Control, Instrumentation and Automation in the Process and Manufacturing Industries September 2019
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Connectivity in real-time IO Link, and the Automation Platform Network
A profitably disruptive energy strategy
Functional Safety: a technology challenge
Making digitalisation work!
CONTENTS Control Engineering Europe is the official International Media Partner for SPS 2019 Editor Suzanne Gill suzanne.gill@imlgroup.co.uk Sales Manager Adam Yates adam.yates@imlgroup.co.uk Production Holly Reed holly.reed@imlgroup.co.uk Dan Jago David May G and C Media
Group Publisher Production Manager Studio Design
Exhibition season is almost upon us once again as the newly named ‘SPS – smart production solutions’ moves ever closer. The Nuremberg Messe based exhibition, which takes place this year from 26 to 28 November, grows bigger every year, covering the entire spectrum of smart and digital automation – from simple sensors to intelligent solutions, from what is feasible today to the vision of a fully digitalised industrial world. We are proud to announce that this year Control Engineering Europe will be the official International Media Partner for the exhibition. In addition to our event preview, which appears in the November issue and which will be distributed at the show, we will be publishing a special January 2020 edition to comprehensively review the event, offering in-depth editorial reports from the most interesting booths; highlighting the best new product launches at the show, and including lots of interviews with industry spokespeople. If you are exhibiting at the event and are interested in having a visit from the Control Engineering Europe team to report on the highlights of your booth, please do contact us so that we can make an appointment to visit. Suzanne Gill Editor – Control Engineering Europe suzanne.gill@imlgroup.co.uk
INDUSTRY REPORT
PROCESS SAFETY
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24 Finding suitable approaches to protect systems
Will AR really address the skills deficit?
EDITOR’S CHOICE
TEST & MEASUREMENT
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31 Optimising product quality with the help of infrared pyrometers
Levelling the robot playing field for low-repetition tasks
REMOTE MONITORING
CYBER SECURITY
10 Overcoming the challenges to reach your remote monitoring goals
31 Suzanne Gill reports on the cyber security issues facing industry today and gets advice on ensuring greater plant level security
DIGITAL MIGRATION STRATEGIES
FINAL WORD
12 Managing change for a successful digital transformation
31 Tim Foreman argues that we should be looking to benefit from the potential of Artificial Intelligence at the edge strategically and thoughtfully
12 Suzanne Gill finds out how industrial communications are supporting the digital migration process
ENERGY MANAGEMENT 18 Variable speed drives help start a sweet revolution in productivity 18 Hybridisation: A profitably disruptive energy strategy? 22 Moving beyond traditional energy cost-reduction strategies Control Engineering Europe is a controlled circulation journal published eight 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
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September 2019
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INDUSTRY REPORTS
Robots need to understand more Robots need to know the reason why they are doing a job if they are to effectively and safely work alongside people in the near future. In simple terms, this means machines need to understand motive the way humans do, and not just perform tasks blindly, without context. According to a new article by the National Centre for Nuclear Robotics, based at the University of Birmingham, this could herald a profound change for the world of robotics, but one that is necessary. Lead author Dr. Valerio Ortenzi, at the University of Birmingham argues the shift in thinking will be necessary as economies embrace automation, connectivity and digitisation and levels of human-robot interaction increase dramatically. The paper, published in Nature Machine Intelligence, explores the issue of robots using objects. ‘Grasping’ is an action perfected long ago in nature but one which represents the cutting-edge of robotics research. Most factory-based machines are ‘dumb’, blindly picking up familiar objects that appear in pre-determined places at just the right moment. Getting a machine to pick up unfamiliar objects, randomly presented, requires the seamless interaction of multiple, complex technologies. These include vision systems and advanced AI so the machine can see the target and deter-mine its properties (for example, is it rigid or flexible?); and potentially, sensors in the gripper are required so the robot does not inadvertently crush an object it has been told to pick up. Even when all this is accomplished, researchers in the National Centre for Nuclear Robotics highlighted a
fundamental issue: what has traditionally counted as a ‘successful’ grasp for a robot might actually be a real-world failure, because the machine does not take into account what the goal is and why it is picking an object up. The paper cites the example of a robot in a factory picking up an object for delivery to a customer. It successfully executes the task, holding the package securely without causing damage. Unfortunately, the robot’s gripper obscures a crucial barcode, which means the object cannot be tracked and the firm has no idea if the item has been picked up or not; the whole delivery system breaks down because the robot does not know the consequences of holding a box the wrong way. Dr. Ortenzi and his co-authors give other examples, involving robots working alongside people. “Imagine asking a robot to pass you a screwdriver in a workshop. Based on current conventions the best way for a robot to pick up the tool is by the handle. Unfortunately, that could mean that a hugely powerful machine then thrusts a potentially lethal blade towards you, at speed. Instead, the robot needs to know what the end goal is, i.e., to pass the screwdriver safely to its human colleague, in order to rethink its actions. “What is obvious to humans has to be programmed into a machine and this requires a profoundly different approach. The traditional metrics used by researchers, over the past twenty years, to assess robotic manipulation, are not sufficient. In the most practical sense, robots need a new philosophy to get a grip.”
Expanded cyber security threat detection services More than half of all respondents to a recent LNS Research survey said their industrial facility has experienced a cyber-security breach. To help prevent such incidents Rockwell Automation has expanded its Threat Detection Services, powered by the Claroty threat detection platform. Claroty is a Rockwell Automation Encompass Product Partner. “A scary aspect of security threats is what you don’t know about them – what techniques they’ll use, what attack vector they’ll leverage, what vulnerabilities they will exploit,” said Umair Masud, manager security services portfolio, Rockwell Automation. Rockwell’s Threat Detection Services are designed to help safeguard connected operations in three key ways: • Identify and protect: Identifying all
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industrial control networked assets, and their vulnerabilities, to help companies know what to protect. • Detect: Monitoring networks for known threats and for anomalous traffic or behaviours to alert companies of a security incident – possibly before it happens. • Response and recovery: Developing plans for containing, eradicating and recovering from attacks to keep operations running or to more quickly return to a fully operational state. Companies that have used the Threat Detection Services have also discovered operational benefits. For example, collected asset data can help uncover risks like obsolete technology, outdated firmware and spare parts shortages.
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The Claroty threat detection platform creates an inventory of a user’s industrial network assets, monitors traffic between them, and analyses communications at their deepest level. Detected anomalies are reported to plant and security personnel with actionable insights. “The Claroty platform used within the Threat Detection Services can accelerate a company’s journey to more connected and digitally driven operations,” said Amir Zilberstein, co-founder and CEO, Claroty. “Most critically, the platform can help companies detect and quickly respond to threats that bypass their security controls. But it can also give companies a deeper understanding of their industrial assets and improve their ability to keep operations running.” Control Engineering Europe
Share expertise in real time These experts can provide immediate on the job feedback and training to remote colleagues, walking them through the stages of a task with audio and visual directions on what should be done. This Control Engineering Europe
could include sharing images or even overlaying notes and markers onto the display the worker is seeing – for example, highlighting the part to be worked on. Such applications will become more important for companies dealing with the loss of in-house knowledge. Other applications include providing workers with equipment readings across a plant, which can allow them to focus more on priority tasks and help them plan their routes to maximise efficiency.
Lockheed Martin AR use For example, Lockheed Martin undertook a trial of AR technologies to produce its F-35 fighter plane. Engineers were equipped with educational software hosted on AR glasses. The glasses showed engineers where different parts should fit, along with part numbers, etc. Productivity improvements of 30% were achieved through engineers being able to work faster alongside more hands-on training. This helped ensure people with the minimum amount of training could complete jobs. Alex West is an analyst with IHS Markit. September 2019
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from 4980 €
Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies can help address the challenge of sharing knowledge within an organisation and is able to support an issue faced by many organisations, that of fewer available skilled workers, by providing on-the-job support, training and remote assistance. The technology will allow an engineer fixing a piece of equipment to access user manuals and instructions through a heads-up display, allowing them to work uninterrupted and follow a step-by-step procedure hands-free. However, the process can be far more involved. In another use case, workers can be equipped with specialised glasses incorporating an audio link and a camera streaming what is being seen live. This can connect the worker to a remote ‘center of excellence’ where experienced engineers are based and supporting colleagues around the world in real time.
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Alex West says that augmented reality (AR) has a role to play in helping the factory of the future deal with the skills gap deficit.
Thereʼs no two ways about it: Our exchangeable microscope optics for IR cameras come with a detail resolution of 28 μm and a frame rate of 125 Hz.
Will augmented reality address manufacturing skills deficit?
Microscopic.
INDUSTRY REPORTS
Innovative Infrared Technology
EDITORS CHOICE
Edge computer gains a second Ethernet interface In many Industry 4.0 applications, it is necessary to separate networks and send data back and forth between Ethernet protocols without allowing external applications direct access to a corporate network. As a result, HARTING has added a second interface to its MICA Edge Computing device which allows it to easily exchange and process data between two Ethernet networks, including wired-to-wireless gateway applications. An additional USB interface can also be used for adding further capabilities or a USB storage device. This is because, unlike a router, MICA can also carry out complex data transformations and aggregations. The secondary Ethernet interface is
provided via the functional circuit board and expands the modular system of the MICA platform. MICA Wireless with WLAN, BLE and LTE connectivity with an additional Ethernet interface offers an easy to manage and compact solution for many projects in the areas of industry and transportation. It can, for example be used as a wired-to-wireless gateway for collecting maintenance data from
PLCs and to send relevant events to the machine manufacturer or maintenance services. In addition, MICA Wireless can process nodes for RFID readers connected via WLAN.
Levelling the robot playing field for low-repetition tasks Automata has created a truly innovative collaborative robot – from the ground up – in a bid to meet the growing need for automated solutions for use in a multitude of less repetitive tasks. A key element of the design of the cobot was to provide a solution with low deployed system costs to enable it to offer a cost-effective automated solution. The result is Eva, a robot arm with six-degrees of freedom and with desktop-class simplicity and affordability, but industrial grade performance. With prices starting at £5,000, the robot arm costs at least one-third that of comparable offerings currently on the market. Automata tells us that Eva is able to drastically reduce integration time – the robot can be set up in just 15 minutes, being run via a simple to use bespoke browser-based interface – Choreograph – which can be run on any device, even untethered
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to the robot. The robot can be directly connected to a computer via Ethernet or wifi or can be added to a network in the same way as a printer. It provides 24V Industrial Logic: digital and analogue inputs and outputs, totalling 32 pins. Eva is housed in a IP20-rated enclosure and has a footprint of just 160 x 160mm. It is able to operate in temperatures of between 5 and 40°C and at humidities of up to 90% To keep the cost of the robot low, Automata employed commodity components wherever possible. For example, it used two low-cost position sensors and clever math to gain high precision, in place of a single high-cost precision sensor. It also created
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a new powertrain stack from scratch, which is manufacturable at 25% the cost of competitors. The robot arm includes six servos each containing a powertrain which has provided massive gains in unit economics per robot. To date Eva has been employed in applications including pick and place, spot gluing and product testing.
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We see
process engineers simulating the future to improve today. Emerson introduces digital twin software to optimise plant operations. Emerson.com/WeSeeDigitalTwin
DISCOVER. DESIGN. DELIVER. Emerson Users Exchange 2020 | March 18-20, Milan EmersonExchange.org
The Emerson logo is a trademark and a service mark of Emerson Electric Co. Š 2019 Emerson Electric Co.
COVER STORY
IO Link, and the Automation Platform Network When a combination of networks becomes attractive It is critical that suppliers of remote I/O systems can connect to the most important networks used in industry today. PROFINET, EthernetIP, EtherCAT® and Modbus are all common networks used in Industrial Automation but how does a manufacturer of machines standardise, when their various customers specify different networks in their factories? Nigel Dawson, head of Business Development Electric Automation at Festo explains. The Festo automation platform: The idea of standardisation becomes even more complex when we consider the different architecture levels. A machine can carry IO Link at the base layer, PROFINET in the middle automation layer and OPC-UA over Ethernet with the communication to the cloud. The new Festo CPX-AP-I system using their new AP communication technology helps to solve some of these challenges, integrating IO Link, high speed data transfer to the cloud and intelligent connectivity to the host PLC in one simple package. The backbone of the system is the new Automation Platform (AP) protocol which is embedded on Festo’s own AP-ASIC. By embedding
the protocol directly on the silicon, Festo can achieve impressive speeds of 200Mbaud/sec on each of the ASIC’s three ports. To put this into perspective, this is twice the speed of equivalent Ethernet based networks available today. Our team has developed the ASIC and protocol internally meaning that integration in our equipment is simple and cost effective with the flexibility of connecting 500 different devices each containing the ASIC, to the same network node. As we constantly develop new automation products like servo drives, motion controllers, pneumatic valve terminal and sensors, integrating the ASIC becomes simple, enabling real time behaviour and the collection of big data with very little additional cost.
The CPX-AP-I system The remote I/O system from Festo, consists of a bus module which will connect to networks such as PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Ethernet/IP, Modbus and EtherCAT®, ensuring that customers can integrate the system irrespective of their host PLC of choice. Below this bus module, the system then becomes standard and communicates on AP. This ensures that customers can maintain a standardised architecture and bill of materials and all I/O is seen as being on the host network, irrespective of the customer’s choice of PLC. Modules available include digital I/O, analogue Inputs, incorporating temperature measurement, IO Link masters and unique to Festo, pneumatic valve terminals.
IO Link, and the Automation Platform (AP) Network.
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Control Engineering Europe
COVER STORY
CPX-AP-I with EtherNet/IP fieldbus module, as 4-way IO-link master and digital input/output module.
Integrating valve terminals in the system, reduces the integration cost and complexity for customers. It allows them to avoid connecting hardwired valve terminals to remote I/O or adding costlier PROFINET or Ethernet/IP valve terminal modules. Each module is connected via a CAT6e cable that meets the high electromagnetic requirement of a 125MHz system and is already prepared for high speed cable chains. By separating the protocol and load supply, designers can flexibly decide on the system behaviour during an emergency stop. The system is prepared for tree, line and star topologies with a maximum cable length between modules of 50 metres. Up to 500 modules could be connected to one bus module, ensuring the limiting factor is never the AP protocol.
focus on IO Link than Analogue devices in a new system like CPXAP-I. Many machine manufacturers are choosing to swap analogue devices for IO Link devices to improve diagnostics, installation time and make commissioning more efficient. The IO Link range from Festo such as extra low voltage servo drives, valve terminals, proportional valves, motion controls, flow, pressure and position sensors all connect to the CPX-AP-I to ensure seamless connectivity from the actuator to the cloud.
Big Data It is not normal practice to stream HD video over the network on a machine. However, if progress has taught us anything, it is that the requirements for bandwidth on a network, accelerates exponentially with time. The Festo AP protocol not only is fast enough to deal with video, its multichannel approach ensures that the user can parameterise the size of the cyclic date channel and the non-real time data channel. This ensures the cyclic data is never adversely affected and deterministic behaviour is guaranteed. This makes acyclic data available for predictive maintenance features such as monitoring cable quality or actuator travel times and future additional functions. The customer can use these tools to minimise maintenance costs and to
IO Link integration No modern I/O integration system would be complete without IO link capability. The CPX-AP-I system is no exception, integrating an IO link master directly on the AP protocol. This allows companies to take digitalisation down to actuator and sensor level. Data and parameterisation pass seamlessly through the AP, all the way to the host PLC and even to the cloud if our IoT gateway is used. It is no surprise that there is more Control Engineering Europe
optimise machine availability and cycle times. Upcoming AP products are therefore equipped for the demands of the digitalised factory and have the advantage over today’s performance-limiting standard solutions, such as IO-Link or EtherCATŽ.
Software The Festo Automation Suite is a new and uniform tool that forms the basis for parameterising, programming and maintaining devices from Festo. These include mechanics, drives and motion
Festo Automation Suite as the intuitive and seamless software provides intelligent connectivity works.
controllers, in a single software package. CPX-AP-I is no exception to this and with AP-I comes a new plug-in for the Festo Automation Suite. Customers will still be able to use their existing tool landscape, e.g. TIA Portal, without having to use the Festo Automation Suite. This software allows customers to commission parts of the machine before the PLC is even installed.
The Future for the AP?
IoT-Gateway CPX-IOT for Cloud communication.
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With a network speed of 200Mbaud and a cycle time of 15Îźs the system is fully capable of synchronised motion control and not just simple I/O connectivity. It is no co-incidence that Festo are also a full-scale designer and manufacturer of servo drives and motors and with the AP ASIC, the future of low cost IoT connected motion controls, pneumatic devices and drives seems certain. September 2019
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REMOTE MONITORING
Realising remote monitoring goals Remote monitoring can offer a wide variety of benefits for industry, including a reduction in downtimes and an increase in productivity. However, there are some challenges that must first be overcome.
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aving greater visibility and transparency of data that, traditionally, has been stored in decentralised silos makes it possible to address production priorities in a timely manner, based on reliable data. To achieve these remote monitoring goals, it is necessary to first overcome some challenges:
Challenge one – Connecting various systems causes network outage: As the IIoT continues to make inroads in manufacturing more machines and devices from different OT subsystems are connected. In older hierarchybased network architectures, these systems would run smoothly. However, when connected to each other, networks can become unstable or can fail due to slow responses, network interruption, or single point of failure, resulting in unreliable data and PLCs receiving incorrect responses. On closer inspection, these network problems are generally attributed to three issues: • A cocktail-like topology: With regards to a cocktail-like topology, different machines and systems might use different commercial and industrial network devices as they were built at different stages. Subsequently, an OT environment contains many interfaces that may impact the daily operation of long-term hardware with regard to EMC, surge, and manymore when the network gets connected. • Unmanageable interoperability: Subsystems employing different OT protocols usually use unmanaged
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Ethernet switches to connect machines in a single system directly. In an interconnected scenario, each connected node in a port should not only be manageable, but it should also support different OT protocols to be visible in SCADA systems, thus ensuring interoperability and communication with each other in the network. • Insufficient resilience: A resilient network is rooted in a network design that emphasises redundancy. A traditional star or daisy-chain network is easy to deploy and maintain; however, it cannot provide millisecond single-point-of-failure recovery when connecting multiple factory subsystems together. Another common issue is insufficient bandwidth, as it will make network connections unstable, especially multiple systems running on the same network. Bandwidth becomes inadequate as data transmissions increase in an interconnected IIoTbased network. One solution to simplify a network for a variety of systems can be found in managed industrial Ethernet switches, such as those offered by Moxa, which provide networking solutions for crossplatform systems to transmit he data between plant-floor equipment and SCADA/MES systems or cloud platforms. An industrialgrade design enables smooth operation in environments with a high number of
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interferences (for example, EMI/EMC) and extreme temperatures. Moxa’s managed industrial Ethernet switches can seamlessly integrate devices to SCADA/HMI systems and support the mainstream industrial proprietary OT protocols, such as Modbus and EtherNet/IP.
Challenge two – Invisible large networks can be unreliable: Traditionally machines and other equipment involved in processes such as assembling, processing, and packaging werevisible in SCADA systems but networking devices and other related equipment were invisible to operation managers. As a large variety of systems are deployed in different manufacturing sites on a large scale in the age of the IIoT and Industry 4.0, their invisibility is not a good thing in modern-day manufacturing. There is always the increased risk of network failure that can lead to catastrophic events during production. As networking equipment is an integral part of any smart manufacturing process, it is critical to make them visible and manageable, especially in largescale applications. These challenges are vital to address: Traditionally, different systems were cascaded into a large network to facilitate data collection and system management of machinery and equipment so networks only consisted of a ten or so devices. In the era of the IIoT, the same network might house hundreds or even thousands of devices. Inevitably, such large-scale deployments of devices come with network management challenges in managing a
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REMOTE MONITORING network, such as being updated in real time on the connection status of all the network devices. As the complexity of the entire management of a network increases, pressure mounts on the network engineer to acquire new skills and tools to deal with new demands – for example, learning new network management software. Further, if IT teams manage the network, then it is most likely that their usual management tools do not support industrial switches, making their implementation difficult. Operating multiple systems and software separately, managers need to use management software to see the status of the devices on the network. For factories operating 24 hours a day, dealing with network issues after hours or during business trips can be a huge headache as they cannot monitor the relevant data remotely. Here, an industrial network management solution can help. MXview, from
Moxa, for example, enables engineers to visualise the network to make monitoring and management of networking devices easy.
Case study With its five-axis CNC machines already running 24 hours a day up to 7 days a week, Tech Manufacturing, a manufacturer of machine metal parts for the aerospace industry set out to increase the productivity of its machines through smarter operation and real-time performance data. “We needed a better understanding of how our machines were performing. Live and historical machine performance data would help us identify technical or process issues that were detrimental to productivity,” said Jerry Halley, chief engineer at Tech Manufacturing. The ideal system would be easily deployed without specialised IT equipment, knowledge, or effort, and would not require repeated software
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installation, updates, or configuration. Each CNC machine was connected to the existing local area network, so no additional IT infrastructure was required. For legacy machines that did not have a readily available Ethernet port, Shop Floor Automations provided an easy-to-deploy solution that was developed with Moxa. With the local network connected to the Internet, machine performance data was easily viewed and analysed by cloud-based software. Key performance metrics were organised on a visual dashboard so owners and machine operators were able to see how productive each cell was, down to the machine level. With a cloud-based monitoring system, Tech Manufacturing is able to minimise upfront costs and deployment effort and, with cloud-based solutions a CNC monitoring system can be set up in less than a day, with almost zero additional IT infrastructure or maintenance effort. !
DIGITAL MIGRATION STRATEGIES
ADDRESSING MIGRATION CHALLENGES
As industry starts to engage in digital transformation, Control Engineering Europe finds out more about the challenges facing engineers tasked with managing this change.
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igitalisation of the industrial sector has begun in earnest and as smart and IoT-enabled technologies become more prevalent throughout all manufacturing sectors, the growing influx of data has presented challenges for both Information Technology (IT) and Operations Technology (OT) professionals. As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) becomes more commonplace, IT and OT are beginning to overlap. “While industry understands the potential offered by big data and the challenges that come with collecting and analysing data, there is an added layer of complexity when it comes to managing this data and parsing through it in beneficial ways for both IT and OT professionals,” said Joe Gerstl, director of product management for manufacturing software at GE Digital. “Often, the challenge is as simple as IT and OT not speaking the same language – they often have a different set of guiding principles, goals and focus areas that drive the decisions they make. “When data is collected, it is aggregated like a spider web where each group collects, analyses and monitors a given set of data points. Software products can help aggregate this data to ensure that both IT and OT professionals have it available at their fingertips throughout the factory floor and within their network of facilities. Data needs to be aggregated, put into context and visualised for all – so that professionals don’t need to wade through impossibly large data pools to infer the insights they need,” continued Gerstl. “Today’s software and storage solutions are advanced enough to organise data, output automated reports and create digital twins to support IT and OT needs alike. Further,
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standardising data capture, analysis and output provides greater transparency and understanding among peer sets by making information more manageable and easily available. As digital transformation programs continue to evolve, the potential for true IT/ OT convergence, streamlined business operations and optimised production increases.”
Right time, right place According to Benedikt Rauscher, head of global IoT/Industry 4.0 projects at Pepperl + Fuchs, one of the biggest challenges relating to the digital plant migration is getting data at the right time from the right place and to structure it in such a way that the data can be processed efficiently. “Getting this right demands concepts for digital connectivity for both new installations (Greenfield) as well as for the refurbishment of existing plants or machines (Brownfield) and this requires the implementation of ruggedised ITtechnologies on the shop floor,” he said. Today’s digital communication protocols already provide identity, status and diagnostic data as well as remote configuration functions and utilising these technologies to their full potential is a vital step in the digital transformation. “The first challenge is to implement a digital communication infrastructure which makes identity, status and diagnostic data available in IT systems natively and without additional cost and the second challenge is to get that data structured in the IT system generically and independently from the underlying communication systems,” continued Rauscher. “In brownfield plants it is necessary to set up communication paths in parallel to the existing 4-20mA
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loops to connect the field devices to IT systems and cloud platforms. Pepperl+Fuchs’s Remote I/O systems can provide a solution here.” Rauscher believes that as IT and OT converge technologies that enable protocols and standards from the office world to be used at the field level are vital. A new physical layer, Ethernet-APL, provides a fundamental infrastructure for this. It allows long cable distances and provides protection methods common for explosion hazardous areas. This physical layer has the potential to be the connection technology of the future for field devices. Ethernet-APL is a two-wirebased advanced physical layer for Ethernet, intended for the fields of process automation and process instrumentation in remote and explosion-hazardous locations, enabling field devices to be deployed with additional functions and without the need for protocol translations. A project team consisting of specialists representing three networking organisations and 11 automation vendors are working cooperatively on the interface, which also incorporates the specifications outlined in NAMUR Recommendation NE168 (Requirements for a field level Ethernet communication system).
Supporting connectivity Brendan O’Dowd, general manager for the Industrial Automation Group at Analog Devices, believes that the critical, enabling element of Industry 4.0 is an integrated communications network which can support connectivity throughout the factory. He said: “We are now seeing legacy communication protocols between sensor nodes and Control Engineering Europe
DIGITAL MIGRATION STRATEGIES PLCs giving way to ultrafast industrial variants of the Ethernet protocol and this is enabling the increased integration of OT infrastructure in the factory with IT across the enterprise.” This, says O’Dowd, means that machine builders need to future-proof their system implementations, to enable them to support the industrial Ethernet protocols in use today and the emerging Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) variant of Ethernet, which is looking likely to become the standard wired networking technology for real- time industrial communications. “To support this transition, Analog Devices can provide an Ethernet platform which enables systems to swap from one Ethernet protocol to another without the need for hardware redesign,” said O’Dowd.
Security issues It is a recognised fact that every move towards a more digitised, connected factory also increases the threat of cyber-attack, so security is a crucial priority when evaluating Industry 4.0 initiatives. Balancing real-time data with ensuring a device doesn’t get hacked is a serious challenge. While TSN can help overcome Denial of Service attacks by providing a robust set of traffic policing choices,
it does not help with authentication or tampering with data. “Taking a layered approach to security allows real-time data to be processed without interference,” advises O’Dowd. “Optimising security requires that instead of thinking about the requirements of any particular device or end point, a system-level approach is taken. In this way security can be delivered in a variety of ways throughout the system – within edge devices, controllers, gateways, or further up the stack. Before focusing on the how at any given point in the network, systems specifiers should be focused on questions of where and how much.” O’Dowd advises that such an approach should consider both the threat level at each point, as well as the cost of countering the threat, with a view to adding effective security with the fewest trade-offs in power, performance, and latency. “A layered approach will result in a superior overall security posture,” he said. Continuing on the subject of network security, Ivana Nikić, product marketing engineer – Industrial Ethernet at Moxa,
highlights the fact that, traditionally, industrial control system (ICS) networks have been physically isolated and not directly connected to the Internet, so have been almost immune to cyberattacks. “When an interconnected factory starts connecting its internal systems to external systems it puts both IT and OT operations at risk,” she warns. Problems could include a single-point consideration without a system-wide view and inexperience which causes problems for management. Nikić suggests that this could be managed with a 3-layer security architecture based on the industrial standard IEC 62443. “It should offer visualised management for security audit and monitoring, defensein-depth protection for ICS with a secure network infrastructure, and hardened devices with embedded security functions,” she said. !
DIGITAL MIGRATION STRATEGIES
Making digitalisation work! Suzanne Gill finds out how industrial communications are supporting and simplifying the digital migration process.
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mbarking on a digitalisation journey requires accurate digital models of physical assets and processes to predict outcomes and optimise operations in near realtime. The successful migration from conventional automation frameworks to future-proofed cyber-physical systems requires state-of-the-art network technologies that connect the actual factory floor to its digital counterparts for closed-loop control. There are a growing number of digital models that closely match the assets, machines, systems and processes used on manufacturing lines and these virtual replicas offer a tool for control and product lifecycle management (PLM) or to simulate events. “The digitalisation process allows manufacturers to build transparency and manage plants in a more effective way, by getting meaningful information and actionable insight into their operations. Therefore, while digital models do not necessarily need to be connected to their physical counterparts to support industries, near-real-time feedback loops between these two worlds contribute to the creation of smart, responsive factories,” said John Browett, general manager of the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) Europe. “Indeed, only by allowing the virtual and physical worlds to communicate, is it possible to check if what is happening on the factory floor matches with what models are predicting. So, manufacturers need to consider implementing suitable industrial
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network technologies in their digital migration strategies towards Industry 4.0.” Over the years, the CLPA has supported industries in shifting from fieldbus to Ethernet – and now – to the future with Time Sensitive Networking (TSN). Its most recent open technology, CC-Link IE TSN, is able to handle the large volume of data generated by sensors and models in cyberphysical systems in a timely manner by combining TSN technology with gigabit Ethernet. These two elements also offer a way to migrate existing, fully operational automation solutions to the future. “Ultimately, such networks let manufacturers prepare for the future while enabling them to run their current processes with maximum compatibility,” said Browett.
The intelligent enterprise FDT technology has been at the forefront of digitisation since it was first introduced in the 1990s. Its goal is to empower the intelligent enterprise with open and standardised integration independent of fieldbus protocols and devices – driving widespread implementation of standards-based automation solutions for the process and manufacturing sectors. Over the years, it has evolved from a single-user, desktop environment to a distributed, multiuser client/server approach with OPC Unified Architecture (UA) compatibility for enterprise-wide integration and asset management. To help speed up the digitalisation
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journey FDT technology helps enable industrial automation architectures to connect and communicate sensor to cloud to allow end-users to take advantage of decentralisation, interoperability and integration, as well as providing a unified view of all data and functions across process, factory and hybrid control applications. Development of the FDT IIoT Server (FITS) architecture (FDT 3.0) provides a flexible platform for deployment of various IIoTbased solutions. The emerging FITS solution empowers platform independence, comprehensive security, OPC UA integration, mobile device management, and a repository for Device Type Managers (DTMs). “Within the FITS architecture, the FDT Server is the heartbeat of the IIoT hub empowering the intelligent enterprise,” said Glenn Schulz, managing director at the FDT Group. “The server incorporates a web services portal allowing access from authenticated mobile devices or any major browser along with an OPC UA interface for IT/OT convergence and enterprise access. Rich control features ensure that any industrial communication protocol or vendor device can be seamlessly integrated as part of smart manufacturing practices. “Developed with security at the core of its operating system-agnostic environment, the FDT Server is fully deployable in the cloud, on-premise, at the edge, or in a desktop environment. This makes the FITS solution a true information exchange platform and a Control Engineering Europe
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ADVERTORIAL
PROCENTEC TROUBLESHOOTING IN LOGISTICS Hi, my name’s Chris, and I’m proud to be part of the Procentec Support Team. Based in the Netherlands, we work tirelessly to support a global network of distributors, engineers and networks architects, helping to keep their PROFIBUS and PROFINET Industrial networks operational 24/7. The combination of on-site Procentec diagnostic products and our in-house knowledge allow us to interpret symptoms and data to identify potential problems before they become serious issues. Should a network fail, we have qualified, experienced people on-hand to assist engineers in diagnosing and rectifying any problem as swiftly as possible. Probably, one of the most enjoyable but essential parts of our job is to participate in the training and certification of engineers. It allows us to experience, share and solve problems first-hand, and hopefully, to build relationships and friendships that benefit us both for the future. It was during one of these training sessions; an incident occurred that I would like to share with you. Our clients are one of the largest baggage handlers in the world. And when financially penalized for every single lost bag or missed connection, industrial network reliability becomes core to your business. Whilst exploring strategies for design, maintenance and troubleshooting, it soon became apparent that even our client’s most experienced engineers were being frustrated by the dazzling number of possibilities to consider when diagnosing a network issue.
Multiple PROFIBUS and PROFINET networks can become incredibly complex. And without the correct tools, a fast and accurate diagnosis was proving a challenge. Disputably lucky for me, the training session took place across the road from a major airport hub. Here our client had a network system that consistently suffered from a repetitive fault that could often bring the network down. Neither in-house engineers nor specialist contractors had been able to pinpoint the problem. I guess at times; we have to practice what we preach. So, after obtaining the correct passes, we took the training out of the classroom and into the workplace. The sheer size and complexity of the site was almost incomprehensible. To put this in context, this was one of the most extensive sorting facilities in the world, in one of the largest airports in the world. Down-time wasn’t an option, and to compound this, it was mid-day on a Friday. Quite possibly, the busiest time of the week. Tens of Thousands of pieces of luggage an hour would be processed and sent on their way. A delay of only a few minutes could have massive consequence. A significant multiple network outage could create such an immense backlog that could potentially take days to clear. And then came the financial penalties and fines to match. This was indeed a high stakes operation where network stability was paramount. Our plan - we were going to attempt to tap into the live network, and then diagnose and rectify the fault, hopefully without triggering a global baggage catastrophe. So, no pressure then.
In a somewhat anti-climax to my story, going via a tapping port, I plugged in the Procentec Mercury Diagnosis tool and was very swiftly able to detect the problem. The integral Osiris software told us that data packets were being dropped continuously from many devices on the network. Further analysis of the cycle times showed us that these, as is very common, had been left on Automatic. This, by default, sets all the update times to just 2ms. Put simply. Way too fast for the size of this network. So, after many previously unsuccessful attempts to solve this problem, and furthermore considering the inconvenience, frustration and financial penalties of any consequent network downtime, this had been a very expensive headache for our client. Our team, with the assistance of the Osiris software, determined the problem within ten minutes. With their pre-knowledge of the system components, the newly-certified team were able to calculate the correct update times for the guilty devices. After applying these changes, I’m proud to report, they have had no further occurrences of this issue on the network. Phew! For more information about our solutions, visit www.procentec.com.
Procentec is an independent Dutch company that supplies products, training and consultancy to the Industrial Automation Market. Of primary focus is the development and manufacturing of automation products for PROFIBUS, PROFINET and Industrial Ethernet.
PROCENTEC Netherlands
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Klopperman 16 2292 JD Wateringen Tel: 0174-671 800 Fax: 0174-671 801 Email: info@procentec.com
Benzstraße 15 76185 Karlsruhe Tel: +49 (0) 721-831663-0 Fax: +49 (0) 721-831663-29 Email: info@procentec.de www.procentec.de
Digital World Centre 1 Lowry Plaza Suite 620 The Quays, Salford M50 3UB Manchester, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 753 4307 696 Email: awouterse@procentec.com www.procentec.co.uk
Via Branze, 44 25123 BRESCIA (BS) Tel: +39 030 2008610 Fax: +39 030 2380059 Email: dlattari@procentec.it www.procentec.it
DIGITAL MIGRATION STRATEGIES
key enabler for IIoT and Industrie 4.0 applications that are essential to the digitisation journey.” According to Dr Peter Wenzel, executive director of PROFIBUS & PROFINET International, Germany, the degree of implementation of Industry 4.0 is directly related to the two factors of consistent digitalisation and standardised horizontal and vertical data and information exchange. This, he says, is based on robust, realtime communication technology for automation and a powerful, secure communications platform for production control and data exchange with the cloud and other IT services. Distributed and synchronised production of parts of a property on several sites of the same or from different manufacturers, as well as flexible production of individualised products, down to lot sizes of one, are essential features of Industry 4.0 and this requires the use of new production methods as well as greater standardisation. “This means that communication will be even more important than it is today,” said Wenzel. “This is the driving force behind the new strategic orientation of the development of the technologies of PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI). In addition to targeted further development of PROFINET and IO-Link, in line with Industry 4.0, our innovations mainly concern the topics of semantics and information models, taking into account current security requirements and considering new business models that are emerging.” The basis for PROFINET is still the IEEE Ethernet standard. The further development of Ethernet in the IEEE 802.1 provides – behind TSN – real-time
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functions for all types of application of industrial automation, while maintaining a high degree of robustness with high utilisation of the networks and the necessary determinism for time-critical applications. When integrating TSN into PROFINET, PI selected parts of the portfolio of TSN’s features for optimal value and set scalable device capabilities tailored to their needs. “An integral part of the TSN strategy is that, additionally to real time (RT) and Isochronous realtime (IRT), PROFINET can also work with TSN at the field level. The user view remains unchanged, and includes access to data, diagnostics and profiles such as PROFIsafe.”
Freeing the things “Without the communication protocols that enable field sensors to communicate their data to the plant systems there would be no ‘internet of things’. Instead, the things would simply be stranded islands of smart device information with no way to report back to the mothership about what’s happening in the process,” said Talon Petty, marketing & business development manager - Americas, at FieldComm Group. As users begin their digital transformation they are looking for new ways to connect systems and assets. Integration is paramount to allow companies to continue to meet reliability demands. It was for this reason that Field Device Integration (FDI) was created with support from major automation vendors including ABB, Emerson, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, Krohne and Endress+Hauser. All these companies have dedicated many engineering hours to making this a robust standard for process automation
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to ease integration work by users by unifying device drivers, configuration tools, diagnostics and documentation regardless of operating system with an independent and downloadable software package compatible with any FDI registered host system. The FDI effort is also supported by The OPC Foundation, PROFIBUS/ PROFINET International, FDT Group, and ISA. On the user front, both NAMUR and The Open Group support FDI and have included it in their visions for the future frameworks that support digital transformation and Industry 4.0. The FieldComm Group has also recently been part of a joint effort to develop a standardised information model for the process industries. Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM). Along with the OPC Foundation the vision for creating a protocol independent, process automation device information model (PA-DIM) specification to implement the requirements of the NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) was introduced at the ARC Forum in 2018. Since then PI is now also participating in this vision. When used alongside registered products that support FieldComm Group and PI’s joint FDI technology (Field Device Integration), the aim of PA-DIM is to simplify field device integration to systems and clouds, as recommended by NAMUR and ZVEI, by standardising on a single information model that supports the many field device protocols used in process automation including HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, ISA100.11a, PROFIBUS PA, PROFINET and WirelessHART. “Using the OPC UA based PA-DIM with FDI products will enable end users to dramatically reduce time to market for advanced analytics, big-data, and enterprise cloud solutions that can often rely on information from thousands of geographically dispersed field devices that use multiple process automation protocols,” said Stefan Hoppe, president and executive director at OPC Foundation. ! Control Engineering Europe
UK INDUSTRY REPORT
MULTI-FUNCTIONAL CELL FOR TRAINING IN ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION Wood Automation & Control has designed and built a state-of-theart robotic training cell at Make UK’s Technology Hub in Birmingham. The cell will be used by around 400 apprentices and other engineers joining the Make UK training courses this year. It incorporates KUKA, FANUC and ABB robots, and a fundamental part of its configuration is its secure wireless communications and data capture system that enables the entire suite of control systems and robotics to operate and talk to each other. Wood Automation & Control worked in collaboration with SMC UK to achieve this high level of functionality in such a demanding environment. At the heart of this system is SMC’s wireless EX600-W Fieldbus system for serial I/O transmission. Capable
of operating over a radius of up to 10m it can control all of the individual systems within the training cell. Remote monitoring allows tutors and students to check functionality or troubleshoot whilst away from the physical training cell. The cell also features a dual control system to allow students to become familiar with both Siemens and Rockwell controls and HMI architectures. A touchscreen HMI enables instructors to select fault conditions and disable components within the cell to create realistic system failures for subsequent identification and rectification by the apprentices. A range of pneumatically operated gripper systems, with interchangeable gripper fingers, provides the flexibility for the robots to handle and manipulate different component parts.
Appetite for Engineering 2019: Reserve your seat now! This year’s Appetite for Engineering event will be taking place at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Ansty Park, Coventry, on 17th October. The keynote speaker will be Ian Wright, chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation, who will focus on the importance of collaboration between processors, retailers and technology providers to accelerate the adoption of automation and digitalisation. This is vital in an industry that currently has automation levels at just 15% of where they really should be. Confirmed presenters include Chris Edwards, OBE, head of quality at Müller UK & Ireland, who will discuss the important role of quality engineering to help avoid the plague of the food industry – the dreaded product recall! Control Engineering UK
Other speakers are Alexandra Agg, a process engineer at Mondelez International, who will be discussing how energy consumption and carbon footprint reductions have been made possible during chocolate cooling. Ed Keenan, head of process at Integrated Food Projects, will be looking at the latest technology developments that will have an effect on process engineering in the food sector. A new feature will be the panel debates which will use a ‘Question Time’ format with audience participation. The automation panel will include Martin Miller, director of engineering & operations development at Allied Milling & Bakery; John Griffiths, engineering director at Princes Foods; Mark Foster, central engineering
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Stemmer Imaging and MVTec expand co-operation Stemmer Imaging and MVTec Software are expanding their cooperation for the distribution of HALCON and MERLIC machine vision software to include the UK and Ireland. Commenting on the announcement, Mark Williamson, managing director at Stemmer Imaging, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer HALCON and MERLIC in the UK and Ireland, to enhance our existing software portfolio. Our customers will benefit from access to MVTec’s leading software tools with rich functionality in both 2D and 3D applications as well as their state-of-the-art deep learning capability. We are also pleased to announce that MVTec will be taking part in our UK Vision Technology Forum which takes place at The Vox Centre, Birmingham on 13th and 14th November.”
manager at Weetabix Food Company; Nigel Stevens, feasibility design project manager at TSL Projects; and Paul Old, director of group capital & process innovation at Samworth Brothers. They will be giving their views on issues relating to the adoption of technology, automation, and the smart factory. Confirmed panellists for the engineering skills debate include Sophie Paveling and Sharon Blyfield of Coca-Cola European Partners, Nik Watson, learning and staff development specialist at SMC UK, and Martin Howarth, professor of Food Engineering at Sheffield Hallam and Nottingham Trent University. Register now to attend the event: www.appetite4eng.co.uk
September 2019
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EXHIBITION PREVIEW
CATCH UP ON THE LATEST PACKAGING AND PROCESSING DEVELOPMENTS PPMA Total Show 2019 will open its doors at the NEC, Birmingham, from 1 – 3 October. The exhibition will showcase the latest innovations in smart manufacturing, processing and packaging solutions for a variety of industry sectors.
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he exhibition offers an opportunity to find out more about the latest solutions in processing equipment and packaging machinery, with many of the 450 exhibitors demonstrating advanced technologies and innovative solutions. The event will also offer an opportunity for visitors to find out more about smart technology developments such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the integration of vision equipment and robotics into existing production lines. The Enterprise Zone will include a free to attend issue-led conference programme that will focus on the key issues facing modern manufacturing – including Brexit, serialisation, AI, waste reduction, sustainability and the circular economy. Case studies and presentations in this area will provide visitors with real examples of best practice manufacturing and excellence in processing and packaging production. At 1.00pm on Tuesday, Kieran Edge MPhys MIET of AMRC, will give a presentation entitled AMRC Factory 2050 – Empowering the UK for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He will argue that the adoption of advanced technology is vital to keeping manufacturing capability within the UK. Increasing early adoption of emerging technology and understanding how separate industries tackle similar problems will allow a company to grow more rapidly and increase profitability. During this talk, visitors will hear how the AMRC works with UK companies to ease and de-risk integration of advanced technology and techniques to aid UK-based manufacturing.
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At 2:00pm on Tuesday Elisabeth Olafsdottir from Cognizant Consulting, Microsoft, will look at how manufacturers are transforming their businesses using real life examples of how AI can create operational efficiencies and also help organisations create new revenue streams.
On the exhibition floor Omron is using the event to debut its flexible production system. It will showcase an end-to-end flexible automated manufacturing process – including roboticised arm, connected camera and mobile capabilities – which will offer visitors an in-depth look at how technology is enabling more customisable, personalised manufacturing with the multipurpose mobile robots able to perform different tasks as needed. Providing a model of a fullyautomated factory using technology
solutions that exist today the automated production system includes component retrieval, assembly and quality inspection performed entirely by autonomous robotic technologies. The system is completely digitised, allowing all data produced to be displayed on a dashboard and closely monitored by a supervisory system. Visitors to the stand will be able to interact with the system, designing their own specification, placing an order and watching as the solution assembles their product in real time. Through an onsite dashboard, it is possible to customise a product at every stage of the production process, from order entry to delivery, modelling the flexible production lines of the future. Carlo Gavazzi will demonstrate how advances in technology can aid operational excellence by providing insight into systems to reduce
> UK4
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Control Engineering UK
| EK11-15E |
Highend measurement technology Extremely accurate, fast and robust 24 bit 10 kSps per channel simultaneous 25 approx. 100 ppm @ 23 °C
www.beckhoff.com/measurement-technology With ELM series EtherCAT measurement I/O modules, high-precision, fast and robust measurement technology becomes a system-integrated function of PC-based control from Beckhoff. The ELM modules can be integrated directly into the modular EtherCAT I/O system, enabling combination with the comprehensive portfolio of more than 500 EtherCAT Terminals. fast: sampling rates of 50,000 samples/s precise timing: exact synchronisation < 1 μs precise values: measurement accuracy of 100 ppm proactive: integrated functional diagnostics for individual modules flexible connector front-end: LEMO, BNC, Push-in input circuitry: voltage 20 mV…60 V, current 20 mA, IEPE, SG, RTD/TC
A seamless measurement chain from data acquisition to analysis in the cloud.
EXHIBITION PREVIEW unscheduled downtime while improving productivity and energy usage. It will be discussing the latest innovations and advantages of IO-Link Sensors; illustrating increased availability of data, standardised wiring, remote configuration and monitoring as well as, simple device replacement. Also, on the stand will be the latest wireless handheld IO-Link smart configurator which is said to make previously a laborious tasks quick and easy. On the SICK stand visitors will be offered a behind-the-scenes insight into the company’s own Industry 4.0 smart sensor production facility in Germany. Using interactive links, visitors will be able to learn about SICK’s real-world experiences of establishing a facility from scratch according to classic Industry 4.0 principles. The Industry 4.0 theme will continue across the SICK stand with a range of products showcasing smart sensors, including an expanding number of Smart Tasks and edge processes that can communicate directly with the Cloud. SICK’s range of PRIME photoelectric and contrast sensors will be among the solutions targeted at packaging machinery applications. The new 4Sight Automated Print Inspection System, developed in collaboration with packaging automation specialists Autocoding Systems, will also be on show. SICK will also reveal further developments in its AppSpace platform to develop and pool software applications for smart, programmable devices like the Inspector P 2D, and the Trispector1000 3D, vision sensors. This will include SICK’s new Presence Inspection 2D quality inspection SensorApp developed in AppSpace for Inspector P smart cameras. Micro-Epsilon UK will be showcasing its moldCONTROL inline thermography system and its latest in-line colour measurement systems. The moldCONTROL inline thermography system detects
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variations in quality by using a high speed, high-resolution infrared thermal imaging camera. It records the entire component in up to six different views and examines it. The principle is simple – a thermoIMAGER TIM thermal imaging camera records the infrared radiation emanating from the mould and visualises it. The temperature distribution provides a quality statement about incorrect temperature control of the mould, malfunction of the tool temperature, visible geometry errors and hidden defects. The colorCONTROL ACS7000 is an inline high-speed colour measurement system that measures the actual colour of the target by identifying their coordinates in the colour space. The system can be set up to continually monitor a production process and output the colour measurement via Ethernet, EtherCAT or RS422. It can be taught ‘pass fail/ limits’ and then output out-oftolerance alarms using digital I/O. TM Robotics will be collaborating with its UK distribution partner, RARUK Automation at the show. It will demonstrate the Toshiba Machine THL700 SCARA robot which will be set up to operate in combination
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with a Flexibowl feeding system, demonstrating a fully automated pickand-place system. Using a rotating disk actuated by a servomotor, the Flexibowl provides sorting and separating solution for small parts. RARUK Automation will be showcasing three systems based on Universal Robots, including models from the new e-series. The latest generation machines are said to enable faster development for a wider variety of applications, easier programming and compliance with CAT3 PLd. The first of the systems will combine a URCB5 cobot with a Robotiq 2-finger gripper and wrist camera to identify and sort coloured bearings and a Robotiq force sensor to stack them in their colour sets. Visitors to the stand will also see box palletising made easy and mobile with the new EasyPalletizer platform equipped with the UR10e robot arm fitted Robotiq air-pick vacuum grippers. Another demonstration will feature the Pick-It M-HD high definition 3D camera with Robotiq hand-e gripper – optimised for operation with UR e-series robots – and the Robotiq Force Co-Pilot, intuitive software development for applications that Control Engineering UK
EXHIBITION PREVIEW need force torque feedback. A wide variety of new vision technologies will be displayed by Multipix Imaging. Visitors will be able to learn about different 3D camera techniques and which to use for certain applications. The Photoneo MotionCam 3D camera will demonstrate how robustly and consistently it captures 3D point cloud information from moving items to create 3D automated solutions. New Basler Embedded Vision kits will also be on display. The range consists of a variety of modular components to evaluate a solution leading to a successful embedded vision solution through the Basler dart board level camera and embedded processing board. Multipix will be demonstrating how Basler pylon SDK camera software supports Linux OS. Visitors to the stand will also be able to find out more about how Deep Learning software tools can take
artificial intelligence to new levels. MVTec’s HALCON Imaging Software now enables users to execute the deep learning inference on Arm-based CPUs, allowing for the deployment of deep learning applications on embedded devices without the need of further dedicated hardware. Interroll will, no doubt, be is set to highlight its recently launched DC Platform, which comprises a new RollerDrive EC5000 motorised roller, controls and power supplies. The Platform is a combination of 24V and 48V solutions that allows conveyor systems to embrace the digital world. With the RollerDrive EC5000, users can choose between different power levels, depending on the application. For example, 35W and 20W can be deployed for light-duty applications, or 50W for heavier loads. RollerDrive EC5000 is backwards-compatible with current controls and power supplies. Thanks to an advanced CANopen
Bus, the latest RollerDrive EC5000 is also capable of positioning items in an accurate fashion and it is possible to turn a powered conveyor into a gravity conveyor, if needed. HepcoMotion will showcase its range of linear and circular motion products for machine automation. The stand will include the GFX Hepco Guidance System for Beckhoff XTS (eXtended Transport System). This solution utilises Hepco’s PRT2 and 1-Trak guidance systems to work with Beckhoff’s XTS circuit linear system to meet the needs of higher duty XTS applications where motion profiles and long-term durability requirements are particularly demanding. This system is suited to a range of applications, such as a variable speed lane divider to sort randomly positioned items into separate lanes, or a double-sided system for a compact application that requires multiple motion profiles. !
SMARTER PRODUCT USABILITY
SMART IS, WHEN A PROFINET GATEWAY IS ALREADY INTEGRATED INTO OUR SAFETY CONTROL Thanks to the integrated interfaces and additional gateway modules you can integrate our safety controls into all common fieldbuses.
integrated connec Phone 01480 408 500 – www.leuze.co.uk
tivity.
Alexander Mielchen, Product Management Safety
MACHINE SAFETY
CONVERGING SAFETY AND NON-SAFETY SYSTEMS Integrating safety systems into a machineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standard control platform simplifies operations, increases diagnostic capabilities and creates safer work environments for engineers and end users, according to Sree Swarna Gutta.
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he convergence of previously disparate technologies continues to be an important topic. Integrating safety with non-safety technology may not seem obvious, it deserves serious consideration. Like information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT), the combination of safety and non-safety into one system enables increased flexibility and scalability, better data acquisition across systems and more customization opportunities. Most importantly, it creates a safer work environment for operators and plant personnel by accommodating more safety technology in more places. Programmable safety devices in an input/output (I/O) form factor that are also integrated into the main machine control architecture make this convergence possible. These I/O terminals feature integrated safety logic and communicate with the PC-based machine controller, whether they connect through a shared backplane or Ethernet cable. EtherCAT industrial Ethernet technology creates other opportunities for technology convergence in safety systems, such as built-in diagnostics and support for multiple fieldbuses. This approach is a departure from previous architectures, in which safety and non-safety systems remained in separate silos. The converging technologies enable machines to maintain safety integrity level (SIL) standards while offering further customisation benefits. To understand how this convergence works and why it
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is advantageous, it is important to consider three levels of safety technology and their roles on the manufacturing floor. Basic safety devices: The traditional basic safety approach keeps safety systems separate from the machine control platform. These safety devices include relays and switches that cut power to machines or modules if triggered. Although they require no programming effort, they must be directly hardwired to each module and every other safety device to ensure the entire machine or line stops operation when one device is tripped. Installation and wiring of safety relays is time- and labor-intensive, especially on larger machines. Safety relays and other basic devices are usually not configurable because they possess no network connectivity. They cannot communicate back to the PLC or provide performance data or diagnostics beyond what their LED lights show. For many years, this was the only industrial safety option, and it met the minimum requirements for protecting operators and equipment. However, in the age of the smart factory and Industrie 4.0, basic safety requirements have not kept pace with industry advances. Implementation is inefficient because it requires greater commissioning efforts and ultimately provides low-tech safeguards for workers. Stand-alone safety controllers: Stand-alone safety controllers are expandable and offer some programmable logic, but as a result, these systems require additional engineering efforts. This method
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supports the ability to network safety devices and provides greater diagnostics for troubleshooting, but it does not enable the convergence of safety and non-safety systems. Like basic safety technology, safety controllers remain physically separate from the machine controller. Although both contain logic, the safety controller and PLC only support asynchronous communication, which means crucial data from the safety system is not available for analysis. The safety device also uses different software than the machine control logic; the training required and maintenance for multiple software packages also slows commissioning and troubleshooting. Integrated safety, programmable I/Os: Greater technology convergence is happening through integrated safety systems with programmable safety I/O terminals. The safety terminals are differentiated on the outside by their solid yellow exteriors. On the inside, they possess redundant circuits and microcontrollers to maximise reliability and meet IEC 61508 and DIN EN ISO 13849-1 safety standards. These devices are installed into a standard I/O segment alongside nonsafe terminals and can communicate over industrial Ethernet systems like EtherCAT. Integrated safety can extend beyond I/O terminals to implement safety logic in components in the field, such as servo drives and servomotors with built-in safe torque off (STO) and safe stop 1 (SS1) functionality. This method uses the same engineering environment as the machine control and provides Control Engineering UK
MACHINE SAFETY and DIN EN ISO 13849-1. These safety designations remain unchanged whether communication occurs via legacy fieldbus, industrial Ethernet or wireless networks. In addition, FSoE and integrated safety I/O unlock possibilities for increased customisation.
Converging technologies Unlike traditional safety systems that remained separate from non-safety components, integrated options can be located on the same DIN rail and communicate with the PC-based controller and other I/O via a shared backplane. Image courtesy of Beckhoff Automation.
flexibility for distributed safety networks. Programmable I/O modules also can support single-channel safety. With the necessary firmware for safe communication protocols, these modules allow engineers, particularly in process industries, to set acceptable condition parameters for different applications such as temperature monitoring, level sensing, speed testing and pressure monitoring. These safety terminals possess a yellow stripe on their exteriors to differentiate the single-channel analog technology from standard digital safety terminals in an I/O segment. The specialised singlechannel terminals also enable the use of I/O for safety tasks. Integrated safety is essential in today’s manufacturing environments with greater use of robotics, complex motion control equipment and autonomous vehicles. PC-based automation software with standard safety function blocks allows engineers to create programs to protect workers and equipment. During operation, the PC-based machine controller and safety controllers can monitor each other. Increased performance data and diagnostics capabilities are available as a result of this convergence. The information can be displayed on the HMI because the safety system is connected to the PLC. While more programming is necessary than with basic safety systems, the integrated systems simplify commissioning. They Control Engineering UK
also eliminate the complications caused by multiple programming environments, additional networks and the necessity to hardwire each device to all others. For EtherCATbased devices, communication takes place using the TÜV-certified FailSafe over EtherCAT (FSoE) protocol.
Secure communication FSoE is designed to transmit safety data over a plant’s existing network via a ‘black channel’. This secure channel within the network increments a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) for every two bytes of safety data to ensure they are secure and error-free. The functional principles of EtherCAT enable the transmission of safety and non-safety data without limitations on transfer speed and cycle time. Designed for high-speed communications, EtherCAT checks the safety devices in real time and halts operations when tripped. Builtin diagnostics also help engineers troubleshoot physical issues, such as faults with cables, connectors or I/O terminals. FSoE is fieldbus-neutral and works over 100 Mbit/s EtherCAT, but it can also integrate with many other industrial Ethernet networks or fieldbuses. If plants use DeviceNet, Profibus, CANopen, EtherNet/IP and Profinet networks, implementing integrated safety systems with FSoE requires the addition of appropriate EtherCAT I/Os and gateway devices. FSoE is certified by TÜV and also meets all requirements for IEC 61508
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A key benefit of integrated safety is the ability to customise and test how safety systems function through software. If a customer has a modular machine, the OEM or integrator can disable a certain module in the software rather than the traditional route of redesigning and reprogramming the machine’s safety system. The previous method involved changing I/O, re-engineering components or creating crude workarounds, such as ‘jogging’ wires to bypass unnecessary parts of the safety system. With PC-based automation software, adding or removing modules or groups can make these adjustments quickly. However, some companies have been slow to adopt integrated safety technology due to concerns about combining safety and non-safety on one platform. However, integrated safety is reliable and preferable to basic safety devices and stand-alone safety controllers. If the safety PLC and machine controller is in the same environment, then they know what the other is doing and can communicate more effectively. With greater flexibility and faster installation, it is possible to design machines and plants to have more safety technology than previously. Implementing integrated safety with programmable I/O modules, as a result, is the safest choice. ! Sree Swarna Gutta is an I/O application specialist at Beckhoff Automation. This article originally appeared on www.controleng.com September 2019
UK7
NEW PRODUCTS
IO-Link enabled safety light curtain
Panasonic recently launched the SF4D safety light curtain series. In addition to the existing advantages of this light curtain range – including a slim and robust body combined with a new
optical system for easy beam alignment – the company has also added IO-Link communication for safety light curtains. The IO-Link communication unit SFD-WL3 can be integrated into the existing SF4D safety light curtain configuration and allows storage and restoration of setting data and observation of functionality during operation.
App supports signaling system for 4G devices The TC MOBILE I/O app from Phoenix Contact supports the use of the TC MOBILE I/O X200 alarm and remote control module by enabling SMS commands to be triggered with just a click and displaying the current device status clearly to the user. With the update, the app also supports the new, recently launched module versions, which offer the latest 4G mobile technology (LTE CAT1) and 2G fallback (GSM/GPRS/EDGE).
The TC MOBILE signaling system can be used to send simple SMS and e-mail alerts containing digital and analogue values as well as for switching relay outputs. The module is controlled via SMS commands that can be sent either by the technician out in the field via mobile phone or via a mobile router in the control room. The app saves users having to manually type out an SMS text, provides additional information such as the device documentation, and clearly displays device status.
Inductive safety sensor A new family of safety sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs includes four cylindrical and rectangular series with cable and plug connections. The sensors are TÜV-certified in accordance with the Machinery Directive (EN 13849) Performance Level PL d, Category 2, and SIL 2. Designed to safeguard machines and plant components as well as for reliable position detection within this environment the inductive sensors feature E1 approval for the use of mobile machinery and vehicles in safetycritical areas. The safety proximity sensors do not require a special coded target and so can be used with standard metal actuators. The sensors have no blind zone and can therefore be mounted easily without any additional adjustment. The sensors are equipped with standardised OSSD outputs (Output Signal Switching Device) for signals and diagnostics that can be connected to a safety module or a corresponding control panel.
New autonomous mobile robot Iconsys, a UK-based automation system integrator, has branched out into autonomous mobile solutions with the launch of its iAM-R (iconsys Autonomous Mobile Robot). The iAM-R is an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), designed to provide autonomous robotic solutions for the company’s customers. The iAM-R offers a combination of flexible robotic automation with autonomous navigation and delivers an adaptive solution for manufacturing and logistical
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processes. Flexible route-planning, intelligent obstacle avoidance and network communication enable the iAM-R to perform tasks independently. “We believe there are all kinds of industrial manufacturers who could benefit from the integration of our mobile robot solutions,” said Nick Darrall, managing director at Iconsys.
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ENERGY MANAGEMENT
STARTING A SWEET REVOLUTION IN PRODUCTIVITY Harri Vaara explains how sugar beet processors are increasing productivity and energy efficiency through the use of variable speed drives (VSDs).
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ntense operating cycles are a significant factor in the rapid ageing of sugar processing machinery. During the harvest period a plant can run 24/7 for several months, followed by long idle periods. Operating conditions in the plants, such as heat, humidity and dust, are also tough on equipment. Furthermore, some sugar processing plants are situated in remote areas – where the local electricity network can be weak – and this has led to some producers looking to make their plants energy self-sufficient. VSDs can adjust the frequency and voltage of the motor supply, controlling the speed or torque of alternating current (AC) electric motors. Compared to the traditional method of running a motor (where the motor is run at full speed and its process output controlled by valves, gearboxes or dampers) this method can result in major energy savings of up to 60%.
lot of energy during the preparation stage – conveying, washing and slicing – so this is a key stage which can be optimised to improve energy efficiency. VSDs can be used to control the speed of the slicing machine, the better the control, the more efficient the process flows and the more likely it is that slices are produced in the right quantities. Therefore, installing VSDs will have direct correlation to optimising process flow. In the later stages of the process which require presses and mixers, each motor can be operated by its own VSD with built-in master-follower functionality. Even though a number of motors drive each press or mixer, for each machine driven, one VSD is configured as the master and the others as followers. The followers then mimic the master in terms of speed and torque via a communication link. This makes it easier to control the load when its driven by a number of
motors and downtime can be reduced as multiple VSDs and motors provide redundancy. So, in the event that one motor fails, the process will continue. Process pumps are used in sugar beet plants to transform water and juice and this can make up around 35% of the total energy consumption within a plant. Traditionally, valves are used to control the flow and the pump motor is just left to run at full speed. The flow is controlled by adjusting the valves, but this is really inefficient. Introducing VSDs into this part of the process allows the pump speed to be easily controlled and ensures the motor only runs as much as it is actually needed. The number of potentially unreliable mechanical components is reduced, and the amount of energy saved increases.
Recovering energy Sugar plants normally have around ten centrifuges that work by fast acceleration, spinning at normal
Improving reliability Installing VSDs can also help improve process reliability as well as reducing maintenance needs and downtime because the need for mechanical drive components is less. Processes are smoother, preventing sudden shocks to the gearbox, motor and other machinery. A wide range of operational data from processes can be provided by a VSD integrated into broader control systems. Connecting the electrical controls to higher level systems can help to boost a plant’s reliability and efficiency through predictive maintenance and process optimisation. Sugar beet preparation consumes a
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Duty cycle of sugar centrifuge.
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ENERGY MANAGEMENT speed and then fast deceleration. The cycle time depends on the size and mass of the centrifuge and is typically around three minutes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20 cycles per hour. VSDs, with regenerative functionality, are ideal in this application as they can recover energy during the deceleration phase. For example, one sugar cane plant in the USA has used a regenerative VSD to recycle and transform its energy efficiency. Originally, an inefficient legacy drive controlled one of plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest centrifuges. Fitting a regenerative drive to provide both speed and torque control has cut the cycle time by 20%. It also allows the motor to act as a generator during the deceleration phase. This enables energy to be recovered and then transferred via the drive to an adjacent centrifuge. As a result, the plant can maintain full power even during times when power is limited.
Another sugar beet plant, in Finland, is now using VSDs widely in almost every part of its production process. This plant installed a total of 1 MW by fitting 144 VSDs, including 36 in the power plant. A further 108 VSDs are now being used in the production process, with a total power of 6 MW. A total of 60% of the 108 VSDs are used to operate pumps, 25% control presses, mixers and centrifuges and 15% run other applications. In around one year or less the energy savings from installing these drives will result in payback. Similarly, Mirpurkhas Sugar Mills in Pakistan, which produces 7,500 tons
of sugar cane every day upgraded its cane milling process. The steam turbine used to operate the crusher mill has been replaced with a VSD and high voltage induction motor. Originally, 650 to 700 kW of steam energy was required to drive the crusher. Now, just 350 to 400 kW is required â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an improvement of 40% in energy efficiency. !
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
A PROFITABLY DISRUPTIVE ENERGY STRATEGY The basic configuration of electrical power systems for industrial and commercial applications has altered little for decades. A disruptive new technology – hybridisation – is expected to change this, according to Steve Moore.
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ith energy costs expected to continue to rise for the foreseeable future, businesses need to devote more effort into finding ways of controlling and reducing energy expenditure. An obvious approach is to improve the efficiency of a process so that it consumes less energy. While this approach is logical and laudable, particularly as it helps to protect the environment, it is also limited. Inevitably a point will be reached where no further increase in the energy efficiency of a process is realistically possible. In this event the only option is to find energy at a lower price and today this requires a creative solution such as hybridisation. So, what is hybridisation? In this context, its most general meaning is a power system that has access to two or more independent sources of energy. In this definition, the word independent is important – a power system that can be fed from either of two utility substations, for example, wouldn’t qualify as a hybrid system, because it simply has two connections to the same energy source. However, a power system that can take power from the grid and also from, say, a solar panel installation is definitely a hybrid system. Adding a renewable energy source to an industrial or commercial power system can lead to useful cost savings but, if energy storage – most often in the form of batteries – is added as well, hybridisation has the potential to save even more money, as well as making the power system much more versatile in operation.
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Typically, hybrid power solutions are used in ‘behind the meter’ applications, a good example of which is peak shaving. It’s axiomatic that the power system for a factory has to be designed so that it can safely supply the factory’s maximum load. However, it is highly likely that this maximum power demand will be intermittent – just a few hours a week is typical. Which means that the power transformers feeding the plant are, for most of the time, working well below their full capacity.
Consider this Now consider a factory with a hybrid power system incorporating energy storage. The expensive power transformers can now be rated to cope with the average rather than the peak load, with the battery called on to make up the difference during periods of maximum load. This is peak shaving. Many industrial and commercial supplies are charged on the basis of a ‘maximum demand’ tariff, which means that the utility charges the energy user not only for the amount of energy they consume, but also on the basis of the maximum load they put on the energy supply system. This extra charge is unwelcome but justifiable, as the utility’s plant has to be capable of dealing with the peak demand, however infrequently it occurs. Peak shaving enables energy users to limit their maximum power requirement from the grid by supplying some of their peak energy needs from their batteries. This results directly in a reduced maximum demand charge.
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In reality, peak shaving, as described above, is only one of the many benefits offered by hybrid power systems with energy storage. Another option is to use batteries to store energy from the supply system at times when the price is low and release it at those times when energy prices are highest. This can be considered as another form of peak shaving and is capable of significantly reducing energy bills. Yet another capability offered by some hybrid power systems is the ability to generate reactive power on demand. This feature can be used to improve a site’s power factor and thereby save both energy and money. For power systems that include intermittent energy sources, such as solar panels and wind generators, hybrid power systems offer even more benefits, as they can be used to ‘firm up’ the supply, maintaining the output from the intermittent source at a constant level and avoiding voltage variations on the grid when the energy production of the source changes. A hybrid power system with energy storage can reduce capital expenditure on equipment like transformers and save money on energy costs by cutting maximum demand, improving power factor and reducing peak-rate energy usage. But it can also do more – the batteries can continue to supply the plant in the event that the supply from the national grid fails. In such cases, the hybrid system effectively operates as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and can, in some cases, eliminate the need for a separate UPS installation to supply critical or sensitive loads. Control Engineering Europe
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Another option offered by hybrid power systems is the ability to feed energy from the batteries, from solar panels or from other local power sources, back into the grid. The payment the utility makes for this energy is an effective way of further reducing energy bills. And a hybrid power system can generate even more revenue from the grid operator by providing services such as firm frequency response to help balance the gridâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supply and demand.
An available technology The technologies needed to implement hybrid energy systems are readily available. There have been big developments in the batteries used for energy storage in recent years, with lithium-ion technology being a popular choice, especially for fastresponse short-period requirements. However, batteries and some renewable energy sources such as solar panels, produce DC power, whereas the national grid and almost Control Engineering Europe
all industrial and commercial power systems need AC. Fortunately, once again a solution is available with standard inverters. In their variable speed drive guise, inverters take AC power at supply frequency, convert it to DC (the so-called DC link) and then convert the DC back to AC at the frequency needed to control the motor. But the DC link doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care where the power comes from, so it can equally be fed from a battery or a solar panel and it will convert the DC to AC at a frequency that can be accurately matched to and synchronised with the power grid. The inverters used in hybrid power system applications are fully bidirectional so can also take power from the grid and use it to top up the batteries. While at first sight it may seem that the inverter hardware needed for hybrid applications would be somewhat different from that used in variable speed drives, it turns out that this need not be the case. Danfoss inverters for hybrid power systems use exactly the same hardware as variable
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speed drive applications, though the on-board software is, as would be expected, designed to offer different functionality. This should not be taken to mean, however, that designing and implementing a dependable and efficient hybrid power system is merely a matter of buying some standard components off the shelf and following the installation instructions! Expertise is needed to put together an optimised system and anyone thinking about investing in hybrid power is well advised to seek out suppliers with proven expertise in this relatively new area of technology. Hybrid power systems are radically different from those that have gone before and they can provide huge benefits in terms of cost savings and reduced environmental impact and it is possible to benefit from this technology today. ! Steve Moore is solution sales manager at Danfoss Drives. September 2019
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ENERGY MANAGEMENT
ON THE PATH TO ZERO Manufacturers are having to move beyond traditional cost reduction strategies when it comes to energy. Instead there is a move towards cost avoidance, says Vincent de Rul.
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usinesses have, historically, treated energy merely as a begrudging necessity – a commodity incurring costs which businesses would attempt to mitigate. Even as recently as several years ago, many firms would come to us looking to find a cheaper unit rate for their energy – that was the extent of their energy management strategy. Today, a simple cost avoidance strategy has become harder to achieve with the growing volatility in wholesale markets and scarcity of natural resources putting upwards pressure on prices. Across sectors, the strategic role of energy management is starting to shift, with a renewed focus on energy efficiency. Tried and tested energy efficiency policies are increasingly being given a new lease of life by the introduction of better technology solutions. Refocusing the mind on energy efficiency is helping manufacturing companies to go beyond cost reduction and instead pursue cost avoidance: the cheapest unit of energy is the one that is not used. And of course this also has an important impact on sustainability, with a greater emphasis on energy efficiency helping to reduce carbon emissions and to support the transition to a low-carbon energy system in a number of important ways. This growing strategic focus on energy efficiency is perhaps nowhere more visible than in the manufacturing sector. Although still referred to as ‘energy intensive organisations’, the industrial sector has achieved quite dramatic decreases in the energy used per unit of output produced. According to the latest UK Government figures, industrial companies have collectively reduced the energy consumed per production unit by nearly one-third (30%) since 2000.
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The long-term trends in consumption by sector since 1970 show that UK manufacturing has gone from being the largest energy consumer to the joint lowest, sitting at the same levels as domestic energy use. These figures cannot simply be explained by the reduction in the size of the sector over that period; while some manufacturers still treat energy bills as a fixed cost, many are taking a positive and proactive approach to energy efficiency, and to great effect.
The power of data Many will feel that they have now picked off all the low-hanging fruit when it comes to efficiency improvements. However, the greater accessibility and usability of energy monitoring data means that new insights are available, revealing the often simple efficiency improvements still waiting to happen. Firms working with EDF Energy’s PowerNow data monitoring tool, for example, have identified that simple changes can create significant savings.
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The most frequent energy conservation measures include installing low-energy lighting and occupancy sensors to control the lights, from which UK companies working with EDF Enregy have made an average of £22,660 in annual savings per site. One manufacturer is tracking real-time energy usage and this has identified a number of behaviours which are increasing energy consumption unnecessarily. They found, for example, that heating bills were significantly higher in one factory than in other similar ones, and investigations found that engineers working there were regularly leaving doors open. Of course, the manufacturer could have invested in automated doors to overcome the problem, but establishing behaviour change is often the most sustainable way to reduce energy consumption. When organisations invest in a technical solution to help increase energy efficiency – such as automated doors or LED lighting – they often find their employees start ‘comfort taking’. This
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is when people end up counteracting any efficiency improvements by leaving the new, ‘more efficient’ lights on. A behaviour change programme or a technical solution such as occupancy sensors usually needs to accompany the more efficient technology.
Shift and save The better a firm’s understanding of their side of the meter – when and where they are using energy, and at what cost – the more able they will be to be flexible with their usage and adapt to changing prices on the supply side of the meter. For manufacturers who are in a position to be flexible with their energy consumption, Demand Side Response (DSR) can create an opportunity to reduce the cost of energy. One of the simplest ways manufacturers can achieve this is by shifting or reducing energy
consumption at times when demand is at risk of being higher than supply available on the grid. Working with a number of large manufacturers EDF Energy has found that the biggest fears around DSR are that operations will be disrupted, and that heavy investment in battery or other technology will be needed. But any industrial processes which can be paused – until demand surge has passed and energy prices have lowered again – will offer simple savings. For example, one tile manufacturer has been able to make annual savings simply by pausing its manufacturing processes between the hours of 4pm and 7pm each day, when energy prices are highest. This simple shift in manufacturing times has generated £45,000 in annual savings. The reality is there is usually a lot of latent capacity in existing assets that can be monetised with
no disruption to operations. Backup generators, for example, hold capacity that manufacturers can often monetise, with the help of an energy aggregator. Flexibility platforms, that enable users to control, trade and optimise their assets, are now making it easier than ever to generate extra revenue from energy. With the recent commitment from the UK government to become carbon neutral by 2050, energy efficiency will have to become a strategic priority. There isn’t a single road to zero, but many paths that manufacturers are travelling along, with the help of tools like detailed data monitoring. The past decades have seen a dramatic improvement in the sector’s energy efficiency, and this encouragement should spur us all on to make further changes into the future. ! Vincent de Rul is director of Energy Solutions at EDF Energy.
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PROCESS SAFETY
Functional Safety: a technology challenge Today new components and systems are available which are too technologically advanced for current standard requirements and cannot support the assessment of device functional safety appropriately. Suitable approaches are therefore required to protect systems, argues Stewart Robinson MIET MInstMC.
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he main requirement for complex semiconductors used in functionally safe embedded systems is a high degree of miniaturisation. Modern design also requires compatibility, reusability and embedded safety features. The challenges in this domain are short innovation cycles, a high degree of design complexity and increasing integration density. This has an impact on the assessment of device functional safety, particularly for Systems-on-Chip (SoC), where dependent faults have to be evaluated, and already known failure modes − such as transient failures − take on increased relevance in the context of integration of smaller structures. In addition, adequate verification approaches must be developed. Due to increasing system complexity, a highquality development and lifecycle process is required to ensure a low level of systematic faults. The assessment of design and manufacturing processes is another factor in avoiding the consequences of systematic faults. Those using semiconductor components therefore need informative and complete documentation, in order to realise a safe and straightforward system design. This means that great care must be taken when generating the user documentation with respect to completeness of system integration. Consequently, the generic normative requirements should be interpreted and extended, based on the current state-ofthe-art and the specific technology being considered.
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Functional safety management is a key element of relevant functional safety standards. This includes the definition of the roles and tasks of the individuals involved, proof of their competence, and the qualification measures necessary to ensure up-to-date knowledge. Further elements that must be defined within the scope of the safety life cycle include both the type and scope of the required documentation and quality assurance. This spans the preparation of documented procedures, work instructions and checklists, as well as official signature authorisations. Recording of field experience must also be regulated, as must modification and configuration management. Functional safety management should have numerous interfaces with the higher-level quality management system. It has also proved good practice to define the responsibilities of the individual parties clearly and early on in the quotation phase. This is because functional safety is not solely the responsibility of the component or system supplier alone.
Safe product design, early prevention of conformity-related problems, fewer product recalls, and shorter time to market are just some examples. Manufacturers and owners can therefore exploit these opportunities by establishing a systematic process focus. This should include consideration of the entire system life cycle, at an early stage ideally in the development phase. A holistic approach to functional safety is therefore required, which requires expertise in various application fields across all project phases, from design and development to manufacturing and installation, testing, certification, placing into service, and decommissioning. While there are software packages that help to guide users through the process, the growing complexities caused by ever greater technology innovations and integration means ensuring functional safety compliance is becoming a more complex and resource hungry task. ! Stewart Robinson MIET MInstMC is principal engineer and functional safety expert at TÜV SÜD.
Process focus Growing digitalisation and automation across all areas of life and industry increases the significance of functional safety and industrial IT security and offers economic opportunities.
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TEST & MEASUREMENT
OPTIMISING PRODUCT QUALITY Find out how Hydro Extrusions Hungary has been able to reduce quality problems in the finished profile of its extruded aluminium products.
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o optimise the quality of its extruded aluminium profile products Hydro Extrusions Hungary identified the need for an infrared pyrometer that would enable fast profile tracking and highly-accurate temperature measurement results. It wanted a solution that was compact in size, insensitive to outside light conditions and easy to set up. To find the best solution the company carried out rigorous tests on three infrared pyrometers. László Domokos, process reliability team leader at Hydro Extrusions Hungary, takes AMETEK Land’s SPOT AL EQS pyrometer was installed on two presses at the profile exit and quench. up the story: “We decided to seek a new infrared solution Automatic tracking both temperature and emissivity as we needed to more accurately profile Hydro Extrusion Hungary was outputs. Coupled with the smart temperature measurement of our impressed with the fact that the profile actuator for automatic alignment, products after the quench zone. Tests tracking is automatic, as a result of the the solution can provide accurate with the SPOT AL EQS pyrometer from SPOT Actuator, which means operators temperature measurements for most AMETEK Land revealed that it offered do not have to spend time setting up current extrusion, quench and strip accurate alignment on profiles every the instruments. applications. Since implementing SPOT time, giving us greater reliability. With The solution offers Hydro Extrusions AL EQS, the plant has been able to the addition of a SPOT Actuator, the Hungary the benefits of data capture, reduce quality problems in the finished pyrometer was able to help us ensure interpretation, management and profile. that our customers receive the highest autonomy. It is possible to log into The actuator enables extremely quality aluminium products.” the pyrometer and SPOT Actuator accurate alignment as it takes 900 AMETEK Land’s SPOT AL EQS Webserver for each measurement measurement points over 90° and pyrometer is particularly suited to position and access all the data needed. aligns on the optimum measurement the application as it can operate in The pyrometer can automatically scan position on the profile. This temperatures ranging from 200 to to identify profile positions after a die measurement combination can be very 700°C, while offering quick and accurate change; alert operators to uneven die useful at the exit of the quench, as temperature measurements. The cavity or quench conditions; provide the extrusion may be liable to wander pyrometer was installed on two presses temperature measurements for perfect from side to side at this location. at the profile exit and quench and press and quench control and make Using the pyrometer with the actuator Hydro Extrusion Hungary integrated slight positional adjustments to track can rapidly and repeatedly locate, the data into its existing data collection wandering profiles. target and measure the laterally system, to help it enhance process The pyrometer provides complex shifting profile, producing an accurate control. embedded software algorithms for temperature reading. !
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CYBER SECURITY
GET WISE TO CYBER THREATS Suzanne Gill finds out more about the cyber security issues that face industry today and gets advice on the steps that should be taken to ensure greater plant level security.
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ssentially, cyber security issues are the same across all industry sectors. The issues stem from the fact that all industry sectors are starting to automate their processes to help increase productivity and efficiency and this requires greater connectivity, which can also expose systems to attack. The biggest differences between the different industry sectors really comes down to the consequence of a successful attack. “We are seeing attacks taking place on a daily basis across all sectors of industry,” said Paul Hingley, product security and solution officer at Siemens Digital Industries. “Many are criminally motivated while some are sneaker hacks, from people trying to gain access for their own entertainment. The criminal attacks are usually looking to create a denial of service and so ransomware is becoming more prevalent across industry. This has resulted in hackers turning their attention to the softer targets provided by the operational technology (OT) layer.”
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Industrial OT investments can have anywhere from 10 to 20-year cycles, while IT investment is more usually in cycles of between one and four years. This means that the IT infrastructure will generally be better protected. A great deal of legacy equipment still in operation in the OT world was not originally designed for external connectivity and will never have been patched and this is why it offers a softer target for cyber-attacks. Hingley, who gave a plenary presentation on the issue of cyber threats at Siemens’ Digital Talks conference In the UK earlier this year, has been involved in helping many food companies recover following a cyber-attack.
Denial of service One particular attack instigated a denial of service which resulted in the plant being offline for two weeks, costing the company billions of pounds in lost production. “To regain control of production, it was necessary to strip
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the software system and undertake ‘clean slate’ processes in order to bring the plant back into normal operational activity. This involved looking at the installed software to find anomalies and to apply the correct patches. “We found that this particular attack was instigated onsite, via a USB. On another site we identified an attack as coming via a PC employed in the automation layer which had been used to download patch updates which at the same time had inadvertently installed a vulnerability,’ continued Hingley. “Such events often occur due to the lack of protection originally installed on OT equipment – and this highlights the importance of undertaking security audits, so that engineers can understand what their installed base actually is and what connections they have. We find that many customers have remote access connections in the plant that they didn’t know had been applied by their solution providers.” In many factories there will be no levels or depth of security due to
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CYBER SECURITY
the particularly long lifecycles of OT equipment. Today, however, there is a growing sense of purpose among engineers to better understand how legacy systems have been adapted over the years to incorporate other elements of control. Often engineers will find that a lot of work has been undertaken on installed systems over the years – additions to the system and to plant equipment – which has not been documented. This is why an audit is always a good place to start when considering cyber security solutions. Traditionally, new machine or equipment installations have required integration of a new PLC or controller into the existing system. Most end users have relied on the competence of their solution provider to install this correctly and to the relevant compliance standards. However, the technical file that gets created will usually relate specifically to safety compliance. “Appreciation that one the biggest areas of compromise of a cyber-attack is denial of service is not widespread,” said Hingley. “So, while a new system will have been correctly applied from the perspective of the technical file, the bigger problem is that if the safety system is affected by a security breach it may result in a complete denial of service of the safety system and so it would, legally, become a noncompliant machine!” It is for this reason that the worlds of safety and security are moving closer together and the HSE is becoming more involved with the requirements of security. “There is a whole new world of systems starting to appear because of the digital transformation that many factories are starting to undertake,” said Hingley. He advises that best practice, when it comes to security, is firstly to gain an understanding of existing architectures and networks and to develop a database of these systems. The next step is to develop an audit around the connectivity and what is happening within the system. “Most audits undertaken by Siemens will take a bespoke approach because legacy equipment and systems need different types of auditing to understand how a connection is interfacing across the whole of the automation layer,” he said. The next step is to aspire to follow the guidelines of IEC 62443. This covers technical specifications as well as the maturity levels and processes that are required within the OT domain, such as passwords and how to control them. “These are processes can be applied with technology and when they work together you will have created a defence-in-depth approach,” concludes Hingley. The IEC Standard 62443 creates a defence in depth approach, looking at the technology that needs to be applied to the automation layer, it also looks at the maturity of the processes themselves that have to be applied into that level of control. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) also offers guidance documents on best practice relating to automation control and discussing the practices that should be put in place. ! Control Engineering Europe
September 2019
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ENHANCED PLC RANGE HELPS SECURE CLOUD-ENABLED APPLICATIONS To meet the increasing data demands of digital applications, ABB launches new central processing units (CPUs) for its AC500 PLC range. Users of PLCs looking to extend connection capabilities to secure their cloud-enabled applications, can benefit from increased security of the AC500 V3. The PLC offers cloud connectivity to capitalise on the opportunities to communicate with other devices through the Internet of Things (IoT). Data connectivity: IoT and Industry 4.0 applications in automotive, food and beverage, utilities and infrastructure often use OPC UA for information exchange for industrial communication. It is a standard, vendor-independent Ethernet protocol, scalable for lean data access between a client and server. Security is integrated within the protocol via x.509 certificates. The OPC UA protocol gives easy access to selected variables and objects in the AC500 PLC which can be viewed in SCADA or used in cloud applications. Cloud connectivity: The TCP/IP fieldbus protocol, MQTT, is integrated as standard and as such is easy to use for secure messaging direct to the cloud. Special function blocks are used to retrieve data from sensors and push data to brokers that can be installed either on premise or in the cloud. This enables the easy and low-bandwidth connection of many devices. Security is integrated within the protocol via x.509 certificates.
the AC500 V3 uses the TÜV certified, IEC 61850 Server edition 1 as its TCP/IP protocol for electrical substations. It is compatible with the AC500 PLC range, retaining the latter’s flexibility, scalability and footprint. All AC500 V3 CPUs also come with an integrated web server based on HTML5 technology. www.abb.com/plc
BRAMMER BUCK & HICKMAN LAUNCHES ‘MECALINE’ POWER TRANSMISSION PRODUCTS Mecaline from Brammer Buck & Hickman, the UK’s leading industrial supplies specialist, is an exclusive new range of power transmission products that combines quality and reliability, backed with Brammer Buck & Hickman’s extensive engineering experience and added value services. The Mecaline range has been designed in collaboration with world-leading manufacturers in their respective fields, to very strict specifications whilst at the same time are highly competitively priced. Mecaline features electric motors, gearboxes, chain drives, belts and couplings. Mecaline products are available exclusively from Brammer Buck & Hickman. For more information on Mecaline, please go to www.bbh-rubix.com
NEW WHITEPAPER: ADVANCED SECURITY FOR INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS
Redefining visibility, authentication and access to protect mission-critical networks. This whitepaper looks at the new challenges for cybersecurity in mission-critical networks; the role of network access control in IT and OT security; How network access control can facilitate IT-OT convergence; and it details the Hirschmann and ForeScout solution. The threat landscape for industrial networks is rapidly changing. As new attack vectors and attacks surface, operators of operational technology (OT) networks struggle to maintain visibility into the network’s security posture. Moreover, formal requirements, stemming from new standards and regulations, are putting an additional stress on the operators of OT networks. Network access control plays an important role in solving these challenges. The whitepaper presents a powerful integration between the ForeScout platform as a network visibility, assessment and access control solution, and Hirschmann Industrial Ethernet switches as points of enforcement. The solution paves the way for a holistic approach to network access control in OT networks and succeeds in applying next-generation network access control to the access links in industrial applications: bringing it down to the factory floor. bit.ly/31U759S
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FINAL WORD
TAKING STEPS TO IMPLEMENT AI Tim Foreman argues that companies should be looking to benefit from the potential of technologies such as ‘AI at the Edge’ strategically and thoughtfully for business success and competitive advantage.
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ncreasing computing power, growing data volumes and the increased use of sensors means that the discussion about AI on the factory floor is gaining momentum. Adaptive algorithms offer enormous potential for the further developments required for Industry 4.0, such as predictive maintenance and networked production. In this context, AI can help increase Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to reduce costs and increase productivity. The challenge faced by businesses however, is that many of the market-driven, often cloudbased AI solutions place enormous demands on infrastructure and IT. These solutions work with vast amounts of data that is laborious to prepare and take advantage of. In addition, system concepts for mechanical engineering are often complex and specially tailored to the respective requirements. A reliable use of typical AI algorithms is only possible through extensive testing, constant optimisation and overdimensioning – which many companies shy away from. Today there are many AI solutions suited for use in industrial automation. These include open source software and applications based on Machine Learning (ML). Robotics and automation providers are currently developing AI solutions that help small and mediumsized businesses in particular to use AI effectively and efficiently. The following tips will help you get started:
How to get started with AI • Upgrade data management capabilities: Manufacturing companies are often more conservative when it comes to new technologies, as they work with machines that must run for 20 years or more. This should not mean that these
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companies have to lose out when it comes to AI. It is important to look at the benefits that AI and ML will bring to the industrial environment and to overcome any reluctance to invest in these technologies. Companies should ensure that they can work with large amounts of data and advanced algorithms – the two cornerstones of artificial intelligence. • Outline central project questions and approaches: Important questions at the beginning of an AI project include: Which problems and challenges should be tackled? Which strategy and technology are best suited, and are they adaptable and expandable for a variety of projects and use cases? Which managers and employees should be brought on board? Is there the necessary expertise within the company or is there a need to involve external experts? How can a new machine with an integrated data science approach be planned and implemented? • Define clear and measurable goals: The primary goal of AI deployment is to increase quality and process efficiency, for example through improved predictive maintenance to avoid equipment downtime. The AI-based solution should therefore aim at measurable and noticeable improvements in OEE. It is important to note that even an optimisation of only a few percentage points can lead to considerable increases in efficiency and cost reductions. AI in machine maintenance, for example, can help reduce the risk of equipment damage and downtime, as problems can be detected early, and immediate action can be taken to eliminate them. Without automation, machine designers and operators would have to create their own analysis and
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optimisation solutions or use costly cloud solutions. • Take advantage of AI ‘at the edge’: Instead of laboriously searching through data for patterns, find technology that approaches things differently – for example can the required algorithms can be integrated into the machine control to create the framework for real-time optimisation – at the machine level (the edge). This involves monitoring production lines and machines with real-time sensors, which immediately collect the data and check it for anomalies. • Focus on real-time data processing: While cloud-based AI solutions place enormous demands on infrastructure and IT, and the processing of data volumes is a tedious and timeconsuming process, AI at the edge suits predictive maintenance and control of machines. It combines line control functions with realtime AI-based data processing. One advantage is that it is possible to reliably identify unforeseen situations and react quickly, improve quality, maintenance cycles and machine lifecycles, and scale as needed. The processes gain intelligence on the basis of previous findings and improvements and drive the holistic optimisation of the manufacturing process. ! Tim Foreman is european R&D manager at Omron.
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| EK11-15E |
Highend measurement technology Extremely accurate, fast and robust 24 bit 10 kSps per channel simultaneous 25 approx. 100 ppm @ 23 °C
www.beckhoff.com/measurement-technology With ELM series EtherCAT measurement I/O modules, high-precision, fast and robust measurement technology becomes a system-integrated function of PC-based control from Beckhoff. The ELM modules can be integrated directly into the modular EtherCAT I/O system, enabling combination with the comprehensive portfolio of more than 500 EtherCAT Terminals. fast: sampling rates of 50,000 samples/s precise timing: exact synchronisation < 1 μs precise values: measurement accuracy of 100 ppm proactive: integrated functional diagnostics for individual modules flexible connector front-end: LEMO, BNC, Push-in input circuitry: voltage 20 mV…60 V, current 20 mA, IEPE, SG, RTD/TC
A seamless measurement chain from data acquisition to analysis in the cloud.