CEE_21_02

Control, Instrumentation and Automation in the Process and Manufacturing Industries February 2021

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The cloud plays a key role in the ‘new normal’

Understanding ATEX and IECEx schemes

SCADA: Minimising system security gaps

What could the AIoT offer industry?

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CONTENTS Things can only get better

Editor Suzanne Gill suzanne.gill@imlgroup.co.uk Sales Manager Adam Yates adam.yates@imlgroup.co.uk Group Publisher Iain McLean iain.mclean@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

We have started 2021 pretty much as we finished 2020. Thanks to new mutant strains of Covid-19 most of us are still enduring some form of restriction to our normal lives and already this year Hannover Messe has announced that its April 2021 event will be in a purely digital format!

Here in the UK we are in full lockdown, with only essential travel allowed and we are unable to mix with other households, either indoors or outdoors. The light at the end of the tunnel must be the multiple vaccines which are now being rolled out across the globe. We must hope that this allows us all to resume a more normal life in the not too distant future. In the meantime, of course, our manufacturing and process plants need to keep working and control engineers need to stay up to date with the latest innovations and technology developments. Control Engineering Europe is still here to fulfil this role, giving you the information needed to ensure your plants and systems continue to run efficiently and safely.

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

INDUSTRY REPORT

MACHINE VISION

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22 The Fraunhofer Institute has developed an innovative checking system for ceramic bearing balls

Critical infrastructure may be at risk due to unprotected SCADA systems

EDITOR’S CHOICE 6

PC-BASED CONTROL

IO-Link enabled network blocks; pay as you sense

24 A PC-based control solution is driving automatedguided-vehicle advances

FOCUS ON AIoT 10 We speak to a cross-section of industry experts to find out more about the Artificial Intelligence of Things and what it might offer in industrial applications

SCADA & HMIs

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

30 Can SCADA bridge the OT/IT divide?

26 Minimising system security gaps 28 Four key elements to focus on when employing SCADA solutions

14 Can wireless solutions solve real industry problems?

PNEUMATICS 16 Reliable pneumatic flow control equipment plays an essential role in many industrial processes

PROCESS CONTROL 18 Suzanne Gill finds out more about a scalable DCS solution

HAZARDOUS AREAS 20 Understanding the ATEX and IECEx schemes 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

Control Engineering Europe

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

February 2021

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INDUSTRY REPORTS

Critical infrastructure at risk Researchers have identified over 43,000 unprotected SCADA devices in operation across the globe.

Researchers have identified over 43,000 unprotected SCADA devices in operation across the globe.

Research from A&O IT Group points to the fact that the number of IoT/SCADA devices connected to the public internet without appropriate security measures in place is increasing, leaving these critical devices open to potential attack and hacking attempts.

Despite a number of high-profile attacks on SCADA systems, the majority of devices and protocols are not being robustly protected, however some – particularly Modbus and S7 – are being taken more seriously from a security perspective.

“Since our last investigation in January 2020, the number of unprotected SCADA devices has increased, highlighting a gap between the connectivity of these devices and security,” said Hodei Lopez, security consultant at A&O IT Group. The increase seems to be linear across all protocols, and one theory is that this could be a consequence of making systems available to a remote workforce due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Researchers scanned for unprotected devices on Shodan, focussing on six groups of SCADA devices, the total of which came to 43,546 unprotected devices – Tridium (15,706); BACnet (12,648); Ethernet IP (7,237); Modbus (5,958); S7 (1,480); DNP (517). “We have seen a rise in the number of IoT/SCADA devices connected to the internet, but there is a real mixture when it comes to their security. Some users of protocols such as Modbus and S7 are demonstrating improvements in their security posture, but others are not seeming to consider security at all,” continued Lopez.

Through their research, the A&O IT Group team discovered that the United States comes out top in terms of the biggest attack surface with a total of

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February 2021

25,523 unprotected devices and has the highest amount of unprotected Modbus (1,445), Tridium (10,483), DNP (294), BACnet (8,146) and Ethernet IP (4,843) devices. The only devices out of the six investigated where the US doesn’t have the most are the S7 devices, but they are a close second with 312 vs. Germany’s 321.

Furthermore, many of the S7 devices in the US are Conpot honeypots, indicating a higher level of alertness. This backs up the joint advisory from CISA and the NSA released in July of this year, which suggested that more sophisticated IoT attacks and malware are expected by the US. Others high up the list of the top ten countries with unprotected devices include Canada as well as a number of European countries such as Spain, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

“Critical infrastructure runs on legacy networks which previously were air gapped by being kept separate from the IT network. Now, due to an increasing demand for connectivity and the ability to work remotely, these legacy networks, which are often 25+ years old, are becoming connected. As a result, this infrastructure that essentially runs the world, has been opened up to a number of vulnerabilities and other security issues, leaving them open to cyber attack.

“Due to these previously stand-alone legacy networks now being connected to IT networks, cyber security for critical infrastructure is vital but somewhat lagging, and the first mistake security teams make is assuming that they can implement operational technology (OT) security by cloning their existing IT security strategy, but this is simply not the case,” said Lopez. “However, there is a lot organisations in industries

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such as manufacturing, production and energy can do to protect themselves, starting with visibility. In order to secure their entire infrastructure, it’s vital that organisations have a clear view of all of their assets connected to the network.

Without this, vulnerabilities will be missed and provide an attacker with a clear path into the network.”

What else can organisations do to protect themselves? Firstly, as mentioned, visibility is key for security teams to know what assets are on their network and to avoid falling victim through unknown vulnerable devices. The importance of mapping the network and having a constantly updated and live list of active and dormant assets should not be underestimated.

Secondly, the importance of having a proper, secure infrastructure cannot be overstated. OT devices should be isolated from the company’s general IT network, usually behind a second firewall. The idea is that the networks are ‘separate but together’, not just one big network.

Continuous security monitoring of the network and environment is also critical.

Finally, a continuous improvement in the networks is necessary. Firmware patches should be applied to firewalls and switches as soon as possible after testing, perimeter devices (such as firewalls or machines exposed to the internet) being a priority. Strong internal controls should be applied to restrict traffic that might not be trusted, and networks should always follow the rule of least privilege, not only for devices, but for users as well.

Control Engineering Europe

INDUSTRY REPORTS

Power plant modernisation to ensure reliable, clean energy The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has tasked Emerson with the modernisation and optimisation of its Magnolia power plant.

The Magnolia project is part of TVA’s five-year, $110 million investment to install digital technologies across its power generating fleet. Emerson’s software and technologies will support TVA’s efforts to digitally transform the plant through advanced operations, enhanced cybersecurity and digital

twin-enabled training.

Emerson will replace existing systems at the combined-cycle plant with its Ovation automation system and software. Digital twin technologies will provide advanced training to operators, enabling them to respond quickly and safely to power generation demands.

Robust cybersecurity technologies are integral to the solution which is designed to enhance and secure operations at the facility.

“These upgrades are part of a larger long-term asset strategy to maintain our existing fleet in such a way that we can depend on their operation for years to come,” said Allen Clare, vice-president for gas & hydro operations at TVA. Emerson and TVA are using virtual technologies in place of face-toface interaction to keep the project moving forward during the Covid-19 pandemic. The project is expected to be completed in 2022.

IECEx certification scheme for explosion protection specialists TÜV Rheinland is now able to offer certification of personnel competence for explosive atmospheres.

Safety specialists familiar with explosion protection are in demand worldwide. This is because all companies that operate or set up potentially explosive plants need such experts – especially the oil and gas industry.

“Such specialists must be able to work internationally. However, there is often a lack of comparability in training,” explains Marc Krugmann, explosion protection expert at TÜV Rheinland. As a result, companies looking for explosion protection specialists find it difficult to assess whether a specialist is suitably qualified in each case.

To remedy this problem, internationally active companies and testing organisations, including TÜV Rheinland, have jointly developed a certification scheme that allows for comparison of the training of technical specialists in explosion protection.

Known as ‘IECEx Certified Persons Scheme’, the program now offered

by TÜV Rheinland provides suitable qualifications and is continuously adapted to the state of the art.

Control Engineering Europe

IECEx stands for the working area of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that deals with explosion protection. Those who pass the test receive a certificate that lists their own qualifications in a detailed and standardised manner. “Any company worldwide can trust that a certified explosion protection specialist can assess safety in potentially explosive atmospheres according to global standards,” said Krugmann.

To obtain the certificate, candidates

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must pass a theoretical and practical examination. This covers, for example, basic knowledge for entering potentially explosive atmospheres, installation and maintenance of explosion-proof equipment, detailed testing of explosionproof equipment and installations, and auditing and testing of electrical installations in potentially explosive atmospheres.

For further details go to: www.tuv.com/ world/en/atex-directive.html February 2021

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

IO-Link enabled network blocks Carlo Gavazzi has launched the IO-Link Y series of IIoT-enabled network blocks which allow up to eight smart devices to connect to higher-level control systems.

IO-Link Y master YL212 is said to enable the connection of all sections of a plant into a single industrial network, from the management level right down to the field level. Using the embedded webserver and IO-Link Device Description (IODD) Y series IOLink masters can provide integration, communication and direct data exchange between different fieldbuses using communication protocols such as Ethernet/IP, Modbus/TCP, OPC UA or Profinet IO. The YN115 DIN rail version is suited to control cabinet installation and includes pluggable/removable push-in and

screw terminal connectors for a quick and errorproof installation of the IO-Link devices and modules.

The integrated web server is available in seven languages, and the IODD interpreter provides access, configuration and diagnostic of the module and the attached IO-Link devices via a web browser. The inbuilt OPC-UA architecture allows data transmission

on many platforms enabling remote assessment from PC’s, tablets or smartphones, without the need for any additional software or a PLC.

Pay as you sense Equipment rentals can help companies overcome the hurdle of finding investment capital to fund development and verification projects.

The current phase of the economic cycle – recovery from a slowdown – is always difficult and frustrating. Mark Ingham of Sensor Technology, said: “Companies are seeing their markets improve, but don’t have the reserves to finance all the activities that will kickstart their sales. What money

there is has to be used carefully, which usually means funding some projects but not others. As a result opportunities have to be missed.”

Typically projects may include verification or reverification of a product range to an international standard, development of a new sized unit within a product range to address an emerging market requirement, modification of a design or a whole new development.

Sensor Technology already has

a rental option in place for its TorqSense range of torque sensors.

Potential users can choose to rent the equipment, rather than purchase it, circumventing the bottleneck of raising capital purchase approval.

And to help companies along, if they decide that they want to hold onto a sensor for longer than anticipated, Sensor Technology will convert the rental to a sale, with a percentage of the hire fee already paid offset against the purchase price.

Managed Industrial Ethernet switches offer PROFINET performance Red Lion has introduced a new 8-port Gigabit managed Industrial Ethernet switch series. The NT4008 series switches are certified to meet PROFINET PNIO v2.34 Conformance Class-B standards to ensure seamless integration into PROFINET networks using standard PLC configuration and management tools.

The switches are UL Class 1, Division 2 and ATEX listed for use in hazardous

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February 2021

and ordinary locations, ABS certified for shipboard applications and EN50155 certified for rail applications, ensuring reliable operation in nearly any environment. The IP-30 metal DIN-Rail enclosures, redundant 12–58 VDC power inputs, wide -40 to 75°C operating temperature ranges and up to 50G shock resistance handle even the most extreme industrial conditions.

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Control Engineering Europe

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Modular all-in-one industrial PC IO-Link radar

sensors for level measurement

With its all-in-one solutions (AIO), Phoenix Contact can offer IP65-rated fanless industrial PCs with closed die-cast aluminum housings and integrated Profisafe functionality.

The HD resolution screen can be operated even when wearing thick gloves. The glass surface increases the robustness of the capacitive technology with regard to aggressive cleaning agents and sharp objects.

The AIO devices contain Intel Core i5 processors which makes them capable of implementing demanding tasks such as

machine control, process visualisation, or quality assurance.

Upon request, a keyboard module can be used to expand the industrial PCs by up to 11 buttons or switches, which can be used for USB connections, key switches, or other functions. If the user would like to incorporate the operating solution into an existing Profinet network, a gigabit-capable switch with Profinet and Profisafe function is available to forward the data. A signal light can also be integrated into the operating concept.

Increasing operational certainty in emergency shutdown situations Emerson has released the ASCO 141 series of Advanced Redundant Control System (ARCS) which provides a redundant solution for a variety of emergency shutdown valve applications.

The solution includes various redundant solenoid configurations to enhance the reliability of the process and meet specific safety or reliability requirements in automation processes.

ARCS is said to be the only safety system in the industry with individual valve isolation for online maintenance without process interruption and the single inlet/ single outlet design provides a streamlined installation process compared to traditional bypass systems, while almost eliminating Control Engineering Europe

potential failure points.

The system has been designed for use as a component in safety instrumented systems. Utilising 1oo2, 2oo2 or 2oo3 voting solenoids to enhance the reliability of the circuit, it functions as a redundant pneumatics tripping device to control the pilot air signal to a process valve actuator. It features either two or four electrically actuated solenoid valves, visual indicators and a manually controlled bypass or isolation valve.

A direct-acting platform with advanced diagnostic capability and online maintenance features, ARCS is said to be suitable for a wide variety of valve piloting applications – meeting both safety and operational availability requirements.

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A new family of IO-Link-capable radar sensors complete Turck’s portfolio for level measurement in the 0.35 to 10m range. The new LRS510 sensors include protection to IP67/69K, making them suitable for level applications in factory automation when alternatives such as optical or ultrasonic sensors are unsuitable due to disturbance factors such as dust, wind or light.

The freely radiating LRS radar sensor offers detailed analysis functions which were previously only possible in the high-end radar sensors. The absence of a metal guide probe enables the sensor to be used in hygiene applications and simplifies commissioning.

The sensors are available with either two switching outputs or with one switching and one analogue output.

Thanks to the additional IO-Link interface and intelligent decentralised signal preprocessing, all variants can provide additional information for processing in condition monitoring applications, including temperature values, operating hours or switching cycles.

Users of Turck’s IO-Link master can call up the Radar Monitor via the IODD configurator without the need for any additional software. The browserbased configuration tool graphically displays the measurement curve of the sensor and offers plain text access to all relevant parameters. This makes it possible to mask out interference signals or to align with the real-time feedback of the sensor to maximise the reliability of level measurement in challenging applications.

February 2021

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COVER STORY

sponsored article

THE CLOUD PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE ‘NEW NORMAL’

The world of automation is in a state of transition, today more than ever before.

Flexible work models, contact limitations and travel restrictions, along with the steady growth of production efficiency and diversity are forcing manufacturers to change how they think. With a new version of its engineering framework and an easy-touse and flexible cloud solution, Siemens helps its customers keep pace with industrial digitalisation trends, says Stephan Schott, marketing manager Siemens Digital Factory.

T

he way we work is changing.

What was still virgin territory for many companies just a few years ago has in many cases now become a commonplace work mode. We’re talking about buzzwords like mobile work independent of location from a home office and, in the industrial setting operations like virtual commissioning and remote maintenance. We’re facing special challenges, and they need unique and creative solutions.

The digital applications that we enjoy as end-users often access cloud platforms in the background to guarantee their optimal and flexible use. Successful streaming platforms, for example, have frequently shifted much of their capacity to cloud platforms. Industry needs to catch up on what’s already happening in the private sector. Cloud solutions are of inestimable value both today and in the future for meeting the challenges facing industry: for example, in automation.

When IT and automation merge May of this year is when it all happens!

That date will mark the launch of TIA Portal V17 (Totally Integrated Automation Portal). In November of last year, the industrial world got its first glimpse of the new engineering framework version at Siemens Digital Enterprise SPS Dialog.

Steady advances in digitalisation in both the private and industrial spheres require and allow us to take this another step ahead: It’s already apparent that

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February 2021

the worlds of automation and IT are merging more and more. As a result, software business models already well-known in IT are gaining ground.

In the private sphere, we’ve known about them for years as the cloudbased solutions that store our music and photos. Beginning in May of 2021, Siemens will provide a flexible, cloudbased engineering solution for industrial automation: TIA Portal Cloud.

All versions, all options With TIA Portal Cloud, users will automatically get fast access to the latest

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TIA Portal version (V17) and to previous versions: TIA Portal V16 and TIA Portal V15.1. However, even older versions will be made available so that existing customers who have earlier versions running in their machines and plants can reap all the benefits of TIA Portal Cloud. TIA Portal Cloud also provides all available TIA Portal options, including the failsafe engineering software Simatic Step7 Safety, Simatic Energy Suite for energy monitoring, and Simatic S7-PLCSIM Advance for simulating and testing the user program in a virtual controller. Along with these familiar Control Engineering Europe

COVER STORY

sponsored article

options, however, the cloud version also contains option packages that may be unknown to some customers, like Simatic Visualization Architect (SiVArc).

By using TIA Portal Cloud, customers therefore benefit from all TIA Portal versions, including all available options for the engineering framework. All engineering and simulation scenarios are covered in the cloud, and they provide users with an easy and highperformance test environment for TIA Portal scenarios.

More than just a cloud Especially in times when the ability to work remotely is essential, even across national boundaries and time zones, cloud-based solutions can help companies take an important step forward. TIA Portal Cloud offers real added value in this regard and guarantees a fast and straightforward introduction to TIA Portal engineering, made possible by the easy use of TIA Portal and all its options and the fast provision of the appropriate TIA Portal versions. Web-based access to TIA Portal Engineering in the cloud allows customers to use the solution flexibly from any location. All the customer needs is Internet access, an up-to-date browser, and PC or tablet hardware.

The user simply signs in to immediately access all TIA Portal versions and options from anywhere without having to go to the trouble of installing anything.

TIA Portal Cloud not only maximises flexibility and ease of use, its cloudbased engineering solution also eliminates time-consuming updates because the latest versions are always available. Considering the enormous amounts of data needed for installation and updates, this offers companies tremendous added value. To complete the new product range, the solution also includes cloud-based data storage for TIA Portal projects. Programming work can always be stored in a cloud memory making it available everywhere, and the user benefits from easier handling via a central and secure data repository. Upto-date security standards are applied Control Engineering Europe

both to the connection to the cloud and to the cloud storage and protect our customers intellectual property and knowledge.

Demand-driven license models Starting in May, a new payment model will be offered that also provides enormous added value for users. In the past, a local TIA Portal installation contained a one-time purchase license. With the launch of TIA Portal V17 and TIA Portal Cloud in May, there will now be an additional, demand-driven payment model that can be flexibly adapted to the customer’s objective and requirements.

Similar models are already being used in IT and in the consumer sector. For example, streaming services offer a basic function as well as a subscription that can be cancelled at the end of a monthly period. A variety of office applications offer various subscriptions that are adapted to the needs of private individuals, companies, students, and families.

By transferring this model to the TIA Portal engineering framework, we are taking a decisive step. Customers will soon be able to access whatever they need for integrated engineering in a targeted manner.

As of May this year, customers will have the choice between two licensing models for TIA Portal V17. When purchasing a TIA Portal V17 license, users can choose between the well know perpetual license model with optional software update service and the new annual subscription model. The subscription model for the on-premise TIA Portal version will be designed for packages tailored to the requirements of a wide range of customer types, from small-scale customers to large companies, from single machines to complex plants, and from simple control tasks to simulations and energy management.

A similar option will be offered for

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TIA Portal Cloud. In this case, the services used will be billable either through a monthly subscription or on a pay-per-use basis: in other words, billed by the hour depending on usage.

Added-value utilisation models The introduction of a variety of flexible license models isn’t simply a trend that industry is unwilling to ignore: We believe that it’s essential to develop these models because they offer companies real added value.

Subscription models for TIA Portal and TIA Portal Cloud provide users with the huge benefit of a small initial investment. The subscriptions make it possible to turn investment costs (CAPEX) for engineering software into lower annual or monthly operating costs (OPEX). The license models are also extremely flexible: If a short-term project only requires one specific option, TIA Portal and TIA Portal Cloud subscriptions can be purchased for just one month or one year.

To meet the challenges of our times, it’s especially important for industrial companies to offer their employees the option of flexible work independent of location – so why not use the many benefits of digitalisation and rely on cloud-based engineering solutions?

After all, a number of cloud solutions are already making things easier for us in private life: It’s time to take this step in industrial automation as well and use digitalisation to meet our current and future challenges.

For further details go to: https://sie.ag/3nVeu3d February 2021

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FOCUS ON AIoT

WHAT COULD THE AIoT OFFER INDUSTRY? Control Engineering Europe spoke to industry experts to find out more about the AIoT and what opportunities it might offer in industrial applications.

T

he Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) refers to the adoption of AI capabilities in Internet of Thing (IoT) applications. In simple terms, while the Internet of Things (IoT) is reactive, Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) is proactive. The AIoT relates to the combination of AI and the IoT with the goal of achieving greater efficiency in complex operations – it looks to improve human and machine interactions and to enhance data driven decision making. AIoT also adds a ‘brain’ to the Cloud and the Edge.

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Q: What effect do you think AIoT will have within the industrial sector?

Giuseppe Surace, chief product and marketing officer at Eurotech (GS): AI technologies help companies to leverage the potential of the huge amount of data generated by devices, assets or ‘things’. Immediately sending all this data to the cloud or a data center would require an adequate infrastructure, which would be expensive to deploy and maintain, without taking bandwidth and latency issues into account. Bringing AI, machine and deep learning closer to

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the source of data can help businesses to provide a meaning to the data collected in the field to turn it into actionable business decisions.

James H. Chappell, global head of AI and Advanced Analytics at AVEVA (JC): Fundamentally, as companies adopt AIoT they will become more efficient, reduce costs, and improve overall operations including accuracy and safety – and by reducing wastage and reducing their carbon emission during these complex operations they will become more sustainable. AI uses a wide variety of historical data Control Engineering Europe

FOCUS ON AIoT to analyse trends, and this can help streamline and improve processes.

Pete Sopcik, ADI OtoSense marketing manager at Analog Devices (PS): AIoT is having a significant impact on several key areas in the industrial ecosystem – faster decision making; reduced infrastructure costs; and improved security architectures. Each of these benefits are driven by the ability of AIoT to deliver insights at the edge.

on finished goods. Customers are creating models of their assets coming off the production line and testing these assets to validate operation prior to shipping to customers. Such applications are paving the way for broader adoption of AIoT solutions that are more tightly integrated with the manufacturing ecosystem, optimising maintenance strategies, process control and manufacturing operations.

Q: In what sort of time-frame do you expect to see AIoT technologies being adopted in the industrial sector?

GS: AI is already moving to the IoT edge thanks to the advances in edge computing technologies. By connecting field devices to powerful edge computers, there is no need to send all the data to the cloud or data center, as it can be processed and analysed on site. Although we are still far away from seeing completely autonomous applications (like level 5 autonomous driving), there will be a consistent leap in the amount of data processed at the edge over the next 5-10 years.

JC: AIoT is already being used in the industrial sector, but it is still in its infancy. Predictive analytics uses supervised machine learning to understand an asset’s individual operating history and develops a series of normal operational profiles for each specific piece of equipment. When this is applied to the cloud it offers real-time operating data to detect the subtle changes in system behaviour that are often the early warning signs of pending equipment failure. And it’s becoming more sophisticated by bringing together cognitive technologies. For example, machine learning applied to various IoT data can detect when heavy machinery on a manufacturing line is not operating at its peak.

PS: We are already witnessing AIoT technology adoption in industrial environments. These are coming in the form of quality control applications such as monitoring end of line quality

Q: How do you expect AIoT affect the control engineering function?

GS: Even though most AI training will still happen in the cloud, there will be a need to deploy trained models to optimise field applications, such as predictive maintenance and robotics.

The challenge is providing AI models with the right data. As AI training and inference happens at a software level, the role of control engineers will be crucial to provide that software with quality data to improve the machine and deep learning models.

JC: In order to get the most value from AIoT, it is important to understand what it can do today, and it is equally important to understand what it cannot provide. By matching business use cases to AI capabilities, companies can pragmatically leverage the power of AI in order to achieve maximum benefit with realistic and beneficial results. For example, a company having issues with unplanned operational downtime can leverage AI to provide early detection of issues based on the data provided by sensors they may already have in place. Furthermore, they can leverage techniques such as deep learning to provide forecasts of an asset’s remaining useful life in order to better assess situational risk. By following best practices and integrating AI intelligence into business operations – through the Cloud – companies can maximise the benefits and value of their investments.

PS: AIoT will play an important role in how control engineering

Control Engineering Europe

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impacts the industrial environment and adapts to new technologies that drive expanding capabilities. AIoT will drive tighter integration between assets and process optimisation. Faster decision times lead to better control.

Analytics on each product – not just sample sizes – will deliver better insights and improved accuracies of the manufacturing and quality control processes that govern the industrial environment.

Control engineers will need to continue the integration of these connected devices and improved information into the industrial ecosystem while also playing a key role in ensuring that these analytics are appropriately applied and controlled to enable optimised, reliable and safe manufacturing conditions. Best practices and how to integrate these solutions to deliver optimal efficiencies must be considered to ensure this integration is effective and scalable.

Q: Can you offer any ideas for practical AIoT applications in the industrial sector?

GS: Predictive maintenance operations will benefit hugely from AI and AIoT. By collecting more and more data over time, maintenance processes will become increasingly efficient, leading to a consistent reduction of costs, with less waste and reduced downtimes. The more data that is used to feed a training model, the more efficient that model will become.

Another field of application of AIoT technology is robotics and machine vision. Robots and cobots make large use of camera inputs to perform their task. The more data can be processed and analysed in real time, the more their work will be efficient. This would enhance the quality of production processes, leading to better outcome, again with less waste.

JC: In order to get the most value from AIoT, companies need three primary things – a corporate culture that encourages and facilitates AI infusion into business processes;

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FOCUS ON AIoT an understanding and trust of the power of AI capabilities; and an IT infrastructure that provides the underlying data requirements and processing power needed by AI – and that includes utilising a Cloud Platform. Without all three, barriers will inherently exist to achieving maximum success.

PS: Quality control is one application that is being addressed today in various forms. Whether it is monitoring pumps, compressors, sub-assemblies or final products such as refrigerators, AIoT is enabling new insights into the machine operation to address critical quality problems.

Bringing diagnostics directly to the critical equipment in the field is another key application for AIoT. Large assets, such as aircraft engines, wind turbines and vehicles, require

service teams to go to the equipment in the field. AIoT solutions can deliver analytics at the asset in the field, leading to corrective actions that can be taken immediately. plus-circle

An enterprise-wide digital nervous system is finally emerging While the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) may provide a theoretical opportunity within an enterprise to receive all the relevant information needed, it does not, by itself, make that practically feasible in a scalable fashion, says Hermann Berg, head of Industrial IoT at Moxa Europe.

Using the analogy of the human nervous system, Berg points out that the IIoT is missing the pre-processing of sensory information and sometimes the autonomous responses of a human body. He said: “The brain will not receive the information that the skin on your right hand is fine, but it will get notified immediately when the sensors in your hand signal very high temperature as a result of you touching a hot stove. And, even before that the central nervous system will have triggered the reflex to withdraw the hand, before the brain has started to take further action like finding water to cool your hand.”

Berg goes on to point out that in 2018 Gartner estimated that around 10% of enterprise-generated data is created and processed outside a traditional centralised data center or cloud. By 2025, it predicts this figure will reach 75%. So, clearly local processing and edge computing has already started – in particular in applications where bandwidth to the cloud is limited or costly – or privacy or latency concerns exist, but not only there.

A common category has been around since data logging started decades ago: protocol conversion, data cleansing and other pre-processing of raw data from sensors and other equipment to turn it into useful data for downstream systems. The importance of data preprocessing and cleansing has increased significantly as

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a result of more and more powerful machine learning algorithm. Put more simply – garbage in, garbage out!

For machine learning itself there are three important categories of data types that correspond to different types of hardware requirements: Time series data: This is typically sensor and machine state data that requires accurate time stamps to derive insights from it, such as anomaly detection or predictive maintenance.

Audio: Speech recognition and event detection, for cycle counting or creating alarms, for example.

Video: Demanding neural networks apply deep learning for quality inspection and other insights derived from video cameras observing an industrial location.

For example, Moxa has seen high end artificial intelligence applications for video processing in manufacturing quality inspection scenarios and for autonomous mining trucks and outdoor patrol robots for power infrastructure, but also much less demanding local processing, based on times series data in manufacturing process optimisation.

“In most of these applications the IIoT and AI applications are not replacing the local control engineering function,” continues Berg. “IIoT and AIoT create transparency and make insights available across the company and beyond, while the current control engineering functions continue to govern the ‘local reflexes’. IIoT and AI trigger actions like anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and starting recovery and optimisation tasks without delay, while the immediate ‘reflex’ is executed by the existing local control system.

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Control Engineering Europe

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WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

CAN WIRELESS SOLUTIONS SOLVE REAL INDUSTRY PROBLEMS? Brett Binnekade discusses the use and benefits of wireless technology in automated systems, for both OEMs and end-users.

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ireless technology refers to devices that allow us to communicate without using cables or wires.

With this platform, machines are able to communicate over long distances.

Wireless technology plays a role in solving complex engineering problems – the use of modern, standards-driven wireless technologies gives access to new tools that can help transform and simplify the working lives of both designers and machine users. Wireless technology offers benefits such as costeffectiveness, freedom from wires and easy setup – but only if the technology is appropriately applied.

Despite the many benefits that wireless technology can claim, distance is a factor that should be considered when purchasing a wireless solution. At long distances, the cost and simplicity benefits of wireless trumps its counterparts by negating cost and sometimes impossible cable runs. When used at a short distance, for example 10-15m, the benefits of wireless usually do not outweigh the challenges. The cost and complexity of a short distance wireless solution is often much higher than the short cable option, even for impossible applications such as continuously rotating indexing tables, where the use of a slip ring has proven to be more robust.

For short distances, the power output of the transmitter must be set to prevent over-saturation of the receiver, but, at low power outputs, wireless solutions become more susceptible to jamming.

In wireless technology, jamming is defined as the disruption of existing wireless communications by decreased signal-to-noise ratio at receivers, through the transmission of interfering wireless signals. Jamming is different

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from regular network interferences because it is the deliberate use of wireless signals to disrupt communications.

Intentional interference is usually an act of interrupting or preventing communication in devices, so jamming can occur at different levels – from hindering transmission to distorting packets in legitimate communications.

Getting smarter The next generation of industrial advancement, which is referred to as Industry 4.0, aims to inter-connect and computerise traditional industries. The objective in Industry 4.0 is to make factories smart in terms of improved adaptability and resource efficiency, as well as the improved integration of supply and demand processes between the factories.

Wireless solutions have a significant role to play in the transformation to Industry 4.0, because they assist in moving data from point to point. But installing wireless technology alone will not give you a smart factory. There are other factors that need to come into play.

Interoperability of products from different suppliers, transparency and easy connection of network participants are key factors that help identify if a wireless solution is part of industry 4.0 methodology. Another key indicator would be if the device provides diagnosis and big data from the shop floor level to the cloud via standardised protocols such

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as MQTT and OPC-UA or AMQP. So, how is wireless connectivity achieved? In automation, wireless solutions must not only conform to a specific company’s IO-Link standards, but also international standards.

IO-Link for wireless technology is an extension of IO-Link at the physical level and defines wireless communication between sensors and controllers in the automation industry. It can also be integrated into a range of products in the industry to avoid cabling.

When incorporating wireless technology, it is vital to adhere to a standard that does not lock you in, preventing communication between brands, types and models, as this would be moving in the opposite direction to Industry 4.0.

Questions of frequency The 2.4 GHz band found in most wireless devices provides coverage at a more extended range. Many Wi-Fi enabled technologies, both in the automation industry and in a domestic setting, use the 2.4 GHz band – including microwaves, Bluetooth, garage door openers and many other devices. This is something that needs to Control Engineering Europe

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY be taken into account when considering a wireless solution.

Due to the large bandwidth consumed

by Wi-Fi devices, as few as three Wi-Fi hotspots in an area can completely consume the 2.4 Ghz band. This is a danger because when multiple devices attempt to use the band at the same time, overcrowding occurs, resulting in system faults and downtimes.

With more wireless products becoming available, the existing frequency channels are becoming ever more congested. All the wireless devices operate within frequencies that have been set aside for free use and are called ISM bands. These ISM bands, especially 2.4 Ghz, are heavily congested by devices such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

These devices all fight for channels to communicate over because only one channel or frequency can be used at a time.

Most devices use a shotgun approach and transmit at randomly

selected channels and hope for the best. If the transmission does not get through, they try again and again, which causes more congestion and delays. This phenomenon is commonly known as noise or interference. This is where frequency blacklisting and adaptive frequency hopping can help.

However, the wireless device needs the intelligence to check which frequencies are being used and selects available channels in every transmission cycle.

The lack of these features can heavily impact the performance and stability of a machine or plant.

Final thoughts In the automation industry, reliable and effective solutions are required to keep production moving. New, technologically advanced solutions are introduced to the market every day.

However, it is important to identify specific machine requirements to allow an informed decision to be made. With

wireless solutions, always consider how interference will affect the process. Delays of 250ms are common if the transmitter has to resend data due to interference and this can have a detrimental effect on a machine running at 200 parts-perminute. Besides wireless technologies, you could also explore digital solutions, such as the Festo Motion Terminal (VTEM), which is designed to solve real industry challenges.

It is also important to understand that when a device is deemed wireless, the wireless aspect of it is for data communication. The device will still require electrical power and, if it incorporates pneumatics, it will require an air supply line as well. So, as with any other aspect of automation, wireless technology requires careful consideration and planning to maximise its benefits. plus-circle Brett Binnekade is an applications engineer at Festo.

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PNEUMATICS

PNEUMATIC FLOW CONTROL GETS SMART

Reliable flow control equipment plays an essential part in the control of many manufacturing and industrial processes. Control Engineering Europe takes a closer look.

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hen managing a liquid, gas or powder process, flow control equipment, such as actuators and instrumentation, are vital. Pneumatic actuators have long been an integral part of actuation solutions.

Low emission instrumentation Valve actuators are designed to automatically and remotely control valves. They can be pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically powered.

Pneumatic actuators are well suited for use in critical high-speed fail-safe or emergency shutdown (ESD) duties in extreme or hazardous locations. There are also many instruments that are powered pneumatically which can be used as part of a smart, efficient and reliable flow control system, solenoid valves, controllers, positioners and regulators.

Low emission pneumatic controllers and an overall carbon footprint reduction are increasingly important requirements for electro-pneumatic control systems. Natural gas is an abundant pressure source, so this gas is often used as the supply for pneumatic instruments. It is normal for pneumatic devices to bleed some natural gas into the atmosphere, but the allowable emission levels of natural gas from controllers is highly regulated. The bleed rate or emissions level will mostly depend on the design of the device used. Leonardo Ongetta, product manager Limit Switch Boxes and Positioners at Rotork, explains further: “Pneumatic flow control equipment and associated instrumentation can emit fugitive emissions, so there is an increased focus within the industry on efficient and innovative equipment that can reduce this as much as possible.

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Low emission instruments that assist in efficient use of pneumatic flow control are becomming increasingly popular.”

Valve positioners Valve positioners play a key role within process control applications to control the position of a modulating valve. They are especially useful in process control applications thanks to their precision. They enable a rapid A smart positioner in use. response to position the valve when a command signal is received from a control system. When a control signal is different from the actuator’s position, the positioner changes the actuator to the correct position.

Valve positioners are usually mounted on the yoke or top casing of a pneumatic actuator for linear control valves or on top of the actuator for rotary control valves.

Positioners can be pneumatic or electro-pneumatic. Some have ‘smart’ digital technology with additional capabilities such as diagnostic, auto calibration and tuning functionality as well as connection to a current loop network.

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Smart positioners Pneumatic positioners receive pneumatic signals – usually 3-15 psig – from a control system. The positioner then supplies the valve actuator with the correct air pressure to move the valve to the required position. As they don’t have any electrical source, they are considered a fully mechanicalpneumatic device, following specific simplified regulations for hazardous area applications. Electro-pneumatic positioners convert current control signals to equivalent pneumatic signals.

Digital/smart positioners use a microprocessor to position the valve actuator, while monitoring and recording data. They are accurate and Control Engineering Europe

PNEUMATICS allow for online digital diagnostics.

Pneumatic smart positioners – such as Rotork’s YT-3700 and YT-3750 – employ continuous monitoring and graphic display of valve position and set point target over time within linear and rotary applications. A smart positioner like this can be used for both control and on/ off valve applications and is suited to use in critical applications in chemical/ petrochemical processes. The steady state deviation analysis that smart positioners of this type provide can detect friction in the valve or actuator, leakage in pneumatics and instances where there is insufficient supply pressure, helping to prevent inefficient usage and excess gas emissions through leakages.

“A digital smart positioner is well suited to pneumatic valve systems for linear and rotary applications, as it provides precise control as well as enhanced diagnostics, detecting friction in the valve or actuator, leakage in

the pneumatic supply and insufficient supply pressure,” continued Ongetta.

“They constantly check the integrity of the system, raising alarms if something is out of specification. Additionally, with online and offline automated testing procedures, the user can evaluate valve package health and compare with commissioning data.”

Controllers Controllers act in a similar way to a conventional positioner but control different final pneumatic elements.

They are an essential component in the control of electro-hydraulic and pneumatic valve actuators.

I/P converter I/P (electric current to pressure) converters are a key control interface for many natural gas applications, such as large compressor skids. Low emission I/P convertors convert electrical signals into accurate, stable and repeatable

pneumatic pressure for equipment such as an actuator. Controllers like this maximise efficiency and control all pneumatic components on a site in an effective and reliable way. They usually receive an analogue input signal of 4 to 20 mA delivered from the controller.

Conclusion Reliable flow control instrumentation plays an essential role in many industries, such as pharmaceutical, oil and gas, power, water and chemical applications. Many of these instrumentation systems are pneumatically powered. This is largely because natural gas is often used in the application and is therefore easily available. Excess fugitive emissions that can be associated with using natural gas can be managed through innovation in the design of efficient pneumatic instruments. Such designs include low emission I/P convertors and digital smart positioners. plus-circle

Control, Instrumentaion and Automation in the Process and Manufacturing Industries

To maximise exposure, contact Adam Yates on: Tel: 01732 359990 Email: adam.yates@imlgroup.co.uk

PROCESS CONTROL

DCS SOLUTION: FROM SKIDS TO PLANTWIDE CONTROL Suzanne Gill finds out more about a distributed control system (DCS) solution that is well suited to use more widely throughout a manufacturing plant, than traditional iterations of the technology.

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hile Distributed Control System (DCS) technology advances over the years have paralleled those of other automation technologies, because DCS solutions are employed to control continuous processes, which often requires 24/7 operation for many years non-stop, the opportunities for upgrades are limited and many control engineers will not be willing to risk upgrades while the process is running, despite the fact that it is possible to do.

Because the cost of any downtime is likely to be huge, the process industry is generally more conservative than other manufacturing sectors and any system changes tend to be small, incremental enhancements rather than a wholesale change.

“What we are seeing on many DCS controlled processing lines is a move to more open systems and more interaction with other technologies,” explained Richard Sturt, solution architect manager at Rockwell Automation. “In line with smart factory goals, there are now many smart devices being integrated into the field and this provides more data that filters up through the plant’s control systems and, when turned into information, this data can help the control engineer to run a better system.”

Process challenges today remain the same as they did 10 years ago and today’s DCS solutions still need to fulfil many of the same functions as their predecessors. In the early days of the technology, DCS was costly to implement and so its use was restricted to high end applications and it was very specialist.

“More recently, DCS applications have broadened out so in relative terms system costs have reduced,” continued Sturt.

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“This means that the technology is starting to find new areas of application and can be applied more widely throughout a manufacturing plant.”

Responding to this need Rockwell has recently launched PlantPAx 5.0 – its first dedicated process control product. The PlantPAx 5.0 family consists of two dedicated process control products. “The range is still based on the company’s Logix controller technology but is now, in effect, a Logix superset. The addition of new CPUs offer more process capabilities,” said Sturt.

The PlantPAx 5.0 family includes a solution aimed at smaller scale applications – on process skids, for example. This effectively allows skid builders to employ the same technology on the skid that is used on the plant’s main DCS, offering huge integration benefits. Further, the use of identical operator interfaces means there will be a similar look and feel across the plant for users.

By far the biggest cost of developing a process control system has been engineering hours, so PlantPAx 5.0 includes features to help reduce this time-consuming task. It features built in functionality as standard aimed at reducing engineering effort. Traditionally, for a typical control system, up to 35% of the code writing requirement would relate to diagnostics and any code created would need to be updated in the event of any system changes. To reduce

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this effort, PlantPAx 5.0 makes automatic diagnostics available at the click of a button for all Rockwell components – which means they can automatically send fault messages to the DCS in the event of a problem.

This modern DCS solution provides a wide range of architecture options for increased flexibility. It is based on secured, open communication standards, using EtherNet/IP as its backbone which makes real-time information readily available throughout the enterprise.

Today analytics form the basis of strategies to realise profit from the process operation. PlantPAx DCS has purpose-built frameworks that easily connect live and historical data from the DCS into reporting and analytical tools. Frameworks enable extended experiences, such as augmented reality, using workflows aligned with process strategies controlling plant operations.

The system allows users to adopt a scalable analytics strategy by leveraging predictive and prescriptive models for process applications such as soft sensors, anomaly detection, or model predictive control. plus-circle Control Engineering Europe

NEW

DATE

NCED U O N AN

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SAVE THE DATE! 2nd June 2021 at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (Daytime Event) & Doubletree by Hilton (Awards Evening), Coventry The Appetite for Engineering conference continues to provide delegates with a unique forum to learn from their peers about the latest technology innovations and the best engineering practices for today and tomorrow. In the evening the Food Processing Awards event offers a further opportunity to network with food industry end-users and engineering experts and to celebrate innovation and engineering excellence within food and beverage production.

For more information contact:

Trevor Southerden

01732 359990 trevor.southerden@imlgroup.co.uk www.appetite4eng.co.uk

HAZARDOUS AREAS

UNDERSTANDING THE ATEX AND IECEx SCHEMES

Lee Ray looks at the standards that need to be adhered to in relation to environments which pose a risk of fire or explosion.

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ue to the use of flammable gases, vapours or combustible dusts, some modern industrial environments pose an increased risk of fire and explosion. Within the EU, compliance with the ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU) is required, and in other markets the IECEx Equipment Certification Scheme applies.

Like all EU Directives, the ATEX Directive generally relies on the application of relevant standards to assess technical compliance. Compliance with the technical requirements of EU harmonised standards provides a presumption of conformity with the Directive’s essential requirements. As EU Directives are transposed into National Law, the UK already has a legal system in place that applies. The actual standards will remain the same as EU harmonised standards and will be carried across as UK designated standards to maintain a single standards model.

In cases where relevant harmonised standards do not exist, manufacturers are required to apply other EU standards, or applicable national or international standards. In rare cases, where a particular product is not covered by any existing standard, a manufacturer is required to complete a thorough evaluation of the product to demonstrate compliance.

Under the provisions of the ATEX Directive, evidence of compliance is generally demonstrated by the issuance of a Declaration of Conformity, from the manufacturer or supplier, based on an independent technical assessment.

Special requirements apply to electrical products intended for use in high risk areas. The task of demonstrating compliance with the ATEX Directive rests with the party responsible for introducing a product into the EU

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marketplace. This is typically the product manufacturer, but it may also be an importer or wholesaler.

Annex II of the ATEX directive addresses design and construction requirements for equipment and protective systems. However, the specific technical requirements to demonstrate compliance for various types of equipment and operating environments are found in nearly 100 individual harmonised standards. Depending on the equipment and its intended use, this means that more than one harmonised standard may be applicable to the evaluation and certification process.

Updated harmonised standards lists are published periodically in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Annex I identifies three equipment categories, which depend on the environment in which the equipment is to be used. Cat 1 and 2 electrical equipment must be tested and certified by an EU Notified Body (NB), and an NB-certified quality system must also be maintained. Cat 2 and 3 non-electrical equipment does not require NB involvement, but technical documentation must be stored with an ATEX NB.

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The IECEx Scheme Equipment certified in connection with the voluntary IECEx Certified Equipment Scheme meets the regulatory requirements of more than 30 countries. In addition, the IECEx System has been endorsed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). As a result, nonIECEx member countries can implement legal frameworks into their respective national legislation, simply by adopting the IECEx System and Schemes. Under the System, regulatory authorities in member countries accept certifications issued by IECEx-recognised Certification Bodies, regardless of their location.

The primary goals of the IECEx Scheme are to reduce testing and certification cost, speed up market access for new products and equipment, and increase international acceptance of product assessment results. The Scheme achieves these goals through the issuance of an International Certificate of Conformity.

Under the IECEx Scheme, testing and assessment activities are carried out by IECEx-approved Testing Laboratories, with certifications issued

by IECEx- approved Certification Control Engineering Europe

HAZARDOUS AREAS Bodies. Assessment is based exclusively on compliance with standards issued

by Technical Committee (TC) 31 of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Self-certification of products is not accepted under the IECEx scheme.

Equipment certification under the IECEx Certified Equipment Scheme is based on a compliance assessment with the technical requirements found in the IEC 60079 series of standards (electrical products); the IEC 80079 series of standards for non-electrical products; and the application of quality systems which have been developed by TC 31. However, the IECEx scheme only assesses electrical equipment against the technical requirements of IEC standards issued by TC 31. This restriction can present an insurmountable hurdle for manufacturers of highly specialised electrical equipment, for which a relevant standard does not yet exist.

The IECEx Scheme classifies equipment according to the hazardous environment areas where specific equipment can be used. Equipment Protection Level (EPL) Ga/Da and Gb/Db corresponds with the ATEX Categories 1 and 2 respectively, while Gc/Dc corresponds with the requirements of ATEX Cat 3.

The IECEx conformity mark is evidence that a manufacturer’s products have

been independently assessed against the additional requirements of the IECEx conformity mark licensing system.

The mark license number is issued to a manufacturer by an accepted IECEx certification body (ExCB) that has entered into a mark license agreement with the IEC. The use of IEC standards and independent third-parties for testing, assessment and certification are essential elements in the widespread acceptance of IECEx- certified equipment. Indeed, in countries that do not participate in the IECEx System, or which still require separate national testing and certification, IECEx equipment tests and assessment reports are widely accepted by regulatory officials, which may eliminate the need for duplicate testing.

Conformity route The ATEX Directive’s conformity assessment process provides a certification route for a broad range of electrical and non-electrical equipment. It also offers significant latitude in the technical assessment of non-conventional equipment through the use of a technical construction file. This can be especially important to manufacturers of customised equipment, or equipment specifically

designed for unique applications.

Other considerations include restrictions on the use and acceptance of previously generated ATEX test data.

Under the IECEx Scheme, equipment must be tested and certified by IECExapproved Testing Laboratories and Certification Bodies, and evidence of prior testing conducted by an EU Notified Body is not acceptable.

However, EU NBs located in IECEx member countries are required to accept test reports generated by IECEx-approved Testing Laboratories in support of an ATEX certification submittal.

Given these considerations, the preferred conformity assessment path for many manufacturers has traditionally involved first obtaining equipment certification under the IECEx Certified Equipment Scheme. The IECEx testing data is then be submitted to an EU NB as part of the ATEX certification process. This path would still require that certain ATEX- specific requirements are met, such as those related to equipment marking and documentation. However, the effort involved is relatively small compared with other alternatives. plus-circle Lee Ray is operations manager for Industrial Products (UK) at TÜV SÜD.

Stay in touch with an IS Bluetooth remote speaker microphone Clear communication at all times is particularly important for lone workers in hazardous areas. ECOM Instruments, a Pepperl+Fuchs brand, offers a wireless Bluetooth remote speaker microphone (RSM) with an operating time of up to 78 hours beside the wired RSM-Ex 01.

The intrinsically-safe RSM-Ex 01 BT Z0 comes with an IP65/67 rating and a built-in noise reduction function.

It produces clear, high-volume audio up to 103 dB. The remote speaker microphone is robust and ergonomic. It is intuitive and easy to use, even when wearing gloves.

The built in BT interface allows a connection to industrial BT devices such as radios, tablets and smartphones, in addition to current and future ECOM products.

The speaker microphone provides additional buttons such as chanel up/down which allows for easy channel Control Engineering Europe

switching on the RSM and it is lone worker ready with the provision of a red SOS button. Further, if combined with the Ex-Handy 10 Series by ECOM, the RSM-Ex 01 BT Z0 allows individual button settings for sending custom commands to servers and other IoT switches. This allows workers to perform frequently performed tasks, such as opening a gate, with a single keystroke.

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MACHINE VISION

SURFACE QUALITY CHECK FOR BEARING BALLS

The Center of Device Development, at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research, has developed a fully automated checking system for bearing balls. Find out more...

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igh-precision ball bearings need to meet special tribological requirements to ensure their long-term, faultfree performance in drive technology – for example in gearboxes without lubricants.

Currently, ceramic ball bearings offer the best technical properties for such applications.

Production of the bearing components, and the bearing balls in particular, requires high precision and process reliability. Even the slightest deviation from the optimum shape or the desired surface quality can cause bearing damage and failures.

To minimise risk, the Center of Device Development (CeDeD) at

the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC) has created a fully automated, robot-based inspection system for one bearing ball manufacturer.

The Ceramic Ball Check System (CBCS) has been in operation since the beginning of 2019 and its performance largely depends on the built-in machine vision systems.

The developers at the Fraunhofer Institute split the complete bearing ball check into two separate units – In the first step, the components’ roundness is checked in accordance with the standards, followed by quality control of the ball surfaces in the second step. The exact feeding of the bearing balls to the respective

testing module, the passing-on of defect-free balls and the ejection of faulty products is carried out by a robot. The required testing speed of the system resulted from the preceding manufacturing process: the developers’ goal for the entire system was 2,000 balls per hour.

Besides the requirement for speed, the properties of the ceramic balls posed further challenges for the machine vision system.

The surfaces to be measured are highly reflective and require a special illumination system that minimises the reflections in order to solve the various measurement tasks. In addition, the system had to be flexible, as various standardised ball sizes – with

Inspection solution for complex piping The interior of pipelines that carry hazardous material often need to be inspected for corrosion and other defects using videoscopes. However, long and complex piping can be especially difficult to navigate and inspect due to multiple bends in the pipework and potential obstructions.

Olympus believes it can offer a solution to this problem with the IPLEX GAir long videoscope, which is said to combine maneuverability with wide-viewing images to enable fast and accurate long-distance inspections of complex pipe systems.

To quickly reach the inspection target the guide head of the videoscope enables it to slide easily through pipe joints while pneumatic articulation provides fine control, even when the 30m insertion tube is

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fully extended. To enable easy inspection, a gravity sensor automatically rotates the onscreen image, regardless of the scope’s orientation, while the insertion length indicator tracks how far the videoscope has been extended.

The chosen image sensor, ultra-bright LED illumination and image processing software help to ensure clear wideview images to enable users to see more in a single view. For an even wider view, an optional 220° fish-eye optical tip adaptor is available to show both the pipe’s side wall and forward view at the same time.

For dangerous or hazardous

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inspections, such as inside nuclear power plants, it is possible to set up the videoscope and control it remotely from a safe location, up to 100m. The videoscope’s touch screen can be detached from the main unit and positioned up to 5m away, while wireless capabilities makes it easy to share screen images.

Control Engineering Europe

MACHINE VISION

The Center for Device Development has developed a fully automated, robotbased system for testing ceramic bearing balls made of silicon nitride.

diameters of between 3 to 10mm – had to be tested with it. These were very demanding requirements for a fully automated quality inspection system.

The design team understood that the reliable inspection of bearing balls at the required speed would only be possible with the help of a machine vision system: “In the past, we have implemented around 50 systems in seven different application areas, each one tailored to the customers’ needs and in use all over the world,” explained Dr. Andreas Diegeler, head of CeDeD. “Machine vision has always been a core element of our measuring systems.”

Despite the in-house expertise in plant engineering with integrated image processing and in-house software development, Diegeler did not consider himself and his team as being imaging experts – instead they rely on STEMMER IMAGING. “At the beginning of the project, we undertook intensive research to find out which providers had the required service portfolio,” said Diegeler. “Our starting point was the special illumination we needed because of the bearing balls’ reflections. The manufacturer of the appropriate lighting technology for this project was a STEMMER IMAGING partner, so we were able to obtain all the vision system components from a single source.”

The vision experts were able to offer the special lenses used, the cameras and the software for evaluating the recorded images as a package that was precisely tailored to meet specific requirements, and they were also able to provide support in programming the system.

“STEMMER IMAGING’s machine vision knowledge was particularly evident in the required combination of the two measurement modules,” said Diegeler.

Control Engineering Europe

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Diegeler sees promising opportunities for the future, particularly in the enhancement of the Common Vision Blox software library to include artificial intelligence.

The system is able to three-dimensionally measure with an accuracy of 0.3 μm. To achieve this level of accuracy, high-precision camera systems, with a resolution of 1 µm, are used.

Deviations from the standardised roundness and various surface defects – such as scratches, breaks, dents or colour deviations – must be reliably detected. According to Diegeler, one of the major challenges is that the system works with high precision and is able to detect any deviation. He said: “The system’s cleanliness is vital because otherwise even the tiniest grain of dust could be identified as a defect. This means that the bearing ball production must be optimised in this respect too”.

The test routine automatically evaluates deviations from the specified standard values. If the specified tolerances for ball shape or surface quality are exceeded, the defective balls are sorted out accordingly. This enables quality controls and conclusions to be drawn about any process errors during ongoing production. Here, the integration of vision components into the system via OPC-UA was a prerequisite for digitalised production and allows for adjustments to be made for individual tasks. plus-circle

PC-BASED CONTROL

PC-BASED CONTROL DRIVES AGV ADVANCES

A comprehensive PC-based control solution has enabled a Chinese technology company to develop better-performing products more efficiently and is also helping them meet the requirements of Industry 4.0 and the Made in China 2025 initiative.

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s the industrial sector continues to evolve rapidly, the need for flexible and intelligent logistics systems is on the rise. Driverless transport systems have an important role to play in this arena. Suzhou i-Cow Intelligent Logistics Technology Co has addressed this market with the development of a range of driverless forklifts equipped with a laser-based navigation system, designed to meet the needs of automated warehouse logistics across a wide range of industries. The company also offers custom solutions, which offers automated guided vehicle (AGV) manufacturers and integrators custom solutions to incorporates i-Cow’s core technology into their own hardware.

Laser navigation The core challenge for advanced AGV systems used in warehouse logistics is to navigate flexibly and efficiently through the racks of inventory. One solution is computer-aided vehicle control based on laser technology, which enables vehicles to navigate freely within the warehouse space and also offers cost advantages, because it does not rely on fixtures embedded in the floor. i-Cow’s laser-guided AGVs can automatically pick up and deposit goods on warehouse shelves. The laser navigation system works with just a single vehicle, but it is capable of supporting multiple vehicles when combined with a traffic management system.

To meet the tough technical challenges involved in this type of navigation, i-Cow’s system relies on PC-based control technology from Beckhoff. The system is controlled by

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With TwinCAT 3 PLC HMI, operators can enter AGV parameters and identify storage rack loading errors in an easy-to-use interface.

an embedded PC with a dual-core Intel Atom CPU running TwinCAT 3 software and incorporates a control panel with a 5.7in touchscreen for visualisation and operator interaction. The TwinCAT 3 PLC HMI provides a user interface for configuration of AGV parameters, AGV positioning, and troubleshooting problems occurring at rack locations in the warehouse. To achieve the levels of speed and precision needed for laser-based navigation, the system employs oversampling terminals that benefit from Beckhoff’s eXtreme Fast Control (XFC) technology. A TwinSAFE solution that integrates safety features seamlessly into the overall system was also supplied.

The compact embedded PC handles all the control functions required for laser navigation. It replaces a

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conventional navigation-control system and communication module which reduced both space requirements and costs. The software functionality includes a laser navigation algorithm and a control loop for AGV drive and steering axes, both written in C++ code, plus control logic for a single AGV, the PLC/HMI for visualisation, planning software, and a TCP/IP communication program for the automatic charging station.

“We chose the CX5130 for its performance, range of interfaces and compact design. As a DIN railmounted embedded PC, it takes up less space than the previous control systems. Another advantage is that the Beckhoff bus terminal system supports a variety of fieldbuses, including CANopen and PROFIBUS, Control Engineering Europe

PC-BASED CONTROL

An Embedded PC with EtherCAT and TwinSAFE terminals provides a compact control solution for the AGV system: Pictures courtesy Suzhou i-Cow Intelligent Logistics Technology, China.

so it is compatible with our existing peripheral devices,” said Yongping Pan, head of Research and Development at i-Cow. “In addition, the embedded PC has Ethernet ports and supports a variety of protocols, making it easier for us to implement wireless communication.”

When an AGV is navigating by laser, a built-in laser scanner performs rapid rotating sweeps to capture reflective markers located around the operating area. The exact position of the AGV can only be computed once a sufficient number of markers have been scanned. Precise, high-speed, scanning is vital. To achieve this, i-Cow uses an XFC EtherCAT digital input terminal with oversampling. This solution enables up to 1,000 sampling operations in 1 ms – which corresponds to a sampling cycle of 1 µs – it supports exceptionally high-resolution targetvalue and actual-value acquisition that meets the high-speed requirements of laser navigation.

Higher performance The ability to programme in C++ and to call up modules has simplified both the development process in general and migration of the navigation control algorithm in particular. In addition, due to its flexibility and Control Engineering Europe

modular design, TwinCAT 3 offers an efficient development environment suited to creating a range of software components and enables i-Cow engineers to work collaboratively as a team.

“The ability to work with C/C++ as a programming language is valuable for us because we’ve gained a lot of experience with it over the years and it allows us to implement complex function blocks. If a process lets us code in C++, we can embed the function blocks quickly and easily in TwinCAT 3, as is the case with the laser navigation code, which is written in C++. TwinCAT 3 also allows individual program tasks to be distributed across multiple CPU cores. This means that the computing power of multi-core CPUs can be leveraged to enable programs to execute faster,” explained.

Zhifei Yu, head of i-Cow’s development department.

Saving time and money Although AGVs with laser navigation can take on much of the workload in a warehouse, they still need to work alongside people, so collision protection is crucial. Here, i-Cow has opted to deploy a comprehensive solution using Beckhoff’s TwinSAFE open and scalable safety technology.

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The AGV chassis is fitted with safety sensors all the way round that are scanned via the input terminal. If the sensors detect an obstacle in an AGV’s safety zone while it is moving, the TwinSAFE system responds immediately, first engaging the emergency brake on the AGV’s drive axis, then cutting the power to the drive after a preset delay. “Using TwinSAFE to fully integrate a safety solution into the control technology eliminates the need for a separate safety system and all the extra effort it would have involved. Our solution reduces cabling costs and development time,” said Haixia Wang, i-Cow’s safety officer.

Since i-Cow began using Beckhoff components to implement laserbased navigation on its forklift AGVs in early 2016, collaboration between the two companies has widened and intensified. Beckfoff automation solutions are now also being implemented in magnetically guided shuttles and in vehicles for smart rack systems, both currently under development. “The PC-based automation platform’s openness and flexibility give us the latitude to solve a wide range of application problems,” concluded Wang Ping, i-Cow’s chief executive officer. plus-circle February 2021

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MINIMISING SYSTEM SECURITY GAPS

Ranbir Saini offers advice on how to identify and overcome SCADA vulnerabilities.

T

he vulnerabilities of HMI/ SCADA systems can pose a serious security threat, and the complexity of multi-layered technologies can make it difficult to completely secure manufacturing operations. While the inherent safe design of most HMI/SCADA systems does offer some protection, they are by no means enough to fully protect systems.

So, it is important for companies to better understand where vulnerabilities exist within their systems and to take a proactive approach to address those susceptible areas.

The HMI/SCADA market has been evolving, with functionality, scalability, and interoperability at the forefront.

These technology advances are also increasingly complex, and industry standards have emerged to help fill the void of improving security. Part of the challenge, however, is knowing where to start in securing the entire system.

To minimise existing security gaps it is important to understand where potential vulnerabilities typically lie within the system. The inherent security of system designs does minimise risks.

Fundamental principles and canons of engineering mandate safe and reliable systems. This ensures a basic level of security to protect against an intruder. Engineers design systems with intentionally broken automated chains – meaning in some cases functions require physical confirmation prior to the software performing commands and in other cases, the SCADA software only does a portion of the command, requiring one or many additional manual steps to execute the function.

Inherent system security is best surmised at the software and hardware levels.

A general design rule system engineers apply for all levels of a system

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can be boiled down to ‘if a single point of failure exists, protect it or provide secondary means,’ so design philosophies typically drive a holistically safe and secure environment, which can severely impede an intruder’s ability at the HMI/SCADA level to impact the entire system. So, there are basically four steps a manufacturer can take to identify vulnerabilities: Examine your field assets – particularly older remote components: How does your SCADA solution communicate with them? Can this be secured? Is the control network adequately separated from other networks? Where are the points of entry/failure? Are there redundant options?

Examine your IT assets: Are the services/software running on an asset the minimum needed to maintain functionality? How secure is that software and does the software employ passwords, biometrics or retina protection? Do you have easy access to the operating system and SCADA system patches? Is this automatic?

Examine your change management software policy: What is the policy for implementing an operating system and SCADA patches – does it cover all assets? Are all assets protected (covered by firewalls and anti-virus software)?

How easy is it to manage user accounts across all layers of software – is there an integrated system that includes the operating system and software products or does each product have separate user accounts and passwords?

Examine your access control: Does your SCADA software allow anonymous client connections? Is there a robust login policy with regular renewal of passwords? Does each user have an appropriate limit to their actions?

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There are basically three major elements that can factor into the strategy – communications, software, and cardware.

Communications: There are two levels of communication that exist within the system – information technology (IT) and the field, which have notable security level differences.

IT components of an HMI/SCADA system are modular, not only to allow for easy troubleshooting but also to distribute the computing load and eliminate a single point of failure. It is not uncommon to have multiple thick, thin, web, and mobile runtime clients connected to the main HMI/SCADA server hub over an internal Ethernet-based network. In some cases, systems may use external leased lines, modems, wireless, cellular, or satellite technologies as well.

The main HMI/SCADA server hub also consists of multiple networked servers to distribute the load, ensure uptime, and store the mass amount of data. With these components all networked in some way, they use standardised common protocols to transfer data – all of which are largely unencrypted, requiring weak or no authentication.

Field implementations frequently consist of a number of widely dispersed remote sites with a control or data gathering function, all connected to a central control and monitoring point.

For legacy applications, data has to be passed between the control room and the remote terminal units (RTUs) or PLCs over a network and the protocols for passing this data have frequently been developed with an emphasis on reliability and ease of implementation rather than security. Using modern protocols such as OPC UA fixes the problem as it does a great job at managing security, including certificates.

Control Engineering Europe

SCADA & HMIs

Communications between devices need to employ several layers of defence with the primary aim of making access to the data difficult and detecting if the data has been compromised.

Software: Software has become feature bloated as developers add new capabilities while maintaining all of the existing ones, increasing the complexity of software security. There are two separate but dependent software technologies in the system, the HMI/ SCADA software and the platform operating system, which have distinct differences when it comes to security.

Most HMI/SCADA software installations have either external network connections or direct Internetbased connectivity to perform remote maintenance functions and/or connect to enterprise systems. While these types of connections help companies reduce labour costs and increase the efficiency of their field technicians, it is a key entry point for anyone attempting to access with a malicious intent. Operating systems that employ elements of consumer or ‘open’ source operating systems are increasingly popular since they help reduce costs. But, open Control Engineering Europe

technologies have made proprietary custom, closed, highly secure systems a direction of the past.

Hardware: At this level, design engineers will employ many techniques to ensure safe control, either physically or through the HMI/SCADA software.

Thousands of individual devices such as RTUs and PLCs can exist in a system and are typically implemented with an areabased manual or automatic control selection; field technicians use manual control to perform maintenance or to address a software failure – locking out the software control and establishing local control. Additionally, when engineers design this level of the system, many hardware-based failsafes are built into the design, such as fusing or hardwire interlock logic to examine the local situation, so when components are commanded by the HMI/SCADA software, there is a hardware level of checks to ensure it can be executed. This protects the system from unsafe or even incorrect software control. Furthermore, many critical applications use triple and quad redundant logic controllers to ensure continuous operations.

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HMI/SCADA security is only one part of an effective cyber-security strategy.

There are many layers of automated solution suites that share data, and wherever data is shared between devices, there is a possibility for unauthorised access and manipulation of that data. There are a broad range of security-based software technologies, including biometrics, electronic signature, data encryption and domain authentication that can be implemented to augment any security positions manufacturers have implemented in the plant.

Ultimately, the key is to be proactive and enhance security using available software capabilities. However, even the safest system design and industry standards cannot secure a system 100%, and therefore, companies should not rely on them wholly to protect systems.

Instead, they should take a proactive approach to enhancing security, and a good starting point is knowing what technologies are available to help them best meet their needs. plus-circle Ranbir Saini is senior director, Digital Product Management at GE Digital.

February 2021

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SCADA CONSIDERATIONS Rashesh Mody suggests that organisations focus on four key elements when using SCADA and HMI. Pay attention to situational awareness: Problems often occur when users fail to specify and distinguish between the behaviour and interaction of their user interface – for example how a window is maximised or resized across multiple monitors, or how zooming and multi-touch panning are performed.

Realistically, a user’s acceptance of the ‘look and feel’ of a particular product will be based on a mixture of handson evaluation and conversations with existing users. So, organisations must ensure that all of the features required – including a graphics library, automation objects, faceplates, element style, and themes – exist out of the box.

Future proof design for scalability and total cost of ownership (TCO): Unlimited I/O licensing can help organisations scale for future production growth. However, they must ensure that their industrial systems are built to handle it. This can be achieved by ensuring that the SCADA system has been thoroughly tested to handle a large number of I/O points to avoid slow response times and other issues caused by a SCADA system not designed for such use. Too often the TCO is only considered at the time the project is designed and implemented. The real cost, however, relates to how long the project can continue to provide a return on investment while continuing to enable the manufacturing facility to be competitive. Built into this calculation is the cost of the ‘operational lifetime of a project,’ which considers the ability to upgrade and add new functionalities, as well as maintaining the system. Ultimately, it is vital that an organisation fully identifies

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and analyses what is required of its own internal operations as this will need to be aligned to the company’s operations, as well as its products and service offering.

Pay attention to how the product is configured: Pre-configured demo systems can be vaporware. However, a system should not be judged on this. Instead, it should be judged on its usability and day-today functionality; particularly the time it takes to perform standard day-to-day tasks – both as an administrator and an operator. Organisations should also question whether various personas with varying technical skillsets are able to perform configuration changes. A surprising number of products require the same information to be entered in multiple places. For example, a tag name might need to be manually typed as part of the RTU/PLC program and the same is also true for a database configuration, as part of a report configuration. This will result in a system that is slow and difficult to configure, and one that is also likely to contain many errors.

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Think Cloud first and mobile delivery: SCADA is an integral part of a business, not just its operations. The flow of data from the control room to the board room must be seamless. In the past, supervisory control and manufacturing information systems have not been integrated. This is changing and companies are realising that both of these investments only achieve their full potential when they are capable of seamlessly working together. Likewise, native cloud and web technologies are imperative to harness the domain expertise of multiple engineering centers.

Fundamental to a successful project implementation is the deployment of the best domain experience. It is very often necessary to use several engineering houses to build a total system – but as soon as a company does this, issues of integration, consistency and maintainability come to the forefront. plus-circle Rashesh Mody is senior vice president and head of monitoring and control at AVEVA. Control Engineering Europe

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SCADA & HMIs

SCADA: BRIDGING THE OT/IT DIVIDE Christian Nomine discusses how SCADA can overcome one of the key barriers to the digital transformation of a company’s operations.

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oday SCADA is perhaps more important than it has ever been, providing an integration bridge between the plant floor and the higher level enterprise. In an environment where commercial success depends on both plant floor and IT staff having quick and easy access to timely and relevant data, SCADA has become the enabler for efficient plant operation and effective management decisions.

Transparent communications between operational technology (OT) of the plant floor and the information technology (IT) of the higher level business systems is a fundamental requirement for the success of Industry 4.0 projects. The bridge needed to achieve this must be able to handle a range of different protocols and conversions and also deal with a mix of new and legacy technologies, as well as interface seamlessly with different database technologies and management software platforms.

Starting with a blank sheet of paper, these challenges might appear significant. However, SCADA systems have long offered the ability to communicate with multiple systems at various levels of the automation pyramid. With a library of built-in connectivity options for new and legacy components, third-party automation controllers and systems, plus data translation capabilities, SCADA can provide the important bridge between OT and IT. As the link between the plant floor and higher-level systems, SCADA provides the means to contextualise data, adding meaning to raw information. At the same

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time, it is able to transform data into an easy-to-understand graphical representation, offering improved visualisation and enhanced productivity.

Gateway for OPC UA The traditional strength of SCADA in interfacing different protocols means it can also provide a gateway for OPC UA, which has become the preferred technology for connecting the separate OT and IT worlds, and on to the Cloud. At the same time, modern SCADA systems have risen beyond the perception of a technology that is only really relevant to process industries where event times and reaction times are often far longer than in discrete manufacturing. Today’s SCADA is just as adept at providing the deterministic Ethernet or Time Sensitive Networks (TSN) interface between plant controllers.

Further, modern SCADA, in its new role of Industry 4.0 enabler, addresses another of the fundamental challenges

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of the digital transformation – security. The latest developments in SCADA enable system developers to implement a robust defence strategy against cyber attack, all as part of the natural design process rather than being a series of ad-hoc add-ons to patch perceived vulnerabilities. As a result, SCADA can provide a platform for creating advanced, integrated and secure solutions that deliver real value to the business.

Conclusion Industry 4.0 is raising the importance of SCADA platforms to become a vital part of the digital make-up of the plant. In addition to continuing to fulfil its traditional role, SCADA has become a key enabler for the digital transformation of industry and the new business models that it creates. plus-circle Christian Nomine is strategic product manager Visualization, Factory Automation EMEA at Mitsubishi Electric Europe B. V. Control Engineering Europe

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