Cee 17 02

Control, Instrumentation and Automation in the Process and Manufacturing Industries February 2017

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RFID: Ensuring consistent identiďŹ cation System solutions for applicationoptimised explosion protection A changing role for SCADA?

Bluetooth – back to the future?

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CONTENTS

Industrial networking and communication groups continue to work together….

Editor Suzanne Gill suzanne.gill@imlgroup.co.uk Sales Manager Nichola Munn nichola.munn@imlgroup.co.uk Production Sara Clover sara.clover@imlgroup.co.uk Business Development Manager Iain McLean iain.mclean@imlgroup.co.uk Dan Jago Group Publisher David May Production Manager Stuart Pritchard Studio Designer

Welcome to the first issue of 2017. I think this might turn out to be an interesting year and I hope one that works out well for us all! SPS/IPC/Drives 2016 already seems like a lifetime ago and we are now looking forward to the Hannover Messe in April. This year the partner country is Poland, so I am hoping there will be far less distruption to the event than last year when former president of the US, Barack Obama, paid a visit to the showground... practically grinding it to a halt for the first half of the first day.

My report about the latest industry networking and communication developments and agreements that were announced at the SPS/IPC/Drives exhibition can be found on pg 4, with my pick of some of the most interest-

ing new product launches on pg 6.

I have been talking to a variety of SCADA and HMI vendors to get their thoughts on the changing role for SCADA as we enter the era of smart manufacturing and IIoT. (pg 24) Opinion was divided, but what was obvious was that the SCADA that I reported on, say five years ago, bears little resemblance to the systems that are available today and the tasks that they are expected to undertake. I would be interested to know your thoughts on the subject, as I think that this debate might continue for some time to come.

Suzanne Gill – Editor suzanne.gill@imlgroup.co.uk

INDUSTRY REPORT

DRIVES & MOTORS

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20 All new motors placed on the market – between 0.75 kW to 375 kW – are now required to meet the IE3 efficiency level. Control Engineering Europe finds out what needs to be done to stay ahead of the regulations.

Suzanne Gill reports on the latest networking and communication protocol developments announced at the SPS/IPC/Drives event.

EDITOR’S CHOICE 6

SCADA & HMI

Ultra compact IPC; Open control platform for future-proof automation; and a wireless connectivity solution for AMHs.

24 Suzanne Gill reports on the changing role of SCADA systems as we enter the era of smart manufacturing and IIoT.

RFID TECHNOLOGY 10 High-precision processes can be improved by implementing component identification with UHF RFID technology, says Ingo Hecker.

12 The development of RFID systems for use in industrial environments has come a long way since its first teetering steps in the 1970’s.

14 Howard Forryan explains how advances in RFID technology can be utilised to improve manufacturing logistics systems.

PROCESS CONTROL 28 Achieving operational excellence using advanced process control.

FINAL WORD 34 Hartmut Pütz, president Factory Automation EMEA at Mitsubishi Electric Europe, talks about the digital transformation

HAZARDOUS AREAS 18 System solutions for application-optimised explosion protection

Control Engineering Europe is a controlled circulation journal published six times per year by IML Group plc under license from CFE Media LLC. Copyright in the contents of Control Engineering Europe is the property of the publisher.

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Control Engineering Europe

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Paid subscriptions for non-qualifying applicants are available for £113 (U.K.), £145 (Europe), £204 (rest of world); single copies £19.

February 2017

3

INDUSTRY REPORTS

Communication cooperation

CONTINUES APACE Suzanne Gill looks at the latest networking and communication protocol developments announced at the SPS/IPC/Drives event.

T

he CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) used the SPS/IPC/ Drives to announce the completion of the promised interoperability specification between CC-Link IE and PROFINET and also to launch CC-Link IE Field Network Basic.

Basic Mode is the latest addition to the CLPA family of network technologies, bringing CC-Link IE to 100Mbit devices through the implementation of software at both master and device level, without the need for hardware changes. The principal aim of the new technology is to increase the accessibility of CC-Link IE to vendors whose devices do not support gigabit connections. Basic Mode is compatible with TCP/IP and UDP/IP based Ethernet technology, which helps maximise interoperability with other Ethernet-based devices and services.

“Basic Mode takes the gigabit capabilities of CC-Link IE and offers them to devices that operate at 100Mbit. We are broadening our solution, offering the choice of gigabit or 100Mbit,” explained John Browett, general manager at CLPA Europe. “Typically, when developing devices for a network it is necessary to use special chips or develop some hardware. Basic allows everything to be developed using just software.”

Building on the initial 2015 announcement, the interoperability specification for CC-Link IE and PROFINET was launched at the most

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February 2017

recent event. The new document has been produced by a joint working group within a year of the original announcement. The specification will provide increased levels of transparency for users in both Asian and European markets. Over the past 12-months a working group has been drafting a specification to provide interoperability between the two protocols. The specification centres on the functionality of a ‘coupler’ device – which allows transparent communication between CC-Link IE and PROFINET, allowing, both networks to seamlessly share information, increasing transparency and integration. The first supported products are expected to come to market in 2017.

OPC-UA developments At an OPC Foundation press event, the initial results of a joint collaboration between Leuze electronic and Microsoft, to develop a sensor solution with Industry 4.0 capability, were discussed. The resulting Smart Sensor solution is based on the BCL 300i bar code reader from Leuze electronic. Its process data and metadata can be transferred directly to the Microsoft Azure Cloud via the Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP) of the OPC-UA interface without the need for an intermediate gateway. The data is recorded by the IOT hub and made available to the Azure Cloud Services for

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analysis and visualisation. The data in the Cloud can be visualised using an external device.

OPC UA is also being embedded at the chip level, making Hilscher netX Chips IIoT-ready. Hilscher’s strategy to support key technologies in the race towards IIoT architectures means that OPC UA is now fully operational in the stacks used in its netX 51/52 and netX90 slave chips. This means that a simple firmware change is all that is needed to enable slaves to communicate with Edge Gateways and the Cloud. The recently released netX 90 system-on-chip (SoC) boasts this capability from the start so both present and future generations of slave chips are now fully IIoT-enabled and can offer greater flexibility for a variety of industrial slave/device applications.

The FDT Group announced the release of an annex to the FDT standard for OPC UA, which will enable sensor-to-cloud, enterprise-wide connectivity in industrial control systems used in process, hybrid

Automation systems are becoming increasingly integrated and interconnected, with a greater degree of standardisation at all levels of the automation architecture.

Image supplied by the FDT Group.

Control Engineering Europe

INDUSTRY REPORTS and factory automation applications.

The FDT Group and OPC Foundation have been working on this initiative since 2011 to provide greater access to critical information throughout the enterprise.

The FDT standard is the hub of critical information from FDT/DTM-enabled devices, while the OPC UA standard provides an infrastructure to make this information available to even more applications and platforms. Together, the two solutions allow sensor, network and topology information to permeate the enterprise, including mobile devices, ERP systems, the cloud, IIoT and Industry 4.0.

The FDT/OPC UA annex is intended for implementation by automation system manufacturers in FDT Frame Applications (FDT/FRAMEs). System suppliers with an FDT/FRAME embedded in their DCS, asset management system, PLC or other system have the ability to include an OPC UA server in an application accessible from any OPC UA client application.

Tom Burke, OPC Foundation president and executive director said: “We are pleased with the completion of the OPC UA annex for FDT Technology. It is an important milestone for standard integration of information provided by Device Type Managers (DTMs) into the OPC UA information model – a key capability for device diagnostics, configuration and remote asset management, as well for integration with manufacturing execution systems.”

The combined FDT/OPC standards create a single system infrastructure that standardises the connection of industrial networks, automation systems and devices. OPC provides a uniform interface for many different client applications, whereas FDT provides network/device configuration and access to devices. This approach enables unification of system engineering, configuration and diagnosis in Industry 4.0, and supports Industry 4.0 devices, but is also able to build a bridge to legacy networks and devices.

Most recently, work has been Control Engineering Europe

undertaken to integrate the FDT/OPC collaboration results into a developer tool known as FDT/FRAME Common Components. Use of the Common Components enables automation suppliers to immediately begin developing FDT-enabled solutions while maintaining backwards compatibility to previous versions of the standard.

Implementing the FDT/FRAME Common Components is said to provide for a quicker product development time and allows suppliers to focus on the valueadded features of their own product rather than on new software code.

More about FDT The FDT Group also used the SPS/IPC/ Drives event to introduce the FDT/IIoT Server (FITS) for mobility, cloud, and fog enterprise applications. The FITS solution protects industry investments in FDT through advanced business logic, well-defined interfaces and common components, and enables operating system (OS) agnostic implementation of the technology while supporting existing integrated automation architecture.

To facilitate commitment to its new tagline ‘Connecting the Intelligent Enterprise,’ the FDT Group developed the FITS solution to be deployable as a cloud, fog, local server, or standalone platform – allowing it to scale to suit varying needs. FITS also takes advantage of an OPC UA annex, enabling sensorto-cloud, enterprise-wide connectivity in industrial control systems used in the process, hybrid and factory automation markets.

According to Glenn Schulz, managing director of the FDT Group, the FITS solution represents the key architectural role that FDT plays in an intelligent enterprise. “The FDT Group is working with the various IIoT initiatives around the world to ensure that our new architecture meets their emerging requirements,” he said. “In addition, the FDT platform is being enhanced to include operating system agnostic support for standard browsers, fit-forpurpose apps, and general web services for any potential expansion.”

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In yet another cooperation agreement the ODVA and FDT Group have been working together to create a Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) to the FDT standard that supports seamless tunneling through all of the networks and in combination with any other network supported by the FDT2 standard. One of the benefits of the recent enhancements to the FDT standard is that providers of EtherNet/ IP products, as well as DeviceNet, ControlNet and CompoNet products, can now supply FDT DTMs to support their products regardless of the FDT/ FRAME or network interface cards involved. All of the latest FDT/FRAMES can then immediately support CIP and the network adaptations of CIP. “When FDT is used in combination with CIP and its network adaptations, the resulting system provides users with a feature-rich, interoperable environment for configuration, command and control,” said Schulz.

“The on-going collaboration between ODVA and the FDT Group will help optimise the exchange of configuration, diagnostic and production data between field devices and higher-level systems.”

Advancing process adoption ODVA is also working with NAMUR, an international user association of automation technology in the process industries, to advance the adoption of industrial Ethernet in the process industries. The focus of this collaboration will be to continue to refine formal requirements for an Ethernet communication system for the process industry. NAMUR is formulating its strategy and requirements to adopt industrial Ethernet in process automation where possible, said Sven Seintsch, chairman of NAMUR Working Group 2.6. “NAMUR welcomes the opportunity to partner with ODVA, as the organisation that develops and manages the EtherNet/IP technology and standards, to help accelerate adoption of industrial Ethernet in the process industry,” he said.

February 2017

5

EDITOR’S CHOICE FROM SPS/IPC/DRIVES

Open control platform for future-proof automation To achieve the Industry 4.0 aim of networked, flexible production the underlying automation solution needs to be adaptable and communicative.

All automation system devices cut their static connections so they can dynamically exchange data. This is the only way to offer competitive products on the international markets over the long-term, according to Phoenix Contact. It has launched a new open control platform based on the PLCnext Technology which enables parallel programming on the basis of established software tools such as Visual Studio, Eclipse, Matlab Simulink, and PC Worx as

Compact IP67 Ethernet/RFID interfaces Turck has introduced the compact TBEN-L-RFID and TBEN-S-RFID Ethernet/ RFID interfaces with protection to IP67.

These I/O modules are said to simplify the direct RFID integration of HF or UHF read/write heads.

The multiprotocol devices bring data from RFID read/write heads in the HF and UHF frequency band via Profinet, Ethernet/IP or Modbus TCP to the controller. Because of their protection levels, switch cabinets are unnecessary and wiring effort is minimised.

With a width of just 32 mm, the ultra-compact RFID module in the TBEN-S design is said to simplify PLCintegration by bringing the mapped RFID data via conventional I/Os to the controller, making writing of function blocks unnecessary.

The Codesys programmable TBEN-L variant is larger, but also provides controller functions and is already able to filter and pre-process RFID data, and link it directly with the control operations of the connected periphery.

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February 2017

well as freely selectable linking of their created program code.

With the PLCnext Technology, functions can be combined with routines

from C/C++, C# or Matlab Simulink according to IEC 61131-3, for example.

This enables the easy integration of software from the open source community in the Phoenix Contact automation system.

The new PC Worx Engineer, an adaptive engineering platform is used for programming according to IEC 61131-3. As well as programming, this software is also used to configure, diagnose, and visualise the entire system in one program. The basic version of the software is free and extension modules can be purchased individually as required.

Ultra compact IPC At just one-third the size of its previous smallest control cabinet IPC, Beckhoff has introduced an ultra compact industrial PC – the C6015 IPC, which is designed for use in automation, visualisation and communication tasks as well as in EtherCAT-based applications.

The flexible IPC is said to open up new application areas for the technology, especially those with pronounced cost or space contraints. Suited to industrial applications, the multi-core unit measures just 82 x 82 x 40mm.

It is designed as a passively cooled device, housed in a robust, aluminium/ die-cast zinc housing. It comes with

standard features for industrial environments such as an operating temperature range of up to +55 °C and high resistance to vibration and shock. It can be mounted both vertically and horizontally on the rear wall of the control cabinet, or attached to a DIN rail.

Weld-slag and oil resistant industrial automation cables Flamar, a Molex company, has launched a range of standard industrial automation cables for signal and control equipment and processes, servomotors, I/O modules, EtherNet/IP and other network applications.

The cables are available in multiple jacket materials (PVC, WSOR, PUR, TPE). The weld-slag and oil-resistant WSOR cables are tested and certified for compatibility with

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Ecolab hygiene solutions.

Designed to solve tough challenges such as drag chain installation, the cables are rated for temperature ranges of between -40 and 105°C. They are compatible with all standard industrial connectors, including RJ45 and the Brad range of circular connectors for servo motors, as well as mPm DIN valve and Molex Heavy Duty connectors.

Control Engineering Europe

EDITOR’S CHOICE FROM SPS/IPC/DRIVES

Ensuring wireless connectivity for AMHs

Enabling a holistic approach to predictive maintenance

Moxa has unveiled a range of complete WLAN solutions for Automated Materials Handling (AMH) systems, to ensure reliable wireless connectivity for moving equipment to allow for non-stop operation.

The AWK-A series comes with Turbo Roaming technology which enables roaming within milliseconds. A dual isolation design protects the power and antenna ports from electrical interference and it incorporates features necessary for equipment in warehouse environments such as anti-vibration and wide operating temperatures.

To ensure wireless network availability inside warehouses, the AWK-A series supports IEEE 802.11n standard with MIMO technology to enlarge wireless coverage and ensure sufficient bandwidth up to 300 Mbps throughputs.

At the exhibition Mitsubishi Electric demonstrated a development of its condition monitoring technology for predictive maintenance, which builds on the capabilities of add-on smart sensors by integrating them with an intelligent sensor controller.

The Smart Condition Monitoring (SCM) solution complements ‘traffic light’ alerts with detailed diagnostics, in-depth analysis and recommended actions to minimise unscheduled downtime and maximise asset availability.

Sensors alone can offer a basic indication of a machine’s operating condition using a traffic light system of red, amber and green lights can ‘at-a-glance’ monitoring. However, this approach is limited in the amount of information available for analysis.

The technology has now been developed to allow the sensors to monitor the full range of parameters, allowing this information to be interpreted to give an overview on the asset health of the plant as a whole.

Mitsubishi Electric has further built on this with the SCM Kit solution that uses FAG SmartCheck sensors for monitoring and feedback.

Tablet PC for mobile industrial applications Siemens has introduced its first ever tablet PC. The Simatic ITP1000 industrial tablet PC which is said to be the fastest on the market.

Designed for industrial use, the Simatic ITP1000 is suited for service, production, measuring and testing, as well as for operator control and monitoring. The new industrial tablet PC supports Windows 7 and Windows 10.

Practical industrial functions include RFID, a bar code reader, camera, and six freely programmable function buttons. This is also supported by a wide range of interfaces – such as Bluetooth, WAN, 1-gigabit LAN, serial RS 232 DC-in, miniDP, SD card slot, 1 USB type C and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

Typical service applications for the Simatic ITP1000 industrial tablet PC are instructional films for simple maintenance tasks, location-related service information, and remote access to plants. In the fields of measuring and testing, its uses might include mechatronic simulations, as well as measuring energy consumption, flow and temperature.

Control Engineering Europe

February 2017

7

Three things on a desert island … or better one proper thing on an oil platform?

Moxa’s computers will support you anywhere.

• Compliant with IEC 60945, DNV, and Zone 2 certifications • High performance, fanless design • Wide temperature tolerance Reliable computing solutions for hazardous areas. www.moxa.com/oil_and_gas

COVER STORY

BLUETOOTH – back to the future?

Is the process industry ready for instrument adjustment and diagnosis with Smartphones or Tablets?

W

ireless communication for industrial field transmitters has been a popular topic in recent years. But what about the possibility of an accessible and simple means of instrument set up and operation using a smartphone or tablet?

Bluetooth has been a familiar feature in our everyday lives for many years. All modern cars, for example, now have a hands-free phone. Music, keyboards and mice, remote controls, televisions and portable speaker systems in our homes are all using this communication protocol to increase safety and provide convenience. It’s secure too, every day, in shops and restaurants, we put debit and credit cards into wireless payment terminals that use Bluetooth communication to securely transmit sensitive financial information.

The technology is also finding its way into the process industry. It has the potential to configure, adjust, analyse and retrieve data in sensors from a safe distance using every day devices, whether they are supplied by the company or are the users ‘own’. ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) is becoming a more familiar term, not just at the ‘hi-tech’ companies.

In industry Bluetooth is also starting to emerge and is now available on products like data loggers, controllers, analytical

Convenient access to all sensor functions using a smartphone or tablet.

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February 2017

systems and valve positioners. It is already now also being introduced to field transmitters for set up, monitoring and asset management. This is facilitated

by Bluetooth 4.0, which is now low power enough to be used on ‘loop powered’ field based sensors.

Security This is probably the first and foremost question. Bluetooth communications are founded on three procedures: Authentication & authorisation: This is the process of determining who is at the other end of a Bluetooth link and if their device should have access to yours.

Encryption & data protection: Bluetooth encrypts your data (128 bit) and only allows approved devices to decrypt it, making it much more difficult to for unauthorised users to capture and decipher your information.

Privacy & confidentiality: In addition to encrypting the data being transmitted, the latest Bluetooth 4.0 also makes it possible to encrypt the address of the Bluetooth device itself.

An additional layer of security is provided by the App or software that is required to carry out the communication on. Often, only that specific App will identify the device, how and with what it operates.

Finally, if the user desires, the ultimate security should be also in enabling the Bluetooth to be physically switched off or removed. So, for example, in the process industry it

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The display and adjustment module PLICSCOM is used for measured value indication and set up directly on the sensor. A new Bluetooth feature enables sensor adjustment wirelessly from a distance of about 25 meters.

may be used for convenience and safety during commissioning, calibration checks or testing, but it could then be disabled or removed during normal operation, if preferred.

What can be seen and used?

Due to the display quality and size of most smartphones and tablets, along with our familiarity with operating them, adjustment Apps for process devices can offer excellent interface and visualisation capability for set up. This extends to sensor asset management and enabling performance analysis - like filters, echo curves, trends and diagnostic functions - to be easily visualised and evaluated. Bluetooth has the potential to offer simpler, faster adjustment and diagnosis, as well as better device management, safety and convenience for the user.

Heat, dirt, noise, dust or gases (or even just horrible weather!) are just some of the hazards that personnel can face in the process plant. Bluetooth 4.0 has a range typically around 25m, further, (50m+) in clear areas, enabling devices to be accessed and operated from a more secure, sheltered position. Another reason for utilising the technology could be the location or position of the device itself, helping to avoid prolonged awkward working positions, eliminating the need to climb ladders or work at heights. It could even help to reduce exposure risk to harsh/toxic chemicals.

These are strong safety and productivity benefits for the user.

Control Engineering Europe

COVER STORY Hazardous area use Smart phones and tablets enclosed in hazardous area cases with the correct approvals are also becoming both more commonplace and affordable. Up until now, any sensor requiring set up in a hazardous area has required either key pads on, or adjacent to, the transmitter; specialist communicator devices; or the use of remote communication methods such as the HART protocol, typically a handheld terminal or PC connected on signal cables from a junction box/safe area some distance away. However, this is not always practical - it requires housings to be opened, connection into terminals at junction boxes or cabinets (with associated time consuming ‘Hot work permits’), and the communication speeds can sometimes be slow. Because Bluetooth carries no energy in itself, as long as the communication devices at each end (e.g. sensor and smart phone) are appropriately protected and certified, there is no compromising of the hazardous area operating zone. Alternatively, with a 25m+ range, the Smartphone can also be used in a place of designated safety.

Easier to read displays, intuitive screens with pertinent user information and faster connection, wireless Bluetooth communication has the potential to increase productivity during sensor set up, commissioning and maintenance phases.

It is also well known that a better quality, intuitive device interface means less ‘adjustment returns’ and improved process control. Of course how often do instrument people hear “It just happened and you missed it?” When something does need checking, the ability for faster connection and sensor diagnosis means that, during a process upset, it could help to see and capture ‘that moment’, which in itself could save money and reduce environmental danger.

Radar sensor £460* Low-cost radar sensor for water level measurement One sensor, all round capability - Reliable level control for water and sewage treatment facilities, pumping stations and rain overflow basins. Level sensing for

Back to the future!

sludge processing and AD units. Open channel flow

The VEGA PLICSCOM universal display and adjustment module now has optional Bluetooth 4.0/LE. This is secure and encrypted, on/off switchable communication for both Android/IOS smartphone/tablet set up and diagnosis.

Amazingly, it is also fully backward compatible with all plics level and pressure transmitters manufactured since 2002.

Because of the built in modularity of the system, it can be easily retrofitted without the need for any software update.

A magnetic pen supplied with the unit offers the option to operate the PLICSCOM buttons through the glass viewing window, and an ATEX certified version is now available for some sensor variants with more to follow. There is also a Bluetooth USB dongle for PC connection via FDT/DTM / PACTware. This offers a great opportunity for tens of thousands of existing users and their already installed sensors to try it out the future today.

measurement, open water and flood level monitoring.

VEGAPULS WL S 61 ▪ Measuring range up to 8 m

▪ Use outdoors without restriction ▪ Flood-proof IP68 housing

▪ Operation via Bluetooth with Smartphone, Tablet or PC

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Call +44 1444 870055

Download the VEGA Tools App at IOS or Android store or find out more at www.vega.com/radar under ‘Wireless Adjustment’.

Control Engineering Europe

February 2017

9

RFID TECHNOLOGY

Ensuring consistent identification Tracing components through the entire production process and then analysing the data to help optimise production has been a goal in the industrial environment for some time. High-precision processes can be improved by implementing component identification with UHF RFID technology, says Ingo Hecker.

T

he requirement for tracking and tracing in value process chains is constantly increasing due to the fact that a variety of process parameters must be logged and made available for further use, analysis and similar tasks.

In addition, government and industry regulations must be observed and documented. In the automotive industry, for example, such documentation requirements must be met when installing specific components such as airbags in a vehicle, and also for many other safety-related tasks. This is all based on the serialisation of goods within the processes. Each component must be clearly identifiable and clearly traceable within the value chain. This is generally defined as ‘track & trace’.

A variety of technologies can be used for the identification of components.

Industrial identification systems – mainly optical identification systems or RFID (radio frequency identification) systems – are used for this purpose. For visual identification, for example, a compact Data Matrix Code can be cost-effectively applied to difficult surfaces such as metal and plastics using a variety of methods.

The immutability of the data is a basic condition for optical codes. This means that no substantive change can be made to the data after its application. Any status or information changes must be provided in an accompanying database that references the initial code.

Variable data content RFID systems are employed in many highly automated processes to meet the requirements for the storage and change of data during the process.

Direct attachment of the RFID tags

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February 2017

Using the RF600 system, products are clearly identifiable and traceable within the value chain.

(or transponders) to the components ensures that the data is ‘married’ to the component, which enables immediate identification of the components throughout the value chain. Direct attachment offers advantages when compared to indirect identification, where tags are mounted to a workpiece carrier on which the component is transported or processed, for example.

Otherwise, the separation of the transponder and component must be taken into consideration in the processes through appropriate redundant structures – for example, by carrying along data in a higher-level IT system.

Since the introduction of UHF RFID at 868 MHz in Europe, the advantages of optical identification systems and established HF RFID systems have been combined. Similar to optical codes, the UHF RFID tags are processed over long read/write distances and also offer the ability to change information.

Even when different engine blocks

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– four, six- or eight-cylinders – are manufactured on the same production line in the automotive industry, it can be done using RFID and this is where the UHF technology of the Simatic RF600 system from Siemens is frequently used.

To date, mainly optical identification systems with lasered or dot-peened Data Matrix Code have been used. During machining, it was not always possible to reliably read the codes due to drilling fluids, metal shavings or oxidation of surfaces. Due to highly varied production, documentation of the build status as well as the variants dynamically and directly at the assembly site is often necessary during processing.

Increasingly, greater read and write distances also need to be achieved – due to the interference contour of an engine block along the production line and the installation conditions. It is also an advantage if the process and quality data can be carried along directly on the workpiece, for one because early Control Engineering Europe

RFID TECHNOLOGY

The antenna RF680A provides reliable signal reception, especially in reflecting radio environments, which often occur in power train production.

The different detection characteristics of the antennas are based on their size, polarisation (linear, circular), the antenna gain and beam angle. The RF620A UHF antenna is especially suited for confined installation conditions. The adaptive antenna, RF680A ¬– on the other hand – offers reliable detection especially in reflecting radio environments often found in production. This external antenna can be used in conjunction with the RF680R reader, for example, and integrated into automation systems due to its integrated Profinet interface. The Siemens TIA Portal allows a convenient integration of RFID components in control systems. Using standard function blocks, data can be easily read from the RFID tag and processed in the controller or data from the controller can be written to the transponder.

The goal removal of defective parts due to faulty process steps is possible, and for another because the production history can be read at the end of the production line – directly on the finished power train, for example. This traceability of individual process steps within the context of quality assurance is important for documentation purposes. The process quality can be continuously and permanently optimised in this way.

Saving space Using the Simatic RF630T UHF screwfit transponders these requirements can be optimally met with limited space on the casting. In its assembled state, the footprint of the screw-fit transponder occupies no more space than a lasered Data Matrix Code. Thanks to the concentric and symmetrical field property, the RFID transponder can be detected in the process even at a variety of reading positions. This provides greater flexibility in the assembly of the RFID antennas, and during commissioning of the system as a whole as well. This offers considerable advantages as the available space in Control Engineering Europe

fully automated machining equipment is often limited.

The 64 bytes of storage capacity of the Simatic RF630T is sufficient to store the relevant user data of the automated processing stations directly – for example on the crankcase – and thus to control further processes. In this way, each step in the process chain is documented and can also be reviewed at the end. For example, questions can be easily answered later such as which component was handled by a certain station and whether any quality optimisation measures were performed.

With UHF RFID, communication between the reader antenna and transponder is established via radio waves. ‘Cross reads’ may occur due to the reflection of the waves on metallic surfaces, which are common in the production environment. When engine blocks are lined up tightly, for example, this overreach causes several blocks to be detected at one time and not just the one intended for the next processing task. One way to reduce such effects, or even prevent them altogether, is the use of different RFID antenna types.

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A frequently cited goal in industry is for the identification of a component as consistently as possible along the entire value chain. By attaching a tag, the resulting component – an engine for example – can be consistently identified with a single technology throughout the power train production, starting at the foundry, through mechanical machining, assembly, the concluding test processes and finally the installation in the drive train. This is possible not only in the manufacturing environment, but also in the area of logistics.

UHF technology has come of age in industrial environments with high process requirements. It is now able to offer great potential for merging continuous identification concepts along existing value chains.

Looking at future concepts such as Industry 4.0 or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), communication technologies such as RFID, as well as network technologies, will be essential pieces of the puzzle.

Ingo Hecker is product manager for identification for the Process Automation division of Siemens.

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RFID TECHNOLOGY

The rise and rise of RFID The development of RFID systems for use in industrial environments has come a long way since its first teetering steps in the 1970’s. Each new development since then has aimed to improve performance and extend the possibilities for a variety of applications, says George Perkins.

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here are factors, unique to each industry, that need to be considered when determining the most suitable RFID system for an application. Generally, however, there are three main points that should to be taken into account and a compromise or ‘trade off’ reached.

These include: • The distance of the tags from the readwrite heads, • the speed at which the object can move past them, and • the data transfer rate.

While there are a number of complex formulae offered by RFID system manufacturers, online configurators are also available which allow the customer to simulate their application and find the optimum set-up.

Like so many innovative concepts in the control industry, the automotive manufacturing industry was key to the development of RFID, driven by consumer demand for personalised vehicles.

Today the purchaser is able to decide exactly what is fitted to their car. This makes it necessary to somehow mark every car with information about individual features that need to be fitted, to provide transparency at all times throughout the manufacturing process. The challenges presented by car manufacturing are unique in that it utilises almost all of the classical manufacturing processes. In addition to mechanical engineering it is possible to encounter elements of transport technology, handling technology and

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logistics as well as presses and general metal processing techniques. Add to this a variety of different interlinked processes and you have a very complex scenario.

Automotive applications Data carriers, or tags, capable of withstanding high temperatures were an important addition to systems offered to car manufacturers. Their use also became widespread in the paint curing process, where data carriers can be used, as they can pass through the oven on the vehicle skids. These data carriers operate at +200°C and do not require cooling before reading or writing.

A good system will offer tags with EEPROM and FRAM memory, where the latter allows an almost unlimited number or read and write operations.

Many conventional RFID systems are only capable of reading and writing tags statically, whereas the better systems can read and write ‘on the fly’, typically at speeds of 0.5 ms/byte.

Producing read-write heads with a usable sensing range proved a major challenge for early system developers.

However, it is now possible to get read-write heads with sensing ranges of around 500mm.

Special IP69K rated read-write heads for food and beverage applications are now commonplace, and a further development is data carriers which can be mounted directly on metal. Tracking and traceability, vital in many production facilities today is made possible by the all-round capability of RFID. Increasing demand for RFID

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technology has resulted in the production of more cost-effective solutions.

New technologies also play an important role in this growth. Advances in printed electronics, for example, have helped create new classes of thin, flexible RFID tags that can be combined with printed sensors, printed batteries, thin-film photovoltaic solar cells, and other technologies. Antennae design has also been improved increasing performance of the tags.

The integration of RFID and passive sensors for temperature, moisture, pressure and vibration can provide greater intelligence for monitoring and managing assets.

RFID is enabling a host of new applications in all major industry sectors but prior to the advent of cloud technology, managing the data flowing in from thousands of tags posed a problem. Now, with cloudbased applications and services taking the burden of IT support away from the point of activity, companies are able to deploy centrally managed and centrally available solutions without the traditional support and deployment costs.

George Perkins is marketing executive at Turck Banner.

Control Engineering Europe

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RFID TECHNOLOGY

RFID’s role in manufacturing logistics Howard Forryan explains how advances in RFID technology can be utilised to improve manufacturing logistics systems.

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ne of the key elements of Industry 4.0 is the role of ‘manufacturing logistics’ which can be defined in terms of challenging the existing supply chain management model by using intelligent systems to implement functions such as supplying the line with discrete and accurate quantities of materials; ensuring goods flow on a just-in-time schedule, and faithfully tracking assets and inventory in the warehouse and in transit.

Manufacturing logistics allows data captured from the manufacturing area to be operationalised so that production lines can be adjusted, maintained or re-tooled, based on live information.

Automated endpoints of lines can inform inventory and shipping systems, which can, for example, automatically move finished goods to where it needs to be, at the right time.

Manufacturing logistics converts data acquired from the production line into actionable intelligence for continuous process improvement, thereby building resilience, developing agile supply and production, and incorporating predictions of market-driven events into production and supply planning.

RFID technology The practical implementation of manufacturing logistics has been facilitated by developments in radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology. In the modern factory, RFID sensor networks can provide and communicate all the necessary data, with strategically placed RFID tags and sensors creating a real-time multidirectional autonomous pipeline of raw manufacturing data.

New passive UHF RFID technology

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solutions are supporting this approach for improvements in manufacturing logistics, including a flexible coaxial travelling waveguide antenna from Harting – the Ha-VIS LOCFIELD – which can sense multiple transponders via an RF field radially extending over its entire length of up to 1m; a rugged and compact IP67 Ha-VIS RFID reader, whose construction and IP67 protection allow it to be sited in harsh environment conditions; and a range of passive transponders that can be applied on all types of materials, in particular metal surfaces.

RFID applications RFID is suited to locating and identifying components and their status. In a maintenance context, this means that an operator can instantly identify a particular component or sub-assembly and its service history prior to transferring the maintenance documentation into the company database. A German injection moulding machine manufacturer, for example, has improved its regular service and maintenance work in accordance with the required safety standards. With a Harting RFID system the company has saved time which would have previously been spent digitising paper-based checklists for the maintenance backend system. In parallel, it has also eliminated typical human mistakes. The relevant information on each component and the checklist itself is already digitised and stored on RFID mobile readers in real time.

With the same technique other kinds of service and maintenance jobs can also be managed to improve production or quality standards. In this application, the RFID systems cut the administrative

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overhead and support the worker doing his core business. RFID mobile readers identify maintenance items via RFID transponders, and HARTING’s Ha-VIS application software suite manages the relevant data and provides integration with other plant management systems.

Simplifying RFID Machines are becoming more modular, more complex and are often operated by different workers. As a result, incorrect parameter settings or malfunctions can be introduced by human error.

The HARTING RFID reader supports full configuration cloning so that every worker is able to easily and reliably replace and re-install an RFID reader. The configuration is stored on a USB stick, which incorporates auto-detection so that when the USB stick is installed, the reader automatically loads the entire configuration on reboot.

Tool identification Stamping and moulding machines are used with different tools and generally an individual tool can only be used with a specific program or parameter set.

RFID systems from Harting allow for the automatic identification of which tool is currently installed, and can load the right program.

For this application an RFID transponder is optimised to function when mounted on metal surfaces or in cavities. It is also resistant to chemicals and high temperature up to 210°C. Howard Forryan is a product marketing specialist at Harting.

Control Engineering Europe

Individuality in mass production The revolutionary Multi-Carrier-System MCS® transports your ideas into the production era of Industry 4.0 right now – thanks to series production as of batch size 1.

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ALARM MANAGEMENT

The basics of designing an effective ALARM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM To implement and maintain an efficient alarm management system, end users need to understand the requirements during the design phase and realise the advantageous features of an alarm management system, says Melissa Topp.

Iconics’ MobileHMI alarm viewer v10.95 provides mobile access to alarm information. Courtesy: Iconics

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larm management is a necessity in automated process environments, such as in product manufacturing or facility maintenance. Although, each monitored process differs for each customer, there is some common ground. Every stakeholder in the alarm management process starts with an idea of how the alarm system should operate. The catch is that these ideas are often built on internal, company-specific solutions.

A more comprehensive alarm management solution, even one that meets industry standards such as ISA

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18.2: Instrument Signals and Alarms, requires commitment on the part of the end-user.

Implementing alarm management systems Organisations initiating a review of alarm management systems, or redesigning an existing implementation, should take some time at the beginning of the planning phase to consider expectations of alarm priorities, frequency, and post-alarm actions.

Without early planning, operators might experience unexpected alarm overload due to a lack of clearly set

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prioritisation or proper follow-up procedures for a wide array of alarm types. Or, at the other extreme, critical operational data could be missed if the right alarm messages are not sent.

There are basic requirements in the design phase of an alarm management system. Designing an alarm system is definitely an iterative and cyclical process, involving the addition or removal of information from three parts: generation, history, and presentation. During this initial design phase, customers need to balance the desire to cover all possible alarm contingencies with the need to limit the amount of information that needs to be processed.

If there are too many alarm messages, the system will be unusable, and if there aren’t enough alarm messages, critical data could be missed.

At the start, it is recommended that the alarm management system should err on the side of containing too much data, because it is easier to filter out excess data than to try and guess what data is missing.

During the initial implementation stages, there may be some obstacles to overcome such as not having enough computer resources dedicated to alarm management or having customised displays.

One solution could be to create a few generic displays that can be customised based on specific operations (such as aliasing, filtering, logging on users, etc.), rather than customising all displays. This saves time in implementation and application maintenance.

Control Engineering Europe

ALARM MANAGEMENT Alarm management system features Periodically, users should evaluate the alarms that are being sent through the system to see if they are necessary for process management. Users should be able to figure out which alarms can be lowered in priority, filtered out of alarm overviews, temporarily disabled, or removed entirely.

It is recommended that users select an alarm management system that follows ISA 18.2 guidelines. Such industry standards set customer expectations while still enabling vendors to create customised solutions for end-users.

Use of industry standards allows customers to feel confident that a chosen system can achieve optimal results.

In addition to adhering to industry standards, there are other recommended features that users should explore. These include several processes that help reduce alarms in the system without permanently removing the alarms from configuration (such as suppression, out of service, disabling, or filtering). These features allow for a wide variety of choices in reducing the load on the system while preserving the original configuration to “undo” any changes, if needed. Customers

Designing an alarm system is definitely an iterative and cyclical process, involving the addition or removal of information from three parts: generation, history, and presentation.

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should also be wary of some features, such as tying alarms to popular social media platforms. Many customers are dissuaded from this feature after realising that proprietary information could be considered owned by the social media platform once it is published.

With an early plan and attention

to details, such as understanding common maintenance tasks, industry standards, and the latest time-saving features, alarm management can become a beneficial tool to help optimise operations.

Melissa Topp is the director of global marketing at Iconics Inc.

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HAZARDOUS AREAS

System solutions for applicationoptimised explosion protection Mastering the increasingly complex explosion protection technologies requires expert knowledge, which is leading to increasing reliance on single source solutions, according to Thomas Kasten.

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he safe prevention of an explosion, or minimising its consequences, is a complex task which requires in-depth knowledge and experience.

Today experts and engineers at Pepperl+Fuchs are active in many standardisation organisations and technical committees – for example helping to shape IEC 60079 which internationally defines the basic requirements for explosion protection.

Prior to its adaption for the European Union in April 2016, it was directive 94/9/EU (ATEX 95) which has since been succeeded by directive 2014/34/EU. A variety of national and international standards define the types of protection, zone classifications of hazardous areas as well as requirements relating to installation, maintenance and repair. Most types of protection within hazardous areas require the use of specially designed equipment and associated apparatus.

Among those are increased safety Ex e (IEC 60079-7) and intrinsic safety Ex i (IEC 60079-11).

Equipment not specifically designed for use in hazardous areas can be protected by placing it inside a pressurised enclosure, Ex p (IEC 600792), or flameproof enclosure, Ex d (IEC 60079-1) while protection against dust ignitions can be achieved by protection by enclosure, Ex t (IEC 60079-31).

All these details on international, regional as well as company-internal safety regulations also need to be aligned with the requirements of specific applications.

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Solution Engineering Centres Pepperl+Fuchs’ Solution Engineering Centers (SEC) provide the expertise to develop specific solutions in cooperation with customers. An SEC is able to manage all stages of a project – through parts procurement, manufacturing to commissioning.

Intrinsic safety, Ex i, allows field devices and signal transmission components to be maintained or exchanged without process shut-down. By limiting the power in each electrical circuit a possible arc or spark is kept below the ignition energy of the surrounding gas atmosphere. However, this results in limited energy to feed looppowered devices.

However, components or devices not designed in accordance with any levels of protection to prevent the occurrence of sparks, need to be protected when used in hazardous areas. There are two options. ‘Pressurisation’, Ex p, contains the potential ignition sources inside an appropriate enclosure and keeps any explosive gas mixture on the outside by means of overpressure. A continuous flow of inert gas must be guaranteed by reliable control and monitoring methods. ‘Flameproof’, Ex d, in contrast, contains a possible explosion inside a sturdy enclosure without the need for active control elements and pumps.

Suitably designed flame paths prevent the egression of the flame. The outer surface of the enclosure must never reach the ignition temperature of the surrounding gas atmosphere.

Lighting or power distribution networks and control of machinery which requires more energy than possible

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Control cabinet Ex p with Ex i barriers and touch-screen monitor inside.

with Ex i can be achieved by increased safety, Ex e. Pepperl+Fuchs offers several modular product series of terminal boxes and control. The modular concept of Ex e certified components in conjunction with several enclosure variants, offers a multitude of configuration options.

With solutions incorporating noncertified components, adherence to the relevant equipment standards can be guaranteed by the SECs. Once the solution is in operation the user needs to consider the regulations regarding testing, commissioning and maintenance of electrical installations in hazardous areas. These are defined in IEC 6007914 and -17. Especially with Ex d special care is mandatory when working on the enclosure or closing the enclosure cover. Therefore a combination, with a connection chamber in Ex e, is convenient.

Both enclosures are mechanically connected by a particular flange, specific line bushings are utilised for cable entry into the Ex d compartment.

Thomas Kasten is product marketing manager for Systems+Solutions at Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH. Control Engineering Europe

UK INDUSTRY REPORT

It’s time to get a handle

on Industry 4.0 A new report from the EEF, the manufacturers organisation, aims to prepare UK manufacturers for the practicalities of Industry 4.0.

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he report breaks the Industry 4.0 concepts down into digestible chunks and helps manufacturers make the connection between theory and practice. It uses real-life manufacturing case studies to show how Industry 4.0 technologies and techniques might work.

The move follows a series of focus groups with manufacturers across the UK and research showing that just 42% of manufacturers have a good understanding about Industry 4.0. At the same time, however, manufacturers are aware that it will lead to crucial transformation both at a business and industry level.

Over 61% of manufacturers say that digital technologies will boost productivity, while 74% say that Industry 4.0 will fundamentally change their customers’ expectations.

This in turn will require firms to change and adapt in order to meet marketplace needs.

Almost 68% of manufacturers believe that Industry 4.0 will happen faster than previous changes in manufacturing. And, while most are confident about managing the pace of change, nearly 40% are concerned about their firms’ ability to keep up. The report authors warn that, while Industry 4.0 will herald smarter production, relationships and products and will boost the number of highskilled jobs in the UK, the speed of change will be unprecedented, leaving little room for complacency.

The report identified a need for greater communication across Control Engineering UK

supply chains and industrial sectors about the benefits of this manufacturing evolution. And, while the Industry 4.0 journey may start with optimising existing business processes, there are steps beyond technology that manufacturers need to take to prepare their business. These include applying visionary thinking, changing the internal culture towards innovation and boosting the role of IT and technology in decision making.

Commenting at the launch of the report, Lee Hopley, chief economist at EEF, said: “The fourth industrial revolution is happening and the UK’s success in this global industrial transformation will hinge on manufacturers’ strategies and ambitions. It goes far beyond simply investing in new technologies and techniques – this new era requires cultural shifts, new business models and the ability to adapt and innovate.”

Vikram Singla, product innovation and supply chain Apps leader at Oracle, said: “It is encouraging to see that UK manufacturers have taken note of the major changes coming to their industry and the role of technology. The technological element of this transformation is critical as it will mean change happens at unprecedented pace. Cloud computing in particular and the scale, speed, flexibility and agility it enables will mean businesses will very quickly be able to make changes to everything from production processes to the way they manage their supply chains, product innovation and

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THE 4 TH IND REVOLUTIO USTRIAL A PRIMER F N: MANUFACT OR URERS

4IR

Connecting industry

#4IRUK

In partnership

with:

customer relationships. Similarly, in a smarter, more technological age of manufacturing, cloud will help businesses to collect and analyse the data created by their business processes, instilling a culture of constant improvement, refinement and efficiency.”

The report identifies three key stages to the Industry 4.0 journey, all of which will be tailored to a company’s own strategy and growth plan. There is recognition of the need to get on top of the change and to gain an understanding about where and how it will apply to processes, across the supply chain and in products. The manufacturing sector is on the cusp of the 4th industrial revolution, ushering in new technologies and techniques that will change the products, processes and supply chains involved in every aspect of industry, says the report. This technology will enable manufacturers to maintain their competitive edge in a rapidly changing world, and respond flexibly and quickly to customers’ requirements.

A copy of the report can be downloaded from www.eef.org.uk/fourthindustrial February 2017

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SYSTEMS INTEGRATION FOCUS

Moving towards the future

one step at a time It will come as no surprise to hear that system integrators have an important role to play in the engineering cycle, delivering turnkey control solutions to their end-user customers. They also offer valuable engineering knowledge, together with application know-how. Suzanne Gill reports on their role in helping to prepare industry for the future.

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s more manufacturers start to look at practical ways that they can implement, and benefit from, smart factory and Industry 4.0 strategies many are looking more closely at the role automation can play in helping to further enhance productivity. “As their customer expectations evolve, many manufacturers are looking at how they can make more intelligent business decisions, faster,” explained Simon Keogh, general manager Factory Automation & Control Products at Siemens UK & Ireland. “This does not mean that the ongoing requirement for optimisation has fallen by the wayside, even across the traditional

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manufacturing space.

A key driver for this shift is a move towards increased automation, which for many, brings a wealth of productivity gains too.

In terms of market demand, we are now finding that more customers are actively exploring techniques they can utilise to further encourage the upward movement of data, from the shopfloor, to ERP systems and into a cloud environment.”

System integrators will usually work closely with the client to understand the business drivers and the manufacturing processes and are often considered as an additional engineering arm of the client, particularly in the face of the well reported engineering skills shortage.

It is important, therefore, that systems integrators have a good understanding of the latest technology developments and, for this reason, many automation vendors work ever more closely with their systems integration partners to ensure they stay up to date with their latest offerings.

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System integrators need to keep up to date with the latest solutions, and this is where the role of the manufacturer is vital – good education provision and an active, open channel of communication between the automation component vendor and the systems integrator is essential to enable the filter-down of new technology from the vendor to the end user. “As the world becomes increasingly digitised the role of the systems integrator will continue to be at the forefront of adoption in the industrial sphere,” said Ian Davison, sales development manager at Mitsubishi Electric UK. “Once the client has explained their project goals then it is up to the system integrator to translate this into a physical structure and a control platform – one that will deliver what the client is looking to achieve and which also fits neatly into an existing control and management structure,” concluded Davison.

Control Engineering UK

SYSTEMS INTEGRATION FOCUS ???

“Traditionally, within many manufacturing plants systems have been physically mounted, and digitally replicated hardware. The increase in popularity of cyber-physical systems means that system integrators are now able to offer their customers the ability to simulate system processes and the surrounding environment, including the automation of systems and the plant floor,” continued Keogh.

Opening the data flow “For the manufacturer, increasing collaboration with system integrators and controls automation can open up the flow of information, driving data analytics across the shop floor.

Data has been at the fingertips of manufacturing businesses for some time; however, what is changing is the way in which this same data is being interpreted.”

When extrapolated and analysed, data can be effectively utilised throughout the manufacturing cycle – from research and development, through to manufacturing and on to field services. At each stage, the data harnessed enables manufacturers to streamline their process, further optimising automation. So, the

Control Engineering UK

digitised solutions delivered by system integrators can enable manufacturers to blur department and organisational boundaries to achieve collaborative engineering.

With production, design and manufacturing integrating ever more closely, it is also possible to extend this information transparency out into the supply chain to make products and services more dynamic, data more valuable, and business decisions more intelligence-based.

“We cannot fully predict where automation technology will be in ten years, but manufacturers can ensure they are in the best position to take advantage of what comes next by working in partnership with system integrators,” concludes Keogh.

End-user awareness levels “Awareness levels regarding IIoT, digitisation and Industry 4.0 among end users is high and increasing at great pace,” according to Dave Sutton, product marketing manager Automation systems, Networks, SCADA at Schneider Electric. “Manufacturers, especially in process-biased industries now understand the potential that IIoT holds.

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“It isn’t so much a step change, but rather a gradual evolution of technologies, albeit a more rapid transition in recent times, brought about by the new generation of smart, connected, yet secure technology.”

Sutton believes that the biggest integration challenges faced by end users today is the management of legacy installations which are still running production plants using outdated proprietary technologies that are now starting to show their age in terms of speed, data bandwidth, flexibility of connection, and providing transparent access to data remotely.

“The dilemma for the end user is that they need to maintain a wide variety of third-party proprietary systems, yet smoothly introduce new technology platforms, with an ageing workforce that is not necessarily familiar with IIoT technology. This is where the role of the system integrator is key,” continued Sutton. System integrators can help bridge the gaps that end users may have in terms of incorporating new IIoT technologies such as wireless, mobile, cloud and data analytics. But why do manufacturers need to do this? Because IIoT will enable more smart assets to communicate with

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SYSTEMS INTEGRATION FOCUS each other and exchange more data.

System integrators are also able to help interpret this data and present it as meaningful and actionable information. “Technologies such as cloud and mobile will become more prevalent, so system integrators need to build their skills in applying these technologies to the control system – continued investment in training and hiring of good engineers, with fresh ideas on the application of ITbased systems will be key to ensuring that knowledge is improved and maintained,” said Sutton.

Evolution not revolution According to Steve Holt, managing director of systems integrator, Stelram Engineering, Industry 4.0 is already happening and should be regarded as more of an evolution than a revolution.

He says that many of the ideas that underpin Industry 4.0 can be, and should be, implemented right now, whenever a plant update is undertaken or a new plant is designed and built.

However, complete conversion to Industry 4.0 cannot happen overnight.”

It is best approached as an organic process; manufacturers can start with one area of their plant – by, for example, upgrading the automation systems on just one production line or even just part of line. After that, they can take incremental steps in updating other parts of the plant with the ultimate goal of applying the ideas of Industry 4.0 in every area to maximise productivity and profitability,” said Holt.

He believes that technologies such as vision systems can offer another way of achieving immediate gains while moving toward Industry 4.0.

“Modern vision systems make it easy to implement accurate and dependable inspection,” he said. “These systems can see as much as – and sometimes more than – a person, and they never blink or take tea breaks.

“Robots too can make production faster and more efficient. Easy to install and, reliable, robotic arms are

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an excellent choice for Industry 4.0 implementations. Furthermore, they can also be integrated via IIoT for traceability and validation purposes.”

Stelram has found that many of its customers are keen to adopt Industry 4.0 but simply don’t know where to start. Traditionally presented as an ‘all or nothing’ approach, it can appear to many companies as something daunting, disruptive and ultimately unattainable.

“Our approach is to start from the customer’s existing lines and equipment and look at ways in which automation would improve them.

Sometimes it is as simple as adding a pick-and-place robot to a packaging

over emphasised. “When broken down into its component parts these big enterprise-wide concepts will make much more sense to the engineer specifying a bespoke motion or drive project,” he said.

Braggs believes that the UK automotive industry is leading the way and has already taken many smart factory ideas on board. Indeed, many are now dictating their smart factory requirements to their systems integrators. “Many of our end-user customers do not get that involved with the bigger conceptual ideas behind smart factories so they need to be told about the benefits that it will offer them.”

A step-by-step approach to streamlining and upgrading plants is more beneficial, as it does not disrupt manufacturing and gives operators the time they require training and getting used to new machinery. line, whereas in other situations a completely new and intelligent automation system is the best solution for IIoT integration and moving toward Industry 4.0,” said Holt “Without doubt, the most important thing to remember is that improvements do not have to happen all at once. A step-by-step approach to streamlining and upgrading plants is more beneficial, as it does not disrupt manufacturing and gives operators the time they require training and getting used to new machinery.”

Making it clear Mark Braggs, general manager at Hepco Automation, an Omron system integration partner, agrees that awareness levels about Industry 4.0, IIoT and smart factories is increasing.

However, he said that the need to provide clear information about the benefits of these concepts cannot be

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Hepco Automation works hard to explain the philosophy behind these concepts to its customers. “Monitoring torque on a motor, for example, can help predict the need for maintenance activities. This is just a small piece of a bigger picture but it can demonstrate how the potential benefits of greater connectivity across an enterprise can also offer immediate benefits to the specifying engineer.”

The downside to providing Industry 4.0 ready solutions for the systems integrator is that it will add cost to a project. “We need to be able to explain these costs so that the customer is not simply looking at the pricetag. We need to make solutions affordable and cost-effective for the customer. Future proofing solutions does come at a cost and unless the benefits are clearly highlighted at the outset, the customer may make the decision not to take >UK6 Control Engineering UK

FOCUS: SYSTEMS INTEGRATION

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Simplify planning for an information-enabled IoT environment A rapid influx of smart equipment and connected devices is enabling manufacturers to better understand the performance of their machines and processes. However, equally important as ‘what’ is being connected is ‘how’ it is being connected.

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he traditional approach of using separate information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) networks impedes seamless connectivity. Instead, a single, unified network architecture built on a physical network fabric helps leverage the power of internet protocol and security defence-in-depth.

‘Network fabric’ describes a network topology where devices pass data to each other through interconnecting switches. A unified network fabric serves as the physical foundation on which networked operations can exist and operate.

It includes all cabling, wireless, switching, computing, and storage systems, and uses standard IP connectivity to ensure secure and open communications. To achieve the best results, system integrators need to consider the following when designing and deploying a network fabric.

Scalability: Plant systems growth, new technology adoption, and changing bandwidth requirements can be difficult to predict. Ensuring scalability will help avoid ‘rip-and-replace’ upgrades and shorten deployment times.

Reliability: It is important to base the network fabric on a robust architecture, to follow industry standards, and to use IT/OT collaboration to help achieve high reliability across the industrial plant.

Security: A defence-in-depth security strategy is industry-recommended best practice using multiple layers of protection at the physical, network, computer, application, and device levels to establish several security fronts.

Ease of deployment: A well-planned approach to the network fabric helps ease design and deployment. Standards such as IEC 62443, and TIA1005 and validated architectures such as Converged Plantwide Ethernet (CPwE) can be used to design the network fabric with greater confidence.

Innovation: The network fabric provides a platform to take advantage of new innovations. For example, Power over Ethernet (PoE) uses a single cable to deliver power and data, which can reduce wiring Control Engineering UK

complexity, lower installation and maintenance costs and can create opportunities for deploying new services.

A maturity model Panduit has developed a Network Fabric Maturity Model (Figure 1) to help manufacturers map out their journey to a unified network fabric. It outlines four levels - from multiple unmanaged plant floor networks to a fully unified network fabric.

Elevating the network infrastructure to the functional level requires a planned, standardsbased approach, gradually migrating on a priority basis. First, the plant floor environment must be understood. Then media, grounding, and connectivity solutions must be specified. Finally security holes must be closed, requiring the implementation of a physical security foundation.

Progressing to an effective network architecture requires reference architectures and best practices.

Use reference architectures such as CPwE from Cisco and Rockwell Automation, and the Physical Infrastructure Reference Architecture Guide from Panduit to help build a more robust network based on industry standards. Specify media that delivers the performance required for growing data and connectivity needs. Replace low-cost, plug-and-play unmanaged switches with

managed switches to improve network monitoring and traffic management. Fibre and 10GB copper cables offer high-performance, high-availability connectivity, while colour-coded or keyed jacks can help prevent cross connections.

Use pre-configured network building blocks based on industry standards to reduce risk and speed up deployment times. Examples include: • The Panduit pre-configured Micro Data Center (MDC) can house a complete data center infrastructure in a single rack.

• Combining technology from Panduit, Cisco, and Rockwell Automation, the Industrial Data Center (IDC) is a virtualisation infrastructure that combines hardware, software, and documentation in a pre-assembled and bundled solution.

• The Panduit Network Zone Systems rapidly deploy an IP network on the plant floor with a reliable, structured approach that reduces installation time and lifecycle costs. All systems include copper/fibre connectivity, cable management, grounding and a voltage barrier to accelerate deployments and reduce risk by isolating hazardous voltages.

• The Panduit Pre-configured Industrial Distribution Frame (IDF) can deploy industrial rack-mount Ethernet switches 25% faster than a non-pre-configured IDF and reduce the risk of downtime due to switch overheating.

Summary A unified network fabric based on standard IP with a strong physical infrastructure will serve as the foundation of tomorrow’s information and connectivity needs, and an enabler for converging networks to gain robustness, visibility, and reliability. The use of maturity models can help guide both OT and IT to accelerate progress to more effective networks that will deliver on the promise of the IoT. For a fuller discussion on this subject visit www.panduit.com/ia.

Figure 1: Network Fabric Maturity Model.

www.controlengeurope.com

February 2017

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SYSTEMS INTEGRATION FOCUS this route,” said Braggs.

Barry Graham, automation product marketing manager at Omron says that no one can fully predict where automation technology will lead in the coming years. “However, one thing we can be sure of is that functionality supporting smart manufacturing

initiatives will become widely available and diverse in content,” he said. It is widely accepted that enabling ‘smart’ functionality will have an impact on system development time and these developments should take this into consideration by making the use and implementation simple, quick and

more accessible.

“Ultimately, strong partnerships between automation equipment manufacturers and their system integration partners will allow for better promoting and demonstration of true value offered by these smart manufacturing initiatives to the users.”

Control systems: repair or replace Nick Boughton discusses best practice for obsolescence management from a systems integrator point of view.

The debate between whether to upgrade or repair a control system is by no means a new one, but it has become more prevalent as many industry sectors look to squeeze margins. Some sectors also need to carefully manage obsolescence due to the delicate nature of what is produced. Pharmaceuticals manufacturing, for example, is well known for being heavily regulated, so sourcing spare parts instead of committing to a systems upgrade will generally save time, money and a great deal of paperwork.

Not everyone is able to afford a complete upgrade but on the flipside not everyone can still rely on quick and easy access to spares.

No matter what the client chooses, the role of a systems integrator is to complete the job to the highest standard using the tools available and to a budget.

Every job is different and usually comes with its own unique challenges that determine whether an upgrade is even possible. For example, Boulting Technology was recently called out to a factory manufacturing glass bottles to update the control system for its production process.

As part of the process, a kiln was automatically fed broken glass every five hours to keep it alive and to keep the production line moving. If

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February 2017

the conveyor feeding glass into the kiln stopped and the oven cooled, the kiln would no longer be in a working condition, so we needed to find a way around this issue.

We were able to implement the new control system in phases and needed to ensure that a motor was running the conveyor at all times.

A complete upgrade was not possible due to the continuous nature of production in this application.

Sometimes the choice about whether

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to repair or replace is taken out of the hands of the client altogether.

Downtime is always the biggest fear when companies make a decision about whether to upgrade or make do and source spares. So, the decision about whether upgrading is better than like-for-like replacing, will vary from job to job and in most cases the two solutions need to be used in parallel. The more planning, surveying, risk analysis is undertaken, the easier it is to cope with a problem when it inevitably occurs.

Nick Boughton is sales manager at Boulting Technology.

Control Engineering UK

MACHINE VISION

UKIVA plans machine vision conference With its first ever Machine Vision Conference & Exhibition, the UK Industrial Vision Association (UKIVA) has developed a new event for the imaging industry in the UK, which will take place at ArenaMK in Milton Keynes on 27 April.

Free to attend

TThe GigE uEye FA camera series from IDS Imaging Development Systems is designed for use in harsh industrial environments.

The camera housing, lens barrels and connectors meet IP65/67 requirements, and protect the camera system from dirt, dust, water splashes or cleaning agents as well as any accidental shifting of the optics.

The new camera features the latest CMOS sensors with a choice of resolutions. Screw-on connectors have also been chosen to meet demanding industry requirements – an 8-pin M12 connection with X coding for data transmission and Power-over-Ethernet (PoE), and an 8-pin Binder connector for GPIO, trigger and flash are available.

The camera is said to be suitable for multi-camera operation, with an integrated image memory that decouples image acquisition from image transfer. All models in the range are available with IDS’s Software Suite or with support for the GigE Vision standard.

The free-to-attend conference has been constructed to provide something for everyone, whether they are new to vision or experienced vision engineers.

Speakers will come from manufacturers and suppliers of vision technology as well as systems integrators. With eight separate presentation theatres there is a rich programme on offer covering the latest developments, technologies and applications as well as a theatre dedicated to machine vision basics.

The various presentation theatres will cover vision basics; 3D vision; software; optics, illumination and lasers; camera technology and embedded vision. Two ‘system and solutions’ themed theatres will highlight areas where machine vision has become indispensable such as label inspection, direct part marking, metrology and robotics while also considering some of the newer challenges such as serialisation and Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things. In addition, a ‘Vision Basics’ session will include a series of ‘How to Specify’ presentations for cameras, lenses and illumination as well as the basics of image processing and measurement software tools. The camera technology theatre will include presentations on the latest developments in CMOS sensors; imaging using non-visible radiation such as NIR, SWIR, LWIR, thermal and hyperspectral wavelengths, as well as looking at the camera interface standards for machine vision.

The conference program will be further supplemented by a series of keynote presentations, which will highlight many interesting applications of vision technology, while the supporting exhibition will provide

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Control Engineering UK

T

he one-day event will feature 50 technical vision seminars alongside over 30 live demonstration stands, giving delegates the opportunity to see and hear real world examples of how machine vision is delivering value and creating competitive advantage as well as offering insight into future developments.

Although a number of specific machine vision exhibitions and

conferences take place around the world, the UK has never had an independent event, dedicated solely to the machine vision industry. Historically, machine vision has taken its place as part of other more wide-ranging imaging and optics events and as part of shows in the many vertical markets that it serves.

However, the UKIVA believes that now is the right time to create a new event in the UK, given that machine vision is a far-reaching technology that

GigE industrial cameras cope with harsh environments

UK8

has enjoyed significant and consistent growth in recent years.

February 2017

MACHINE VISION an opportunity to see first-hand some of the latest vision products and technologies. With the presentation theatres conveniently arranged around the periphery of the exhibition space, delegates can easily visit the exhibition during the conference coffee and lunch breaks or if they have a spare slot in their individual presentation schedule.

Visitors can register to attend the event at www.machinevisionconference.co.uk

3D imaging gains ground 3D imaging and image processing is becoming more accessible and is starting to be applied to an increasing number of systems for automated 3D inspection tasks when 2D imaging is not enough.

One route to 3D imaging is to use two cameras pre-calibrated as a single unit – stereo imaging. The 3D image is achieved using triangulation of common points in both of the camera views. The perspective from one camera is different to the other when looking at the same point in space and it is this perspective difference that can be used to calculate depth and position data in 3D. An example of a stereo imaging camera from Multipix Imaging is the Ensenso which works according to the ‘projected texture stereo vision’ principle.

Each model has two integrated CMOS sensors and a projector that casts a random point pattern onto the object to be captured, allowing structures not visible or only faintly visible on the surface to be enhanced.

Laser projection/triangulation is another 3D imaging method which requires one camera which has a known physical relationship with a laser line projector. The laser projects a line across the object being scanned and the deformation in the laser line determines the depth of an object at that point on the laser line.

SmartRay ECCO series of 3D laser triangulation cameras are available from Multipix Imaging for applications that benefit from using pre-calibrated units which can provide high resolution results.

Time-of-flight 3D time-of-flight (ToF) cameras use either a pulsed or continuous wave NIR light to illuminate the object/ scene. When using pulsed light, the time it takes for the light to be reflected back is measured and used to calculate distance. Whereas with continuous wave, it is the phase shift between emitted and reflected light that is measured to determine distance. The Basler ToF uses pulsed NIR and is available as a fully calibrated unit with a GigE Vision interface for ease of connectivity. It provides both a 2D image as well as per-pixel depth information.

Control Engineering Europe

February 2017

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MACHINE VISION

Robot vision moves into THE NEXT DIMENSION Control Engineering UK looks at a 3D vision sensor which is helping to increase robot productivity in a wide range of applications.

V

ision-guided robotics (VGR) is fast becoming an enabling technology for the automation of many different processes. Object recognition technology is the ability to identify different items, based on their three-dimensional geometry. Whether the process involves loose, mixed, irregular parts, sacks or bags, equipping a robot with a 3D vision system can provide an efficient solution that can be quickly adapted to handle a variety of different products.

Typical applications where 3D robotic vision is finding applications include de-palletising materials such as mixed boxes, sacks, bags and food packaging, bin picking - loose random parts, irregular items, and irregularly-shaped sacks or packaging, and sorting, placing and loading picked items into machines.

Automating these processes is an effective way of increasing productivity and reducing costs in a vast range of general material handling applications.

Even setups involving dirty, dusty or rusty products and/or difficult light conditions can benefit from such efficiencies.

A range of grippers is available to handle a vast range of materials, based

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February 2017

on mechanical, magnetic or vacuum principles.

FANUC’s solution is the 3D Area Sensor which is said to enable robots to recognise and pick up randomly positioned objects. Capable of locating parts three dimensionally, this sensor

adds flexibility and reliability to operations traditionally completed by humans or which would otherwise require sophisticated and expensive dedicated machinery.

The FANUC 3D Area Sensor is available in two versions – the 3DA-400 for smaller applications (400 x 300 x 300 mm); and the 3DA-1300 for larger applications (1340 x 1000 x 1000 mm). They are easy to install - no interfaces to external devices or a PC are necessary - and setup wizards are available to reduce system commissioning time.

The 3D Area Sensor uses structured light projection which creates 3D maps of its surroundings. By adding structured light to a vision system, features of the part are not located by identifying features via multiple cameras, but rather through each camera locating the object’s features created by the structured light. Typically, this is performed over a large area, with many 3D points detected for each snap. The result is a point cloud, which compiles several X-Y-Z locations in a tight array across the 3D scene being imaged.

Using these maps, the system looks for parts. The part manager then does

Light section and vision sensor in a single device The light section sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs’ SmartRunner range combine a light section sensor and vision sensor in a single, compact device.

The plug and play devices can be optimised in the factory for a specific field of work. Unlike more conventional devices, commissioning and parameterisation can be carried out, simply, using teach-in or via data matrix control codes.

The light section sensors supply the detection result as a good or bad signal to the switching outputs, which can be processed using any control panel.

The first devices available are

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the SmartRunner Matcher and the Detector. The Matcher is optimised to recognise a previously taughtin reference contour. Typical tasks include checking the position and accuracy of objects with high precision, to verify whether the robot can grasp body components, for example.

The Detector monitors the taught-in scene for the entry of foreign bodies that pose a danger to sensitive machine parts, such as lenses and precision tools. It detects objects with a size range of up to 1mm using a trapezoidal measuring range that is 350mm wide and 700mm deep.

Control Engineering UK

MACHINE VISION an evaluation and decides which part to pick. Taking reaching distance and collision avoidance into account, it then chooses the fastest picking option. If the part manager decides a pick has been unsuccessful or a part queue does not contain a part to pick, another image is taken and the process starts again using the new results.

3D vision systems that generate point clouds are very useful for VGR applications, because multiple parts can be located simultaneously. Multi-tasking background processing – part detection takes place while the robot is moving and does not interrupt the workflowmeans that shorter cycle times can be achieved.

Mastering new paths Teaching the robot new paths is easy.

The 3D Area Sensor can be programmed on the shop floor using a graphical interface on iPendant Touch, which utilises FANUC’s iRVision graphical

interface. It can set up a bin picking application in a matter of minutes.

One robot can service up to four 3D area sensors. In bin picking applications

a sensor can be top-mounted on an auxiliary axis-powered rail, allowing the robot to directly control the movement of the sensor. Mounting the sensor this way gives the robot two bins to work from. As soon as the robot recognises that one bin is empty it will automatically switch to the next one, saving downtime that would be required for an operator to change the bin manually.

The 3D Area Sensor is finding applications in cleanroom-certified applications in electronics and pharmaceutical applications, as well as for food handling. A cleanroom robot can locate and pick randomly orientated bottle caps from a bin. The sensor provides 3D location of the bottle caps in the bin. The robot picks the bottle caps from the bin and places them in a second bin at high speeds. iRVision’s Interference Avoidance feature prevents the robot and tooling from coming in contact with the bin walls.

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DRIVES & MOTORS

How motor and machinemounted drive integration CAN IMPROVE OPERATIONS Using integrated motor and machine-mounted drive combinations for applications adds energy efficiency through simpler control design, tighter controls, and more effective actuation in the process. This is a trend that is set to grow, says Sudhakar Chaudhary.

D

ue to the increasing demand to reduce energy consumption, integrated motor and machinemounted drive combinations have attracted the interest of both endusers and machine builders. Machinemounted drives are mounted within 7.5m of the motor but not integrated onto the motor. In 2015, the integrated motors market (ac brushless servo, dc brushless, dc stepper, and ac induction combined) and machine-mounted drives estimated to be worth $900 million, with 2.0 billion units shipped.

In 2016, the market is forecast to reach $950 million, with 2.1 billion units shipped, according to the latest IHS Markit study on integrated motors and machine-mounted drives. The market’s transition toward highly efficient, integrated products is driving growth in the market for motors and drives.

Advanced motors and drives The increased focus on system efficiency and adopting integrated motors and drives for more applications will increase the demand for motor and machine-mounted drive solutions. The market has adopted new technologies with advanced features, such as variable speed controls for integrated motors in applications such as fans, pumps, compressors, and mechanical movements. With these technologies, there are several ways to direct

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February 2017

the application and to control the movement within motion control.

The decentralised or machinemounted motor drive is a current trend in industrial automation and is providing growth opportunities for the integrated motors and machinemounted drives market. With increasing demand for decentralised control, machine-builders (OEMs) and end users are keen to have separate machinemounted drives rather than drives mounted within the central cabinet or in a control-room enclosure. This can be achieved with a machine-mounted drive when a drive integrated onto a motor may not fit into an existing machine design.

For instance, there is a trend toward decentralising motors in the packaging sector. The integrated motor can save up to 80% of the cabinet space; but now, with the extended motor being

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integrated, it can become “cabinetfree.� This will help reduce technical complications related to the cables.

Long cables act almost like an antenna bringing noise into the system, which can cause many problems; so special cabling and wiring are required, and the system must be grounded and shielded.

Geographically, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) is the largest regional market for integrated motors and machine-mounted drives, accounting for over 63% of the total market, with an estimated value of $560 million in 2015 and expected to reach $750 million by 2019. In EMEA, as investor confidence returns and exports become more competitive, IHS predicts that the EMEA integrated motor and machine-mounted drive sales will increase with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% Control Engineering UK

DRIVES & MOTORS from 2016 to 2019. The German market is the largest market within EMEA, accounting for $260 million in 2015, or 46% of the regional total. IHS forecasts the German market will reach $370 million in 2019.

The ideal compatibility of the variable frequency drive with the motor in an integrated motor and drive ensures efficient performance, with efficiency levels exceeding 90%. This also makes integrated motor and drive units easier to deploy than procuring motor and drive as two separate components and then combining them to achieve a desired performance. It also reduces the lag time and increases productivity.

Over the long term, such solutions will be preferred to stand-alone motors and drives.

The integration of motor and drives has gained ground in several industries with space saving, reduced wiring, and unproblematic heat dissipation among the important benefits. However, challenges and concerns vary from industry to industry. For example, the food and beverage industry has many sensitive applications with an increasing need for higher throughput. Likewise, the hygienic requirements are tough, because of equipment requiring frequent wash-downs with aggressive cleaning agents. The demands on equipment placed directly in the production areas are proportionally heavy.

The cost of integrated motors and drives There is a demand for energyefficient products to reduce

operational costs, which will compel of these integrated motors and end-users in the Middle East to machine-mounted drives with a replace old, inefficient motors with wider range of power ratings will new integral horsepower (IHP) help boost customer acceptance of motors. [An IHP motor is one where advanced technologies. The major horsepower is one or more.] While European integrated motor and these are positive developments, the machine-mounted drive suppliers immediate challenge of integrated are outsourcing the production of motors and drives manufacturers noncritical components to Asian will be to reduce the high initial countries, which offer low-cost raw costs and to emphasize the benefits material and labour. of integrated motors and machineThe increasing demand for having mounted drives clearly to end- users. a separate, machine-mounted drive The higher cost of these products rather than a drive mounted within remains a significant barrier for a central cabinet or in a controlapplications using advanced, rather room enclosure will drive sales in than traditional, motor technologies. motor and machine-mounted drive This, in turn, can discourage endsolutions. The world market for users who do not consider total integrated motors and machinelifecycle costs. Applications that meet mounted drives is expected to reach higher energy-efficiency standards $1.17 billion by 2019, with a CAGR of account for most of the sales in the 7.6% from 2014 to 2019. integrated motor and machinemounted drive market. However, Sudhakar Chaudhary is an analyst at in the machine-mounted drive IHS Market Ltd. market, the additional training required to install and operate these higher efficiency solutions prevents adoption of the drives in the commercial sector.

The New 3rd Generation Flow Rate Totalisers availability n Single or dual configurable voltage pulse inputs

G O w i th the FLOW . . .

i

n ATEX, IECEx, ETL and cETL certified

Five benefits of integrated motors and machine-mounted drives

Ex ia intrinsically Safe Models Ex nA & Ex tc (without barriers)

There are many benefits of integrated motors and machine-mounted drives for end users. Such technologies can: • Meet higher energy-efficiency standards • Reduce operational costs • Ensure efficient and optimal performance • Reduce technical complications (with less wiring) • Reduce lag time.

Control Engineering UK

February 2017

n General purpose models also available n Three enclosures, all IP66 (front),

DIN 144 x 72mm and 96 x 48mm Rugged 105 x 60mm (316 Stainless Steel)

n Other features: Input lineariser, alarms, backlight,

4-20mA output and pulse output.

www.beka.co.uk

UK13

Hitchin, Herts. SG5 2DA,UK sales@beka.co.uk Tel +44 (0)1462 438301

MACHINE SAFETY

Sticking to the

SPEED LIMIT Despite the fact that a speed monitoring system is often essential for safe control of a machine and to protect the operator, it is often overlooked when considering safety on machinery. Dr Martin Kidman offers advice on the permissible safe limits of operation.

T

he Machinery Directive is long and complex.

However, the specifications to cover each aspect of the design and manufacture of machines are helped by agreeing Standards. ‘Harmonised’ standards across the EU give purchasers the confidence that a machine meets the requisite safety levels and presumes conformance to the Directive.

A list of Standards for the Machinery Directive can be found in the Official Journal of the EU, and each standard is one of three types.

A-Type Standard – Relates to basic safety containing basic terminology, principles of design and general aspects that can be applied to all machinery.

B-Type Standard – Addresses a safety aspect or protective device that can be used in a wide range of machinery for example: • ISO 13849-1: Safety of machinery – Safety-related parts of control systems - Part 1: General principles for design.

• IEC 61496-1: Safety of machinery – Electro-sensitive protective equipment – Part 1: General requirements and test.

C-Type Standard – Contains all safety requirements for a specific machine or type of machine. If this standard exists, it has priority over the A-type or B-type standard, for example: • IEC 415-7: Safety of packaging

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The relevant directives and standards are usually added to the machine builder’s declaration of conformity which has to accompany any machinery as per the Machinery Directive.

Speed monitoring is covered by B and/ or C Type standards, depending on the machine in question.

There are various machine speed parameters that could influence the risk of harm on a machine against identified limits. If the machine exceeds those limits then suitable measures are initiated. Thus, the monitoring of speed becomes a safety function.

Of course, there are many different types of machine; if a C-Standard exists for your machine, then you may find the speeds that have been agreed, though

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C-Standard BS EN 693 covers the safety of hydraulic presses. It states that the closing speed shall not exceed 10 mm/s when using a hold-to-run control device.

ISO 10218 covers the safety requirements for industrial robots (Part 2: Robot systems and integration). The standard states that the maximum speed of the Tool Centre Point (TCP) shall not exceed 250 mm/s in manual mode and shall be possible only with the added use of an enabling device.

B-Standard

machines – Part 7: Group and secondary packaging machines.

Speed monitoring

not always. Below are some examples from C-Standards and also what the B-Standard says about speed:

ISO 13849 is a B-Standard and covers the general principles for design of Safetyrelated Parts of Control Systems (SRP/CS).

This standard can be used, where no C-Standard exists. There are no speeds quoted but it does state that when safety-related parameters deviate from their limits then appropriate measures shall be initiated.

Safety Integrity Level (SIL) according to IEC 62061.

Performance Level required (PLr) according to ISO 13849.

Control Engineering UK

MACHINE SAFETY IEC 61800-5-2 is a B-type standard and defines the safety functions for drives. It specifies the requirements and makes recommendations for the design, development, integration and validation of adjustable-speed electrical power drive systems which are suitable for use in safetyrelated applications in terms of their functional safety.

The Performance Level of the speed monitoring circuit may be defined in the C-Standard. If no C standard exists, then ISO 13849 or IEC 62061 can be used. If, for example, a safe speed is identified as a condition for locking or unlocking a gate, then this would form part of the safety function and should undergo the same functional safety design process as the interlocking function.

ISO 13849 and IEC 62061 both outline a method for determining the required safety performance level for a safety function. Each method can be used to determine the required performance

level (PL), or the required Safety Integrity Level (SIL) respectively: Once the required safety PL has been determined, the speed monitoring control system can be designed.

Speed monitoring can be implemented either externally, when the safety is implemented outside the drive and the speed controller requires feedback or, internally, where the safety feedback is inside the drive as an integral function.

Either way, it is common to use rotary encoders and, as a general rule, when used with appropriate and relevant associated speed monitoring equipment, a single encoder can give you PLc/SIL1 and two encoders can achieve up to PLe/SIL3.

There are also encoders designed specifically for safety – such as SICK’s DFS60S Pro (a safety-rated Sin/Cos encoder). If such a Sin/Cos encoder was used with a compatible safety controller, such as the SICK Flexi Soft, it

would provide a SRP/CS that achieves PLd/SIL2.

In summary, speed in machinery is an important parameter with respect to safety and should always be considered as part of the risk assessment. C-Type and B-Type standards can give guidance; however, risk assessment tools do not replace good engineering judgment but aid it. Careful consideration should be given to the determination of the required safety performance level of a speed monitoring circuit and it should be designed accordingly.

Dr Martin Kidman is a safety specialist at SICK UK.

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Product Management – Product Center Ident + Vision

NEW PRODUCTS

Input pulse Bringing monitoring efficiency counting in a to steel rolling mills hazardous area New one- and two-input pulse counters from Beka Associates are said to be able to perform industrial counting functions in hazardous and safe areas in an economical way.

All models in the range feature large displays with optional backlighting, isolated synchronous pulse and 4/20mA outputs and dual alarms.

The two-input counters are able to display the sum or difference of the inputs in engineering units and, when configured for use with a quadrature encoder, the position and speed of a shaft or cable can be shown.

Intrinsically safe models with ATEX, IECEx, US and Canadian certification can be installed in gas and dust hazardous areas. For applications in Zone 2 or 22, Ex nA and Ex tc approval of the stainless steel model allows for installation without the need for Zener barriers or galvanic isolators.

AMETEK Land, a specialist in industrial infrared non-contact temperature measurement, has developed an interface between ibaPDA systems and LANDSCAN LSP-HD infrared line scanners to acquire temperature measurement data from steel strips in rolling mills. ibaPDA is a PC-based acquisition and recording system for maintenance, process analysis and quality control. Its interfaces, now including the ibaPDAInterface-LANDSCAN, allow data from different sources to be available across the production process within the ibaPDA system.

The ibaPDA-InterfaceLANDSCAN is said to provide an effective method of acquiring data from LSP-HD infrared line scanners. It allows users to measure temperature profiles and distribution for steel application specific LSPHD 10/11 and LSP-HD 20/21

line scanners. It is expected to find applications in steel rolling mills where temperature monitoring is an essential aspect of quality control.

Visual data is displayed live in the ibaPDA system, and users can view trended temperature measurements, product ID, scanning speed, environmental temperature and position of the strip. This recorded measurement data also can be visualised in detail and analysed with ibaAnalyzer, which offers a 2D-colour display.

Control software for automated palletising applications A new type of software has been developed to ensure optimum control of automated handling systems for palletising applications.

The PalletSolver software suite is designed by Yaskawa for use with its Motoman robots to enable faster development and integration of a robotic palletising system through user-friendly configuration, set-up and customisation and to facilitate maximum system uptime without compromising production schedules.

The software incorporates two main components – PalletSolver-PC, an offline pattern generation tool that operates on a Windows powered PC and PalletSolver-Engine, which includes robot control programs,

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motion planning and I/O maps that reside on the robot controller DX200.

It provides an intuitive userinterface with a guided pattern file for the generation of steps and is able to operate with all common gripper types. A dynamic gripper zone configuration enables change to be implemented for each cycle.

The software also supports multiple cells and incorporates interference constraints per station to ensure quick changeover.

Other features include, import pallet patterns generated by TOPS or CAPE software, an export/import cell and gripper database that can be shared between projects and the facility to produce 2D layer and 3D

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build pictures generated to help with drop box recovery.

Control Engineering UK

No. of system integration projects per year 31 to 40

More than 40

3%

1 to 10

11% 8% 58%

20%

Average 14 projects

21 to 30 11 to 20

The average system integrator works on 14 projects per year, with 14% taking on more than 30 projects annually. Source: Control Engineering 2016 System Integration Study

79%

of end users are familiar with the Industrial Internet of Things framework, up from 60% in 2015. Source: Control Engineering 2016 Industrial Internet of Things & Industrie 4.0 Study

26%

of facilities outsource maintenance operations and system integration to thirdparty providers. Source: Control Engineering 2016 Salary and Career Study

CONTROL ENGINEERING RESEARCH

High to severe control system threat levels

O

ne-quarter of respondents to the Control Engineering 2016 Cybersecurity Study identified a high cybersecurity threat to their control systems, and another 9% said their systems are severely threatened.

The most concerning threats to these at-risk systems are malware from a random source (28%) and attacks using vulnerable network devices (26%).

Below are four more findings related to highly or severely threatened control systems: 1. Vulnerability assessments: Thirty-nine percent of respondents reported that their companies have performed some type of vulnerability assessment within the past 3 to 6 months. The average facility checked vulnerabilities within 8 months.

2. Cyber-related incidents: More than half of respondents have experienced at least one malicious cyber attack on their control system networks and/or cyber assets – that they were aware

of – within the past 24 months;13% were aware of five or more attacks; 43% of the incidents were accidental infections, 21% were targeted, and 36% were accidental and targeted.

3. Identifying cyber incidents: Seventytwo percent of respondents said that they were alerted about recent cyber incidents by their internal organization; 19% of incidents were identified through a third-party assessment; 9% were notified by the government or other outside party.

4. Risk factors: Lack of appropriate technologies and lack of training or enforcement related to technologies are the top risk factors identified by respondents with highly or severely threatened control systems. Other risk factors include age of existing assets (46%), lack of policies (46%), and lack of training or enforcement related to policies (41%). www.controleng.com/2016Cybersecurity has more.

Vulnerable components in highly to severely threatened control systems 50%

Wireless communication devices and protocols 43%

Project files, control system operational procedures Connections to other internal systems

42% 39%

Network devices (firewall, switches, routers, gateways) Computer assets running commercial operating systems

38% 34%

Connections to the field SCADA network

33%

Control system cyber asset and application system backups Control system communication protocols used

32% 32%

Embedded controllers and other components 25%

OPC servers and connections Historians and connections Control system applications

21% 20%

The most vulnerable system components within respondents’ companies are wireless communication devices and protocols (50%); project files, control system operational procedures (43%); and connections to internal systems (42%). Courtesy: Control Engineering

Control Engineering Europe

www.controlengeurope.com

February 2017

19

DRIVES & MOTORS

Staying ahead of the regulations All new motors placed on the market – between 0.75 kW to 375 kW – are now required to meet the IE3 efficiency level. Control Engineering Europe finds out what needs to be done to stay ahead of the regulations.

J

anuary 2017 marked a milestone year for electric motors, with all motors rated from 0.75 kW to 375 kW now needing to meet either the IE3 efficiency level (driven direct online) or the IE2 level if fitted with a variable-speed drive (VSD).

The energy costs of a 110 kW motor represent up to 99% of the overall lifecycle costs. By increasing the efficiency of a motor, the energy consumption can be significantly reduced – and along with it, the associated costs.

The European Commission (EC) is proposing to further extend these changes to include low and medium voltage motors, VSDs and those products currently excluded from the regulations such as explosion-proof and brake motors. “With the regulations potentially extending to low and medium-voltage motors and variablespeed drives, there is a lot to consider for users of motor-driven applications,” said Marco Veeckman, sales and marketing manager of ABB’s motors and generators business. “It can be a confusing landscape with the regulations meaning different things to OEMs, machine builders, system integrators or end-users. It’s more important than ever, therefore, to seek the right advice: Which motor is most suitable for your application? When do you need a VSD? Is your application dimensioned correctly and what is the optimum solution for your process or machine?”

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It should never be taken for granted that all IE3 motors are manufactured with the highest quality materials. Just because a motor has an IE3 stamp does not mean it is reliable. Testing of drives and motors in combination is a good measure of a drive system’s reliability.

ABB has facilities to allow for the testing of motors and drives using the loading conditions that simulate the actual application. It precisely measures motor/drive dynamic performance, loadability and efficiency – parameters that are needed to find the optimal drive system for the application.

Optimising the drive system in this way means lower costs, reduced space requirements and energy savings.

Using the test results to optimise the motor/drive combination also prevents over-dimensioning which would make

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the initial cost of the drive system much higher than it should be, which means the payback time for the investment is longer.

Manufacturers must mark rating plates with the nominal efficiency at 100%, 75% and 50% of the rated load, except for small motors, which, due to the limited size of the rating plate, only need to show nominal efficiency at 100% rated load.

Additionally, all motors must show their IE class (IE2, IE3 or IE4) and year of manufacture on the rating plate.

Manufacturers are also required to provide certain other technical documentation on their free-access websites.

All IE2 motors placed into the market since January 2015 must be used with a VSD. As such, these IE2 motors need to display notification of the VSD use on the rating plate or on an additional sticker/plate. The notification must also feature in the motor’s technical documentation.

It is important to keep up with the latest VSDs and electric motor technologies. For example, if an application can be run by a variable speed drive, then a synchronous reluctance motor, or SynRM, is suitable.

A SynRM has no rotor windings in the traditional sense. This means that the rotor suffers virtually no power losses, keeping its temperature much lower than in conventional rotors. Losses are

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DRIVES & MOTORS typically 40% lower than in an equivalent induction motor, making it more efficient.

With less heat produced, the bearings also run much cooler than with other motor designs, reducing bearing failures, which are the biggest source of motor stoppages. Compared to permanent magnet motors, SynRM is lighter, less expensive and easier to repair yet gives the same performance levels.

There is a common misconception is that SynRMs cannot handle high torque applications. Yet, used with variable speed drives, they are more than capable of handling the type of high torque applications found in industries such as food and beverage, cement and mining.

The motor is available in two distinct packages. The first is a motor which is the same physical size as a standard induction motor but operates at IE4 efficiency levels. The second variant is called “High Output” (HO), which is typically two frame sizes smaller for the same equivalent power compared to induction motors and still maintains IE3 energy efficiency levels.

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OEMs and machine builders Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and machine builders need to choose their motor supplier carefully. Not only is the availability of a full range of IE3 motors from a single vendor important, some OEM products will need to consider the use of VSDs. Finding a supplier conversant in matching both drives and motors could save considerable time and costs.

OEMs should be gearing up to use IE3 motors in their machines or applications and should be specific with their suppliers about what they want and what they do not want.

For instance, with constant torque applications, where there may be no need to turn down the speed, fitting an IE2 motor and a VSD may not be cost-effective.

OEMs should also look at how the change will affect their logistics and supply chain. For example, IE3 motors may be larger than equivalent IE2 motors. Some redesign of product ranges may be necessary to take account of new motor frame sizes, motor cable length and fixings.

However, some manufacturers, like ABB, have designs whereby the shaft height of a standard IE3 motor aligns with that of the IE2 standard motor, making a like-for-like replacement easier. Furthermore, as the higher efficiency is often achieved using the same housing, while the motor may be heavier, the need to change the machine’s mechanical structure is avoided in many cases.

System integrators System integrators should by now have established a preference for IE3 motors for high duty applications. In this way, system integrators can help ensure the future compliance of their design. It is useful to put a greater focus on energy consumption - use motor starters where they offer the most > p22 efficient solution, for example, in fixed speed, Control Engineering Europe

February 2017

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Please visit www.yokogawa.com/eu

DRIVES & MOTORS Check rating plate

constant load or low duty applications.

The Regulation states that motors rated for continuous duty are covered.

This means motors that are capable of continuous operation at their rated power with a temperature rise within the specified insulation temperature.

Apart from motors rated for continuous operation (S1), other duty cycles to be considered as continuous duty are: S6, continuous duty with intermittent loads and S3, intermittent duty with a continuous duty factor of 80% or more.

Duty types are defined in IEC/EN 60034-1 Rotating electrical machines – Part 1: Rating and performance.

VSDs should be used when there is a need to regulate the speed and in applications where they bring added value, such as improvements to the operation or maintenance costs of a process or a significant energy saving.

End-users IE3 motors typically carry a 10 to 20% premium above the purchase cost of IE2 motors, but offer payback of this extra cost in a little less than two years.

Take, for example, a typical 200 kW 4-pole motor, running at 8,000 hours a year with an electricity cost of 0.1 euro/ kWhr. An IE2 motor would cost 169,521 euros in annual running costs, while the IE3 would cost 167,945 euros, providing a saving of 1,576 euros a year or 131 euros a month.

The payback for this would be well below two years.

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It is also worth considering the classes of motor that the regulations do not cover. These include motors rated at over 1000 V, motors intended for explosive atmospheres and brake motors.

The regulations are a little more complicated for dual-purpose smoke extraction motors. These are covered by the regulations if the motor can be tested by the motor manufacturer at rated power and normal ambient with its own fan. This type of motor is covered by EU MEPS and must have the correct IE markings.

The motor does not fall under the regulations if it cannot be tested independently at rated power, that is, it requires a fan supplied by an outside manufacturer. These products – known as TEAO or Totally Enclosed, Air Over motors – are not covered by EU MEPS. Another important aspect for endusers is the management of their motors and the policies that govern this. Now is an ideal time to review your motor management policy and it certainly should be reviewed if it hasn’t been in the last three years.

One of the major changes should be to your procurement policy, to ensure that all motors meet the legal minimum requirement of IE3. When looking at the motors currently installed, those working for between 7,000 and 8,000 hours a year should receive particular attention.

These are costing the most and may be due for replacement, so they are ideal candidates for replacing with IE3 standard motors.

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Check the motor rating plate and read the Declaration of Conformity, which should show compliance with the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC and Regulation 640/2009. The rating plate should be stamped with the efficiency class – IE2 as a minimum if the motor is to be used with a VSD and IE3 if the motor is to be direct-on-line (DOL) fed – and efficiency values. The IE class stamped on the plate must be based on the lowest efficiency value at the rated voltage/frequency/output combination shown on the rating plate.

IE2 motors must also have a marking to indicate that they can be used only with a VSD. Also check your existing spares, as it would not be beneficial to replace a failed motor with an inefficient motor.

Manufacturers and repair shops may repair or rewind motors and return them to the customer after the requirements come into force. Repairing and returning to use is not considered to be ’placing on the market’ and hence the requirements do not apply.

However, end-users do need to carefully consider the advantages of replacing the motor rather than having it rewound. Each rewind normally will reduce a motor’s efficiency. If not properly carried out the reduction can be as much as 3% or more, and in the worst case the motor may not be used at its rated power.

When total life cycle costs are taken into account, a new high efficiency motor is generally a better alternative than rewinding. The initial purchase cost of a motor is typically 1 to 2% of the total cost of ownership, and is much lower than the motor’s lifetime operating expenses. In many cases the payback period for a new motor is less than two years.

It is important to meet with your supplier and decide how the regulations will affect you and what purchasing strategy will be best for your organisation. The regulations are here and putting off these crucial decisions is not an option.

Control Engineering Europe

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4TH-5TH APRIL 2017

SCADA & HMIs

SCADA and the cloud:

a perfect partnership?

Suzanne Gill reports on the changing role of SCADA systems as we enter the era of smart manufacturing and IIoT.

I

n the last decade the most usual solution to an operational bottleneck has involved the introduction of yet another isolated information system. This has resulted in mind boggling quantities of process data being available today.

However, according to figures supplied

by Yokogawa, only 5% of this raw data is converted into workable information; only 10% of data is relational structured; and more than 50% of data is considered poor.

The emergence of a combined

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SCADA/MES (Enterprise Automation Systems) layer was a big step forward for the process industry, helping simplify data management. However, just connecting databases is not sufficient to turn data into knowledge. “To really capitalise on the massive amounts of data, in other words, to become analytically competitive, companies need to be thinking about their overall information strategy,” said Frank Horden, global business development and marketing manager for Yokogawa Electric Corporation.

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Of course, SCADA users are accustomed to collecting enormous amounts of data from machines and processes and due to an increasing need for transparency and to meet increasing regulatory compliance, they also understand the need to store this data. “What is new are the tools that can extract and capture actionable information and meaningful insights from the data. The explosion of data has resulted in the need for modern enterprise SCADA solutions – which have already evolved from mere PLC and device integration tools – to become an environment where a more holistic information-model approach is applied,” continued Horden.

The greatest benefits that

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SCADA & HMIs engineers gain from all this data, in technically complex environments is the information needed for the early and precise detection of defects and to help increase product quality and consistency. In addition, by obtaining information from data it is possible for planning to be improved throughout the production chain.

“Taking full advantage of the data in the hybrid data ecosystem has the potential to transform the operational and industrial landscape in the same way that the media, communication and technology industries has changed the consumer landscape over the past decade,” said Horden.

Horden believes that SCADA/MES will continue to play an important role in the real-time operational management of smart factories and processes of the future by collecting, storing and managing the data utilising the latest IT-technologies.

“Edge computing will also grow

as organisations attempt to collect, analyse and process data from assets more efficiently than traditional cloud architectures,” said Holden. “This will lead to a reduction in the amount of data being sent to the cloud, decreasing network latency which, ultimately, will improve system response times in mission critical applications.” Horden predicts that the adoption of Edge computing will also lead to the use of newer technologies such as LTE and LoRA which makes data available everywhere, quickly.

Another strategic driver is the growing need for collaboration between IT and OT. As the systems merge and integrate within SCADA/ MES it is important to define and segregate responsibilities to avoid tension between IT and process engineers to ensure efficient operation.

“Users of SCADA/MES will need to create a shared understanding of the ‘real-time’ and ‘near-real-time’

SCADA I DATA HISTORIAN I COMMUNICATION PLATFORM

requirements of each system so that the need of the production process for realtime information is not compromised by using shared public infrastructure which is critical to the IIoT philosophy,” concludes Horden.

A bright future Martyn Williams, managing director of COPA-DATA UK believes that the future for SCADA is bright, quoting the findings of a report from global market research company, Technavio, which says that the manufacturing industry is set to experience a significant growth in the adoption of analytical software through SCADA. “The integration of predictive analytics into modern SCADA software has made it easy for manufacturers to collect and archive production data and make future predictions based on this intelligence,” said Williams. However, he believes that SCADA systems can

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SCADA & HMIs provide much more than an insight into the lifespan of machinery. “The integration of cloud computing with SCADA systems has enabled operators to control production from any location, further improving the flexibility of the plant,” he said.

“As with any cloud migration, there are security concerns. However, as cloud security features become more sophisticated and SCADA providers increasingly adopt a security by design approach to their software, this concern is unlikely to deter manufacturers from embracing – and benefitting from – cloud-based SCADA.” Williams predicts that we will soon be experiencing an influx of supervisory control technologies designed to improve the flexibility, accuracy and security of production.

Coming together In an era of Industry 4.0 and the IIoT, we are starting to see IT and OT environments fusing together more and more, according to Katrin Kunz, head of marketing for Industrial PCs and SCADA, Siemens Division Digital Factory.

She believes that cloud infrastructures and SCADA systems have the ability to

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enrich each other in modern industrial environments. SCADA systems have, for many years, been an essential tool in production-critical processes, wherever it is important to display data in realtime and log it with a time stamp in order to make and document strategic business decisions quickly. It can also be used for teleservice and remote maintenance.

Cloud systems thrive on having access to the largest and most comprehensive data pool possible as the basis for analysis apps and services. Assured data availability and data display in real-time play a subordinate role here.

“The question that needs to be considered is which analysis and deductions are reasonable in the cloud and which ones are better done in the SCADA system? And how can they complement one another?

“The SCADA system of the future could transfer non production-critical data to the cloud in order to enrich its data pool for higher-level apps and services. In the other direction, SCADA systems could have the potential to utilise domain knowledge from the cloud, such as weather data, in order to facilitate further conclusions which would not be possible without this

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synergism,” concludes Kunz.

Practical developments “Putting aside the obvious and inevitable strides forward in functionality and networking communication, I think the major factor driving the development of SCADA for the factories of the future is a practical one – the user demand for increased versatility,” said Paul Hurst, director at Products4Automation, which is the UK distributor for Progea products which include Movicon SCADA and NExT. Hurst believes that SCADA monitoring systems should offer ease of integration for existing and new technologies; and should also display the scalability and transparency required to allow plant managers to create a truly custom monitoring system with ease.

Hurst goes on to explain that such characteristics can be achieved by actively designing a SCADA system for the latest software platform technologies – future-proofing – which can be achieved by utilising the latest network protocols, modular process structures, graphical capabilities and communication technologies as part of SCADA software architecture.

Control Engineering Europe

SCADA & HMIs “A next generation SCADA platform should use specific hardware and OPC UA protocols for ease of integration across the plant; Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) graphics for modular process modelling would be a good idea and connectivity to the Cloud via a range of options is pretty much essential,” he said. “All of these technologies are likely to form the basis of the Internet of Things (IoT) and compatibility with future expansion towards Industry 4.0 compatible monitoring systems. It makes sense that SCADA platforms evolve and adapt seamlessly with these trends.”

Breaking free Traditionally, SCADA has been confined within the plant. However, smart phone SCADA apps for iOS and Android operating systems mean that plant managers can now monitor and analyse data from anywhere, 24-hours a day on a personal wireless device.

This results in improved responsiveness to alarms, helping to increase production uptime.

Hurst believes that monitoring will be further revolutionised by breakthroughs in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. “In the not too distant future, I believe we will see engineers utilising virtual headsets to navigate a 3D plant which offers real-time data and models representing the physical plant off-site. Increases in graphical capabilities will achieve accurate environments which will enable engineers to gain even more insight into processes, and maybe even amend applicable parameters virtually via the AR or VR environment.”

Alternative views Taking an alternative view about the future role of SCADA, Nicholas Temple, marketing manager at B&R Industrial Automation, questions whether there will actually be a need for SCADA solutions in many applications in the future, as HMI solutions grow in capability and MES and ERP solutions become more cost competitive with Control Engineering Europe

Business Intelligence Solutions. He said: “SCADA systems usually carry an additional engineer resource so the integrity of an automation platform for a plant can be at risk. If a PLC programmer can use a single engineering environment to completely cover the needs of both SCADA and PLC, why complicate matters further with another engineering environment?”

He argues that typical SCADA systems come out with a new solution annually with support offered for a

Unitronics Industrial Automation Solution targets the smart factory of the future. “This is one of the reasons our all-in-one PLC/HMI controllers include a built-in webserver. We enable our users to click-to-convert HMI screens to webpages. The application can then be viewed and edited – depending on the security levels assigned — by users on any browser, whether that be a on PC or mobile device,” said Magrafta.

Support for protocols such as Microsoft SQL, FTP, email, SNMP is

“The integration of cloud computing with SCADA systems has enabled operators to control production from any location, further improving the flexibility of the plant,” limited period after launch. This means that hardware and software lifecycles can also come unhinged, creating unnecessary costs for the user with software updates that may not be compatible with the potentially legacy hardware installed base.

B&R offers a simple, modular way of programming with its mapp solution and a visualisation solution called mapp View. mapp View integrates web technology right into the software development environment. While it is built on HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript, automation programmers never need to deal with these languages and can continue to focus on their own areas of expertise.

Benny Magrafta, head of software research & development at Unitronics, also questions the need for SCADA software in many applications. He said: “Why go to the trouble of setting up a SCADA system, when the front of your PLC can easily become an elegant HMI touch screen, and all of the data in the control system is immediately accessible?” He is referring to the integrated PLC and HMI offerings available from his company.

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also important, and according to Magrafta, this results in the PLC side communicating machine/application data and the HMI/webserver side enabling direct communication with the application and the facilities backend systems, while protocols such as SQL, FTP, email, SNMP communicate data to/from the management layer.

“The all-in-one controller becomes the nexus of the system,” he concludes.

Conclusion There can be no doubt the SCADA system has changed over the years, evolving from the role of providing a plant-wide monitoring and control solution for often geographically wide spread systems, and delivering data to the control room. Today, there is ever more data to collect and SCADA data management capabilities have been extended and its role as an HMI has reduced. It looks likely that the concept of a SCADA system, in some form, will continue to dominate as a tool for harvesting information and insight from the plant, albeit the system might be unrecognisable when compared to SCADA systems of the past.

February 2017

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ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL

Achieving operational EXCELLENCE USING APC In the chemical industry, advanced process control (APC) is the formula for reaching higher levels of operational excellence. Tushar Singh and Kate Kulik look at APC opportunities.

process out of optimum and into a more comfortable operating range (represented by “A” in Figure 1).

However, this often results in higher costs and/or lower production rates.

There is more energy usage, lower yields, and lower feed rates compared to operating with APC. For decades, APC has proven to reduce the variability in the process (represented by “B” in Figure 1) by actively controlling key process parameters on a minute-by-minute basis.

The controlled variables are stabilised, and the standard deviation is reduced.

When the key variables are stabilised, the optimizing nature of APC is used to move the process to a more optimal point (represented by “C” in Figure 1).

This results in consistently operating the unit close to the maximum possible profit day in and day out, safely and reliably.

Identifying APC opportunities

Figure 1: This graph shows how advanced process control (APC) delivers benefits by reducing variations and optimizing operations. All images courtesy: Aspen Technology Inc.

O

perational excellence is a business necessity to achieve and maintain a strong market position within the chemical industry. A way to gain a higher level of operational excellence maturity is with a wellplanned advanced process control (APC) implementation program. While the goal of APC implementation in the chemical industry is simple: to maximise margins while meeting customer expectations, there are a few factors chemical operators must consider to ensure a successful implementation.

Understanding the benefits of APC When APC was originally introduced in the early to mid-1980s, it was designed for refineries and petrochemical sites. Since then, this

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technology has evolved. APC is a process control and optimisation technology that takes into account the multivariable interactive nature of process units to reduce variability and drive the process to an optimum on a minute-by-minute basis. This is done by manipulating variables, such as feed flow, temperature settings, pressure settings, and reflux flows, which are normally changed by operators who run the unit.

Due to the multivariable nature of process interactions and variability inherent in process units, operations cannot fully optimise the process manually, as this will result in key variables moving out of the desired range of operation from time to time.

To be on the conservative side, operations are forced to move the

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The first step when implementing an APC program is to understand what process units or part of the units are good candidates for APC. To be able to quantify benefits and improvement opportunity, it is necessary to first understand the economics of the unit and the production process. It is also necessary to consider the unit by itself, or in many cases, its role within the bigger production value chain.

If organizations have business or process key performance indicators (KPIs), they can serve as a good starting point for analysing the APC opportunities. However, there are other ways potential APC benefits can be calculated. The following 10 criteria can be used to quantify the benefits associated with an APC project.

1. Production increase: Typically, APC projects have proven to increase capacity by 3% to 5%. By reducing the variability in the process and operating closer to limits, APC debottlenecks the process, or part of the process, allowing higher production rates. For this to happen, Control Engineering Europe

ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL however, an understanding of how the intermediate products affect downstream units and why is required.

2. Energy savings: Energy savings from APC implementation have been reported to be in the range of 3% to 15% depending on the process and current operations. Most of the time, utilities management, especially steam, is a complex control issue that spans across the site and at times also affects the electric grid.

APC applications can be designed to manage utility systems effectively by matching steam production to the site’s demand. Benefits come from reducing pressure let-downs and reducing or eliminating vented steam onsite. Many companies report a 60% to 90% reduction in vented steam using APC. After the steam header pressures are stabilised, APC also can be used to optimise energy production. For example, boiler loads, gas turbines, or other sources of energy can be adjusted to maximise the efficiency of the overall system while ensuring stable header pressures, day in and day out.

3. Quality improvements: It’s important to reduce variability in the final product quality. Some products – for example, certain types of polymers and specialty chemicals – are sold at a value that depends on the quality variability of the batch produced.

Many companies report a reduction in standard deviation of product qualities of up to 50%.

4. Yield improvement: Many organizations experience a yield improvement of 1% to 2% through APC deployments. Typically, this is achieved by optimising the reactor part of the process and/or the separation portion. In almost all cases, the reaction is highly exothermic or endothermic, meaning good reactor temperature control is key. In addition, good control Control Engineering Europe

Figure 2: Companies using advanced process control (APC) in conjunction with supply chain software can exploit the new capabilities to further optimize the production wheel.

and optimization of the ratio of feed components to catalyst are very beneficial. Well-controlled reactors typically see an increased yield of 0.5% per pass at the same throughput rates, while maintaining safe operating temperatures. In some cases, it has been proven that a wellcontrolled polymer reactor online time is increased by up to 5% before a shutdown is required to clean out the reactor, resulting in improved yields and throughput.

For the nonreaction part of the process, such as distillation columns, maintaining the specifications on the final product can increase the yield of the desired product by increasing impurities up to the contracted specifications. Higher amounts of lower value products (impurities) in the final product are sold as higher value product, while maintaining the specifications and customer expectations.

5. Optimising the polymer production wheel: In polymer production, the production wheel usually is not optimised to market needs, as

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difficult transitions may be rejected by operations. Without APC, grade transitions take longer and result in low-value products produced during these transitions. It’s common to see a 20% to 50% reduction in grade transition time. Through APC, it is possible to “bust the production wheel” and produce grades when they are in demand, while minimising the time when the low-value transition products are produced.

Companies using APC in conjunction with supply chain software can exploit the new capabilities to further optimise the production wheel (see Figure 2).

6. Recycle ratios: Units that have recycles are good qualifiers for APC. The addition of the fresh feed components depends on the quality of recycle. Without APC, a fixed ratio of fresh feed to recycle is maintained.

This does not consider the product quality, downstream equipment operation, or the unit constraints.

The multivariable nature of APC allows for optimising the fresh feed-to-recycle ratio > p30 February 2017

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ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL to maximise throughput and/or maintain quality at specifications.

Figure 3: This diagram shows the phases associated with a traditional advanced process control (APC) project lifecycle.

7. Emissions control: APC implementation also can help control environmental constraints. By using APC to model and actively control the furnaces and boilers on a steam utility plant through APC, it is possible to operate closer to the emissions limits without violating them. It also helps decrease energy usage and minimise costs to meet NOX and SOX emissions constraints.

8. Exploiting ambient temperature effects: APC has proven to exploit the benefits associated with ambient conditions. Ambient temperature has an effect on compressor performance, condensation capacity, gas turbine operation, cooling water temperature, refrigeration capability, gas volumes, and many more process-related conditions.

Diurnal effects, humidity, or even cloud cover have an effect on cooling water temperature, which can result in changes in compressor throughput limits. Operators cannot be expected to exploit the benefits associated with ambient temperature changes.

This would mean anticipating the ambient temperature effects on the process and adjusting the process parameters only to reverse all changes as the sun rises in the morning. Units that are affected by ambient conditions can benefit from APC applications as they can anticipate these changes and adjust process parameters accordingly on a minute-by-minute basis.

9. Dynamic opportunities: Without APC, disturbances arising from upstream or downstream will affect process units and reduce margins. For example, in temporary situations where feed quality is decreasing by 1% to 5%, operators will react to keep the product on spec, but most likely not in an optimal way. When things are more stable, the unit may not be

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optimised because the situation is temporary. This is at best a means of producing on-spec product but at a very large giveaway. At worst, it would mean decreasing feed to cope with the situation. With APC technology, units will constantly react to the disturbance optimally.

10. Site-wide optimisation opportunities: Operating units with APC presents a larger scope of optimization opportunity for the site. Optimising a part of the process as a standalone would mean lost opportunity compared to optimising multi-units together. For example, pushing a reactor to maximum throughput might not make sense if the bottleneck of the unit is the offgas stripper. If this happens, light materials that should be removed are pushed into either flare or off-gas where they are lost. At some point, this may mean reduced margins.

These interactions and constraints are considered in the design of APC systems and can lead to significant benefits for the overall site.

APC deployment and project lifecycle After identifying the business case for an APC project, the next step is to start building and implementing the APC controller. Traditionally, APC projects have been long and expensive with many defined steps needed

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for successful APC commissioning.

For example, organisations would be required to go through countless phases of step testing, model building, controller development, and commissioning before moving onto deployment (see Figure 3). As a result, many companies were faced with lost margins during the lengthy deployment phase and disruptions to the process for gathering data to build APC models.

Additionally, this process required highly experienced users to build and sustain controllers.

Some companies today have moved beyond the traditional methods to a more advanced technology by integrating adaptive process control with APC technology.

With adaptive process control, these four phases have been combined into one, allowing users to experience faster deployments and sustained benefits through continuous model updates in the background with no disruptions to the process (see Figure 4). In addition, these tools enable more and less experienced users to deploy and sustain APC controllers, which can save time and money within the organisation.

Advanced APC technology also helps companies sustain benefits. In the past, any changes to the process or equipment after deployment would require re-identifying the model, which would involve costly step testing and would be handled as a project.

However, with adaptive process control Control Engineering Europe

ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL controllers leading to a best-in-class APC program.

Figure 4: This diagram shows the project lifecycle of advanced process control (APC) technology, such as Aspen DMC3, which is integrated with adaptive process control.

technology integrated into today’s APC solutions, sustaining controllers is no longer handled as a project but rather as a continuous process.

Sustainability tools in these advanced APC solutions also include automatic bad-model identification. These models can be calibrated online, in a closed loop

with no disruptions to the process. This makes sustaining benefits easier and cheaper.

Additionally, maintaining APC controllers requires fewer resources, and as a result, controllers maintain peak performance, which in turn enables companies to deploy and sustain more

Control is all about the outputs Inputs are nice to look at, says Jay Griffen, but if you’re not turning on outputs, you’re not doing anything.

You can’t monitor anything that you’re not reading an input from. Likewise, you can’t control anything that an output isn’t attached to.

I’ve had customers who wanted me to control something in a nether region that wasn’t covered by input/output (I/O). A lot of time would be spent developing a flaky configuration that inferred information from inputs adjacent to the nether area. Then, it would manipulate something in that area by turning on nearby outputs to influence it. This wasn’t a good idea then, and it isn’t now. If the same amount of time and money would have been spent installing a couple of instruments in the field and wiring them to the rack room, the problem would have been solved the correct way.

With that being said, you can actually take “It’s all about the I/O” and break it down further to “It’s all about the outputs.”

Inputs are nice to look at. People like to trend them, totalise them, and put them on graphics and dashboards. Inputs also

Control Engineering Europe

APC is key for operational excellence

are necessary when it comes to knowing when to turn on some of the outputs.

You can have process graphics full of inputs to gaze at all day. But, if you’re not starting pumps or opening valves, nothing is ever going to be produced.

You can’t build a house by looking at a pile of 2x4 studs. At some point, you have to pick up a hammer and start pounding nails. Again, it all boils down to the outputs. If you’re not turning on outputs, you’re not doing anything.

I N T P U T S

The chemicals market is very competitive, volatile, and fast-paced.

To maintain a strong market position, companies need to look harder and deeper into their equipment, production, and operations to ensure the production chain is optimised. At leading chemical companies, APC is a key strategic tool in the quest to reach higher levels of operational excellence.

Tushar Singh is a product marketing manager Aspen Technology Inc. Kate Kulik is a senior principal business consultant at Aspen Technology Inc.

This also applies directly to your work in general. Are you turning on outputs?

What have you produced lately? Are you: • Knocking items off that project task list like a metal machine?

• Having meetings with the heads because each of you like to hear yourself talk?

• Watching videos in the office?

Only one of the above activities involves turning on outputs. Which one is it? Now, go turn on some outputs.

Jay Griffin, PE, is a principal engineer at Maverick Technologies, a US-based systems integrator.

Central processing unit

O U T P U T S

A control system is only as good as the input/output (I/O) attached to it.

The I/O is the pipeline to instrumentation in the field and is how the control system visualises and manipulates the process. Courtesy: Maverick Technologies

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PRODUCT FORUM • NEW SMART CAMERA EYECHECK 5XXX SERIES

HBM TAKES THE STRAIN OUT OF PCB TESTING!

The new EyeCheck 5xxx smart camera series

by EVT is available as complete bundle together with the EyeVision image processing software or as OEM version.

The EyeCheck 5xxx smart camera series with integrated EyeVision software is perfect for fast and accurate image evaluation and can be applied to tasks such as e.g. pattern matching, code reading (bar code, DMC, QR), OCR/ OCV, object detection, measurement technology, surface inspection, and many more.

The EyeVision software is easy-to-handle and can be used intuitively and self-explanatory, completely without programming skills. The graphical user interface with its drag-and-drop function is used for programming the inspection programs. But of course, if needed the EyeVision software can also always be programmed, by using the Script Interpreter. Also EyeVision has the plugin concept, where the user can use libraries from Halcon or OpenCV to create commands for the EyeVision software and integrate them into the graphical user interface.

Tel: +49721 668 004 23(0) Fax: +49721 626905-96 Mail: kas@evt-web.com i More info - Enter Link code 131530 Web: www.evt-web.com

HBM – a market leader in the field of test and measurement – is pleased to announce the arrival of its new RF9 miniature rosette strain gauge, which is suitable for measurements on printed circuit boards (PCB), small components or applications with limited space.

Compact in size, the RF9 strain gauge rosette features a three stacked measurement grid which is only 5mm in size, enabling it to determine a biaxial stress state with unknown principal stress direction in confined spaces.

Easy to connect, the RF9 is pre-wired with colour-coded enamelled copper wires, eliminating the need for fiddly soldering on the strain gauge.

For further information, contact HBM on +44 (0) 20 8515 6000 or email: info@uk.hbm.co.uk or visit the HBM website at http://www.hbm.com/en/

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SICK LAUNCHES NEXT-GENERATION MICROSCAN3 SAFETY LASER SCANNER With the launch its next-generation safety laser scanner, the microScan3, SICK is promising a new era of improved personal safety and productivity.

The microScan3 is the first safety laser scanner to use SICK’s patented scanning technology, safeHDDMTM (High Definition Distance Measurement), based on advanced time of flight measurement SafeHHDMTM enables the microScan3 to operate reliably in difficult ambient light, dirty or dusty conditions where other technologies can fail.

The microScan3 packs unprecedented performance into its compact size, with excellent resolution and detection of difficult-to-see materials with a wide range of 5.5 metres and 275 degrees.

The uniquely-developed and patented high definition distance measurement algorithms used for the safeHDDM™ scanning technology use multi-signal evaluation to achieve a level of measurement reliability never before seen in safety scanners. Even a very dark object with just 1.8 percent remission, e.g. black clothing, is reliably detected.

For more information on the SICK microScan3, please contact Andrea Hornby on 01727 831121 or email andrea.hornby@sick.co.uk.

NEW SAFETY CONTROLLER C250-S FROM LENZE Launched at the 2016 SPS IPC Drives Fair, the new Safety Controller c250-S from Lenze enables machine drive, control and safety technology to be brought together. The integration of the functional safety into the automation system so that programming requires just one engineering tool based on PLCopen, makes the system design easier and reduces the number of interfaces/components. This saves time and money, and ultimately it also increases the machine’s availability and flexibility. The c250-S controller comprises a Safety Controller, Safety Bus Coupler and Safety I/O Module. Standard control messages and safety messages are transmitted over EtherCAT with full PLCopen compatibility. Integration with the Lenze drive and automation portfolio is assured. This emphasis on easiness is also reflected in a significantly reduction in cabling. In addition the direct networking of the Lenze controllers with ready-made software solutions from the Lenze FAST Application Software Toolbox simplifies system design. In practice it means, for example, that a pre-configured FAST module can control a traversing speed while the safety control simultaneously monitors the safe maximum speed within the system. sales.uk(at)lenze.com 01234 753200 Fraser Road/Priory Business Park, Bedford MK44 3WH

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14.01.16 16:57

Control Engineering Europe

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PRODUCT FORUM • PLATINUM™ SERIES, HIGH ACCURACY, FAST SAMPLING, DIGITAL PANEL METER.

The PLATINUM™ Series of microprocessor-based digital panel meters offer unparalleled flexibility in process measurement. While extremely powerful and versatile, great care has gone into designing a product that is very easy to set-up and use.

The automatic hardware configuration recognition eliminates the need for jumpers and allows the firmware to automatically simplify itself, eliminating all menu options that do not apply to a specific configuration.

Each unit allows the user to select the input type from 9 thermocouple types (J, K, T, E, R, S, B, C, and N), Pt RTDs (100, 500, or 1000 Ω, with either 385, 392, or 3916 curve), thermistors (2250 Ω, 5K Ω, and 10K Ω), DC voltage, or DC current.

The bipolar voltage or current inputs are fully scalable to virtually all engineering units, with a selectable decimal point that is perfect for use with pressure, flow, or other process input.

Two alarms can be configured for above, below, hi/lo, and band triggering using either absolute or deviation alarm trigger points. In addition, high-high/low-low indication is available. The two optional single pole double throw mechanical relays can be assigned to either or both alarm triggers.

Two annunciators and three display colours can also be assigned to the alarm triggers.

Free Phone 0800 488 488

International +44(0) 161 777 6611 sales@omega.co.uk http://www.omega.co.uk

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WIRELESS SENSOR-TRANSMITTERS FOR TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE, THERMOCOUPLES OR VOLTAGE & CURRENT These wireless sensors transmit up to 90 metres - without obstructions or interferences to a zCDR coordinator. The coordinators connect directly to an Ethernet network and the Internet and serve active Web Pages to display and chart the data.

You can monitor and record Analogue Voltage and Current, Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Barometric Pressure over an Ethernet network or the Internet without any special software--just your Web Browser.

You can even set alarms to be notified by email. Alarms can be sent to a single user or to a group distribution list, including text messages to cell phones.

These zSeries wireless sensors are designed for demanding industrial applications indoors and harsh outdoor environments.

The electronics are protected in a rugged weatherproof polycarbonate NEMA4 (IP65) rated housing. The rugged industrial sensors are supplied with 3 metres of cable.

Free Phone 0800 488 488 International +44(0) 161 777 6611 sales@omega.co.uk http://www.omega.co.uk/

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TWO LEADING VALVE OPERATION BRANDS MERGE TO FORM SOFIS Netherlocks and Smith Flow Control reveal new corporate identity Two of the valve operation industry’s leading brands have joined forces under a new name.

Netherlocks and Smith Flow Control have combined to form Sofis, a bigger, stronger, market-led company.

Sofis’s customers will benefit from a more diversified organisation with a wider portfolio of valve safety and operation products.

“One of the key customer benefits of our merger is that, as one team, we can offer a stronger, complementary range of products,” explained Daniel Ruiter, Sofis’s CEO. The new company will also offer better application engineering and after-sales service, while a new regional sales structure will deliver improved local support.

Sofis’s dedicated business development managers and innovation teams will work closely with customers to design new solutions in each of its product groups: process safety, drive systems and valve monitoring.

The new company will operate from 11 offices in nine countries.

Contact details - +31 (0)172 471 339 / +44 (0)1376 517901 | info@sofisglobal.com

Control Engineering Europe

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FINAL WORD

Supporting the digital

TRANSFORMATION Hartmut Pütz, president Factory Automation EMEA at Mitsubishi Electric Europe, talks about the digital transformation of industry, focussing on its effect on manufacturing businesses, especially at a production level.

M

anufacturing is currently undergoing a period of rapid change.

In concrete terms this can be seen as the move from automated production to fully digitised manufacturing. New goals are continually being set, but the target is to use existing standards to achieve them.

The way things will develop depends largely on the requirements of end users, which have changed massively in recent years. Increasingly, end users expect more product variety and customisation, but at a similar price point.

One example is the speed at which online configurators have influenced the automotive market. Vehicle manufacturers have long relied on options lists to make a profit from selling a car. However, competition has increased and more technology has become standard, which has resulted in the requirement for a larger range of personalisation options to be offered in order to entice buyers into choosing a certain model. For less complex end products, the customisation-on-demand process can happen even faster.

High levels of flexibility With the rise of online ordering, the link from a sale to a machine tool or a robot altering its work pattern is closer than ever. To satisfy this demand, suppliers require the

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highest levels of flexibility from their manufacturers throughout the supply chain. They have to react very quickly, changing production numbers for individual items on the fly. This is where the ‘smart factory’ starts to come into being.

As an automation solutions provider, Mitsubishi Electric is a partner to industry. We support our customers in the development of their business ventures with consultation on industrial automation and Information technology. All of our activities relating to the digital transformation of enterprises – creating the ‘smart factory’ – are part of our ‘e-Factory’ concept. This encompasses the e-Factory Alliance, a worldwide active network of cooperating companies. The network brings together manufacturers of industrial components as well as specialist system integrators and software providers. These partner companies collaborate at an individual level to offer flexible, optimised solutions.

An example of the e-Factory Alliance working toward delivering proven solutions to Industry 4.0 challenges can be found at Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe GmbH, where a more holistic approach to predictive maintenance has been achieved by implementing a Smart Condition Monitoring solution developed in cooperation with FAG Schaeffler.

The technology allows a whole range of parameters – from the

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Hartmut Pütz is president Factory Automation EMEA at Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V.

coating machine and its ancillary parts – to be monitored around the clock. That data is then used to analyse the condition of individual components as well as the health of the individual machine and of the wider plant. The information gained from the system includes maintenance recommendations.

This enables intelligent decisions to be made in advance, based on real need, not simply routine. The solution has created a new working methodology, reducing unplanned downtime and the risk of subsequent damage. Overall, the result is improved predictive maintenance, optimised asset lifecycle management and production and reduced total operating costs.

Related concepts When talking about Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT) is inevitably also a key theme. They are related concepts with an essential relationship and form the basis for Industry 4.0.

Recent estimates put the number of devices connected through the IoT at about 5 billion, and this is likely to soar over the next few years. Combine that prediction with the amount of data being generated and processed by a more connected factory, and it is easy to see why companies’ IT infrastructure needs to change.

Control Engineering Europe

FINAL WORD complementary IoT approaches. Our company offers simple and secure access to a range of different cloud services, like SAP Hana, Microsoft Azure and Amazon. But we also facilitate it for niche cloud applications and dedicated cloud-based analytics

digital data is then combined into bidirectional systems to integrate data, people, processes and systems for better decision making.

Within the context of the Internet of Things; we have also been able to realise a project together with

Intel is using an IoT gateway from Mitsubishi Electric to aggregate and securely input data into a big data analytics server.

services using Edge computing. The results can be widely distributed intelligence, with remote devices generating lots of information.

Those are linked over standard open protocols that can be seen as the key to forming a digital nervous system within businesses. The networked

March 2nd & 3rd, Runcorn, Cheshire, UK

2017

We can appreciate, then, the attraction of cloud based data storage and processing services. They have the potential to deliver more secure, reliable, scalable and affordable data collection and distribution than on-site IT platforms. Businesses are increasingly using cloud services not simply to store large volumes of data, but also to perform analytics tasks. Processing the data means deriving trend information and presenting users with customised dashboards. The intelligence gained can be used to improve overall plant performance and asset management.

Edge computing is complementary to Cloud computing, and businesses are increasingly finding that they need the capabilities of both. The cloud delivers the ‘bigger picture’ of the IoT, while Edge computing brings the IoT to life by supporting applications that demand a real-time response.

Mitsubishi Electric has developed solutions that support both of these

Protecting Plant, Process & Personnel

Intel. The company is using an IoT gateway from Mitsubishi Electric to aggregate and securely input data into a big data analytics server. For Intel, this pilot is forecast to save millions of dollars annually and provide other significantly valuable business benefits.

HazardEx 2017 International Conference & Exhibition 2nd & 3rd March 2017 The two-day, biennial, International Conference and Exhibition for hazardous area specialists.

Conference delegate places and gala awards dinner seats still available, contact us for details • Dr Thorsten Arnhold, Chairman of IECEx, will speak on future developments within the IECEx system • Human Factors Consultant John Wilkinson and Simon Monnington of BP on knowledge and competence in high hazard industries • Rob Magraw of BakerRisk Europe on expanding risk assessment in the chemical and refining industries • Tony Ennis of Haztech Consultants on fire and explosion risk in biomass installations.

Other speakers will include the Principal Engineer, Process Instruments at Sellafield Ltd, senior figures within the HSE Hazardous Installations Directorate, Principal Process Safety Consultant at Lockheed Martin UK Information Systems, and Process Safety Manager Europe at NuStar Terminals Ltd, amongst many others.

Tel: +44 (0)1732 359990 or Email: hazardex@imlgroup.co.uk For more information go to: www.hazardexonthenet.net

We (con)figured it out.

Introducing LEAP™ Automated Device Commissioning with Smart Test. Discover optimized project execution enabled by the most advanced, open and available control system—Experion® PKS Orion.

For more information, please visit © 2016 Honeywell International Inc. All rights reserved.

www.honeywellprocess.com/experion