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Vol. 67 Number 1

®

JANUARY 2020

ANSWERS 24 | Many-core technology fills in the blanks for advanced machine control

24

COVER: Centralized control systems that run many machines and programs across a production line provide significant value for manufacturers and machine builders. Courtesy: Beckhoff Automation

INSIGHTS 4 | Research from Control Engineering

26 | Smart factory controllers bring security and connectivity 28 | Modern controllers ease upgrades 30 | Answers on factory controller upgrades 32 | Real-time monitoring and control for a water, wastewater operation 34 | Using energy harvesting, radio technologies to power wireless sensors 35 | Industrial wireless selection and implementation

6 | International: Automation approaches to use when market growth slows

38 | Critical sensor applications: Diagnostics or redundancy?

8 | International: The future of design and manufacturing

39 | Additive manufacturing: Prototyping reimagined

12 | Technology Update: Not all IIoT platforms are created equal 18 | Application Update: Machine retrofit: Network, virtualization NEWS

19 | PLCs evolve, Offline robotic programming, Advanced manufacturing programming, Temperature sensors hacked, Headlines Online, Correction 22 | Think Again: How clear is your 2020?

41 | System integrator helps customer with 3-D printing See webcasts, including – Advanced process control: Past, present and future. www.controleng.com/webcasts www.controleng.com/webcasts/past

INSIDE PROCESS

P1 | Get flow measurement right the first time P4 | Subscription software drives digital transformation

CONTROL ENGINEERING (ISSN 0010-8049, Vol. 67, No. 1, GST #123397457) is published 12x per year, Monthly by CFE Media, LLC, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher/Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. CONTROL ENGINEERING copyright 2020 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. CONTROL ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Perio dicals postage paid at Downers Grove, IL 60515 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515. Telephone: 630/571-4070.

E-mail: customerservice@cfemedia.com. Postmaster: send address changes to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515. Email: customerservice@cfemedia.com. Rates for nonqualified subscriptions, including all issues: USA, $165/yr; Canada/Mexico, $200/yr (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); International air delivery $350/yr. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $30 US and $35 foreign.

Please address all subscription mail to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515. 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.

www.controleng.com

control engineering

January 2020

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3

INSIGHTS

Purchasing servo/ stepper drive products

RESEARCH

No preference

2019 CAREER & SALARY STUDY:

28%

Learning about the automation engineer

T

he Control Engineering 2019 Career & Salary Study took a deep dive into the earnings of today’s automation engineering professionals (see the report from May 2019). Below are background information findings from this study as they relate to these professionals: 1. Experience: The average automation engineering professional has worked in their industry for 27 years, has worked for their current employer for 16 years, and is 54 years old; only 14% are under the age of 40 and 25% are in their 60s.

2. Education: Fourteen percent of automation engineering professionals have earned an associate’s degree as their highest form of education; 47% have achieved their bachelor’s degree, 16% have a master’s degree, and 3% have a doctoral degree. The top disciplines studied by these professionals are electrical or electronic engineering (49%), controls engineering (25%) and mechanical engineering (25%).

3. Management role: Automation

60% 12%

engineering professionals reported an average of 374 employees at their location, with 41% claiming fewer than 100, and 17% stating 1,000 or more. Fiftyeight percent of these professionals are responsible for managing or supervising one or more employees; the average number of employees managed/supervised is 10.

4. Attitude: When asked how they feel about their current job, 48% of automation engineering professionals said they love going to work every day; 40% are content and glad to have a job; 10% find their job tolerable, but are open to new opportunities; and 2% are actively seeking new positions. ce At www.controleng.com/research find more. Amanda Pelliccione is the research director at CFE Media and Technology.

M More RESEARCH

Control Engineering research mentioned on this page are available online. Also see ONLINE TRAINING at www.controleng.com.

Average compensation by highest level of education Average base annual salary

Matched

Separate

Six in 10 engineers prefer to purchase servo and/or stepper drive controller products as matched units; 12% prefer them separate.

Source: Control Engineering 2019 Motor Drives Study

35%

of end users have up to 5 robot (units) operating on site or sites for which they are responsible. Source: Control Engineering 2019 Robotics Study

1 in 5

end users report that their controllers use custom software communications.

Source: Control Engineering 2018 Programmable Controllers Study

Average non-salary compensation

47%

Doctoral

of end users report receiving a yearly bonus based on their personal performance.

Source: Control Engineering 2019 Career & Salary Study

Master's Bachelor's Trade/technical Dual bachelor's High school Associate's

More research

Some college 0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

With almost half of automation engineering professionals having achieved a bachelor’s degree as the highest level of education, those respondents’ average total take-home pay in 2018 was $115,793. Source: Control Engineering

4

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January 2020

control engineering

Control Engineering covers several research topics each year.

All reports are available at www.controleng.com/research.

www.controleng.com

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INSIGHTS INTERNATIONAL

Stone Shi, Control Engineering China

Automation as market growth slows Fast-growing areas for automation, according to analysts, include edge computing, cloud computing, data analysis, machine learning and industrial network security.

S

ome global markets are slowing growth, which is a challenge for automation industries in every region. Trade friction and an unstable geopolitical environment also are affecting industries in some important areas. Where can automation enterprises find opportunities amid challenges?

In October 2019, ARC Advisory Group released a list of the top 50 global and North American automation companies of 2018. At the same time, analysts pointed out that with slower growth in some global markets, automation companies still have opportunities to grow against the trend.

Compared with the rankings of last year, the positions of some leading automation vendors have remained mostly unchanged, but there are also many new suppliers parachuting into the industrial automation market from information technology (IT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and cybersecurity markets.

KEYWORDS: Automation These suppliers include companies providing markets, digitalization, edge computing, cloud computing, data analedge, cybersecurity ysis, machine learning and industrial network Emerging automation security. Despite the sluggish development of technologies have doubledigital growth. the traditional automation equipment field, Digitalization, edge the market segments of these emerging techcomputing, and cybersecurity nologies are growing at double-digit rates. are evolving.

Some emerging technology companies Adapting to new have begun to compete with traditional autotechnologies helps mation companies; some have formed alliancautomation companies es with or were acquired by automation giants. advance in the market.

These emerging technologies are acceleratCONSIDER THIS ing into the field of automation and will more What emerging automation deeply change automation markets. technologies are contributing

M More INSIGHTS

to your faster growth?

Increasing digital transformation

ONLINE If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for more resources. www.controleng.com/ magazine See other international coverage at www.controleng. com/international www.cechina.cn ARC Forum Feb. 3-6 will address many of these trends and opportunities. www.arcweb.com/events/ arc-industry-forum-orlando

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January 2020

At present, the digital transformation and the application of the Internet of things are rapidly becoming realities. ARC Advisory Group observes that many end users are trying to explore digital transformations that fit their needs and seek to develop an appropriate route map. Today, devices and machines of all kinds are increasingly interconnected, and an unprecedented scale of data is being generated and accessed in factories by them, making it even more useful for advanced technologies like machine learning.

In manufacturing, predicting equipment

control engineering

failures, optimizing production processes and improving product quality are the first three sectors that have gained quantitative benefits through digital transformation. Digital transformation also can improve and transform business and service models for a wide range of infrastructures, such as manufacturing industries, power and transportation. Transformation is crucial to the sound development and viability of enterprises in the short and long term. This trend may provide considerable new business requirements for those automation companies that are ready.

Edge computing, cybersecurity

The growth of the edge-computing market also confirms that traditional automation technology is approaching the IIoT. An edge control system often is run locally, but it is very different from a traditional automatic control system not connected to the network. Many vendors are expanding their range of hardware, software, and services to meet this demand trend. Because of this, mature edge control devices, integration of IT and operational technology (OT), and application execution environments are becoming more common on the list of automation company offerings.

Facing increasing cyber threats to industrial infrastructure, the industrial cyber security market continues to experience double-digit growth. Rapid influx of IIoT technologies also makes it more common for users to weigh the potential network risks that these new technologies pose to production and security.

End users realize the importance of the internal network security system improvement. More end users are willing to rely on professional third-party security service providers to help them develop and maintain effective network security strategies.

At present, major automation vendors also are strengthening their network security portfolios through internal research and development, acquisitions, and cooperation. These include industrial firewalls, hosting services such as threat detection and response and network security assessment. Quickly learning new trends and adapting to changes is the correct way to fight for market share. ce

Stone Shi is executive editor-in-chief, Control Engineering China. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

POWER We stock enough power to brew a 12 oz. cup of coffee for the entire population of New Orleans.

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Š Allied Electronics & Automation, 2019

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INSIGHTS INTERNATIONAL

Michael Majchrzak, Control Engineering Poland

Future of design and manufacturing A product lifecycle management (PLM) conference in Europe helped demonstrate the future of design and manufacturing. New PLM tools advance digital twin technology applications, manufacturing execution, quality control, and other areas. In cloud implementations, 5G wireless will help.

F

uture trends in manufacturing software were discussed at the Siemens PLM Europe 2019 in October in Berlin. At the three-day product lifecycle management (PLM) conference, Control Engineering Poland interviewed Maurizio Pazzini, vice president of technical enablement and product support, Siemens Digital Industries Software Italy. Pazzini holds a key management position in the manufacturing operations management (MOM) business segment of Siemens Digital Industries Software.

He is involved in new product launches, implementations and post-implementations for Siemens end users, integrators, and users of the platform within Siemens.

nent to enforce manufacturing and quality control processes.

Control Engineering Poland (CEP): The term digital twin has many contexts, including in factory maintenance applications. Where is the digital twin most used today?

CEP: Digital twin is being used to remotely monitor what’s going on inside autonomous vehicles; how is this technology being used beyond manufacturing?

PAZZINI: Digital twin technology applications have room to expand, however, the most value from my point of view and from a manufacturing perspective is the area of manufacturing execution, and particularly in quality control.

KEYWORDS: Product The second version of a specific quality lifecycle management module in a modern, adaptable PLM system (PLM), digital twin that connects people and processes, across Integration of functional silos. One of the most important manufacturing operations management and PLM things is when products are used in combiHigh levels of automation nation. MOM products can stand alone, but work best for highly repetitive the full benefit of the digital twin can only processes. be exploited when PLM and MOM systems 5G will help with cloud are integrated. We are collaborating with a implementations. lot colleagues in both areas so that the offerCONSIDER THIS ing and the configuration of the digital Are you looking at advanced model fulfill shop-floor requirements. automation tools for a more The vision is to break down the silo efficient future? between the quality department and the ONLINE manufacturing department. We will create a If reading from the digital unique backbone, where both departments edition, click on the headline will be able to have their own informato read the full interview and tion. A quality execution module works see photos. www.controleng. com/magazine with the manufacturing execution compo-

PAZZINI: We look at the digital twin not from a purely manufacturing perspective, but from a utilization perspective. Leveraging the information in the case of an autonomous vehicle was a natural application of the software.

The autonomous vehicle has many Internet of Things (IoT) points, which allows us to send data mapped against the data model of the vehicle that exists as a digital twin. The digital twin knows how the product should behave and what the performance parameters are. This is why we can pretty easily perform these kinds of predictions, and we can check whether the vehicle is functioning as it was designed to and as it was planned to perform, or whether there are any deviations. That offshoot from a digital twin from manufacturing is being applied to product or system performance. In manufacturing, it is a digital representation of how the production process should be performing. Digital twin data is used to analyze the proper functioning of the products produced. Digital twins differ depending on the area of application.

Maurizio Pazzini, vice president of technical enablement and product support, Siemens Digital Industries Software Italy.

Courtesy: Control Engineering Poland and Siemens

M More INSIGHTS

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January 2020

control engineering

CEP: Will blockchain technology be used in future software for quality control or supply chain management applications?

PAZZINI: We have been doing a lot of investigations around blockchain and will be making a decision shortly about if we will put this into the product or not. I have seen many blockchain prototypes, so we are taking it seriously. We have specific departments in R&D for product innovation, including blockchain.

They will propose the innovations, then our product management team evaluates the proposals.

CEP: In autonomous vehicles and in manufacturing, how are 5G wireless technologies helping?

(Continued on p. 16) www.controleng.com

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JANUARY 2020

®

INNOVATIONS NEW PRODUCTS FOR ENGINEERS

61 | Current transformer series, Circular connectors,

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BACK TO BASICS

63 | Improve process control engineering with better collaboration, security

NEWSLETTER: Safety and Cybersecurity We have upgraded our newsletter to deliver a better overall experience for our subscribers. Go to www.controleng.com/newsletters to learn more.

• Intelligent alarms create actions from noise • Extend IT security to the plant floor • The human asset in cybersecurity • Secure remote connections with cloud technologies • Employing PtD as the first line of defense against control panel electrical hazards.

Keep up with emerging trends: subscribe. www.controleng.com/newsletters.

Control Engineering eBook series: IIoT Cloud Winter Edition Learn how motors and drives make manufacturing plants run efficiently in this helpful eBook from Control Engineering. Featured articles include selecting a motor for an industrial application, findings from the Motor Drives Report, and four risks to consider when choosing a medium-voltage drive.

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• IIoT Series: Part 4: Machine Learning • IIoT Series: Part 3: Edge, Fog, and Cloud • Data-Driven Maintenance • Introduction to Cybersecurity within Cyber-Physical Systems • IIoT Series: Part 2, Current Issues and Applications

Oil & Gas Engineering helps maximize uptime and increase productivity through the use of industry best practices and new innovations, increase efficiency from the wellhead to the refinery by implementing automation and monitoring strategies, and maintain and improve safety for workers and the work environment.

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controleng.com provides new, relevant automation, controls, and instrumentation content daily, access to databases for new products and system integrators, and online training.

www.controleng.com

control engineering

January 2020

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11

INSIGHTS

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE Gerhard Greeff, MESA

Not all IIoT platforms are equal Having the best Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architecture with the most modern and state-of-the-art technology will not benefit any company unless it is tied to a specific purpose and business outcome.

T

he Internet of Things (IoT) or Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is not an end in itself. It should exist to achieve some purpose. The purpose can be to solve a business problem, increase operations or supply-chain efficiency and effectiveness, or enable more accurate tracking. Many reasons or business cases are out there along with an equal number of business questions to be answered. However, companies sometimes ask the wrong question. The question is technology and architecture first and business value as an after-thought, where it should be the other way around.

Having the best architecture with the most modern and state-of-the-art technology will not benefit any company unless it is tied to a specific purpose and business outcome. If the technology does not answer the business question or solve the business problem, it is money wasted. The first question in the IIoT journey should then always be why?

Once the company knows what operations challenge to solve, the next question is on where to start?

What plant, support service, logistics, warehouse or utility problem should the company focus on first.

This is important because the company wants to show value and payback with the first project. However, the company should not be limited in thinking and design

for the limited scope. It is a fine line between delivering a pragmatic solution to a specific problem and creating a long-term global vision for the company.

That brings us to the how? Many companies are great on the what, but very light on the how. We also need to answer the how question to make IIoT strategies real for companies.

IoT and IIoT architectures defined Considerable time has been spent defining IoT and IIoT architectures by local and global forums.

The IoT World Forum Reference model come close to defining a good overview model. The reference model below contains all the elements/components required to provide a complete IIoT solution for realworld challenges.

The IoT World Forum Reference model contains seven layers. The model outlined here has eight layers to make a distinction between local connectivity and global connectivity.

For us, machine-to-machine connectivity, or instrument to edge-device connectivity (such as Bluetooth, Smart Bluetooth, Zigbee and Wi-Fi) is not the same as what is classified as global connectivity.

There are, of course, those like Sigfox and LoRaWAN that can be seen as both local and global, but they are usually sold as global connectivity solutions. In terms of the IoT World reference model, this is the only area we deviate.

IoT platforms

Adapted IoT World Forum Reference model with eight layers instead of seven to differentiate between local and global models.

Courtesy: MESA International

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January 2020

CONTROL ENGINEERING

Local connectivity will make or break any IIoT project. By virtue of the real-time environment IIoT operate in, sound local connectivity is critical in the successful implementation of any solution.

Technology providers, whether hardware or software, will tell you about their “IoT platforms.” When evaluating platforms against the above reference architecture, most platforms are incomplete or if they are complete, it is only for a specific niche area.

Having evaluated a number of vendors “IoT platforms”, it has become clear vendor “platforms” fall into two broad areas, those with a hardware focus (levels 2 to 5) and those with a software focus (levels 5 to 8). Evaluation also indicated that for softwarefocused “platforms,” those platforms are typically www.controleng.com

strong on levels 5 and 6 with levels 7 and 8 available only for niche functionality.

It is apparent from completed IoT projects that the above is the state of affairs. It is estimated that a complete, value-adding IoT solution involves an average of 20 to 35 vendors. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as different customers have different requirements, but it does mean more points of potential failure. Some customers may have the bottom layers sorted out already but need a software platform and applications. Others may need connectivity between lower levels and existing software applications.

Factors to consider for an IIoT platform

There are a lot of things to consider when selecting an IIoT platform and implementation partner.

The types of services and service model provided by the vendor is important. Although most platforms are moving towards cloud and an as a service model, some still provide capital expenditure (CAPEX) and on-premise solutions. This is a major consideration especially for IIoT in industries where real-time feedback and response are critical.

For these some vendors also make a hybrid model available, where fast response edge devices and/or applications sit at plant level and reporting, data

‘

Although a low per-device cost may be appealing for a small implementation, it can get very

’

costly very fast.

analytics and dashboarding is done in the cloud.

Domain expertise or platform use-cases are also very important, especially within the IIoT environment, as is the reliability of the connectivity, data storage and data extraction for business value. It is also important to know how easy it is to manage the devices connecting to the platform and how easy the support of the platform and devices are going to be.

Cost or the costing model needs to fit the business need. Here it is important to look at the current business need and at the big (future needs) picture.

Although a low per-device cost may be appealing for a small implementation, it can get very costly very fast.

It is also important to understand how compatible the platform is to the business and how it will connect to the current infrastructure. Scalability and security are very important, not only from a cost perspective

input #8 at www.controleng.com/information

INSIGHTS

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE

but also from a device management and support perspective.

Platform security is a factor which is easily overlooked. Security is applicable across the various layers. It is important that any device connected to the platform should be authenticated and the communication channel ideally should be encrypted. The platform should be able to securely

store the data and allow access to the data and dashboards based on grouped user rights, such as administrative rights, writeback, read-only, and which sets of data that will be visible to which group.

The last big consideration is the tools and ability to integrate and handle data, both from bottom (level 2) to top (level 8) also called north-bound integration and

Rugged Precision The MAQ®20 Industrial Data Acquisition & Control System

‘

When selecting an IIoT platform it is very important to ensure the platform fits specific long-

’

and short-term needs.

top (level 8) to bottom (level 2) also called south-bound integration. This is very important as some vendors are very good at north-bound integration but struggle with south-bound integration.

Especially for IIoT, the ability to send information down to instruments is very important as pure reporting within a fastpaced environment will be inadequate.

Look specifically at the drivers or protocols supported by the platform and ensure that it supports IIoT protocols, such as OPC, fieldbus, Profibus, etc., for southbound integration and have adequate APIs, etc., for north-bound integration.

Again, access to the data should be secure, authenticated and tracked.

When selecting an IIoT platform it is very important to work through the various factors to ensure the platform fits your specific long- and short-term needs.

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Looking at the full stack of IIoT, a number of functions need to be available in the IIoT platform to ease the implementation and reduce the number of vendors involved in an IIoT solution.

The platform needs a front end or user interface development environment that is user friendly and easy to use. It must make provision for and enable the handling of a variety of communication protocols, both northbound and southbound.

It needs a user interface that enables device management, device status monitoring and device grouping. The platform needs to provide a data storage environment that is scalable and secure, but allows easy data access and retrieval. It also needs to provide tools for the easy development of dashboards for live values and trending as ultimately, this is the view the customer needs to make better business decisions.

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GRAYBAR KNOWS INDUSTRIAL “We count on Graybar because they carry a wide range of high-quality brands and their service and support is unrivaled by the competition.”

Dave Rogers | Director of Engineering, Sunnen

1-800-GRAYBAR | graybar.com

input #10 at www.controleng.com/information

INSIGHTS

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE

Although multi-tenancy (one platform for multiple and separated users) is not required by all users, it may be that a company wants to segregate data within a platform so that not all data are visible to all users and each user company can have their own branding and “look and feel”. When used specifically in the IIoT environment, workflow management, notifications, and alarming are very important to inform plant operators, supervisors and managers when things do not go as planned.

Tools need to be available to enable advanced data analytics, such as machine learning (ML), advanced pattern recognition (APR), artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA) acoustic analysis and facial and image recognition. Ultimately, these tools will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of businesses when applied correctly.

If the platform does not have these tools (and very few do), then at least the data should be available and easi-

ly extracted via standard tools and protocols into other applications that have these tools available.

The platform needs to be flexible regarding where it will be hosted, especially for IIoT as a hybrid model will probably be the most effective, specifically for real-time process industries.

The availability of after-sales and platform back-end administration support is also very important for a long-term sustainable solution.

Evaluate, for today and beyond

Not all platforms are created equal.

To get the best IIoT platform, companies need to take the time to evaluate the vendors. Look under the hood and ask the vendor to explain how the vendor incorporates the various consideration factors. Look at all eight layers, determine what is part of the platform and what is “bought-in” third-party functionality.

Find the best fit to solve the current and future business problems. ce

Gerhard Greeff, MESA EMEA Board Member. This article originally appeared on MESA International’s blog. MESA International is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

M More INSIGHTS KEYWORDS: IIoT platforms, MESA Defining IIoT architectures Factors to consider when selecting a platform IIoT platform functionality.

CONSIDER THIS What IIoT advantages will you adopt?

ONLINE If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for more IIoT resources. Also see: www.controleng.com/magazine www.controleng.com/webcasts www.controleng.com/research www.controleng.com/ebooks www.mesa.org

Continued from p. 8 PAZZINI: The challenge is, how much can the infrastructure ease the adoption of cloud technologies in manufacturing? At the moment, customers are pretty skeptical because the MOM system is a business-critical system. Deploying a system in the cloud requires a very strong and reliable IT infrastructure. Use of 5G technologies in manufacturing requires creating a strong web-based cloud infrastructure with the same level of reliability as an on-premise platform.

CEP: We see the cloud becoming extremely important across many industries, particularly in manufacturing. Is there a preferred cloud platform?

PAZZINI: It depends on the region.

In Western countries, we see Amazon as a major player with large adoption by manufacturers. China is quite reluctant to implement AWS (Amazon Web Services) due to the need for greater data control. From our view, Amazon probably is the first choice of manufacturers for cloud platforms that customers are adopting.

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I think it seems more medium-sized businesses will endorse the cloud quicker than the large corporations because the large corporations at the moment do not see a big advantage in reducing some operational costs from redesigning their IT infrastructure. They have available big data centers and teams established, so it’s just fine for them to add one more system, for example, not the whole MOM system. We see large corporations adopting only pieces of the MOM system, and not mission-critical applications. Small and medium companies might have challenges in adopting MOM, but I see small and medium businesses adopting the whole system from the ground up, which is why I think that they will probably be the trendsetters for MOM adaptation.

CEP: Central and Eastern European manufacturing markets have an educated labor force at lower cost than other areas of Europe, but without enough labor, automation is considered. How can automation continue to help manufacturing?

control engineering

PAZZINI: Repetitive manufacturing processes can be highly automated.

The number of people on the shop floor is proportional to the complexity of the goods being produced. In aerospace, I don’t see fully automated manufacturing happening in the short term. For complex products, humans will still play an important part in production. As new industries emerge (like rockets), many engineers and production people will be needed to produce them.

CEP: So, you’re optimistic about the future?

PAZZINI: Absolutely. I think our vision is well appreciated by customers, but we have challenges because our customers are always raising the bar. Once they buy the whole portfolio, they really expect a lot. Such interactions facilitate product innovation. ce Michael Majchrzak is with Control Engineering Poland. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

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INSIGHTS

APPLICATION UPDATE Jeorg Hecke, SEH Computertechnik GmbH

Retrofit: Network, virtualization

An industrial conveyor manufacturer needed to put computer-aided design (CAD) software into the cloud, eliminate outdated Microsoft Windows 7 PC software, and keep a steel cutter with RS-232 communications connected to receive CAD outputs. See two virtualization obstacles.

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manufacturer of bulk-material conveyor for heavy industry, Loibl Förderanlagen GmbH, also produces equipment as bucket, pipe, and crop conveyors, as part of a larger contract to engineer, plan, service and modernize industrial plants.

To design and create such machinery, the 140-employee company, based in Straubing, Germany, used a Messer Group steel-cutting machine.

In a modernization effort, Loibl engineers set out to virtualize and encloud the on-site, Microsoft Windows 7 PC that ran the steel-cutting machine’s design software. The computer-aided design (CAD) program helped Loibl engineers design metal parts and the cutting layouts (“nesting”) to deliver the most parts in the least material. The software output directs the computer numerical control (CNC) thermal cutter.

Two virtualization obstacles

Two obstacles to the virtualization effort were common, though not often seen, together.

1. The CAD-running PC had communicated with the steel-cutting machine’s control unit over an RS-232, short-range serial interface, requiring the computer to reside in close physical proximity to the machine (rather than blocks or miles away in a data center).

KEYWORDS: Retrofit, 2. Like many industry-specific design virtualization, network programs, the CAD software license rested in upgrade a physical USB dongle, inserted in the same Steel cutting machine PC. The planned virtual computers, by defneeded a software update inition, would not have physical USB ports.

Connected network also required an update.

Replacing the RS-232 interfaces of the New devices helped with cutting system was not an option. (See CAD software integration.

“Before Virtualization,” top of diagram, with this story online). Baycix, an IT systems and CONSIDER THIS service provider, resolved the challenges by What outdated operating systems add risk to your preserving existing machinery and control installations? unit by converting the serial data to USB, and using a rail-mounted serial-to-USB converter.

ONLINE

M More INSIGHTS

If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for more images and information. www.controleng.com/magazine

See related New Products for Engineers products at www.controleng.com/NPE

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Double-duty device

A separate device server encapsulates USB data for transport over Intranet and unpacks it at the receiving point. The conversions occur in the shop-floor control cabinet, and the virtualized CAD-running PC,

control engineering

BayCIX, an IT systems and service provider in Landshut, Germany, suggested that Loibl Förderanlagen used SEH Technology devices to communicate to a Messer steel-cutting machine and eliminate outdated PC-based operating system software with a virtualization design.

Courtesy: SEH Computertechnik GmbH

with updated operating system, communicates over the network with the cutting machine. Because the added device server has two USB ports, it can perform double duty. It accepts the USB dongle on behalf of the (now virtual) PC and sequentially extends the license to anyone accessing the software across the intranet. In so doing, it remains within the license’s one-user limits.

The BayCIX December 2018 test ran for six weeks, beginning with cloud migration of the CAD software and installation of the serial-to-USB converter and USB device server. Now, the virtual PC communicates with the device server to access the USB license dongle and send its command file to the metal-cutting machine across the network over IP. Both devices were installed on DIN rails inside the control cabinet. Operators were relieved to retire the computer and migrate updated software to the cloud, without changing or reconfiguring the serialbased machine.

Hermann Lehner, operations manager at Loibl, said, “We value the stability and flexibility of the entire system. It’s convenient to be able to configure settings with RS-232, which is easy to use despite its age, thanks to” the new devices. ce Jeorg Hecke is head of product management, SEH Computertechnik GmbH. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

INSIGHTS

Digital edition? Click on headlines for more details.

See news daily at www.controleng.com

NEWS

PLCs evolve, add functions, efficiency After two years of strong expansion, programmable logic controller (PLC) market revenue growth is set to slow to nearly zero in 2019 due to weak demand from downstream industries, according to IHS Markit | Technology.

Global PLC market revenue is set to rise by less than 1% in 2019 from $9.5 billion in 2018, said IHS Markit | Technology.

This follows a recent peak of 12% growth in 2017, and a 9% expansion in 2018.

“The PLC market has gone into a slump in 2019 as demand from industries including automotive, semiconductor, electronics and machine tools has decelerated,” said Daisuke Muto, senior analyst, manufacturing technology, for IHS Markit

| Technology. “This trend started in the first-quarter 2018, and now has gained momentum this year. However, growth is expected to rebound slightly in the coming years, stabilizing market conditions.”

Transformative technologies

Long-term market stability is being driven by transformative technologies applied to industrial sectors. Technology advances like the cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and new communications approaches have significantly effected PLC products in recent years, allowing these devices to diversify within industrial automation control systems.

Today’s PLCs support multiple func-

Offline robotic programming benefits

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utomation speeds up manufacturing and production schedules; however, operators can see those gains dwindle when factoring in robotic programming time. Fortunately, engineers have found a solution with offline programming (OLP), which reduces initial setup time, programming time, and changeover and alteration time.

Offline programming tools provide operators with simulation software to create a digital representation of their production environment. This allows them to know how the robots will perform within the simulated environment. Thanks to offline programming, integrators of robotic systems have been able to implement automation in markets that don’t have room for the downtime associated with traditional programming methods.

OLP can reduce the time it would take to train a robot point-by-point. Operators can more efficiently create programs and updates to their simulated production line as their real-world robots keep humming along. OLP not only saves money by keeping the physical robots running, but changes to their programming can be implemented faster, doubling down on the benefits.

Offline programming software isn’t just a robot simulator. It helps programmers and operators test updates and predict how their production line will be affected by changes to their automation system. A significant benefit is that robot operators don’t have to be highly skilled in programming to use it.

The costs to implement offline programming can be gained back through production and programming efficiency, making it cost effective for manufacturers.

Since OLP software can be leveraged for nearly any application, the software helps production managers plan updates and make changes that can be implemented without extensive, if any, real-world testing.

Five ways robotic offline programming helps All the benefits of robotic offline programming make OLP applicable for nearly any robotic integration. Some facilities, however, will reap the benefits quicker than others. OLP can help manufacturers accomplish the following: 1) Shorten startup times; 2) Tweak programs quickly; 3) Program heavy tasks faster; 4) Reduce downtime; 5) Reduce robotic changeover time.

This article originally appeared on the Robotics Online Blog. Robotic Industries Association (RIA) is a part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a CFE Media content partner.

www.controleng.com

tionalities, such as inspections, robotic guidance/positioning and high-precision quality control/sorting. AI technologies can be deployed at the edge, the near-edge or in the cloud. With increasing computing power, PLCs represent the ideal equipment to run the appropriate AI algorithms or work as part of AI-based cloud software.

Rather than being part of a cloud solution, an AI algorithm can be embedded in separate models that can fit inside PLCs or integrated into the PLC hardware. By “learning” an application running on PLCs, AI algorithms can help build a model of it automatically. The models can guide robot systems, perform visual quality checks in production plants, reduce time for developing programs, or handle several key steps in a data-driven decision process for predictive maintenance.

Through new communication technologies, PLCs can communicate with the cloud, without gateways or host computers. They are customizable for retrofit projects to upgrade legacy production lines and enable connectivity. Additionally, they reduce machine builders’ time-to-market.

Increasingly, advanced PLCs are now designed with multi-core processors, enabling end users to install more applications. PLC manufacturers also are investing in edge computing, enabling PLCs to process data in real-time and streamline the amount of data sent to the cloud.

The core of the issue

The stage appears to be set for higher productivity and enhanced efficiency in the manufacturing industry. A substantial amount of effort and time will be required before the next-generation PLCs are reality.

“Due to the complex application environment, diversified production processes and strict requirements for reliability and stability, it will take a few years before PLCs integrated with AI technologies are ready for mass production,” Muto said.

The PLCs Report – 2019 from IHS Markit covers the global PLC market, including all regions, sub-regions, and segments of countries.

Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology mhoske@cfemedia.com

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INSIGHTS

NEWS

Program for advanced manufacturing A robotics program led by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will help prepare the next generation of advanced manufacturing employees with the skills they need through summer and after-school programs, giving them hands-on experience and training in collaborative robotics.

The program, geared for middle and high school students, integrates the fields of robotics, engineering and manufacturing with the cutting-edge work being done in the WPI Manufacturing Engineering Labs.

Torbjorn Bergstrom, director of the Haas Technical Education Center, said the program will provide opportunities for two- and four-year college students to assist as program instructors. The program debuted this fall, and will run in the spring semester as well with after-school programs, and will continue next summer with the release of the CoBot for Kids program at WPI’s Launch camp.

The project combines a Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2) grant for $82,000 that funds the two collaborative robots for the program; an Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing

Institute grant for $100,000, and $120,000 in funding from WPI. Bergstrom was inspired by an earlier program where WPI trained over 400 displaced workers as computer numerically controlled (CNC) operators and put them back to work. That program was a huge benefit to WPI undergraduate students who taught the technology to the displaced workers, he added.

“The students are the ones most easily able to do that, and they gain experience when they are hired as engineers to train people on this technology,” he said. “It gives our students a big benefit to be able to train people on this when they go into the workplace. It helps WPI make better engineers, and the middle and high school students get excited about tech careers in this area.”

Creating a pipeline

Bergstrom said robotics technology also helps promote manufacturing, both in the region and nationwide.

“Any manufacturer that is not able to understand technology is going to fail,” he said. “It’s going to be much easier for Mas-

sachusetts to attract manufacturing if the talent pool understands the technology.

WPI is priming the pump.”

Nationwide, manufacturing represents more than 50% of the gross GDP, he says, including direct manufacturing jobs, people who work in retail sales selling what is made, investors, and vendors.

“Without manufacturing, local people wouldn’t have those jobs,” he said. “Manufacturing creates new wealth; we want ... it here instead of outsourcing it offshore.”

Robotics and STEM

In 2009, WPI expanded to include robot programming for grades 4-12.

“Since the inception of these programs, the demand for these types of programs has consistently and significantly outpaced the number of spots we have available,” said Sue Sontgerath, director of Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs (POP) at WPI. “This grant will serve to integrate the concepts of robotics and manufacturing for middle and high school students. From that perspective, we are excited to be able to offer a new and unique option for participants.”

Temperature sensors can be remotely targeted and hacked

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ritical processes from maintaining incubator temperatures to safeguarding chemical reactions in industry rely on real-time monitoring and control from temperature sensors to stay safe and accurate. The devices ensure that these systems make proper adjustments to their sensitive environments, keeping infants healthy and industrial processes safe for the surrounding area.

A research team led by Prof. Kevin Fu at the University of Michigan and Prof. Xiali Hei lab from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette has demonstrated that these temperature control systems, particularly in sensitive devices like infant incubators or industrial thermal chambers, can be remotely manipulated using electromagnetic waves.

The vulnerability results from the weakness of analog sensing components. The attack exploits an unintended rectification effect in amplifiers and can be induced by injecting electromagnetic interference at a certain wavelength through the temperature sensors. The researchers, led by Sara Rampazzi from the University of Michigan and Yazhou Tu from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, demonstrated an adversary could remotely manipulate the temperature sensor measurements without tampering with the targeted system or triggering automatic temperature alarms. From meters away or an adjacent room, an attacker could trick the internal control system of an

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University of Michigan and University of Louisiana at Lafayette researchers remotely manipulated temperature control systems. Courtesy: University of Michigan

infant incubator to heat or cool to unsafe temperatures.

Analog temperature sensors, such as thermocouples, NTC thermistors, and resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), are susceptible. The authors described how to defend against the attack, proposing a prototype of an analog anomaly detector that can identify malicious interference in the vulnerable frequency range. When interference is detected, signal information can be used by the system software to estimate the sensor data reliability, Tu said.

Steve Crang, University of Michigan. Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

Digital edition? Click on headlines for more details.

See news daily at www.controleng.com

Sontgerath said that offering the program free to participants also aligns with the POP mission.

“WPI’s Office of Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs provides high-quality STEM programming to K-12 youth and their families—with a special emphasis on broadening access and increasing interest in these fields among groups historically underrepresented in STEM,” she said. “We provide collaborative, project- or inquirybased enrichment experiences that inspire exploration and discovery, while establishing a pathway into STEM disciplines.”

Robotics is an especially valuable way for kids to explore and discover a passion for STEM because of its interdisciplinary nature, Sontgerath said. Through robotics, program participants explore concepts from mechanical engineering, physics, electrical engineering and computer science.

Paula Owen, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.

Headlines online Top 5 Control Engineering articles December 9-15 Articles about the System Integrator Giants, SIY winners, collaborative robot use cases, digital twins, and industrial virtualization were the most-viewed stories for the week.

Aqueous Lithium-ion battery improves safety A team of engineers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have found using aqueous electrolytes instead of the typical organic electrolytes for a lithium-ion battery doesn’t reduce power or overall performance.

Researchers develop coating that uses thermal trickery for detection University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have built a coating designed to break the relationship between temperature and thermal radiation, which could have an impact on infrared cameras used for vision applications.

University receives grant to construct high-performance computing cluster.

Clarkson University received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to construct a new high-performance computing cluster to support data and computationally intensive projects.

Leveraging augmented reality wearables on the plant floor Augmented reality (AR) wearable technology can provide workers and companies real-time information about conditions on the plant floor to make everyone safer.

CORRECTION: Global System Integrator Report On page 34 of the 2020 Global System Integrator Report, the listing for E-Technologies Group Inc., West Chester, Ohio, was shown incorrectly. The listing should have been shown as E-Technologies Group Inc. (E-Technologies, Glenmount Global Solutions, Superior Controls, Banks Integration). See the corrected list at www.controleng.com/giants.

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INSIGHTS THINK AGAIN

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3010 Highland Parkway, Suite 325, Downers Grove, IL 60515. 630-571-4070, Fax 630-214-4504

How clear is your 2020?

Did you have 2020 vision? Predictions of automation, controls, and instrumentation for 2020 were spot on. Are you making these changes quickly enough to stay competitive?

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hat will automation, controls, and instrumentation look like in 2020? That was the question representatives of the System Integrator of the Year (SIY) winners answered five years ago. Looking around, I’d say those 2020 visions were clear. I worry some technology users aren’t moving quickly enough with upgrades and new installations and are putting their organizations at risk with hesitation.

(With this article online, see links more 2020 predictions.)

2015’s view of 2020

M More INSIGHTS

KEYWORDS: 2020 predictions, upgrades Predictions of 2020 technologies Implementations might be behind.

Collaborate to upgrade soon.

CONSIDER THIS As CFE Media and Technology celebrates its 10th anniversary, get advice about factory controller upgrades in January 2020 Control Engineering and on process control upgrades in February.

ONLINE See advice from other system integrators at www.controleng.com/SIY

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January 2020

Why hesitate?

Mark T. Hoske, Content Manager

Looking back at 2015’s view of 2020...

• Maverick Technologies suggested that greater automation value in automation would come from being more connected, collaborative, and secure. Paul Galeski, CEO, Maverick Technologies, discussed advances in automation, networking, new people, collaboration and cybersecurity.

• Polytron saw engagement in the digital era of manufacturing. Brent Stromwall, PE, PMP, and vice president of Polytron Inc., said manufacturers should provide more precise and advanced access to technical and reference materials. Eight technology predictions covered sustainability,

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connectivity, network security, network upgrades, more intuitive human-machine interfaces (HMIs), safety, predictive analytics and upgrades.

• Malisko Engineering explained how connectivity, modularity, and predictive support will help. Stephen J. Malyzsko, president and CEO of Malisko Engineering, offered advice on connectivity, modular manufacturing, system support, built-in security, technology shift, and collaboration.

Why does anyone avoid change in automation, controls and instrumentation?

• Change is challenging; why change what’s working?

• We have a lot on our plates, and cannot adequately evaluate or migrate to the next generation of technologies.

• If I just keep this running for another few years, I can retire and leave the upgrade to someone else.

• If we wait a few more years, I can install what I want and not what the elders think we need.

Any of that sound familiar? Step up and think again about upgrades before more retirees walk out the door. Work with the next generation of control and automation experts at your location to upgrade before you go. They’ll be glad for your insights.

And you, the next generation of automation and control experts: Don’t let that domain knowledge walk out the door without capturing the best and letting go of the rest.

Everyone: Collaborate with experts; don’t let another year pass without the competitive advantages from new designs, technologies and implementations. Get help and advice from system integrators to move quickly with confidence. ce

control engineering

Content Specialists/Editorial Mark T. Hoske, Content Manager 630-571-4070, x2227, MHoske@CFEMedia.com Jack Smith, Content Manager 630-571-4070, x2230, JSmith@CFEMedia.com Kevin Parker, Senior Contributing Editor, IIoT, OGE 630-571-4070, x2228, KParker@CFEMedia.com Emily Guenther, Director of Interactive Media 630-571-4070, x2229, eguenther@CFEMedia.com Amanda Pelliccione, Director of Research 978-302-3463, APelliccione@CFEMedia.com Chris Vavra, Associate Editor CVavra@CFEMedia.com

Contributing Content Specialists Suzanne Gill, Control Engineering Europe suzanne.gill@imlgroup.co.uk Ekaterina Kosareva, Control Engineering Russia ekaterina.kosareva@fsmedia.ru Agata Abramczyk, Control Engineering Poland agata.abramczyk@trademedia.pl Lukáš Smelík, Control Engineering Czech Republic lukas.smelik@trademedia.cz Aileen Jin, Control Engineering China aileenjin@cechina.cn

Editorial Advisory Board

www.controleng.com/EAB Doug Bell, president, InterConnecting Automation, www.interconnectingautomation.com David Bishop, president and a founder Matrix Technologies, www.matrixti.com Daniel E. Capano, president, Diversified Technical Services Inc. of Stamford, CT, www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-capano-7b886bb0 Frank Lamb, founder and owner Automation Consulting LLC, www.automationllc.com Joe Martin, president and founder Martin Control Systems, www.martincsi.com Rick Pierro, president and co-founder Superior Controls, www.superiorcontrols.com Mark Voigtmann, partner, automation practice lead Faegre Baker Daniels, www.FaegreBD.com

CFE Media Contributor Guidelines Overview Content For Engineers. That’s what CFE Media stands for, and what CFE Media is all about – engineers sharing with their peers. We welcome content submissions for all interested parties in engineering. We will use those materials online, on our website, in print and in newsletters to keep engineers informed about the products, solutions and industry trends. www.controleng.com/contribute explains how to submit press releases, products, images and graphics, bylined feature articles, case studies, white papers, and other media. * Content should focus on helping engineers solve problems. Articles that are commercial or are critical of other products or organizations will be rejected.

(Technology discussions and comparative tables may be accepted if non-promotional and if contributor corroborates information with sources cited.) * If the content meets criteria noted in guidelines, expect to see it first on our Websites. Content for our e-newsletters comes from content already available on our Websites. All content for print also will be online.

All content that appears in our print magazines will appear as space permits, and we will indicate in print if more content from that article is available online. * Deadlines for feature articles intended for the print magazines are at least two months in advance of the publication date. Again, it is best to discuss all feature articles with the appropriate content manager prior to submission.

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ANSWERS

COVER STORY: FACTORY CONTROLLERS Eric Reiner, Beckhoff Automation

Many-core technology helps advanced machine control

As machines incorporate more complex components and software, many-core industrial PCs (IPCs) offer processing and core isolation to realize smart factory and Industry 4.0 concepts. How many cores do applications need?

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hen many-core technology became available for industrial machinery, engineers had questions. “What can you do with all of that processing power?” some wanted to know. “When would you need it?” others asked. At the time, running a programmable logic controller (PLC) program in PC-based automation software required one core. Even with HMI and a few extra programs, industrial servers with dual 16-core processors appeared excessive. Blanks were built in for future programs, but engineers weren’t sure how to fill them. Production machinery is not what it was.

Constant advances in automation technology (AT), combined with the greater convergence of AT, operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT), have created more efficient, reliable and complex machines. The data acquisition and responsiveness necessary for smart factory and Industry 4.0 concepts also have led to significant changes.

Systems that once used a few PLCs, stepper motors and a basic fieldbus, for example, have received major updates in motion control with robotics and mechatronic linear transport systems (LTSs), EtherCAT communication, machine vision systems, operator

Many-core principles even extend to DIN rail-mountable machine controllers, such as this Beckhoff CX2042 Embedded PC. Images courtesy: Beckhoff Automation

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interfaces (OIs) with voice commands, mobile humanmachine interfaces (HMIs) and machine learning (ML). These continue to fill in the blanks and justify the integration of many-core technology.

PLCs and programmable automation controllers (PACs) have not kept pace with the massive influx of data. Multi-vendor, distributed control architectures have not always proven effective due to the “handshakes” required to make the systems work together. Advanced machines require advanced controls.

PC-based control has proven its capabilities for many years, but these abilities have grown through the introduction many-core CPUs. Multi-core industrial PCs (IPCs) meet most machine control needs, but a rapid increase in requirements and opportunity to gain an advantage makes a convincing case to explore manycore options for upgrades and future machine designs.

What are many-core IPCs? The key difference between many-core and multicore control is not so much the number of processor cores as it is the actual processor structure. Manycore builds on high-performance computing (HPC) principles by using embedded processors optimized for greater parallelism and throughput. Parallel data stream processing on a large scale means lower power consumption for concurrent completion of tasks due to the tasks’ spatial layout. Many-core also relies on enhanced thread synchronization to resolve data bottleneck issues seen in most low-range CPUs. In most applications, multi-core technology simultaneously can do numerous complex tasks with ease when paired with suitable automation software for standard machine control logic and advanced functions. Many-core CPUs are engineered to extend this ability to taxing applications with the same high scalability and flexibility. As a result, many-core control principles could extend to a range of devices from DIN rail-mountable embedded PCs with quad-core processors as easily as they do to industrial servers with dual 20-core Intel Xeon boards and beyond. No matter the size, a key strength of the technology is use of PC-based automation software for core isolation. www.controleng.com

With CPU options up to dual Intel Xeon with 20 cores each, the Beckhoff C6670 Control Cabinet Industrial server uses core isolation to run a range of processes and programs concurrently in TwinCAT 3 automation software, including PLC, HMI, machine learning and vision.

Advanced control: How many cores?

IPC software with core isolation allows engineers to dedicate specific tasks to individual cores or clusters in software. The processor’s memory affinity leads to faster processing times, with task data cached in specific locations for higher performance.

Demanding programs, such as integrated ML or realtime simulation with Matlab/Simulink from The MathWorks, can take up multiple cores located near each other and run concurrently with similar tasks.

This is true for advanced motion control architectures, such as LTSs and planar motor systems with levitating movers, which require dedicated neural networks. Multiple cores could be required for sophisticated analytics and oscilloscope software, especially with the quantity of data available through Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gbit/s communication speeds.

IPC selection also depends on the number of tasks and systems supported as well as the cores available, rather than the highest clock speed. Durability also is a concern for production environments.

For production environments, durability also is a concern. It is important, then, to choose vendors that provide scalable products in rugged form factors.

On the lower range of many-core controllers, some vendors supply PC-based controllers in standard, DIN rail-mountable form factors. Some embedded PCs offer four to 12 2.2 GHz processors, 8 to 64 GB DDR4 RAM and operating temperature ranges of -25 to 500oC. On the higher end, a few industrial servers have dual processors featuring six to 20 cores, with clock rates varying based on core count. These can offer hard drive capacities from 240 GB SSD up to 4 TB, 1,024 GB of DDR4 RAM and a working range of 0 to 50oC. Scalability is very important; not every application calls for 40 cores of processing power, but some could require more than four cores.

The benefits of centralized control systems are within reach with many-core IPCs. Many-core machine controllers create a multitasking device by consolidating all tasks while limiting hardware, minimizing footprint and increasing overall perwww.controleng.com

COVER: Centralized control systems that run many machines and programs across a production line provide significant value for manufacturers and machine builder OEMs.

formance. This is a large improvement from previous systems that divided processes between various PLCs, motion controllers and network PCs, which created communication delays.

While the IPCs also can connect to the cloud, their storage capacity and ability to run numerous programs on the device make the controllers more selfsufficient, benefitting manufacturers and machine builder original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across many industries. Some OEMs may choose to develop intellectual property to handle advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) by running their proprietary software on the many-core device. Manufacturers also may be wary of the cloud if their machines process volatile compounds. Even without an internet connection, engineers have access to a more efficient platform for implementing Industry 4.0 and smart factory concepts.

KEYWORDS: industrial PCs, manyThe controller software has a crucial core technology, Industry 4.0 impact on overall performance gains and Many-core technology options capabilities. With multi- and many-core can help companies keep up with architectures, OEMs and manufacturers upgrades and future machine can face many new challenges because designs for industrial PCs (IPCs). the PC-based controllers evolved and Many-core CPUs are engineered to extend this ability to the most taxing expanded capabilities over time. Softapplications with the same high ware that is as advanced should be tested scalability and flexibility and proven to adapt to these challenges.

Many-core PCs can consolidate The processing power contemporary operations and streamline data machine architectures require has caught management. some vendors off guard, even as many ONLINE advanced machines and systems show the Read additional articles from the value of many-core technology. ce author at www.controleng.com on

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Eric Reiner, IPC product specialist, Beckhoff Automation. Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

topics such as multi-touch HMI hardware and edge computing.

CONSIDER THIS What benefits could your company receive from many-core technology and where would it help the most?

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COVER STORY: ADVANCED CONTROLLERS Josh Eastburn, Opto 22

Control, security, connectivity Powerful edge controllers are replacing PCs on the factory floor and going where PCs can’t, providing a variety of “apps” for every task.

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hile smartphones have replaced the prior generation of consumer devices in many daily tasks, edge programmable industrial controllers (EPICs) are replacing PCs, servers, and legacy hardware in the factory environment. Edge controllers are designed to increase the efficiency of existing automation systems, while reducing complexity and cost of ownership.

What is edge computing again?

Edge computing is the trend of increasing processing power and storage in devices that reside close to where real-time data is generated by sensors, equipment, and users. For control systems, edge controllers bring general-purpose computing power, connectivity, data processing, and storage to the process level in a compact, industrial form factor, along with input/output (I/O), real-time control and visualization options.

Like a smartphone, a modern controller is changing the traditional architecture in a platform for innovative software at the edge, where data is generated.

User management, networking, security, and hardware interfaces are integrated, creating an ecosystem of applications and tools users can work within to deliver a richer functionality to the process than previously possible. One controller can handle more automation functions, including those that traditionally required a PC or other dedicated equipment.

On-board OPC and more Integrating multi-vendor programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or aggregating data from heterogeneous devices might be handled using a dedicated OPC server. It could be hosted on anything from a consumer-grade laptop on a shelf, to a rack-mounted server, to a virtual machine (VM) in an information technology (IT)-managed infrastructure. Regardless, this dependence on PCs requires additional licensing costs and management overhead.

IT management complexity, in particular, is a thorn for factory automation. Every new PC requires configuration, user access controls, antivirus, driver and operating system updates, and so on, which invite potential disruptions to production due to maintenance or unexpected downtime. Each of these components may introduce more costs in the form of licensing and long-term support agreements. System

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ownership also can become contentious when maintenance procedures don’t integrate well with any particular group’s operations.

Unlike legacy PLCs, edge controllers can provide a complete connectivity solution, including acting as OPC or messaging queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) servers. Unlike PC-based solutions, edge controllers require little IT involvement, because they’re built for industrial environments and are secure out of the box. This shifts the burden away from IT and allows operations and engineering to fully control the automation. Costs vary based upon the specific application, but are often lower because of reduced hardware and software licensing.

When PCs are removed from the communication infrastructure, the architecture’s overall complexity is reduced. Fewer interconnections are required, and control and communication can be managed together.

Benefits of databases at the edge Database servers are another common feature of the factory environment because of the way they make it possible to store, combine, share and protect process data. In the age of Big Data, cloud analytics, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT), database servers are becoming more important since data is more prolific and complex. The tradeoff is an increased burden on central servers. There is more network traffic, and data originates from many devices in different formats. Extra work to normalize data includes processing and sequencing so database schemas don’t become complicated and inefficient.

Edge computing techniques were first developed to address problems like these on the global internet, by decentralizing resources and moving them closer to the requested geographic areas. Edge controllers can do the same thing for factory networks. With an edge controller’s ability to run custom applications — in addition to basic control — it’s possible to have a database server running locally.

The edge controller can store and pre-process data, respond to local requests, and forward normalized data to central storage. This reduces the demand on central networks and servers. It also improves responsiveness and flexibility at the process level compared to using flat-file storage. Store-and-forward techniques also can be used to build in fault tolerance where network stability is an issue. www.controleng.com

Many potential applications are available, such as data logging and historization. Process data is much more usable when stored in a database, because of the built-in query logic and available administration tools.

Users can turn a simple archive of process values and events for a given piece of equipment into a report system to reduce local downtime or increase overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). The system that can be queried directly or replicated to central storage.

Programming improvements

A local database also could be used as a task scheduler across one or more process areas. Building this kind of logic using process control languages can be cumbersome and inflexible. Database systems and high-level programming languages are better able to create and manage time-based event mechanisms.

An advanced example, combining storage and scheduling needs, is batch and recipe management.

Many recipes can be stored in a database and modified without needing to download new control code, with recipe execution triggered by operators or scheduled to run at particular times. The quality of open-source databases makes it possible to deliver functionality like this on an edge controller even for smaller facilities or low-cost applications without setting up a host PC. Database connectivity can work in the other direction, as well, since edge controllers can establish their own connections to external on-premises or cloudhosted databases. If the recipe database from the previous example were moved to cloud storage, it could be shared with controllers across many sites. Each edge controller could establish its own connection and request parameters as needed, while allowing for consistent recipe management across all equipment.

Or a combined approach could be used, with the edge controllers housing local replicas of the master database. In either case, this model can be achieved while reducing dependence on factory floor PCs.

Security by design

Connectivity is a principal driver of the developments in controller technology. Edge controllers are designed to support the increasing convergence between information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT), as in the examples for OPC communication and data storage and processing.

Cybersecurity is also a key driver in this increasingly connected world. Edge controllers address modern security through design and operationally, by the way they simplify control system architectures.

Edge controllers embed enterprise-grade security standards. They require user authentication and support multiple access levels. Since they are network-oriented, they include standard networking protections, such as internal firewalls for blocking unsolicited requests, multiple Ethernet interfaces for segregating trusted and untrusted traffic, and SSL/TLS encryption and certification.

By contrast, the typical factory supervisory control

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and data acquisition (SCADA) architecture involves many point-to-point connections, using unsecured application- and device-specific communication protocols. As these networks grow, potential attack vectors multiply. Maintaining a secure fabric in these types of systems requires heavy IT involvement and increased infrastructure. This also means spending a lot of time getting approvals for network addresses, ports, LAN management and general operations.

Edge controllers absorb the job of legacy hardware, flatten architecture, and reduce the overall attack surface while adding a strong layer of security. Rather than requiring either a rip-and-replace approach or heavier infrastructure to secure automation, a network of edge controllers can sit between unsecured and even disparate network segments (separated physically or by subnets, VLANs, or firewalls, for example), establishing a secure, cohesive internal network that can be managed more effectively.

Edge programmable industrial controllers (EPIC) like Opto 22’s groov EPIC provide a secure platform for running many kinds of industrial applications. Using secure shell (SSH) access, users can install enterprise-class database systems, and a wide variety of other applications, on the factory controller. Courtesy: Opto 22

There’s an app for that

Smart edge devices do the same for industries as for consumers: Bring flexible functionality where most needed. Edge controllers can be used for basic control and have the horsepower to run many “apps” an engineer might want at the process level. Edge controllers can revitalize and simplify existing factory control KEYWORDS: Edge controllers, systems and infrastructure and provide a internet of things, mobility platform for mobile visualization, text and Edge computing is the trend of email alarm notification, integration with increasing processing power and MES and IoT systems, or developing cusstorage in devices that reside close to where real-time data is generated tom applications. by sensors, equipment, and users.

There are limits. Edge controlEdge controllers can improve lers require resource management, and connectivity and require little or no advanced functionality requires an underIT involvement. standing of security and administration.

Smart edge devices bring flexible But the result can simplify and improve functionality where most needed. the system architecture. ce ONLINE

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Josh Eastburn is director of technical marketing, Opto 22. Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

Read this article online at www.controleng.com for additional stories from the author.

CONSIDER THIS What benefits can edge controllers bring to your facility?

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COVER STORY: CONTROLLER ADVANCES Vibhoosh Gupta, Emerson

Modern controllers, upgrades Legacy industrial automation systems must be replaced or upgraded. See four challenges and five benefits of upgrades using modern controllers.

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uch of the consumer world is comfortable with frequent upgrades of their mobile electronics and associated apps. Even for some more expensive consumer goods such as big-screen TVs, the cheapest and easiest path forward is discarding the problem item and buying a new one. However, the case is much different for industrial automated machinery and systems.

Industrial equipment can run for decades. Many mechanical elements can be rebuilt or replaced with little difficulty. The related automation system hardware and software can become difficult to maintain, resulting in increased unplanned downtime.

When, or before, automation systems become unsupportable, users are faced with ripping and replacing or upgrading and integrating a new automation system. Both modernization options can be difficult, time-consuming and expensive. Some vendors have developed newer controllers and automation platforms with the end user upgrade paths. This makes it more attractive to upgrade an automation system while protecting existing investments.

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Factors for controller upgrades

KEYWORDS: controllers, control upgrades, system migration Controller upgrades have become more attractive thanks to technology advances, which make the process much easier for manufacturers.

Reasons to upgrade include a shortage of existing supplies for the current product, cybersecurity concerns and reduced operating costs.

Reasons for concern include conversion issues, field wiring issues and increased downtime.

ONLINE Read this article online at www.controleng.com for more stories about controller upgrades.

CONSIDER THIS What is the biggest challenge you face when deciding to upgrade your controller systems?

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An industrial automation system, even with a reasonable availability of spare parts and skilled expertise, can only operate for a finite period. Numerous factors for an upgrade include lack of product availability; excessive downtime; diminished productivity; lost knowledge; workforce stagnation; and increased cyber risk.

A lack of available spare parts is an obvious condition prompting an upgrade.

Not only does specialty industrial hardware become difficult to source, but the same is true for PC subcomponents, operating systems (OSs), configuration software packages and drivers.

Aging automation systems are more prone to failure, and breakdowns cause downtime to add up. Even when legacy systems can be kept running, they may not facilitate operating at peak capacity. Legacy systems have fewer opportunities to add productivity-increasing improvements like mobile visualization, remote monitoring,

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and advanced outcome optimizing controls.

Two subtle, but related, human resource considerations are drivers for upgrades. The first involves lost knowledge due to a retiring workforce with legacyspecific skills that are difficult to transfer to newer employees. The second can be a form of workforce stagnation where younger employees seek to work on modern systems and will avoid perceived dead-end positions taking over legacy systems.

Legacy systems designed before the proliferation of networking connectivity are a common cyber-attack weakness, capable of compromising an operation.

Sometimes legacy automation systems are called “classic” as if they were a museum-quality 50-year-old airplane or car. However, supporting legacy systems can be a downward spiral of inefficiency, cost and wasted effort. An upgrade path should be researched, determined and agreed-upon prior to that point.

Migration or upgrade? Improvement?

Investigating a path forward for legacy automation systems reaching end-of-life, hardware and software should be considered. Hardware upgrades are conceptually straightforward, but field constraints can make them difficult to perform. Software upgrades are complicated when multiple control, visualization, and communications configurations are involved.

The terms migration and upgrade are sometimes used interchangeably; a gray area exists between them.

Rip-and-replace migrations discard existing hardware and software. Re-engineering efforts may include adding and deleting functions. Sometimes migrations use software and procedures attempting to convert functionality one-for-one in a like-for-like manner.

Upgrading implies a rethinking of the system using contemporary means and methods. It can be executed as more of an evolution performed at a controlled pace as opposed to a drastic change.

A balanced upgrade is possible in some cases and presents a better approach. The ideal scenario is to upgrade existing hardware, software, and networking elements to contemporary platforms capable of directly operating the existing code with minimal effort. This ensures a fast and direct executed migration with minimal risk, while futureproofing the system by enabling future upgrades.

While end users may not be happy dealing with the consequences of an aging legacy system, they also www.controleng.com

are wise to consider the difficulties an upgrade can introduce. When an automation system is designed, it requires the coordinated efforts of several disciplines, including those who understand the machinery or process equipment, electrical designers, programmers and installers. For upgrades, many of those skills are needed, with careful field coordination to minimize operational impacts.

Four potential upgrade problems

Four industrial automation upgrade challenges are: • Form factor constraints • Field wiring adaptations • Software code conversion impacts • Downtime caused the preceding three items.

Existing automation systems are often in spaceconstrained cabinets. Many newer automation components are smaller and run cooler than legacy parts.

Some are engineered to fit in the exact same footprint, crucial to reducing downtime during an upgrade.

Even when enough space is available, existing field wiring may be hard to rework, fragile and not well tagged. Involving field wiring can consume substantial amounts of field labor and introduce risk, requiring every loop to be manually rechecked. When possible, allowing field wiring to remain in place, with reuse of input/output (I/O) modules, is the best option.

Translating software code for an upgrade is often considered a significant unknown. Existing control and supervisory programs are in place, working, and tested. An upgrade path requiring re-coding takes significant programmer effort, introduces risk, and may require a complete system retest, much like original commissioning. Sometimes, it may be impossible to determine the original functional definition, or maybe the available source code is poorly commented.

It is difficult to completely evaluate translated software effectiveness in advance of cutover and connection in the field. Problems found during cutover can extend downtime.

Code conversion utilities that enable users to execute one-click legacy program upgrades are important.

Newer industrial automation platforms provide higher performance, security, and availability than legacy systems. Modern controllers that target upgrade challenges can make the final decision to change control platforms easier (see application note). Five typical upgrade benefits include:

• Improved productivity • Reduced operating costs • Enhanced experience • Increased cybersecurity • Newly available insights.

Current processors and software code are part of the reason, while the latest architectural advancements can deliver redundancy and expandability not possible with older platforms (see figure). Because modern hardware, software, and networking is more reliable and accessible, this leads to reduced costs.

Contemporary tools and standards are often easier to use and more flexible than legacy systems; user training on newer platforms is still recommended.

More difficult to quantify but of importance are the available insights arising from upgraded automation platforms. Extended diagnostics can help users operate systems better, discover problems sooner, and troubleshoot more effectively. Improved connectivity eases data analysis, and implement mobile and remote visualization to increase operational effectiveness.

Any industrial automated system will become a candidate for a control platform modernization in time. End users must compare the mounting costs and risks of a faltering legacy system against the projected expense and potential difficulties of modernizing.

An expensive and risky option is a drastic migration where hardware and software are completely revamped. Some automation platforms offer a hardware and software upgrade path enabling rapid execution and providing extended future capabilities.

This lowers risk, ensures a quick cutover, enables future-proofing the platform, and enables other improvements such as remote access. ce Vibhoosh Gupta is a portfolio leader for Emerson’s Machine Automation Solutions business unit. Edited

by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

Application note An automotive manufacturer planned the first full system upgrade for a three-day weekend outage, involving 150 variable frequency drives (VFDs) and 32 nodes of legacy I/O. The actual upgrade took six hours, even with converting the legacy I/O communication protocol to Profinet remote I/O. The results were positive and enabled the team to devise an ongoing strategy of upgrading legacy controllers to the new platform on lunch breaks, which freed up longer outages for other maintenance activities. Upgrades provide modern hardware and software platforms, and better cybersecurity.

Figure: Emerson designed the latest RX3i platform to have the same footprint as existing 90-30 systems and accept legacy and new I/O modules. Courtesy: Emerson www.controleng.com

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COVER STORY: CONTROLLERS Adam Bainbridge, Eaton

Answers on factory controllers Need an upgrade? Nano programmable logic controllers (PLCs) can replace the function of existing equipment, provide communications and more.

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Nano PLCs use compact “brick” form factor for low profile installations with an optional display that can be used to display operational data.

Courtesy: Eaton

actory automation controllers are the brains of many operations by guiding automated workflows. Adam Bainbridge, product manager automation and micro drives, industrial control division, Eaton, explained controller trends, challenges, and upgrade benefits.

Control Engineering (CE): What is the important role that controllers play in control systems?

Bainbridge: Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are microprocessor-based devices used to control industrial processes or machines. They provide advanced functions, including monitoring, control and communications to share data over networks. In industrial environments, PLCs simplify control systems by reducing complexity and improving control system flexibility. Features of modern PLCs can help increase process efficiency while providing operators with more data and analytics to simplify maintenance, monitoring and process optimization.

CE: How do the capabilities of modern controllers compare to legacy controllers?

Bainbridge: One of the biggest recent advancements in controllers is the rise of the “nano” PLC. These controllers often use a “brick” form factor, which is a low-profile panel mount modular package compared to a rack-mounted PLC that has a base module and slots for slice option cards. Nano PLCs typically are smaller and less powerful than micro PLCs. The input/output (I/O) count used to be the deciding factor on when a higher class was needed, but this has been elimKEYWORDS: Programmable inated with new expandable designs that logic controllers, micro PLC make the most of control system scalNano PLCs are smaller than a ability. If a control application does not micro PLC. require high-speed position control or Advanced control can be precision, or the ability to control multiple performed in a small form factor. devices over industrial communications, a CONSIDER THIS nano controller could save space and cost.

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Are old PLCs driving up costs and missing opportunities?

ONLINE If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for more answers. www.controleng.com/magazine See related new products at www.controleng.com/NPE

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CE: What are advantages are offered?

Bainbridge: Using a nano PLC offers scalability to include simple protections such as temperature monitoring or more advanced functions such as monitoring pump efficiency to check for blockages and send warnings and maintenance reminders

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to a SCADA system or email the technician. Control system changes occur through front panel programming, which eliminates the need to change wiring and minimizes downtime. Modern PLCs are commonly paired with software used to program controllers and displays. Such nano PLCs support fast Ethernet communication and high programming flexibility.

CE: How is the technology advancing control system flexibility and scalability?

Bainbridge: Wider voltage ranges of a nano PLC can reduce the number of options and increase the flexibility in one part number, making it easier to choose, integrate and maintain. Ultra-compact, intelligent PLCs help advance energy management.

CE: Why should controllers be replaced or modernized if they haven’t yet reached end of life?

Bainbridge: Reducing operation costs and increasing efficiency is a challenge faced by all operators and engineers. The choice to upgrade equipment is a balance of investment versus reward. Many controls engineers are using PLCs that have exhausted their capabilities and are driving up costs. By applying modern, nano PLCs, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can reduce retrofit times and machine costs and provide more capabilities. These PLCs can replace the function of existing equipment and provide Ethernet communication, remote monitoring, e-mail alerts, and integration with other systems.

CE: What are common misconceptions faced when selecting or specifying controllers?

Bainbridge: Misconceptions exist about which type or class of device to use. Operators can use discrete PI controllers, or use device level control such as a variable frequency drive (VFD) to regulate processes. It is a difficult task to balance the cost and capability needed. Discrete components can offer reliable simple control and may not meet changing requirements. A modern PLC can reduce these hurdles and offer more capabilities. ce Adam Bainbridge is product manager automation and micro drives, industrial control division, Eaton. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

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ANSWERS

CASE STUDY: WIRELESS NETWORKS Crayton White, Contact Automation

Real-time monitoring, control for water, wastewater systems

Water and wastewater operations improved with new industrial wireless communications and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software.

A

Figure 1: FreeWave’s ZumLink IQ integrated with Inductive Automation’s Ignition Edge MQTT installed at one of Sylvan Lake’s field stations. Images courtesy: Contact Automation

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water and wastewater system upgrade included new real-time wireless communications for improved management of physical assets and personnel. System integrators helped install modern supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software without having to rip and replace everything in the field. Benefits include eliminating time consuming manual analysis and achieving significant efficiency and time-management gains.

The town of Sylvan Lake in Alberta, Canada, is home to 15,000 citizens and attracts more than 1.5 million tourists from around Alberta each year.

The 9-sq-mi town has seven water stations and 12 wastewater pumping stations that comprise its water infrastructure operations. Half of the town sits at lake level. As a result, wastewater must be pumped from lower elevations to higher elevations. Water reservoirs require continuous monitoring to ensure chemical injections stay in check and the water supply is safe. The need to automate this critical infrastructure and to upgrade the communications network has increased as the town and its tourism grow.

Contact Automation Inc., a system integrator located in Western Canada, has provided maintenance and network management services for the town’s existing water infrastructure SCADA and communications system for the last four years. The company troubleshoots hardware communications

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CONTROL ENGINEERING

and sensor failures and have managed network footprint expansions as new water and wastewater facilities online. The company was also aware of the limitations and daily operational challenges caused by the city’s aging system. Sylvan’s SCADA network was designed as a serial radio network. With legacy equipment almost 20-years old and numerous configurations, the system was inflexible and didn’t allow users to reliably communicate with remote stations.

Because of the system’s limitations, town workers had to drive to each field location to monitor and report on the system repeatedly throughout the day.

Town officials recognized its requirements for the existing system exceeded what was possible and needed to find a new cost-effective solution that integrated Smart Utility Technology to keep the operation safe and compliant, while accommodating growth and future automation technology upgrades.

Needs and project pain points Existing communications posed ongoing challenges. Over the last five years, the communications network had become unreliable. It was plagued with system-wide errors from hardware failures.

Since all station inspection reporting had to be done manually, historical operational data was not easily searchable or accessible. While each station had alarms, they were limited in growth and expandability. Officials knew they couldn’t risk managing the system via remote callouts. A few-minute pump shutdown could result in an environmental disaster.

Despite best efforts to keep up with its maintenance, the current system was showing every bit of its age. The city’s growing need for automated reporting, real-time monitoring and centralized control of this critical water infrastructure kicked off a two-year effort to modernize its communications infrastructure to meet current needs as well as allow the scalability to handle future requirements.

The town no longer trusted the communications system to monitor and manage critical utility infrastructure. The growing number of system-wide errors, manual processes and old technology were hampering the goal of a fully automated system.

Sylvan Lake also wanted an asset management, www.controleng.com

Figure 3: Java and IE automatically control memory usage.

This edge computing information also can be pulled into the Ignition SCADA system from Inductive Automation.

Figure 2: Data from the FreeWave ZumLink IQ Modbus registers is pulled to integrate network data into the Ignition

enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and other outside resources as part of the network upgrade.

After years of planning and securing funding approval, the initiative to transform the town’s water management communications system began in March 2018.

While the town considered a SCADA software upgrade at first, the plan quickly evolved to a complete rebuild of the entire system. After evaluating numerous technologies, the system integrator involved recommended industrial radios integrated with messaging queuing telemetry transport (MQTT).

The town was running a poll/response serial SCADA system, and over the last 20 years, each field station came in and was programmed by a different person, which meant the configuration differed from site to site. The goal was standardize the system.

The industrial radio, with MQTT, would solve the town’s alarming and reporting issues and create the standardization needed across each field station. The publish/subscribe, or Pub/Sub, architecture provides granular data to anyone on the network. Platform ruggedness provided a reliable home for applications that place analytics and intelligence alongside remote assets and provided secure wireless data transmission over long distances and application deployment.

Adding MQTT at the edge made the field stations smarter and kept the system’s footprint and bandwidth requirements small. Typically, the costs to purchase and maintain the system go up with more hardware.

The implementation provided the ability to migrate and upgrade each station to achieve the Internet of Things (IoT) at the edge by replacing the radio hardware. No other hardware had to be deployed to the field. All that’s needed to monitor pressure on a water line is a sensor with a radio. The field system has been simplified, communications and data accuracy has improved, and infrastructure costs were lowered by making the edge smarter.

Results and ROI

To date, all seven freshwater pumping stations have been upgraded, as well as a new remote monitoring station. A new centralized control center was estab-

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lished at the main reservoir on the south edge of town.

Sylvan Lake, thanks to the upgraded network, went from having only one monitoring station in a remote location to managing the network in realtime from multiple locations and via mobile all at the same time. The primary maintenance office is located downtown and remains the heart of its core operations. From this location, they can easily view the system on multiple screens.

The old system required round-robin poll/ response requests to each station to report system data could take five minutes — longer if a communications issue occurred. This delay was limiting the ability to see live data and remotely monitor the entire system effectively. They sometimes would miss data spikes that could indicate an issue prior to an active alarm.

The old system limited them to responding to alarms instead of a more proactive maintenance approach.

All field stations operate independently with MQTT. If one site has an issue, the rest of the system won’t be taken down with it. System-wide updates and alarm data are now available in seconds. Structured query language (SQL) historical database development has now allowed for simple data reporting and analysis. Year-end compliance reportKEYWORDS: wireless networks, ing has also been transformed, eliminatwater and wastewater, MQTT ing time consuming manual analysis and The town of Sylvan Lake in Alberta, Canada, wanted achieving significant efficiency and timeto improve its water and management gains. wastewater operations.

The Sylvan Lake water operations manThe system integrator they agement system and the generated data is partnered with recommended reliable. Those working with the system using an industrial radio with can communicate with the team centrally, messaging queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) for faster have reduced failure points and eliminatcommunication. ed the need to drive from station to station The integrator built a reliable to check and monitor the infrastructure system that gave the town multiple times a day. The communications information quickly and reduced reliability of field radios is nearly 100%. the risk of major problems.

Work continues to bring the town’s 12 ONLINE wastewater operations online, with capacRead this article online at ity to grow and expand as needed. ce www.controleng.com for links

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Crayton White, systems integrator and PLC programmer, Contact Automation.

Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

to stories about water and wastewater operations.

CONSIDER THIS What benefits could your company receive from an industrial radio with MQTT?

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WIRELESS SENSORS Chris Vavra, CFE Media and Technology

Energy harvesting for sensors Gathering data from wireless sensors is critical in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) era. Various energy harvesting methods can provide power.

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well-planned Industrial Internet of Things ( IIoT) infrastructure can allow a small team of workers to do the work of dozens more by leveraging data from thousands of devices on the plant floor. This might seem daunting, but Will Zell, the CEO and co-founder of Nikola Labs, sees this as the convergence of data and technology advances. Now, more than ever, workers have the ability to get a greater picture thanks to sensors attached to the devices on the plant floor.

“These sensors can provide data each day and see a picture that is being painted of what is and isn’t working in the plant,” Zell said in his presentation “Wired vs. Wireless for IIoT Solutions: The Pros, Cons, and Key Considerations,” at Fabtech 2019 in McCormick Place in Chicago. “By leveraging sensorbased technology, you create a multitude of value.”

This is critical because unplanned downtime is costing manufacturers hundreds of billions of dollars each year. While companies are moving from reactive maintenance to preventive maintenance, Zell said the cultural shift can really take hold with the IIoT and improve automation and plant safety.

Some fear automation might be replacing workers on the manufacturing floor. Zell sees it differently. “The real challenge is how you change a maintenance team by installing sensors that can help the team without KEYWORDS: wireless sensors, replacing them. Make them feel proacenergy harvesting tive. If this is executed well, a small team The Industrial Internet of Things can leverage thousands of machines to do (IIoT) can help manufacturers the work of dozens of humans,” he said. improve plant floor data

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efficiency.

Wireless sensors are cheaper than wired sensors for gathering data, but they rely on batteries.

Energy harvesting can help manufacturers bypass the battery problem by gathering energy from many different sources.

ONLINE At www.controleng.com read this for more coverage from the author from other trade shows.

CONSIDER THIS What applications would benefit from wireless sensors and energy harvesting at your plant?

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Wired vs. wireless sensors

Sensors, regardless of type, are designed to provide information, including how motors and drives operate. The most common challenge is the sensors have to be retrofitted onto the device because very few are installed with builtin technology. The equipment involved may be 20- to 30-years old.

Wired industrial sensors have continuous power and data reliability. Users don’t have to worry about transmitted information getting lost. The upfront costs for a wired sensor are high, and the sensors

control engineering

Through energy harvesting, IIoT can deliver maintenancefree wireless sensors through sources such as vibration, RF and light energy. Courtesy: Chris Vavra, CFE Media and Technology

may be located in areas difficult to access.

Wireless sensors have emerged through the IIoT and are easier and cheaper to install compared to wired sensors. Wireless sensors have more limited data capture and require batteries. Battery life has increased, but batteries do need to be replaced. For a large facility, that could cause all kinds of problems for the plant team because thousands of sensors may need to be brought back up to speed.

Wireless powering

The problem can be alleviated through ambient energy harvesting and radio frequency (RF) wireless power delivery. With energy harvesting, Zell said, the IIoT can deliver maintenance-free wireless sensors using vibration, RF and light energy. How much energy depends on the data payload and sensor type.

An ultrasound or video has a much different energy requirement than a pressure or temperature sensor.

Zell said properly managing harvested energy, sensing and data communication is key to achieving a maintenance-free wireless sensor.

“Sensor platforms that have energy harvesting that can deliver data to IIoT systems,” Zell said.

Zell provided an example of RF wireless powering from a sensor over distance via RF signals transmitted from a transponder. From there, an RF harvesting chip receives the signal to regulated dc power.

Delivering IIoT at scale can be achieved, Zell said, with wireless energy harvesting. While there is a place for wired sensors, particularly for applications that cannot afford downtime, the overall benefits of energy harvesting will provide more reliable data at faster speeds at lower costs for manufacturers. ce Chris Vavra is associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

ANSWERS

WIRELESS NETWORKS Daniel E. Capano, Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects

Industrial wireless selection and implementation Industrial wireless networks require a lot of planning and preparation because there are many elements that can hamper or interfere with manufacturing operations.

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ndustrial environments have many common attributes: they are dirty, electrically noisy, and present many obstructions or disruptions to RF propagation. The use of consumer-grade wireless equipment will not work in the long term.

Equipment must be tailored to the environment in which it will operate – industrial installations do not follow the standard rules of design. Field surveys are useful, but the presence of electrical noise and moving equipment, large metal structures, or even the presence of water in an industrial process will have a large impact on signal propagation.

Industrial wireless access points

An industrial installation requires more wireless access points than an office installation because of the presence of numerous signal disrupters. The use of directional antennas also could become a necessity because of the topology of the industrial facility. A warehouse, for instance, requires directional antennas be used to direct radio frequency (RF) down narrow aisles between metal shelving, likely filled with metal or some material that will absorb RF. A machine shop is full of motors and moving objects such as forklifts and overhead cranes. Some manufacturing equipment requires liquid coolants that create vapors, sprays or splashing that can disrupt propagation or cover the wireless equipment in grease or water. Some processes require arc welding, which produces a powerful broad-spectrum noise signature that can disrupt many RF signals.

The first parameter to consider is the working environment. Considering the above, the most obvious concern is the equipment enclosure. Choosing the correct enclosure is the first and most basic specification and protects the access point from being damaged by environmental factors.

Industrial enclosures as defined by NEMA or using the IP classification system simplifies the design specification, but it will require the specific area in which the equipment is to be installed be classified by the facility engineering section. Guess-

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ing at proper enclosure is not the proper approach and will lead to early and unexpected failures of the system. All industrial environments are different and need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Another option is to place the wireless equipment outside of the harsh environment and install a distributed antenna system (DAS) to provide RF to the needed areas; however, this is often not practical and will add significant cost to the installation. DAS requires a through understanding of signal propagation through the DAS and operates through a system of cabling and directional signal splitters or couplers, the design of which can be daunting.

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Principle attenuation factors are the cable (by length) and directional splitters, which

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by nature present directional attenuation.

One antenna driven by a single access point is another option, but it requires multiple access points be used across the facility at each controlled process.

This can be a good option for small shops, but will be a problem for larger shops. A DAS is economical in that one transmitter can drive multiple antennas, but care must be taken to ensure that adequate power is available for the DAS. The principle attenuation factors are the cable (by length) and the directional splitters, which by nature present directional attenuation.

Antennas are a crucial factor in the design of an industrial wireless network. In an office environment, simple dipole antennas, such as those on a home wireless router, are sufficient for providing propagation to the area. Taking one example, such as a warehouse environment, we can see where the selection and placement of the proper antenna is essential to the reliable operation of the network.

Aside from considerations of bandwidth and capaccontrol engineering

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ANSWERS

WIRELESS NETWORKS ity propagation is the major consideration here.

Warehouses have large storage shelving with long aisles and moving equipment. Inventory on the shelves will absorb and reflect RF depending upon material; a water bottling facility, for example, may have pallets full of bottled water stored on metal shelves. This is a worst-case scenario because the water in the bottles will attenuate the signal while the metal shelving will reflect it. Moving equipment, like forklifts or stock pickers, can have wireless devices on board. However, a common reception problem is caused by the metal cage protecting the operator. The metal cage can severely attenuate the RF signal; an antenna external to the cage is recommended for best performance. Industrially-hardened access points are expensive, but they are designed for use in these

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Amplification determines the distance the

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signal will propagate for a given frequency.

applications and will get the job done.

Directional antennas come in several configurations, the most important parameters being beam width and amplification. Beam width is the angle of the RF propagation from the antenna and is shown on a polar chart. The beam width of a Yagi antenna, for example, is narrow and directional in the direction of transmission; this is measured at the -3dB points on the polar chart.

Amplification determines the distance the signal will propagate for a given frequency. Directional antennas also serve to avoid sources of attenuation or disruption by focusing RF on a specific area, and, being as antenna performance is reciprocal, signal reception from the focused area also will improve and inherently reject surrounding sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI).

Both factors can be used to determine the proper antenna for the application. Bar code readers require a stable and continuous connection to properly transmit the inventory information back to the facility’s servers. To avoid bandwith issues, a general rule of thumb is installing direction-

Installing a distribute antenna system (DAS) outside a harsh environment to provide radio frequency (RF) to the needed areas is an option, but its high cost can be a barrier. Courtesy: Daniel E. Capano

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CONTROL ENGINEERING

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al antennas at each end of the aisle to ensure that the entire length of the aisle has adequate coverage and gradually adjust power levels to provide well defined cones of propagation without creating interference. This is an oversimplification, however, because all facilities differ in configuration and inventory.

Electrical noise’s impact on the signal

In a manufacturing environment, electrical noise and moving equipment are the chief disruptors to the propagated signal. Using wireless technology to monitor and control equipment is very forward thinking and disruptive in a social sense. Entire facilities can be operated unmanned as is being done with wired networking technology, wireless technology offers more flexibility in equipment placement and lower implementation costs.

Electrical noise, depending on the frequency used, will have a greater or lesser effect on signal disruption. At the higher frequencies (GHz), EMI will have a negligible effect unless the noise is the result of wide-band noise generators, like arc generating equipment, which generate EMI in a very wide spectrum.

Lower frequency bands (VHF and UHF) are more susceptible to noise generated by motors, solenoids and the like, and the harmonics generated. Shielding bad offenders is a technique that works in isolated cases. A room full of arc welders or variable frequency drive (VFD) motors can wreak havoc on wired and wireless networks if proper separation is not observed.

Other equipment, such as line reactors, can and will magnetically couple to antenna cabling and cause real damage to transmitting equipment. Speak to a wireless integrator about how their equipment deals with noise and their methods of noise rejection.

Proper placement of the access point or antenna, such as above a manufacturing area containing controlled or monitored equipment, will focus the RF onto that area. This placement will avoid interference of reflection of signals from forklifts or other equipment. Of course, placement of the access point (AP) local to the equipment is a good option and avoids cabling costs. For crucial processes, a Faraday Cage can be placed around the processing area (or the source of EMI), along with the wireless access point.

The area would be electromagnetically isolated from the surrounding facility and wireless connectivity would be stable and continuous. This is an expensive option, however, and would only be used for crucial processes and where conventional network cabling is not practical.

Cybersecurity concerns

Pre-implementation facility surveys for industrial situations do not follow the rules for office surveys.

In an office survey, the object is to provide cover-

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age and capacity, while identifying areas and sources of attenuation, such as concrete elevator shafts and microwave ovens. Illegal, or rogue APs are also a primary reason for primary and follow-up surveys.

Industrial site surveys are focused on coverage and capacity, but also identifying potential sources of EMI, which can result in signal disruption, periodic disruptions and reflections from moving equipment, and process-specific materials, liquids and processing equipment movements must also be identified in order to design around them.

Care should be taken to separate the industrial wireless network from the corporate network. Cybersecurity and proper cyberhygiene are essential parts of the overall system design. The use of a robust firewall to provide controlled access will allow authorized personnel to upgrade equipment or load new programming into machine tools or scanners.

An intrusion detection system (IDS), whether integrated or overlay, is a good investment for an automated or networked facility. Layers of defense based on training, equipment selection, and monitoring will provide adequate protection of the facility from attack. However, this is not a substitute for surveillance and vigilance.

As wireless technology becomes more robust and inexpensive, its use will become more prevalent. The elimination of wiring affords great opportunities: flexibility, efficiency, improved bottom line — these are all possible using a wireless network. Machinery or production equipment can be moved without worrying about network cabling and can be grouped in more efficient, space savings ways.

A robust and stable wireless network can be installed and operated in KEYWORDS: Cybersecurity, an otherwise hostile environment based industrial networking, radio frequency (RF) upon a properly conducted survey with The first parameter to consider informed design decisions. Using a is the working environment when trained and certified wireless professionchoosing a wireless network. al is essential from the standpoint of reliAntennas need to be properly ability and liability. placed when designing an industrial Disruption of a vital process can wireless network so the signals aren’t scrambled. result in a large and unexpected expense Cybersecurity and proper and material loss. Taking the time to cyberhygiene are essential parts of thoroughly understand the industrithe overall industrial network system al environment and properly matching design. wireless equipment to that environment ONLINE is the formula for a successful impleGo to www.controleng.com for mentation. ce

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Daniel E. Capano is senior project manager, Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, and on the Control Engineering Editorial Advisory Board. Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

additional stories on industrial networks and cybersecurity.

How to choose industrial antennae.

CONSIDER THIS What is the biggest challenge or obstacle your company faces for choosing an industrial network?

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ANSWERS

CRITICAL SENSORS Shashidhara Dongre, L&T Technology Services.

Critical sensor applications

Diagnostics, redundancy, intelligence: Using sensors in age of smart devices and systems requires more knowledge about automation sensor system design.

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ith the advent of today’s “smart age,” smart systems and devices are proliferating. The core of most of these smart systems are based on sensors and sensor engineering. Sensors are central to creating intelligent devices capable of gathering an array of complex data from divergent sources and translating them into measurable outputs that provide important insights about their functioning. These insights form the basis of decisions and actions that need to be taken.

Sensor engineering 1) Is the science of integrating an ensemble, enabling sensors to act and transform into effective solutions; 2) Delivers the ability to make better and more accurate decisions where it is applied; and 3) Touches many critical areas of life, including an expanding list of medical electronics, wearables, vehicular safety, industrial equipment, and toys.

Sensor designs for critical application take two approaches: 1) Sensor redundancy or 2) Sensor diagnostics. Each has been emulated in various industries.

Sensor intelligence, applied

With the growing relevance of sensor engineering, it is important to critically evaluate sensor engineering applications.

Machine presses require a very high degree of accuracy in applying and holdKEYWORDS: Sensor design, sensor redundancy, sensor ing force on an object. One way to meadiagnostics sure this force is via load cells. Multiple Sensor design trends include load cells can be used, and the results can miniaturization, smart sensors, be averaged out. Doing so helps to nullisensor fusion. fy any small differences in load readings Different applications sensor between the cells, which can occur at difredundancy, diagnostics ferent times and in varied environmental Sensor integration may help. conditions.

CONSIDER THIS An additional benefit of the averaging Look at new sensor capabilities process is that noise signals on individual before incorporating sensors into load cell outputs also would be reduced. an automation application in a traditional way. Design changes Another benefit of using multiple sencould help. sors to measure one process parameter is ONLINE that even if one sensor fails, the system From the digital edition, click on can still function, though it may not give the headline for more, including equally accurate readings. But how does three sensor design trends one manage gathering inputs from muland more sensor applications. tiple redundant sensors and processing www.controleng.com/magazine them to achieve the benefits mentioned?

See many sensor categories at In this case, the motion controller must www.controleng.com/NPE.

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be programmed to do checking and averaging of load cell data before that feedback is provided to the control loop.

In the airline industry, sensors play a critical role in ensuring the safety of airborne planes. In a wellknown instance, a leading global manufacturer opted to use diagnostics from one angle-of-attack (AOA) sensor in the automated security system, instead of a using two or even three such sensors to build in redundancy and fail-safe measures. In more than one instance, the AOA sensor recorded/interpreted data erroneously, which in turn led to faulty decisions taken by the automated security system regarding the plane’s maneuvers in flight mode.

In aircraft that use two or three AOA sensors, there have been instances when data from each sensor has significantly disagreed, pointing to an anomaly in at least one reading. In such cases, in-built warning systems provide early signals about such disagreements to the pilots, who can then decide to turn off the automatic inputs. Redundancy appears to a critical necessity, in such applications.

Automobile measurement applications have been successfully solved since the 1980s with the help of Hall sensor integrated circuits (ICs). A simple use cases is a Hall sensor with switching output to detect if a car door is fully closed.

With advancements in automobile technology, position reliability requirements have increased. If a sensor incorrectly detects accelerator pedal position, danger could result. To enhance safety, an option is to use two sensors instead of one for the same measurement. The output signals of both sensors then can be compared, and error deviations can be detected. The on-board electronics systems in automobiles can respond accordingly.

Multi-sensor applications may increase weight and require more installation space, but those issues can be addressed by increasing the integration density of the sensors. A common method in the semiconductor industry integrates several complementary metaloxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chips in one package.

This is a novel approach for Hall effect sensors.ce Shashidhara Dongre is global head, smart products and services practice at L&T Technology Services.

Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

ANSWERS

ADVANCING INNOVATION Amit Chadha, L&T Technology Services Ltd.

Additive manufacturing: Prototyping reimagined One key player in the aerospace sector has brought reduced inventory cost by 95% with the use of additive manufacturing (AM).

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nnovators are slashing inventory costs up to 95% by using additive manufacturing (AM) with recent industry advances. There has been a seismic shift in how enterprises view the reconstruction of the manufacturing vision.

While AM is helping global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) cater to various sectors and markets worldwide, its scope has extended beyond rapid prototyping, and system integrators are helping with engineering, automation, and system integration.

The transition is attributed to the remarkable ability of AM to produce parts with complex designs, reduce the cost of manufacturing-material loss, assembly due to limited compatibility, and the need for machinery and fittings.

The evolution of rapid prototyping to 3-D printing and related innovation is augmenting the industrial paradigm beyond what was believed to be a far-fetched vision. Industrial sectors like automotive, aerospace, construction, consumer products, healthcare, food and manufacturing, to name a few, are seeing a substantial demand for AM and its applications.

It may be hard to believe, but “rapid prototyping” has been around for more than 35 years, since 1981 when Japan’s Dr. Hideo Kodama first published his account of a functional rapid-prototyping system and applied for a patent. Since then, rapid prototyping has become one of the biggest technology disrupters in the 4th Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0).

According to a Frost and Sullivan report, AM is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% from 2015 to 2025. Reports and data project the AM market to be worth more than $23 billion in 2026, up from $8 billion in 2018.

A $2.5 billion start-up based out of Redwood, Calif., created the world’s first AM hardware to be deployed through a subscription model so it is always upgradable.

Cost reductions, new designs

Prototyping is an old technology idea with a transformed vision — minimizing the manufactur-

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ing ecosystem and costs of supply chain. With newer technologies disrupting business transformation, the future of manufacturing relies on a more diverse network of prototyping applications experts. The idea is to save time and resources and reduce errors and flaws. This vision has led global enterprises to focus on the concept of AM. U.S.-based sportswear giant Nike had a clear vision of selling designs to customers that could be printed at home. Nike and some of its competitors have doubled down in investing in AM in the footwear space, which is a futuristic step to improving production by eliminating labor costs and increasing its speed to market. The shoe’s performance will increase thanks to lighter, more breathable materials and less friction resistance. The only drawback is the cost that may be incurred depending on how accurate the execution is. The primary focus is on meticulous designs.

The shift to additive manufacturing

While rapid prototyping has been the go-to methodology for years, it depends on conventional tools and procedures of manufacturing, production readiness, and supplier support. As a result, it is a timeconsuming and costly process. In comparison, AM focuses more on the design aspect of manufacturing and procurement of the right raw material. A 3-D printer carries out the physical execution of the design to create the prototype and such an automated process slashes turnaround time.

System integrators drive these automation processes. With an agile AM process, automating the execution requires integration of commands. Integrators regulate the various components of AM and automate the execution of the design-to-delivery journey of the prototype.

Additive manufacturing outreach

Through various industrialization phases across the globe, manufacturing has remained the driving force of progress. Conventional life cycle of a product comprises of introduction, maturity, growth and control engineering

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ANSWERS

ADVANCING INNOVATION decline phases. The “introduction” stage of AM, like most products, was hit with obstacles to production, patent restrictions and difficulties arising from high machine cost. This led to low revenue, low market penetration level, high costs and low quality.

AM is currently at the “growth” stage where it is gaining favorable acceptance among consumers across industries. In an era defined by out-of-thebox thinking, businesses are seeking ways to reduce costs while delivering excellence.

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Automated process slashes turnaround time, and system integrators drive these automation processes.

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Though traditional manufacturing methods will take time to be replaced, the ball has been set in motion. AM was born out of the need to hasten design visualization. With prototyping taking a long time, the industry sought a method that could reduce the time to develop the prototype, while devoting more time on the design intricacies. Technological innovations in design thinking and visualization have reduced the dependency on suppliers and support ecosystem. With more time being devoted to design and component experimentation, the finesse has grown and the turnaround time has reduced.

Another notable aspect of AM is it is being primarily used in developing complex and intricate equipment components. For example, in the aerospace sector, AM is being used to develop components like the fuel nozzle. These are critical parts but are not produced in mass-scale. With the help of AM, designing these components are becoming more cutting edge. Simplifying the design also is reducing the weight of these parts. All this leads to increased performance efficiency and reduced inventory. A key player in aerospace has brought reduced inventory cost by 95% by using AM. The key facets of AM are 3-D printing, rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing.

These concepts thrive on the idea of inclusion and collaboration. While the aerospace and automotive industries have taken to them primarily to optimize design efficiency and reduce time of production, the medical equipment industry has much to gain from the customization capabilities of AM. According a Frost & Sullivan 2016 report, the automotive, aerospace, and medical devices industries will account for 51% of the 3-D printing market by 2025. From a geographical perspective, the

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AM market will see growth in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region at a CAGR of 18.4% in the 20152025 period. China will account for 70% of the APAC market.

Engineering a new paradigm

In 2017, McLaren Racing partnered with Minnesota-based Stratasys, which specializes in 3-D printing, to produce race-ready parts for the MCL32 to participate in the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship. The idea behind the partnership was “light weighting” or topology optimization, by which Stratasys would produce parts for the racecar that were light but durable.

In another example, global medical device manufacturing company Stryker Corp. has been steadfast about its commitment of 3-D printing and manufacturing medical products. A just-in-time (JIT) implants project worth $9.29 million led to the production of customized bone implants for cancer patients.

Thanks to how AM has been growing in the past two decades, manufacturing has become a unique process with complex geometries and little waste. Focusing energy and expertise to engineering on such smart machines will further transform the manufacturing industry. AM is successfully producing various prototypes for various sectors.

Tomorrow, its principles will revolutionize the manufacturing landscape.

AM’s distinct benefits removes many of the intermediate steps in the supply chain. Increasing adoption of AM will further alter the evolution of the sectors and industries in which it will be applied. ce

Amit Chadha is president and executive director, L&T Technology Services Ltd., a CFE Media Content Partner. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

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KEYWORDS: 3-D modeling, additive manufacturing Additive manufacturing lowers costs.

Rapid 3-D prototyping advances AM and innovates supply chains.

System integration helps advance AM. CONSIDER THIS Are your plans changing rapidly enough to take advantages of AM advances?

ONLINE If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for online graphic, more resources. www.controleng.com/magazine See system integrators at www.controleng.com/Global-SI-Database See more 3-D advice, next page. www.controleng.com

ANSWERS

ADVANCING INNOVATION Amit Chadha, L&T Technology Services Ltd.

Integrator helps 3-D printing Seven answers: 3-D printing and additive manufacturing project helped reduce product weight by 20%, and a more ergonomic product with a soft-touch grip delivered better market position without compromising on margins.

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ystem integrators and machine builders are integrating 3-D printing and additive manufacturing technologies with traditional machine tools. Automation technology integration and machine design are among challenges. Amit Chadha, president and executive director, L&T Technology Services Ltd., answered related questions.

1. Please describe a successful

additive manufacturing project.

One of our recent and a very successful projects involved a global conglomerate endeavoring to expand its market share in Asia and in other emerging markets. The client was keen to go to market with a globally successful and tested product at a competitive pricing for customers. 3-D printing and additive manufacturing concepts were identified as the key drivers to achieve this objective of creating differentiation while keeping the costs down for the client. This was a first of its kind project which was previously not attempted before by a major global supplier.

2. What was the project scope?

The scope of the project was to launch a globally successful product in an emerging market using state-of-the-art rapid prototyping services. The primary objective to make this a commercially viable venture was to reduce the material weight of the product and sell it at a competitive rate.

3. What types of automation, controls, or instrumentation were involved?

LTTS used multiple tools for this project. Our engineers identified the product requirements, conducted due diligence on market mentality and used the insights to develop the initial idea as sketches. The sketches were then converted into 3-D and using rapid prototyping quickly created scale models of the products. The team did detailed engineering of the line of products and also faster tooling.

4. What were particular challenges outlined in the project?

LTTS had multiple challenges to address during this project. This was a first of its kind project so

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LTTS had little information to go on, including previous use cases. To solve this, LTTS identified teams to perform due diligence, understand the market mentality and use this data to create initial sketches and prototypes for the client. The team also explored different design ideas to make the product more comfortable to use and moved from an initial two-piece design to a single piece to help keep overall costs in check.

5. How were those issues resolved?

Different teams approached different tasks and worked collaboratively to obtain positive outcomes.

The teams worked on gaining market insights, creating initial sketches, rapid prototyping and outlying product research to ensure that the go-to-market launch had maximum impact for the client.

Amit Chadha is president and executive director, L&T Technology Services Ltd. Courtesy: L&T Technology Services Ltd.

6. Can you share some positive metrics associated with the project?

The project helped reduce product weight by 20%, and the more ergonomic product with a soft touch grip allowed the customer to position product on par with competitors without compromising on margins.

7. What were the resulting lessons learned or advice you’d like to share?

This project was a learning process with multiple positives. It served as an example of how to help clients go to market in new geographies using 3-D printing. The prototypes designed using 3-D printing tools were then shared with customers to capture the voice of the market. This project provided insights on market mentality, using innovative methods to prototype rapidly, and performing outlying research to improve product ergonomics.

Engineers created designs with economy and premium product variants using 3-D printing technologies. Lighter, one-piece products created were commercially rolled out in the emerging markets with a positive response. ce

Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com. L&T Technology Services Ltd. is a CFE Media and Technology Content Partner. control engineering

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KEYWORDS: 3-D design,

additive manufacturing (AM), system integrator System integrator helped with a 3-D design to lower cost and weight.

Teams collaborated to address project goals.

Additive manufacturing can bring positive changes to product design.

CONSIDER THIS Will AM help you more than your competitors?

ONLINE In the digital edition, click on the headline for more. www.controleng.com/ magazine

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INSIDE PROCESS: FLOWMETERS Brendan Robson, TÜV SÜD

Get flow measurement right the first time Understanding, monitoring and controlling flow rate are essential elements to the viable operation of production systems and must be done right. See five key flow considerations.

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nderstanding, monitoring and controlling flow rate, as part of industrial processes, are essential elements to the viable operation of production systems. There are many elements involved in getting such measurements right and the hazards of getting it wrong can be severe for the plant and the workers.

Fundamentally, the selection of appropriate measurement technology and its cost, accuracy and proper use will affect the result. For example, a recent measurement audit of an alcohol bottling plant found classic manual procedures were in place for both sampling and for offline density measurement, subsequently used to infer the alcohol by volume (ABV) of the product.

Unknown to the plant operators, the Coriolis meters used to measure flow KEYWORDS: flowmeters, process safety rate also were capable of measuring denThere are many elements sity. Using these Coriolis meters to meainvolved in getting flow sure both flow and density would allow measurements right and getting immediate online alcohol content monthem wrong can have severe itoring along with prompt action and consequences. enhanced product control.

Traceability is the technical proof a measurement device The reluctance to change is a powerhas the appropriate pedigree, ful barrier throughout industry. Hownormally through calibration ever, this should be balanced with an records, referenced back to a understanding of the available technational standard. nology, including the importance of Traceable and good flow measurement, and its assessment measurement practice requires a fundamental understanding of in a cost-benefit analysis according to metrology as well as the process requirements. When operating a process to which it is applied. that relies on measurement systems for ONLINE monitoring productivity, control or safeRead more articles from our ty, the ability to prove the accuracy of the international partners at www. measurement system is vital. controleng.com/international.

This requires an understanding of CONSIDER THIS measurement uncertainty, calibration How well-versed is your and traceability, as well as a management company in good flow system incorporating a measurement measurement practices and standards? policy and a maintenance schedule. This

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leads to confidence in the measurement process and the result.

To achieve the target accuracy, which is critical to trade and commerce, most countries have a dedicated regulatory framework that supports the national measurement infrastructure and is designed to facilitate and regulate good measurement practice.

Metrology traceability, including flow determination, plays a vital role in national infrastructure since accurate results and confidence in measurement are impossible to achieve without it. Traceability is the technical proof a measurement device has the appropriate pedigree, normally through calibration records, referenced back to a national standard.

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The most accurate flow measurement system is not always the correct flowmeter

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for a given application.

The traceability chain

As we move up the traceability chain toward a given measurement standard, the uncertainty in measurement reduces (becomes more accurate).

However, to achieve lower uncertainty it is necessary to invest more money in the system by way of increased capital, maintenance costs and experienced staff. This is important to consider, as the most accurate system is not always the correct solution for a given application.

Owing to the cost penalty associated with achieving and maintaining low uncertainty, the requirements for a given application need to be www.controleng.com

MORE MEMORY, FASTER PROCESSOR Our Most Powerful Line of Controllers: PFC200 Series r 4 GB onboard Flash, 32 GB SD card r 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor r Program with standard PLC languages: ladder, structured text, function block and more r Built-in HTML5 web server for dynamic operator interface

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input #14 at www.controleng.com/information

ANSWERS

INSIDE PROCESS: FLOWMETERS

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It is not uncommon to find flowmeters in service where the operator has no record of when the device was calibrated and no

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planned maintenance.

considered prior to system design and component selection.

Despite the work invested in maintaining and regulating the NMS, when performing a measurement audit, a common finding relates to instruments not installed or operated in accordance with the requirements, or in some instances are no longer traceable to the appropriate standard. It is not uncommon to find flowmeters in service where the operator has no record of when the device was calibrated and no planned maintenance for the system.

What is restricting industry from investing in such powerful diagnostic tools and traceability?

A key factor is the required level of measurement uncertainty. If we consider the oil and gas petrochemical industries, the needs usually are well established. These organizations typically have dedicated metering departments to support the measurement of flow for hydrocarbon-based prod-

ucts of high value, where even small uncertainties can lead to large financial exposure over short timescales.

Another key factor is these industries are regulated much more tightly than others, due to the fiscal value of the metered product. The same degree of stringent regulation does not often apply to flow measurements in other industrial environments.

Companies in sectors such as food and beverage, power or chemical may rarely undertake complete flow measurement audits and instrumentation is often underutilized. Conversely, the development and application in medical and pharmaceutical areas are potentially a matter of life or death.

Five key flow considerations

Regardless of the industry, there are five key considerations that need to be asked: 1. Do you understand the uncertainty in the measurement systems that you require for your business, and can you prove it?

2. How does your measurement system perform over time?

3. How frequently do you calibrate?

4. Do you have any past performance data that would allow you to improve the performance or establish an optimal calibration period?

5. Are these points recognized in your quality system?

Traceable and good measurement practice is critical in achieving accurate and repeatable flow measurement. However, selecting the appropriate solution depends on understanding the operation and the measurement uncertainty required for a given application. This requires a fundamental understanding of metrology as well as the process to which it is applied. Given the sophistication and capability of modern flow measurement technology, such systems may not simply measure flow rate but also provide powerful diagnostic capability and valuable data. This can provide insight into both the efficiency of the measurement system and the effectiveness of the process, which has the potential to yield substantial commercial benefits including improved monitoring and performance. ce

The ability to prove the accuracy of the measurement system is vital when operating a process that relies on monitoring productivity, control or safety. This is an Endress+Hauser display from Process Expo 2019. Image courtesy: Chris Vavra, CFE Media and Technology

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Brendan Robson is a project engineer at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory. This article originally appeared on the Control Engineering Europe website. Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com

ANSWERS

INSIDE PROCESS: SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE George Bauer, Aveva

Subscription software drives digital transformation A subscription delivery model can hasten adoption automation software required to progress in the journey toward digital transformation.

I

nnovations in cloud, data analytics and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are pervading the industrial and infrastructure landscape and driving advances in process automation and control. As a result, manufacturers and operators are rethinking their technology and transformation strategies. One trend gaining momentum in the age of digital transformation is subscription software.

In industrial automation, companies can take advantage of subscription models to gain access to uniquely innovative products and services, including human-machine interface (HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), buy only what they require, scale it as needs change and shift the investment from a capital expenditure to an operational expense for a leaner balance sheet. Subscription delivery models can hasten industrials’ adoption of the automation software they need to progress in their transformation journeys.

The (transformation) struggle is real

Amid the pervasive focus on digital transformation, companies of all sizes and across industries are investing in the technologies necessary to digitize their process and asset operations. For many companies in the industrial space, the transformation journey is well underway, while others are just beginning.

As industrial business leaders consider the many benefits of digitized workflows, process automation, data analytics and predictive maintenance, they often find themselves stymied by an enterprise mired in legacy software and outdated financial models that are holding digital transformation at bay.

To succeed in the digital economy, businesses must embrace and integrate new technology. But there are challenges impeding the adoption of automation and control software, notably the upfront capital expense required to deploy industrial-grade software.

• CapEx justification: Large capital expenditures can stall a technology deployment before it even starts. To justify an investment in new technology and processes, decision makers must be able to quan-

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Figure 1: subscription does not mean that software must be run in the cloud. All images courtesy: Aveva

tify the return on investment. This is a challenge for many industrial businesses due to the scope and size of the various assets and processes involved and the typical duration necessary to get from pilot phase to production phase.

• Pilot purgatory: Consider a recent McKinsey report, which found that for Industry 4.0 pilot projects, 85% of the companies surveyed spend more than one year in pilot mode, and just 30% of the pilots scale across the organization. The report also found companies fail to capture value from 70% of their pilots.

Lengthy pilots and lack of return on investement (ROI) often prove detrimental to capital investment.

• Perpetual licensing: Based on rigid bands of tag-based cost, perpetual licensing is a familiar, and much maligned pricing model. For companies that need access to multiple software products, along with the ability to scale systems up or down as their operational needs change, perpetual HMI and SCADA control engineeering

January 2020

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ANSWERS

INSIDE PROCESS: SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE

• Lack of innovation: Once purchased, software can quickly become out-of-date requiring the purchase of support and maintenance agreements to benefit from the latest innovations and software updates.

Today’s fast-changing landscape requires a new approach to ensure the right people benefit.

With these challenges — and many opportunities industrial companies may be missing — it’s clear that industrial software licensing is ripe for disruption.

With subscription models, the rigid complexity of perpetual licensing models is removed from the discussion, which allows the business to focus on the underlying technology and benefits. As business and operational needs change, so too can the scale of the industrial automation system with the flexibility to support hybrid architectures that complement on premise deployments with cloud solutions. In other words, automation and control software becomes easier to acquire, scalable to meet specific needs and simpler to use, resulting in faster time to ROI.

Why subscription?

Guide to subscription licensing

Whether it’s for entertainment, transportation, communication or cloud software, subscription is

For many companies, subscribing to software differs from purchasing it as an asset. As industrial leaders mull the pros and cons of subscription, there are several common questions to consider.

What applications should be purchased versus licensed as SaaS? Among the many considerations is whether or not a company actually needs to own software. While it may be less expensive to purchase software outright over the long term, it quickly becomes outdated and requires the purchase of additional support and maintenance plans to keep it up-to-date. The software-as-a-service (SaaS) model assures continuous improvements in performance, functionality and security, meaning companies get ongoing access to innovation. The newest, most innovative software applications are most likely to be available through a subscription model.

Where should application software reside for automation and controls, on premises or in the cloud? For many industrial manufacturers, running automation and control software in the cloud may not be an option. While often associated with cloudbased architectures, subscription does not mean that software must be run in the cloud — it can be installed and run on premise or in a hybrid architecture. SaaS is simply a licensing model to acquire software, with a commercial model that is aligned with the technology shift.

Should software be a flat fee or licensed per device or per user? Subscription models allow companies to buy the amount of software or capacity they need and easily scale up — or down — as their needs change. There are several models to choose from to suit the needs of the business:

licensing models aren’t always the best fit.

Figure 2: For critical processes, control software should be retained on premise, as the real-time nature of control systems does not allow any network latency that cloud may introduce.

increasingly part of life. Enterprise software buyers are aggressively embracing the shift to subscription for the flexibility and cost management the model provides. In fact, Gartner predicts that within a year, all new entrants and 80% of established vendors will offer subscription-based business models.

What’s driving this momentum? In its research, McKinsey found flexibility and business agility (60%) are driving demand for subscription licensing over traditional perpetual licenses. Meanwhile half of respondents point to a smaller up-front investment (50%) and reduction in total cost (45%) as the top considerations for subscription.

Every industry sector and nearly all business processes will be enabled by applications available as a subscription. Airlines and trucking companies can use a subscription model to equip their fleets with tires, and global enterprises are running mission critical operations on infrastructure to which they subscribe. Likewise, industrials are beginning to subscribe to industrial automation software to accelerate digital transformation.

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CONTROL ENGINEERING

• Named users in which an individual is assigned a specific right to use software • Total concurrent users where anyone can access the software up to the limit of the subscription • Credit-based where a fixed number of credits are provided and allocated to enable access to a portfolio of products and capabilities

www.controleng.com

‘

• Capacity-based, which is often associated with platform-as-a-service (PaaS) models.

Which solution architecture is the best fit? The big question that most operation technology/information technology (OT/IT) teams must consider is the architecture: What belongs on premise, in the cloud and will a hybrid architecture provide the best outcome. This decision should be determined solely by the needs of the business in terms of who needs to access the system, from where and how often. For critical processes, you would likely want to retain control software (such as HMI/SCADA) on premise, as the real-time nature of control systems does not allow any network latency that cloud may introduce.

For simple monitoring of noncritical processes, then cloud visualization and reporting make perfect sense. However, the licensing of these software and systems, regardless of their architectural nature, does not need to be a combination of perpetual and subscription, as this can get messy and unmanageable very quickly. Vendors must be able to offer SaaS-like pricing and licensing across the board, so organizations can reap the other benefits available through subscription (such as moving CapEx to OpEx, flexibility and value capture) regardless of their architectural choices. Furthermore, the commercial model

Should automatic updates to installed software be adopted, or virtualized prior

’

to deployment?

for subscription should enable a seamless transition as an organization evolves their architecture from onpremise to hybrid or cloud-based.

Should updates be automated via remote services or held in a virtual server for testing prior to propagation? The way in which organizations test, deploy and manage actual licenses is another interesting topic. Should automatic updates to installed software be adopted, or virtualized prior to deployment? Again, it depends primarily on the nature of the system and the criticality of the process itself. A cloud monitoring solution, for example, may be perfectly suited to automatic updates, as is the nature of cloud and SaaS applications, as opposed to on premise HMI/SCADA, which would require a good level of testing prior to rolling out an update.

Does subscription cost more or less than perpetual licensing? Generally, perpetual licensing costs less over an extended time than subscription. However, when software is purchased as a perpetual license, the

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ANSWERS

INSIDE PROCESS: SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE

T

he voice of the engineering community speaks loud and clear in the following pages featuring the corporate profiles of those companies participating in the 2020 Executive Voice program presented

by Control Engineering magazine.

Our thanks to the following participants:

AutomationDirect Beckhoff Automation Dataforth Digi-Key Electronics EZAutomation Festo Graybar HELUKABEL USA, Inc. Inductive Automation Lapp USA Newark SEW Eurodrive, Inc. WAGO Corporation

company must outlay cash for the full amount of the software plus annual fees in the first year, coupled with maintenance contracts, whereas companies pay only a fraction of the total cost for subscription spread over time. This allows better cash flow.

By shifting software acquisition from the capital expenditure (CapEx) to an operating expense (OpEx), capital spending can be reallocated to other capital imperatives. This approach also more closely aligns investment to value by enabling immediate use of the software. Companies can realize return on their investment before the full cost of the software is paid.

It is difficult to draw a direct comparison as the business value of cloud is more about agility and utilization than any other cost consideration. Consider that the cloud provides us with the ability to provision and de-provision nearly unlimited resources as needed with complete control. Moving from 20% to near 100% utilization provides significant cost advantages and even greater value with the ability to quickly solve business problems without waiting for software and hardware procurement and installation.

What’s more difficult to quantify is the value of countless ideas and projects that are started, only to be stalled or placed lower on the priority list because by the time the resources are provisioned three to six months later, other initiatives have taken priority. With access to the best industrial and infrastructure control system portfolio, complemented by the agility of the cloud, projects can be conceived, provisioned and deployed within 24 hours — allowing for real-time planning and execution.

Subscribe to drive transformation

To accelerate the transformation journey, industrial companies can no longer rely on traditional models of software acquisition. The unique characteristics of subscription licensing — payments over time, flexibility, scalability and cost savings aligned with value capture — provide significant benefits to industrial manufacturers, enabling them to adopt transformative technologies quicker and easier than ever before. ce

George Bauer is director of Aveva Flex Subscription at Aveva.

Edited by Jack Smith, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and technology, jsmith@cfemedia.com.

M More ANSWERS

KEYWORDS: digital transformation; software as a service Enterprise software buyers are aggressively embracing the shift to subscription for the flexibility and cost management the model provides.

SaaS is simply a licensing model to acquire software, with a commercial model that is aligned with the technology shift.

By shifting software acquisition from the capital expenditure (CapEx) to an operating expense (OpEx), capital spending can be reallocated to other capital imperatives.

ONLINE Link to additional SaaS and related content at www.controleng.com/magazine, under January 2020.

CONSIDER THIS Which model works best for your enterprise: SaaS or perpetual licensing?

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A

utomationDirect takes the best ideas from the consumer world to serve the industrial market. As a direct seller of industrial automation products for more than 20 years, AutomationDirect is a leader in the industry that offers many customer services not typical with traditional distributors. The company created a print catalog, and later an online store that provides complete product information and pricing so customers can make informed decisions on their automation purchases quickly and independently.

AutomationDirect’s products are practical, easy to use and offer a low cost of ownership. The company offers quality products at prices up to 50 percent lower than those of more traditional distributors. Most product programming software is free, requiring no initial or upgrade costs and no software maintenance contracts. Product offerings include programmable logic controllers (PLCs), alternating-current (AC) drives/ motors, operator inter-face panels/human machine interface (HMI), power supplies, direct-current (DC) motors, sensors, push buttons, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) enclosures, pneumatic supplies and more.

See videos on AutomationDirect’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/automationdirect

making payments. Customers can also obtain return authorizations online for quick and easy product returns or exchanges. Customers can also obtain return authorizations online for quick and easy product returns or exchanges.

AutomationDirect’s phone technical support staff has garnered top honors in service from industry magazine readers 15 years in a row.

And, with tens of thousands of active customers, the company’s online technical forum taps into that knowledge base by encouraging peers to help each other with applications and other questions. Other online help includes frequently asked questions, application examples and product selection guides.

They Guarantee It AutomationDirect’s corporate headquarters near Atlanta, Georgia

Award-Winning Services Satisfy Customers

AutomationDirect has always maintained a huge inventory, allowing them to ship 99.7 percent of orders complete the same day. They were among the first to offer free two-day shipping, available for any order over $49.

Shipment confirmations and any back order status and estimated delivery information are communicated electronically to keep you informed.

Their online store is one of the most exhaustive in the industry – all technical documentation can be downloaded free of charge, as well as software and firmware updates. Hundreds of instructional videos are available without registration. Online access to your account allows viewing and changing account information, viewing order history and

AutomationDirect wants you to be pleased with every order. That is why they offer 30-day money-back guarantee on almost every product they sell, including software (see Terms and Conditions for certain exclusions).

sales@automationdirect.com 1-800-633-0405 • www.automationdirect.com

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D

emands to quickly reach the best decisions based on real-time data insights have never been greater. Of course, the responsibility to apply the right technologies to make all this happen often falls at the feet of controls engineers.

Implement Analytics – and Stay in Control of Your Big Data Fortunately, there are ways to implement big data analytics in ways that aren’t too far out of the comfort zone of PLC programmers if they use PCbased control systems and software platforms like TwinCAT from Beckhoff.

As PC-based control platforms have evolved into the age of IoT, the walls have come down in terms of what the roles are for automation controllers in machines and plants.

TwinCAT also protects and enhances the intellectual property of machine builders and manufacturers

As far back as the mid-90s, one PC-based controller could assume the combined roles of PLC, motion controller and HMI. This eliminates the previously existing costs and ǠȚƜǂ˛žǠƜȚžǠƜɱ ǂɡȫȔ ɡƜȂˁǠȚDž ȫȚ multiple hardware, software and networking platforms.

Fast-forward to today and it is just as possible for one Industrial PC (IPC) to assume the roles of IoT gateway, edge computing device and data analytics platform.

While deploying analytics on board machine controllers is more typical in edge computing, additional analytics code developed in the same environment can also run concurrently in cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services (AWS).

IT communication standards are also at play in manufacturing environments today, such as MQTT, as are standards more commonly associated with industrial applications, such as OPC UA. This means that scalability is assured. ùǗƜɡƜ őɡƜ ȔőȚˁ ŵƜȚƜ˛ʀɱ ʀȫ running analytics software directly on the machine controller to supplement higher-level, standalone platforms that run in the cloud. However, the skillset of the typical controls engineer may not heavily overlap yet with the latest IoT technologies.

By applying data analytics tools in the same engineering platform as the one used for PLC, motion control and HMI, engineers will shorten their learning curve and stack the deck in favor of successful implementations when many are rolling ȫʗʀ ɖǠȂȫʀ ɖɡȫǴƜžʀɱ ǂȫɡ ʀǗƜǠɡ ˛ɡɱʀ ʀɡʗƜ IIoT and Industrie 4.0 concepts.

Daymon Thompson Automation Product Manager, USA

Demands to quickly reach the best decisions based on real-time data insights have never been greater.

Software platforms like TwinCAT also protect and enhance the intellectual property of machine builders and manufacturers, without giving away a new revenue stream or competitive advantage to an IoT services provider or other third-party.

Using PC-based control technology, analytics code can run within the overall machine control code for ȫȚȂǠȚƜ őȚƉ ȫǂ˜ǠȚƜ őȚőȂˁɱƜɱ őȚƉ Țȫʀ miss any functionality or connectivity that would otherwise be delivered by a big tech company.

For additional information: www.beckhoff.com/IoT

Beckhoff Automation 952-890-0000 beckhoff.usa@beckhoff.com

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igi-Key Electronics, a global Internet-based distributor of electronic components, is an authorized distributor of more than 9.2 million components, including over 2 million in stock, from more than 800 trusted suppliers.

The company’s reputation extends worldwide through the continuous choice of Digi-Key’s customers as the provider of the widest range of electronic components in the industry, ready for immediate delivery.

wireless or lighting components, Digi-Key is a one-stop-shop for the solutions to all your application and design needs.

Digi-Key is the preferred supplier for Industrial Automation, Control and Safety products. They carry a broad line of products from advanced controls such as PLC, HMI and temperature controllers to accessories such as wire duct, safety switches and safety light curtains.

With excellent technical resources and same-day shipping, Digi-Key will get you the parts you need when you need them.

Rendering of Digi-Key’s PDC expansion, scheduled to open in July of 2021

With this wide range of products available in both design and production quantities, Digi-Key is the best resource for designers and buyers alike.

Product availability is one of the distinguishing features of Digi-Key from other electronic component distributors. They stock over two million products at their distribution center in Thief River Falls, MN. New products are added every day, in a continuous effort to offer the full range of electronic components required by the customer.

Whether semiconductor, passive, interconnect, electromechanical,

The company offers a vast selection of online resources including a range of EDA and design tools, featuring the DK IoT Studio; reference design library; on-demand multimedia library; a comprehensive article library; and community forums, among others.

Digi-Key also offers numerous Supply Chain solutions such as a complete set of APIs, bonded inventory, and just-in-time shipping, as well as a newly updated BOM manager.

Digi-Key prides themselves on the ability to provide the best possible service to customers. A customer can request electronic components or reach the talented team of technicians and application engineers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year

Dave Doherty President and COO

by phone, fax, e-mail or through the website.

From prototype to production, Digi-Key has the resources and products to take your design to the next level! Find out more at www.digikey.com.

Digi-Key prides itself on the ability to provide the best possible service to customers.

ɱőȂƜɱॆƉǠDžǠǼƜˁࡑžȫȔ ࡆ ߟࡹߦߞߞࡹߡߢߢࡹߢߣߡߧ www.digikey.com

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A

merica is a land of entrepreneurial genius with no boundaries. We all know about Thomas Edison, Alexander Bell, Wright Brothers, but add to that: Hearing Aid, Transistors, LEDs, Microprocessors, Lasers, Assembly Lines, GPS, Email, Internet, and thousands more.

We are the Land of Innovation.

Whereas Americans continue to spear-head Industrial Automation innovation, unfortunately, manufacturing of these products has moved away from USA to China. More than 80% of all Automation products used in US are made in China. In the process, there is a ɱǠDžȚǠ˛žőȚʀ ƉőȚDžƜɡ ȫǂ ȔƜɡǠžő ȂȫɱǠȚDž Ǡʀɱ Innovation edge. R&D is most conducive when it is performed right where the manufacturing is.

ãे6 ƜȚDžǠȚƜƜɡɱ ȚƜƜƉ ʀȫ ˛ɡɱʀࡹǗőȚƉ experience the manufacture of their innovations and get proper feedback ʀȫ ˛ȚƜ ʀʗȚƜ ʀǗƜ ɡƜɱʗȂʀǠȚDž ɖɡȫƉʗžʀɱࡑ This manufacturing exodus is not accidental, it is a pre-calculated move

by China in violation of US policies like anti-dumping and protection of intellectual property. It is an existential threat to American national security. xʀ Ǡɱ DžȫȫƉ ʀǗőʀ ʸƜ őɡƜ ˛ȚőȂȂˁ ɖőˁǠȚDž attention to this threat by imposing tariffs. American users of Chinese made products would be ill-advised not to pay close attention to the stability of this supply chain. It is not out of the realm of possibilities that some of the Automation products may simply get banned to be imported from China.

Fortunately, AVG designs and manufactures its products in the US. It has proudly carried the logo of “Innovation by Design” ever since its birth.

We have never produced an Automation product that could be žȂőɱɱǠ˛ƜƉ őɱ ࢇȔƜ ʀȫȫ࢈ࡖ ʀǗƜɡƜ Ǡɱ őȂʸőˁɱ ő unique feature designed to keep the end user in mind, to help him or her use the AVG product ȔȫɡƜ Ɯǂ˛žǠƜȚʀȂˁࡊ ʀȫ ȔőǼƜ it easy to install, easy to program, easy to troubleshoot and easy to maintain. AVG has more than 20 patents to its credit and we have 30 more coming.

EZAutomation.net incorporates all of these “Easy” traits in its name itself.

Its logo reads: Exceptionally Innovative, Made in America, Top Quality, “Automation products” Sold Factory Direct @ Great prices.

Besides the invention of PLC itself in 1968, HMI in 1991, Integrated HMI+ Modular PLC in 2005, AVG and its EZAutomation division continues to innovate. We have introduced 17 new products in 2019. One of the most popular is shown above called the EZTouchminiPLC with simply incredible features at an incredible price point.

Our customer service is second to none!

Free tech support is available from 6 am to 8 pm & weekend support, and our “Online Chat” function gives customers immediate answers from one of our experienced staff.

We have never produced an automation product that could ŵƛ žȁőɭɭǟ˝ƛƈ őɭ ࢉȓƛ ɼȩȩࡔࢊ ðǖƛɝƛ ǟɭ őȁʴőʽɭ ő ʓșǟəʓƛ ǁƛőɼʓɝƛ ƈƛɭǟDŽșƛƈ ɼȩ ǻƛƛɓ ɼǖƛ ƛșƈ ʓɭƛɝ ǟș ȓǟșƈࡔ — Vikram Aditya Kumar, CEO of EZAutomation.net

EZAutomation www.EZAutomation.net sales@ezautomation.net

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y converging information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), plant managers can collect and apply data in new ways to unlock hidden potential in their processes.

How IT and OT Come Together to Build Smarter Factories Consider two examples reported by McKinsey: a gold mine that enhanced reporting from existing sensors and increased yield by 3.7 percent – $20 million per year – or a car manufacturer that used customer purchasing data to reduce potential features on one model by three orders of magnitude compared to its competitor.

“Across all industries, we’re seeing global pressures on manufacturers to get cheaper and smarter with how they go to market,” says Michael Schneeweis, a Manager of Industrial Business at Graybar. When talking to stakeholders, Schneeweis stresses how the “new arms race is data in the manufacturing space.”

To create more responsive and adaptive operations, manufacturers are tying IT and OT together to ŵʗǠȂƉ ˜ƜˀǠŵȂƜ ɱˁɱʀƜȔɱ ʀǗőʀ ʗʀǠȂǠˎƜ a complete feedback loop. These smart factories look a lot different than their predecessors, where machines’ automated decisions were primarily linear and rooted in ő ƉƜ˛ȚƜƉ ɱƜʀ ȫǂ ɡʗȂƜɱࡑ Historically, for example, a manufacturing plant that experienced unplanned downtime when a key motor failed would ɡʗɱǗ ʀȫ ˛ˀ ʀǗƜ ɖɡȫŵȂƜȔ őȚƉ DžƜʀ ʀǗƜ production line running again.

This reactive approach may have corrected the immediate problem, but didn’t get to the root of the issue or provide insights to prevent it from happening again.

With the emergence of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), plant managers can now view critical data points like production activity and maintenance schedules in real time, enabling faster decisionmaking and greater insight.

Luke Durcan, EcoStruxure director at Schneider Electric, tells plants to view IIoT as a “journey” versus a one-time event. “Before you spend any money, start with an internal

assessment,” he says. “Companies have been investing in technical infrastructure for years, and as a result they have a lot of disparate systems that are accumulating data.”

New intelligent devices and analytic software can bring systems together to better leverage information across a facility.

“When companies use IT and OT to increase production and decrease downtime,” says Schneeweis, “they can effectively boost their bottom lines while maintaining a productive work environment.”

Graybar has powered industry for over a century.

Talk with your local Graybar representative to see how we can help you enter the future of ƛǁ˝žǟƛșɼࡎ ɭőǁƛ ȩɓƛɝőɼǟȩșɭࡔ

LOGO Tel: 1-800-GRAYBAR www.graybar.com

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utomation is widely used in manufacturing, be it packaging, food & beverage processing, automotive, or other production lines. With new automation technology, comes new cable challenges.

With almost 40 years in the cable business, we have designed our products to provide uninterrupted power and data transmission to today’s automated manufacturing systems, regardless of working conditions.

HELUKABEL’s high-quality cables and accessories have been tested ʀȫ ʸǠʀǗɱʀőȚƉ ȔʗȂʀǠࡹȔǠȂȂǠȫȚ ˜ƜˀǠȚDž cycles, and are guaranteed to handle the high mechanical stress and repetitive, automated movements found in today’s industrial environments. This makes the automated manufacturing process ȔȫɡƜ Ɯǂ˛žǠƜȚʀ ŵˁ ɡƜƉʗžǠȚDž ƉȫʸȚʀǠȔƜ and increasing productivity.

Helukabel USA headquarters — a 75,000-square-foot facility in West Dundee, Illinois

²ʗɡ žőŵȂƜ ƜȚDžǠȚƜƜɡǠȚDž ƜˀɖƜɡʀǠɱƜ őȂȂȫʸɱ ʗɱ ʀȫ ȔƜƜʀ őȚƉ ƜˀžƜƜƉ žʗɱʀȫȔƜɡ ƜˀɖƜžʀőʀǠȫȚɱ őɱ industry technology becomes more advanced. We are continuously providing new cable solutions to our customers, which allows them to maintain their position at the forefront of the market.

In addition to providing bulk cable and accessories, HELUKABEL offers pre-assembled servo, motor, feedback cables for the world’s leading drive system manufacturers, as well as pre-assembled data, network and bus cables for plug-and-play installation, maintenance and repair. We also develop entire cable protection systems for companies that incorporate robots into their manufacturing operations.

HELUKABEL USA, based near Chicago IL, is a global manufacturer and supplier of cables, wires and žőŵȂƜ őžžƜɱɱȫɡǠƜɱࡑ ²ʗɡ ƜˀʀƜȚɱǠʴƜ in-stock product portfolio includes ˜ƜˀǠŵȂƜ őȚƉ žȫȚʀǠȚʗȫʗɱࡹ˜Ɯˀ žȫȚʀɡȫȂ cables, data/network/bus cables, VFD/servo motor cables, torsion cables for wind turbines, singleconductors, and multi-norm cables with domestic and international electrical approvals.

“We are continuously providing new cable solutions to our customers, which allows them to maintain their position at the forefront of the market.”

With access to a product portfolio of over 33,000+ line items at our fully automated logistics center in Germany, we are able to serve the North American market on a just-in-time basis to deliver the cable products you need, when you need them. ²ʗɡ žȫȔŵǠȚőʀǠȫȚ ȫǂ ƜˀžƜȂȂƜȚʀ žőŵȂƜ quality, innovation and technical ƜˀɖƜɡʀǠɱƜࡊ őȂȫȚDž ʸǠʀǗ ő ʴőɱʀ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀ portfolio and smooth logistics operations truly makes HELUKABEL your one-stop shop cable solution provider, or as we like to call it – The Worry-Free Cable Experience!

ɱőȂƜɱॆǗƜȂʗǼőŵƜȂࡑžȫȔ ࡆ ߦߢߥࡹߧߡߞࡹߣߟߟߦ www.helukabel.com

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hen I tell people about Inductive Automation, I start with three words: The New SCADA. I’m not talking about “new features,” I’m talking about a new way of doing things.

I’m talking about the four pillars we’re built on, which are the reasons why we’re the fastest-growing SCADA company in the world.

How about the New Business Model?

Most SCADA companies are just marketing companies. Is there any real innovation? Our New Business Model balances development, quality assurance, marketing, sales, support, accounting, training, and about 20 other functions into a well-functioning pipeline all focused on delivering value to our customers.

What are the four pillars? The New Technology Model, the New Licensing Model, the New Business Model, and the New Ethical Model.

Now let’s talk about the New Technology Model. ARC Advisory Group says we’re disrupting the SCADA industry. They’re right.

Who else can do a fully-featured install in about a minute? Who else can run on practically any OS (including any version of Windows)?

Let’s start with the last one, the New Ethical Model. How many SCADA companies have sold out? And what happens to their end-users, integrators, and employees after they do?

What are the ethics when a few people become enriched at the expense of an entire user base and thousands of supporters? We’ve been approached several times and we aren’t selling out. Reinventing the industry for the better is what motivates us.

Inductive Automation’s corporate headquarters in Folsom, California

Who else developed an elegant system from the ground up with a holistic approach, rather than a short-sighted, unmanageable mess?

There isn’t room here to list all our innovative firsts but they are all different aspects of the same thing — a totally new and sensible paradigm.

Finally, there’s the New Licensing Model. It’s a zero-hassle, unlimited licensing model, sold by the server, with a single affordable price no matter how many clients or tags are used.

We’re talking about real client applications that launch as easily as a webpage. The conventional licensing models out there are antiquated and only deliver marginal value.

Steve Hechtman CEO, President & Founder, Inductive Automation

The three words — The New SCADA — aptly define Inductive Automation and Ignition. We love what we do, we love our community and we truly want to make the world a better place!

“ARC Advisory Group says we’re disrupting the SCADA industry.

They’re right.

Who else can do a fully-featured install in about a minute?”

inductiveautomation.com info@inductiveautomation.com 800-266-7798

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anufacturers deal with all types of challenging environments that put movable power, signal, and data cables and connectors to the ultimate test. LAPP products have a proven record of standing up to the most extreme factory conditions by providing the ideal levels of resistance to oil, water, wash-downs, temperature, and vibration. This helps our customers achieve the greatest productivity through decreased downtime and optimum uptime.

LAPP’s North American Headquarters in Florham Park, NJ

LAPP’s single-source electric connectivity solutions include a robust suite of standard and custom-made power, žȫȚʀɡȫȂ őȚƉ Ɖőʀő ɱˁɱʀƜȔɱࡑ İȫʗࢊȂȂ ˛ȚƉ our products hard at work in an array of industries, including countless industrial and automated manufacturing applications, to a large degree because we understand the unique challenges found in most industrial environments including packaging, automotive, food & beverage, material handling, and robotics.

Headquartered in Florham Park, NJ, LAPP USA manufactures the highest

quality cable, connectors, glands and industrial communication solutions to enable factory automation and future-ready industrial production systems and equipment. LAPP products are proven to withstand demanding industrial requirements including torsion and continuous ˜ƜˀǠȚDžࡑ ²ʗɡ žʗɱʀȫȔ žőŵȂƜ őɱɱƜȔŵȂǠƜɱ for power, data, signal, and control applications empower you to maximize your production through optimized connectivity.

LAPP’s North America Laboratory is an active participant in the UL Client Test Data Program (CTDP) and CSA Supervised Manufacturer’s Testing ǂȫɡ -ƜɡʀǠ˛žőʀǠȫȚ ࡭í ù-࡮ Program. LAPP’s UL žƜɡʀǠ˛ƜƉ Ȃőŵȫɡőʀȫɡˁ ensures the highest quality, continuously tested industrial cables, connectors, and glands in the market.

We have been designing and manufacturing industrial cables for over ߣߞ ˁƜőɡɱࡑ ²ʗɡ À a Eįॊ ɖȫʸƜɡ őȚƉ control cables are known worldwide for strong oil resistance and superior quality for a wide range of systems ǠȚžȂʗƉǠȚDž ĥa6 őȚƉ íƜɡʴȫࡑ ²ʗɡ EùoEã x¡Eॊ žőŵȂƜ ɱƜɡǠƜɱ ࡷ ǂɡȫȔ - ùࡑߣ ʀȫ - ùࡑߥ ࡷ ɖɡȫʴǠƉƜɱ xȚƉʗɱʀɡǠőȂ EùoEã¡Eù ࡭xE࡮ žȫȚȚƜžʀǠʴǠʀˁ ǂȫɡ ƜȔƜɡDžǠȚDž xȚƉʗɱʀɡˁ 4.0 applications. Combined with our ƉƜƜɖ ɱƜȂƜžʀǠȫȚ ȫǂ EÜx-ॊ ǠȚƉʗɱʀɡǠőȂ žȫȚȚƜžʀȫɡɱࡊ í x¡ù²Üॊ žőŵȂƜ DžȂőȚƉɱࡊ and custom cable assemblies, LAPP is a full range solution provider.

Brock Horton Vice President

When you choose LAPP, you connect with a global organization that has a rich history of helping our customers achieve optimum productivity and greater business success. You connect to a proven line of over 40,000 products, including cable, connectors, strain relief, and accessories, that provide more uptime and reduce downtime.

You connect with a company that combines international capabilities with domestic manufacturing; ensuring product quality and availability. And, you connect with unrivaled customer support that is with you every step of the way.

...a global organization that has a rich history of helping our customers achieve optimum productivity...

LAPP USA ߦߞߞࡹߥߥߢࡹߡߣߡߧ ࡆ ǠȚǂȫॆȂőɖɖʗɱőࡑžȫȔ ʸʸʸࡑȂőɖɖȚőࡑžȫȔ ÜÜ -őȚőƉő ߧߞߣࡹߦߠߞࡹߣߢߧߠ ࡆ ǠȚǂȫॆȂőɖɖžőȚőƉőࡑžȫȔ ʸʸʸࡑȂőɖɖȚőࡑžȫȔ

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ewark is a high-service distributor of technology products, services and solutions for electronic system design, maintenance and repair.

Newark offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, supported by an international supply chain and an inventory profile developed to anticipate and meet customers’ needs.

Supporting your journey at every stage Experience working with the largest suppliers designing and manufacturing development kits and boards has given Newark the experience to support customers of all sizes throughout their product development journeys and accelerate their time to market – from research and design support, to prototype and test, right through to production services. Since becoming part of Avnet, a global leader in electronics components distribution that has transformed into a technology solutions company, Newark customers can now also access the scope and breadth of the Avnet ecosystem to fulfill their needs on a larger scale.

Making it easier to get the products your need, when you need them.

An extensive range of products and services is delivered by 3,500 global employees. Newark has over 900,000 products in stock covering over 2,000 manufacturer brands and supplying over two million customer contacts in more than 150 global industries.

Newark’s services include: • Fast access to the latest technology

• Local personal service • Buying tools to simplify your work process

• Complete design solutions • Engineering expertise and free technical support

Global access, with service that’s close to home As a global technology solutions provider, Newark is helping transform ideas into intelligent solutions within an ecosystem that reduces the time, cost and complexity of bringing products to market.

Newark has operations in the US, Canada and Mexico, serviced from our regional distribution hub in Gaffney, South Carolina. We are committed to supporting local language, currency, product and shipment needs across North America and around the world.

Newark corporate headquarters in Chicago, Illinois

Uma Pingali Newark Business President

We have a history of innovation and have developed many industry firsts that save precious time for our Design Engineer customers A commitment to innovation that powers change We have a history of innovation and have developed many industry firsts that save precious time for our Design Engineer customers, such as the first online community for engineers, the element14 Community, and our award-winning Connector e-Guide. In a fast paced market place, we continue to bring the latest technologies to market; from development tools that speed up the design process, to modular devices that engineers can quickly and easily build into their devices, and the latest in easy-to-deploy artificial intelligence.

order@newark.com • 1-800-463-9275 www.newark.com

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s a world leader in drive technology and a pioneer in drive-based automation, SEW-EURODRIVE has established a reputation for quickly solving the most difficult power transmission and motion control challenges. We introduced the gearmotor in 1931. Since then, we have been bringing the best in drive technology to our customers worldwide.

SEW-EURODRIVE offers much more than just components. We offer the expertise and electronics to drive them. Being a single source partner radically sets us apart from others. Our products are designed to work together. No finger-pointing!

Furthermore, we make it very easy for engineers to do their own automation using our exclusive solution modules. No experience or programming required – perfect for new engineers. Your team will appreciate our value when they are able to be home with their families at nights and weekends instead of troubleshooting an application.

If you are short-staffed or cannot keep up with new technology, let us know. We can provide a complete engineering package from start to finish, including project planning, software, components, commissioning, and worldwide support. Our team of automation experts understand the latest technology and can solve even the most complex motion control challenges.

Your team will appreciate our value when they are able to be home with their family at night and on weekends.

Innovation

In addition to engineering excellence, SEW-EURODRIVE is also known for innovative new products. MOVIGEAR® is an all-in-one mechatronic drive solution for horizontal material handling. It combines the gear unit, motor, and electronics in one highly efficient and hygienically designed unit. In fact, it recently reduced energy consumption by 40% at a major expansion of the LAX airport. MOVIGEAR also eliminates excess inventory since it allows the use of a single ratio to replace several different ratios.

PT Pilot simplifies the choices and identifies a custom solution for each application

Online Quotation

Our PT Pilot® online drive selection tool quickly selects the perfect drive for your specific needs. PT Pilot simplifies the choices and identifies a custom solution for each application within minutes.

This powerful and intuitive program includes all technical documentation and CAD files.

Don’t know your HP? No problem! Our application calculator will figure it for you.

Plus, you will get an immediate net price that we guarantee. Visit ptpilot.com

Flexibility

Our products are based on a unique system of modular components that can be assembled in literally millions of different configurations.

So, every drive solution is custom built to our customer’s exact specifications. Our five regional assembly centers in the U.S. stock millions of dollars of our modular inventory for quick delivery of drive solutions and spare parts.

SEW-EURODRIVE…Driving the World

864-439-7537 www.seweurodrive.com

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s we wrap up our 40th anniversary at WAGO here in the United States, Ǡʀ DžǠʴƜɱ ʗɱ ő žǗőȚžƜ ʀȫ ɡƜ˜Ɯžʀ ȫȚ ɱȫȔƜ ȫǂ ʀǗƜ őžžȫȔɖȂǠɱǗȔƜȚʀɱ ȫʗɡ žȫȔɖőȚˁ Ǘőɱ ȔőƉƜ ȫʴƜɡ ʀǗƜ Ȃőɱʀ ǂȫʗɡ ƉƜžőƉƜɱࡑ

aɡȫȔ ő ȔőȚʗǂőžʀʗɡǠȚDž ɱʀőȚƉɖȫǠȚʀࡊ ʸƜ ǗőʴƜ ǠȚžɡƜőɱƜƉ ʀǗƜ ȚʗȔŵƜɡ ȫǂ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀɱ ǠȚ ȫʗɡ ɖȫɡʀǂȫȂǠȫ ƜˀɖȫȚƜȚʀǠőȂȂˁࡑ EžȫȚȫȔǠžőȂȂˁ ʸƜ žȫȚʀǠȚʗƜ ʀȫ Džɡȫʸ ȫʗɡ ɱőȂƜɱ őȚƉࡊ ʸǠʀǗ ő ȚƜʸ ȚőʀǠȫȚőȂ žǗőȚȚƜȂ ɖőɡʀȚƜɡɱǗǠɖ Ǵʗɱʀ őȚȚȫʗȚžƜƉ őʀ ʀǗƜ ƜȚƉ ȫǂ ߠߞߟߧࡊ ʸƜ őɡƜ ȂȫȫǼǠȚDž ǂȫɡʸőɡƉ ʀȫ Ĩ d²ࢊɱ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀɱ ɡƜőžǗǠȚDž ȔȫɡƜ őȚƉ ȔȫɡƜ ȫǂ ʀǗƜ ǠȚƉʗɱʀɡˁࡑ ȚʗȔŵƜɡ ȫǂ ȚƜʸ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀɱ ǗőʴƜ ŵƜƜȚ ȂőʗȚžǗƜƉ ȫʴƜɡ ʀǗƜ žȫʗɡɱƜ ȫǂ ʀǗƜ ɖőɱʀ ˁƜőɡ ʀǗőʀ ʸƜ ʸƜɡƜ ƜőDžƜɡ ʀȫ ŵɡǠȚDž ʀȫ ʀǗƜ ȔőɡǼƜʀɖȂőžƜࡑ aɡȫȔ ù²Ü ²&ॊ í ʀȫ ȚƜʸ EʀǗƜɡȚƜʀࡹxÜ aǠƜȂƉŵʗɱ -ȫʗɖȂƜɡɱࡊ ʸƜ ǗőʴƜ žȫȚʀǠȚʗƜƉ ʀȫ ȔőǼƜ ȫʗɡ ȔőɡǼ ȫȚ žȫȔɖȂƜˀ őʗʀȫȔőʀǠȫȚ ɱˁɱʀƜȔɱ őȂȫȚDž ʸǠʀǗ ǠȚƉʗɱʀɡǠőȂ őȚƉ ʀɡőȚɱɖȫɡʀőʀǠȫȚ őɖɖȂǠžőʀǠȫȚɱࡑ aȫɡ ƜˀőȔɖȂƜࡊ ʀǗƜ ȂőʗȚžǗ ȫǂ ȫʗɡ ȚƜʸ ùȫʗžǗ ÜőȚƜȂ ߤߞߞ ƜőɡȂǠƜɡ ʀǗǠɱ ˁƜőɡ is a capacitive, ȔʗȂʀǠࡹʀȫʗžǗࡊ DžȂőɱɱ ɱʗɡǂőžƜ ƉǠɱɖȂőˁ ʸǠʀǗ ȔƜžǗőȚǠžőȂ őȚƉ žǗƜȔǠžőȂ ɡƜɱǠɱʀőȚžƜ ǂȫɡ ʗɱƜ ǠȚ ƜˀʀɡƜȔƜ ƜȚʴǠɡȫȚȔƜȚʀɱࡑ xʀ ǗƜȂɖɱ ȫɖƜɡőʀƜࡊ ʴǠɱʗőȂǠˎƜࡊ US headquarters in Germantown, WI ȫŵɱƜɡʴƜ őȚƉ ƉǠőDžȚȫɱƜ ǠɱɱʗƜɱ ǠȚ ʀǗƜ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀǠȫȚࡊ ŵʗǠȂƉǠȚDž őȚƉ ɖɡȫžƜɱɱ ǠȚƉʗɱʀɡˁࡑ ùǗǠɱ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀ ȂǠȚƜ őȂɱȫ Ǘőɱ ʴƜɡɱǠȫȚɱ ʀǗőʀ ǗƜȂɖ ʸǠʀǗ žȫȚʀɡȫȂ žőŵǠȚƜʀ őȚƉ ȔőɡǠȚƜ őɖɖȂǠžőʀǠȫȚɱࡑ

Toby Thomann President of WAGO Corporation

“ Whether it has

to do with wires, people or thinking, it’s all about making a connection. ”

ȫʴǠȚDž ǂȫɡʸőɡƉࡊ ʀǗƜɡƜ Ǡɱ őȂʸőˁɱ ʀǗƜ žǗőȂȂƜȚDžƜ ʀȫ ɡƜȔőǠȚ ǠȚȚȫʴőʀǠʴƜ ǠȚ őȚ ƜʴƜɡࡹžǗőȚDžǠȚDž ȔőɡǼƜʀࡑ ɱ ʀǗƜ ʸȫɡȂƉ ȫǂ xȫù žȫȚʀǠȚʗƜɱ ʀȫ ʀőǼƜ ɡȫȫʀ ʀǗɡȫʗDžǗȫʗʀ őȂȂ ǠȚƉʗɱʀɡˁࡊ Ĩ d² žȫȚʀǠȚʗƜɱ ʀȫ žȫȔƜ ʗɖ ʸǠʀǗ ʸőˁɱ ʀȫ ȔȫƉƜɡȚǠˎƜ ʀƜžǗȚȫȂȫDžǠƜɱ ʸǠʀǗ ȚƜʸ őȚƉ ƜˀžǠʀǠȚDž ɖɡȫƉʗžʀɱࡑ ²ʗɡ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀɱ ʸǠȂȂ žȫȚʀǠȚʗƜ ʀȫ ŵƜ ʀǗƜ ɱʀőȚƉőɡƉࡹŵƜőɡƜɡ ȫǂ ƜȂƜžʀɡǠžőȂ ǠȚʀƜɡžȫȚȚƜžʀǠȫȚࡊ őʗʀȫȔőʀǠȫȚࡊ őȚƉ ǠȚʀƜɡǂőžƜ ƜȂƜžʀɡȫȚǠžɱࡑ ߠߞߠߞ ʸǠȂȂ ŵƜ ő ŵǠDž ˁƜőɡ ȫǂ ȫɖɖȫɡʀʗȚǠʀǠƜɱ ǂȫɡ Ĩ d²ࡑ ĨƜ ʸǠȂȂ ŵƜ ɡȫȂȂǠȚDž ȫʗʀ ɱƜʴƜɡőȂ ȚƜʸ őƉƉǠʀǠȫȚɱ őȚƉ ʀǗƜɡƜ ʸǠȂȂ őȂɱȫ ŵƜ ő ǂƜʸ ȔőǴȫɡ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀ ȂőʗȚžǗƜɱ ʀǗɡȫʗDžǗȫʗʀ ʀǗƜ ˁƜőɡ ʀǗőʀ ʸƜ őɡƜ ʀǗɡǠȂȂƜƉ őŵȫʗʀࡑ ùǗƜɱƜ ɖɡȫƉʗžʀɱ ʸǠȂȂ žȫȚʀǠȚʗƜ ʀȫ ȔȫʴƜ ǂȫɡʸőɡƉ Ĩ d² ǂȫʗȚƉƜɡ ĨȫȂǂDžőȚDž oȫǗȫɡɱʀࢊɱ žȫȔɖőȚˁ Ȕȫʀʀȫࡉ ࢇĨǗƜʀǗƜɡ Ǡʀ Ǘőɱ ʀȫ Ɖȫ ʸǠʀǗ ʸǠɡƜɱࡊ ɖƜȫɖȂƜ ȫɡ ʀǗǠȚǼǠȚDžࡊ Ǡʀࢊɱ őȂȂ őŵȫʗʀ ȔőǼǠȚDž ő žȫȚȚƜžʀǠȫȚࡑ࢈

Info.us@wago.com (800)DIN-RAIL www.wago.us

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ounded in 1984, Dataforth is a recognized global leader in the design and manufacture of signal conditioning modules and industrial data acquisition and control systems.

“Our mission is to set the highest standards of product quality, performance, and customer service,” says Georg Haubner, VP of Sales and Marketing.

“We know that signal integrity is critical and so our products are all designed to ensure the most reliable, cost-effective isolation and protection for customers’ measurement and control signals and connected equipment.”

Unparalleled Data Acquisition & Control • MAQ®20: Dataforth’s 3rd generation DAQ system, based on 30+ years of experience in the industrial test and measurement and control industry, offers the industry’s lowest cost per channel, 1500Vrms channel-to-bus isolation, ±0.035% system accuracy, and two dedicated software packages with integral PID control. The MAQ20 is ideal for factory, process, and machine automation; military and aerospace, power and energy, oil and gas, and environmental monitoring applications.

Unrivaled Signal Conditioning

“Our signal conditioner families ensure outstanding accuracy, isolation, and protection,” Haubner states, adding that custom modules are available upon request.

Georg Haubner

VP of Sales and Marketing

Modules provide 1500Vrms transformer isolation, up to 240Vrms field-side protection, ±0.03% to ±0.05% accuracy, and wide operating temperature range.

• SCM5B Analog Modules: The flagship of signal conditioning • SCM7B Process Control Modules: A compact, low-cost solution • SensorLex® 8B Analog Modules: Miniature size for embedded and portable apps

• DSCA DIN Modules: DIN rail mount for temperature, pressure, and flow

• 8B isoLynx® SLX300: Builds on proven reliability of the SLX200 and miniature 8B signal conditioners.

2000+ Dataforth products are manufactured in Tucson, AZ. The Quality Management System is ISO9001:2015 registered.

• SCM5B isoLynx® SLX200:

Implements industry standard Modbus RTU and TCP protocols.

Corporate Headquarters, Tucson, AZ

12/13/2019 3:30:29 PM

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sales@dataforth.com 800-444-7644 • dataforth.com

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or over 40 years in the US and 80 years globally, Festo has been a positive force for manufacturers.

Our passion is automation—intelligent automation solutions that transform the way people work—and the way companies compete. Ultimately, it’s about continuously stimulating progress. In big ways and in small ways.

We operate with a simple, yet powerful manifesto: That intelligent automation isn’t just about movement — it’s movement with purpose. And it’s not just about innovative products. It’s about products that come with expert advice and differentiated customer support.

Our aim is to help you make your products faster, smarter and more precisely. That’s how they thrive instead of just survive. And when you win, we win.

United States Headquarters in Islandia, NY

ce202001_execVhalf_festo.indd 1

We are Festo. And our purpose is to help you turn the power of intelligent automation into a catalyst for transformation.

The automation system CPX-E is designed as a central control system for handling technology, with an EtherCAT® master controller and a motion controller with protection to IP20.

With a comprehensive line of more than 30,000 automation products, we can support the most complex automation requirements.

• Pneumatic Drives • Valve and Valve Manifolds • Servo Pneumatic Technology • Handling & Vacuum Technology • Sensors and Machine Vision • Control Technology • Air Preparation, Pneumatic Connections and Tubing • Electromechanical Components In 2018, we acquired Fabco-Air Inc. and have since worked closely with its Florida-based facility to produce high-quality inch-dimension actuators. Through these joint efforts, we released new standard products—all while integrating the principles of quality and production that are synonymous with the Festo name.

United States Headquarters in Islandia, NY www.festo.us • Phone: 800-99-FESTO customer.service.us@festo.com

12/5/2019 3:00:21 PM

INNOVATIONS

NEW PRODUCTS FOR ENGINEERS

See more New Products for Engineers. www.controleng.com/NPE

PE

Current transformer series for power measurement chain Beckhoff Automation’s SCT current converters allows users to perform extensive inline analyses, for example, to detect and correct deviations quickly to minimize downtime.

The converters cover all applications for currents ranging from 1 A to 5,000 A with a choice of ring-type and split-core devices as well as three-phase current transformer sets.

With its SCT current transformers, it’s possible to implement reliable power sensor technology directly in the field as an integrated component of PC-based control technology.

Users can select from two device types, each available in various designs and performance categories that are highly scalable and suitable for many applications.

Beckhoff Automation, www.beckhoff.com

Input #200 at www.controleng.com/information

Circular connector series

The M23 Pro circular connectors from Phoenix Contact offer uniform solutions for signal and power transmission. The Oneclick quick-locking system makes it easy to connect devices quickly and safely. With the system, the user can see, hear, and feel when the connection is made, ensuring that connectors are fully locked. The connectors, available in M23 up to 17 positions, are compatible with threaded and quick-locking metric connectors from other manufacturers. The cable connectors have a vibration spring, making them vibration-resistant up to 20 g. They are rated for IP66/68 and can operate in harsh conditions.

Phoenix Contact, www.phoenixcontact.com Input #201 at www.controleng.com/information

Firmware update for controller platform

Opto 22 has released version 1.5.0 of its firmware for the groov EPIC platform. This release broadens the palette of visualization and storage options for groov EPIC to suit a wide variety of applications and hardware. With version 1.5.0, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can choose from a broader range of external HDMI monitors and touchscreens for local viewing and operator interfacing, significantly reducing material and maintenance costs and total cost of ownership. groov EPIC 1.5.0 supports both resistive and capacitive models via its built-in HDMI port, and makes it possible to calibrate and configure them. For engineers leveraging groov EPIC to implement distributed database, communication, and file servers, 1.5.0 now adds support for USB mass storage devices.

Illuminators with precision driver/ controllers for 3-D printing

Collaborative robot series

Innovations in Optics’ UV-LED Illuminators with Precision Driver/Controllers for digital light processing (DLP) applications in 3-D Printing and Maskless Photolithography. Optical power from these systems can exceed 35 W of incident flux onto the active area of the DLP. The Model 3300 series of UV-LED Illuminators for DLP comprise a densely packed array. The 5500 series of digital driver/ controllers is specially designed to ensure maximum output and lifetime and provides constant current of up to 3A per die to achieve optimal performance. The 5500 system includes the ability to monitor a temperature sensor that is installed in all illuminators, and a photosensor input for monitoring light output from specific illuminator designs.

Fanuc America Corp., www.fanucamerica.com

Innovations in Optics Inc. www.innovationsinoptics.com

Opto 22, www.opto22.com Input #202 at www.controleng.com/information

Fanuc’s 10kg payload CRX-10iA and CRX-10iA/L (long arm version) collaborative robots provide a reach of 1249 mm and 1418 mm respectively. They have sensitive contact detection that allows them to work safely alongside people in a variety of industrial and manufacturing jobs. Ergonomic design includes a lightweight and compact arm that can fit in most floor-space configurations. It connects with third-party grippers and has a tablet interface with icons. No programming is required.

Input #203 at www.controleng.com/information

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Input #204 at www.controleng.com/information

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Consulting-Specifying Engineer Control Engineering Plant Engineering Oil & Gas Engineering IIoT For Engineers

Input #105 at controlengineering.hotims.com

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INNOVATIONS

BACK TO BASICS: PROCESS CONTROL Manuel Keldenich, Siemens

Improve process control engineering with better collaboration, security The process control system can provide an intuitive operating environment and simplify operating philosophy across applications with one collaborative engineering project workbench.

T

he new process control system (PCS) is designed for interdisciplinary collaboration. No matter whether work is done synchronously or asynchronously, it allows a traceable, versioned processing of projects and thus contributes to time and cost savings.

Handling of individual control system functions also has become clearer and more comprehensible regardless of how many users access the system.

New forms of cooperation and knowledge transfer are necessary for workers using PCSs. One factor is web-based collaboration in engineering, which integrates all stakeholders and ensures they can work consistently and in parallel. It is no longer necessary to install software on specific workstations for administration, engineering, and plant operation.

Thanks to HTML5, it is possible to securely access the system and operate it efficiently with a browser.

Creating an intuitive operating environment means simplifying the operating philosophy across applications and implementing a one-workbench concept for applications and tasks. An authorized user can toggle between an engineering view and a monitoring and control (operational) view with a mouse click.

Access to operating elements, control sequences, alarms, or interlocks is achievable at any time from one point of entry. Administration of all software- and security-related procedures, license and user management are controlled from here. With the browser, local on-site updates are increasingly redundant: The application is in the latest version every time it restarts.

Collaboration benefits

Interdisciplinary collaboration of new project teams assembled from all parts of the world is already a reality for many. Consistent, object-oriented data management with centralized data storage ensures everyone involved in a project can access up-to-date data at any time. All bring knowledge from their working environment to the centrally administered project. A clear session concept with automatic consistency checks ensures data is free of contradictions: A new session begins at each opening of a project. User activities are recorded in their own change context.

If several users access the public database, it is visible, and object processing is restricted due to the work of other users. Individual objects are locked

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automatically by the system and not manually by the user. If changes have been made and can be shared with other colleagues, they must be published. During the publish process, changed object sets are consistently introduced into the system automatically.

On this basis, change tracking and versioning for the engineering data also is implemented. Project statuses can be identified and restored at any time.

Such technical principles allow engineering and operational processes to be developed simultaneously. Project engineering not dependent on hardware also offers a high degree of flexibility. Screens have been designed for typical processes such as hardware engineering or process signal interconnection. Systems have been developed so beginners can access the system via intuitive procedures such as drag-and-drop of objects for interconnection. The understanding of the fundamental object model also grows.

User groups are supported in a task-oriented way.

Users can expect assistance corresponding to experience, demonstrated by means of spreadsheet engineering, which offers rapid object queries. Properties of the query results can be bundled and edited.

IT security

Security functions take effect during use. Modern encryption provides secure communication between web servers and web browsers (client). System access follows authentication and authorization.

Communication is based on certificates.

Users, computers, or devices identify themselves using a digital certificate which sits in the background before they are granted application access. The defense-in-depth concept is based on the recommendations in IEC 62443, which combines plant and network security with elements of system integrity. ce

Manuel Keldenich is a project manager at Siemens Digital Industries. This article orginially appeared on the Control Engineering Europe website. Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

M More INNOVATIONS

KEYWORDS: process control, process manufacturing Process controls can facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration.

Interdisciplinary collaboration of new project teams from all parts of the world is a reality for many.

ONLINE

Read more articles from international partners at www.controleng.com/international.

CONSIDER THIS What is the biggest hurdle for improving worker efficiency?

STANDARDS ISA developed the ANSI/ISA 62443 automation and control systems cybersecurity standards, adopted by the International Electrotechnical Commission as IEC 62443 and endorsed by the United Nations.

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Advertising Sales Offices ContentStream

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Company

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Beckhoff Automation LLC. . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . 4. . . . . . . .www.beckhoff.com

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Dataforth Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 . . . . . . . . 9. . . . . . . .www.dataforth.com Account Manager Digi-Key ELECTRONICS . . . . . . . . . .10 . . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . .WWW.DIGIKEY.COM

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EZAutomation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1, 9 . . . . . . . 6. . . . . . . .www.EZAutomation.net

Festo Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 . . . . . . . . 8. . . . . . . .www.festo.com

Graybar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 . . . . . . . 10 . . . . . . .www.graybar.com

Inductive Automation. . . . . . . . Bellyband. . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.inductiveautomation.com

Lapp Usa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 . . . . . . . .11 . . . . . . .www.lappusa.com

Newark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . .www.newark.com

Publication Services Jim Langhenry, Co-Founder/Publisher, CFE Media JLanghenry@CFEMedia.com Steve Rourke, Co-Founder, CFE Media SRourke@CFEMedia.com Laura Prochaska, Marketing Services Manager (773) 818-7771, LProchaska@CFEservices.com Kristen Nimmo, Marketing Manager KNimmo@CFEMedia.com Brian Gross, Marketing Consultant, Global SI Database 630-571-4070, x2217, BGross@CFEMedia.com Michael Smith, Creative Director 630-779-8910, MSmith@CFEMedia.com

Oriental Motor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . .www.orientalmotor.com

Paul Brouch, Director of Operations PBrouch@CFEMedia.com

SEW-EURODRIVE, Inc. . . . . . . . . . .2, C4 . . . . . 3, 17 . . . . . .www.seweurodrive.com

Michael Rotz, Print Production Manager 717-766-0211 x4207, Fax: 717-506-7238 mike.rotz@frycomm.com

Yaskawa America, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .C3 . . . . . . . 16 . . . . . . .www.yaskawa.com

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Inside Process

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Letters to the editor: Please e-mail us your opinions to MHoske@CFEMedia.com or fax 630-214-4504. Letters should include name, company, and address, and may be edited.

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CONTROL ENGINEERING

www.controleng.com

Ready to Explore the Fourth Dimension?

Eventually, the thoughts of a 3D printing pro move past mere length, width and depth to a more important fourth dimension: TIME. Servo systems and motion controllers from Yaskawa reduce print time without sacrificing accuracy Put your machine light years ahead in speed, precision and reliability. Call Yaskawa today.

For more info: http://budurl.me/YAI1368 Yaskawa America, Inc.

Drives & Motion Division

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yaskawa.com

input #16 at www.controleng.com/information

Mounting

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Need retrofit? No problem. TorqLOC速 even mounts onto an existing shaft that has a keyway.

TorqLOC速 Mounting System

seweurodrive.com / 864-439-7537

input #17 at www.controleng.com/information