Cee 18 02

Control, Instrumentation and Automation in the Process and Manufacturing Industries February 2018

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Overcoming interoperability issues in smart factories

Digital transformation is the only option

Zero-defect production: pipedream or possibility?

Investing in your plant’s future today

Delegate & exhibition visitor registrations available

The 2018 Hazardex International Conference and Exhibition will be taking place once again at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Runcorn, Cheshire, UK, on February 28 and March 1.

The two-day Conference & Exhibition, which also includes workshops, a networking dinner and awards ceremony, aims to strengthen and expand the community that looks to the Hazardex website and journal for industry intelligence and information.

We are pleased to announce the keynote presentation will be a joint paper from the UK HSE and National Cyber Security Centre titled ‘Cybersecurity: Is the UK prepared to address the risks?’. This will set the tone for the conference & event along with the IIOT / Industry 4.0 exhibitor village and workshops.

Other areas of interest at this year’s conference will be systems, incident and risk management, functional safety, PPE, safety culture and certification.

The full conference programme is available on the Hazardex website.

Delegate, exhibitor or sponsorship enquiries should be addressed to Event Director Russell Goater at events@imlgroup.co.uk or phone +44 (0) 1732 359990.

Event Sponsors

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CONTENTS

A busy year is on the cards…

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 David May Colin Halliday

Group Publisher Production Manager Studio Designer

Welcome to the first issue of Control Engineering Europe for 2018. We are set for a busy year, with ACHEMA, the triennial process industry event in Frankfurt, being added to our mustattend events calendar. This event offers a great opportunity to catch up on the latest technology developments aimed specifically at the process industry. We will be previewing this event in this June issue, but will also keep you up to date with any important information before then.

Exhibitions always offer a great opportunity to a catch up with the latest news and views and at the last SPS/IPC/Drives event I was delighted to be able to speak with Jürgen Brandes, CEO of Siemens Process Industries and Drives Division, to

get his thoughts on the process industry digitalisation journey. You can read the results of the interview in this issue (pg 4).

We also report on some of the highlights of the last SPS/IPC/Drives event, on pg 26.

The digitalisation process really has taken centre stage in this issue, with further reports on IIoT implementation issues – and how to overcome them – appearing from pg 10.

Suzanne Gill Editor – Control Engineering Europe Suzanne.gill@ imlgroup.co.uk

INDUSTRY REPORT

I/O SYSTEMS

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17 A phased control system modernisation for a production line has offered a better return on investment for one castings manufacturer.

Jürgen Brandes, CEO of Siemens Process Industries and Drives Division, talks about the process industry digitalisation journey.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

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18 Find out how AGVs can be freed from their guidance system limitations through the use of wireless communications.

Remote reading capability added to panel meter; A bridge between the electrical and automation engineering worlds.

IIoT

SCADA

10 Suzanne Gill reports on the issues surrounding industrial digitalisation, and finds out why it is vital to put in the groundwork now to ensure a smarter factory in the future.

22 Sun-powered SCADA for gas distribution.

12 Network convergence is key to IIoT success.

RFID 24 Zero-defect production: pipedream or possibility?

EVENT REVIEW

HAZARDOUS AREAS

26 A review of the automation innovations on show at SPS/IPC/Drives 2017.

14 IEC 60067-19 explained.

MACHINE SAFETY 16 We look at the importance of international standards when it comes to the specification of protection devices on machinery.

11 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.

ISSN 1741-4237 IML Group plc Blair House, High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BQ UK Tel: +44 (0) 1732 359990 Fax: +44 (0) 1732 770049

Control Engineering Europe

Control Engineering (USA) Frank Bartos, Mark Hoske, Renee Robbins, Vance VanDoren, Peter Welander Circulation Tel: +44 (0)1732 359990 Email: subscription@imlgroup.co.uk Completed print or on line registration forms will be considered for free supply of printed issues, web site access and on line services.

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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 2018

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INDUSTRY REPORT

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IS THE ONLY OPTION Suzanne Gill spoke to Jürgen Brandes, CEO of Siemens Process Industries and Drives Division, to get his thoughts on the process industry digitalisation journey.

I

must admit to being a little surprised, but heartened, to hear Brandes initial comments at the start of our interview, when he explained that digitalisation is not necessarily reliant upon the purchase of new technology.

He said: “The digitalisation journey should start with questions being asked about what needs to be done differently and how existing data might be used more smartly.”

So, while it makes sense that any digitalisation project should start with the use case, according to Brandes, this vital step is often missed. “It is important to first look at what you want to do differently and then look at how existing plant data, which you may not have accessed or analysed before, might help you to transform your business,” he said.

“There is a great deal of unused data already available on the plant floor. If this can be accessed and, importantly, turned it into actionable information, then the digital transformation can begin.”

Brandes believes it is important that, when talking to customers about digitalisation, vendors should take a consultancy approach. “Siemens is able to offer customers – of any size – an initial consultation,” he said. “In the process industry we are working with customers to firstly find out what equipment and technologies are already available to them and then we create a document which offers recommendations about how they might want to move forward and where they should start. There is never a standard fixed way forward and this is why it is important to consider every project individually.

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Digital documents There are three main priorities for any digitalisation strategy – knowing what data you need; finding out how to gather this data; and then timestamping it to give it relevance and make it usable.

Siemens is able to help at all of these stages. It can provide hardware to collect the data; it has its open, cloud-based IoT operating system, MindSphere, to connect, view, and analyse the data; and it has open interfaces to allow customers to create their own IPs to enable them to use data smartly.

MindSphere offers a platform as a service approach (PaaS) where systemgenerated data can be captured, evaluated and used – for example to optimise plant performance and availability. Because it is scalable, the solution can be employed to capture data from a single motor, right up to a complete process plant, depending on the needs of individual users. “If, for example, you have an issue relating to energy savings, MindSphere could help you make sense of data collected from a smart box retrofitted onto a single motor. You will immediate gain useful process data to act upon,” said Brandes. The data can be used to predict and prevent downtimes and could be employed to develop completely new business models – such as selling machine operating hours and offering less capital-intensive solutions.

Today, around one million devices and systems are connected via MindSphere, and this figure is set to reach 1.25 million by the end of fiscal 2018. MindSphere has also just been made available on Amazon Web Services, which allows users to enjoy the benefits of an

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even more powerful development environment, additional analysis functions and expanded connectivity.

Going further However, Siemens believes that there is much more to be achieved from digitalisation. For example, there is now software that allows for the digital documentation of devices and systems that make up the plant.

Keeping such documentation together in one environment, and up to date, has, traditionally been difficult using paper documentation. A smarter solution is to have always up to date documentation in the form of a digital twin of the plant. This enables comparisons to be made between the ideal (digital twin world) and the reality world (physical systems), offering valuable insight into how processes could be improved using the technology that is already available in the plant. “Such a digital twinning solution can provide clear comparisons to identify physical process weak points and to show the true potential of your existing plant,” said Brandes.

“In the future, when companies invest in new process plants or improve them, they will want to receive a digital document in addition to, or instead of, the traditional paper documentation.

The digitised engineering data can be imported and ensures that the digital twin is up to date along the whole life -cycle. This can also help to gain a better understanding of the effect that new additions to a plant will have on the process.” Brandes went on to explain that it is now possible to create a digital twin of plants that contain Control Engineering Europe

INDUSTRY REPORT

“There is a great deal of unused data already available on the plant floor. If this can be accessed and, importantly, turned it into actionable information, then the digital transformation can begin.” legacy equipment that may be decades old. “Siemens is able to help create a digital twin even of brownfield sites,” he confirmed.

Of course, it is important that any digital documentation works in the same way with all automation vendor offerings. Brandes agrees that these solutions cannot be vendor-specific or proprietary. “The environment needs to be collaborative to allow for the Control Engineering Europe

addition of best of breed solutions that will work with legacy equipment – from any supplier,” he said. But open systems demand comprehensive protection to guarantee cybersecurity. The Siemens solution is its Defense in Depth concept which has been designed in line with the recommendations of ISA 99 / IEC 62443, to provide all-round and in-depth protection for automation systems on all three levels – plant security, network

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security and system integrity.

Siemens offers software and hardware tools for all phases of the lifecycle of a plant. The digital twin is based on the data model of the engineering tool COMOS. Closely linked to this solution, and to Siemens scalable process automation system SIMATIC PCS 7, is SIMIT, a simulation tool that helps with virtual commissioning and with the development of operator training systems. SIMIT uses a digital twin to digitally test all the software and control loops – in effect undertaking a virtual factory acceptance test (FAT) to remove any problems before the physical system is installed. With the cooperation of Bentley systems it is possible for a digital twin to also be generated and visualised for brownfield projects. An actual 3D virtual reality twin of the plant can be used for modernisation, virtual plant tours or training projects.

Brandes said that the biggest benefit of digitalisation for the process control engineer is the additional operational data that becomes available while for the design engineer the biggest immediate benefit of digitalisation will be a reduction in project lead times and faster times to market.

While he admits that the digitalisation process may present challenges for many process enterprises, he reiterated that doing nothing is not an option!

“It is up to every company to find the right place to start their journey – and to first understand what they want to change. However, it is vital that all process enterprises start to take these first steps,” he said.

Everyone needs to find their own place to start the journey. “Find a project that addresses the biggest challenges in your existing strategy.

This might be time to market, it might be ageing equipment or engineering staff, or it may be a need to increase productivity. Always start somewhere that offers you the easy wins. When you gain confidence you can start to more confidently expand the use of digital solutions,” concluded Brandes.

February 2018

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

Remote reading capability FMCW radar added to panel meter sensor promises BEKA associates has added an optional Modbus RTU interface to its universal multicolour display panel meters.

The isolated two wire RS485 interface enables the panel meter’s display and status to be read remotely. It can also be configured via the interface.

Each meter has a colour selectable, five-digit and 31 segment bargraph display that is visible in all lighting conditions. The display colour can be linked to the meter’s alarm status, providing operators with a very obvious warning. For example, a green display could change to red when a high alarm occurs and to blue in the low alarm

condition. Display colours and brightness can be adjusted on-site to match other instrumentation in the panel or operator’s preference.

The meters, which have an IP66 front panel, accept process current, voltage and resistance thermometer inputs and versions are available for operation from a low voltage dc or a mains power supply. For applications in hostile and marine environments, the rugged A90SS has a 316 stainless steel enclosure and an impact resistant toughened glass window. For installation in an open panel, the BA495 sealing kit provides IP66 rear of panel protection for A90 and A90-SS meters, including cable gland entry facilities.

Configuration is performed via the front panel buttons using the common simple intuitive menu, or via the optional Modbus interface. Meters may be calibrated to show the input signal in engineering units without the need for an external voltage or current source, or for the meter input to be disconnected

A bridge between the electrical and automation engineering worlds EPLAN has partnered with Siemens to offer a bridge between the electrical and automation engineering worlds. A new direct connection between EPLAN Electric P8 and the TIA (Totally Integrated Automation) Portal from Siemens enables data to be exchanged bidirectionally between the two platforms.

The central function of the connection is the consistent transfer of detailed data for engineering automation systems.

Users are able to edit and compare data at every stage in the project.

Automatically generated data in EPLAN Electric P8 includes schematics, PLC overviews, and hardware configurations as well as network designs.

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February 2018

Data can be exchanged between the workstations of electrical engineers and PLC programmers, who can freely determine when they use the data from the other discipline or place it at each other’s disposal. This allows for a controlled exchange of information.

The new data exchange system also supports users in designing the appropriate hardware related to the electrical design and the PLC program.

Users no longer have to think about the correct configuration of the hardware as the Siemens TIA Portal does this autonomously, while EPLAN Electric P8 automatically generates schematics, PLC overviews and hardware setups.

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repeatable level measurement Pulsar Process Measurement has launched mmWAVE, a compact frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) radar sensor that promises accurate and repeatable level measurement and compatibility with the company’s existing range of level controllers.

Users are now able to choose between the company’s mmWAVE RADAR and dB ultrasonic measurement with no compromise in terms of functionality. All they need do is choose the best control solution and pair it with the appropriate measurement technology for the application.

Radar sensing can offer a good solution in applications where there is variation in temperature or changes in gas composition, and extremes of fog, haze, mist or rain. FMCW radar is said to offer higher resolution, better signal to noise ratio and better target discrimination when compared to pulsed radar systems.

Because the new sensors are compatible with the company’s existing controllers it is possible to retrofit them into existing applications, redeploy equipment across a wider range of applications for increased flexibility, or to test the performance of different measurement technologies without having to significantly reconfigure the device.

Control Engineering Europe

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COVER STORY

OVERCOMING INTEROPERABILITY ISSUES IN SMART FACTORIES A whitepaper written by Edward Lin, product manager at Moxa, discusses challenges faced by systems integrators today with OT-to-OT, OT-to-IT, and OT-to-IIoT interoperability. It also looks at the solutions available to ensure non-stop connectivity throughout converged networks. Control Engineering Europe reports.

T

he utopian IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) world heralds the promise of costefficient, nonstop operations.

It is the task of the systems integrator (SI) to deal with realities of making this possible – figuring out how the different platforms in a network can communicate with each other.

The big challenge is dealing with the three divergent domains of network architecture – Operation Technology (OT), Information Technology (IT), and the IIoT. Each domain comes with its own set of protocols that effectively creates non-interoperable silos, making it impossible for useful data to reach those who need it on an enterprise level to make important decisions. Matters are further complicated by the fact that both the OT and IT departments are generally unfamiliar with the protocols used in each other’s domains.

The good news is that solutions are now available to bridge these interoperability issues through a variety of protocol conversions.

OT-to-OT interoperability OT-to-OT communications in factories are not as simple as they used to be.

The IIoT has brought sensors and machines to the Internet on a massive scale. According to a new report from IHS Markit, the number of connected IoT devices is expected to rise by 15% in 2017 to reach 20 billion. This surge is impacting factory floors in such a big way. M2M communications have evolved into communications between divergent operational subsystems to fulfil data collection and analytics. The snag, however, is that the heterogeneous systems that fall under OT, such as manufacturing executive systems (MES), SCADA systems and PLCs, as well as the machines and sensors on the plant floor, all run their own protocols; so the issue of non-operability rears its head again and a multitude of protocol conversions are required.

The growing complexity of operations processes brings more heterogeneous systems into the equation. Installation and setup requires more time to plan

the architecture and perform device commissioning. For SIs it is all about saving time and costs by reducing commissioning and configuration times.

However, it is not uncommon for them to spend many hours on communication and troubleshooting programming when using communication modules or small PLCs. A solution to simplify protocol conversions would result in more time being spent on core tasks, such as programming.

Industrial protocol gateways can accomplish mass configuration of devices and protocol conversions between different devices to keep operations running smoothly. For example, bridging a large number of Modbus RTU power meters to a Modbus TCP network is usually time-consuming due ao the configuration of the slave ID routing table. A convenient solution includes an auto device routing function that automatically detects the commands from a SCADA system and sets up the slave ID routing table. With only one click, this configuration can be achieved.

Furthermore, a ready-to-use protocol gateway, which supports the multiple industrial protocols commonly used in OT – such as PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP, and Modbus – simplifies protocol conversions, resulting in costand time-savings.

OT-to-IT interoperability Close cooperation between IT and OT professionals is fundamental to leverage any smart application’s IIoT platform.

Although OT and IT’s approaches to problem-solving differ, they both work towards the same goal – optimised

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Control Engineering Europe

COVER STORY production and, to be successful, both domains need access to industrial data. There is now a trend, in the era of Industry 4.0, towards an increasing recognition among OT staff of the importance and convenience of IT technology, as it helps them achieve their goals.

IT departments face an increasing demand to collect production data from shop floors to optimise production.

However, IT staff are not familiar with the process of collecting data via industrial protocols. Concurrently, OT staff members face a similar predicament in that once they have transferred OT data to the IT layer, IT departments often request interfaces they are not familiar with.

It should be noted that it is not in any organisation’s best interests to keep the OT and IT domains apart and eliminating the knowledge gap between them and aligning them more closely should be the goal of operation managers.

A multi-protocol integrated device will make the lives of SIs much easier here. For example, a smart I/O that supports various protocols – such as Modbus/TCP and EtherNet/IP for IA engineers, and SNMP and RESTful API for IT engineers – allow communications with different interfaces. Such a solution makes it possible for both IT and industrial automation (IA) engineers to conveniently retrieve data from the same I/O device.

Worlds apart Demonstrating just how far apart the OT and IT worlds are is the fact that OT network devices are always treated as transparent, making it difficult to monitor them – even in the case of emergencies. This adds to the frustration of network operators as troubleshooting becomes almost pointless when they are experiencing downtime. This situation is not acceptable, as situational awareness is vital for network operators, in order to ensure continuous production and prevent abnormal situations. Ensuring continuous visibility of all network devices and the status of a network in a control room is a top priority. However, Control Engineering Europe

to capture abnormal events on the shop floor and then interpret the information about these perceived events in real time is challenging due to the complexity of the protocols and networks.

For production lines that employ OT protocols, Ethernet switches that support PROFINET, Modbus TCP, and EtherNet/IP protocols enable engineers to simultaneously view data and the network status at a central site on a SCADA system or locally on an HMI. If an industrial protocol fails, the switch reports it, and the PLC sends an alarm so that the situation can get fixed immediately.

Leveraging IT’s expertise and sensibilities can speed up troubleshooting, reduce system downtime, and increase situational awareness.

OT-to-IIoT interoperability In the boardroom, executives expect data mining and analytics to pay dividends in reduced operation costs, optimised production, and predictive maintenance to minimise downtime.

This data needs to be collected from field sites, and it has become the job of OT engineers to transfer this data from the devices in the field to the cloud, where it is stored for analytics purposes. This new addition to their job description can takes OT engineers out of their comfort zone. Many would rather focus on programming that adds value to their specific field instead of

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communications tasks.

OT engineers’ lack of IT knowledge is definitely their Achilles’ heel. As it is, sending data from an edge device to the cloud can be time-consuming, and OT engineers’ unfamiliarity with IT technology only compounds the process. In the race to IIoT connectivity, the biggest challenge for them is to cut down on the time to set up and program the networking connections between edge devices in the field and the cloud.

To spare engineers a great deal of programming effort and reduce time and costs, an embedded computing platform that supports versatile interfaces, coupled with a software suite that integrates a ready-to-use Modbus engine and cloud connections such as AWS, enables fast integration between devices in the field and the applications required for the IIoT. Furthermore, for those who want to adopt OPC UA in order to unify automation interfaces, a software suite solution is available that provides both an OPC UA server as well as cloud connection capabilities. The beauty of this solution is that it requires no extra costs to implement additional architecture for cloud connectivity.

More information about the portfolio of solutions available from Moxa to make interoperability smoother in factory automation is available at: http://bit.ly/2tiJLka February 2018

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IIOT

INVESTING IN YOUR PLANT’S FUTURE TODAY Suzanne Gill reports on the issues surrounding industrial digitalisation, and finds out why it is vital to put in the groundwork now to ensure a smarter factory in the future.

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igitalisation is becoming increasingly common in the industrial sector as automation vendors develop ways to make their offerings more intelligent. The potential benefits of this, in terms of increased efficiency and responsiveness in a production environment are already clear. However, there are still many questions to be answered and hurdles to be overcome before it becomes commonplace.

Thoughts differ around the globe, as Ivo Maltir, vice president of Desoutter, explains: “The economic, political and technological drivers for Industry 4.0 adoption vary considerably. In countries like Germany and the UK, Industry 4.0 is viewed as the route that will lead to the emergence of ‘smart industry,” where people, devices, objects, and systems combine to form dynamic, self-organising networks of production – made possible by technological advances which constitute a reversal of conventional production process logic.

“In the US, the emphasis is more on the role of big data in effecting collaboration, and Industry 4.0 has

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become synonymous with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Meanwhile, in China digitalisation is being championed as a means to transform outdated production methods.”

The adoption of Industry 4.0 principles also varies between industries with the automotive industry taking the lead in the adoption of automation, data interchange and advanced production technologies.

However, taking industry as a whole, there are many common drivers for digitalisation including the need to bring innovative products to market more quickly. Industry 4.0 offers the means to digitalise the product development life cycle. This, in turn, allows manufacturers to provide customers with accurate traceability, quality control, and cost-effective new products.

Human factors In addition to global and industry sector differences, the successful adoption of smart industry technologies is reliant on the human factor – our willingness to understand, embrace and deliver change. According to Harvard Business Review’s ‘From Data to Action’ report, the most difficult aspect for organisations to change on the route to smarter factories is their internal culture.

Successful implementation of IIoT projects therefore requires

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strong leadership. The person at the top must set the example and be seen to fully embrace change, commit to it, and communicate it in a compelling way. “The philosophy of making factbased decisions using quantitative manufacturing data will need to be coached into all levels of management,“ continues Maltir. “All levels of an organisation need to understand how they will benefit from Industry 4.0. For example, the use of collaborative robots for unergonomic, complex or repetitive tasks does not signal the rise of the machines and unemployment. It means that manual and automated processes within production can interact with each other in the most effective way. It means protecting operatives from genuine health issues associated with repetitive tasks. In addition, real-time production monitoring renders many manual interventions unnecessary; freeing up time for personnel to undertake added value, more profitable work.“

Integration issues When it comes to the integration of digital components as part of an IIoT project, the use of a large variety of heterogeneous data models and communication protocols does pose a challenge.

With Node-RED, IBM has developed an open source software tool suitable for the design and integration of modern IoT architectures. It permits digital components to be ‘wired’ by creating workflows in the visual editor, reducing the programming effort involved in developing integration processes. Node-RED is based on the Node.js programming language, which is popular in IoT projects thanks to the Control Engineering Europe

IIOT 250,000+ available packages and the active open source community.

“When HARTING’s MICA (Modular Industry Computing Architecture) industry-standard computer platform is combined with Node-RED and the available application packages, new opportunities arise for the flexible and efficient development of integration solutions for data acquisition and preprocessing of sensor and control data in back-end systems and in the Cloud,” said Gavin Stoppel, product manager at HARTING. MICA’s modular hardware and flexible open source Linux-based software containers – which include all the necessary libraries and drivers for each application – render package dependencies and incompatibilities a thing of the past.”

Security concerns As more devices and systems become connected, in line with IIoT goals, security becomes more of a concern.

In order to be able to embrace these changing framework conditions, Phoenix Contact has developed PLCNext Technology future-proofed control platform for its latest generation of controllers.

PLCnext provides an integrated connection path for PLCnext controllers to Proficloud, an open and scalable IoT platform which features cloud services and data analysis in addition to intelligent communication and a networked control technology. The platform provides a high level of data security at all times.

Controllers cannot be accessed without the appropriate authentication.

When commissioning a device that has not yet been used, the user must first specify, via the web interface, who may operate the controller and with which rights. To do this, the user logs in using the unique password printed on the PLC and specifies the users, according to the RBAC procedure (Role-Based Access Control). In larger systems, in which several controllers are installed, or where various users work with a controller, the Control Engineering Europe

MICA’s modular hardware and flexible open source Linux-based software containers are said to render package dependencies a thing of the past.

network administrator utilises the LDAP protocol (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) so the distributed controllers receive their login information from a central server via an equally secure network protocol.

The entire access security system is based on the integrated TPM (Trusted Platform Module) a chip integrated into the controller which adds fundamental safety functions to the device. This ‘safe’ is assigned with a unique certificate during production of the PLC. This ensures that only firmware components signed by Phoenix Contact, as well as the bootloader, can be started. It rules out manipulation by third-parties because they are not able to sign the manipulated software components, meaning that these components will not run.

• Tools to intelligently collect and analyse production/process data.

• SQL client, to enable bi-directional data communication between OT and IT databases.

• Webserver functionality, to enable management and operators to remotely access the machines HMI application and its data via any browser.

• SNMP, to allow the PLC to be managed as an IT asset.

• Multi-level security – to limit access of data and application to authorised personnel.

• MQTT (ISO/IEC PRF 20922 a publish – subscribe-based messaging protocol) which enables data to be collected with a minimum of ‘handshake’ overhead.

Machine building considerations

“Even if there is no current requirement to support IIoT or Industry 4.0 today, there will be tomorrow, so it is important to choose future-proofed control solutions,” concludes Magrafta.

Benny Magrafta, head of R&D software department at Unitronics, warns that unless machine builders and systems integrators embrace IIoT technologies their future business may be jeopardy.

“The PLC is the brain of Operational Technology (OT) which automates the machine or process and it is the perfect bridge between OT and IT,” he said.

Magrafta advises that machine builders and systems integrators look for the following PLC capabilities to ensure they are future-proofing their products and systems offerings:

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Conclusion For many, the ‘smart factory’ is still some way from becoming a reality. However, it is important that everyone start investing in smart-enabling technologies today to ensure that the plants of the future are able to remain competitive, by becoming more flexible and able to achieve long-term improvements in production efficiency.

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NETWORK CONVERGENCE

IS KEY TO SUCCESS Reaping the benefits of smart manufacturing relies on the networks which carry data.

Scot Wlodarczak argues that this requires a great deal of thought to be given to how to converge all the plant networks into a single, deterministic one.

T

he Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) offers the promise for manufacturers of optimised business operations. The key to any successful IIoT project lies in the factory data. Without data, extracted from a myriad of sources, delivered to the right application, at the right time – little optimisation can happen. There is a huge amount of useful data trapped within plant floor equipment, including run-time, equipment condition, performance, and quality data. Seamless access to this data is needed to make better business decisions in the plant.

I recently saw a plant drawing where network switches were shown labeled as ‘Connection Boxes’. Since the most critical piece of optimising any factory is data, and that data is transported and managed by the network, isn’t the network the most important part of any plant? Doesn’t it warrant more attention than a ‘Connection box’ on a drawing, and likely in a purchase requisition? Perhaps all manufacturers don’t treat the network this way, but many still do.

The network is the foundation of any plant, and it needs careful planning and attention to ensure IIoT initiatives can succeed. Once there is a reliable, validated, scalable, secure factory networks manufacturers can turn their focus onto the most important task - manufacturing more efficiently, at higher quality levels, and at a lower cost.

Key network characteristics Manufacturers need solutions to help aggregate, visualise, and analyse digital

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data from connected machines and equipment, and assure reliable, rapid and secure delivery of data to relevant applications. To do that, they need: • Interoperability: Flattening of the industrial network to improve data sharing • Simplicity: A simple network infrastructure, and ability to manage that network • Intelligence: IoT data transformation via distributed intelligence from edge to cloud for timely action and relevant insight. Access actionable information vs. raw data.

• Network automation: Plug and play network deployment to streamline processes and drive productivity • Security: Visibility and control to reduce risk, protect IP and ensure production integrity Interoperability is key. Manufacturers need to be able to seamlessly pull data from anywhere in a facility. Industrial Ethernet and Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) can do just that. TSN on Industrial Ethernet allows plant networks to be converged into one, secure deterministic network for Industry 4.0. With TSN, Industrial IoT applications run over the same Ethernet infrastructure as timecritical industrial automation and control communications.

Evolution A standard from the IEEE 802 committee, TSN represents an evolution of the standard Ethernet networking capabilities to meet these new demands.

With the OPC-UA protocol running over TSN it also becomes possible to have a

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standard and secure communication from sensor to cloud. TSN fills an important gap in standard networking, namely secure, guaranteed latency and delivery for critical traffic. Automation and control applications require consistent delivery of data from sensors, to controllers and actuators. TSN ensures that critical traffic is delivered in a timely manner, securing bandwidth and time in the network infrastructure for that purpose while supporting all other forms of traffic. Because TSN is delivered over standard industrial Ethernet and guarantees network performance for critical communications, control networks can take advantage of best practices for security that have been developed into Ethernet for decades. TSN can eliminate network silos that block reachability to critical plant areas and can help extract real-time data for analytics and business insights. It has already achieved rapid adoption across the ecosystem of industrial automation vendors, and that ecosystem continues to grow.

Network simplicity Choosing a single network infrastructure, capable of handling TSN, Ethernet IP, Profinet, and CCLink traffic can significantly simplify installation, reduce maintenance expense, reduce downtime, and most importantly gives the freedom to specify best of breed machine controls from any automation vendors, knowing they will all talk through the same network hardware.

Managing network infrastructure, with tools that operations, and not just IT can understand, is also key. Userfriendly tools should be employed which Control Engineering Europe

IIOT operations can use to troubleshoot network issues quickly, and which allows them to visualise and understand what is connected to what. Knowing for example, that an Allen Bradley PLC (with detailed series and firmware version information) is connected to Port 1, and a remote I/O block is connected to Port 2 can help speed system commissioning and troubleshooting. Does your network vendor offer validated designs so you can quickly roll out new network deployments, and ensure the performance of your automation equipment? They should!

Intelligence within the network is also crucial. Manufacturers need to access information quickly, filter it on the fly, and present actionable data to better understand the processes and identify areas for improvement.

Clipboards and spreadsheets will become a thing of the past!

Can your network support edge application deployment – running applications on the network hardware to make more intelligent decisions, faster – closer to the data itself? One example might be running edge applications to ease the burden of connecting legacy technologies and protocols, versus adding the cost and complexity of gateways? Can you run statistical analysis on the data at the factory edge to reduce the bandwidth

Control Engineering Europe

required upstream of your plant floor? Once these edge applications are deployed make sure the tools are available to manage and implement them with confidence, at scale.

Managing massive amounts of data can also quickly become a problem. Systems that can extract, compute, and move data to the right places at the right time are needed.

Network automation is also critical as the network grows, and uptime becomes more important. Does your network, and the supporting tools have the capability for plug and play network deployment to speed system commissioning, and reduce downtime when a switch fails in the dark of night? Having systems in place that automatically set correct switch security settings, communication parameters, and switch settings are important as the network grows, and the attack surface along with it. Proper network settings are critical to meet smart manufacturing objectives. You’ve automated the factory, so look for network vendors who support automated network deployment.

Security is paramount Lastly, but definately not least, security is paramount for manufacturers as the attacks of the past year have shown.

As manufacturing networks grow, the attack surface or vectors for a malicious attack increase as well. The Cisco 2017

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midyear cybersecurity report showed that nearly 50% of manufacturers use six or more security vendors in their facilities.

The multitude of products and vendors in manufacturing settings can create a confusing picture for security experts.

The complexity highlights the need for both IT and OT teams to narrow their focus on security threats - for example, using only products than can address the most immediate concerns. Manufacturers should look to vendors who can implement comprehensive network security, and implement a defensein-depth policy that includes simple protections for physical assets, such as blocking access to ports in unmanaged switches or using managed switches in their plant network infrastructure.

No single product, technology or methodology can fully secure industrial operations. Protecting critical manufacturing assets requires a holistic defense-in-depth security approach that uses multiple layers of defense (physical, procedural and electronic) to address different types of threats.

Manufacturers need a network that can share data with security platforms, and third-party security products and work together to help extract the identity of plant floor assets from operations tools deployed on the plant floor, and feed them to network and security platforms implemented in the process zone, manufacturing zone, and demilitarised zones (DMZ) – a method for separating the internal LAN from untrusted external networks that usually reside on the Internet – to provide pervasive security across the entire plant.

There is a massive pot of gold at the end of the Industry 4.0 rainbow.

Improved overall equipment effectiveness, lower costs, enhanced innovation and time to market are all there for the taking. The path to that destination is a lot clearer if you have a solid road, or foundation to walk on.

The network is that path, so make sure it has a lot more thought put into it than a ‘connection box’!

Scot Wlodarczak is industrial marketing manager at Cisco.

February 2018

13

HAZARDOUS AREAS

IEC 60067-19 explained Dr Martin Killeen outlines the requirements of the international Repair, Overhaul and Reclamation of Hazardous Area Equipment standard IEC 60079-19, and highlights how it impacts both service providers and end users.

I

EC 60079 is a series of explosive atmosphere standards that covers an array of considerations for component use in hazardous areas, as well as defining different hazardous area classifications. An important section of the series specifically covers equipment repair, overhaul, reclamation and modification. This is distinct from the maintenance of equipment, other than when repair and overhaul cannot be separated from maintenance.

In 1984, AEMT and BEAMA jointly produced a code of practice for the repair of Ex rated equipment, and in 1993 this was first adopted as a British standard and published as BS EN 60079 Part 19.

The standard was internationalised in 2004 and published as IEC 60079-19, with additional requirements during overhaul and repair of Ex equipment.

The updated standard removed the exclusion of mining and introduced all explosive atmospheres – including dusts.

It also introduced new requirements for competency of persons, and when it comes to liability in the event of an explosion, those last requirements serve to define responsibility.

General principles IEC 60079-19 lays down the general principles of repair, overhaul, reclamation, alteration and modification that are common to all explosionprotected equipment, with additional clauses to provide instructions relevant to specific types of protection.

Assuming that repairs and overhauls are carried out using good engineering

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need to be specifically permitted in the certificate documentation, or, if that documentation is not available, then the proposed alteration needs to be confirmed by the manufacturer, in writing, to be permitted by the certificate.

Temporary repairs to achieve continued short-term operation of equipment can only be carried out if it can be demonstrated that explosionprotection capabilities are maintained or if other appropriate explosion-protection measures are taken.

Image supplied courtesy of AEMT.

practices, then the finished equipment is considered as being conformant to the original standard the manufacturer’s specification. Where this specification data is not available, then equipment can be described simply as having been repaired in conformance to IEC 60079-19 and meeting the relevant standard the equipment was designed to meet. Steps taken to obtain the original specification data should be documented.

All repair or overhaul work carried out must be fully documented, and job reports submitted to the user. Repair facility records should be maintained to provide a complete audit trail of the work carried out and all of the steps taken. Equipment returned to the end user should be clearly labelled as having been repaired or overhauled, with the relevant manufacturing standards it meets, and the repairer identified.

Where reclamation is being carried out, this should be performed by competent personnel. Ultimate responsibility falls under the repair facility, even if reclamation work is outsourced to a third-party.

Where equipment is to be modified rather than repaired, then alterations

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Additional requirements A key section of the standard details additional requirements for the repair and overhaul of equipment that is Ex d rated. The standard focuses on requirements for enclosures, cable and conduit entries, terminations, insulation, internal connections and windings.

Detailed instructions are also given on a number of testing processes for windings after any repair.

There are a host of additional requirements for flameproof brakes, other auxiliary devices, light-transmitting parts, encapsulated parts, batteries, lamps, lampholders, ballasts and breathing devices.

The standard details additional requirements for the repair and overhaul of equipment rated as intrinsically safe (IS). This focuses on equipment such as enclosures, cable glands, terminations, soldered connections, fuses, relays, shunt diode safety barriers, PCBs, optocouplers, electrical components, batteries, internal wiring, transformers, encapsulated components, and non-electrical parts.

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HAZARDOUS AREAS Not all of these parts can be repaired, and should simply be replaced.

No attempt at reclamation should be made on components on which intrinsic safety depends, and any modification of equipment needs to be considered as modification to the complete system from that shown in the IS documentation, and a reassessment should be carried out by a qualified third party – specifically, then, not the company which made the modification.

While Ex d, pressurised and intrinsically safe equipment will probably represent the bulk of the most safetycritical repair and overhaul work in hazardous areas. IEC 60079-19 also offers detailed instructions for equipment with protection type ‘e’ (increased safety), type ‘n’, Group III ‘t’ (Dust), and type ‘pd’ (pressurised).

Responsible persons Annex B of the standard defines the knowledge, skills and competencies of

‘responsible persons’ and ‘operatives’.

Responsible persons are those responsible for the processes involved in the overhaul, repair and reclamation of the types of explosion protected equipment as defined within the standard. They should confine their involvement to overhaul, repair and reclamation, and should not be involved in modification without expert guidance.

Any repair facility must appoint a ‘responsible person’ with the required competencies within the management organisation, to accept responsibility and authority for ensuring that the equipment complies with the certification status agreed with the user. That person must have a working knowledge of the appropriate explosion protection standards and an understanding of this standard. This requirement means that it is the responsible person who takes the final decision that Ex Equipment is in compliance and can be returned to the customer.

Operatives, as defined in the standard, who will be working on equipment and who may be taking decisions that would have an impact on the certification status of the Ex equipment, need to work under the surveillance of the responsible person.

The service facility of course has a responsibility to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of IEC 60079-19, but importantly there is also an onus on the user to ascertain that the service facility can indeed demonstrate compliance. In the event of any problem with repaired, overhauled or modified equipment, investigation bodies will look for evidence of due diligence from both parties.

Dr Martin Killeen is a technical consultant for the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT), an international association representing leading companies in the electrical and mechanical service and repair industry.

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MACHINE SAFETY

SAFE POSITION MONITORING Control Engineering Europe looks at the importance of international standards when it comes to the specification of protection devices on machinery.

M

achine safety is an integral part of machine design, as Rolf Brunner, technical head of product center safety for Leuze, explains: “In addition to reliability, the ideally fault-free integration of a solution into the processes is decisive for practical use.“ Different regions and countries of the world, have different concepts for machine safety and protection of humans interacting with machines. In addition to the different requirements and the evaluation of safety concepts, there are also differences in the responsibilities and in the legal consequences. The following information serves as an introduction to the topic of ‘Safe Positioning’. It does not release the machine designer from performing an in-depth study, or from observing the respective, applicable regional and machine-specific regulations and adhering to the operating instructions of the given devices.

up and down when the telpher line is located at a safe position. Skillet systems are not generally directly positioned, but are rather pushed through the production line in a continuous linkage with a single motor. The ‘safe position detection’ will run along in the base of the skid to raise and lower the lifting device at predefined, safe positions.

The use of standard components – sensors, drive elements and control electronics – in safety applications is fundamentally possible in accordance with EN ISO 13849. This also applies if these components are not designated as safety components in accordance with Appendix V of Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. When using industrial standard components that were not specifically

Intralogistics Typical applications where safe positioning or safe movement monitoring is required include, among others, high-bay storage devices which are used in intralogistics – such as for the positioning of travel and lift axes and the monitoring of the speed at the end of travel paths for collision avoidance with the end-position buffer. With a manned car on a high-bay storage device, it is – depending on the design – only possible to travel at a safely reduced speed.

BPS + encoder, two-channel, diverse in accordance with EN 13849-1.

Automotive industry Movement monitoring applications in the automotive industry offer another application example. With heavy-load telpher lines, lifting devices are moved

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Automotive manufacture is a typical area where safe positioning or safe movement monitoring is required.

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designed for use in safety functions, but which contain embedded software, further consideration must be given in accordance with the latest version of DIN EN ISO 13849-1:2016-06.

To achieve Performance Level c or d with standard components, two channels must be used. Furthermore, the components in both of these channels must be based on diverse technologies. The probability of a common cause failure (CCF) is, thereby, almost completely excluded. CCF refers to the failures of redundantly designed units due to a single event with common causes, such as soiling, electromagnetic influences or pressure.

With the bar code positioning systems of the BPS30 and BPS300 series, Leuze electronic is able to offer the diversity demanded, and verified by TÜV, which states that ‘the analysis of the software and hardware of the BPS 3xxi and BPS 3x positioning systems shows that both systems have a different structure with respect to hardware and software design, and requirement for diversity is thereby satisfied for both.’

In man-machine collaboration areas, the requirements of the machinery directive, with respect to safety-related aspects, must be taken into account.

In many applications, a position must be safely detected. However, position detection always involves the movements of, for example, highbay storage devices, telpher lines or machine components in general. In many cases, this can lead to hazards. To avoid these hazards, the position values must be safe. This applies both for the position detection itself as well as for the subsequent position processing. To obtain a safe speed value for an axis, the position changes of the moving axis are calculated per time unit and thereby result in safe speed values.

Control Engineering Europe

UK INDUSTRY REPORTS

Security in operational technology Jalal Bouhdada, founder and principal ICS security consultant for Applied Risk, offers some thoughts on operational technology (OT) security trends for 2018.

Following an upsurge of Internet of Things (IoT) devices being utilised in industrial environments and critical infrastructures, OT security needs to be given top priority.

The following are some of the top security trends that I am watching out for this year: Wireless: a major attack inevitable – Perhaps the single most unsettling piece of news in 2017 was that the ubiquitous WiFi security protocol, WPA2, has a fundamental flaw which is unlikely to be addressed in the majority of WiFi enabled devices. The challenge in 2018 is that the use of wireless communications, including Low Power Area Networks, will continue to grow in line with IoT

device deployments. This will result in a far greater OT attack surface which is not being adequately protected with second and third lines of defence. A high-profile malware attack is probable.

The skills shortage will drive security automation – it has been predicted by Frost and Sullivan that the shortfall of skilled security professionals compared to the market needs could be as high as 1.5 million by 2020. This will drive investment in alternative service models for the security industry, and we expect to see innovative new products and processes based on artificial intelligence for both monitoring and testing to safeguard industrial environments.

Advanced persistent threats will infiltrate more OT environments – As the Industrial IoT grows, in terms of both device numbers and data volumes, the challenge of detecting and closing down advanced persistent threats

(APT) becomes harder to achieve.

Even relatively well understood and straightforward techniques, such as data exfiltration over DNS, remain stubbornly easy to exploit. Investments in knowledge sharing and network monitoring are not yet at the scale required to fight APTs effectively.

Security-by-design will start to improve ICS security – The good news is that heightened awareness of security issues in critical environments is having an effect. More teams are integrating ‘security-by-design’ into their development cycles for industrial control systems, creating products that take into account current and future threat concerns. There is still a long way to go to make this the norm, but legislators around the world are building strong regulations and frameworks which penalise security weaknesses.

Launch of an Industry 4.0-ready guidance platform Bosch Rexroth has launched a modular guidance system designed to help manufacturers network assembly lines in readiness for Industry 4.0.

ActiveAssist operates alongside a production worker to streamline the assembly process and minimise errors. It guides workers through each assembly stage using clear, visual instructions delivered through a projector, a pickto-light system highlighting which components are needed, virtual surfaces and data glasses (such as Google Glass).

The system can adapt the work station and its instructions to each users preferred language, as well as their pre-determined level of skill. It also provides feedback on every step in real time, through the use of 3D cameras and ultrasound. If any errors are discovered, the system will intervene

Control Engineering UK

and guide the employee through the necessary correction process.

Its open web platform and MES/ERP networking capabilities allows ActiveAssist to be easily integrated into both new and existing assembly processes and it can adapt quickly to suit the assembly process.

Bosch Rexroth has already employed the ActiveAssist platform in its own plant, in Homburg, Germany, where it has helped increase productivity and efficiency of the plant.

Andrew Minturn, product manager at Bosch Rexroth, said: “ActiveAssist is easily configurable and can be retrofitted into any factory environment, allowing a variety of assembly tasks to be completed quickly

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and precisely.

“Industry 4.0 is set to bring radical changes to the manufacturing sector as a whole. Factories are becoming smarter and more streamlined, and manufacturers must act quickly to ensure they don’t get left behind.

Solutions such as ActiveAssist can help UK manufacturers remain competitive by increasing the efficiency and quality of their output.”

February 2018

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MACHINE VISION

UKIVA Machine Vision Conference & Exhibition The 2018 UKIVA Machine Vision Conference and Exhibition will be held on 16th May 2018 at Arena MK, Milton Keynes UK.

T

he programme of technical seminars at the event will be accompanied by an exhibition of the latest vision technology and services, not just from

members of the UKIVA (UK Industrial Vision Association).

The educational seminar programme will contain over 50 presentations across seven different presentation theatres

and will be supported by two Keynote addresses. For 2018, ‘Deep learning’ – which is currently one of the hottest topics in machine vision – has been added to the programme.

Deep learning is starting to gain real traction in machine vision by virtue of the fact that it is becoming more widely available. It is a type of machine learning in which a model learns to perform classification tasks directly from images and is used in applications where it is difficult to predict the full range of image variations that might be encountered using conventional algorithms.

The full programme covers: Understanding vision technology, 3D

Embedded vision system maps disaster zones An embedded vision system has been employed within a multicopter to deliver real time maps from disaster zones to help rescue teams with mission planning.

A large overall image is produced by rapidly stitching together individual images. A working group from the Braunschweig University of Technology in Germany used the ODROID-XU4 single board computer, with an 8-core ARM CPU and a UI-3251LE-C-HQ board-level USB3.0 camera from IDS with a 2-megapixel CMOS sensor and an S-mount lens holder.

The image processing software was developed using the OpenCV open source computer vision library and C++.

The camera is integrated using the

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uEye camera’s versatile API, which is identical for all IDS cameras irrespective of the interface technology being used.

This means that any IDS camera could be used interchangeably, allowing developers to work on projects on a desktop PC then transfer them directly to the embedded computer.

The multicopter operates autonomously using GPS with its area of operation defined using an existing georeferenced satellite image. The board-level computer is connected to the aircraft system’s autopilot via a USB interface and also receives information on the current latitude and longitude, barometric altitude, and height above the reference ellipsoid. The software extracts landmarks, or features from

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acquired images and matches them to allow the images to be formed into a complete map. At a flight altitude of around 40m and a scaled image resolution of 1200 x 800 pixels, the ground resolution is approximately 7cm/pixel. The embedded vision system is designed for a maximum airspeed of 5m/sec, so a comparatively low image capture rate of 1-2 fps is sufficient. If there is a radio connection between the multicopter and the control station, the stitching process can be tracked live from the ground and the complete map can be accessed remotely once the mapping process is finished. If not, the map can be copied to an external drive once the multicopter has landed.

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MACHINE VISION Vision, Deep learning and Embedded vision, Optics and illumination, Vision innovation, Systems and applications and Camera technology.

A varied programme Christine Valdes, UKIVA Machine Vision Conference and Exhibition event organiser, said: “We are looking forward to another varied and informative conference programme.

Last year the eight presentations on 3D technology and its applications attracted the biggest audience. It will be interesting to see which topics, if any, stand out this year, as vision is such a fast-moving industry. There have been plenty of new developments across all disciplines since last year, and of course there are almost limitless numbers of applications in the real world.”

Running alongside the conference is an exhibition to which over 40 companies have registered to date,

Delivering defect-free aluminium containers Leuthold Mechanik AG builds machines for manufacturing thinwalled aluminium containers used for packaging pet food and other foodstuffs. Embedded machine vision solutions from STEMMER IMAGING help control the quality of each container.

Four pet food containers are stamped out from rolls of aluminium foil with each stroke of a press at a rate of 480 containers per minute. These are then blown out onto a conveyor and transported to modular built-in inspection and stacking machines.

The container sizes vary and the walls must be as thin as possible. However, reduced material thickness increases the risk of hole formation so every

including manufacturers, vision component and system distributors and systems integrators.

container is inspected using machine vision and defective ones removed.

Machine vision also helps identify any trends in defect formation.

The latest system has replaced individual intelligent cameras with cameras connected directly to an embedded industrial PC in the machine. This makes it quicker and easier to display images of defects or undertake statistical evaluations such as frequency of a defect type or whether more defects arise on one of the lines.

Other statistical information can also be viewed to allow faster rectification of defects by making adjustments to the machine. There is also improved connection to the user’s MES.

Visitor registration is now open for the 2018 event: www.machinevisionconference.co.uk

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MACHINE DESIGN

GETTING TO GRIPS WITH 3D When and where to use 3D imaging for inspection applications is not always well understood. Control Engineering UK finds out which 3D technology can add most value, depending on the application.

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n most industries today, 3D sensors/cameras are being used to optimise production processes, improve quality control and reduce manufacturing costs. The technology is becoming more accessible and affordable. However, it is important to understand which technology to use to gain the best results in a particular application.

There are a variety of hardware technologies available and each have their benefits depending on the inspection task.

You may need to ask yourself some questions to assist in the selection of the correct 3D imaging method for your project.

• What type of inspection is required?

Shape, position, orientation, alignment, presence…

• Which degree of accuracy is required?

Micrometer, millimeter, centimeters…

• What are the features of the objects?

Size, reflectivity, transparency…

• What are the general conditions?

Illumination, in motion, processing time, budget…

The different 3D camera technologies include: Stereo/multi-view imaging: A minimum of two different camera views of an object are required to create a stereo 3D image. Where extended coverage or more detailed information is required, multiple cameras can be used and this is commonly known as multi-view stereo. Typically, the cameras are calibrated using machine software such as MVTec’s HALCON. Images are then captured and result in a disparity image, or 3D point cloud, which can be used for real-world measurements, 3D object recognition, robot control etc “The fully calibrated Ensenso 3D cameras offer a a good example of the ‘projected texture stereo vision’ principle,” said Julie Busby, director at Multipic Imaging. “With two integrated CMOS sensors and a projector that casts a random point pattern onto the object to be captured, structures that are not visible, or are only faintly visible on the surface, can be enhanced or highlighted.”

3D ToF cameras use either a pulsed or continuous wave Near Infra-Red light to illuminate the object/scene.

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Advanced structured light technique: A conventional structured light technique is derived from stereo vision. In stereo vision (inspired by a nature of a human vision), a pair of cameras are used to capture an object from two different perspectives.

However, taking an advanced structured light approach, one of the cameras is interchanged by a pattern projector that emits a well-defined structured illumination. The camera and the pattern projector are a calibrated unit and are focused towards the scanning area (Object).

The pattern projector emits a set of coding patterns projected in a succession, one after another. These coding patterns encode spatial information and the algorithm computes an exact 3D position of the object point.

“A big advantage of this technique is that it works independently of the object’s texture and results in high 3D reconstruction quality,” said Busby. “It also offers good speed of acquisition when compared to, say, standard stereovision methods.”

Busby says that the Photoneo PhoXi Scan provides a good example of a 3D camera system employing advanced structure lighting, employing a customdesigned projection unit.

Laser Triangulation (Sheet of light): With this method of 3D imaging there is one camera which has a known physical relationship with a laser line projector. The laser line is projected across the surface of an object and this creates a profile. Many profiles are taken as the object moves under the cameralaser combo and these are used to recreate the surface of the object.

SmartRay ECCO Series of 3D laser Control Engineering UK

MACHINE DESIGN triangulation cameras are good for such applications. These cameras benefit from the use of pre-calibrated all-in-one laser camera units which can provide high resolution results.

Time of Flight (ToF): 3D ToF cameras use either a pulsed or continuous wave near-infra-red (NIR) light to illuminate the object/scene. When using pulsed light, the time taken for the light to be reflected back is measured and used to calculate distance. With continuous wave, it is the phase shift between emitted and reflected light that is measured to determine distance.

“The Basler ToF camera, uses pulsed NIR and is delivered 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,” said Busby.

Selecting the correct solution As can be seen from Figure 1, if you want to carry out a robot pick-and-place

3D TECHNOLOGY

HARDWARE

OBJECT

ACCURACY

Binocular stereo

Two cameras Calibration object

50mm – 2.5m

mm’s

Multi-View stereo

Multiple cameras Calibration object

50mm – 2.5m

mm’s

Camera Laser line projector Unit to move the object, Calibration object

Object must fit onto the moving unit

Single microns

Photometric stereo

Telecentric Camera At least three Telecentric light sources

Restricted by view of telecentric lens

.3mm to 5mm

3D cameras depth from focus

i.e Calibrated ToF Telecentric camera Hardware to vary the focus position

50cm – 13m approx. <2cm

+/-1cm single microns

Sheet of light / 3D laser triangulation

Figure 1

on individual frozen peas, for example then a ToF camera would not be the most appropriate technique. However, if it was pumpkins, then ToF would be a good option as the accuracy would be sufficient.

Aside from accuracy, object surface/ material is also important as it can influence how the light is reflected and captured – or not – by the sensor.

Whether the object is moving or stationary is another important factor to consider.

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TEST & MEASUREMENT

Ensuring concentricity of precision gears In order to meet the exceptionally tight tolerances required of spindles and shafts inside its miniature power transmission systems and motor gearboxes, Rotalink needed to find an accurate and repeatable measurement solution.

Metrology company, Bowers Group suggested that a roundness measurement instrument would provide

the most appropriate solution to measure the concentricity of its moulded gears. After a full demonstration Rotalink took ownership of an Accretech Rondcom 41C, a roundness measuring instrument designed to enable the fast, easy and accurate implementation of form measuring tasks; including concentricity.

The machine is also said to feature good straightness accuracy, which was particularly important for Rotalink as the accurate measurement of squareness to a plane is critical for its precision gears.

The measuring machine has enabled Rotalink to improve the accuracy of its manufactured components and has

enabled it to ensure the accuracy of each design – not only improving manufactured components, but also improving drawings and design capabilities. Software reports generated by the measuring machine have also proved useful for internal reports and can be used as evidence for ISO inspection reports.

Commenting on the solution, Jeremy White, quality engineer at Rotalink said: “There are now endless possibilities when it comes to ensuring the accuracy of each design and component. As far as concentricity is concerned, the Accretech Rondcom 41C is accurate, and comfortably nudges ahead of rival machines. We chose it for several reasons. One was the cost comparison to other models and its capabilities compared to others. Another advantage was that it could be fully integrated into our computer network,” concluded White.

Compact DC motor control aids environmental monitor Monitoring equipment is used to inspect the air in pharmaceutical and healthcare manufacturing sites where a sterile environment is paramount.

It is essential that facilities producing injectable drugs are bacteria free to avoid any risk of infection.

Pinpoint Scientific is a designer and manufacturer of microbial air samplers and monitors. Its range of microbial air samplers are designed to measure the contamination in the air for particles as small as 0.5 micron in size.

The sampler pulls in air at high speeds through a narrow slit and the microbes in the air are captured onto an agar surface in a petri dish. The petri dish is slowly rotated to ensure the air is always positioned onto a fresh area of agar. This means that an accurate reading of when

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a biological impact occurs is possible.

The platform has the ability to be raised and lowered to ensure the agar surface is positioned at precisely the correct distance from the inlet. Pinpoint’s design enables the monitoring to continue up to a period of four hours, without the agar plate drying out. The sensitivity means that 100% of particles less than 1 micron in size are measured.

Gethin Jones, managing director of Pinpoint, explained: “We needed a compact DC motor controller for our new air sampler project. We wanted a precision speed controller to drive the blower that had to be small and preferably PCB mounted. maxon was recommended by

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the blower manufacturer and we chose the maxon four-quadrant PWM servo controller, ESCON 50/5, based on the specification, the size and the cost. The implementation has been reasonably straightforward. There was a small learning curve using the ESCON Studio configuration software to find the optimum settings, but that’s only to be expected. What I really like about the controller is that it just works!”

In conclusion, Gethin said: “The support we have received has been vital to getting the controller up and running quickly. We hadn’t worked with maxon before but are already talking about other projects.”

Control Engineering UK

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NEW PRODUCTS

Frame grabber-less line scan cameras Teledyne e2v’s UNiiQA+ and ELiiXA+ colour line scan cameras are now available with an NBASE-T Ethernet frame grabber-less interface which

provides a more cost effective solution to transmit uncompressed, high bandwidth images from the cameras into systems at the highest possible speeds.

The cameras form part of a range of line scan cameras, available from Alrad, which also comprise of CameraLink (ELiiXA+ and UNiiQA+) and CoaXPress (ELiiXA+) models.

Alrad is also able to supply Sentech machine vision cameras for industrial applications. The product line includes digital, analogue and custom industrial cameras.

Features include USB 3.0 / USB3 Vision, GigE Vision (including PoE), and high definition HD-SDI (via BNC connector)

Food-friendly robot FANUC UK has launched a new robot for cleanroom and food-handling environments.

The M20iB/25C has been specifically designed to ISO Class 5 standards,

Online specification tool for pneumatic systems Pneumatics company Aventics is now able to offer all its tools free of charge online – from configuration programmes to product information, CAD data and calculation tools, and an energy savings calculator.

One of Aventics’ main strategies lies in simplifying configuration and ordering processes for complete pneumatics solutions through digitalisation. Engineers and buyers can use the ‘CylinderFinder’ to help select the right cylinder for an application. The CylinderFinder determines suitable products from all available variants and versions based on the entered data. It searches 18 product series with a total of 1,700 possible cylinder variations.

UK8

February 2018

bringing automated picking, packing and handling to applications where hygiene and cleanliness are paramount.

Cables and motors are enclosed in the body of the robot, making it suitable for full wash-downs with cleaning agents.

The robot’s white colour also reveals dirt or debris clearly. The robot has an epoxy paint finish that meets FDA standard 21CFR 175.300.

Additional features include axes that use food-grade grease, such as NSF H1, and bolted user taps to prevent the accumulation of water in the tap holes.

The robot’s slim arm design, which prevents it from interfering with peripheral devices, has a maximum payload capacity of 25kg, and a reach of 1,853mm.

www.controlengeurope.com

and DVI (via HDMI connector) output camera models. Also offered is a full line of analogue composite output (monochrome and colour) – including colour micro remote head type, AutoFocus with integrated motorised zoom lens, Camera Link, Line Scan, and USB 2.0 camera models

Inductive sensor for mobile equipment A new sensor designed for use on mobile equipment has two highlevel safety certifications.

OsiSense XS, from Telemecanique Sensors, is believed to be the first product to have both E2 and SIL2 (Safety Integrity Level 2) certifications.

Its design incorporates complementary NO and NC outputs, eliminating the redundancy of having two detection chains.

The additional E2 certification — a new international standard specially dedicated to electromagnetic environments on mobile equipment — guarantees a high level of electromagnetic withstand for mobile equipment.

The presence of both NO and NC outputs enables quick detection of mechanical or electrical failure.

Control Engineering UK

I/O SYSTEMS

Phased modernisation offers time and cost savings A phased control system modernisation for a production line has offered a better return on investment for one castings manufacturer.

Control Engineering Europe reports.

U

S-based American Castings has been in the metal casting business for over 100 years, producing everything from front and rear axles to backhoe booms for its agriculture, mining, and oil & gas customer base.

A need to increase production levels, led the company to consider upgrading its No Bake production line control system – a SY/MAX PLC with one processor and 10 remote I/O racks with around about 1,000 I/O. The system is designed to transfer metal castings that weigh up to 15 tons. The metal is poured into moulds which move along a conveyor to help the metal solidify. Once that process is complete, the castings are shaken and shot-blasted to remove the sand mould and expose the solid metal.

The company was encountering slow scan time resulting in cycle issues in the production line and in the DOS-based software. Trying to find older computers that could run the software and had appropriate communication ports posed the company with another issue.

American Castings knew it had to update its system, but one option didn’t sound so appealing. Darryl MacKay, maintenance systems manager at American Castings takes up the story: “We could have replaced the entire system – that would have led to major downtime and the outage of the line to convert all 10 remote racks and the logic to run the production line.”

by keeping the existing SY/MAX I/O – even after it switched to a Rockwell Automation ControlLogix system.

By using an EtherNet/IP to Square D Remote I/O Gateway from ProSoft Technology, the company was able to retain the existing SY/MAX I/O – and run the new and legacy systems in parallel, making sure they could troubleshoot any initial bugs in the new system while production kept up via the legacy setup.

Switching processors while keeping production running on the older SY/ MAX network helped the company avoid the major downtime tied to a traditional rip-and-replace modernisation project. Two Americal Castings employees – Roger Gibson, automation engineer, and Jerrod Estes, automation specialist – reviewed the gateway at an automation fair and researched it to make sure it would work in the application.

With the gateway, the ControlLogix is able to control the SY/MAX I/O. In the long-term, the company is planning to replace the remote racks, but this phased modernisation has enabled it to do the work on a timetable that better suits its

business goals.

The time and cost savings gained in opting for a phased modernisation were sizable. Gibson estimated that the company saved about 100 hours by eliminating the need to rewire all of the I/O racks, and 40 hours of troubleshooting to make sure the system would work, since they were able to run the systems in parallel and not lose valuable production time. He projected the cost savings at nearly 82,000 euros in lost production and implementation time.

In addition to meeting the company’s goals of upgrading its controller, standardising the control programme, and decreasing the upgrade costs and risk by keeping the legacy I/O, American Castings was able to achieve the following improvements: • Recipe-driven mould-making, which will enable better follow-through of process control, faster scan time for better reaction from the line, and tightened conveyor movements.

• Errors caused by slow scan/response times have been eliminated, • Management can get operational data more easily.

A phased production line modernisation solution has offered American Castings some sizeable benefits.

Finding a better way Instead, the company found a way to minimise its upgrade risk and costs Control Engineering Europe

www.controlengeurope.com

February 2018

17

WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

SETTING AGVS FREE Marco Reichenbächer explains how AGVs can be freed from their traditional guidance system limitations through the use of wireless communication technology.

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any manufacturers are embracing a new era in communication by employing automation equipment with wireless communication technologies to increase productivity. The digitalisation of these systems can bring a new level of control to industrial communication across all industries.

For an additional level of improved operational performance and connectivity some industry sectors are also seeking to equip their facilities with automated guided vehicles (AVGs) – mobile vehicles, commonly referred to as robots, that rely on wires and cabling or sensors and wireless technologies for navigation within industrial settings – to move materials around a facility.

The latest trend in AGVs is the shift to autonomous vehicles that tap into wireless technology. One EuropeanAGV manufacturer sought to integrate best-in-market wireless solutions into its AGVs to provide its customers with longterm cost savings, reduced errors and improved process optimisation.

The wireless AGV communication solution needed to be able to ensure reliable and sound wireless speed.

Specific system requirements included: • Reliable and stable wireless roaming capabilities with low handover times (in the milliseconds) to keep the AGVs moving on the planned schedule and avoid delays.

• The use of limited frequency bandwidth. For example, a client device with 2.4 and 5 GHz bands can limit interference problems by using multiple frequencies to support simultaneous customer requests through the same client.

• A variety of security options to protect the wireless communication

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February 2018

from internal and external threats. This could be achieved by using Wi-Fi security algorithms, like Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2), Wireless Intrusion Detection System (WIDS) or Rogue Client Detection.

• High-speed wireless connections that are stable enough to overcome common interferences, such as industrial metal surfaces causing reflection of radio waves.

• Stress-resistant components that can hold up in the common environmental conditions that commonly affect AGVs, such as constant vibration, condensation, or temperature extremes.

• Future proofed with latest IEEE 802.11n/ac wireless standard and multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) antenna technology.

Beyond expectations This particular AGV manufacturer needed a robust and cost-effective wireless solution that would meet the needs of its mobile vehicles. The manufacturer gravitated toward two types of solutions to ensure reliable communication coverage – an industrial wireless access point/client and an omnidirectional antenna. The wireless access point solved the problem of providing secure Wi-Fi communication while maintaining a short roaming handover time. The access points used the latest WPA2 enterprise (IEEE 802.11i/IEEE 802.1x) in combination with Opportunistic Key Caching (OKC) to guarantee the highest of level of wireless security and improve roaming handover time.

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When OKC was used in coordination with a central wireless local area network (WLAN), the manufacturer could deliver fast authentication between multiple access points throughout a network. Once set up with a WLAN, OKC helped establish an uninterrupted supply of communication, or fast roaming. This capability – which is now minimised to just milliseconds – is measured by the handover time between access points.

The benefits of using a wireless access point and client which were critical to the manufacturer’s choice in delivering optimised operation and error reduction throughout their networks include: • High data transfer speeds, ideally up to 867 Mbit/sec and meets IEEE 802.11n/ac standard for network speed.

• Low signal interference, meeting the challenging requirements of industrial markets, including vibrations and EMC. • High system reliability with expanded management, redundancy and security functions with specialised operating systems.

Control Engineering Europe

WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS • Boosted warehouse efficiency through better WLAN roaming for moving vehicles.

• Better machine uptime and easier AGV fleet scalability due to fast wireless set up, centralised setting changes and updates.

• Lower complexity and installation time with less frequency of AGV planning via 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, providing more non-overlapping channels.

All manufacturing environments will pose unique challenges for automation teams beyond the traditional concerns of increased uptime, productivity and operational efficiency. In this application the manufacturer selected omnidirectional antennas to work with the wireless access point and client to provide the AGVs with a full range of connectivity within their harsh operating environments.

The antenna complied with the Ingress Protection (IP) 65 degree of

protection for high industrial suitability and improved transmit-and-receive power through the homogenous emission behaviour of the antennas during operation. The N sockets allowed the team to connect the antennas easily and quickly with other cables and overvoltage protectors.

In this case, the antenna enabled the network to operate reliably due to its sturdy, vibration-resistant and weatherproof design.

Once installed end-users of the AGVs are now able to replicate the IP configuration from one AGV to the rest of their fleets by using the NAT feature on the wireless client.

Through reduced installation costs and complexity, end users are now equipped with the means to expand their fleets with improved Wi-Fi density for disruption-free signals.

By applying wireless communication applications directly to mobile vehicles, companies are able to reduce the

amount of magnetic tape guidance systems in the ground throughout the factory floor. This increases route flexibility and reduces installation costs and the need for regular maintenance.

Instead, companies can replace physical components with a reliable, efficient and up-to-date solution to control AGV communication.

The expansion of industrial digitalisation is not an industry update – it’s a wholesale shift. The trend towards highly flexible production areas – or without fixed and predefined production sequences – throughout the smart factory is coming. As the supply and installation of self-autonomic production lines expands, end users will look to industry innovators for the next generation of network components for reliable and disruption-free wireless communication.

Marco Reichenbächer is senior vertical marketing manager for Automotive Manufacturing at Belden Inc.

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EW Eurodrive has launched a new innovative coating for aseptic geared motors that provides excellent protection against chipping, flaking, scratching and corrosion. The new XCO package is an alternative to stainless steel and is designed for use in industries where chipping or flaking paint on drive components poses a contamination risk to end products.

The XCO drive package is SEWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new eXtreme Corrosion Option and is a tin-nickel surface coating that has the appearance of stainless steel. Due to its hardness, of approximately 645HV, the surface is scratch resistant and will not come off as a result of wear, flaking or chipping, a potential problem with conventionally painted units.

Designed for use in industries where equipment may be subject to frequent wash-downs, the XCO drive package is approved for short-time contact with food according to 1935/2004/EC. Also, in addition to the surface protection with high corrosion resistance and a scratch resistant surface, the XCO package includes, stainless steel screws, IS plug connectors, stainless steel nameplate and a

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February 2018

pressure compensation membrane.

The new XCO drive package has been designed for use in industries such as food manufacture, bakeries, confectionary, cheese and dairy products, drink manufacture, bottling plants, fish and meat processing and pharmaceuticals.

Currently available with the XCO drive package are the R and RF series helical gear units up to 450Nm and the S, SF, SA, SAF, SH, SHF and ST series helical worm gear units up to 295Nm. Additional gear unit types will be added shortly to expand customer options even further. e-mail: service@sew-eurodrive.co.uk web: www.sew-eurodrive.co.uk Tel: +44 1924 893855, Fax: +44 1924 893702

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Control Engineering Europe

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Control Engineering Europe

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February 2018

21

SCADA

SUN POWERED SCADA FOR GAS DISTRIBUTION A multi-phase project led to a solar-powered automated gas distribution regulator monitoring system which improved the safety of a gas system. Craig Malesker and Sean Creager tell the story.

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ike other utilities across the US, Nebraska’s Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD) is tasked with the challenge of addressing the sustainability of aging infrastructure. Huffman Engineering has been a trusted advisor to MUD for more than 20 years. “We count on Huffman Engineering’s expertise in control systems and technology to guide our infrastructure upgrades. The reliability and responsive willingness to answer our calls any time of the day or night has contributed to a partnership that keeps the communities we serve safe,” said Jim Bewley, MUD gas distribution foreman.

In 2005, each of MUD’s 280 remote gas regulator stations had a pole-mounted enclosure containing a mechanical paper chart recorder to monitor inlet and outlet pressures. The chart recorders could record three to seven days of the regulator pressure reading data.

Every 48 hours or on a weekly basis, the charts needed to be manually changed manually and examined.

Not only was this labour-intensive, but the fact that data was not analysed for up to a week was a major concern in terms of emergency response time to correct abnormal operating conditions.

MUD wanted to be able to monitor the remote stations in real time and have the information display on the SCADA system at tits system control headquarters.

Replacing the paper chart recorders began in 2005 with just five pilot locations. Huffman Engineering’s role included design of the control panels and installation of the new hardware to transmit the pressure

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February 2018

readings to the SCADA system. Huffman Engineering programmed the SCADA system software to integrate the new centralised data collection with display, alarm, trend, historical logging, and report capabilities.

Substantial cost-savings Summarising the benefits of automation gas distribution sites, Bewley said: “The cost-savings has been substantial. More importantly, the safety and security of the communities we serve has improved through a reliable automated monitoring system where problems are reported within 15 minutes rather than potentially taking up to seven days.”

Pole-mounted enclosure and solar-powered site hardware.

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Challenges along the way Cost: With the pilot sites, the major cost was for the electrical contractor.

The local electric utility company connected power to the site free of charge. However, when researching the conversion for the next set of sites, electric power was not readily available, so the costs were considerably higher.

The cost to have the electric utility and electrical contractor bring in electricity ranged in cost from $10,000 to $20,000 per site, depending on distance and difficulty in reaching the site. This made it cost-prohibitive for MUD. These locations required an off-grid solution to power the equipment.

Alternative power—poor fit: After several initial solar installations, MUD continued to search for the optimal solution. For the monitoring sites located in publicly-accessible areas, the solar arrays (panels) would stand out because of their size. One alternative solution tested was a thermoelectric battery charger, which is a small device that does not stand out like a solar array.

The thermoelectric battery charger uses natural gas to create a temperature differential that is then converted to electricity. Because natural gas is available at each of the regulator sites, it made sense to try it. However, the thermoelectric device worked for a couple months and then failed due to internal corrosion. MUD determined the thermoelectric battery charger was not a good long-term solution for this application.

A lengthy process: The plan to replace all the manual chart recorders was scheduled to take place in phases, with Control Engineering Europe

SCADA one phase installed per year. Six or seven months are needed to complete each phase, which comprises a set of 50 to 60 sites. The process includes site prep work and gas line piping to connect the transmitters, a lengthy bidding and selection procedure, parts procurement, panel building, installation, and testing.

The solution highlights Solar-powered site hardware: The hardware consists of a pole with a mounted enclosure for a remote terminal unit (RTU), modem, charge controller, battery, mounted enclosure containing the pressure transmitters, and solar panel mounted on the top of the pole. The RTU input/output points include pressure readings, battery voltage, and heartbeat data.

SCADA system at MUD’s system control: By removing nearby or redundant sites, the scope of the project was reduced to upgrading 225 monitoring locations. All stations are monitored at MUD’s system control, which is manned by a system-control operator 24 hours a day. The RTUs are programmed to collect pressure data every 15 minutes and under normal conditions, they will report pressure readings every four hours to the SCADA system. If the pressure goes out of range, the RTUs will report the pressure readings within 15 minutes to the SCADA system. The pressure is alarmed on the SCADA screen to alert the operator with a Hi, Hi/Hi, Low, and Low/Low status. The operator then can report the problem to a supervisor to take immediate action.

The solution benefits Safety: According to MUD, the realtime monitoring already has alerted MUD personnel to abnormal operating conditions (pressures above or below alarm setpoints).

Daily reports: Technicians are emailed reports daily to streamline work for the day. These reports, and the ability to access historical data to see trends, allow for predictive maintenance to keep the gas regulator stations up and running.

This project led to a cost-effective, Control Engineering Europe

Addressing SCADA concerns While a recent report, published by Allied Market Research, predicts a bright future for SCADA, with the biggest growth in manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors expected to drive growth, the report also identified some factors that are hindering the growth of SCADA systems. These include concerns about cyber-attacks, issues with the data generated, and lack of awareness of IT trends.

Control Engineering Europe asked Pete Rullman, senior product marketing manager at Honeywell Process Solutions, for his thoughs. He addressed the three issues separately: Cyber security: Cyber attacks are not a new issue for SCADA and other computer systems, but have come to the forefront in recent years with the availability of internet connected systems, cloud-hosted solutions and the wave of smart devices.

We have seen some customers shy away from newer solutions based on what they have read about the most recent cyber-attack or malware episode. The specific threat may be real, with certain variables in place, but many people lean towards a ‘sky is falling’ view without knowing all the facts, including how their current system may be more vulnerable than a newer system. SCADA systems with differing architectures and implementation will continue to grow because owners need to connect to their assets and operate their business.

Cyber-attack vectors do need to be a focus and dealt with accordingly, but overall this will not be a big hindrance to SCADA growth.

Data Generation: The amount of data generated from traditional SCADA systems and with the

reliable solar-powered automated gas distribution regulator monitoring system from Huffman Engineering.

Craig Malesker and Sean Creager

www.controlengeurope.com

introduction of more devices, can be large. There may be a perception that a system must have all this data to be ‘good’. That this may affect growth of SCADA may have some truth for businesses which can become overwhelmed just by the thought of it, and therefore decide to delay their projects. However, in the end, a properly planned SCADA solution will identify what data is really needed as well as plan for data growth. Operators do not need to experience a firehose of data from the start. SCADA has had ‘smart devices’ in play for a while now.

IT Trends: Traditionally, SCADA and other process control systems lag behind current technology because it is not simple or cheap to continually update or upgrade production systems and business owners are not typically ready to try something that is un-tested.

They want a proven solution that has been tested for reliability and will run on their assets for a long time. We see very dynamic changes in IT capabilities with rapid cycle times in our day-today lives and begin to ‘expect’ to see this in our business lives. This flood of technology and the attempt to start applying it within SCADA systems can create difficult challenges if attempted improperly. The influence that changing IT has in some markets and industries can be problematic in the 24/7, alwayson SCADA world if the right amount of governance is not applied. This is where IT/OT convergence comes into play to balance some of these trends and their influence on production SCADA systems.

As these conversations grow, the thought of IT trends causing a hindrance to SCADA growth will move further into the past.

are senior electrical engineers at Huffman Engineering Inc. This article originally appeared in www.controleng.com.

February 2018

23

RFID TECHNOLOGY

ZERO-DEFECT PRODUCTION:

pipedream or possibility?

Zero-defect production must surely be the ultimate goal of every manufacturer.

Control Engineering Europe finds out what role RFID technology has in bringing it closer to reality.

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he automotive industry has always been a leading force when it comes to efficient manufacturing processes and quality control. Over the years RFID technology has been a key part of the automotive production process and continues to play a vital role in successful Industry 4.0 projects.

A good example of RFID utilisation can be seen in vehicle customisation.

In addition to a vast range of paint and interior fabric colour options now being available, a host of other options such as in-car entertainment systems, sunroofs and tinted glass can be specified by customers. Details of these features, selected at the time of ordering, are added to an RFID tag which is mounted on the chassis or

Before a new car leaves production it is checked for water ingress at multiple points on the bodywork.

engine of the vehicle being produced.

The tag communicates with the production line system which then

drives its processes to add individual customer specific features as the car is built. The essence of mass-production

RFID boosts PCB production The PCB industry is faced with multilayered challenges in the areas of continuous improvement of production processes and the optimisation of quality. Gavin Stoppel, product manager at HARTING, believes that UHF RFID can provide the solution.

UHF RFID-supported PCB routing is already close to achieving the quest for the printed circuit board that can control the entire manufacturing process. The board practically has its own memory and can provide data.

However, it can now also store current states and information alongside this information. If the UHF RFID chip is directly embedded in the bare circuit

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board, it provides internal memory that offers benefits over the board’s entire life cycle.

The UHF RFID chip can also be mounted on the circuit board as a surface-mount component during the placement process. Only minimal space – less than 1cm2 – is needed for the antenna structure traces, in addition to the board’s ground layer.

To achieve this, HARTING teamed up with muRata to develop the concept of improved transparency and traceability of circuit boards during the production process and beyond. HARTING acts as a supplier of UHF RFID antennas, readers and software while muRata acts as an

www.controlengeurope.com

industry expert and supplier of printed circuit board transponders.

By enhancing users’ processes with RFID technology, HARTING makes it possible to implement solutions that deliver real profitability gains without the need for re-engineering proven, stable manufacturing processes. For example, RFID sensor networks can be used to collect manufacturing data which is then ‘operationalised’, allowing production lines to be adjusted, maintained, or retooled, based on live information. The ability to use this manufacturing data rapidly to inform IoT systems can provide users with a competitive advantage in a complex market.

Control Engineering Europe

RFID TECHNOLOGY

Connecting RFID to the cloud With the launch of new firmware release V3, the Simatic RF600 RFID system now supports OPC UA. The new firmware allows devices to be connected to MindSphere, Siemens’ cloud-based open Internet of Things (IoT) operating system.

Simatic RF600 is the first RFID system that supplies data to MindSphere. Linking the RFID system to the cloud opens up further scope for the use of data captured from RFID transponders – such as the registration and tracking of containers, pallets or products

is maintained, with minimal interruption, but at the same time meeting the individual demands of the customer. This clearly demonstrates the basic principles of Industry 4.0.

Zero-defect production can only ever be fully realised by eliminating all potential sources of error – maybe with total automation which removes all manual processes and the potential source of errors that accompany them.

One example of this can be found before a new car leaves production. It is checked for water ingress at multiple points throughout the bodywork. For this process it is exposed to different situations in a sprinkler chamber that simulates rain, water splashes and car wash facilities. Next, moisture checks are carried out to determine any ingress. However, these are manual inspection methods so cannot offer total, error- free, assurance. Quite commonly, moisture collects in areas that are impossible to see To overcome the problem of moisture detection, and working in close co-operation with a leading car manufacturer, Turck designed a fully automated solution for moisture sensing based on RFID. “The system utilises ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID technology and detects all moisture ingress in car bodies without the need for any manual intervention,” explained George Perkins, marketing executive at Turck Banner. In order to achieve this, the car body is fitted with tags at convenient stages throughout production. These tags react to humidity, even in concealed places. “Before the car is driven into the rain spray chamber as part of the final inspection, it goes through an RFID gate which registers all the RFID tags. After the spray process, the car goes through a second RFID gate at the exit which reads all the RFID tags again. If humidity has penetrated at any point the system detects a discrepancy between both read operations and sends an appropriate fault message to the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) of the user. This means that any affected car bodies can be removed for further investigation. This system offers 100% detection of faulty Control Engineering Europe

February 2018

25

fitted with an RFID transponder.

The captured data can be analysed and made available worldwide, due to the web based concept, creating transparency in terms of key performance indicators (KPI’s) such as plant availability, utilisation of assets or energy-saving potential.

This will allow the targeted optimisation of production processes and supply chains with a view to improving efficiency and quality in production, logistics, asset management and other areas.

Connecting RFID to cloud systems boosts efficiency and quality.

vehicles helps maintain brand confidence and eliminates the need for costly aftercare,” continued Perkins.

“Innovations and refinements of the smart factory concept are evolving daily as system designers and engineers strive to give manufacturing the ultimate system. RFID technology – which has proven to be vital so far – will continue to play a vital part in Industry 4.0,” concluded Perkins.

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

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EXHIBITION REVIEW

Automation innovations on show SPS/IPC/Drives 2017 drew record numbers of visitors, with over 70,000 taking the opportunity to learn about the latest solutions in smart and digital industrial automation solutions. The 2018 event will take place at the Nuremberg Messe, from 27 – 29 November.

S

iemens showcased many innovations at the event, ranging from Version 15 of its TIA Portal Engineering Framework, through the IoT concept for motors – Simotics IQ – to Version 3.0 of MindSphere, its open cloud-based IoT operating solution.

MindSphere is now available on Amazon Web Services (AWS). The latest version includes an open API (Application Programming Interface), advanced analytics and extended connectivity, to enable faster development of Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions.

With the introduction of Simotics IQ, Siemens has created an IoT concept that allows users to transfer operating and status parameters of low-voltage motors to MindSphere in a simple way.

The Simotics IQ MindApp then delivers analytical results that provide useful information and recommended actions for the timely planning of maintenance work, or rapid response warnings. By applying configurable warning limits and intelligent analytics, Simotics IQ allows users to plan timely maintenance activities and react before plant downtime occurs.

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February 2018

At the show Siemens had a live demonstration of the connectivity of Simotics IQ, with a Simotics SD motor connected to MindSphere. The Simotics IQ smart sensor box was fitted to the motor to capture motor operating and condition parameters. This was transmitted by WiFi to the cloud. The data can be stored and analysed by the Simotics IQ MindApp on MindSphere.

Responding to IIoT challenges Phoenix Contact used the event to launch PLCnext Control the company’s first open control platform product based on its PLCnext Technology which was created in response to the challenges of IIoT and and the need for simpler controller solutions.

As an enhancement to classical IEC 61131-compliant PLC programming, PLCnext Technology makes it possible to programme controllers using high-level language, ensuring PLC-typical real-time performance and data consistency for high-level languages and model-based code. Multiple developers are able to work independently in different programming languages and with the development tools they prefer to enable

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faster application development.

Phoenix Contact also demonstrated a cloud application for recording and analysing safety-related data.

Its PROFICLOUD solution provides information relating to the optimisation of production sequences. The safety of machinery is, and remains, a critical subject for machine operators, plant engineers, and systems manufacturers.

The first priority is always the safety of machine users, but this can also cause unplanned operational interruptions. A common cause of failures is inadequate design. The ability to access safety system data via the IIoT in real time and to convert this into meaningful information unlocks enormous potential.

Intelligent transport system B&R unveiled ACOPOStrak, an intelligent transport system. The electromagnetic diverters of the system are able to divide and merge product flows at full production speed making it possible to perform product changeover with zero downtime. Its design flexibility allows the system to morph into many different types of open and closed layouts by arranging different combinations of Control Engineering Europe

EXHIBITION REVIEW track segments. The system is capable of 5g acceleration and reaches top speeds in excess of 4m/sec with a minimum product pitch of only 50mm.

Connecting EtherCAT and TSN Beckhoff has extended its EtherCAT I/O system with the addition of the new EK1000 bus coupler. The device enables communication of EtherCAT segments with remote EtherCAT controllers via heterogeneous Ethernet networks.

Through support of TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) functions, the coupler enables delays caused by switches in Ethernet networks to be minimised and the wide range of EtherCAT I/O Terminals and other EtherCAT devices to be used in TSN network environments.

The EtherCAT TSN Coupler is said to combine the advantages of EtherCAT with those of TSN networks. EtherCAT is suited to combining the numerous small data packets of digital and analogue inputs, which typically occur in industrial environments, into a complete process image, while TSN enables the definition of data streams in heterogeneous Ethernet networks for a real-time capable, prioritised transmission of such data streams across the network infrastructure. As a result, control systems can address multiple EtherCAT segments in real time via TSN across Ethernet networks. No modifications are required in the EtherCAT slave devices.

The EK1000 ensures the transfer of telegrams from the TSN to the EtherCAT port with minimised delay to allow EtherCAT features, such as distributed clocks and eXtreme Fast Control (XFC) or communication with EtherCAT-enabled

drives, to also be available within TSN networks. In networks without TSN extension, the bus coupler can also be used for integrating an EtherCAT network with a standard Ethernet network.

The Mitsubishi Electric stand highlighted the use of PLCs as a platform for automation, with a complete set of dedicated CPU modules for the MELSEC iQ-R Series PLC. A CNC CPU module and a robot control CPU now complement the existing options for analogue and digital I/O, motion, positioning, process control, safety and networking, delivering a solution that integrates the full suite of control and automation processes onto one common platform.

Mitsubishi Electric also demonstrated developments to its modular Linear Transfer System (LTS) with Smart Carriage technology. In addition to featuring on-board intelligence and data memory, plus freely configurable tracks the new version of the Smart Carriages includes on-board battery power.

Operator safety has also been addressed without compromising productivity – as workers approach, the Smart Carriages will first slow down, and then stop, but only in the section where there is a potential hazard.

The LTS offers production line flexibility through the use of on-board intelligence and connectivity to allow each carriage to behave autonomously.

Each Smart Carriage can choose its optimum route to reach the next station and enable processing of the product being carried as it goes along.

The new on-board battery system powers on-carriage devices such as sensors, controllers and memory and drives the carriage, removing the need to draw power from the track and enabling greater flexibility of track layout.

Industrial Ethernet diagnostics

B&R unveiled ACOPOStrak, an intelligent transport system.

Control Engineering Europe

PROCENTEC used the event to highlight the latest additions to its Atlas Industrial Ethernet diagnostics solution. In addition it put a focus on the latest addition to its ComBricks product line – a PROFIBUSand PROFINET-based automation system

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Simotics IQ allows operating and status parameters of low-voltage motors to be sent to MindSphere wirelessly.

that unites repeaters and permanent monitoring in a web browser to allow PROFIBUS installations to be monitored remotely. ComBricks HE+ is a new robust version of the device that is suited to use in harsh environments.

Other products on display included ProfiHub a collection of multichannel PROFIBUS DP network components which enable the creation of reliable star/tree networks and long multi-device spur lines; and ProfiTrace a mobile analyser for the maintenance and troubleshooting of PROFIBUS networks.

Simplifying network configuration At the event the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), in association with the OPC Foundation, announced an OPC UA companion specification for the CLPA’s new CSP+ for Machine technology to ease the implementation of Industry 4.0 type applications.

CSP+ for Machine is an extension of the CLPA’s existing CSP+ (Control & Communication System Profile) which provides easy network configuration and maintenance by offering profiles that describe each device on a CC-Link IE or CC-Link network. CSP+ technology provides drag and drop network configuration from CSP+ files provided

by CLPA partner vendors, allowing convenient device libraries to be created.

The technology has now gone one step further by allowing whole machines to be treated in the same way, meaning that complex systems can be dealt with as if they are a single device. This reduces complexity and simplifies the task of obtaining vital process data.

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PRODUCT FORUM • CASTELL LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST DIGITAL EXCHANGE BOX New product addresses growing complexity in switchgear and guarding applications Castell, a leader in trapped key interlocking technology, has launched the first digital key exchange box.

The Digital Exchange Box has been developed to address growing complexity in modern switchgear and guarding applications. The product can be configured to release any number of keys in a predefined sequence without the typical limitations of mechanical exchange boxes.

Paul Roberts, business development manager at Castell, explained: “While we have some unique mechanical exchange boxes, the design is limited due to their mechanical nature. With our new Digital Exchange Box, it is possible to release and trap keys to suit

the complexity of the application’s needs, which in the past would only have been possible using a number of mechanical exchange boxes.”

Available in either mild or stainless steel, the Digital Exchange Box can be used in the harshest of environments.

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IN-LINE BAG FILTER SYSTEM FOR HAZARDOUS APPLICATIONS

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For further information on the 86B bag filter housing please visit https://www.amazonfilters.com/ products/filter-housings/bag-filterhousings/86-series/ or contact Amazon Filters on +44-1276-670600 / sales@amazonfilters.co.uk.

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Amazon Filters announce the launch of the new 86B Series Bag Filter housing which has been designed to provide a safe, cost effective in-line filtration solution for hazardous or high temperature fluids.

The robust cast head of the 86B Series bag filter housing, incorporates an integral one-piece unique cast head featuring in-line connections for the inlet and outlet, double vent ports and a special bolt retaining mechanism.

With minimal product hold up volumes 20% less than conventional side entry housings, and easy access to the disposable filter bag via the retained hinged lid, operators will appreciate the ease-of-use and time saving design features.

Available in 316L Stainless Steel it is suitable for operating parameters of 10 bar at 150°C with a flow capacity of up to 30m3/Hr. Two housing sizes are available for the 7” diameter bags, P1 (16”) single length and P2 (32”) double length. The 86B Series perforated basket is fully compatible with almost all standard commercially available filter bags.

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February 2018

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PRODUCT FORUM • SG TRANSMISSIONS SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH LEADING SOUTH KOREAN ROBOTIC SG Transmission has recently signed an agreement with a leading South Korean robotic manufacturer, to provide a permanent magnet brake which is small, lightweight and has a relatively high torque.

The UK Company, which designs and manufactures a range of electromagnetic clutches and brakes at their factory in Bishop Auckland, was approached by the organisation with an enquiry at the end of last year. The company was looking for a supplier of permanent magnetic brakes which were of high quality that would be fitted in a variety of collaboration robots.

The SG Transmission engineers designed and developed a bespoke fail-safe brake, which has now been used widely in the robotics industry, within a range of their collaboration robots which are designed to work alongside humans performing tasks such as laser eye surgery, “Pick and place”

and even welding applications.

Due to the high accuracy of the work the robots are required to carry out, our customer needed a high quality brake that did not affect the critical safety functions, coming to an immediate stop in any scenario, while also retaining the load.

SG Transmission could deliver as a trusted UK manufacturer.

Neil Cook, Sales Manager at SG Transmission says “Following testing last year, the finalised brake solution is now successfully incorporated within in the robot”.

Tel : +44 (0)1388 770 360 sales@sgtransmission.com

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THE PULSITE SOLO FROM TITAN ENTERPRISES IS A LOW COST, BATTERY POWERED RATE AND TOTAL FLOW INDICATOR. These panel or surface mounting digital instruments, that require no external power when used with magnetic sensors or contact closures, are designed to be as versatile as possible permitting customisation to suit almost any flow measurement application. With housing constructed from durable polymer, and sealed to IP64 specifications, the Pulsite Solo can be used in a wide range of operating environments.

Designed for ease of use, programming on the Pulsite Solo is simple using the 2 front panel keys and following the prompts on the LCD display.

The replaceable battery life is estimated to be well in excess of 5 years when the Pulsite Solo is used as a flow totaliser. With rate readings, the life of the Pulsite Solo will depend on the duty cycle but is still several years.

The Pulsite Solo can also be externally dc powered if required for example when used with an electronic sensor such as a Hall effect device. This affordable flow indicator will take frequencies from dc through to 2 KHz and scale them to display rate or total. The scaling factors are adjustable from 0.01 to 9999 and the time base is selectable as seconds, minutes or hours.

For further information on the Pulsite Solo flow indicator please visit www.ratetotaliser.com or contact Titan Enterprises on +44-1935-812790 / sales@flowmeters.co.uk

Control Engineering Europe

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PRODUCT FORUM • OMEGA FV-500C SERIES VORTEX FLOWMETERS OMEGA’s FV-500C Series vortex flowmeter provides accurate, reliable, low-maintenance flow measurement.

Vortices generated by the flowing fluid stress the shedder bar in pulses, and the shedder bar transmits the stress pulses to the encapsulated piezoelectric sensor.

Please contact Omega sales department to size the vortex flow meter for your application. All the vortex meters are custom built to order. A display is highly recommended for any fine tuning adjustments required.

Based on the field proven sensor technology of the FV-500C Series vortex flowmeters, FV-500C features a new amplifier with proprietary spectral signal processing (SSP) technology to analyse the vortex waveform into its spectral components to filter noise from signal for the most stable measurement possible.

The FV-500C Series will provide excellent vibration immunity for stable, accurate measurements at low flows without any need for start-up tuning. The user benefits through greater reliability, reduced maintenance and a lower total cost of ownership.

The programmable display allows access to the full power of OMEGA’s new intelligent amplifier. The

display is required if you would like to access the pulse output programming. The display is highly recommend if an adjustment or tweaking is required for the flow measurement application. The display also permits the user to display flow rate and/or total in engineering units for liquids and gases. Rate and total are displayed simultaneously. If the density or enthalpy of the fluid is constant (i.e. the temperature and pressure do not change), the density value can be entered into the meter to display in kilograms, pounds or metric tons; the enthalpy value can be entered to display in BTUs, kilojoules, etc. Analog output span adjustment and low cutoff are also settable from the display, there is no need to adjust pots. The analog and pulse outputs can also be forced to output from 0 to 100% FS or 0 to 6000 Hz without any flow through the meter as a test of the amplifier. For steam flow measurement, the FV-500C can be used with the OMEGA™ FC-20 mass flow computer. The standard FV-500C is wafer-style to slip between 150# ANSI flanges, and comes supplied with extra long bolts for installation. Units with the suffix “-F” have 150# ANSI flanges.

International +44(0) 161 777 6611 sales@omega.co.uk

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OMEGA NEW, PORTABLE TEMPERATURE CALIBRATORS OMEGA’s new, portable temperature calibrators are lightweight and easy-to-use. Five models are available to cover the range from -35 to 650°C and wet or dry insertion, non-contact and surface calibration requirements.

• Dry Block Calibrator: TCL-650S-D, ambient to 650°C (1202°F) • Dry Block Calibrator: TCL-165S-D, -35 to 165°C (-31 to 329°F) • Micro Bath Calibrator: TCL-M165S-B, -35 to 165°C (-31 to 329°F) • Micro Bath Calibrator: TCL-M255S-B, ambient to 255°C (491°F) • Multi-function Calibrator: TCL-3M165E, Dry Bath, Micro Bath, Infrared Blackbody, and Surface Temperature Why calibrate? Temperature sensors are subject to mechanical, thermal and chemical stresses. This results in a drift in output over time. Regular calibration of the sensors provides information on the difference between the actual temperature and the measured

temperature and makes the specific drift visible. This data can be critical to maintaining a stable process.

OMEGA™ Dry block calibrators and micro bath calibrators are one of the best means to check and calibrate a wide range of temperature measuring instruments and temperature sensors. Mechanical, electro-mechanical or electronic measurement equipment can be checked with ease. These compact and durable calibrators are easy to transport, user friendly and offer all the features required for industrial and laboratory calibration requirements.

International +44(0) 161 777 6611 sales@omega.co.uk

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE PRODUCT FORUM SECTION

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14.01.16 16:57

Control Engineering Europe

FINAL WORD

Manufacturing trend predictions for 2018 and beyond Sean Riley, global industry director for manufacturing and transportation at Software AG, offers his predictions on key manufacturing trends for the coming year.

M

anufacturers are now aggressively pursuing digital transformation to allow them to compete and win in their

marketplace.

In 2018, manufacturers will ramp up this transformation in order to embrace new technologies with the potential to change the industrial landscape. I predict the following five key trends.

Enabling the future: Digital platforms will become a central focus and a key enabler of new customer experiences and value chain efficiencies.

Integrating digital platforms into the underlying systems of record will continue to be a focus, as will security.

They will, however, start to be used in earnest to unlock new value. These digital platforms will be used by both the enterprise value chain and the extended supply chain and will be critical hubs for the incorporation of key emerging technologies, such as 3D printing, blockchain and IoT-enabled products.

Easy ways to pay: IT and value chain execution efficiency will be used to fund transformation.

The initial financial outlays for digital transformation may seem steep; but the costs associated with not transforming are detrimental to your business. Chief Information Officer’s (CIO’s) will begin to work with both existing CEO’s and newly appointed CDOs (Chief Digital Officers) to ensure value chain processes are aligned to strategy – and that applications directly support these requirements.

This will not completely fund the costs of digital transformation; but it will

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release 10% to 20% of IT application costs and allow a similar figure of enterprise resources to be redirected to the new digital groups from other areas of the business.

Legacy is not bad: Legacy applications will be a necessary part of digital transformation.

Not all legacies are bad. Valuable processes, business logic, data stores, and digital histories exist within legacy systems. Manufacturers will realise this in spades in 2018 as they look to replace ageing applications with agile or nimble apps. Methodologies like microservices and DevOps (a software engineering culture and practice that aims at unifying software development and software operation) will combine with bi-modal IT efforts in order to speed up digital transformation.

IIoT gets smart: Smart manufacturing will drive manufacturers to new heights.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has made it possible for manufacturers to smarten up and almost every manufacturer has now introduced smart manufacturing concepts and technologies to a plant or even a single production zone. However, most manufacturers have not yet fully scaled smart technologies globally.

In 2018, enterprises will expand their smart manufacturing practices and will move from small or single plant deployments to these practices becoming standard global practices.

While predictive maintenance and energy management are typically the first initiatives pursued, industry will see a greater focus on more complicated

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Sean Riley is global industry director for manufacturing and transportation at Software AG.

initiatives, such as in-line predictive production quality, that require complex algorithms and generate even greater benefits.

These AI-oriented implementations add new ‘smarts’ to processes and offer benefits like faster cycle times, improved quality, zero downtime operations, lights-out manufacturing and labour cost savings.

The price is not right, yet: Connected products and services won’t be used to drive outcome-based pricing for most manufacturing segments... yet.

While medical devices and pharmaceutical companies may be moving to an outcome-based pricing model (whether they want to or not), purchasers of industrial equipment will still need to make capital expenditures for new equipment; they cannot yet rely on operating expenditures to fund new equipment acquisitions.

While the outcomes-based subscription model concept continues to be contemplated and is predicted to be an outcome of connected products, the company that is typically used as a model, GE, has not yet seen its market share grow or its stock price increase. This will cause most companies to continue to examine the feasibility, but not implement the practice in the near term.

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking into your future.

You face great transformation these days, especially digitalization and ever-changing trends.

And you want stable, efficient operation of plant and enterprise, assuring creation of value for optimal resource use and profitability. This is where co-innovation comes alive. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll respond with solutions and proposals from a perspective outside the box, and with insights into advanced technologies that support sustainable growth for you and society.

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