yes or no. A company can’t chase every new, shiny object. I have to provide reliable energy to 23 million people every day. You have to be disciplined and thoughtful about setting priorities and allocating resources. Once you do, run toward your goal—fast.” ce Doug Drinkwater is editor at Internet of Business, which is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com. CONTROL ENGINEERING

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AUTOMATION standards update

Standards revisions: robots and robotic systems The current version of the Industrial Robot Safety Standard, ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012, is a U.S. national adoption of the ISO 10218-2011, Part 1, Robots, and Part 2, Robotic Systems. Look for new versions of these documents in the 2020 or 2021 timeframe. Also see information on collaborative robots, loading and unloading stations, end-effectors, and lockout and tagout.

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ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS ISO 10218-2011, Part 1, Robots, and Part 2, Robotic Systems, and the U.S. adoption of it, R15.06, will likely be revised in the 2020-2021 timeframe. ISO TS 15066:2016 on collaborative robot safety was published in February 2016. The U.S. adoption of this, RIA TR R15.606-2016, will be published soon. Standards covering lockout/tagout and safety of integrated manufacturing systems also are important. GO ONLINE At www.controleng.com, also see, “Robots and automation save jobs; standards help,” posted Jan. 11, and link to other advice and where the standards are available. Automate 2017, April 3-6, in Chicago, includes training on robotics and standards. CONSIDER THIS Should one person in an organization know all the standards, or should everyone know something about each?

MARCH 2017

arious standards and guidance documents govern and help those working with robotics and motion control. The current version of the Industrial Robot Safety Standard, ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012, is a U.S. national adoption of the ISO 10218-2011, Part 1, Robots, and Part 2, Robotic Systems. Those in compliance with the R15.06, 2012 version also are in compliance with the 10218, 2011 version. These standards will continue to be the current versions at least through 2020. Look for new versions of these documents in the 2020 or 2021 timeframe. The ISO (international standards) group will begin updating the ISO 10218 standard later this year; the revision process is expected to take about three years, which gives us the 2020 target publication date. Following that revision of the 10218, our standards committees in the U.S. will revise the R15.06 as well. In both the ISO and ANSI (U.S.) robotics communities, we currently are working on supplemental documents to help people apply these standards. Some key things to know about robots and robotic systems:

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For the purpose of ISO 10218 and ANSI/ RIA R15.06, it’s important to distinguish between the terms “robot” and “robot system.” “Robot” includes the robot arm and controller; “robot system” includes the robot, the end-effector (end-of-arm tooling or EOAT), and any other machinery, equipment, devices, etc., supporting the robot in performing its task. The ISO 10218:1,2-2011 and ANSI/RIA R15.06:2012 require that a risk assessment be conducted for each integrated robot application. It is the integrator’s responsibility to ensure that this required risk assessment is completed. RIA TR R15.306:2016 describes one taskbased risk assessment method that meets the requirements of the standard. Collaborative robotics, safety

In the U.S., these supplemental documents are registered with ANSI and are known as Technical Reports. We are just about to publish a U.S. version of the ISO TS 15066:2016, the RIA TR

With collaborative robot safety, it’s really important to assess and mitigate any risks of the system—precisely because we anticipate people and robots working in

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close proximity.

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R15.606-2016, on safety of collaborative robot systems. We also are starting work on two new TRs in the U.S., one of which is on guidance for users, which we hope to complete by the end of 2017; the other is on testing methods for power and force limiting for collaborative robot systems, which likely will be published in 2018. In the ISO world, supplemental documents can be either Technical Reports (TRs), similar to the ANSI-registered TRs, or Technical Specifications (TSs). The difference is that the ISO TS describes requirements that are expected to mature to an International Standard (IS) level in the future. In the standards world, this means a TS is a “normative” document and can contain normative requirements. On the other hand, the TR is an “informative” document—that is, it cannot contain requirements but can only inform. The recently-published ISO TS 15066:2016 on collaborative robot safety is an example of a normative document. Because it is so recently published, it will not be revised for several years. Some key things to know about collaborative robot safety include: The application is key. There are some tasks which are simply not well suited to collaborative operation, even if the robot that is performing the task is power- and force-limited and called a “collaborative” robot. The concept of a robot system is also important. The robot is not working in isolation. The workstation, the end-effector, the workpiece itself, the potential presence of multiple robots and other equipment in a cell are just some of the many factors that also must be taken into account when planning for a safe robotic installation. This is still the case even when using robots designed for collaboration. A risk assessment of the collaborative robot system is also important. Even when using a robot designed for collaborative use, it’s really important to assess and mitigate any risks of the system—precisely because we anticipate people and robots working in close proximity. It’s important to understand the foundational standard in addition to the collaborative supplement. TS 15066 builds upon the ISO 10218 standard. That is, effective use www.controleng.com

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The workstation, the endeffector, the workpiece itself, the potential presence of multiple robots and other equipment in a cell are just some of the many factors that also must be taken into account when planning for a safe robotic installation.

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of TS 15066 assumes that the robot system under consideration is in compliance with Part 1 and Part 2 of ISO 10218:2011. Loading, unloading; end-effectors

The ISO group also is working on two TRs, both of which are expected to be completed in 2017. One is on the safety of manual load/unload stations, and the other is on end-effector safety. Those with interest in robotics in food and beverage applications may be interested in a non-RIA standard. The “3-A Sanitary Standard 3-A 103-00, Robotbased Automation Systems,” for use in the food industry, was published in September 2016, by 3-A Sanitary Standards Inc. Outside the robot-specific world, there are some other standards on industrial safety that RIA members may want to know. These are the recently updated ANSI/ASSE Z244.1 on Lockout, Tagout and Alternative Methods, published in late 2016. B11.20 on Safety Requirements for Integrated Manufacturing Systems is being updated right now, with an anticipated publication date in 2017. ce Carole Franklin is director of standards development, Robotic Industries Association (RIA), part of Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com. CONTROL ENGINEERING

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PROCESS industry standards

Standardizing control system programming with IEC 61131-3 For the first time in the history of industrial controls, industrial control system (ICS) programming— regardless of the controller type—can be implemented with the same standard, and the programs created with that standard easily can be transported from one compliant control system to another.

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ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS The latest version of the IEC 611313 control programming standard provides languages for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), programmable automation controllers (PACs), distributed control systems (DCSs), and industrial PCs (IPCs) objects. IEC 61131-3 languages include traditional relay ladder logic (LD), structured text (ST), and sequential function chart (SFC). IEC 61131-3 hierarchical design techniques make plant controls easy to design, and result in designs that are very useful for plant maintenance. GO ONLINE Link to additional online resources, DCS/PLC migration, and related content at www.controleng.com/archives, under March 2017. CONSIDER THIS Think about what it would be like to implement industrial control system (ICS) programming—regardless of the controller type—that can be transported among control systems.

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ith the PLCopen IEC 611313 standard, ICS users are free to choose the optimum hardware to use with their applications and are no longer locked into single-vendor proprietary hardware because of their investment in software written to closed proprietary standards. The latest version of the IEC 61131-3 international industrial control programming standard provides low-level languages for detailed programmable logic controller (PLC) and programmable automation controller (PAC) programming as well as object-oriented language features for creating and configuring high-level distributed control system (DCS) and industrial PC (IPC) objects. From low-level discrete PLC programming to high-level continuous process DCS/S88 programming— built in the same environment with the same programming language standard—IEC 611313 and modern development environments allow ICS programmers to fully simulate their program and human-machine interface (HMI) screens to ensure systems will be valid on deployment. Control engineers face a daunting variety of choices in tools and techniques for programming industrial controllers. Tools have evolved along different trajectories partially due to the task they were called to accomplish, but mostly due to the limitations of early hardware, evolution of tools within application silos, proprietary features of each automation supplier, and a lack of international standards. Fortunately, modern hardware and modern standards including IEC 61131-3, PLCopen, and OPC-UA have made it possible to develop ICS applications from PLC, through PAC, safety, remote terminal unit (RTU), motion, IPC, DCS, and all the way to S88/S95 in the same environment under the same standard. It’s no longer necessary to learn and use different tools for varying industrial control needs. Likewise, with these modern standards, it is no longer necessary to be locked into a single

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proprietary hardware vendor and associated proprietary software. ICS application programs developed with the IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen standards can be transported from one compliant integrated development environment (IDE) to another. At last count, the IEC 61131-3/PLCopencompliant platform is being used by more than 350 OEMs. Parallels can be drawn to the 1980s when early PC vendors provided their own operating systems until consolidating on Microsoft and Apple, or the 1990s when early smartphone vendors provided their own operating systems until consolidating around Android and iOS. A similar consolidation in the ICS application programming world is underway now that unifying standards and methodologies are available. IEC 61131-3 tools

IEC 61131-3 provides traditional relay ladder logic (LD) and flat memory space to ease the transition for programmers moving from older tools. But IEC 61131-3 also includes structured and object-oriented programming tools for creating higher-level applications, much to the relief of the new generation of engineers entering the industry who often bristle at the thought of programming in their great-grandparents’ language. These tools include three new programming languages, language-neutral hierarchical function blocks, symbolic hierarchical addressing, pointers, methods, inheritance, and interfaces. In addition to the traditional LD, the new IEC 61131-3 languages include structured text (ST), sequential function chart (SFC), and continuous function chart (CFC). Ladder remains a good tool for what it was originally invented for nearly a century ago: simple discrete logic that could be implemented in relays and timers. SFC is a great language for sequential or state-based operations (anywhere the next action depends on history and inputs). CFC is a new graphical language and is an excellent high-level tool for placing and interconnecting pre-built or custom-built blocks. www.controleng.com

Figure 2: The language-agnostic nature of IEC 61131-3 allows a motor controller to be implemented in the best language for the purpose: sequential function chart (SFC) steps with ladder logic (LD) transitions and structured text (ST) actions.

Figure 1: IEC 61131-3 provides traditional relay ladder logic (LD) and flat memory space to ease the transition for programmers moving from older tools. All images courtesy: Bedrock Automation

CFC serves the same purpose, but is a vastly superior alternative to placing library blocks or add-on instructions in ladder logic. And ST is good for all other programming (loops, conditionals, complex math, bit manipulation, etc.). Feature flexibility

The powerful features of IEC 61131-3 allow the same language to create programs as small as a PLC motor controller, or as large as a DCS process plant. For example, a motor controller can be implemented in ladder as shown in Figure 1. Or, because its behavior depends on its history, it may make more sense to implement in SFC. The SFC implementation can use an optimum mix of languages with the states being implemented in SFC, the transitions in LD, and the actions in ST (see Figure 2). Lower-level models, such as the motor controller, can be assembled to make higher-level models. These building blocks can be custommade models or objects from a process library. Figure 3 shows how an entire DCS process plant can be built from mix tank models that are www.controleng.com

built from input sensor, control, PD pump, and pump objects, which themselves are built from lower-level objects. The control object also is built from lower-level objects, which includes an SFC to manage flushing and filling, as well as control blocks to manage the PD pump and pump control loops. Those control blocks are made of a custom block implemented in ST, which subtracts the difference between integration of the input flow value and the accumulation of the PD pump pulses. The output of that block drives a low-pass filter from the free Open Source Community for Automation Technology (OSCAT) open-source controls library, which then drives an OSCAT proportional-integral-derivative (PID) block. Not only do IEC 61131-3 hierarchical design techniques make plant controls easy to design, they also result in designs that are very useful for plant maintenance. Consider a plant technician being called to deal with an issue with a silica PD pump motor in mix tank 2 in process area 3. The technician can begin at the top and double-click on each block as shown in Figure 3 until reaching the silica PD pump on the control and equipment view, or go directly there via the device view. When there, the technician examines the inputs to the PD pump to verify the motor is being commanded to run. If so, the technician would drill down into the PD pump and into its motor model to see why the motor is not running. If the motor is not commanded to run, then the technician would drill down into the

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Not only do IEC 61131-3 hierarchical design techniques make plant controls easy to design, they also result in designs that are very useful for plant maintenance.

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PROCESS industry standards

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Of course, no ICS design is complete until it can be tested and proved correct. .

Figure 3: The plant view, and control and equipment views provide easy to understand structures that intuitively match the hierarchy of the plant, and hierarchical design from pretested library blocks simplifies design and maintenance of complex distributed control systems (DCSs).

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upstream control block to determine why the sequence is stuck in the state prior to running the motor. Because the control code mirrors the plant hierarchy, navigating to the applicable area of the control code is intuitive. And, because all the physical input/output (I/O) is located in the equipment models, finding and fixing issues also is intuitive. There would be no need to train plant technicians on complex procedures for troubleshooting complex control code. Going a step further, inheritance and pointers can be used to implement S88 and S95 modeling techniques directly in IEC 61131-3, which will become increasingly important as different control platforms are deployed in batch and enterprise wide integration schemes involving connected assets (see Figure 4). The left side shows how an equipment base class containing I/O and functionality common to all equipment can be inherited by multiple unit classes—which define the I/O and phases for the class—and themselves can be inherited by multiple equipment types—which also define the unique operation for that type. Phases, which are built with a similar class structure, define the operations, which are possible on an equipment unit class. These phases are then instantiated into the equipment unit classes for which they are valid. Operations, procedures, modules, and process cells similarly are structured to make up a complete S88 system. The right side of Figure 4 shows how objects of this class hierarchy are instantiated in the project. The base class gathers information about the equipment, along with its associated phases, and records this information in a registry. This registry is then made available to a batch server via OPC-UA, which uses this information www.controleng.com

Figure 4: IEC 61131-3 object-oriented programming (OOP) features including inheritance, interfaces, and pointers provide a simple implementation of S88 batch processes.

to determine where and how to implement batch processes. Based on the selected recipe and idle equipment, the batch server then sends selections back to the main program via OPC-UA, which then uses the pointers stored in the registry to execute the desired phases on the desired equipment. Thanks to inheritance, the complexity of the base class operations is hidden from the programmer. All the programmer needs to do is assemble library blocks that differentiates the equipment types. Or, using dynamic objects, the structure could be configured from the batch server as well. Proof is in the testing

Of course, no ICS design is complete until it can be tested and proved correct. Fortunately, the features in IEC 61131-3 and its implementations provide the tools to make this step very easy. Figure 5 shows how plant simulation blocks can be assembled to create a complete plant simulation model, which can be connected into the control code interchangeably with the physical I/O. The control and simulation code then can be executed on a PC-based runtime simulator so the control applications of a complete system can be proven to be error-free before any hardware is purchased. Using the PC-runtimeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OPC-UA server also allows the HMI screens to be designed and tested. This results in the confidence that the ICS design is complete and correct before installation or commissioning begins. ce

Gary Pratt is the applications engineering manager for Bedrock Automation. Edited by Jack Smith, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, jsmith@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

Figure 5: IEC 61131-3 object-oriented features and built-in full-function simulators promote control, and human-machine interface (HMI) validation and verification before the project is deployed.

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INSIDE PROCESS PID tuning

The

PID learning process

While there are many excellent loop tuning methods available, many practitioners prefer tweaking proportional-integral-derivative (PID) tuning constants or using rules-of-thumb rather than doing the required step test and data analysis. But having knowledge about how the individual PID components interact can go a long way to learning proper tuning theory and methods.

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ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) training simulator was developed in Excel that shows how the different PID components interact then converted to an online tool that runs parallel to the PID equations in the plant, showing the contributions of proportional, integral, and derivative actions separately. The calculation of the proportional, integral, and derivative parts is done using vendor-specific equations to ensure complete accuracy. Tuning changes are then made while monitoring the control loop with the software. The use of vendor-specific equations further aids the control engineer to understand how their specific PID algorithms work.

ID control consists of proportional, integral, and derivative actions. The interrelationship between these three components often is misunderstood. This is further aggravated by different implementations of the basic PID algorithm, namely PI-D or I-PD (see Table â&#x20AC;&#x153;Helpful abbreviationsâ&#x20AC;? on page P3). To address these issues, a PID simulator was developed in Excel that shows how the different PID components interact. This idea was then converted to an online tool that will run parallel to the PID equations in the plant, showing the contributions of proportional, integral, and derivative actions separately. This is an excellent training tool for teaching new control engineers the interactions between the proportional, integral, and derivative components. It also is useful to assist practitioners with closedloop PID troubleshooting and tuning. Background

While it is ideal to tune loops by first applying a manual step test, determining the process dynamics, and then calculating tuning constants

GO ONLINE Link to additional online resources, PID loop tuning, and related content at www.controleng.com/archives, under March 2017. CONSIDER THIS How adept at tuning proportionalintegral-derivative (PID) loops are the control engineers in your plant?

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Figure 1: Offline proportional-integral-derivative (PID) simulator. All images courtesy: Sasol

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using an appropriate rule, this is often not practical. An operator may not be comfortable with putting certain loops in manual (even if the tuning is not ideal) and even more so with step tests. Inevitably, many loops are still tuned closed-loop by trial and error. It may take a very long time to find good tuning by making small adjustments to the tuning constants. But making larger adjustments can be riskier and easily lead to oscillating loops and subsequent plant upsets. While experienced practitioners are able to get good results with this method, it is usually a very time consuming process. For novices who do not fully understand how the proportional, integral, and derivative components of a PID loop interact with each other, it can be much more difficult to find optimal tuning constants. To address this issue, an offline PID simulator was developed in Microsoft Excel. This used the different PID algorithms (PID, P-ID, and I-PD) and showed changes in setpoint (SP), process variable (PV), and controller output (OP) on a chart. At the same time, a second chart showed the proportional, integral, and derivative components separately (see Figure 1). This simulator was used as a training tool to enable novice engineers to better understand the complexities regarding PID control, including tuning different PID algorithms. It was then decided to deploy a real-time version on a distributed control system (DCS) controlling a live plant. The idea was to create a tool that could, in real time, split the output of an actual PID controller into the proportional part, the integral part, and the derivative part in real time and provide trends of these. This was done by replicating the PID algorithms used on the DCS in Excel. The trends shown in Figure 2 clearly show the different contributions of the components of PID and aid the control engineer in determining which tuning parameters need adjustment as well has how much to adjust them. They also aid novice engineers in understanding the exact impact of changing tuning parameters. www.controleng.com

Figure 2: Real-time proportional-integral-derivative (PID) spreadsheet graphs.

Implementation of software

From the beginning of the software development, it was decided that the solution should not require purchasing any additional software, be easy to use, and be as general as possible. For these reasons, it was decided to implement the software in Excel using a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) script and a free OPC library. For initial setup, the OPC library should be installed and the Excel spreadsheet containing the code must be copied onto the machine. The user then should insert the name of the server where the tags are stored, the OPC server name, and the tag name of the loop being tuned into the spreadsheet and begin the data collection. All the other necessary information (process variable range, tuning constants, controller mode, etc.) is automatically acquired by the software (see Figure 3). The calculation of the proportional, integral, and derivative parts is done using vendorspecific equations to ensure complete accuracy. Tuning changes are then made while monitoring the control loop with the software. Note that six trends are provided to assist with the loop tuning. Setpoint and process variable are trended together, with controller output below. Proportional, integral, and derivative parts of the controller output are trended together with tuning constant values below. This means the engineer does not need to keep track of tuning changes as it is done automatically. Finally, controller output variance is shown below the controller output and integral of

squared error (ISE) and integral over time of absolute error (ITAE) are trended together. The values for the last two trends are calculated over a configurable moving time window, and provide quantitative indications of the performance of the loop. On a separate worksheet shown in Figure 4, several basic loop tuning rules are provided. The engineer simply enters values for the process dynamics (if they are known) and tuning constants are calculated automatically. The engineer also can include additional tuning rules if desired. After tuning is completed, the engineer can save the Excel document with a new filename and then have a record of the tuning changes done along with the improvement of the loopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance. Results of the offline tool

The offline tool was used mostly to teach new control engineers the complexities of PID control. In Figure 5, a typical view that is normally used to teach PID control can be seen. The PI-D algorithm was used and the loop subjected to a SP change and a disturbance of equal magnitude. What can be seen here is that:

Figure 3: proportionalintegral-derivative (PID) parameters acquired from the distributed control system (DCS) via OPC.

The loop shows a reasonable response to SP changes and disturbances PV noise influences the OP response. When the second chart in Figure 6 is considered, it also can be shown that:

Figure 4: Various tuning rules. www.controleng.com

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INSIDE PROCESS PID tuning

Figure 5: Typical proportional-integral-derivative (PID) loop with a setpoint (SP) change and disturbance.

Figure 6: P, I, and D components associated with Figure 5.

Figure 7: Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) response without process variable (PV) noise.

Figure 8: P, I, and D components without noise.

Meaning

PID

Proportional, integral, and derivative control

PID algorithm

Proportional, integral, and derivative on error

Process variable, or measurement that should be controlled

PI-D

Proportional and integral on error; derivative on PV

I-PD

Integral on error, proportional and derivative on PV

Setpoint or target value for the PV

Controller output, also called manipulated variable (MV)

DCS

Distributed control system

OPC

OLE (object linking and embedding) for process control

Source: Sasol

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If the first example is repeated without any noise on the PV signal, the effect of derivative interaction can be examined more clearly. Not much more can be learned when comparing Figure 7 to Figure 5. But when Figure 8 is compared with Figure 6, the following can be highlighted to students: Note how the proportional component returns to 0 as PV error returns to 0. This can be used to explain why proportional action alone never can return a loop to setpoint. Also note the interaction between proportional and integral. Proportional quickly increases the OP and then decreases it again as error starts decreasing. During this time, integral action must smoothly take over and keep the OP higher than before. Note how the derivative action counteracts the proportional and integral action during the SP change, but assists during the disturbance rejection. Keep in mind that the PI-D algorithm was used. The simulation also can be used to:

Table: Helpful abbreviations Acronym or abbreviation

Even though the PID algorithm used filters with the derivative action, most of the PV noise reflected in the response of the loop is because of the derivative action. Some of the noisy OP signal is because of the proportional action, and noise has very little impact on the integral component. In Figure 6, the sharp OP response on the SP change would lead engineers to believe that the proportional action is dominant. When figure 6 is considered, it shows that integral action does most of the work. Because of the noise, the interaction of the derivative component is hidden.

Allow trainees to experiment with and see the impact of different tuning constants. Show the interactions between P, I, and D with different PID algorithms such as PID and I-PD. Demonstrate tuning changes required to stop a cycle on a control loop. Demonstrate the impact of valve stiction on loop tuning. Show how algorithms such as I only or P only work. Show the undesired derivative kick when making a SP change using the PID algorithm. www.controleng.com

How P only can eliminate offset when controlling an integrating variable. Results of the online tool

Two examples where the software was used are shown. In Example 1, a cycling loop is shown. Expert control engineers will be able to discern that the cycle is caused by too aggressive integral action but a novice can use the trends shown in Figure 9. Here, it clearly shows that the major contributor to the control action is the integral action. After the integral time is increased, the cycle stops. Notice that even though only one tuning parameter was changed, all three components have changed. This is due to the interactive nature of P, I, and D. By increasing integral time, we have decreased the OP movement, which in turn has decreased the PV movement (in this case). This then decreases the movement of all three components of the PID algorithm and the cycle stops. The effect on OP variance, ITAE, and ISE also is shown in Figure 10. In Example 2, the output of the controller is excessively noisy. Figure 11 shows the cause of this is excessive derivative action. After decreasing the derivative time, the output is much less noisy.

Figure 9: Trends showing how changing the integral time affects the P, I, and D parts of controller output (OP) as well as controller performance.

Tuning in action

The interactions of P, I, and D can be complex to understand and the matter is made even more complicated by the various implementations of the PID algorithm by different vendors. Implementing software as described can be done by any control engineer with some programming experience, without any extra costs. The simulation provides a valuable training tool for new engineers learning about PID control that intuitively illustrates the effects and interactions of P, I, and D. The live tool can be used to aid an engineer in the tuning process as well as provide quantitative indications of control improvements. The use of vendor-specific equations further aids the control engineer to understand how their specific PID algorithms work. ce Nic van der Mey is a control engineer working on ethylene separation and LAN units at Secunda Chemical Operations plant of Sasol, Secunda, South Africa. Gustaf Gous is a lead specialist in control engineering working at the Secunda Chemical Operations plant of Sasol, Secunda, South Africa. Edited by Jack Smith, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, jsmith@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

Figure 10: Effect of tuning change on controller output (OP) variance and error.

Figure 11: Effect of derivative on controller output (OP) noise. CONTROL ENGINEERING

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INSIDE PROCESS radar level measurement

Getting focused: Using 80 GHz radar sensors for liquid level measurement The introduction of 80-GHz radar sensors represents a paradigm shift in liquid-level measurement. High-frequency devices have ushered in an era of new possibilities for the process control industry, due to signal focusing. An 80 GHz radar sensor can do things that its predecessors cannot.

sing 80 GHz transmission frequency liquid-level measurement can improve signal focusing to allow accurate, reliable measurement in tanks with agitators, heating coils, and other internal obstructions. That’s because a narrower emitted beam makes radar a realistic option for use on ball valves, and increased transmission frequency correlates to a smaller antenna making it ideal for retrofitting and use on smaller tanks. Focused beam avoids obstructions

ADVICE KEY CONCEPTS Increased focus of the beam angle is the principal benefit of 80 GHz radar instruments. Radar sensor antenna size decreases as transmission frequency increases. In liquid applications where foam is rampant, a guided wave radar (GWR) sensor is usually a more appropriate solution than an 80 GHz sensor GO ONLINE Link to additional online resources, radar level sensors, and related content under March 2017 at www.controleng.com/archives. CONSIDER THIS Do you trust the accuracy of the level sensors in your plant?

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Increased focus of the beam angle is the principal benefit of 80 GHz radar instruments— the one improvement that makes the rest possible. In every process, focus is crucial to accurate level measurement, and these new instruments emit the most focused signals on the market. Plant operators have struggled with unfocused radar for decades—particularly in liquid-level applications. The wide beam angle of 26 GHz sensors (and 6 GHz sensors before them) made it difficult for radar signals to miss agitators, heating coils, and other vessel internals. For example, a radar sensor with a transmission frequency of 26 GHz and an 80 mm-

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diameter antenna was limited to a beam angle of approximately 10 deg. These instruments picked up reflections from vessel installations that distorted the returning signal, forcing users to make adjustments to monitor the true liquid level. With an antenna of the same size, 80 GHz gauges emit a beam angle of only 3 deg. This allows them to be used in vessels with internal installations or heavy buildup on the walls. The focused microwave beam simply avoids these obstacles as if they aren’t even there. This is welcome news in chemical and food production, where obtrusive internals are the norm and space is at a premium (see Figure 1). An exciting benefit of increased signal focusing is the performance of 80 GHz radar sensors when mounted on ball valves.Historically, attaching a 26 GHz radar gauge to a ball valve and receiving an accurate level measurement has been a significant challenge. Ball valves contain many interior surfaces that reflect radar signals. To make matters worse, they often are used in combination with a bleed ring that can create even more signal noise. These Figure 1: The focused beam (yellow) of 80 GHz radar sensors avoids internal agitators that contact the 26 GHz radar beam (gray). All images courtesy: VEGA Americas www.controleng.com

NETWORKED VALVE CONTROL. COMPACT. L IN O R FLEXIBLE. ONT C E V VAL

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WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM 750 750-632 Proportional Valve I/O Module r Compact, 12 mm wide module r Control two valves up to 24V and 1.6A each r Integrate with a variety of networks and I/O modules www.wago.us/valve-control

input #13 at www.controleng.com/information

INSIDE PROCESS radar level measurement

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The increased focus of highfrequency gauges means fewer signals are reflected by the valve’s

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interior.

reflections make it difficult to discern which signals are generated by the valve and which are from the product. This confusion forces operators to turn to instrumentation manufacturers for help, but the best solutions often are difficult to implement and may require periods of trial and error despite the best efforts of plant technicians. Before long, the manufacturer’s tech is onsite servicing the 26 GHz radar. The increased focus of high-frequency gauges means fewer signals are reflected by the valve’s interior. This minimized noise creates a clear picture of the level inside a tank. Users across the world have experienced consistent level measurement mounting an 80 GHz radar gauge on garden-variety 3-inch and 4-inch ball valves. The bigger the valve, the clearer the signal, but 80 GHz sensors also are performing well on 2-inch ball valves. This is a big break for users who need ball valves to separate their equipment from their product but have avoided installing a radar-level device because the degree of measurement difficulty was too great. Radar’s accuracy and lowmaintenance reliability is now a viable option. Superior focus makes for accurate measurement without adjustment even when mounted

on a ball valve, but the increased focus of 80 GHz radar sensors creates other benefits for users. Small antennas take radar where radar has never gone before

Amping up a radar sensor’s focus has an opposite effect on its antenna—its size decreases as transmission frequency increases. An 80 GHz sensor, therefore, does not require a large horn to focus its beam at the measured material. The signals take a narrow beam all on their own. The saved space makes a huge impact, particularly as it applies to retrofitting. Plants now can integrate the most advanced radar devices into an existing process without shelling out thousands of dollars for vessel modifications. For users who have longed for radar but could not afford a retrofit, this news is tantamount to a budget increase. Smaller instruments, however, aren’t just good for old vessels; they also can help manufacturers stay nimble and market-responsive. There’s a trend in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries toward batch production. Batching allows operators to produce seasonal and low-volume products with less financial investment. Small batches are produced in small vessels, where conventional wisdom says using

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22 20 18

POWER SENSOR

16 14 12 10 8

DRY MIX HIGH SPEED

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MIXER MOTOR BEGIN HIGH SPEED MIX

6 4 2 0

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CALL NOW FOR YOUR FREE 30-DAY TRIAL 888-600-3247 WWW.LOADCONTROLS.COM input #14 at www.controleng.com/information

My operators have poor visibility to potential issues. They need to view, process, and make informed decisions - clearly and quickly.

YOU CAN DO THAT Improve operations performance. Operator performance can impact plant safety and process availability. Emerson sets your operators up for success by using best-of-class technology, proven processes, and an understanding of human limitations and strengths. The DeltaV distributed control system can help reduce operator stress, limit human error, and provide intuitive data to run your plant more efficiently. Better visibility â&#x20AC;&#x201C; better performance. Learn more at www.emerson.com/operationsperformance/

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input #15 at www.controleng.com/information

INSIDE PROCESS radar level measurement

‘

High-frequency instruments are not recommended for use on stilling

’

wells or on standpipes.

radar is impossible due to small process connections. Thanks to the compact antenna of 80 GHz radar sensors, that is no longer true, and operators no longer have to sacrifice accurate measurement in the name of space (see Figure 2). Enhanced resolution measures to the last drop

Figure 2: Small process fittings make 80 GHz radar sensors ideal for retrofitting onto existing tanks.

MARCH 2017

Any fan of cliché action films is familiar with this scene: An investigator stands behind a computer whiz in a laboratory full of expensive-looking surveillance equipment. They are watching a grainy piece of closed-circuit video, knowing that one of the pixelated figures on the screen is a criminal mastermind. The computer whiz punches a few keys and the word “enhance” appears in green letters on the computer screen. The blurry face gets a little clearer. The computer whiz clacks away at the keyboard and enhances the footage once more, revealing a crystalclear image of the villain’s face. This might be an example of lazy screenwriting, but it’s a good analogy of the difference in resolution one would experience when switching from low-frequency to high-frequency radar sensors. When the level of liquid in a vessel gets low enough, 26 GHz radar is unable to distinguish the signal returned by the remaining product from that of the tank bottom, and the user rightly thinks the vessel is empty when it isn’t. This is the same as the action-movie computer whiz being unable to enhance surveillance footage. Limited resolution presents a natural handicap to process efficiency. Ultra-focused 80 GHz devices measure liquid down to the last millimeter in the tank, giving users accurate data that can help optimize their processes. It won’t thwart a terrorist attack or prevent an elaborate heist, but the enhanced resolution of 80 GHz radar sensors helps users avoid waste.

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Limitations of high transmission frequency

There are certain scenarios where 80 GHz sensors are limited. In liquid applications where foam is rampant, a guided wave radar (GWR) sensor is usually a more appropriate solution than an 80 GHz sensor because a GWR transmitter emits a concentrated radar pulse conducted via a probe that will not be absorbed into the foam. That’s not to say 80 GHz radar won’t work in applications with foam, just that guided wave sensors typically work better. Additionally, high-frequency instruments are not recommended for use on stilling wells or on standpipes. This is an instance where high frequency works against the application. Note that 80 GHz beams have more modes (think, pathways) to the product, and in the confined space of a stilling well, signals from those modes create a confusing level reading. Again, 80 GHz radar sensors will work, but 6 GHz sensors are going to output a measurement that is easier to read. Looking ahead

This cannot be overstated: 80 GHz transmission frequency changes everything as it concerns liquid-level measurement. Superior signal focusing allows for accurate, reliable measurement in tanks with agitators, heating coils, and other internals. Plus, the narrower emitted beam makes radar a realistic option for use on ball valves. The increased transmission frequency correlates to a smaller antenna that is ideal for retrofitting and use on smaller tanks, and enhanced resolution lets users make the most of every vessel. The future of radar level sensors is here. That future is 80 GHz. ce Gregory Tischler is a product manager at VEGA Americas and is responsible for radar and guided wave radar sensors. He has almost 20 years of experience in the industrial automation industry, all with VEGA Americas. He is a voting member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Bioprocessing Equipment Process Instrumentation subcommittee, which is responsible for writing instrumentation standards for bioprocessing equipment, and he was also an active member of the Measurement, Control & Automation Association committee responsible for shaping new Federal Communications Commission rules for tank level probing radars (Section 15.256), which were released in 2014. Tom Brewer is marketing content specialist at VEGA Americas. Edited by Jack Smith, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, jsmith@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

It’s Game Time.

Our media flow automation team is ready to win. Are you? Festo is a leading global manufacturer of pneumatic and electromechanical systems, components, and controls for process control and factory automation solutions. For more information, call 1-800-Go-Festo 1-800-463-3786 www.festo.us/ballvalve input #16 at www.controleng.com/information

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Wednesday, October 22, 2015 One Chip. One Company. All Your Network Solutions. The netX network controller chip family from Hilscher integrates fieldbus and industrial Ethernets for transparent protocol conversion. One chip, 12 networks, 24 protocol stacks. All stacks have the same Driver Interface. Master stacks include FDT-based Configuration Tool. Register to learn more.

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NEW PRODUCTS and software See more products daily at www.controleng.com/products.

Wireless process sensing and monitoring solutions industrial applications Wireless Industrial Networks’ (WIN) wireless process sensing and condition-based monitoring solutions are designed for the industrial, factory, and commercial applications. The wireless products include a gateway, universal transmitter, and a selection of measurement sensors. Applications include motor temperature and current draw, pump vibration, bearing vibration or temperature monitoring, conveyor vibration monitoring, exhaust and cooling tower fan monitoring, filter monitoring, and more. The WIN wireless solution also consists of a data manager and web dashboard. Wireless Industrial Networks (WIN),

www.wirelessindustrialnetworks.com

Input #202 at www.controleng.com/information

WirelessHART gas detector has five-year battery life United Electric Controls’ WirelessHART gas detector is designed to monitor the presence of harmful gases for more than five years without a battery replacement. The Vanguard WirelessHART gas detector reduces monitoring costs and increases safety by eliminating fixed wiring. Field-interchangeable gas sensor modules detect and record hydrogen sulfide or methane gas in parts per million or percent of lower explosive limits respectively, along with network and battery status. WirelessHART 7.2 technology carries signals to local 128 x 64 pixel digital displays or other IEC 62591 compatible connections—all of which integrate seamlessly with existing supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) or asset management (AMS) systems. United Electric Controls,

www.ueonline.com

Input #203 at www.controleng.com/information

Predictive monitoring and analytics system for pump applications

Power meter with WirelessHART technology

The PumpSense sensor-based system from Prophecy Sensorlytics is a predictive diagnostics technology to alert pump/blower users to developing problems and prescribe fixes without any need for outside support, expertise, or data analysis. Designed for integration by original equipment manufacturer (OEM) pump manufacturers, PumpSense generates easy-to-understand graphics and text-based actionable maintenance advice before issues can escalate. It suits pump/ blower applications such as agriculture, electronics, environmental, food and beverage, medical, mining, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and the textile industry. The online real-time system monitors and measure filter status, oil status, pump utilization, and vacuum or pressure level.

The Emerson WirelessHART power meter is designed to make electrical demand and consumption measurement available via a secure and reliable network across numerous markets. The power meter’s small physical footprint and WirelessHART technology makes it simple and quick to install, enabling businesses to monitor voltage, current, power, energy, and other electrical parameters on single- and three-phase electrical systems in real-time with revenue-grade accuracy. Real-time monitoring of electricity consumption and instantaneous demand enables more granular energy management and effective equipment monitoring, security and reliability.

Prophecy Sensorlytics,

Emerson,

www.prophecysensorlytics.com

Input #204 at www.controleng.com/information

www.emerson.com

Input #205 at www.controleng.com/information

PLC data logger for collecting historical, production, troubleshooting data InterConnecting Automation’s FC-LOG is a programmable logic controller (PLC) data logger that is designed to collect historical and production data as well as troubleshoot machines when needed. The 4GB PLC logger can be plugged into a computer via USB and operates as a mass storage device and can collect up to 60 samples per second, holding up to 148 million records in CSV format. The FC-LOG can diagnose problems at a remote site and keeps track of uptime, downtime, and reasons why a machine or connected device failed to operate to help the user accurately fix issues. It can also save information in a Microsoft Excel .csv format for ease of use. The FC-LOG collects digital and analog values as well as any other parameter available from a Modbus-enabled device. The PLC data logger takes less than 10 minutes to configure and video instructions are included. InterConnecting Automation Inc.,

MARCH 2017

CONTROL ENGINEERING

www.plclogger.com,

Input #206 at www.controleng.com/information

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