IO-Link enabled network blocks; pay as you sense

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 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.

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. 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.

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 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.

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.

The 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 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 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

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 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 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