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— Jump ahead of new regulatory requirements Upgrade to ABB’s new Baldor-Reliance® ultra-premium EC Titanium™ integrated motor drive, and lower your energy cost. This design incorporates a synchronous reluctance rotor and permanent magnets to achieve a rating above IE5 at full speed while maintaining this performance at reduced speed and load points. • More than 15% efficiency gains compared to NEMA premium • Sustainable non-rare earth magnetic material • Higher power density for a smaller footprint Efficient. Innovative. Environmentally friendly. baldor.abb.com/ec-titanium input #3 at www.controleng.com/information
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Vol. 68 Number 4
®
APRIL 2021
ANSWERS 20 | Smart manufacturing starts with data-driven DTMs 24 | The advantages of the IIoT 28 | How to build a Smart Manufacturing model
18
COVER: Smart factories help organizations make informed, datadriven decisions; Aveva Discrete Lean Management software allows for viewing and tracking facility productivity from one digital dashboard. Courtesy: Schneider Electric
30 | How open systems support end users 34 | How to choose between an ECM and a VFD
p.34
37 | Understanding PID tuning
INSIGHTS NEWS
10 | Digitalization, vision front of mind at Automate, Eight lessons for robotics startups, Headlines Online
39 | Know where to start with control loop tuning 40 | Edge computing provided costeffective upgrades
16 | Think Again: Secure remote connections
ANSWERS 17 | Practical and value-based Industry 4.0 18 | Smart factory acceleration in a pandemic
p.18
p.40
ONLINE | For links to all posts at www.controleng.com during March 2021, see p. 6.
INSIDE MACHINES
M1 | Safety services on a standard network M4 | Functional safety networks for Ethernet communication protocols
CONTROL ENGINEERING (ISSN 0010-8049, Vol. 68, No. 4, GST #123397457) is published Monthly except in November by CFE Media, LLC, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515. Periodicals postage paid at Downers Grove, IL 60515 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CONTROL ENGINEERING, PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher/Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. CONTROL ENGINEERING copyright 2021 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. CONTROL ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Circulation records are maintained at 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515. Telephone: 630/571-4070. E-mail: ctle@omeda.com. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Email: ctle@omeda.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, PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Printed in the USA. CFE Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.
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APRIL 2021
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INNOVATIONS NEW PRODUCTS FOR ENGINEERS
48 | Radar level sensor; Customized I/O station; Notebook integration for dashboard, data analysis; Category 2 safety relay module; Field power supplies; OEM temperature sensors; Rotary position sensors; Smart control system See more New Products for Engineers at www.controleng.com/NPE.
BACK TO BASICS
51 | Reduce waste, boost profits with process automation Process automation can be used to reduce dairy process inefficiencies, while boosting profits.
NEWSLETTER: Process & Advanced Control • Understanding PID tuning • Evolving control systems are key to improved performance • Four SCADA considerations for manufacturers • IoT-enabled process validation system for COVID-19 vaccine rollout • Artificial intelligence applied to mill optimization. Keep up with emerging trends: subscribe. www.controleng.com/newsletters.
CFE EDU: Virtual Training Week On-Demand Did you miss our recent Virtual Training Week? You can still attend CFE Media and Technology’s Virtual Training Week on-demand to receive training on a variety of the latest industry trends. Register and receive full access to exclusive content offered by industry experts with live Q&A sessions! https://cfeedu.cfemedia.com/learning-paths/cfe-mediatechnology-virtual-training-week
Control Engineering eBook series: Motors & Drives Spring Edition Motors and drives make manufacturing plants run and keep them efficient. Maintaining motors and drives and keeping them cost-effective is crucial and requires knowledge of many different aspects. Featured articles include the benefits of ac generator motors, how smartphones help with variable frequency drive (VFD) configuration and VFD basics. Learn more and register to download at www.controleng.com/ebooks/. Global System Integrator Report Supplement to December Control Engineering and Plant Engineering Advice from automation and control system integrators with System Integrator of the Year for 2021, System Integrator Giants and more. www.controleng.com/GSIR Control Engineering digital edition The tablet and digital editions provide links to additional article images and text online and links to other related, useful resources. www.controleng.com/magazine
controleng.com provides new, relevant automation, controls, and instrumentation content daily, access to databases for new products and system integrators, and online training.
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control engineering
April 2021
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Online ®
On pages 6 and 8 are articles posted in March 1-29, 2021, in case you missed something. Links are live in the digital edtion, at www.controleng.com/magazine.
Theory accelerates push for spintronic devices, https://www.controleng.com/articles/theory-could-accelerate-push-for-spintronic-devices/ Top 5 Control Engineering Articles Feb. 22-28, 2021, https://www.controleng.com/articles/top-5-control-engineering-articles-feb-22-28-2021/ Control Engineering hot topics, February 2021, https://www.controleng.com/articles/control-engineering-hot-topics-february-2021/ Tiny drones developed with an insect’s agility, https://www.controleng.com/articles/tiny-drones-developed-with-an-insects-agility/ Five questions every CISO should ask about OT cybersecurity, https://www.controleng.com/articles/five-questions-every-ciso-should-ask-about-ot-cybersecurity/ Expanding edge control, https://www.controleng.com/articles/expanding-edge-control/ Improved stepper motor systems support more applications, https://www.controleng.com/articles/improved-stepper-motor-systems-support-more-applications/ Data transfer system connects silicon chips, https://www.controleng.com/articles/data-transfer-system-connects-silicon-chips/ Three signs it might be time to upgrade a PLC, https://www.controleng.com/articles/three-signs-it-might-be-time-to-upgrade-a-plc/ New edge devices and automation benefits, https://www.controleng.com/articles/new-edge-devices-and-automation-benefits/ Six reasons why cybersecurity doesn’t deliver value to OT, https://www.controleng.com/articles/six-reasons-why-cybersecurity-doesnt-deliver-value-to-ot/ What is a digital thread?, https://www.controleng.com/articles/what-is-a-digital-thread/ Six steps for supporting an automation system, https://www.controleng.com/articles/six-steps-for-supporting-an-automation-system/ Harnessing the power of AI for robotics, https://www.controleng.com/articles/harnessing-the-power-of-ai-for-robotics/ Helping soft robots turn rigid on demand, https://www.controleng.com/articles/helping-soft-robots-turn-rigid-on-demand/ Moving toward automation interoperability, https://www.controleng.com/articles/moving-toward-automation-interoperability/ Top 5 Control Engineering Articles March 1-7, 2021, https://www.controleng.com/articles/top-5-control-engineering-articles-march-1-7-2021/ Interoperability best practices, integration, automation, controls, https://www.controleng.com/articles/interoperability-best-practices-integration-automation-controls/ Ethernet interoperability testing week, https://www.controleng.com/articles/ethernet-interoperability-testing-week/ How time-sensitive networking is making Ethernet deterministic, https://www.controleng.com/articles/how-time-sensitive-networking-is-making-ethernet-deterministic/ Five steps to improve OT, ICS cybersecurity awareness in manufacturing, https://www.controleng.com/articles/five-steps-to-improve-ot-ics-cybersecurity-awareness-in-manufacturing/ Industrial networking testing and certification guide released, https://www.controleng.com/articles/industrial-networking-testing-and-certification-guide-released/ Industrial control system cybersecurity breaches will happen, https://www.controleng.com/articles/industrial-control-system-cybersecurity-breaches-will-happen/ Four machine vision and imaging events announced, https://www.controleng.com/articles/four-machine-vision-and-imaging-events-announced/ Mitigating OT cybersecurity risks, enforcing best practices, https://www.controleng.com/articles/mitigating-ot-cybersecurity-risks-enforcing-best-practices/ Smart manufacturing starts with data-driven DTMs, https://www.controleng.com/articles/smart-manufacturing-starts-with-data-driven-dtms/ Taking your MES with you, https://www.controleng.com/articles/taking-your-mes-with-you/ Protecting the chip industry supply chain from cyberattacks, https://www.controleng.com/articles/protecting-the-chip-industry-supply-chain-from-cyberattacks/ Computer developed to act more in tune with nature, https://www.controleng.com/articles/computer-developed-to-act-more-in-tune-with-nature/ Top 5 Control Engineering Articles March 8-14, 2021, https://www.controleng.com/articles/top-5-control-engineering-articles-march-8-14-2021/ Sushi-shaped structures may lead to new miniaturized electronics, https://www.controleng.com/articles/sushi-shaped-structures-may-lead-to-new-miniaturized-electronics/ How to protect embedded systems in OT cybersecurity, https://www.controleng.com/articles/how-to-protect-embedded-systems-in-ot-cybersecurity/ Mobilizing secure, real-time remote operations for Industry 4.0, https://www.controleng.com/articles/mobilizing-secure-real-time-remote-operations-for-industry-4-0/ Machine control for more complex processes, https://www.controleng.com/articles/machine-control-for-more-complex-processes/ The challenge of securing all network edges, https://www.controleng.com/articles/the-challenge-of-securing-all-network-edges/ Operational technology: Data acquisition, data architectures, data analytics, https://www.controleng.com/articles/operational-technology-data-acquisition-data-architectures-data-analytics/ ICS cybersecurity company appoints CEO, https://www.controleng.com/articles/ics-cybersecurity-company-appoints-ceo/
Control Engineering www.controleng.com offers top article tallies weekly and monthly so you can see what your peers find interesting and useful. Courtesy: Silicon Valley Robotics (SVR) and Control Engineering
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www.controleng.com
input #5 at www.controleng.com/information
Online
On pages 6 and 8 are articles posted in March 1-29, 2021, in case you missed something. Links are live in the digital edtion, at www.controleng.com/magazine.
®
Wastewater treatment, energy costs https://www.controleng.com/articles/wastewater-treatment-reactor-improves-energy-costs-reduces-pollution/ How COVID-19 created IoT opportunities in the Caribbean, https://www.controleng.com/articles/how-covid-19-created-iot-opportunities-in-the-caribbean/ Nonlinear optical process developed, https://www.controleng.com/articles/nonlinear-optical-process-developed/ Benefits of developing a Smart Manufacturing model, https://www.controleng.com/articles/benefits-of-developing-a-smart-manufacturing-model/ How time-sensitive networking is transforming the Smart Factory, https://www.controleng.com/articles/how-time-sensitive-networking-is-transforming-the-smart-factory/ Reduce waste, boost profits with process automation, https://www.controleng.com/articles/reduce-waste-boost-profits-with-process-automation/ The time is now to move to smarter manufacturing, https://www.controleng.com/articles/the-time-is-now-to-move-to-smarter-manufacturing/ Top 5 Control Engineering Articles March 15-21, 2021, https://www.controleng.com/articles/top-5-control-engineering-articles-march-15-21-2021/ Researchers’ algorithm designs soft robots that sense, https://www.controleng.com/articles/researchers-algorithm-designs-soft-robots-that-sense/ 4D vision’s benefits for robotic automation, https://www.controleng.com/articles/4d-visions-benefits-for-robotic-automation/ Refining tests for detecting COVID-19 in wastewater facilities, https://www.controleng.com/articles/refining-tests-for-detecting-covid-19-in-wastewater-facilities/ Virtual lab uses AI tool for chemistry issues, https://www.controleng.com/articles/virtual-lab-uses-ai-tool-for-chemistry-issues/ Eight lessons for robotics startups, https://www.controleng.com/articles/eight-lessons-for-robotics-startups/ Developing robotic safety standards and compliance, https://www.controleng.com/articles/developing-robotic-safety-standards-and-compliance/ Evaluating 2021 cyber threat landscape trends, https://www.controleng.com/articles/evaluating-cyber-threat-landscape-trends-for-2021/ Challenging human quality inspection, https://www.controleng.com/articles/challenging-human-quality-inspection/ Digitalization, automation advice, benefits, https://www.controleng.com/articles/digitalization-automation-advice-benefits/ The practical side of Smart Manufacturing, https://www.controleng.com/articles/the-practical-side-of-smart-manufacturing/ Top 5 Control Engineering Articles March 22-28, 2021, https://www.controleng.com/articles/top-5-control-engineering-articles-march-22-28-2021/
MIT researchers have developed a deep learning neural network to aid the design of soft-bodied robots, such as these iterations of a robotic elephant. Courtesy: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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INSIGHTS
Digital edition? Click on headlines for more details. See news daily at www.controleng.com
NEWS
Digitalization, vision front of mind at Automate Forward Automate, a biennial event focused on automation, robotics, machine vision and other manufacturing innovations, was forced to go remote this year like so many other manufacturing-focused shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As an online event renamed Automate Forward, manufacturing experts from shared findings on the latest and greatest innovations and insights happening. Here are some highlights:
Digitalization, automation
The virtual world needs to connect to the real-world of manufacturing, because “The competitive advantage is here, and it’s all about digital,” explained Raj Batra, president, Siemens Digital Industries USA, Siemens Industry Inc., in his keynote presentation. Workforce digitalization, adoption Like any new technologies deployed, some people, including “Boomers” eligible for retirement, may resist new technology adoption, even though many may be adept at using commercially available digitalization, such as smartphones and mobile software applications. Unlike enterprise resource planning (ERP) rollouts that can take 5 or 6 years of pain, automation and digitalization rollouts can have very quick return on invest-
ments (ROIs), Batra said. Smarter simulations for training and faster time from design to productivity and additive manufacturing serve as prime examples of digitalization optimization. Manufacturing is looking up, Batra said; the PMI Index is over 60 and CEO optimism is extremely high. More companies are adding wealth, he said, and using digitalization as a competitive weapon. “We couldn’t have predicted these amazing data points 5 or 6 months ago,” Batra said, though the “supply chain is still a mess out there” with backups remaining in many ports. Expanded use of automation in warehouses continue to meet pandemic demands. In 90 days of the pandemic, warehouse output grew more than it had in the prior 10 years. Industries are embracing the new normal with safety, speed and innovation through digital technologies, shifting warehousing and manufacturing processes. Digital twins for pharma, others Digital twin technology investments have helped pharmaceutical customers accelerate during the pandemic. Siemens formed a task force to support pharma customers, helping to move products from the lab to patients more swiftly. The idea is to drive digital transformation with seamless integration of auto-
Virtual and real worlds meet as digitalization and automation integrate, said Raj Batra, president, Siemens Digital Industries USA, Siemens Industry Inc., in a keynote presentation at Automate Forward, an A3 online conference and exhibit during the week of March 22. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering
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mation, software and other technologies with better simulations and reduction of paper-based reporting. In automotive industries, manufacturers are redesigning products and processes toward more electric offerings, Batra said, by applying software and automation, virtual commissioning, modular factory design, and using pretested and reusable automotive automation standards.
Robotic safety standards
Robotics have been a fast-growing aspect of industrial manufacturing and automation for a while. Robots offer a lot of potential and need to be handled safely. This is something the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) has been working on since the 1980s, according to Carole Franklin, the RIA’s director of standards development, in the presentation, “An Introduction to Robotic Safety Standards & OSHA Compliance.” “One of the first things the RIA did was work on developing safety standards. We knew it was critical in developing them and keeping workers safe,” she said. This has led to ANSI/RIA 15.06-2012, which is focused on robot safety and is primarily focused on fixed-in-place robots. It was published in two parts in 2012 and emphasizes requirements for the robot manufacturer and the system integrator. The advent of collaborative robots, which brings human and robot workers together, has created a real paradigm shift. “Collaborative robots,” Franklin said, “have taken off in the last few years.” Traditional robots do make up the majority of robot sales, but the market is changing and collaborative robots are a major driving force. To address this, a technical specification, ISO/TS 15066:2016 – was released in 2016. Collaborative robot systems have builtin safety capabilities to reduce risks to the human worker. Key techniques are: • Safety-rated monitoring stop • Hand guiding Continued on page 12 www.controleng.com
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INSIGHTS
Digital edition? Click on headlines for more details. See news daily at www.controleng.com
NEWS
Continued from page 10 • Speed and separation monitoring • Power and force limiting. These techniques are designed to allow the robot, which normally wouldn’t operate in proximity with humans, to operate safely so both can effectively complete their tasks.
Industrial mobile robot standards and types
‘
The most recent standard, R15.08-1, is focused on industrial mobile robots (IMRs), which are another growing segment of the market.
working together to ensure the safety of humans working with robots. The alliance signed in 2017 and renewed in 2019. The goal is the three groups working together to educate companies, the public and each other about best practices in industrial robot safety. Stephen A. Billings, a safety specialist at OSHA, said they are very much focused on robotics and their importance in manufacturing. “Interest in robotics is very important to us. Our goal, of course, at the end of the day, is to bring everyone home safely in one piece,” he said. Because OSHA doesn’t currently have a robot standard, they defer to the U.S.
A detection engine must comply with inspection requirements, offer algorithms for defects, and handlematerials and textures. quote. “That word ‘mobile’ has added a great deal of complexity to the standards process,” Franklin said. Defining what a mobile robot is part of that complexity. Franklin said it includes a semi-structured environment and is ground-based. It doesn’t specify whether a robot should be indoor or outdoor and whether it should be on wheels or legs. It does explicitly exclude vehicles driven by an operator and fork trucks or anything else that might be considered an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV). Three industrial mobile robot types Franklin said there are three types of IMRs. Type A has no attachments and is one type of mobile platform; Type B has attachments that may be passive or active, but no manipulate; Type C is a mobile platform with a manipulator attachment like an arm. It is not, however, an AGV or intended to operate like one. While the idea of a mobile robot may be nebulous, Franklin said they worked hard to define it in the 2020 edition. Part 2, which is expected to release in 2022, which will focus on integrating, configuring and customizing the IMR or system or fleet of IMRs into a customer’s specific site. OSHA and standards compliance OSHA, NIOSH and the RIA are
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consensus standards to assist during OSHA inspections, giving them something to work with. OSHA’s collaboration with the RIA and NIOSH help on that front, but it can be tricky, at times. While there currently isn’t an OSHA robot standard, Billings said, “Perhaps someday will there be one.”
Human quality inspection
Automated machine systems are improving the quality and efficiency of what manufacturers can accomplish, but they are not always a perfect analog for humans. One major area where automated systems struggle to replicate human efficiency is in the field of visual inspections, said Corey Merchant, vice president-Americas at Kitov.ai, in the presentation “Challenging Human Quality Inspection with Modern AI and Deep Learning Technologies.” It is estimated more than 80% of all visual inspection is still done by humans, Merchant said. But human inspection has its drawbacks – humans can be costly, inconsistent and error-prone. Inspection for low volume, high mix “It has been said the manual inspection is really the Achilles’ heel of manufacturing,” Merchant said. “So if it is the Achilles’ heel, why not use robots or other automation instead of humans?
control engineering
Well, it turns out humans are actually pretty darn good at human inspection, especially when used in low-volume, high-mix operations.” The bottom line is humans still offer many advantages over traditional machine systems. Humans are excellent at adapting to new products, they’re product agnostic, they have 3D vision, they have hand-eye coordination, they learn from experience, and, perhaps most important, they can deal with variation. The human eyes and brain are a powerful image system. Humans offer advantages like 3D vision, vision memory, contextual understanding, generalization and conceptualization. They can be trained and can adapt to situations. But they also have limitations – emotions, inconsistency and an inability to manage large amounts of data – that machines can offset. Three advances in machine vision 1. Flexible and variable machine vision “It’s one thing we’ve heard through a lot of the speeches and presentations this week from all different manufacturing segments when asked what is the most important thing with automation: It’s flexibility,” Merchant said. “Flexibility and variability, dealing with that. And we can’t emphasize that enough. You can build something to fit today, but is it going to adapt with your process? That’s the question.” 2. Smarter machine vision logic The second piece manufacturers need is a robust and powerful detection engine. This must comply with all inspection requirements, offer complementary algorithms for a wide range of defects, and be able to handle various materials and textures. 3. Machine vision with machine learning Finally, Merchant said, the machines must have the capacity to learn, which typically requires a large volume of data. This means they need to adapt to manufacturing variability, require very few Continued on page 14 www.controleng.com
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NEWS
Continued from page 12 samples and adapt to a dynamic production environment. The solution, Merchant said, is a hybrid model that includes deep learning and 2D and 3D classic computer vision with artificial intelligence. It’s all about increasing yield. That’s really what everyone is after. So how do you block defective parts while keeping out phantom defects? That’s where the system will earn its stripes, Merchant said, but it’s also where things get difficult. The challenge of deep learning is it requires tons a data. Merchant said one predictive vari-
able can be learned for every 10 events, which means manufacturers must collect a lot of events. To gain time required for systems to get up to speed, combine technologies using this hybrid approach, Merchant said. When sufficient data is accumulated, things can be better with automated systems than they are with human inspection. Inspection accuracy should be at a higher level, and the system can improve over time. “You can think of autonomous driving being so popular now; you’re teaching that car how to drive autonomously,” Merchant said. “It’s not a binary deci-
Eight lessons for robotics startups 1. Research is primarily involved in developing a prototype (works once), whereas commercialization requires a product (works every time). Robustness and reliability are essential features of whatever you build.
2. The customer development focus of the ICorps program speeds up the commercialization process, by forcing people into the field to talk face to face with potential customers and deeply explore their issues.
3. Don’t lead with the robot. Get comfortable talking to people and learn to speak the language customers use. The goal is to solve their problem; not persuade them to use your technology.
4. The faster you can embed yourself with your first customers, the faster you attain the critical knowledge that lets you define your product’s essential features, that the majority of your customers will need, from the merely ‘nice to have’ features or ‘one off’ ideas that can be misdirection. 5. Team building is the biggest challenge, as many roles you will need to hire for are outside of your own experience. Conduct preparatory interviews with experts in an area that you don’t know, so that you learn what real expertise looks like, what questions to ask and what skillsets to look for. 6. There is a lack of robotics skill sets in the marketplace so learn to look for transferable skills from other disciplines.
7.
It is actually easy to get to ‘yes’, but the real trick is knowing when to say ‘no’. In other words, don’t create or agree to bad contracts or term sheets, just for the sake of getting an agreement, considering it a ‘loss leader’. Focus on the agreements that make repeatable business sense for your company.
8. Utilize the resources of your university, the accelerators, alumni funds, tech transfer departments, laboratories, experts and testing facilities. Andra Keay, managing director of Silicon Valley Robotics, a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
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sion path. It’s not all 1’s and 0’s. It’s not yes or no or black and white. It’s actually based on a history of widespread examples that it’s seen. And then those are used to constantly adapt and improve that performance.”
Automation association digitalization
A3, the Association for Advancing Automation, which organized Automate Forward online event, plans an in-person Automate show, June 6-9, 2022, in Detroit. A3 also plans to merge its organizations for robotics, machine vision and motion control, at automation.org, in April. ce Compiled and edited from articles written by Mark T. Hoske, content manager; Chris Vavra, web content manager; Gary Cohen, senior editor, all with CFE Media and Technology.
Headlines online Top 5 Control Engineering Articles March 15-21: Featured articles include VFD parameter changes, evolving control systems, Engineers’ Choice winners, PLC programming software and IEC programming languages. Evaluating 2021 cyber threat landscape trends The new normal due to COVID-19 has made the cyber threat landscape very different and challenging in new ways for operators and consumers. Learn about new trends people should be aware for in 2021. Virtual lab uses AI tool for chemistry issues A virtual laboratory can be used to determine the artificial intelligence (AI) tools best suited for addressing various chemical synthesis challenges and it could be used for other applications. Nonlinear optical process developed Columbia researchers engineered a technique to exploit the tunable symmetry of 2D materials for nonlinear optical applications.
CORRECTION The article “Operational technology: Data acquisition, data architectures, data analytics” published in the March 2021 issue of Control Engineering had the wrong author listed. The correct author is Nate Kay, P.E., of MartinCSI. www.controleng.com
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3010 Highland Parkway, Suite 325, Downers Grove, IL 60515. 630-571-4070, Fax 630-214-4504
Secure remote connections
Industrial control systems need secure remote connections. Did the pandemic help IT and OT to understand needs, concerns?
D
uring the pandemic, many companies necessarily overcame hesitation to granting external access to control systems, despite cybersecurity concerns. Has what we learned about cybersecurity lowered the risk for remote industrial control system access, monitoring, and control, or just made it more prevalent and increased attack opportunities for cybercriminals? How much cybersecurity is enough? Do I only have to be better than most to show due diligence? Several presenters at the February ARC Forum from ARC Advisory Group, offered remote access cybersecurity advice.
Diverse digital buy-in
Mary DeAlba, global industrial network solutions design manager, SKF Group, said the SKF digital transformation journey began in 2017 with more than 40 participants defining operational technology and information technology (IT) requirements of a digitalized SKF smart factory standard. Operational technology (OT) needs included industrial network hardware that could survive the manufacturing environment, support machine protocols, protects end-of-life operating systems and allow remote access mindful of the need for audit reporting and safety consideration. IT needs included remote access with two-factor authentication, secure, encrypted with certificates, along with malware detection, resiliency and auditing, among other needs. Lessons learned, DeAlba said, is that if IT isn’t flexible about OT requirements, OT will do its own thing. Not all OT experts want to be network experts. Demarcation of industrial IT architecture and enterprise IT architecture must be clearly defined. Clearly define support overlap; suppliers should agree. A manufacturing IT organization may be needed to bridge the gap and accommodate digitalization demands.
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Don’t lose the pandemic gains
Herbert (Bert) Vander Elst, senior director IT and head of technology, manufacturing and supply chain, GSK Vaccines, suggested focusing on business continuity as we recover from the pandemic. Vander Elst warned not to disrupt what’s working well when working remotely, such as the large expansion in remote monitoring. GSK Vaccines accelerated a year in remote capabilities in just a few weeks, with careful attention to cybersecurity risk, business processes, digital signatures and advanced compliance needs in a paperless environment. John Korsedal, principal digital product manager, GE Digital, touted remote operations security, safety and compliance through use of cybersecurity standards such as NERC-CIP (electronic security perimeter), ISA 99/IEC 62443 (establishing segmentation and controlling the traffic flows between zones) among others. Helpful cybersecurity features for remote-access control systems, Korsedal said, zero-trust security backbone, multifactor authentication (MFA), control room managed access, permitting, communications and safety features, user monitoring and recording. Other useful features include ability to kick anyone out from the administration system, requesting control and returning control, a time-out feature and pop-ups to confirm changes. Think again about IT and OT teams working together to reduce cybersecurity risk in remote-access pandemic-enabled control systems. ce
Mark T. Hoske is Control Engineering content manager.
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ONLINE Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse www.industrialcybersecuritypulse.com Graphic from ARC Advisory Group on IT and OT common ground
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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 Gary Cohen, Senior Editor GCohen@CFEMedia.com Chris Vavra, Web Content Manager 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, chairman and a founder Matrix Technologies, www.matrixti.com Daniel E. Capano, senior project manager, Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, www.gannettfleming.com 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 and Technology 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, 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 for the print magazines are at least two months in advance of the publication date. It is best to discuss all feature articles with the appropriate content manager prior to submission. Learn more at: www.controleng.com/contribute
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ANSWERS
COVER: II O T BENEFITS Matt Ruth, Avanceon
Value-based Industry 4.0 Manufacturers make Industry 4.0 work without bogging down.
F
or some, the words “Industry 4.0,” “digital transformation” and “information technology/operational technology (IT/OT) convergence” sound scary. Over the past few years, those terms have conjured up visions of numerous meetings and significant planning sessions centered on large multidiscipline and cross-functional teams gathering around a long boardroom table. The goal: to hash out and agree via blood oath on the overarching, all-encompassing direction for the future of the OT layer and its “transformation.” That’s a huge gauntlet to ask manufacturers to run, only to be rewarded with the creation of a long list of projects and improvements that need to be funded and approved. The good news is getting Industry 4.0 value doesn’t have to be that ominous, heavy or frightening. There is a practical and value-based approach to getting something tangible from Industry 4.0 without the heavy lift of locking in the future of digital transformation. Manufacturers have implemented purpose-driven and innovative solutions that harness the value of Industry 4.0 technologies without running that gauntlet.
Chemical manufacturer
For example, a chemical manufacturer faced a business problem with an non-automated, nonconnected fire safety and suppression system, which dictated someone had to physically check and confirm the pressure of the plant air compressors to ensure the suppression system could react in an emergency. Physical checks meant that the plant needed to staff resources to verify that the compressors were running even when the plant wasn’t operating. It meant high labor costs on off shifts, weekends and holidays, running 24/7.
Wireless I/O modules collect data
The manufacturer looked to leverage Industry 4.0 to solve this problem. The system’s core revolved around the installation of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) wireless input/output (I/O) modules that were
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Industry 4.0 can offer many potential cost-saving benefits for manufacturers and improve operations. Courtesy: Avanceon
installed to collect information from some new pressure transmitters. The IIoT modules selected were industrially hardened, mounted on a flat surface and ran from a 9V battery thereby eliminating expensive enclosure, conduit and installation costs. The IIoT modules transmitted via radio to a communication gateway in the production office. The gateway was housed in an office-grade box (it could have been industrially hardened but didn’t need to be based on the office proximity). That gateway plugged into the plant Ethernet with access to the Internet. The gateway houses the logic that determines if an alarm condition exists. Depending on the alarm condition, it executes a series of escalation alerts – first an audible alarm locally with a tier 1 distribution email alert, followed by an expanded email distribution to a broader audience and finally (based on duration and severity) the system blasts text alerts to a preprogrammed set of cell phone contacts.
Notifications: digital transformation
In the case of the new system, problems are immediately sent to the appropriate personnel, allowing for far quicker response times, than the old method of physical “rounds” check and resultant phone calls. The solution was simple and leveraged the key tenants of Industry 4.0 for a business benefit with a quick return on investment (ROI) while not locking the manufacturer into a larger Industry 4.0 implication. The overbearing feeling of heavy decisions, paths and planning shouldn’t get in the way of taking that first step of Industry 4.0 and digital transformation to solve problems. It’s easier than it sounds. ce
Matt Ruth is vice president of marketing and sales of Avanceon, a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. control engineering
M More ANSWERS
KEYWORDS: Industry 4.0, return on investment Industry 4.0 offers many potential cost-saving benefits for manufacturers. A chemical manufacturer used Industry 4.0 to streamline operations and communications, reducing many inefficiencies. ONLINE Read additional articles about Industry 4.0 at www.controleng.com. More about Avanceon is available in the Global System Integrator Database. www.controleng.com/ Global-SI-Database
CONSIDER THIS What benefits can your facility get from Industry 4.0?
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COVER STORY: IIoT FOR AUTOMATION Ken Engel, Schneider Electric
Smart factory acceleration in a pandemic Learn how building for the pandemic era can accelerate the era of smart factories. See four ways a factory can become smart and resilient.
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any corporations are in a bind because of the global pandemic: They must guard their workers’ health and safety while competing in a radically altered economic landscape and automation intelligently applied in a “smart factory” can help. The drive to compete while simultaneously keeping employees safe has accelerated the adoption of specialized applications that take advantage of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies. Once considered “nice to have,” these technologies are now vital to business continuity and resilience for smart manufacturing. Benefits of implementation include 3.5% year-over-year (YOY)
COVER: Smart factories help organizations make informed, datadriven decisions; Aveva Discrete Lean Management software allows for viewing and tracking facility productivity from a single digital dashboard. Schneider Electric holds morning meetings in its Smart Factories and Smart Distribution Centers. The Short Interval Management (SIM) meetings follow agile principles and intend to engage productivity. Schneider Electric EcoStruxure IoT platform is designed to be easily implemented and scaled to meet individual customer needs, leverage connected devices and sensors for productivity and savings. Images courtesy: Schneider Electric
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energy savings, $6.6 million in regional savings since 2012, a 20% reduction in mean time to repair (MTTR) and a 90% paperwork elimination.
Transformative technologies add manufacturing resiliency
Technologies such as IIoT are transformative in their ability to aid manufacturers as they prepare for, respond to, and predict operational events, even during a global pandemic with related supply chain and workforce disruptions. These technologies also are intrinsic to the most resilient of manufacturing plants: smart factories. Smart factories help businesses make informed, data-driven decisions for improved profitability, asset management performance, operational efficiency and a more productive workforce while keeping operations secure, agile and environmentally sustainable. Smart factories use digital technology and connectivity to create a flexible system that can learn from new conditions in real or nearreal-time. Smart factories can run through the entire production process autonomously. In an era of uncertainty, that means production can continue, even under challenging circumstances. Because smart factories are efficient and resilient, indicators point to their sustained popularity well beyond the pandemic. For example, Schneider Electric’s 60-year-old Lexington, Ky.-based smart factory was designated a World Economic Forum Lighthouse facility. With the digital transformation of its plants, a manufacturer can see the evolution and benefits of a fully-functioning smart factory and its capabilities after applying new tools to optimize the working environment.
Four ways a factory can become smart, resilient
Here are four best practices and technologies for end users, machine builders and partners that can transform the traditional facility into tomorrow’s smart factory. www.controleng.com
Schneider Electric employees review energy use at the Lexington, Ky., smart facility to confirm operations are within preset parameters and ensure process efficiency. EcoStruxure Machine Advisor can detect issues that generate predictive maintenance alerts. In a pandemic, staff can monitor machine performance from home and remedy problems before they cause a failure. Using the Schneider Electric augmented reality advisor, a worker can scan a QR code and see live operational data delivered to a smartphone or tablet then check for problems and safety issues before they become faults, alarms, or safety issues.
1. Deploy and enable agile remote operators
Smart factories break traditional patterns and often bring about changes in operational procedures, such as agile methodology. Agile can make corporations more responsive to their customers and more competitive in the marketplace. However, as reported in a Deloitte article, July 29, 2019, “Stepping stones to an agile enterprise,” adopting agile principles is an ongoing, step-by-step process. Agile principles break down traditional software development methods and call for an incremental, iterative approach to delivering high-quality software. It requires frequent deliveries to ensure benefits result from the process and places a high value on individuals, collaboration and the ability to respond to change. While the process is continuous, each iteration in the development cycle improves upon the past. Because agile depends upon employee input and requires trust among managers and employees, agile should have executive buy-in before it is attempted. One strategy is holding daily on-site meetings. At Schneider Electric, that happens in smart factories and smart distribution centers. Meetings are short interval management (SIM) meetings, which follow agile principles and are intended to engage productivity by analyzing performance data, planning work, and coordinating teams. Because employees cannot gather on the factory floor during the pandemic, meetings are conducted via digital software applications already deployed at sites pre-pandemic. These applications connect relevant performance information and trigger action workflows to maintain manufacturing performance levels while ensuring social distancing.
2. Optimize performance through real-time asset, process information
There’s no one moment when a factory officially becomes “smart.” The heart of any smart factory is an IoT-enabled architecture and platform that allows organizations to leverage all connected devices and sensors.
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A smart factory’s heart is an IoT-enabled architecture that allows organizations to lever-
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age connected devices and sensors. An IoT platform can be designed to be easily implemented and scaled to meet individual customer needs. Open IIoT-enabled architectures allows organizations to leverage connected devices and sensors for productivity and savings. A machine software application on the IoT platform can be used to detect and advise about issues that generate predictive maintenance alerts. In a pandemic, staff can monitor machine performance from home and remedy problems before they cause a failure. Technologies such as these can lead to better coordination among factories worldwide. For example, our engineering team in Singapore can collaborate with a partner in Europe to remotely deploy predictive maintenance on a production line for a smart factory in the Philippines.
KEYWORDS: Industrial
3. Use IIoT platforms for savings in power consumption, waste
CONSIDER THIS
Traditional factories monitor energy usage at intervals and adjust accordingly. Energy management is retrospective. Energy efficiencies aren’t easy to find, except through trial and error and proactive vigilance. In smart factories, innovation and sustainability go hand-in-hand: energy management is in real-time because the data captured is in real-time. Continued on page 27 control engineering
M More ANSWERS
Internet of Things, smart manufacturing Deploy and enable agile remote operators. Optimize performance through real-time asset, process information IIoT helps with save power, improve analytics and operations. Intelligent automation deployed during the pandemic creates operational efficiencies in smart factories.
ONLINE If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for more resources. www.controleng.com/ magazine www.weforum.org
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ANSWERS
COVER: IIoT AND SMART MANUFACTURING Robert Hartmann and Dr. Michael Gunzert, CodeWrights
Smart manufacturing starts with data-driven DTMs Device-type managers (DTMs) using the new FDT 3.0 standard enables smart manufacturing with common components toolkits in an integrated development environment (IDE) to minimize engineering, simplify DTM certification and shorten time to market.
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DT 3.0 specifications support the FDT IIoT Server (FITS) platform, which is designed to enable automation vendors to drive smart manufacturing operations. FDT (IEC 62453) allows integration of devices and networks to engineering tools, such as for industrial control systems (ICS) and asset management systems. FITS security, an OPC Unified Architecture (UA) server for information technology/operational technology (IT/OT) data access and a web server for mobile and remote access, allowing for unified and information-driven business models across the manufacturing sector. The key driver of FDT’s smart manufacturing functionality starts with device-type managers (DTMs) running the new FDT 3.0 standard.
Figure 1: Figure: FDT device device-type manager (DTM) interface and device-specific solutions. All graphics courtesy: FDT Group
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Evolving data-driven, intelligent device solutions
Intended for use with simple and complex devices, the FDT/DTM contains the application software that defines all the parameters and capabilities included in each instrument. The DTM encapsulates all device-specific data, functions and business rules such as the device structure, its communication capabilities, internal dependencies, and its human-machine interface (HMI) structure. The FDT standard incorporates many DTM types, such as device DTMs, interpreter DTMs, universal DTMs, communications DTMs and gateway DTMs. These DTMs empower a standardized way of communicating, while exchanging information independent of the manufacturer, device type, system, or IT/OT protocol used in applications ranging from small desktop environments to enterprise-wide server/cloud architectures. Current DTMs automatically make device data and health information available via an OPC UA Server embedded on the FDT Server used in the FDT 3.0 architecture, asset management now is deployable as a cloud service as part of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industry 4.0 initiative. This architecture flattens the automation pyramid so any application requiring data from devices can retrieve it from OPC UA through the DTM. FDT 3.0 DTMs have further evolved by shifting to Microsoft .NET Core technology and by the user interface (UI) moving to web-based technology, thus diversifying the presentation of asset-related device information. The use of web technology allows server-based distributed architectures to enhance the user experience with mobile and remote access solutions. Unlike DTMs based on the earlier FDT 1.2 or FDT 2.0 standards, FDT 3.0 DTMs employ responsive touch-screen features as part of HTML 5.0 development, which are mandatory for use with www.controleng.com
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ANSWERS
COVER: IIoT AND SMART MANUFACTURING tablets and smart phones. This ensures the interface for today’s mobile devices is integral to the DTM environment.
Using an integrated development environment
With the introduction of the FDT 3.0 standard, FDT Group released associated FDT 3.0 DTM common components toolkits to help the vendor community jump start FDT development with an integrated development environment (IDE). The updated FDT 3.0 DTM common components help minimize engineering effort, simplify DTM certification and shorten time to market. When DTM common comWeb technology ponents toolkits were first introduced with the FDT 2.0 standard, makes it possible to the primary purpose was to improve interoperability and help create a distributed instrumentation companies expedite DTM development activiarchitecture by sepaties. This functionality has been rating the UI from the enhanced with FDT 3.0 while leveraging decades of recognized server; client, server industry expertise embedded in and DTMs can be host- the toolkit. Enhancements to the FDT common components for the ed on any platform. FDT 3.0 standard have improved their ease of use for DTM developers. Enhanced toolkit capabilities will benefit companies seeking to differentiate their products from the competition. These features are intended to free DTM development teams to focus on value-added parameter profiles for device functions, web UI and other customized app features.
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Platform independence, rigorous security
The enhanced FDT features supported by FDT 3.0 DTM common components include platform
Figure 2: Messages between the DTM user interface (UI) and business logic are encoded in JSON format.
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independence, an advanced web UI, auto-enabled OPC UA compatibility, customized graphical parameterization and rigorous DTM security. Since FDT 3.0 DTM common components are platform independent – allowing FDT-based solutions to feature cross-platform functionality – they can be used on leading computing platforms such as Apple, Linux and Microsoft Windows. This approach allows users to retain their preferred environment for device firmware manufacturing while ensuring a unified development approach. In addition, the use of web technology now makes it possible to create a true distributed architecture by separating the UI from the server. The client, server and DTMs are all thin and can be hosted on any platform. The FDT 3.0 DTM common components are essential in driving development initiatives centered around the creation of OPC UA information models. With these tools, OPC UA is auto-enabled for DTMs – meaning no additional coding or work is required. The native integration of OPC UA makes it possible to publish data for a wide range of purposes. This will provide end users with an out-ofthe-box solution for accessing DTM information and making it available to cloud-based applications. The FDT 3.0 standard and its DTM common components support a secure DTM deployment procedure, enabling developers to package and sign DTMs and offer customers the assurance they have been tested and certified by FDT Group. Updated security measures also provide non-repudiation and tamper evidence so users can be confident of the source of their DTMs and know their functionality has not been altered by a third-party.
Deploying smart device business models
From a business perspective, the FDT 3.0 standard makes it possible for automation companies to deploy DTM business models, which leverage the advantages of improved interoperability, native OPC UA support, a modern web UI providing customization and mobile access capabilities, streamlined DTM certification and cloud repository features, and easier developer tools to help reduce time to market for smart DTM-based products. For example, companies that use FDT 3.0 DTM common components will see reduced cost and effort for DTM development and certification because common components include thousands of lines of prewritten and tested code that ensure DTM base code complies with the FDT standard. The toolkit frees DTM developers from having to write and debug voluminous amounts of their own code. They no longer have to become experts on FDT technology, but rather can focus on enhancing their products with advanced features. www.controleng.com
Figure 3: FDT 3.0 DTM development and certification process.
By combining the FDT 3.0 DTM common components with value-added parameter profiles enabling the unique functionality and UI of their device, development teams can move forward with a customized solution without having to learn all the technical nuances of the FDT specification. FDT 3.0 DTM common components help files provide step-by-step instructions for optimizing DTM development activities.
Sample DTMs, common components toolkit
In addition, developers can make use of FDT 3.0 Sample DTMs, which show how to use features and capabilities of the FDT 3.0 DTM common components toolkit. The Sample DTMs include basic functionality that developers can apply as a starting point for creating DTMs. The common components also assist device suppliers looking to migrate existing FDT DTM 2.0 business logic to support FDT 3.0 applications. This is an important benefit for organizations that are transitioning to FDT 3.0 technology and seeking ways to present DTM information to their customers. The robust web UI with FDT 3.0 allows DTMs to be opened in any browser, including mobile devices carried by field personnel. Mobility applications are a specific example of where the power of FDT 3.0 DTMs comes into play. Companies can use the technology’s standardized mobility platform as part of their service functionality, helping site engineers solve problems with remote assistance. FDT 3.0 DTM common components also enable developers to address the majority of the test cases involved in the DTM certification process while eliminating the need to test and verify their own software functions. With the toolkit’s pre-written
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base code, compliance is auto-enabled, and there is no need to review FDT specifications to implement compliance code. Rather, developers can customize specific device functionality and web UI code. The FDT 3.0 DTM Common Components also help with development of manifest files and uses an open package format to streamline delivery of DTM packages. All certified FDT 3.0 DTMs comply with the NAMUR NE-107 recommendation, which stipulates that operators need a view of the process including the status of the instrumentation in a simple and uniform way – regardless of source device – to support predictive maintenance strategies. As such, the DTMs are a crucial enabler for apps intended to view the health of field devices, and subsequently improve maintenance workflows.
Robust DTMs, cloud functions, faster
With the availability of FDT 3.0 DTM common components, and their ability to optimize the development of standardized and compliant DTMs, device suppliers can achieve many important technical and business advantages. First, they can provide a generation of robust DTMs meeting the expectations of their customers. Secondly, they can leverage technology enhancements supporting the era of industrial automation with connected sensor-to-cloud systems in modern industrial facilities. Finally, they can deliver DTMs to market faster and subsequently improve their bottom line.ce
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KEYWORDS: data acquisition, smart manufacturing, IIoT Device-type managers (DTMs) encapsulates all device-specific data, functions and business rules such as the device structure, its communication capabilities and more. The FDT 3.0 standard makes it possible for automation companies to deploy DTM business models. FDT 3.0 DTM common components lets device suppliers achieve many important technical and business advantages. ONLINE See additional stories about smart manufacturing and IIoT at www.controleng.com.
CONSIDER THIS What benefits could device-type managers (DTMs) provide to your facility?
Robert Hartmann and Dr. Michael Gunzert, CodeWrights. This article originally appeared on FDT Group’s website. FDT Group is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. control engineering
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COVER: IIoT FOR AUTOMATION John Clemons, Maverick Technologies and Rockwell Automation
The advantages of the IIoT Industrial Internet of Things adds benefits to automation, human-machine interface, MES, ERP, enterprise manufacturing intelligence, and analytics.
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KEYWORDS: Industrial Internet of Things, smart manufacturing IIoT technologies can operate as middleware. Smart objects apply artificial intelligence to manufacturing applications. Complementary IIoT technologies include HMI, automation, controls, MES. CONSIDER THIS Are your automations systems getting smarter with integration of Industrial Internet of Things.
ONLINE If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for more resources. www.controleng.com/ iiot-industrie-4-0 www.controleng.com/ magazine
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he fourth industrial revolution has been underway for a while now. People call it digital transformation, Industry 4.0, digitalization, or just smart manufacturing. Regardless of the name, all the new technology coming from this revolution is driving real economic benefits and helping fuel a big boom in manufacturing around the world. Most manufacturing companies are already undertaking some kind of Industry 4.0 project or are planning to in the very near future. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), digital twins, digital threads, cloud and edge computing, and a whole lot more are all part of Industry 4.0, but maybe none more so than the IIoT. For many people, smart manufacturing and the IIoT are just about synonymous. When talking about smart manufacturing, people might immediately start talking about the IIoT. The IIoT has become ubiquitous in the smart manufacturing conversation and is becoming ubiquitous in most smart manufacturing solutions.
Smart advantages, manufacturing
One of the IIoT’s biggest advantages is it can form the foundation for a wide range of smart manufacturing solutions. Machine learning (ML), AI, Big Data, analytics, manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP), digital twins, digital threads and many other applications can all be built on, or access, an IIoT foundation. Another big advantage of the IIoT is it can leverage and extend existing technologies. Machine-tomachine communications, sensors and sensor data, automation, and control systems are IIoT elements that have been around for a very long time. So much so, that some people say the IIoT isn’t that new at all. The IIoT also ties into information systems such as MES and ERP systems, executing transactions, providing data, driving analytics, and supporting real-time visibility. In the end, the real advantage of the IIoT is all of the above. It provides a communications platform supporting a wide range of IIoT applications. It leverages and maximizes the existing technology working as a complementary solution, not a competitive solution. It ties into the big control engineering
information systems that most companies already have in place.
Foundational IIoT capabilities
At the foundational level, the IIoT works as a kind of middleware by providing a communications backbone between devices, machines, controllers, databases, information systems and people. The foundational capabilities of the IIoT are used to monitor, manage, and maintain the connected devices and machines. The IIoT also enables the transmission of large amounts of data (such as sensor data) in near-real-time to those systems and applications that need it. That means the IIoT is the foundational interface or middleware between almost everything at the edge such as sensors, devices, machines, and controllers and all the user-facing applications, such as humanmachine interface (HMI), MES, ERP, enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI), and analytics. Many IIoT platforms and solutions go beyond the interface or middleware foundation and provide some very sophisticated capabilities for data collection, data aggregation, data visualization, and data analyses. Along these same lines, some IIoT platforms also provide and on solutions for alerts and notifications, built-in interfaces to MES and ERP, data publishing capabilities, along with tools for dashboards, analytics and reporting. One of the newest capabilities some IIoT platforms offer is the ability to publish a wide variety of sensor, device, machine, and controller data, along with its context, to almost any external system for analytical purposes. These capabilities are often application and system independent and often allow for asynchronous, message-based event processing and publishing. All making this an excellent solution to get needed data without continually polling the data looking for changes.
Smart objects with artificial intelligence
Another new capability coming out for some IIoT platforms is smart AI objects. Smart AI objects are used to encapsulate key aspects of the manufacturing and machine operations – recipes, configurations, tooling, and status – building up these smart AI objects into an object-based AI data model. www.controleng.com
This model then becomes common across the IIoT, using and re-using these smart AI objects wherever the data is needed. The IIoT allows the smart AI objects to be seen and used anywhere they’re needed. The IIoT uses the smart AI objects to collect, and then preserve, the context of the data from the machines. Since the IIoT and other systems discover and use the smart AI objects, their context can be created or changed anywhere in the IIoT. With this capability, edgecomputing solutions become more practical and easier to integrate with the cloud. After all, the data is already encapsulated in the smart AI objects and available through the IIoT. The IIoT discovers the smart AI objects, and their associated data sets, incorporates their underlying organization model, consumes the underlying data, and provides the smart AI objects, the data model, and the data, to anything or anyone that needs them, all in real time.
Cybersecurity is an important consideration when integrating Industrial Internet of Things with automation and other factory systems, as shown in this graphic from 2019 Automation Fair from Rockwell Automation. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, CFE Media and Technology
Complementary technologies
That’s a lot of advantages for the IIoT. More than a few people believe the IIoT can replace HMI, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, automation, controls, MES and maybe even parts of ERP. This isn’t true. The IIoT isn’t intended to replace these systems. It’s not competitive with them; it’s complementary. It leverages the existing technologies, builds on them, and provides
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ANSWERS
COVER: IIoT FOR AUTOMATION synergistic capabilities not possible in any one platform. One of the reasons IIoT is complementary to these other applications, particularly the information systems, is the overall context. To fully understand and analyze data, and get to the root causes of specific situations, requires a complete understanding of the context of the situation.
While data context is one of the strengths of the IIoT, it doesn’t have the complete context. Whether its order information, customer information, shipping or receiving information, quality information, or even sales information, the IIoT doesn’t have it all. Manufacturers need information systems like MES and ERP to complement
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the IIoT to provide a complete context to any manufacturing event.
IIoT: Not closed-loop control
The other reason the IIoT is complementary is it’s not really designed for orchestration and optimization. Despite all its advantages, it doesn’t do everything – MES and ERP are still needed. The same holds true for automation and controls. The IIoT isn’t designed to provide closed-loop control, which is still, and always will be, needed in manufacturing. The IIoT provides data and data context not available anywhere else, allowing automation and controls to perform their tasks better than ever. Automation and control systems, and the people who design them, can concentrate on higher-level functions such as orchestrating the entire manufacturing process from end to end. They also can further optimizing the process without having to worry about sensors, devices, machines and communications. That’s the ultimate power of the IIoT – making automation and controls that much more powerful. That’s why automation and controls and the IIoT are complementary and not competitive. The IIoT provides the communications backbone for sensors, devices, machines and industrial controllers. It provides the foundation for all sorts of applications. It leverages and extends existing technology, maximizing the value and the life of the technology. The IIoT ties into information systems such as MES and ERP. The IIoT supports smart AI objects, providing the smart AI objects, with their model, data, and context to any system that needs it. The IIoT complements information systems like MES and ERP by providing data from the sensors, devices, machines, and controllers and providing the data context. Maybe most importantly, the IIoT complements automation and control systems. ce
John Clemons is a senior consultant with Rockwell Automation and Maverick Technologies. Maverick Technologies is a CFE Media and Technology content partner. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
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COVER STORY: IIoT FOR AUTOMATION Continued from page 19
Smart factory acceleration in a pandemic The gathered real-time data is transparent and can be converted into actionable insights, autonomously or by humans. Transparent data access means greater visibility into where energy efficiencies can be achieved throughout the facility, from motors to the HVAC system. The Schneider Electric Lexington plant achieved 3.5% year-over-year (YOY) energy savings, in addition to $6.6 million in regional savings since 2012. Other benefits include a 20% reduction in the mean-time-torepair metric and a 90% paperwork elimination.
4. Use IIoT-powered predictive analytics for process efficiency
Smart factories allow operators to use augmented reality (AR) to speed up operation and maintenance to increase productivity gain. With AR software, a worker can scan a QR code and see live operational data delivered to a smartphone or tablet. The worker can check for problems and safety issues before they become faults, alarms, or safety issues.
The AR also can give workers a look under the panel for electrical issues and reduce by 20% the time it takes to repair a machine. AR can gather machine performance information, too and make workers proactive instead of reactive when it comes to breakages between maintenance cycles. The ARdriven process also helps train analytic models to make the machines perform better over time.
Transforming manufacturers for remote work
With remote work here to stay, manufacturers must adapt, transform, and arm themselves with a future-ready and resilient factory or facility. While digital infrastructure has been evolving and maturing long before the pandemic, COVID-19 has significantly impacted the tools, technologies and processes these organizations choose to invest in. The time for smart factories has arrived. ce
Ken Engel is senior vice president global supply chain, North America, Schneider Electric; Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
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ANSWERS
COVER: IIoT FOR AUTOMATION John Clemons, MESA International
How to build a Smart Manufacturing model The right Smart Manufacturing model can make manufacturers more efficient, make better overall decisions and provide a blueprint for what works.
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any in manufacturing says we’re in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution, and Smart Manufacturing is transforming manufacturing back into an economic powerhouse. What most people see is wave after wave of new technology with no real idea how any of it is supposed to fit together. MESA has started developing a new Smart Manufacturing model, with the purpose of providing a simple and easy-to-use framework for making sense out of everything that’s part of Smart Manufacturing. Dennis Brandl, a member of the MESA team building this model, said, “Most people don’t understand how it all fits together. It’s really just a vast state of turbulence with just about every country having its own model for Smart Manufacturing. MESA is cutting through all this fluff to provide a comprehensive Smart Manufacturing model that people can actually use to understand what Smart Manufacturing is all about.”
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MESA’s model for Smart Manufacturing will help everyone speak the same language and understand Smart Manufacturing. Manufacturing lifecycle
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The new MESA Smart Manufacturing Model will provide a way to look at a company’s manufacturing operations and get a view of the lifecycle of manufacturing. The lifecycles concept is key to the new model. Whether it’s a product lifecycle, an asset lifecycle, or a lifecycle for the manufacturing personnel, this idea of lifecycles is a key to understanding the complete picture of the manufacturing operations and how Smart Manufacturing fits into the picture. Brandl explains more of the purpose of the Smart Manufacturing model. “It’s fundamentally going to be a way of looking at the problem space to make sure you don’t miss anything. It’s intended to
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cover everything you need to be concerned with in this space. It will help people decide what to do by helping them ask the hard questions and determine if they really have the answers they need.” The new MESA Smart Manufacturing model can be thought of as a checklist at the highest level to ensure no one misses any of the key concepts of Smart Manufacturing. Manufacturing companies can use the new model to make sure they’re dealing with all the issues, especially the ones they haven’t thought of yet. And solution providers can use the new model to make sure they’re providing customers with everything they need.
Reasons for developing a Smart Manufacturing model
Some might ask: “Why? Why is MESA doing this? Aren’t there enough models out there already?” Yes, there are. Many models cover many aspects of Smart Manufacturing. Each approaches Smart Manufacturing from a specific point of view. Not all those points of view are bad. Those unfamiliar with Smart Manufacturing may not realize that what they see is based on a particular point of view. Jan-Christoph Galm, a member of MESA’s EMEA Board of Directors, said, “The idea of the new MESA model for Smart Manufacturing is first and foremost to be transparent. It’s to be totally unbiased with no built-in preconceived notions or points of view on what Smart Manufacturing is. It’s to provide an unbiased view of the vision of the Smart Factory.”
Smart manufacturing terms, a usable model
MESA’s model for Smart Manufacturing will provide a framework to help everyone speak the same language and to get a baseline or foundation on what Smart Manufacturing is. It’s a common model and a common language. The people that use it then agree on what’s what with regards to Smart Manufacturing. www.controleng.com
According to Galm, “The new MESA model will be practical. It does no one any good for MESA to put out another model that only academicians can use. Or a model that only a very few people can get past the first few pages. The MESA model will be practical, for everyone to use, from the shop floor to the top floor, from operations to engineering to IT to management.” The MESA Smart Manufacturing model will be high-level and low-level while making it easy to navigate from the highest levels to the lowest levels, and back again so people understand what Smart Manufacturing is all about. Galm said the new model derives from MESA’s roots. “MESA grew up with Manufacturing Execution Systems or MES, and we haven’t forgotten those roots. The new MESA model will be focused on Smart Manufacturing but just as MES is a key part of Smart Manufacturing, MES will be a key part of the new MESA model. It’ll provide not only an understanding of Smart Manufacturing, but an understanding of MES, the benefits of MES, and how MES fits into Smart Manufacturing.”
Bridging the Smart Manufacturing gap for users
Another purpose of the Smart Manufacturing model is bridging the gap between the needs of individual users or practitioners and the various institutions that are trying to define Smart Manufacturing. Jeff Winter, a subject matter expert on the MESA team building the new Smart Manufacturing model, said, “This is a tremendous opportunity to provide value to people actually working on Smart Manufacturing projects for their companies. You see, there’s lots of Smart Manufacturing models out there, and many of them help you evaluate your company at a high level, for Smart Manufacturing readiness or maturity. But they all have a major failure. They don’t provide a roadmap for you and our Smart Manufacturing project. They simply don’t address the use of the various technologies.” These existing models aren’t bad, but the problem is they help companies with only part of what they need to be successful. The idea of the new MESA model is to complement these organizations and their models to provide a definitive roadmap for companies and projects to use to know where to go and how to get there with Smart Manufacturing.
How to apply Smart Manufacturing technologies
The new model will help people understand how to approach Smart Manufacturing and understand how Smart Manufacturing fits in their business. With this new model, companies will be able to carve out a path to Smart Manufacturing projects, and ultimately Smart Manufacturing success. They’ll be able to see what Smart Manufacturing
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is all about, what needs to get done, and how it all impacts the other parts of the company. Winter said, “The problem with all these models is that they simply don’t address the technologies. For example, digital twin technology is very cool and very powerful, providing companies with significant benefits. But these models don’t explain what it is, when to use it, when not to use, where it fits, and why someone uses it. The models don’t explain what business benefits it achieves, the prerequisites for its use, the challenges to its use, and
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A neutral Smart Manufacturing model provides a technology roadmap so people can understand when, where, and why to
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use all these new technologies.
what’s really needed to successfully implement it. And that’s just one example. All of these models are deficient in that they don’t address these questions about the technologies – they very technologies that are driving Smart Manufacturing in the first place.” A neutral Smart Manufacturing model addresses these questions about the technology, providing a roadmap so people can understand when, where, and why to use all these new technologies. “More than that,” Winter said, “the new model will address the impacts of these technologies to all the other areas of the company such as supply chain, production, networking, cybersecurity, data management, training, personnel, and so on. Because all these technologies have such a big impact on the company as a whole. You have to understand that, and you have to see it coming before you launch off on one of these projects.” Fundamentally, the new MESA model will provide the roadmap, the steps needed to implement the technology and ultimately be successful with technologies. Because these technologies require a level of maturity, companies have to learn to crawl before they walk and walk KEYWORDS: Smart Manufacturing before they run with Smart ManufacturMESA International is developing a ing. None of the technology is a silver bulSmart Manufacturing model. let, and much of the technology may not The Smart Manufacturing model is produce any benefits if the company is not designed to neutral and not designed ready or if the people are not ready. ce for a specific industry.
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John Clemons is a MESA marketing committee chair, also with Maverick Technologies and Rockwell Automation. This article originally appeared in three parts on MESA International’s blog. MESA International is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
The Smart Manufacturing model also addresses the impacts of technologies to the supply chain, networking and more.
ONLINE See additional stories from MESA International at www.controleng.com.
CONSIDER THIS What is the most important detail for you in a Smart Manufacturing model?
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COVER: IIoT AUTOMATION ADVANTAGES Masaru Yamazaki and Wataru Nakagawa, Yokogawa Electric Corp.
How open systems support end users End users have been vocal about wanting open systems, and automation vendors are responding by delivering systems compliant with international standards.
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apan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry recently released a digital transformation (DX) report titled: “Overcoming the IT system ‘2025 Cliff ’ and major development on the DX,” which identified legacy information technology (IT) systems as a major obstacle hindering DX. Legacy system obstacles are not limited to IT systems; legacy automation control and monitoring systems also create obstacles. The report anticipated various problems such as black boxing due to technological obsolescence, the retirement of system designers, and further restrictions with the introduction of new technologies. [Applying a “black box” with proprietary hardware and software inside may temporarily resolve a few issues but can create a tangle of incompatible technologies.] Once automation systems are introduced, they are expected to remain in continuous service for 20 or 30 years, which makes upgrades or replacements difficult.
Figure 1: Distributed control systems (DCSs) have evolved to meet end user needs by becoming ever more open. Graphics courtesy: Yokogawa
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Given these circumstances, the task of an automation system or a distributed control system (DCS) vendor can be thought of as offering the latest technology without disturbing operations, requiring more open systems. In the technological world, open implies the standardization of specifications and design, and the resulting elimination of custom integration, by using standardized open interfaces.
From closed to partially open automation
DCS vendors have often met end user expectations by integrating proprietary products into complete systems. Vendors stressed differentiating characteristics while developing products for consistent and stable performance. All the while, these systems gradually conformed with de facto and international standards, often by using existing commercial off-the-shelf technology to evolve their systems to meet market demands. Up to now, this evolution progressed not only through proprietary development, but also by incorporating general-purpose products available in the market. To gain advantage, vendors participated in standard development and acquired other companies. In the name of emphasizing benefits to end users, a power struggle emerged to strengthen market position and product portfolios. Concurrently, some functions became standardized, making it possible to connect field devices with various systems, which afforded some freedom to end users by reducing dependence on one vendor. OPC Classic (DA, A&E, HDA), Foundation Fieldbus, ISA100 Wireless, and other international standard communication protocols became driving forces for adding value to systems. As a result, many DCS vendors now view their roles as system integrators providing services to end user companies, rather than as manufacturers of proprietary product lines. www.controleng.com
Figure 3: OPC UA includes models and extensions to provide standardization and opportunities for customization.
Standards enable open automation systems
Partially-open systems played a role in meeting end user needs, but as time passed, they were replaced by newer systems, which were often updated to stay current. This evolution was necessary to support end users, and to adopt technologies such as general-purpose operating systems, Ethernet communication, virtualization, and other advancements (Figure 1). However, the market has changed and this arrangement has limits. Vendors may need to shift from integrating their systems to developing the end user’s business while cooperating with other vendor companies, some of which may be direct competitors.
Figure 2: Standards compliance includes a certification process. www.controleng.com
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With NAMUR open architecture, an independent domain called monitoring and ptimization is prepared separately from
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existing systems to directly acquire data. To cope with this paradigm shift, a network of companies has emerged to form a business ecosystem. Representative organizations that consider technological standards and industry development include NAMUR (a German process industry automation system user group) and the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF), the group that develops open process automation (O-PAS) systems. NAMUR open architecture (NOA) and OPAF devote discussions to systems that are vendor-neutral, meaning they can accommodate devices and functions with the latest technology at any time, with compliant systems continuing to use existing software applications as assets in the future. In the case of NOA, an independent domain called monitoring and optimization is prepared separately from existing systems to directly acquire data from new sensors (such as vibration, audio, corrosion, odor), robots, drones, and other equipment. Further, the communication standard OPC UA from OPC Foundation is used to acquire data from existing systems for advanced control, analysis, and diagnosis. In terms of security measures, this approach has a high affinity with the zone design recommended by IEC62443 (control system security), easing system design and maintenance. OPAF promotes many of the same ideas by advocating for independence from existing systems. The core system networks developed by vendors are critical as they are used at many manufacturing sites today and are trusted in terms of safety control engineering
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KEYWORDS: system
integration, industrial networking standards Control systems have relied more on open technology as standards often change, and everything starts coalescing. Many current standards are vendor-neutral, which allows users more freedom with their industrial networks. A collaborative information server (CI server) provides an open system option for users and ease the burden on plant personnel.
ONLINE See additional stories about industrial networking standards and regulations at www.controleng.com.
CONSIDER THIS What challenges or problems have come up when dealing with industrial networking protocols?
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COVER: IIoT AUTOMATION ADVANTAGES Figure 4: Yokogawa’s collaborative information server provides an automation system architecture complying with international standards.
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OPAF discussions involve interoperability, modularity, standards conformance, security standards compliance, and scalability, all essential for openness.
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and stability. However, when it comes to introducing new technology essential for system growth, these networks can become barriers, and going forward they may hinder the implementation of solutions beneficial to end users. Further, continuous measures are necessary to address potential future security problems, an area where the original specifications of these networks may present limits. OPC UA and Profinet are raising their presence as core system networks and garnering attention as capable networks conforming to international standards. By leaving conventional thought behind, DCS vendors can transition from proprietary system development to using commercially available software and hardware. As a result, companies can cooperate on solving end user issues, while leveraging their internal strengths. Ongoing OPAF discussions about architecture requirements involve interoperability, modularity, standards conformance, security standards compliance, and scalability. All of these attributes are essential for openness and require continuous effort. Further, they suggest it will be crucial for companies acting in various roles to build relationships. These attributes stress the need for a busi-
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ness ecosystem that fosters cooperation among end users, system integrators, vendors, and service providers. In the closed system world, it was enough to look after one’s own products, but an open world demands integration, regardless of manufacturer.
Openness challenges and solutions
Openness is appealing to end users, and it is natural to think it will be possible to build systems with flexibility to allow the market and users to determine how they will develop over time. For DCS vendors, it will be important to not only bring products to market that meet standards, but also to also decide how to build and be involved in the business ecosystem. It also will be important to use application software running on existing systems, and vendors should consider these issues as they move forward with system development. In the future, support for international standards, security measures, and system interoperability will be required. From a system integration standpoint, it is necessary to conform to international standards and to become certified through a third-party certification body. Companies should ensure their system products comply with IEC62443 (control system security) and IEC62541 (OPC UA), and these activities will continue in the future.
Security measures
For security measures, manufacturers are required to follow the regulations in IEC62443, and specifically to receive ISASecure SDLA and CSA certification. IEC62541 (OPC UA) also mentions www.controleng.com
security measures, mainly focusing on communication. It addresses authentication and encryption for data integrity, confidentiality, and availability to prevent information leaks—even when spoofing, falsification, or eavesdropping are detected.
System interoperability, automation information models
Regarding system interoperability, NOA and OPA advocate standardization of information models and advancing the NAMUR Open Architecture Information Model and the O-PAS information model by utilizing the OPC UA Meta Model and Built-In Information Model, and IEC 62814 (Automation ML), along with other items specified in IEC62541. With OPC UA and the AutomationML standard, it may be possible to unify different rules and data structures that express the same information in varying formats. At the moment, AutomationML is handled as part of the OPC UA companion specification information model, so supporting the OPC UA information model is a priority (Figure 3).
Support for open standards
The openness that NOA and OPAF are advocating aims to incorporate cutting-edge technology without disturbing existing systems. A collaborative information server (CI server) can provide an open system option for users (Figure 4). The concepts behind the CI Server are horizontal and vertical integration, wide area integration, labor-saving operations, and innovative operation. These represent an integrated operation function combining all the automation components, systems, and devices at sites and plants—making it easy to manage acquired data and resulting information. As its primary communication protocols, a CI Server supports the industrial communication standards OPC UA (client/server and publisher/ subscriber functions), message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT), and open database connectivity. MQTT is an optimal communication standard for Internet of Things (IoT) implementations where a wide variety of data and information is exchanged among devices. Conventional automation systems mainly targeted process data (temperature, pressure, flow, level, etc.). However, it has become possible to acquire data from devices and systems that control a variety of equipment and installations, providing the capability to centrally manage all plant data and information. By following OPC UA’s information model standard specifications, the acquired data no longer depends on specific systems, and the OPC UA companion specification information mode can be used to create added-value information.
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Figure 5: Yokogawa’s CI Server unifies data collection, storage, and dissemination throughout a plant or an enterprise.
Future developments in open automation
As openness accelerates through the adoption of IT advancements, the expectations for automation systems are broadening from safety and stability to include increased profitability through efficient operation. This means responding to rapid market changes, optimizing costs, increasing quality and operational efficiency, and making other improvements. To achieve these goals, it is important to serve up the data distributed throughout the plant as relevant information to the appropriate personnel. A CI server digitizes the associations among all types of data. By creating a global information model for plant operations and their associated data, it can provide digitized and digital twin environments (Figure 5). In digitized plants, operations are supported by automating data cycles, whereby on-site data is collected and stored, with the resulting big data analyzed, modeled, and used to improve operations and business decision-making. A CI server deployment eases the burden on plant personnel, who would otherwise have to deploy customized solutions or resort to manual measures. These types of products work hand in hand with open systems to provide the solutions increasingly demanded by end users. ce
Masaru Yamazaki, system business and products planning manager, Yokogawa Electric Corp.; Wataru Nakagawa, system product content marketing manager, Yokogawa Electric Corp. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. control engineering
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DRIVES, ENERGY EFFICIENCY Larry Gardner, Yaskawa America Inc.
How to choose between an ECM and a VFD While each has its place in HVAC applications, electronically commutated motors and variable frequency drives have important differences in simplicity, flexibility, cost and other factors
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lectronically commutated motors are getting a lot of notoriety recently. At times, these have been referred to as brushless direct current motors and EC motors. Variable frequency drives are interchangeably called variable speed drives and adjustable speed drives, which all mean the same thing. Alternating current induction motors are everywhere and consume 45% of the world’s energy. But where can you find ECMs? Everyone reading this probably has ECMs in their homes. ECMs have been used in computer disk drives since the very early days. In heating, ventilating and air conditioning applications, many of the newer residential and some commercial equipment manufacturers use ECMs for fractional and small integral horsepower loads. For industrial control panels, virtually all the
cooling muffin fans are driven by ECMs. Common questions include if ECMs are more efficient, expensive, easier to install, easier to replace, do they cause harmonics problems, are controls integrated with the motor, are AC or DC powered, is it a new technology and a wave of the future? The trouble is, the answers are all dependent on a variety of the bounds that frame the answer, such as size, application, system components, personnel training and many other factors. Both VFDs and ECMs each have their place. Starting with the very basics, a motor requires magnets in the stator and magnets in the rotor. The opposing and attracting forces between the stator and rotor poles cause the rotor to turn. The trick is to change the polarity of the magnets at the proper time to keep the rotor spinning.
Brushed dc motors
Figure 1: The brushes in a brushed direct current motor change the polarity of the motor’s magnets with each revolution. Graphics and tables courtesy: Yaskawa America Inc.
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Figure 1 is a brushed dc motor. When the rotor gets to the proper position, the brushes, which connect the voltage to the windings that produce the magnetism, connect with the next section of the commutator to reverse the magnets’ polarity. Thus, the motor keeps turning. These motors are simple to produce, are relatively inexpensive and are still in use. However, brushes have some inherent problems. They wear out and require regular replacement, so science found a better way of commutation. Interestingly, the major influence for that better way came about during World War II when brushed dc motors in high-altitude aircraft failed when brushes rapidly deteriorate above 30,000 feet. The first patent for what was then called a “commutatorless dc motor” was claimed by Harrison Brailsford in 1955. Then, things really got urgent when it was discovered that brushes lasted only minutes in the hard vacuum of space. So now, 60 or 70 years later, we have ECMs that use electronic devices like power switching www.controleng.com
transistors to replace the mechanical commutator assembly of a DC motor. ECMs use electronics, such as Hall Effect sensors, to sense the position of the rotor for commutation of the magnets. In the HVAC world, ECMs are generally thought of as a motor and controls integrated into a single unit. The intelligence built into the controls turns the ECMs into specific-purpose devices. Beyond that definition, ECMs are most often permanent magnet motors. The use of permanent magnets contributes to two important areas that will be covered in more detail later: higher efficiency and higher cost. It’s important to note here that VFDs can drive permanent magnet motors, too. There are most commonly three types of ECMs: constant CUBIC feet per minute, constant revolutions per minute and constant torque. For HVAC applications, it’s the controls built into the ECM that determine its type. The motor is the same. These aren’t the only types of ECMs in the world; these are just the most common HVAC types. Because the controls are integrated with the motor and because the controls are typically programmed by the original equipment manufacturer at the factory, the various types and sizes are not interchangeable. If not an exact duplicate, replacement requires at least the same type and possibly from the same manufacturer to assure correct operation.
Motor differences: ac vs dc
Let’s take a look at how these things work. First, let’s look at a typical VFD powering an AC induction motor. Three-phase AC induction motors, which have been in use for more than 100 years, are fixed-speed devices when powered directly from the ac line. The motor speed is determined by its number of poles and the frequency of its supply, which here in the U.S. is 60 Hertz. All conventional VFDs are of the same basic design to use an input rectifier section to convert the ac to dc. That dc power is then stored in capacitors. In Figure 2, the output section draws from that dc power and sends pulses to the motor in a method called pulse width modulation. By varying the timing and duration of the pulses, the VFD can control the speed of the motor by varying the frequency of the pulses. Note the similarities to the VFD in the ECM in Figure 3. Most of the HVAC ECMs are three-phase permanent magnet motors. The significant difference here is that the ECM has the motor and speed control built into a single unit. The width of the pulses here varies the average voltage the motor sees, just like a VFD. Remember, though, these ECM pulses happen rates in the tens of Hertz, where VFDs send pulses at switching frequencies in the tens of thousands of Hertz. Now let’s look at some of those dependencies noted earlier (see Table 1). ECMs have definite
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Figure 2: Variable frequency drives use input rectifiers, direct current capacitors, and insulated gate bi-polar transistors to send pulse width modulation to the external alternating current motor.
Figure 3: Electronically commutated motors use the same components as variable frequency drives to accomplish pulse width modulation; however, the motor here is internal to the ECM.
advantages over fractional and small horsepower single-phase motors without speed control; however, they become cost-prohibitive in higher horsepowers. VFDs and induction motors are available to meet any HVAC application. ECMs are typically programmed for a single purpose at the factory, while VFDs can be programmed at any time to do whatever job is required. Also, because of the wide range of capability built into VFDs, they are flexible enough to be programmed to not only satisfy the application required, but also to accommodate changes and be adjusted to fix problems and unexpected surprises. VFDs can be tied into a building automation system through embedded communication networks, such as BACnet, whereas most ECMs lack that capability. Because the controls are built in, ECMs are limited in their environments by the electronics. Because VFDs are separate, they can be located in friendlier locations than the motors they drive. Regarding standardization, ECMs that are integrated with their application, such as fans, are typically built with a unique design for that specific purpose. AC induction motors are built to standards like NEMA (the National Electrical Manufacturers Association) and International Electrotechnical Commission and VFDs are sized to meet those standards. If you have a motor-VFD combination and need a replacement, you have a wide variety of suppliers to choose from to do the job for each of those devices. You might have a challenge, though, if your ECM fan in an array fails and that model is no longer available. Now let’s look more closely at some other dependencies for single-phase motor types (see Table 2). First, when considering ECMs for residential control engineering
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KEYWORDS: Energy efficiency, variable frequency drives, VFDs Understand the similarities and differences between electronically commutated motors and variable frequency drives. Learn important criteria for ECM or VFD selection. ONLINE See more text on motors for commercial buildings and graphics, tables on Affinity Law, design differences, motors and criteria with this article online at www. controleng.com/magazine.
CONSIDER THIS What energy efficiency VFD opportunities are you missing?
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DRIVES, ENERGY EFFICIENCY HVAC applications, it’s important to decide priorities. If first cost is the driving factor, then the traditional shaded pole AC induction motor is the obvious choice. However, if thinking is more long-term, the efficiencies of the three designs are dramatically different. To calculate the payback, one needs to know the duty cycle for the application, which could translate to payback in a year or two for continuous operation or infinity if the motor only runs intermittently. Speed control for traditional ac motors is dependent on the speed taps available. ECM speeds, on the other hand, are continuously variable based on the program built into the controls at the OEM. The programmability of the ECM can certainly contribute to occupant comfort when properly applied, which also has value.
Motor efficiencies
ECMs are touted as being more energy efficient than the VFD-ac motor combination and in some cases, they are. Their efficiency gains come primarily from their use of permanent magnets in the motor, which enables them to avoid the losses associated with the electromagnetism of the stator in a traditional ac motor and by being specifically designed for one purpose. VFDs, on the other hand, can control not only AC induction motors, but also permanent magnet and synchronous reluctance motors if efficiency is more important than first cost. Both ECMs and VFDs gain efficiency over fixed-speed motors from the characteristics of
Electronically commutated motors vs. VFDs Criteria
ECM
VFD
Horsepower
<10 horsepower
Unlimited
Application
Single-purpose
Unlimited
Communications
Dedicated
Building automation system networks
Environment
Limited
Higher temperatures
Standardization
Varies
NEMA standards
Table 1: These are dependencies to consider when evaluating electronically commutated motors and variable frequency drives.
ECMs vs. conventional single-phase motors Criteria
Shaded pole
Permanent split capacitor
ECM
First cost
1x
2x
4x
Efficiency
15% to 25%
40% to 60%
70% to 80%
Speed control
Single
Single or multiple
Variable
Programmable
—
—
Factory
Table 2: Although higher cost initially, electronically commutated motors have significant advantages over conventional single-phase motors in the long run.
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affinity laws, which state that the power consumed for centrifugal loads varies with the cube of the speed. That means that if the speed is cut in half, the power is only one-eighth (0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5). Here is a high-level overview of the typical capabilities of VFDs and ECMs. VFDs are selfcontained motor speed control devices that cover the complete range of horsepowers in most facilities. And they have capabilities far beyond simple speed control.
Assessing VFDs versus ECMs
Figure 5 shows a means of deciding between VFDs and ECMs. Remember, where those red triangles fit on these sliding scales is influenced by all those dependencies mentioned. There is no “one size fits all” for every situation. These listed here, though, are criteria that should be considered in all evaluations. Recent trends for VFDs include new models with higher operating temperature limits to open up more challenging application environments. In addition, programming has been expanded beyond the VFD keypad and PC programming software to include mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, which every service technician carries these days. Those smart devices even have the ability to provide programming power to the VFD without the need for main three-phase power. Additionally, VFD programs can be stored and retrieved via free cloud service from anywhere with an internet connection. The primary limiting factor for ECMs to be practical above 10 to 15 horsepower is the cost of their permanent magnets. There is research going on in a wide variety of industries, including electric vehicles and wind turbine generation, to find better magnets at lower costs and less dependence on the world’s sources of rare earth mines. So far, the magnets with better properties than the ferrites, such as neodymium or samarium-cobalt come at 10, 15 or 100 times the cost. With better, lower-cost magnets, ECMs could expand their range of horsepowers. In addition, standardized designs may relieve the need for exact replacements. One very interesting application for ECMs and VFDs both is dc system supplies, as has been implemented in some data centers. Data centers are now are estimated to consume as much power globally as the entire United Kingdom. Some are avoiding harmonics from ECMs and VFDs by converting incoming ac power at the entry point to dc with appropriate harmonics mitigation and feeding the entire system with 380 volts dc to eliminate the need for the input rectifier section of all the speed control devices. ce
Larry Gardner is HVAC product manager at Yaskawa America Inc. Edited by Amara Rozgus, ConsultingSpecify Engineer editor-in-chief/content strategy leader, CFE Media and Technology, arozgus@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com
ANSWERS
TUNING TIPS: PID Brian Fenn, Avanceon
Understanding PID tuning Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) tuning can be challenging to learn, but the experience gained can serve engineers well in other areas. See six things to do when a PID loop underperforms.
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roportional-integral-derivative (PID) loop performance is often overlooked once the system is commissioned and a to be functioning. Those loops are often not thought of again as a means of continuous improvement. They function “properly” and so they are often ignored until something goes so out of whack that it pops up to the top of the issue pile. Those incidents are few and far between and they don’t get much attentions. However, operational incidents are often responsible for critical components of product quality and production rate that can have a sizeable impact on operational efficiency. There are some definitive engineering and mathematical steps to take when tuning a loop, but there is also a lot to be said for experience and understanding how to tweak things based on the loop makeup and response. It can certainly be a challenge those first couple times, but that hard-won experience on one application or process can often serve engineers well in other areas. System integrators typically interact only with the tuning parameters of a loop during the start-up. Once the control system commissioning is complete, what happens to those loop tuning parameters and overall loop performance is unknown and falls into the category of mysterious. We always wonder, do operators turn loops into manual (or even off) to control the system themselves? Do different operators feel they have a better handle over the process than others and frequently tweak the loop to their “right” numbers? Do those loops responsiveness lessen over time due to degrading equipment and real-world conditions? Finally, does the initial system process design always capture all phases and modes of operation where alternate PID tuning parameters would be better than the originals?
Correcting sub-optimal PID performance
Control loops often are set up and tuned initially and then forgotten or ignored unless something “major” happens. If “nothing major
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happens,” the lack of attention to loop performance creates a breeding ground for quality issues, significant efficiency losses and operational inconsistency. This is often what helps to drive some of that manual intervention as things aren’t bad enough to cause obvious issues, but still suboptimal enough for operators to try to make it a little better. There are many reasons why a loop might be suffering from sub-optimal performance. One reason is mechanical wear or failure. These loops contain a variety of physical components subject to wear and breakdowns. It could be that proactive maintenance work is not being done on those components. Regardless of whether users follow a timebased preventive maintenance schedule or a condition or analysis-based predictive maintenance schedule, proactive tasks and replacement of worn parts is important to optimal performance of control loops.
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Each element of a system needs to be properly functioning to give the control
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logic its best chance at success. Six things to do when a PID loop underperforms
Whether it’s applying grease to prevent physical binding or replacing an actuator that isn’t moving as quickly, each element needs to be properly functioning to give the control logic its best chance at success. When a PID loop is under-performing: 1. Take a look at the physical situation first. It is easier to re-tune than rebuild a control valve, but the underlying issue remains and will get worse. 2. The logic supporting the PID block also should be considered. There are many programming approaches and techniques that can be coupled with the PID algorithm to improve the loop’s control engineering
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TUNING TIPS: PID
When dealing with loop performance, it can feel like PID tuning is a cross between engineering, mathematics and the dark arts, but when properly learned, it can provide system integrators many benefits. Courtesy: Avanceon
consistency and performance. For example, users might have a loop that finds itself a good distance away from the setpoint relative to the potential process variable change due to changes in recipe or loop dynamics. In this case it can be beneficial to have the code drive the loop in manual at a high output until they get into a defined range. When that happens, users switch the loop into automatic mode and allow the algorithm to take control.
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Other things in the process may affect the loop differently at separate times, such as seasonal or product-based changes in viscosity.
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3. Another beneficial coding component when a PID loop under performs is alarming. Setting alarms around taking too long to reach setpoint or too much variance while “at” setpoint can help flag issues in real time and/or trigger additional programmatic interventions. This is useful in minimizing response time when we do need to do some of that reactive maintenance. 4. Signal filtering also is an important consideration when PID loop underperforms. During startup, users are concerned about getting the loop to control and respond correctly. It might not be obvious that noise or other minor fluctuations on your process variable are causing the loop response to be jittery. A knee-jerk reaction would be to de-tune the loop to provide a damped response, but you can better deal with it by filtering the process variable (PV) signal.
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5. There also is the PID algorithm itself to consider. It is important to make sure that the control doesn’t stretch the capabilities of the loop. If the tuning parameters are set too aggressively, users run the risk of causing physical issues in the process. For instance, users might cause water hammering by slamming valves fully closed or open too quickly. This can lead to damage of other elements in the system. 6. There also might be different scenarios the loop has to operate under. While the setpoint might not change, there might be other things going on in the process that affect the loop differently at separate times, such as seasonal or product-based changes in viscosity. This might lend itself to having different sets of tuning parameters that can be loaded in depending on the surrounding circumstances. Given the current advancements in data and analytics technology, we are in luck and have options to solve this issue. With data capture and storage available, it is easy to gather loop information to provide better insight into how they are performing and where improvement is available. By aggregating this data, it is possible to identify changes and dips in performance that aren’t as apparent monitoring the loop in real time. More manufacturers looking to use machine learning (ML) to evaluate their process-critical loops performance over time. This evaluation yields great insight to improve operations and know what is happening with the system when no one is watching. This approach provides a more structured and scientific “defense” to combating control loop performance than just the tinkering “art” of old. ce Brian Fenn is COO at Avanceon, a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
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KEYWORDS: PID, system integration Learning proportional-integral-derivative (PID) tuning can help system integrators in other applications. Integrators should constantly be on the lookout for signs of sub-optimal performance. Machine learning can help integrators zero in on potential tuning issues.
ONLINE Read additional articles about PID at www.controleng.com.
CONSIDER THIS What benefits can your plant gain from constant PID monitoring? www.controleng.com
ANSWERS
TUNING TIPS: PID
Rocky Chambers, Maverick Technologies
Know where to start with control loop tuning Understanding proportional gain and integral time’s functions in control loop tuning values and how they work together is important.
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o determine initial control loop tuning values, users must first look at what type of process we are dealing with and understand what the primary tuning constants P (proportional gain) and I (integral time) do. Processes can be classified as accumulating or non-accumulating. • Accumulating – Processes where material or energy are accumulated or held. Levels are accumulating because they hold volume or mass. Vapor pressures can be accumulating as they accumulate gas. Some temperatures are accumulating because they hold heat capacity. • Non-accumulating – Flows, hydraulic pressures, and temperature due to combustion. Why is this important? Integral time is based on the time it takes a process to accumulate (see figure 1). For example, if it takes 5 minutes to fill a tank halfway at full feed, the integral time will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 minutes. Conversely, the time it takes for a change in valve position to reach the flowmeter is a matter of seconds. This would be a good start for the integral time for the flow.
Proportional and integral fundamentals for control loop tuning
Let’s look at this general rule at play. The integral time (in time per repeat) is relative to the accumulation time. A large time to accumulate means a large integral time; conversely, a short accumulation time means a small integral time. Once we get an integral starting point, we can work on proportional gain. Proportional gain is relative to size. For example, a large tank could have a very large proportional gain and stay in control. That might mean, for instance, a value of 20 for a very large vessel, where a small tank could only tolerate a smaller proportional, say 2. When dealing with proportion, keep in mind how far we want the valve to travel based on the error (difference between setpoint and measurement). Since users don’t want the tank to run empty or overflow and the integral time is rather long, the proportional should be a value of 1 or greater.
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Integral time is based on the time it takes a process to accumulate, which is a crucial aspect of control-loop tuning. Courtesy: Maverick Technologies
Since the process for a flow is small compared to a level, the proportional gain should be small, most likely less than 1. Pressures can be small if users are trying to control the hydraulic pressure in a line, or large if they are controlling the vapor pressure of a large vessel. Larger processes are often accumulating while smaller ones are non-accumulating, which means process size and proportional are relative. Derivative is something users want to avoid unless the process has excursions, such as a reactor temperature that has a rapid rise and fall due to reactivity. In this case, users are looking at the rate of change and trying to mirror that with the derivative time. These few simple rules can help get a control loop into a position where users can fine tune it to get the kind of recovery curve desired from process upsets. Keeping in mind integral time is relative to accumulation and proportional is relative to size will help get the loop tuning process started.ce Rocky Chambers is a control systems specialist at Maverick Technologies, a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. control engineering
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KEYWORDS: control loop tuning, process control Understanding proportional gain and integral time is critical for control loop tuning. Control loop tuning processes can be classified as accumulating or non-accumulating, Integral time is relative to accumulation and proportional gain is relative to size in control loop tuning.
ONLINE See additional stories about control loop tuning at www.controleng.com.
CONSIDER THIS What additional fundamentals should users consider when it comes to control loop tuning?
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EDGE COMPUTING Q&A Thomas Coombs, Northeast Automation Company Inc.
Edge computing provided cost-effective upgrades Case study: Used equipment had legacy or defunct controllers or no automation. Edge controllers and input/output devices helped integrate equipment into a cohesive system, which led to making an edge controller the focus.
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ntegrators for control systems are developing experiences with how edge computing can be applied to existing and new applications. Edge devices put computing, communications, and analytics on the edge of the process. In newer architectures, they can serve as the machine or process controller. What can you learn from system integrator experiences?
Q1. Can you please briefly describe the project?
In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in response to the huge demand for hand sanitizer, Emerald 66 (E66) set up shop in Seminole, Okla. With nothing but investor money and an empty denim processing plant, E66 hired Northeast Automation Co. Inc. (NACI) to help them develop an automated bottling and packaging process as fast as possible.
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Some machines had functional controllers when we acquired them, and others had
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defunct PLCs or no automation at all.
The quickest way to approach this was to buy secondhand equipment at auction, leading to the need to integrate various control systems as well as non-automated equipment into a cohesive system. In the middle of this process, an E66 customer suffered a financial collapse, prompting a critical change in the business model and further stressing processing capabilities.
Q2. What was the scope of the project and goals?
This project entailed building a brand-new process from the ground up without any equipment in place but a lot of urgency to capitalize on the spike in
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market demand. The ultimate goal was to build out a fully-automated, high-volume co-packaging and distribution company with the ability to fill, cap, label, and package one-gallon hand sanitizer bottles. This aim was based, in part, on the initial business model, which focused on achieving the necessary throughput to meet demand for one very large customer. E66 were competing against low-paid, high-volume workforces doing things manually. They believed they could be a little bit smarter, pay their employees a little bit better and use technology to surge and flex and capture savings. Given that, the focus on automation also was driven by a desire to establish a state-of-the-art information management system with intelligent equipment that could inform future process improvements.
Q3. What types of automation,
controls, or instrumentation were used?
Since the approach to building up the process lines was to acquire low-cost secondhand equipment, Northeast Automation had a grab bag of control components to deal with. E66 process lines consist of conveyors, rotary fillers, cappers, labeling/wrapping/ printing stations, box formers, case fillers, box tapers, and palletizers. Some of these units had functional controllers when we acquired them, typically legacy programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and others had defunct PLCs or no automation at all. We looked for a way to integrate all this equipment into a cohesive system, which led us to make an edge controller the central focus. The edge controllers integrate each of the two process lines, acting as supervisory controllers to existing PLCs, controlling components not already managed by a local control system, and managing database transactions. In addition, edge input/output (I/O) devices have proven reliable as a cost-effective, rapidly deployed remote I/O for the edge controller. In some cases where we have needed specialty I/O capabilities, we also used an older I/O system. www.controleng.com
Figure 1: Rotary filler, capper, and conveyor systems are within a segment of Emerald 66’s process line. Opto 22’s groov EPIC edge controller integrated each of the two process lines, acting as supervisory controllers to existing PLCs, controlling components not already managed by a local control system, and managing database transactions. Courtesy: Northeast Automation
And more recently, as E66 has moved into original equipment manufacturer (OEM) development, we have designed equipment with edge controller and edge I/O devices as the primary control system.
Q4. What were particular challenges outlined in the project?
NACI was challenged with everything a blank slate and a short timeline could offer. The speed of development and the variety of equipment we acquired meant working without a clear plan. But this was all well and good given that the primary goal was to achieve target throughput for one unvarying product line. However, this changed significantly when the big customer that E66 was working with suffered a financial setback and had to close. Then the whole business had to pivot to allow E66 to become a multi-product facility. Automation grew from processing a high volume of one-gallon containers to working with a variety of sanitizer chemistries in different batch sizes and packaging form factors: from small 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-ounce containers, hand pumps, and spray bottles, to large jugs in excess of one gallon.
Q5. How were those issues resolved?
E66’s focus on smart automation was critical to solving both of our big challenges. Purchasing equipment at auction and integrating with edge controllers and I/O devices, NACI was able to get 15 different pieces of equipment running in 3 months. And when we had to change gears to develop a multi-product process, the investment in automation up front gave us the flexibility to quickly retool. Initially, we bought 10 remote I/O edge devices, just to have them ready to go when new equipment arrived. As each new piece of equipment came online, we would pop one in, identify what kind of signals the unit provided and what kind of data we could get out of it. Then, we used the module to mirror existing I/O signals, like load cells and photo eyes, in parallel with existing PLCs to get that data into the edge controller control system. We could do this with maybe half an hour of wiring, which let us move very quickly. And in other cases, where
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the control system was dead on arrival, we would drop in an I/O device and integrate the controls directly. Combined with on-site panel building and 3D printing, it was incredibly fast to develop and deploy new capabilities. In another example, as E66 has continued to diversify its business, we have found a niche for original equipment development for overseas export. In one case, using edge controller and edge I/O device, we took an inline mixer design from concept to implementation in about five days, including a mobile-ready human-machine interface (HMI) with an industrial server built into the edge controller. In about four hours, we built the automation for a system E66 will sell to other producers for $50,000.
Q6. Can you share positive metrics?
In spite of a significant change to E66’s original business model, it was able to break even on its initial investment in about six months. It is now capable of automated filling up to 1 million per week or more 32-ounce, 16-ounce and similar size bottles, and high-speed filling of 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-ounce bottles in multiple shapes and caps. E66 also has started a technology division focused on developing original equipment.
Q7. What were the resulting lessons learned you’d like to share?
It didn’t take long to impress the customer with the features offered in edge computing and I/O solutions. They are excited about how quickly we can go from concept to cash while also building secondary infrastructure like mobile visualization and information management systems that will help them stay competitive long-term.ce
Thomas Coombs is owner, Northeast Automation Company Inc. Northeast Automation Company Inc. and Opto 22 are CSIA members. CSIA is a CFE Media and Technology content partner. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.com. control engineering
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KEYWORDS: Edge controllers, edge computing Edge controllers integrate two process lines as supervisory controllers to existing PLCs, controlling components not already managed by a local control system, and managing database transactions. Retrofits: 15 different pieces of equipment were running in 3 months. CONSIDER THIS How can edge controllers speed your automation updates?
ONLINE If reading from the digital edition, click on the headline for more resources including diagram showing equipment integration. www.controleng.com/ magazine www.controleng.com/ Global-SI-Database
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INSIDE MACHINES: SAFETY STANDARDS Control Engineering Europe
Safety services on a standard network Communication networks have changed the look of today’s automation systems by distributing processing, sensors and actuators to where they are required.
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IP safety extends the industry standard common industrial protocol (CIP) base services by adding CIP Safety distinctive services to transport data for CIP based networks such as EtherNet/IP with high integrity. It can offer a scalable, network independent approach to safety networking, where the safety services are described in a well-defined layer, allowing the underlying network services to be changed. This approach is said to enable the seamless routing of safety data, allowing users to create end to end safety chains across multiple links. The same motivations that originally moved communication networks into the industrial environment – greater distances, increased flexibility, reduced cost, and improved maintainability – are also driving the development of industrial safety networks. End users recognize the limitations of traditional hardwired safety solutions as hardwired systems are difficult to develop and maintain for all but the most basic applications. For example, hardwired safety systems employ relays, which are interconnected to provide a safety function. Furthermore, these systems place significant restrictions on the distance between devices. KEYWORDS: safety standards, CIP safety As safety system developers proCIP safety can offer a scalable, gressed beyond basic E-stop functions, network independent approach they found themselves forced to fall back to safety networking. to hardwired logic techniques, which CIP Safety is based on the have been out of widespread use for concommon industrial protocol trol functions since the 1970s. Even when (CIP), which allows network independent routing of data. they were successful in developing a sigIt is certified for functional nificantly sized safety system, these were safety protocols and can be used often costly and difficult to maintain.
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for communication interfaces.
Safety services
ONLINE www.controleng.com/ networking-and-security
CONSIDER THIS Safety extends to the networks that connect devices.
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Because of these issues and a growing need for process data and flexibility, it is desirable to provide safety services on standard communication networks. The development of CIP Safety by ODVA for
control engineering
use on EtherNet/IP and other networks is one such example. The key to these developments was not to create a network that could not fail, but to create a system in which failures in the network would cause safety devices to go to a known safe state. If users know to which state the system would go, they can make their application safe, yet this means that significantly more checking and redundant coding information would be required. Fortunately, communication networks have become pervasive in automated systems, and electronics capable of advanced diagnostics are widely available.
Functional safety
The foundation of functional safety is the IEC 61508 standard. Following the guidance of that standard, additional safety standards specific to industries, products, and technologies have been developed, such as IEC 62061, ISO 13849-1, and IEC 61784-3. To avoid the complexity and maintenance of designing a dedicated safety-rated network, IEC 61508 and IEC 61784-3 emphasize another option called ‘the black channel’ which assumes that the network is completely unreliable, so diagnostics must exist outside of the network infrastructure. This concept stipulates that if a safety communication protocol has enough error detection built into the protocol, it can be transmitted independently across different network types without degrading the integrity of the safety data. This can include traversing multiple network links and network segmentation techniques. Building a safety communication protocol with the black channel principle can be problematic if the corresponding standard communication protocol is heavily dependent on non-standard network hardware. CIP Safety is based on the common industrial protocol (CIP), which allows network independent routing of data. These base services have been www.controleng.com
IP67 RATED
I/O SYSTEM FIELD A MODERN APPROACH TO IP67 RATED DISTRIBUTED I/O • • • •
Fieldbus Communications – PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus, IO-Link IIoT Protocols – MQTT, OPC UA, HTTP(S), Bluetooth Integrated Load Management – Monitor power consumption, set alarms, and adjust output current Ready for the Future – Made for TSN
www.wago.us/systemfield input #15 at www.controleng.com/information
ANSWERS
INSIDE MACHINES: SAFETY STANDARDS
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Standard routers can be used to route safety data across networks as long as the underlying safety data is not modified.
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extended to allow high integrity safety services by the addition of CIP Safety distinctive network services offering a solution for a scalable, routable, network-independent safety layer, removing the requirement for dedicated safety gateways. Since all safety devices execute the same protocol, independent of which media on which they reside, the user approach is consistent and independent of media or network used. The CIP is designed to allow different networks to be used with a common protocol. Since it is designed to be media and datalink independent, it allows for expansion to other networks and to grow as Ethernet grows. CIP Safety is an extension to the standard capabilities of CIP, and it has been certified by TÜV Rheinland for use in functional safety applications. It extends the model by adding CIP Safety application layer functionality.
Because the safety application layer extensions do not rely on the integrity of the underlying standard CIP services and datalink layers, single channel (non-redundant) hardware can be used for the datalink communication interface. This same partitioning of functionality allows standard routers to be used to route safety data across networks as long as the underlying safety data is not modified and between different layers of complex networks. The routing of safety messages is possible because the end device is responsible for confirming the integrity of the data. If an error occurs in the transmission of data or in the intermediate router, the end device will detect the failure and take an appropriate action. Only the safety data that is needed is routed to the required cell, which reduces the individual bandwidth requirements. The combination of fast responding local safety cells and the inter-cell routing of safety data allows users to create significantly larger and more complex safety applications with fast response times. ce This article originally appeared on Control Engineering Europe’s website. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
KNOW THIS FEELING? Then stop using complicated controllers for precision motion. You shouldn’t need a Ph.D. in control systems to program your controller. With Automation1, you can now reduce your set up time — in many cases, from days down to minutes — thanks to a user-friendly, intuitive interface and machine setup wizard. Automation1 is the most user-friendly precision motion control platform available.
input #16 at www.controleng.com/information
Make your motion easier. Visit aerotech.com/automation1.
AT0520A-CSG
ANSWERS
NETWORK SAFETY Nelly Ayllon, PI North America
Functional safety networks for Ethernet communication protocols PROFIsafe extends the Profinet communication protocol to address unique requirements for safety-related information necessary to conform to strict safety standards.
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unctional safety (fail-safe) is the overall part of safety which aims to prevent hazards due to the incorrect functioning of industrial machinery. Traditionally, functional safety systems relied on separately wired circuits that are expensive to build, commission, and maintain. Nowadays, functional safety can be done over the fieldbus, shifting from safety in hard relays to safety in logic. PROFIsafe can provide functional safety over the bus. It is designed to eliminate the need for a separate safety network and reduces industrial network architectures to one bus. PROFIsafe extends the Profinet communication protocol to address unique requirements for safety-related information necessary to conform to strict safety standards.
Functional safety standards
PROFIsafe ensures the integrity of fail-safe signals transmitted between safety devices and a safety controller, meeting relevant safety standards. That includes the highest safety categories: up to SIL3 according to IEC 61508/IEC 62061, and Category 4 according to EN 954-1, or PL “e” according to ISO 13849-1.
PROFIsafe components are commonly called F-components (fail-safe). The following are PROFIsafe elements in an F-system: • The F-GSD file (General station description file: Profinet device description provided by the device manufacturer) contains all the information to allow an F-controller to set up and communicate with the device. A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) protects the F-GSD file to ensure its safety conformance. • The F-config tool is the programming environment. It uses F-GSDs to create and download the system configuration and F-program to the F-controller. The F-program and configuration are subject to PROFIsafe safety checks to ensure correct functioning. • The F-controller executes the safety program. • F-Devices use hardware safety techniques to ensure their safe operation. Input/output (I/O), light curtains, valves, and drives are a few examples of F-devices.
Network components, implementation
Figure 1: PROFIsafe is designed to work independently of the base transmission channel, such as copper wire, fiber optics, wireless, or a backplane. Images courtesy: PI North America
Not all Profinet devices support PROFIsafe. Therefore, the user must carefully select safety components. During implementation, the user selects the elements within the network that require safety; only those network components require PROFIsafe capabilities. As shown in the figure, the overall network configuration may contain a mix of fail-safe (yellow) and standard (gray) components. Also, PROFIsafe is designed to work independently of the base transmission channel, whether that channel is copper wire, fiber optics, wireless, or a backplane.
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INSIDE MACHINES: NETWORK SAFETY
Figure 2: Example of the black channel principle.
PROFIsafe protections, certifications
PROFIsafe protects communication from the safety signal origination to the signal destination (and vice versa). It also helps ensure the integrity of the safety portion of the communication. Within any Ethernet-based network, certain communication errors can occur, such as message repetition, deletion, or delays. PROFIsafe incorporates several remedies to address all possible communication errors accordingly. The following table lists the remedies and indicates which errors they mitigate. The transmission rate and any built-in error detection mechanisms of the transmission protocol are considered “black channels” and play no role in safety considerations. This approach frees users from having to worry about the safety assessment of the individual system communication paths. Also, there is no need for safety rated cables or connectors.
Safety network errors and remedies R E M E D Y: Error type
Consecutive numbering
Repetition
4
Deletion
4
4
Insertion
4
4
Resquencing
4
Time out with receipt
Codename for sender and reciever
4
Data corruption
4
Delay
4
Masquerade
4
Removing memory failures
Cyclic redundancy check
4
4
4
Table: PROFIsafe incorporates several remedies to address all possible communication errors accordingly.
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Device manufacturers that choose to add this profile to a Profinet product must certify such products for PROFIsafe before it is available to the public. PI test laboratories perform the approved PROFIsafe layer tests on behalf of assessment bodies such as: • TÜV (worldwide) • IFA (Germany) • SP (Sweden) • SUVA (Switzerland) • HSE (United Kingdom) • FM, UL (USA) ce Nelly Ayllon, technical marketing director, PI North America, a CFE Media content partner. This article originally appeared on PI North America’s website. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
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KEYWORDS: functional safety, PROFIsafe, Ethernet networks Functional safety (fail-safe) aims to prevent hazards due to the incorrect functioning of industrial machinery. PROFIsafe eliminates the need for a separate safety network and reduces industrial network architectures to a single bus. PROFIsafe protects communication from the safety signal origination to the signal destination. ONLINE See additional articles about industrial networks at www.controleng.com.
CONSIDER THIS What industrial network challenges does your company face when it comes to protocols? www.controleng.com
Industrial-strength MQTT/Sparkplug B: Building industrial MQTT networks at scale with edge computing Josh Eastburn | Director of Technical Marketing, Opto 22 Since 2015, MQTT has consistently ranked as the most popular internet of things (IoT)-specific messaging protocol in the Eclipse Foundation’s annual IoT Developer Survey. An open-source OASIS/ISO standard, MQTT is proven and well-supported in enterprise and consumer applications. More recently, MQTT has gained traction within the manufacturing and processing industries. It enables organization-spanning data exchange by decoupling data producers and consumers using a brokered publish-subscribe architecture and by defining a lightweight, data-agnostic communication format that supports millions of connections.
The Sparkplug B specification, managed by the Eclipse Foundation, defines an MQTT implementation standard that ensures client interoperability and enhances MQTT with features designed to support the needs of industrial systems. The resulting infrastructure delivers data that is fit for use in operations, gracefully handles instability, and helps organizations scale by reducing administrative overhead. Sparkplug B compliant industrial edge devices provide complementary reliability in the physical layer, along with a variety of integration options and sufficient computing power to process and transmit field data efficiently and securely. The combination of MQTT, Sparkplug B, and industrial edge devices forms a complete solution for building and scaling connected IT/OT data networks. It is open, flexible, and powerful enough to support the requirements of any connected application.
However, MQTT’s innate flexibility is also a potential drawback, requiring stronger guarantees of interoperability and state management to meet the needs of a diverse industrial network. Likewise, the integration of disparate device protocols cannot be addressed purely through MQTT, given its current level of support and the long lifespan of legacy systems. And while MQTT addresses fundamental cybersecurity issues, by itself it isn’t sufficient to create a secure industrial IoT (IIoT) infrastructure.
For system integrators, developers, engineers, and managers wondering what MQTT can do for them, this paper explains the fundamentals of the MQTT protocol, demonstrates how the Sparkplug B specification adapts MQTT to industrial applications, and shows how to establish and scale MQTT networks using industrial edge computing. Download the paper at: op22.co/mqttwhitepaper
info@opto22.com • www.opto22.com
input #17 at www.controleng.com/information
INNOVATIONS
NEW PRODUCTS FOR ENGINEERS Radar level sensor works in dusty powders, bulk solids The BinMaster NCR-80 is a non-contact radar level sensor designed for superior performance in extremely dusty powders and bulk solids. Its powerful 80 GHz frequency focused in a narrow 4° beam angle with a measuring range up to 393 ft and accuracy within 0.2-in., which means it excels in tall and narrow vessels. The NCR-80 is offered with a 10° swiveling, stainless steel flange for precise targeting; a lightweight plastic antenna with an 8° swiveling flange or a mounting strap for adjustable targeting; or a 1-1/2” NPT mounting option for use in an existing process connection. The NCR-80 is resistant to interference, while its advanced filters ensure rapid signal processing and an update rate of less than one second. BinMaster, www.binmaster.com
Input #200 at www.controleng.com/information
Customized I/O station , minimum DIN rail space
The Axioline Smart Elements (SE) are designed to make it easy to create a customized input/output (I/O) station that occupies minimal DIN rail space. With a footprint of just 15 x 62 mm, one module can provide 16 digital or four analog I/O points. The Smart Elements are then stacked two high in the base units, making it possible to achieve 32 digital I/O on 15 mm of DIN rail. Compared to the similar I/O modules on the market, this module can reduce rail usage by an average of 25%. The Smart Element features push-in technology for tool-free installation, and the digital and analog modules require no configuration. Elements with specialty functions may require some basic configuration via the freeware Startup+ configuration software. Phoenix Contact, www.phoenixcontact.com
Input #201 at www.controleng.com/information
Category 2 safety relay module
Notebook integration for dashboard, data analysis
TrendMiner 2021.R1 brings notebook integration, which is designed to help users access data dashboards and code-based data analysis. 2021.R1 also features extended capabilities to support multiple asset frameworks and many new user-driven features to help end users improve operational performance and overall profitability. TrendMiner 2021.R1 enables operational experts in process industries to analyze, monitor and predict operational performance using sensor-generated time-series data. With their data science libraries of choice (e.g. Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, SciKitLearn), engineers can create and run custom scripts themselves for advanced statistical analyses and use AutoML capabilities to build machine learning models for anomaly detection. On top of that, they can operationalize the resulting notebook visualizations. TrendMiner, www.trendminer.com
The Idec HR5S is a Category 2 safety relay module designed to give designers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) more options to provide better end user safety while cutting costs and improving the productivity of machines and equipment. The HR5S safety relay module is the first on the market designed specifically to meet ISO 13849 Category 2 requirements. The HR5S is a key component for interlocking equipment and driving it to the safest possible state in case an emergency stop pushbutton or other safety input signal is activated. When Safety Category 2 is acceptable, then only single input connections, less expensive safety relays, and single outputs are needed. Fewer and less-specialized components can be used, control panel space is saved, and field wiring is decreased. Design, installation, testing, and support efforts are also minimized. They are designed for utility, chemical and extraction applications. Idec, www.idec.com
Input #202 at www.controleng.com/information
Field power supplies
The Puls Field Power Supplies (FIEPOS) family is subdivided into two series. The basic series offers one dc output and can be easily connected in parallel to increase total output power or create a reliable redundant system. The eFused series units have up to four current-limited outputs. These devices make it easy to implement selective current distribution, protection and monitoring directly in the field. The FIEPOS Field power supply family is based on a modular product platform. All units are based on either single-phase input or threephase input voltage and 300 or 500 W output power. All devices in the FIEPOS family provide 120% power continuously (up to 45 °C) and 200% for 5 seconds. This makes them suitable for starting demanding loads. Puls, www.pulspower.com
Input #204 at www.controleng.com/information
Input #203 at www.controleng.com/information
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See more New Products for Engineers. www.controleng.com/NPE
PE
OEM temperature sensors: Thermocouple, RTD, KTY, NTC
The ITS and KTS sensors offer a selection of sensor types, including thermocouple, RTD, KTY and NTC. They also provide completely customizable stem lengths, connections, signals and wiring configurations. Ashcroft ITS and KTS temperature sensors also can be tailored to meet unique application requirements. They are specifically designed for original equipment manufacturer(OEM) use. The ITS is designed for applications such as compressors, wind turbine gearboxes, mining machines and features include custom lengths and process connections. The KTS is designed for compressors, hydraulics, pumps and other industrial equipment. Ashcroft Inc., www.ashcroft.com
Input #205 at www.controleng.com/information
Rotary position sensors
The RV series of rotary position sensors that measure and provide feedback on the rotary displacement of rotating elements in industrial benchtop and test and measurement applications. While featuring a full 360° mechanical range, these RVDTs provide an output proportional to shaft rotation over a range of ±30° or more. Used to measure the angle of an incomplete turn, sensors are popularly used in mail sorters and diverter gates of packaging and postal sorting equipment as well as for actuator feedback, throttle position and quarter-turn valve position sensing. The RV series also features non-contact measurement for greater accuracy in measurement feedback, a wide operating temperature ranges of -55° to 105° C and shock and vibration tolerance.
Smart control system
Eye+ is the smart control system between Asycube and a robot, controlling the hopper, Asycube, camera and the robot from a web-based interface the EYE+ Studio. From this interface, it also makes it easy to configure the vision, perform hand-eye calibration, change recipes and program new parts. It is designed to be easy to use. No previous experience of machine vision required to setup and use the system resulting in faster installation and lower setup costs. It has a user-friendly interface with step-by-step instructions and explanations. It’s simply accessible via a web browser, no software download or additional licensing required. No third party software or hardware required for a complete system.
NewTek Sensor Solutions, www.newteksensors.com
Asyril S.A., www.asyril.com
Input #206 at www.controleng.com/information
Input #207 at www.controleng.com/information
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ia.io/ignition/whatsnew Input #100 at www.controleng.com/information
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INNOVATIONS
BACK TO BASICS: PROCESS AUTOMATION Lee Sullivan, Au2mate
Reduce waste, boost profits with process automation Automation can be used to reduce dairy process inefficiencies, while boosting profits.
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inimizing waste is a critical part of all processing strategies. However, the onus is particularly high for the dairy sector. Outside of processing, the scale of milk waste is colossal. According to the Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP), dairy processors waste over 13,000 tons of milk every year and it is estimated that over 33,000 tons of milk waste occurs each year, from a mixture of homes, the supply chain and manufacturing. Combined with the competitive nature of the sector, dairy processors are under increasing pressure to keep waste, and therefore costs, low. According to a report analyzing profitability in the dairy industry, margins fluctuate wildly between processors in different countries – with some nations boasting eight times higher profits than their neighbors. When evaluating profitability in dairy – without getting into the granular detail of farming and milking – there are a huge scope of factors that can impact costs. However, there’s no doubt that minimizing energy and product waste is essential.
Upgrading a control system
By their very nature, control systems can help processors achieve better operational management. In their most established form, a control system will connect all components and applications in a dairy processing facility – from pasteurization and evaporation, right through to cooling and ventilation systems. As part of a project with Arla Foods, Au2mate upgraded a control system for a Cheese Dairy facility in Denmark. With a yearly production of 58,000 tons of cream cheese, the facility contained over 3,500 individual components, all of which had the potential to reveal valuable insight into their functions, energy usage and waste. Upgrading the software to Au2mate’s ISA 88 standard, generated an improved and structured design philosophy. This ensured that phase sequence control was more efficient, trimming the programs to recover valuable time and recover from wash cycles quicker. The result was a reduction in electricity, steam, and ice water use by more than
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20% and a reduction in costs for water and chemicals or around 30%. Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) tools can provide another method to improve production, energy use and general equipment effectiveness.
Reducing waste with process automation
‘
Process automation can reduce process inefficiencies, boost profits.
Alongside energy reduction, process automation technologies can be used to reduce product waste in dairy processing. Manufacturing execution systems (MES) have long been used for waste identification in processing, but when integrated with enterprise technologies such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), they can provide an additional safety net to reduce waste to an absolute minimum. In a milk processing environment, for example, a decision-maker can use production data to manage processing execution. Tracking the transformation of products from raw materials right through to finished goods, for instance, from unprocessed milk through to a skimmed or semiskimmed product and ensuring all cleaning-inplace (CIP) is completed effectively. With this increased visibility, operators have more insight of the yield and respective waste of a specific batch or even time – if the process is waiting for a CIP to end – this is inefficient. From there, they can KEYWORDS: process determine the appropriate changes to automation, process make the process less wasteful. manufacturing Dealing with a product that is notoProcess control systems can help processors achieve better rious for high volumes of waste, dairy operational management. processors have a responsibility to keep Process automation technologies industrial waste to a minimum. By using can be used to reduce product process automation technologies to do waste in dairy processing. so, it is possible to reap the financial Overall equipment effectiveness benefits required to increase profit mar(OEE) tools also can help improve gins in a competitive environment. ce production.
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Lee Sullivan is divisional director of sales at Au2mate. This article originally appeared on Control Engineering Europe’s website. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
ONLINE See Control Engineering Europe at www.controlengeurope.com.
CONSIDER THIS What is the biggest challenge or hurdle you process facility has to overcome to become more efficient?
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Committed to providing continuing education to engineering professionals. Whether enrolled students need a refresher course on a particular topic or need to know more about the latest engineering industry issues, CFE Edu offers courses that touch on a wide variety of topics.
Want to drive your career forward with CFE Edu? View the course catalog at:
cfeedu.cfemedia.com
Our course catalog is RCEP Accredited, as well as certified by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for continuing education. AIA CES credits (learning unit hours) are earned for each course upon completion. After finishing each course, participants will receive a certificate of completion. Each course will educate and test participant knowledge via a mix of reading, video clips, and interactive elements.
Michael Rotz, Print Production Manager 717-766-0211 x4207, Fax: 717-506-7238 mike.rotz@frycomm.com Maria Bartell, Account Director, Infogroup Targeting Solutions 847-378-2275, maria.bartell@infogroup.com Rick Ellis, Audience Management Director 303-246-1250, REllis@CFEMedia.com 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. Information: For a Media Kit or Editorial Calendar, go to www.controleng.com/mediainfo. Marketing consultants: See ad index. Custom reprints, electronic: Shelby Pelon, Wright’s Media, 281-419-5725 x138, cfemedia@wrightsmedia.com
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ROCK SOLID PERFORMANCE T H E U 1 0 0 0 I N D U S T R I A L M AT R I X D R I V E
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Yaskawa America, Inc. 1-800-YASKAWA Email: info@yaskawa.com | yaskawa.com input #18 at www.controleng.com/information
Honey, I’m home! Tired of working nights and weekends on motion control projects? It’s time to contact an automation specialist at SEW-EURODRIVE for help. We provide a complete package from start to finish, including project planning, software, components, commissioning, troubleshooting, and worldwide support. Let our specialists be an extension of your team.
seweurodrive.com | 864-439-7537 input #19 at www.controleng.com/information
