23 2016 Salary Survey: In search of optimism
PlantEngineering.com
2017 Forecast Issue
IIoT grows up Look past the hype to improve process 35
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Clean Sweep! Air system study yields multiple benefits to bottom line Problem: An aerospace parts manufacturer was experiencing high maintenance costs as well as excessive downtime with their compressed air system. Their modulation control compressor caused unnecessary energy usage on the weekends and off peak times, resulting in exceptionally high energy costs. Additionally, problems with air quality led to product rejects and costly scrap rates.
Solution: A comprehensive Air Demand Analysis was conducted to understand the plant’s fluctuating demand. It revealed that the 200 hp modulating control compressor was grossly oversized. With proper controls and additional storage, two 50 hp compressors could efficiently handle the demand and save 871,500 kWh per year. A third 50 hp unit was added to ensure uptime and accommodate growth.
Result: These sweeping changes created immediate and sustainable energy savings. The combination of more storage, more efficient compressors and master controls drove system specific power consumption down 77%—and that doesn’t include the savings from leak reduction. As a direct result of the new air treatment equipment, the plant also saw improved product quality and reduced maintenance on the expensive production equipment that may surpass energy in terms of bottom line benefits. Specific Power of Previous System:
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Makes no cents! Adding an inefficient worm gearbox to a premium efficient motor doesn’t make sense if you are trying to save money. Why gain 2-3% energy savings with a more efficient motor and then lose 50% or more through the worm gear? Solution: Use a helical-bevel gearmotor from SEW-EURODRIVE and obtain 96% efficiency. Now that makes a lot of cents!
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January/February 2017 Volume 71, No.1
Cover image courtesy: Seeq
COVER STORY 35 IIoT arrives: It’s time to get started As we look ahead in 2017, there is an important issue we need to address first: most firms need to catch up to the technology opportunities available today. Enthusiasm and the potential benefits of IIoT are not being realized by many end users, with the opportunity still ahead of them, instead of being already recognized in bottom-line results.
38 The IIoT assembly line: Getting a head start Improving maintenance, operations are among the most visible benefits.
42 Six ways to lower IIoT network costs Purchasing devices for your network isn’t the end of your expenditure. In fact, it is often only the beginning.
SPECIAL REPORT: 23 2016 Salary Survey The annual survey of Plant Engineering readers offers a solid foundation to evaluate where each facility is in relation to peers, and a shared commitment to continue to look to a better future.
24 26 28 30 32
Who We Are What We Earn What We Think What We Think: IIoT What We Think: Asset Management
PLANT ENGINEERING (ISSN 0032-082X, Vol. 71, No. 1, GST #123397457) is published 10x per year, monthly except in January and July, by CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. PLANT ENGINEERING copyright 2017 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. PLANT ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL 60523 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. E-mail: customerservice@ cfemedia.com. Postmaster: send address changes to PLANT ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Email: customerservice@cfemedia.com. Rates for nonqualified subscriptions, including all issues: USA, $145/yr; Canada, $180/yr (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); Mexico, $172/yr; International air delivery $318/yr. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $30.00 US and $35.00 foreign. Please address all subscription mail to PLANT ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Printed in the USA. CFE Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.
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PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 3
WHY WE DO IT
CLEAN AIR MATTERS
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53
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Electrical Solutions 47
Eight easy pieces Make your company’s electrical safety program NFPA 70E-compliant.
50
Four steps to ensure proper installation of monitoring and metering equipment Following best practices for proper field device installation will help avoid performance issues.
53
Operating a three-phase motor using single-phase power Three ways can make an expensive and arduous process a little easier.
Mechanical Solutions 54
Insulation deficiencies can harm plants, people Proper attention provides better energy management, reduced operational failure.
58
10 tips to lower compressed air costs Keep an ear out for leaks, but look at other factors as well.
Maintenance Solutions 63
Mobile safety strategy: Six things to consider Combine smart devices with flexible technology to provide real-time alerts.
What’s Inside: 6 9 75 88
InSight InFocus Innovations A Life in Manufacturing
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PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 5
INSIGHT
®
The continuity of process
I’ve been listening to the soundtrack of the Broadway play “Hamilton” a lot lately, and the retelling of its uniquely American story (in a uniquely American voice) is a reminder that revolution is easier than what follows. The moment of victory is almost always followed by the stark realization that victory was not so much an end as a segue to another beginning. It also is a uniquely American experience that for the 45th straight time, presidential leadership changed with the stroke of a pen rather than with the strike of a sword. However you might feel about the outcome, that continuity of process can offer us some comfort. So nothing much changed in our plant operations when we all returned to work after the new president’s inauguration. There’s product to get out the door, workers to protect and supply chains to manage. The business of manufacturing rolls on. There is continuity in the process of manufacturing as in government. The rules of the game in manufacturing are going to change, but as the character who plays American statesman Alexander Hamilton sings in a line in one of the play’s songs, “If you’ve got skin in the game, you stay in the game.” For me, that means continuing the process improvement we’ve been discussing on these pages in Plant Engineering for the last 70 years. It’s all about getting better at the game every day in some small way. Look at the revolution in manufacturing in only 70 years since this magazine first appeared in November 1947: workplace injuries are down, productivity is up, automation and robotics have become a meaningful part of our overall operations. Our plants are safer, faster, more efficient and more connected than ever before. We supply the world with the goods and products they need to live better lives and advance humanity. That march of progress has taken place regardless of where you live or the size of your plant. Some of the world’s largest companies were born in garages and college dorm rooms; today they dominate the planet. Where you start today is not nearly as important as where you think you’re going. Growth is not inevitable, of course. It takes relentless execution of a great idea. It requires commitment from leadership and
6 • January/February 2017
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Editorial Advisory Board H. LANDIS “LANNY” FLOYD, IEEE Life Fellow H.Landis.Floyd@gmail.com SHON ISENHOUR, Partner, Eruditio LLC sisenhour@EruditioLLC.com DR. SHI-WAN LIN, CEO and co-founder, Thingswise, LLC Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) board member shiwanlin@thingswise.com
Bob Vavra Content Manager
the dedicated support of staff. And, as we have relentlessly pointed out over 70 years, it takes attention to detail. Any single story in Plant Engineering or any online article or Webcast or newsletter does not transform a plant. Each one is designed to provide one more piece of information to make one more improvement or offer one new idea on that road to excellence. The magazine you are reading today is constructed from the collective wisdom of your industry peers and from the innovators looking to the future. Improvement almost never comes from a single event—a new piece of equipment, a new strategy, a new CEO. That is only an end of one process. What happens next is what matters. Change creates is opportunity, but we’ve all seen opportunity wasted as well as opportunity realized. Another recurring theme in “Hamilton” is time—the accomplishments of Alexander Hamilton in his life, and the realization of what more might have been done had his time not been cut short. The story also is about not wasting time; it shows what happens when you lose focus of your goals. We at Plant Engineering mark 70 years of service to manufacturers throughout the world, and we appreciate your loyalty and your feedback to our efforts. I welcome that feedback every day, and I hope you’ll point us toward ways we better can serve you in the coming year and beyond. PE
PLANT ENGINEERING
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DAVE REIBER, Senior Reliability Leader at Reliabilityweb dave.reiber@reliabilityweb.com DAVID SKELTON, Vice president and general manager Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing dskelton@phoenixcontact.com BILLY RAY TAYLOR, Director of commercial and off-highway manufacturing The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Billytaylor@goodyear.com LARRY TURNER, President and CEO, Hannover Fairs USA lturner@hfusa.com MARK WATSON, Senior director, manufacturing technology, IHS Markit Mark.watson@ihsmarkit.com
CFE MEDIA CONTRIBUTOR GUIDELINES OVERVIEW
Content For Engineers. That’s what CFE Media stands for, and what CFE Media is all about—engineers sharing with their peers. We welcome content submissions for all interested parties in engineering. We will use those materials online, on our Website, in print and in newsletters to keep engineers informed about the products, solutions and industry trends. * www.plantengineering.com/contribute explains how to submit press releases, products, images and graphics, bylined feature articles, case studies, white papers, and other media. * Content should focus on helping engineers solve problems. Articles that are commercial in nature or that are critical of other products or organizations will be rejected. (Technology discussions and comparative tables may be accepted if non-promotional and if contributor corroborates information with sources cited.) * If the content meets criteria noted in guidelines, expect to see it first on our Websites. Content for our e-newsletters comes from content already available on our Websites. All content for print also will be online. All content that appears in our print magazines will appear as space permits, and we will indicate in print if more content from that article is available online. * Deadlines for feature articles intended for the print magazines are at least two months in advance of the publication date. Again, it is best to discuss all feature articles with the content manager prior to submission.
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SUCCEED The FLEXICON® Lifetime Performance Guarantee* assures you of a successful result, whether you purchase one piece of equipment or an engineered, automated plant-wide system. From initial testing in large-scale laboratories, to single-source project management, to after-sale support by a worldwide network of factory experts, you can trust your process— and your reputation— to Flexicon.
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IN FOCUS
Four ways to better manage small capital projects Focus on collaboration, risk assessment to meet your goals. By Bill Wasilewski Day & Zimmermann
Most manufacturing companies focus considerable planning and management attention on the largest projects in their capital portfolios. This makes logical sense since the dollars at stake and the associated risks are large and highly visible. Getting these projects funded and executed on time and within budget is often subject to both corporate and public scrutiny. Projects under $10 million typically garner less attention, since the numbers are smaller, and the stakes are lower. However, there is mounting evidence that the cumulative cost of small to midsized capital projects can be significant. A recent report from McKinsey Co. found that in the chemical industry, small capital projects (those defined as less than $50 million and often less than $10 million) actually make up 80% of all capital projects by number and 50% of spending value. When cost overruns or delays occur on multiple small projects, companies see potentially serious negative impacts on their bottom line, most significantly through unplanned production interruptions and/or delays in getting new product to market. The numbers indicate a need for manufacturing plants to purposefully invest in overall capital portfolio management, with added scrutiny on the management of smaller capital projects. But doing so is not as simple as copying the processes and procedures that make larger capital projects successful. That’s neither practical nor cost effective. Instead, companies need a fit-for-purpose framework for managing smaller capital projects that considers how they are different and what makes them run smoothly. Four concepts for consideration.
www.plantengineering.com
1. Collaboration first
Quality front-end planning is the key difference between a successfully executed project and a failed one, but quality planning does not necessarily mean expensive or time-consuming planning. Front-end planning comes down to collaboration. Plant managers tasked with managing smaller capital projects must coordinate with business managers to clearly define project goals and business drivers to define scopes and to identify sourcing needs. They must work also closely with contractors and other outside partners to make sure scopes and timelines are realistic. This upfront investment has been proven to save time in the long run. Potential trouble spots can be identified and work-arounds can be developed and implemented when there is frequent communications in the planning process. With small project execution, an investment in front-end planning always pays off.
2. Be real about risks
Plant managers and engineering professionals tasked with managing small capital projects tend to assume the best-case scenario during planning. They believe that with the right team in place, they can execute a project to perfection. In reality, outcomes are rarely that simple. That’s why it’s critical for plant managers across the owner’s enterprise to agree to a common set of principles and guidelines when determining project timelines, goals and risks. This takes emotion out
“
of the decision-making process and leads to aggressive but realistic timelines that are less likely to lead to complications. Effective capital allocation, and improved returns on capital are definitive outcomes when competing projects can be fairly and accurately evaluated. There are a number of readily available tools that plant managers can use to help level the playing field, including the CII Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI). The index helps to estimate risks based on the scope definition for a project. PDRI is a helpful tool, but it requires the right inputs and a trained eye to be used effectively. In some instances, manufacturing companies may benefit from third-party support in evaluating and understanding risks. A contractor that has a wide-range of experience working on similar-sized projects can more appropriately evaluate project risks and interpret PDRI results.
3. Choose the right project partners
Selecting a contractor for large capital projects is relatively easy compared to selecting one for smaller projects. There are simply fewer contractors that can manage mega projects. Furthermore, selecting a well-established, large contractor is usually a safe and cost-effective decision. With small projects, the opposite is true. No t o n l y are there far more small contractors,
Companies need a fit- for-purpose framework for managing smaller capital projects that considers how they are different
”
and what makes them run smoothly.
PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 9
IN fOCUS but a large firm might be ill-equipped to work on a small-scale project. Large contractors typically bring a well-established process with them to every project. These processes are not always downwardly scalable. This can be a problem for plant managers when applied to small projects. Detailed processes require high levels of client participation and significant investments in time and money. Time can be in short supply when plant managers also have to worry about their day jobs. They need partners who are adaptable to their circumstances. When selecting contractors for small capital projects, manufacturing companies should focus on a fit-for-purpose approach and identify contractors who are experienced in executing small capital projects. This does not necessarily mean they should focus on small contractors. Projects that are properly selected and managed can deliver real cost savings. This requires sophisticated people, processes and tools. Time should be spent
evaluating a contractor’s process and experience.
4. Review and recalibrate regularly
Once a project is successfully completed, it’s easy to just move on to the next one. Capital effective execution requires candid self-assessment about the execution process. Companies must understand where they faced disruptions and why those disruptions occurred. Using an agreed upon and objective set of measurements is needed to determine project success. Looking at past projects before beginning a new one can begin to reveal a proven, repeatable process, thereby increasing cost and schedule certainty. This gives business leaders the ability to potentially delay capital investment decisions to accommodate market-based decisions and subsequently maximize their returns. It stands to reason that if the process was sound, then it will work again on the next project. But over time, when project execution is not reviewed and assessed,
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issues arise. The process that made the first project so successful can be altered in subtle ways that begin to change project outcomes. Companies must review project outcomes regularly and make changes where necessary. Choosing the right projects and then executing them effectively can yield cost savings in the 10% to 15% range, according to the McKinsey study, subsequently improving return on capital. This creates an opportunity to reinvest in projects that add real value. Plant managers who take matters into their own hands by implementing these four strategies may find that the rewards go beyond managing a more effective plant to helping their company achieve their ultimate goal. PE Bill Wasilewski is president of process and industrial for Day & Zimmermann and is responsible for oversight of the company’s chemical, advanced manufacturing, petroleum refining and food and beverage customers.
Data management is driving the IIoT revolution Better analysis and more collaboration needed to take full advantage of IIoT’s accelerated use. As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) gains momentum, it has attracted a wide range of companies with familiar public names, but without the manufacturing pedigree. Companies such as Dell, Cisco, Microsoft, Intel, Google and SAP have dramatically accelerated their market presence to complement—or in some cases compete with—existing manufacturing suppliers. One such company that has ramped up its effort in the manufacturing space is IBM. It announced in November that it is build-
ing its reach in the manufacturing market with a series of technology and consultancy offerings built around Watson, its cognitive intelligence platform best known for its appearance on Jeopardy! in 2011. Jiani Zhang, program director of offering management for IBM Watson Internet of Things, talks with CFE Media in this edited transcript about where IIoT is headed and what manufacturers should be prepared for in this new industrial revolution. CFE MEdia: Given the potential savings to man-
input #8 at www.plantengineering.com/information
ufacturing by the implementation of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) why has manufacturing been so slow to adopt IIoT? Do you see that pace accelerating in the near-term? ZHang: IIoT is not an entirely new concept in manufacturing. Most production facilities have had process control systems, SCADA data and historians for decades. However, (the European model of ) Industrie 4.0, or the next wave of productivity in the sector, is clearly on the horizon. Savings and other benefits can come from the use of IIoT and analytics associated with Industrie 4.0. These include
IN fOCUS improved production quality and yield, thanks to captured sensor data from shop floor tools and equipment, and the use of wearable devices to track worker health and safety, as a couple of examples. But capturing that vast amount of data in a cost-efficient way to gather
real-time insights has been a major challenge. The manufacturing environment is typically complex, with a myriad of different systems and equipment, and sometimes-outdated technology. Having the right retrofit connectivity is essential in the mass adoption of IIoT.
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IBM partnered with Cisco this year to help manufacturing overcome that challenge. To handle the vast amount of data being created at the edge of the network, we combined Cisco edge analytics and the cognitive computing of the IBM Watson IoT Platform, so that businesses get a more cost-effective way to obtain real-time insights. Manufacturing is time-sensitive in terms of avoiding the production of outof-spec components, equipment downtime, and worker injury or death. Watson IoT can understand, reason and send back its insights as prescriptive actions or business rules for improved operational efficiency in real-time. Those insights are based on analysis of data sent to the cloud, combined with other structured and unstructured forms of data, such as video and audio.
will be able “toBusinesses better act on data, which will lead to better management of factory equipment and assets, improved manufacturing processes and more effective management of production resources.
”
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We do expect the pace of IIoT adoption to accelerate, and soon. Manufacturing is one of the largest opportunities in IoT, with McKinsey estimating IoT applications in factory settings to have the potential to create value of $1.2 trillion to $3.7 trillion per year in 2025. CFE MEdia: How would you describe IBM’s approach to IIoT in manufacturing? What do you see as the opportunities and solutions?
WET/DRY • AIR OPERATED AND ELECTRIC DRUM-TOP • CONTINUOUS DUTY • COMBUSTIBLE DUST CENTRAL SYSTEMS • CONTINUOUS-BAGGING • LIQUID & SLUDGE • FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS SUBMERGED RECOVERY • METALWORKING • PHARMACEUTICAL • STEEL SHOT INTERCEPT HOPPERS & PRE-SEPARATORS • INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE SOLUTIONS
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input #9 at www.plantengineering.com/information VAC3509 Product 4.5x7.5_VC 1.indd 1
ZHang: Today, manufacturing equipment can tell you when it needs maintenance, building sensors work together to save energy, and consumer products communicate information back to their manufacturer about what’s in demand.
8/29/2016 8:24:59 PM
Yet, so much of the data being generated by these devices is never captured. There lies the challenge, which poses opportunity. Now, cognitive systems can bring light to “dark” data—the data that exists in unstructured and unused forms. For example, a worker can sort through dark data in maintenance logs, technician notes, and even forums to identify and consolidate maintenance and repair information. This transforms the repair process of equipment by providing the most relevant information in a summarized form to the employee, so that repairs can be done correctly and efficiently. Using our approach that incorporates IBM’s cognitive abilities, businesses will be able to better act on data, which will lead to better management of factory equipment and assets, improved manufacturing processes and more effective management of production resources.
CFE MEdia: What does Watson think of IIoT? Has he formed any specific views and, like his Jeopardy! appearance, does he answer in the form of a question? ZHang: Watson is a huge proponent of IIoT, and is really interested
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ZHang: All of these new insights that result from IIoT can only come to fruition when humans work with machines. Specifically, there will be a huge opportunity to hire developers and data scientists. It is estimated there will be 10 million developers active in IIoT by 2020, and these will be the thought leaders and engineers that can identify opportunities for new solutions and monitor for security risks as well. IIoT increasingly will benefit from data and the processing of that data. Developers can build new innovative dashboards to visualize the real-time aspects of the plan from the data sourced by IoT. Data scientists can take this data further, by using our advanced analytics solutions to pinpoint specific actions to take that move the needle in manufacturing metrics. For instance, a quality engineer can take advantage of quality data from the manufacturing line and predetermine issues with yield or product quality.
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CIRCUIT BREAKER MAINTENANCE, LOW-VOLTAGE
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CFE MEdia: Given the almost autonomous nature of what you describe for IIoT for manufacturing, where do humans still figure into the equation? What should the new roles in manufacturing plants be, and how do we train and recruit those people?
in meeting new people in an industry where he could help make workers more safe and bring new efficiencies to businesses. When he meets those new people, Watson doesn’t always answer in the form of a question, but that has become one of his favorite ways to respond. PE
To be the best, train with the best.
IN fOCUS Plant Engineering names three to Editorial Advisory Board Billy Taylor, David Skelton, and Dr. Shi-Wan Lin will advise on content for readers. Plant Engineering has named three new members to its Editorial Advisory Board, bringing the advisory panel to eight members. The Editorial Advisory Board will participate in content discussions and will contribute to Plant Engineering’s overall editorial mission to provide content to assist plant managers in running their facilities smarter, safer and more efficiently. The three new Editorial Advisory Board members are: • Billy Taylor, director of commercial and off-highway manufacturing for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio input #11 at www.plantengineering.com/information
• David Skelton, vice president and general manager of Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing, Harrisburg, Pa.
Olive oil is good for you. Compressor oil is not.
• Dr. Shi-Wan Lin, CEO and a cofounder of Thingswise, LLC and a board member of the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). “These distinguished manufacturing leaders will provide great knowledge and leadership to Plant Engineering’s readers through their counsel and their editorial contributions,” said Bob Vavra, content manager for Plant Engineering. “As we enter another important year for manufacturing, their insights from the plant floor and from the technological forefront will help our readers prepare and prosper in 2017.”
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Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor (top) leads Goodyear’s North American Tire operations, i n c lu d i n g e n g i n e e r i n g , c apit a l investments, and supply chain execution. He has more than 20 years of operations management experience. In his role as director, he is responsible for driving operational
14 • January/February 2017
ONE SOURCE excellence, delivering best-in-class product ser vice and product quality, enabling highvalue business growth. Prior to accepting his current assignment, Taylor led large-scale manufacturing teams throughout North America. He has led union and union-free l ab or work forces as plant director, leading Goodyear’s largest volume and product complexity manufacturing sights and supporting Goodyear’s long-term strategies. Taylor earned his MBA from Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas. In industry, he is a member of the Shingo Inst itute’s exe c ut ive advis or y b oard, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University.
David Skelton
David Skelton (middle) was appointed to the role of vice president and general manager of Phoenix C ontact Development and Manufacturing in January 2009. The group consists of eight business units with operations in Harrisburg, Pa., and Ann Arbor, Mich. Phoenix Contact received P l ant Eng in e e r ing’s 2015 Top Plant award. Skelton has been with Phoenix Contact since 1999 in management roles of development, product marketing and industry marketing. Prior to Phoenix Contact, Skelton was employed by Rockwell Automation in sales management, sales and engineering roles. www.plantengineering.com
Skelton s e r ve s on the board of Modbus, an open network standards organization. He holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Milwaukee School of Engineering – Milwaukee, Wisc. Skelton resides in Harrisburg, Pa., is married, and has two sons and two daughters.
FOR STOCK AND CUSTOM SPRING SOLUTIONS
Dr. Shi-Wan Lin
Dr. Lin (bottom) is co-chair of the Architecture Task Group in the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), where he is a leading contributor to its Industrial Internet Reference Architecture. He has two decades of experience in industrial IoT system architecture, Big Data and B i g D at a a n a l y t i c s , enter pr is e s of t ware, cloud service, system security and trust, telecommunication and wireless data communication in both large corporate and startup settings. In his day job, ShiWan is CEO and a cofounder of Thingswise, LLC, a company providing an IIoT data processing and analytics platform. The three new board members join the current Editorial Advisory Board members: • H. Landis “Lanny” Floyd, E le c t r ic a l Safety Group, Inc. • Shon Isenhour, Eruditio, LLC • Dave Reiber, Reliabilityweb.com • Larry Turner, Hannover Fairs USA • Mark Watson, IHS Markit. PE
plant engineering
January/February 2017 • 15
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IN fOCUS
Three tips to train a multigenerational workforce The wide range of skills and experiences can drive high productivity. By Paul Lachance Smartware Group
Today’s maintenance world spans many generations. From baby boomers with decades of experience to millennials just entering the workforce, the average maintenance team is more diverse than ever before. While this diversity is useful for companies, it can make it difficult to keep all employees working together seamlessly for maximum operational efficiency. Training a multigenerational workforce requires a dual perspective on maintenance. While seasoned employees can educate new personnel on existing systems and processes, younger maintenance professionals have much to offer when it comes to new technologies, especially mobile. Finding operational success with limited downtime demands training that caters to employees of all ages and creates opportunities for team members to share their specific strengths companywide. Why is training so important? While many companies struggle to overcome issues with their existing maintenance management systems, training is an opportunity to shore up profits with existing resources and team members. Likewise, proper training can help companies improve the performance of their maintenance programs over time. Training must happen often because, not only do maintenance teams lose skills and expertise over time, but maintenance solutions are also constantly evolving, and workers must adapt to meet those changes. Consistent training programs keep maintenance professionals up-to-date and balance fundamentals with new competencies to ensure that maintenance teams never encounter a scenario they’re unequipped to handle. Training should include:
1.
Skill swapping: Training should facilitate the exchange of skills between young and old employees. A maintenance professional who has worked for a manufacturer for decades has much to teach a new hire about company processes or
16 • January/February 2017
machine particularities. For example, there may be a best route to assess a certain belt that has a tricky fix for maximum life that new employees will be unaware of. Likewise, that new hire with strong mobile fluency can help his or her older counterpart learn how to use mobile solutions in the warehouse. Although many companies still collect data through manual systems, or not at all, this is quickly changing as more manufacturers embrace digital solutions like mobile computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) apps for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Millennial-aged workers are often also comfortable using mobile features to expedite maintenance efforts, such as taking pictures of assets for work orders or scanning a machine’s QR code to access related manuals, parts, safety notes, and other information. Through skill swapping and collaborative training programs, companies will develop a maintenance team that works together to problem-solve. All knowledge becomes valuable, and maintenance professionals can provide easy backup for one another knowing that all members of the team share the same skills and understanding of maintenance tools and solutions.
2. On-site and virtual offerings: People have different learning styles, and this holds true at the plant level. As such, companies should offer a range of training programs to best engage all personnel. For instance, some may respond better to on-site CMMS training where individuals can escape the distractions of the day while others may enjoy virtual training sessions (webinars) that offer a bit more flexibility to complete. 3. Professional services: Leading CMMS providers can help connect maintenance professionals with training and certifications to better handle their daily responsibilities, as well as manage a host of other tasks including data migration and consulting.
plant engineering
Senior-level consultants with years of industry-specific experience will be able to facilitate knowledge sharing in the process of tailoring CMMS to specific operations. Whether the industry is gas and oil, food and beverage, etc., consultants with this kind of long-term, technical experience will know which information is most critical to operational efficiency in said industry. Therefore, it should be shared between generations. Additionally, in-house consulting services can leverage best practices to help maintenance workers overcome general maintenance obstacles no matter their age. For instance, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a key area of interest for many companies with just 25% of manufacturing leaders say their current IIoT usage is more advanced than competitors. CMMS consultants are well aware of these hurdles (which are really opportunities to stand out from competitors) and can help maintenance workers become more comfortable with modern maintenance systems and the powerful functionalities behind them. For companies that do not have an existing CMMS and are implementing from scratch, support from industry-leading CMMS consultants can make the implementation process easier and ensure that all voices are heard throughout engagements. Managing a generationally diverse maintenance staff can be challenging at times, but the wide range of skills and experiences gained from a multigenerational workforce can drive high productivity once reigned in. Generational diversity will only continue as aging maintenance professionals retire and younger employees take their place–while technology continues to advance by leaps and bounds. To stay in line with this rapid pace, proactive companies must re-invest in training and seek out CMMS partners that have also prioritized training as a pillar of their business models. PE Paul Lachance is the president of Smartware Group, a CFE Media content partner. www.plantengineering.com
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IN fOCUS One
giant step
for robotic integration
Integrating CNC lines with robotics gets easier By Randy Pearson Siemens Industry Inc.
The use of CNC technology allows the full and scalable integration of a robot into any machining operation, whether for pickand-place, part articulation or full machining capability. This allows shops of all sizes to reach new levels of productivity. Full robotic integration with a CNC onto a 3-axis mill, 5-axis work cell, laser line, press line or full transfer line incorporating multiple machining or metalforming operations would have seemed a distant wish, just a decade ago. Not that long ago, the use of a robot in any machining or metalforming operation required a separate PLC, separate programming language and a completely separate control, with all the knowledge needed to run the robot. Also, most robotic applications were limited to simple and repetitive part movements. Today, on an advanced CNC with multichannel capability, manufacturers can dramatically improve the productivity of the machine shop, production department, laser, press brake or fabrication shop operation—and it can be done without any special knowledge of robot language or all the ancillary hardware and software. Flexible loading and unloading mean the machine spindle, laser head, press brake or stamping die is in use to a far greater degree and that means money to the bottom line, even for the short run or disparate part family producers. With the compact robots on the market, plus this integrated CNC control capability, even the smallest shop today can look at robotic solutions for its operations. At short run shops, the on-the-fly program adjustments and teach-in capabilities of the CNC are today proving their worth. With that dual-channel capability onscreen, an operator can use the same control, whether stationary on the machine or on a remote pendant for mobility around the machine or work cell, to run both the machine and the robot.
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For the shop owner, the initial cost of the system is amortizable across the uselife of the robot and the improvements in productivity will quickly validate the feasibility and profitability of the system.
Simplified setup
For the operator, the simplified setup and adjustment of the robot to handle a family of short run parts, for example, is easier than ever. Using the human-machine interface on the CNC, an operator can teach the robot which motions to perform in minutes. With no need for the separate PLC or signal command language, the operator sets up the robot in the same manner as the machine tool, laser, press or other equipment. In a work cell, the robot can be sequenced to perform a variety of operations at each machine in the cell. Most advanced control suppliers and machine builders already have or will soon have robotic training and maintenance programs in place. These solutions are scalable to suit the requirements of your shop or production department, so robot integration into one machine, work cell or fully networked facility quickly can become a cost-effective alternative today. There’s more to come. The future will see the machine builder offering a pallet pool concept, applicable in high-volume applications as well as the one-off world of medical implant manufacturing and moldmaking. The robot will sense a bar code or radio-frequency identification tag, position a blank, load the right tools and perform the work, often with a tool in its “hand” to reach pockets, undercuts and other difficult areas on a workpiece. Robots can lend a helping hand to all metalworking operations today, and the CNC makes the process a lot easier. It is a collaboration worth exploring. PE Randy Pearson is a veteran of the machine tool industry and a Siemens international business development manager.
plant engineering
www.plantengineering.com
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REGISTER TODAY! Free registration available at: AutomateShow.com input #16 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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IN fOCUS
Finding value in open architecture Schneider Electric platform looks to “empower the workforce.” In November, Schneider Electric became the latest major industrial company to roll out a comprehensive Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution. The company expanded its ecoStruxure product line to “connect intelligent products to marketspecific applications and digital services.” The open architecture of the new solution package will, according to company officials, allow for better customized creation of applications and digital services. Prith Banerjee, Schneider Electric’s chief technology officer, responded to questions from Plant Engineering content manager Bob Vavra, and discussed how the company sees IIoT development in 2017: Plant EnginEEring: EcoStruxure is designed around Schneider Electric’s four areas of emphasis: buildings, grid, manufacturing and data centers. How are those industries similar, and where are they unique? At the end of the day, it is just all data management, or do the specific applications also matter?
Banerjee: It is about far more than data management. EcoStruxure delivers IIoT at scale to provide asset performance, predictive analytics and application development. It also serves as the foundation for integrated solution development, control, automation and enterprise-level asset and energy performance management. EcoStruxure connects our technology stack from connected products to edge control, and applications, analytics, and services. EcoStruxure works across a variety of hardware and systems, applying an architecture built for the unique challenges of each vertical end market. EcoStruxure further customizes IoT implementation for customers through the delivery of tailored applications and digital services. These can be co-created with our partners, our customers or with the larger developer community. Pe: EcoStruxure also is built in partnership with Microsoft and Intel to provide cloud and edge computing capabilities. Why are cloud computing and edge computing important for manufacturers to understand?
20 • January/February 2017
Banerjee: The rapid nature of IIoT places unprecedented demands on latency, reliability and connectivity. Our manufacturing customers require good, reliable performance, but network congestion could become an issue with massive amounts of content and data generated from IIoT applications. At the same time, our traditional control architectures struggle to reliably and efficiently meet the need for real-time access to data and applications. Edge control enables industrial customers to seamlessly connect, collect, analyze and act on data in real-time. EcoStruxure’s Edge Control layer provides the physical infrastructure and software to design and build the services needed to bring about realtime control that delivers the promise of IIoT. Vertical specific applications and services can then be delivered via the cloud to enable better analytics and connectivity to the other layers of the technology stack, ensure accessibility anywhere and at any time, while also enabling new business models, like subscription-based services that open up new possibilities for our customers. Pe: Are we beginning to see more adoption of IIoT systems and strategies? What have been the hold-up so far? Banerjee: The enrichment of industrial applications by Internet technologies has been a trend for years but has exploded over the last two years as manufacturers have begun to realize the potential of IIoT as a critical interface between their operations and end users. While IIoT presents endless opportunity to gather more insightful data to promote greater intelligence among machines and plants, reduce downtime and improve maintenance and planning, there are a few hurdles that have prevented widespread adoption. For example, the influx of data from a growing number of devices means plant operators and managers must learn how to harness the data and turn it into actionable insights to change potential operational outcomes. This requires more specialized skill sets and a more empowered workforce to maximize the potential of the technology.
plant engineering
Cybersecurity is also a concern for manufacturers. While there is inherent risk in opening systems to the internet, a sound strategy that includes physical, hardware and software security, training and stringent testing reduces risk to their systems. Pe: One area the Schneider Electric announcement mentions is the scale of IIoT implementation. How do you bring the power of IIoT to small and mid-sized manufacturers? Banerjee: The beauty of EcoStruxure is its ability to easily scale, up or down, to provide value for any size operation. At its core, the technology provides a reference architecture and backbone to enhance safety, reliability, efficiency, sustainability and connectivity, while connecting products, control and apps and services. Regardless of the size of the enterprise, EcoStruxure enables the power of IIoT by unifying common software and connecting applications under one roof. These somewhat simple changes make a big impact, whether you’re a single plant or a global network. Pe: What’s the most important thing for manufacturers to consider as it relates to IIoT adoption? Banerjee: Embedding intelligence at the core of every asset within a plant enables those assets to communicate with each other and other levels of the enterprise, providing a better view of what’s happening at the plant and the business to drive tangible business value for plant operators and managers. Manufacturers do not need to completely overhaul their operations at once. If they are strategic about how they apply new technological investments with existing installations, simple upgrades can drive tremendous value. Technology can’t work for you unless employees are trained to use the data to make better operational decisions, which drive better business decisions. A properly trained workforce must be a priority when implementing IIoT. PE www.plantengineering.com
— ABB Automation & Power World 2017 Connect. Collaborate. Outperform. MARCH 13-16, 2017 | GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER | HOUSTON, TEXAS
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input #18 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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Salary Survey data by Amanda Pelliccione, director of research, CFE Media
Salary Survey design by Katie Spain, art director, CFE Media
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e have a tendency to get caught looking backward or forward. We expect that history will be instructive and that by learning from that history, the future will be better. While an analysis of where we’ve been and where we’re going are excellent tools in business or in life, it is wholly appropriate to stop at times and do a clear assessment of where we are today. Plant Engineering’s 2016 Salary Survey is one such opportunity. With U.S. manufacturing squarely in the spotlight as a new administration takes office in Washington D.C., the data gathered from this year’s survey of Plant Engineering’s readers shows a solid foundation from which to continue manufacturing’s eight-year regrowth after the 2008 recession. Optimism about manufacturing as a career has seldom been higher; 77% of readers say it is a secure career. The economy remains the leading challenge facing manufacturers, and many of our readers in their verbatim comments cited the lack of willingness for their own companies to reinvest in plants as a significant concern. The things that plant management controls at a local level—investment, skilled workers, and competition—ranked ahead of taxes, government regulations, and outsourcing as concerns on the plant floor. Compensation also evolved in 2016. While salaries rose a healthy 3% in the year, bonus compensation fell, and the net result was a flat average salary from 2015 to 2016. In some of the more laborintensive industries, such as oil and gas production, food and beverage, and metals, bonus compensations remained relatively high. In industries such
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as electronics, appliances, and machinery, bonuses dwindled. The only area of bonus compensation that grew in 2016 was company profitability. Other bonus criteria, including safety, productivity, cost reduction, and quality, all declined in 2016. This past year was the first time since 2011 that average bonus compensation fell below $10,000. We’d prefer to consider this a statistical anomaly rather than a trend. Manufacturing is expected to drive further growth in the new year, and workers and plant managers will help drive that growth. An important part of that growth will be the integration of new technology, specifically the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). For the second year, we polled readers about the impact of IIoT on their operations. While there is a greater incorporation of IIoT into manufacturing, nearly 50% still are unsure how IIoT will benefit their operation, and most see it only as a tool to better manage data and maintenance. While most facilities have a mature or developing maintenance program, 8% still have yet to implement such a program. The news is much better on the safety side: 88% of plant managers describe their safety program as mature or developing. Even as we stop to view a snapshot of manufacturing as it is today, we recognize that technology and a changing world mean that this snapshot will quickly become a reference tool. Nonetheless, we hope the 2016 Salary Survey offers our readers a solid foundation to evaluate where each facility is in relation to their peers, and a shared commitment to continue to look to a better future. —Bob Vavra content manager, Plant Engineering
PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 23
Who We Are Five key pieces of advice As readers offered their advice to other manufacturers as part of the 2016 Salary Survey, five key themes emerged: • Be flexible • Keep learning • Get educated • Be patient • Work hard and smart.
All graphics courtesy: Plant Engineering
24 • January/February 2017
PLANT ENGINEERING
www.plantengineering.com
www.plantengineering.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 25
What We Earn
Listed in 2016 order. *Not included in 2012-14 surveys
26 • January/February 2017
PLANT ENGINEERING
www.plantengineering.com
www.plantengineering.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 27
What We Think What is your biggest job-related concern heading into 2017?
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Bringing new process equipment
Ability to learn quickly as new
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online and producing product on time as we are expanding to meet demand
systems are being installed.
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and growth opportunities.
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Time. Too many projects and not enough resources.
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Massive consolidations of existing large companies reducing choices and options for equipment and material purchases.
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How my facility is going to react to an improving economy. My corporation consolidated work from other facilities into our plant because of the economic downturn. If it all comes roaring back, which it seems to be poised to do, we are going to need about 12 more hours in every day and three more days in every week.
”
28 • January/February 2017
PLANT ENGINEERING
www.plantengineering.com
Listed in 2016 order. *Not included in 2014 survey
www.plantengineering.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 29
What We Think: IIoT
What would you like to learn about regarding IIoT?
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“ “
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How can it improve process and/or equipment reliability?
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Does IIoT apply to a small, one-plant facility. If so, what are the benefits?
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I use Ethernet communications in systems I design. Many parts of a machine communicate and share data and information. I only have a vague idea of exactly what IIoT is. I want this to be something that I understand well so that I can figure out how it applies to me and whether I’m already doing some of it unknowingly.
”
30 • January/February 2017
PLANT ENGINEERING
How it could impact our company. We’re 15 years behind the times in the plant, and management doesn’t want to spend a dime unless forced into it.
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I would like to learn how to apply it in a small business operation with limited production operations.
”
www.plantengineering.com
www.plantengineering.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 31
What We Think:
Asset Management
Advice from one manufacturer to another:
“
Be proactive with controls technology advances. It makes a difference.
32 • January/February 2017
”
PLANT ENGINEERING
“
Always be thinking out of the box. Never say ‘We can’t’ until
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it’s been proven you cannot.
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input #19 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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COVERSTORY Andy Young, process control manager at Pioneer Energy, leverages IIoT analytics software from Seeq for remote monitoring of their Mobile Alkane Gas Separators running at drill sites. All images courtesy: Seeq
IIoT arrives:
It’s time to get started Implementation is not only practical, but now is a competitive necessity. By Michael Risse Seeq Corp.
www.plantengineering.com
T
he Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has progressed from dream to hype to reality. Today, the basic deployment scenarios of the IIoT solutions we implement for our end user manufacturing customers include: • Greenfield deployments, which are primarily found in “smart” solutions related to advanced monitoring and visibility • Brownfield upgrades, which are the introduction of IIoT technologies and approaches to existing facilities to expand asset and process visibility and analytics • New asset-monitoring services from vendors who are leveraging IIoT to provide remote predictive analytics capabilities for their assets installed at customer sites.
The enthusiasm and growth in IIoT momentum over the last year is obvious in the pages of this magazine, as there continue to be IIoT-related articles in every issue. But this does not mean the industry has agreed on its naming conventions; so we continue to refer to “digital transformation,” “smart manufacturing,” the “fourth industrial revolution,” and “Industrie 4.0,” in addition to IIoT. Regardless of what a sensored, connected, integrated factory is called, IIoT continues its march forward as the expected architecture for process manufacturing facilities. The competitive advantages enabled by increased and consistent visibility, accuracy and data-driven insights on production results are simply too important for most firms to ignore, hence the growth in IIoT deployments. PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 35
CoverStory Don’t get caught behind
Getting started with IIoT Any new project or proposal requires effort to overcome the inertia of doing nothing. IIoT projects are in the balance between the availability of necessary technology and the risks and rewards of execution, a difficult juncture. The issues listed in this article are not the only ones needed to make IIoT real, but they often have been the main stumbling blocks, and the main reasons why inertia hasn’t been overcome to start an IIoT project, or why projects fail to land the expected impact. Getting started by investing in analytics and expending the required effort to deliver business results on IIoT can be the hardest part of progress, but it’s worth it for many end users. For those already engaged, a strong congratulations, and for those waiting in the wings, it’s time to succeed with IIoT. —Michael Risse
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plant engineering
As we look ahead in 2017, there are many ways to discuss what’s ahead for IIoT. For example there are new IIoT technologies to consider, such as drones, robots, voicepowered artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality solutions. And while those will likely have a future in IIoT, there is also an important issue we need to address first: most firms need to catch up to the technology opportunities available today. Analyst research shows a large gap between the expectations and advantages of IIoT, and the state of current deployment efforts. Further, IIoT deployments are generally piecemeal rather than broadly applied across a plant. What this means is that IIoT enthusiasm and potential benefits are not being realized by many end users, with the opportunity still ahead of them, instead of being already recognized in bottom line results. Part of this gap may be due to the oft-cited advice that companies should start small and have IIoT deployments prove their value Delivering IIoT: Pioneer Energy Mobile Alkane Gas Separators produce both methane and natural gas liquid streams at well sites.
www.plantengineering.com
and impact before moving on to more widespread implementations. This is great advice and hard to argue with, and aligns with the limited number of large IIoT deployments within companies. Certainly an early success will bode well for organizational enthusiasm for continued IIoT investments. End users should be complimented for any IIoT investments or trial deployments they have completed, because at the end of the day they have done something and at least tried. In the world of software startups there is an expression: “fail fast.” This means it’s better to try something and learn it doesn’t work than to wonder if it might have worked. So any end user with something to share, prove or present with respect to IIoT is ahead of those still wondering what’s possible. The rest of this article will examine the challenges and experiences of end users who have taken the leap, with the goal of providing a roadmap to others contemplating similar steps.
In their operations room, Pioneer Energy uses Seeq for remote monitoring and analytics of data produced at Mobile Alkane Gas Separator systems running at drill sites.
Standards, security are Issues
Either way, 2017 will not see a world of functional, compatible, Lego blocks which an end user can assemble to create a mixedvendor, distributed, IIoT solution.
The quip about standards, “The great thing about standards is there is one for every issue,” continues to be a reality in the IIoT ecosystem. Perhaps 2016 was a step in the right direction with partnership agreewww.plantengineering.com
ments and the merger of some standards bodies, or maybe 2016 was a step in the wrong direction with ever more standards and the momentum of competing efforts.
“Regardless of what a sensored,
connected, integrated factory is called, IIoT continues its march forward as the expected architecture for process manufacturing facilities.
”
Continued on page 40 plant engineering
January/February 2017 • 37
CoverStory
The IIoT assembly line: Getting a head start Improving maintenance, operations are among the most visible benefits. By Dan Yarmoluk ATEK Access Technologies
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he Internet of Things (IoT) movement has quickly connected our everyday devices, such as phones to cars, and even our refrigerators. There’s no doubt that the IoT is growing and expanding into new territories, especially within the world of machinery. The manufacturing industry is on the cusp of a revolution with the help of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Embracing the future of the IIoT will result in a working environment connected by sensors gathering useful data regarding equipment status, temperature conditions and current work progress, helping to improve the efficiency, safety and productivity of operations. Why now? Manufacturers around the world are gaining more confidence in technology’s abilities and believe it’s time to invest. Smart manufacturing will allow for the monitoring of thousands of machines, equipment and more, both inside and outside of factories. The IIoT provides a new platform to integrate and store technology data, making it a big change and an even bigger value. A recent report by McKinsey & Company’s Global Institute revealed the IoT has a potential value ranging from $3.9 trillion to $11.1 trillion by 2025, or the equivalent of about 11% of the world economy. Estimates regarding the economic effect of the IIoT range from a conservative $500 billion in 2020 to an aggressive $15 trillion by 2030. All vertical markets within the industrial space are benefitting from connected technology implementation, with manufacturers predicting that IIoT initiatives will increase revenue 27.1% from 2015 to 2018. Understanding the value of adopting a new technology is just as important as understanding its benefits, challenges and overall potential. As the industry knows, getting a head start on the constant and quickly-moving assembly line is important, and in this case will allow factories to advance their performance.
plant engineering
Increasing efficiency with IIoT
Many systems within a manufacturing plant are already intranet-connected, but a lot of the data collected from those machines never leaves the plant. IoT brings every piece of data together, making it a one-stop-shop for all machine maintenance and productivity reports. An Internet connection allows the critical data to be sent to supporting applications, analyzed and displayed on one dashboard, in any location, available when needed, and saved for future use. The transition to IIoT presents manufacturers with many benefits, including: • Visibility: The IIoT can bring real-time visibility into location and status of fixed and moving assets such as critical inventory, parts, equipment and goods in transit. For example, if a plastic injection molding company houses its polyethylene in a silo, sensors can be added to monitor inventory levels. The connected system can sense when it is running low and send an alert to the supplier to schedule a fill, limiting downtime. Data from multiple sites is aggregated on a common platform for centralized management and analysis. • Predictive maintenance: From cooling systems to production machinery, manufacturing equipment often requires regular maintenance. IIoT technology can be utilized to remotely monitor and alert to changes indicative of impending trouble. If a motor’s temperature increases beyond a normal range or the vibration of a pump has changed, the trend will show in the data and the issue can be addressed before it becomes a disaster, avoiding expensive downtime. The IIoT makes maintenance service proactive, not reactive. Applying analytics to the machine data opens the ability to adopt a use-based maintenance methodology, saving time and money. www.plantengineering.com
• Improved operations: The ability to predict potential equipment failures and repairs minimizes the number of service calls necessary. Manufacturers utilizing IoT solutions in 2014 saw an average 28.5% increase in revenues between 2013 and 2014, according to a Tata Consultancy Services survey.
Deciphering the data
• Flexibility: As new capabilities are added and system maintenance requirements change, monitoring systems will need to be continually modified, and maintained. Yet, concerns over standardization quickly are mitigated as the application program interface (API) is becoming commonplace, with tools and user interfaces developed for faster implementation. Device or system standardization barriers are removed by the creation of central data platforms that connect to a variety of data streams via API utilization.
Adding new sensors throughout a factory that monitor and collect data 24/7 will create a better overall efficiency and productivity rate, but it will also create a massive database to sort through. In order to keep the • Status quo: Cost will play a part as early new factory of information collected by the adopters set out to make the transition to IIoT beneficial, manufacturers will need to IIoT. As costs decline for equipment and determine which data data rates, the business is valuable for their case becomes viable on efforts, and what outits own merit. Making comes can be derived the investment and from it. The outcomes The IIoT provides a new taking the next step of then can be used to linking data will only transform the manuplatform to integrate and improve the return on f a c tu r i ng pro c e ss , investment. provide insights into store technology data, Connecting the dots processes that were previously difficult or making it a big change and The ability to connect, track and share impossible to see and an even bigger value. every state of a busmake machines safer tling factory opens and more reliable. more doors than ever The ability to connect before. While implethe entire conglomerate of plant information to a common menting new technologies can seem risky, data source changes the functionality of the the IIoT presents manufacturers with a new confidence in their ability to predict serentire facility. The flexibility of today’s monitoring and vice and maintenance needs at all points platform technologies ensures that any data and times. As the IIoT becomes more easily monitored doesn’t have to be permanent. available, productivity lines, machinery and IIoT allows for systems to be adapted to mul- companies will begin to harness the advantiple applications, and each and every system tages, making now the ideal time to invest. can and should be molded and updated for The data analysis and tools make the IIoT’s data source useful to manufacturers and differing factories. large industries that are constantly working Tinkering with adjustments for better and safer efficiency. This unharAdopting any new innovation comes with nessed potential resolves issues of unplanned its own set of challenges, and the heavily downtime, common malfunctioning issues connected nature of the IIoT will require a and better controls production, resulting in period of adapting. higher profits and improved results. PE
“
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Three key challenges facing the IIoT are: • Security: Asset security is paramount in the minds of IIoT adopters. Cellularbased monitors function as a self-contained system, riding on the security of state-of-the-art cellular networking and data center management. www.plantengineering.com
Dan Yarmoluk is the business and market development lead for ATEK Access Technologies’ IoT products which include TankScan and AssetScan. Yarmoluk has been involved in analytics, embedded design and components of mobile products for over a decade. The Website is www.assetscan.com. plant engineering
January/February 2017 • 39
COVERSTORY Andy Young, process control manager at Pioneer Energy, takes an IIoT approach to monitoring their Mobile Alkane Gas Separator systems that run at drill sites to produce both methane and natural gas liquid streams.
road, and can put end users further behind in the IIoT race.
Focus on business impact
Continued from page 37 Meanwhile the other “s” word—security— is consistently a leader on lists of requirements, concerns and issues with IIoT—and certainly in this area will not be realized in 2017. Automobile, HVAC, SCADA and any number of other systems have been hacked. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to security issues. Instead, what is needed is hard work, best efforts and the selection of solutions with limited exposure to the outside world. Using either a lack of standards or fear of security issues as an excuse to not move ahead on IIoT implementations simply pushes the necessary learning and experience that will come out of the effort further down the
In many IIoT articles, the starting point is the sensor. That is the origination point for data that f lows through a communications network to a centralized application with analytics, integration, data storage, etc. It is easy to start at the sensor because the hardware and communications innovation that is driving IIoT is exciting, and it is fun to think it about from that perspective. Micro-sensors; Arduino, Raspberry PI and Intel Galileo platforms; long-life batteries; low power wireless systems; and builder kits from Microsoft, IBM and Amazon are areas in the news and of interest. There is so much to imagine with sensors and logic added to every possible asset and structure. Unfortunately, these technologies often don’t necessarily serve the business end of the issue. The right question is not what’s possible with the new technologies, but
Figure 1: Many manufacturers find themselves awash in data but thirsting for information, with the proliferation of data expected to grow substantially in coming years.
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PLANT ENGINEERING
www.plantengineering.com
what’s important to the business: a quantifiable positive impact to production and business outcomes. This impact can be realized in many ways, such as increased uptime, improved quality, higher yields, etc. Positive results also could include motivating and incenting employee behavior through visibility to production status and the impact of their actions. The best IIoT deployment stories are those demonstrating positive impacts to the bottom line. These stories stress the impacts, then work backwards to the technologies making benefits possible.
How do you add value?
Remote monitoring services represents the transition from an asset view to a capability view. This opportunity is typically framed from the point of view of the asset vendor, but probably should instead be framed in terms of end user benefits. GE, for example, talks about moving from selling turbines to selling services. These new services, powered by IIoT infrastructures, represent an opportunity for asset vendors to increase their revenue, but more importantly to add value to their end user customers. From an end user’s point of view, the idea of additional revenue for asset vendors from smart connected products is not a likely source of interest. But it does raise important questions: Who is best suited to extract value from asset data? Who is best positioned to monitor, analyze and recommend outcomes on asset performance, the vendor or the end user? www.plantengineering.com
Figure 2: Data analytics solutions provide engineers and other production experts with visual representations of data to help them create actionable information.
C ompanies routinely outsource services to specialized organizations, from cafeterias to accounting to maintenance. But does this model make sense for IIoT deployments? The value of reduced scheduled maintenance alone could justify the cost of an outsourced monitoring service in some cases, so the answer would be yes in these instances. But in other cases, remote monitoring services can be a disruptive issue for current employees and processes, so care must be taken when deciding what to outsource and what to keep in house. By tapping expertise on assets from vendors, end users can focus more on results from the value created by the integration of assets than on the status of one link in the process. If the end user company’s differentiating expertise is in asset optimization excellence then this may be of less importance, but the focus on where an organization creates the most value is a question to ask.
Analytics requirements
IIoT s olutions typically rely on the assumption that at some point the “magic happens here” to close the gap between Continued on page 45 plant engineering
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CoverStory
Six ways to lower IIoT network costs By Richard Wood Moxa Inc.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) trend is facilitating a growth in connected devices on networks as well as increasing the scope and complexity of industrial control networks that frequently converge with traditional IT networks. More now than ever before, concerns about security, availability and performance are having an impact on these industrial control networks. One consequence of the IIoT trend is that purchasing devices for your network isn’t the end of your expenditure. In fact, it is often only the beginning. Network operators are discovering a host of associated direct and indirect costs that often can exceed the initial investment in networking hardware. This article considers some of the costs that often are overlooked, and suggests some best practices and tips on how to lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) for industrial control networks. The time from the start of a project until it is up-and-running can be broken down into broadly six different stages. The challenge for network administrators is to have a deep understanding of each stage of the project, determine the key features that a device should include or support that are beneficial for each stage, as well as be able to estimate to what extent these features will be beneficial for future network needs. An additional challenge is that the features and benefits often don’t appear in the hardware specifications of a product. Here are the six stages, and their impact on TCO:
1. Reduce installation and integration costs
It is rare to see completely new network installations in industrial environments. The majority of network deployments involve a combination of new equipment and upgrades to existing SCADA systems, control networks and devices. As no two networks are the same, each network has its set of unique requirements. One of the skills that a network administrator must have is the ability to choose and deploy the right devices to ensure that the current and future requirements of the network are met. A good example of this is ensuring interoperabil-
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ity across all devices on the network throughout the project life cycle. Although there are numerous ways to overcome problems that may arise throughout the project, one of the best solutions is to choose products that offer the most flexibility. For industrial networks, devices are often installed in control panels with other devices that run on different voltages, so one solution is to purchase a power converter to ensure compatibility. However, this may not be the ideal solution for all network administrators due to size constraints of the panel where the devices are being installed or the additional costs incurred from purchasing power converters. For some projects the cost of deploying new cables can add significantly to the overall costs of the project. A better alternative is to use a device that supports a wide range of power inputs that will satisfy the present demands of the network, as well as provide more flexibility for devices that also must be added to the network at a later date. Although the initial expenditure may be slightly higher for a switch that supports these features, costs can be reduced over the duration of a project due to avoiding additional costs at a later date.
2. Reduce configuration costs
One of the most time-consuming tasks for projects in industrial environments, and therefore one of the most expensive, is configuring devices on a network so that they perform well. A wide range of options are available, from very basic switches that offer no support with configuration, to large software packages that cost considerable amounts of money on a per-annum basis but greatly assist network administrators with the configuration process. As the number of devices on a network increases, so do the possibilities for savings. Below are some of the main areas that have been identified pertaining to the configuration stage of a project, all of which have a strong effect on the TCO. Due to the convergence of industrial automation and IT systems across IIoT networks, www.plantengineering.com
EtherNet/IP and Profinet protocols must have a way to operate together on the same network. Devices that have been preconfigured to allow for these disparate protocols to communicate automatically allow network administrators to deploy what is essentially a plug and play device. These devices also often will support automatic discovery and the ability to assign IP addresses automatically, eliminating a significant portion of the time required for manual configuration. Compare this with using cheaper devices, which will require a lot more effort to be spent configuring the devices later in the project. Configuration costs are not limited to when the network is being setup for the first time. Any feature that allows copying and saving device configurations will provide network administrators with the ability to reuse these settings at a later date, and eliminate the need to manually configure new devices that are added to the network. Configuration is also made a lot easier by an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). Some companies offer an advanced testing kit that allows users to test a GUI and independently validate its claim that it is intuitive before installing the device on a network. An intuitive GUI can save network operators a significant amount of time during a project.
3. Reduce operational costs
A key way to lower operational costs is to minimize the amount of manual work needed to keep switches and a network operational. In addition, ensuring product suitability for deployment in industrial environments will also help achieve optimal operational performance. The two main reasons why devices on industrial networks malfunction are their moving parts and the power inputs, often referred to as points of weakness. Switches that have an absolute minimum of moving parts are much less likely to malfunction or break, resulting in www.plantengineering.com
less network downtime and therefore reduced expenditure. Similarly, if the device supports dual-power inputs and one of the power supplies fails, the other power supply will keep the device running, allowing the faulty power supply to be replaced without network downtime. For deployments lasting longer than 10 years, which is the norm for IIoT networks, there is a very high chance that network administrators will encounter one of these problems at some point during those 10 years.
Here are the costs incurred within the project life cycle. All images courtesy: Moxa
4. Reduce maintenance costs
The majority of IIoT networks are controlled by programmable logic controllers (PLCs). When the network performs scheduled maintenance and reboots, a PLC will often take about 20 seconds to reboot. If a PLC boots up before the network is ready to operate, errors will occur that can cause more delays. Switches that can boot up in about 10 seconds as opposed to 100 seconds will be ready to operate as soon as the PLC has rebooted, thereby avoiding these problems. Being able to quickly view a network’s status via an app or software is one of the easiest ways to monitor the network. These apps and software sometimes incorporate a system that alerts network administrators that an event is taking place that has the potential to cause a failure on the network. Alerting the system administrator that a problem could happen, as opposed to a system that merely informs the administrator that a problem has occurred, is an excellent way of reducing maintenance costs. These features may increase the purchase price of the switch but over the course of the project are likely to result in substantial savings.
5. Reduce costs associated with downtime
Finding the root cause of downtime on a large-scale network is very time consuming, plant engineering
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CoverStory
The multi-protocol capability makes it easier to integrate PLCs with the SCADA system.
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so any tools that assist network administrators with identifying the point of failure and allow them to quickly fix it will have significant advantages. Another skill of successful network administrators is to be able to calculate whether the additional costs of features that can help reduce downtime are likely to outweigh the costs of any downtime experienced. Devices that can be remotely accessed and configured are very beneficial because they allow untrained personnel to perform the time-consuming task of going to the field site, while the trained specialist can perform troubleshooting and configuration remotely from the control center. In addition, a device that offers playback support allows the specialist to identify what occurred at the time the switch went down, and help improve the design of the network to avoid this kind of failure in the future. Devices that backup the switch’s configurations on a dongle are particularly helpful if the switch malfunctions. To automatically import all of the settings, all you need to do is plug the dongle back into the switch. As no configurations need to be performed manually, the amount of network downtime is reduced. As network administrators are not always based in the control room, mobile apps that support event notifications provide them with the ability to respond more quickly to events taking place on the network and allow them to get the network back to normal more quickly than would have been otherwise possible. Self-healing redundancy technologies ensure that networks stay up-and-running even in the event of a single node failure. Deploying redundancy technologies that allow greater flexibility, availability and scalability for future network expansion can help avoid additional expenditure in the future. plant engineering
6. Ongoing technical support
When purchasing a switch, a wide range of options are available, from cheap devices that offer no ongoing support or firmware upgrades, to switches whose technical support will cost significantly more than the switch over the course of the project. As switches are often deployed on networks for longer than 10 years, the technical support that comes with a switch will significantly impact costs in long-term deployments. For example, new security threats are regularly identified and companies that offer ongoing technical support often will release a security update via a firmware upgrade to eliminate new cyber threats. Conversely, when a device on a network is compromised and ongoing technical support or firmware upgrades are not available, the network administrator will have to replace the device or risk the security of the whole network. Reliable switches that offer free, ongoing technical support complemented by a long warranty period present significant advantages for network administrators who want the lowest TCO for their projects. After considering the life cycle of a project and the hidden costs that can be incurred throughout this life cycle, it is clear that multiple factors must be considered when determining the direct and indirect costs of an entire system. Of course network administrators never can be 100% sure what the future needs of an IIoT network are, but having a full understanding of the six stages described above ensures that network administrators are more knowledgeable about which devices have the best chances of lowering the TCO throughout the duration of a project. PE Richard Wood is product marketing manager for Moxa Inc. www.plantengineering.com
Continued from page 41 Andy Young, process control manager at Pioneer Energy, said IIoT technologies enable Mobile Alkane Gas Separator remote systems to produce methane and natural gas at drill sites.
data and insight. Typically this magic is buried under a banner of machine learning, big data or advanced analytics. But just where these key insights are revealed, and how, is often given insufficient consideration. Looking at end user examples, the real work of analytics includes data aggregation, cleansing and contextualization with business systems data before insights can be produced. Or as our end user customers describe it, 80% to 90% of analytics is getting the data right before the analytics can occur, and this will only get more complicated as end users install more connected products which will provide even more streams of data for integration (Figure 1, p. 40). There are also issues of engineer productivity, team collaboration and process industry capabilities to recognize in the context of analytics offerings. These are hard issues, and therefore the specifics of analytics requirements deserve the same attention as the business cases. We certainly know from experience there are no silver bullet solutions to actionable insights. Our experience at Seeq suggests the right path is instead providing end user engineers and other production experts with tools they can use to create actionable information from raw data. These tools rely heavily on visualization of data, from which insights can be derived (Figure 2). Finally, to land the analytics once insights are achieved, it’s important to know which employees are trained and incented to act on the information that has been uncovered. A “right” answer disconnected from the incentives and rewards of the workforce is a www.plantengineering.com
recipe for failure. Therefore, identifying the requirement to find the insight, executing the analytics and transforming insight into execution is the last mile of successful IIoT implementations. PE Michael Risse (Michael.risse@Seeq.com) is vice president and CMO at Seeq Corporation, a company building productivity applications for engineers. plant engineering
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ELECTRICALSOLUTIONS Eight easy pieces
Make your company’s electrical safety program NFPA 70E-compliant. By Tommy Northcott, PE, CMRP Northcott Consulting LLC
T
he 2015 edition of the National Fire Prote c t ion Ass o ciat ion (NFPA) 70E standard requires employers to implement and document an overall electrical safety program. Sometimes it may feel cumbersome to try to understand and comply with OSHA-mandated industry standards, but when they are broken down and looked at piece by piece, it can become a very obtainable reality. The general requirement is for the safety program to direct activity appropriate to the risk associated with electrical hazards and to be integrated with the employer’s overall occupational health and safety management system. While NFPA 70E requirements can be broken out into eight pieces, it is important to point out that training is the thread that runs through the entire program. Training, in one form or another, is an important aspect of all eight pieces that make up an NFPA 70E-compliant electrical safety program. We often hear the saying “knowledge is power,” and when it comes to electrical safety, knowledge should be the priority.
1. Awareness and self-discipline
The overall electrical safety program should be designed in a manner that consistently increases the employee’s awareness of the electrical hazard as well as the mitigation techniques available to provide protection from those hazards. The program should also encourage the development of self-discipline in using the safety principles and controls that are an integral part of the application portion of the program. The electrical safety program should drive the development of safety habits that, in turn, shape an overall culture of electrical safety. This the first of the eight pieces, because all of the other pieces have to be incorporated with this awareness and selfdiscipline to successfully create the desired electrical safety culture. www.plantengineering.com
2. Principles
Employers are required to document the key aspects of their expectation for employee safety with respect to electrical hazards. One very important NFPA 70E-driven aspect would be the principle of always working on electrical equipment when it is de-energized unless it is not feasible to do so. Hazard identification and mitigation is another key principle in any electrical safety program. Other principles could include: • Knowledge of the installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment • Planning jobs • Documented task instructions • Personal protective equipment (PPE) • Proper use of the right tool for the job • Using qualified workers for the job No matter what list of principles the employer comes up with, the key to this piece is training employees to what these principles are and what they mean with respect to the employer’s expectation.
3. Controls
The employer needs to have a documented method for how the program is put into application by the employees. As with the other pieces, employee training and knowledge is the key. The employer must train employees to be qualified at the appropriate level with respect to the hazards to which the employees will be exposed. It is also typical for the employer to develop a process that will drive best work practices and the development of safety habits. These controls should be built upon the principles in the second piece: What can be done to ensure that the principles are applied to each task? The principle of only working on de-energized equipment is applied through a process that requires the development of an electrically safe work condition. If it is not feasible to work on de-energized equipment, then the control becomes a process that establishes the appropriate boundaries and PPE. PLANT ENGINEERING
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eLeCTRICALSOLUTIONS cable safety procedures, lockout/tag out, boundary identification, energized electrical work permit, drawings, operations and maintenance (O&M) manuals, sketches, photographs, etc. The program identifies when specific procedures are re qu i re d, re c om mended, and—in some cases—not required. These procedures provide the documentation of the steps taken to provide a safe method to execute the associated task.
5. Risk assessment
This piece of the program has been the subject of change for each revision since the 2004 edition. The 2015 edition brought a significant change of sp ecif ically requiring three aspects to what is now called the Risk Assessment Procedure: 1. Identify hazards 2. Assess risks 3. Implement risk control according to a hierarchy of methods.
Proper and complete documentation of the principles and procedures of your electrical safety program is an important component of keeping it NPFA 70E compliant. Image courtesy: Northcott Consulting
4. Procedures
The controls that are required in the third piece often manifest themselves as written procedures. Other procedures could include the task requirements that describe the details of the work that is to be accomplished. All electrical tasks are planned, and that information should be documented: required PPE, hazard identification, appli-
48 • January/February 2017 plant engineering
This hierarchy of riskcontrol methods is specified in ANSI/AIHA Z10, American National Standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. The hierarchy is as follows: 1. Elimination 2. Substitution 3. Engineering controls 4. Awareness 5. Administrative controls 6. PPE. The risk assessment for electrical tasks must be documented and include the hazards, risks, and the method used to protect employees from the hazards. This is often documented in a type of job-safety analysis, briefing checklist, or similar document. Moving toward the risk terminology is an www.plantengineering.com
effort found throughout the NFPA 70E 2015 revision that addresses probability along with the severity of the hazard.
6. Job briefing
Before any task involving a potential electrical hazard begins, a qualified person leading the task must conduct a job briefing with the employees involved. Interestingly, the 2015 revision removed the distinction between repetitive task, similar task, and routine work. All tasks are treated equally with respect to the job-briefing requirement. The job briefing should identify the hazards as well as any other related interfaces. Questions that any employees involved might have related to the job should be resolved during the job briefing. The briefing should ensure that all employees involved understand their tasks and how they might impact or be impacted by other tasks being executed. The group should think through and discuss the whole job from start to finish to confirm their execution plan and identify any gaps. All job-related documentation should be reviewed and discussed. One very important aspect of the job briefing is preparing for an emergency. If work is being performed around an electrical hazard, the source of the electrical energy should be identified along with the next upstream disconnecting device, location, and PPE required to safely operate that device and remove power.
7. Maintenance
This piece was added to the 2015 revision of NFPA 70E. Updates made throughout the 2015 revision bring a heightened awareness of the relationship between maintenance and probability of failure. It is logical to make the connection that equipment that is inadequately maintained will have a higher probability of failing, resulting in an arc flash hazard and/or shock hazard. Therefore, employers are required to make maintenance practices a part of their overall safety program and hazard-risk assessment.
8. Safety auditing
The employer who cares enough for employees to put together a safety program for employees’ well-being should also care enough to verify that the program is being applied to the work. A lot of time and effort goes into developing this electrical safety program, and it is only effective if the employees understand it and apply it every day to every www.plantengineering.com
task. There are two types of audits that the employer is required to perform. The first audit is on the program itself and is required at a frequency not to exceed three years. It is no coincidence that NFPA 70E is revised on a 3-year cycle. This allows the electrical safety program to be revised to line up with the latest 70E revision. The employer is also required to conduct and document field audits to verify the program is being applied by the employees. These field audits are to be performed at intervals not to exceed 1 year.
“The general requirement is for the safety program
to direct activity appropriate to the risk associated with electrical hazards and to be integrated with the employer’s overall occupational health and
”
safety management system.
Knowledge gained from appropriate training is the key factor that will make or break a company’s electrical safety program. Knowledge of the NFPA 70E standard and the hazards it is designed to safeguard us from is certainly helpful in the establishment of an effective electrical safety program, but it is not the only thing needed for success. When electrical workers truly understand the hazards they are faced with and the mitigation techniques that are available, their self-preservation instinct will drive them to work safely. It is through this understanding of the hazard and safe work practices that the safety program is able to mature into an effective safety culture. The NFPA 70E requirements simply summarize the requirements in a manner to ensure nothing is being overlooked. If the employer’s motivation is for workers to go home safely to their loved ones each day, then the intent of the requirements of NFPA 70E may already be followed. The only thing left to do is verify it, document it, and audit it. PE Tommy Northcott is president of Northcott Consulting LLC and specializes in electrical safety training and NFPA 70E and OSHA compliance. He is a professional engineer licensed in the state of Tennessee and a certified maintenance and reliability professional. plant engineering
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eLeCTRICALSOLUTIONS
Four steps to ensure proper installation of monitoring and metering equipment Following best practices for proper field device installation, such as grounding and testing, will help avoid performance issues and help designers realize the true return on investment (ROI). By Rick Schear Eaton
W
hile investments in electronic monitoring and metering systems are made within complex industrial environments, and connections seem to be correct, problems still exist. Some devices function perfectly, others do not function at all, while some perform erratically or occasionally send error messages. The majority of problems seem to occur within sensitive control or power transmission assemblies. Often, a lack of attention has been given to the installation details of monitoring and metering device wiring during design and installation. Some of these important wiring issues include incorrect wire selection or installation, improper instrumentation grounding, and inadequate electromagnetic protection for wire and terminations. Four steps to proper monitoring and metering equipment installation The following are best practices to ensure monitoring and metering equipment are functioning properly:
1. Ensure adherence to manufacturer recommendations
Manufacturers will likely provide extensive recommendations for the design, installation, and maintenance of power and communications wiring used in field bus products. This information typically spans INCOM [Industrial Communications network from CutlerHammer, acquired by Eaton], RS-485, and Ethernet physical layers. Adherence to these recommendations is vital to ensure robust and reliable communications. Network segments installed according to manufacturer recommendations will provide flexibility, simplicity, and noise immunity. Failure to follow recommendations often will result in sub-optimal system performance. For example, to minimize data corruption,
50 • January/February 2017 plant engineering
it is not advised to run communications wiring in a power tray common with highfrequency loads, such as adjustable frequency drives or soft starters. Proper grounding is also an important aspect of field device installation. Most instrumentation systems have two grounds including the electrical or power ground and the instrument ground. It’s important to realize that these two grounding systems have different purposes. The shield should be continuous across a network segment and connected to the building’s electrical system grounding electrode conductor. The 2017 National Electric Code (NEC) provides guidance on grounding communication cables. Cable selection also is essential for robust communications. Cable developed for RS-485 communications is recommended. Control and instrumentation cables are unacceptable for RS-485 applications. Additionally, power distribution and automation applications require shielded cable. Most cable is available with two types of shielding, foil and braid-over foil. Either can be used, although braid-over foil is preferred. The foil covers high-radio frequency and electrical fast transient exposures, while the braid-over foil covers lowfrequency surge events. For typical terminal block connections, the cable must support a shield drain wire.
2. Understand infrastructure challenges and environmental factors
System capacity calculations should be performed when new systems are being developed or devices are being added to existing systems. The purpose of the calculation is to determine if the system design has the capacity to support the number and type of devices intended for use. www.plantengineering.com
Figure 1: Less attention is often given to the installation of monitoring and metering device wiring. Common wiring errors easily can be overlooked, with rolled wires visible. All images courtesy: Eaton
Problems may be unrelated to capacity. For example, most loads in modern electrical distribution systems are inductive. These loads can include motors, transformers, gaseous tube lighting ballasts, and induction furnaces. Inductive loads need a magnetic field to operate. These inductive devices can cause harmonics to be created by electronic circuits, which can create problems for connected loads. All harmonics cause additional heat in conductors and other distribution system components. Harmonics also can cause electromagnetic interference (EMI), also called radio-frequency interference (RFI) when in the radio frequency spectrum, and is a disturbance generated by an external source that affects an electrical circuit by electromagnetic induction, electrostatic coupling, or conduction. High levels of harmonics and EMI can often result in erratic behavior of electronic equipment, including inconsistent data communication between computer equipment and field devices,which can jeopardize the effectiveness of energy monitoring and metering devices. These issues can be traced b ack to incor re c t wir ing schemes, such as installing unshielded communications cables too close to wiring carrying inductive loads. Replacing existing cable with a shielded alternative, or simply changing the proximity of communications wiring to inductive loads, can correct this problem. www.plantengineering.com
However, if wiring adheres to manufacturer recommendations and data is still unreliable, it is recommended to consult with the field device manufacturer or a power quality specialist to determine if line filters and conditioners can solve issues. plant engineering
January/February 2017 • 51
eLeCTRICALSOLUTIONS Figure 2: Malfunctions with monitoring and metering devices and instrumentations often can be traced to wiring errors, such as use of the wrong type of wire shown here.
As a result, possible issues can be identified and rectified prior to installation, which can save a tremendous amount of troubleshooting time and labor compared to the identification of issues after installation and commissioning.
4. Test equipment, before, after installation
3. Diligently review pre-approval documents and plans
The potential problems outlined above can be avoided by giving adequate attention to the details of field device wiring recommendations during the design and installation phases. It is always a best practice to closely review pre-approval documentation and plans to ensure important wiring details are met, including proper treatment of each type of instrument, correct wiring for signals, proper grounding, and meeting specifications for instrumentation wire and terminations.
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It is vital to use testing equipment to measure capacity, harmonics, and EMI before and after installation to streamline the field wiring process. Proactive testing can help designers identify possible obstacles and implement protective measures before a bill of materials is created. These studies also should be performed following installation to ensure wiring measures have correctly addressed identified issues. Paying close attention to field device data during startup, peak usage, and the ramping down of systems can also easily identify problems. EMI and harmonic levels can vary during these periods, so keeping an eye out for inconsistencies or data collection errors often can help correct the situation shortly after installation, and the field device can then function properly. If issues with data collection are identified, contacting the field device manufacturer directly for immediate troubleshooting and correction support is among other options. Without proper installation, it is impossible to reap the benefits of metering and monitoring devices. The real-time data these devices provide, simplifies maintenance, reduces downtime, and enhances efficiency. However, without properly functioning systems, most organizations never fully achieve the true return on investment for these devices. By following best practices for device wiring and installation, designers, installers, and plant management can achieve the full benefit of real-time data acquisition without the headaches of improperly performing equipment and the need for timeconsuming troubleshooting and testing. PE Rick Schear is a product manager at Eaton. www.plantengineering.com
Operating a three-phase motor using single-phase power Three ways to make an expensive and arduous process a little easier. By Chuck Yung Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA)
S
o, you told a neighbor you work with electrical equipment, and now he thinks you can solve his problem because he or she bought a three-phase motor that can’t run on single-phase power. Being asked to convert this motor already sounds like more trouble than it’s worth. That’s not quite true though. There are some methods to make the process easier.
The phantom leg method
Three-phase power involves three symmetrical sine waves that are 120 electrical degrees out of phase with one another (see Figure). One method of converting single-phase power that worked well for decades was connecting two phases to the incoming 220 V single-phase power and create a “phantom leg” for the third phase by using capacitors to force an offset between the main and auxiliary windings. In this case, the offset is 90 electrical degrees. For this method, the capacitors must be appropriately sized for the load. The current will be unbalanced if it isn’t. Rather than the 120-deg phase shift depicted in the lower half of Figure 1, the incorrect pairing of the capacitor and load may result in a large deviation. The bigger the discrepancy, the lower the torque.
Rotary phase converter method
Figure: Comparison of single-phase (top) and three-phase (bottom) power. Image courtesy: EASA www.plantengineering.com
Another viable method is with a rotary phase converter. A wood shop, for instance, might use a rotary phase converter to run several three-phase machines on a singlephase power input. One drawback is that the process can be very expensive during the entire time the rotary phase is converting, regardless of whether any machinery is being used. The current might be balanced when specific machinery is running, but if few machines are operating, or all of them are heavily loaded, the three-phase power—current and voltage—is drastically unbalanced. “NEMA Stds. MG 1: Motors and Generators” calls for motors to operate from voltage that is bal-
anced within 1%. If the 10x rule is applied (percent current unbalance can be as high as 10 times the percent voltage unbalance) to a motor operating with 1% voltage imbalance, the current imbalance could be 10%. This is beneficial because a majority of three-phase motors running on a system described above are operating between 15% and 50% current imbalance. Even with the NEMA MG 1 derating graph no motor should operate with such a large current imbalance.
Variable frequency drive method
A variable frequency drive (VFD) rectifies each pair of phases to dc and inverts the dc to the power for the three-phase output, which means a VFD can be used with single-phase input to operate a three-phase motor. Manufacturer support varies, and it is cautiously recommended to derate the drive by 1 divided by the square root of 3 (about 58%). Also note that the hp/kW VFD rating is there for convenience in sizing drives since they’re rated by current. For example, a 10 hp (7.5 kW) motor would use a VFD rated for 15 hp (11 kW). It is strongly recommended for the user to work with the drive manufacturer in selecting and sizing the VFD for this use. Compressors, machine shop and woodworking equipment and decorative fountains are good candidates for this method. Rather than buying an expensive single-phase motor, changing the controls and dealing with speed control and starting torque issues, it is a better idea to use a VFD to operate the existing motor from singlephase power. For many applications up to 5 hp (4 kW), a suitable VFD can be purchased for far less than the cost of rewinding a three-phase motor and providing the necessary controls to operate it. The additional benefits are that a three-phase motor is usually less expensive to buy, the controls do not require replacement or modification, and the VFD has the value-added bonus of providing speed control. Best of all, you don’t have to ruin a weekend helping someone who does not fully understand just what it is you do. PE Chuck Yung is a senior technical support specialist at the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA). EASA is a CFE Media content partner. plant engineering
January/February 2017 • 53
MECHANICALSOLUTIONS Insulation deficiencies can harm plants, people Proper attention provides better energy management, reduced operational failure By Nick Eaton ISS Insulation Services & Solutions
For optimum operation, industrial facilities such as power plants require mechanical insulation on pipes, ducts, tanks and equipment. Mechanical insulation in a power plant controls temperature variation to help limit heat gain or loss on surfaces operating at temperatures above or below ambient temperature. An experienced contractor typically manages installation of mechanical insulation in industrial environments.
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PLANT ENGINEERING
www.plantengineering.com
Insulated piping in a mechanical room at an energy plant. All images courtesy: ISS Insulation Services & Solutions
Selecting the type of mechanical insulation for installation begins with asking basic questions and understanding the scope of work. Mechanical insulation is divided into three different categories based on the level of heat it can withstand. Mechanical insulation contractors need to know the operating temperature range of the plant’s system before installing insulation. Knowing if a system is outdoors, indoors or both determines the type of protection needed to prevent damage from weather, a corrosive atmosphere, water or chemical exposure and other challenging conditions.
Improper insulation
Mechanical insulation systems require different layers of thickness depending on the temperature of the environment. With the correct insulation installed, the plant becomes more energy efficient, which in turn reduces operating costs. If a mechanical insulation contractor lacks thorough knowledge about a manufacturer’s product installation standards, the risk of system damage or lack of efficiency increases. Improper insulation can lead to excessive heat transfer and that loss of heat affects the conservation of energy and ultimately the cost to operate the plant.
Damaged insulation
Damage can occur to mechanical insulation systems in several ways. Unfortunately, using the wrong insulation or installing insulation incorrectly are common reasons for damage. Environmental factors, such as weather, will damage the insulation if it isn’t adequately protected. Piping and equipment that operate at lower-than-ambient temperatures run the risk of condensation or freezing on the insulation surface. If the thickness of the insulation is less than required, the insulation can become wet and cause corrosion. In addition to environmental causes, c a re l e s s m a i nt e n a n c e p e r s on n e l c a n damage mechanical insulation systems by walking on insulated pipes or tearing mechanical insulation to repair or maintain equipment. www.plantengineering.com
Mechanical insulation does wear out after years of use and can be rendered obsolete. If an installation contractor finds mechanical insulation that is old or installed improperly, it is important that the insulation be completely removed and replaced. Care should be taken during removal of the existing insulation to minimize damage to the mechanical system. Temporary protection may be required for adjacent insulation to prevent damage to it while repairs are underway. Aged mechanical insulation should not be repurposed. Using old, deteriorated insulation will negatively impact the energy efficiency of the plant.
Pipe/duct deterioration
Pipes and ducts commonly deteriorate through rust and corrosion that is frequently caused by condensation. Improper insulation lacks efficient condensation control, allowing water vapor to reach the surface of the pipes and ducts. The best way to prevent condensation in colder environments is with the right insulation installed properly. Heat is a leading cause of deterioration of pipes and ducts. If the pipe insulation is not rated for high-temperature environments it can melt and fall off the pipes, exposing them to the elements. If the insulation falls off or is missing, the pipes or ducts become a burn injury hazard for plant personnel.
Safety
If the mechanical insulation isn’t installed properly or is damaged, the risk of injury is greater for personnel through exposure to extremely hot equipment, sharp edges
“Knowing if a system is outdoors,
indoors or both determines the type of protection needed to prevent damage from weather, a corrosive atmosphere, water or chemical exposure and other challenging conditions.
”
PLANT ENGINEERING
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mechanicalSOLUTIONS
Insulation and lagging on the exterior duct.
and fly ash. Fly ash is a by-product of burning coal and is dangerous if inhaled. Plant managers should hire a professional crew to properly clean-up and remove any fly ash before a mechanical insulation contractor installs new insulation. Personal protection equipment (PPE) should always been worn when installing or removing insulation in an industrial facility. PPE includes a hard hat, steel-toe boots, safety goggles with side shields, resistant gloves, long sleeves, and respirators. PPE guards personnel from injuries, including burns from hot equipment, cuts from exposed sharp edges and inhalation of fly ash. Proximity is a safety issue at every industrial plant or facility, but there are other alternatives that can increase accessibility. Scaffolding hoists, lifts, and swinging stages work in high-risk environments such as industrial plants. Providing appropriate
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means to access mechanical insulation systems increases productivity of and decreases the risk of injury to installation workers.
Deadlines
Shutting down a plant generally result in exponentially higher costs for repairs and loss of hours of operation. Plant managers should have a strict schedule for maintenance while the plant is shut down. Contractors need to provide an efficient plan for maintenance to ensure that the plant becomes fully operational on time. Mechanical insulation contractors may require additional workers to meet plant manager’s plant shutdown schedule. Therefore, understanding the full scope of work for the project will enable the contractor to decide what workforce is necessary. In addition, further damage may be identified during the systems assessment, increasing the amount of required maintenance. www.plantengineering.com
In order to complete the project on schedule, the contractor may need to employ more workers or workers may be required to work overtime. The contractor must factor all of the elements and variables into the repair and maintenance plans.
Maintenance
HVAC and mechanical insulation systems require periodic inspection and maintenance. Whole sys- ISS employees installing mineral wool insulation on boiler wall tem checks, including insu- at power plant. lation appraisal, should be performed ever y six months. The plant manager is responsible bears responsibility for fixing the problem for the inspection and maintenance of the if it occurs within the warranty timeframe. If a mechanical insulation system is propsystem. Failure to perform inspections in the recommended timeframe carries risks erly installed, sustains little damage and is that are likely to cause more problems down properly inspected and maintained, it can last 20 years or more. Mechanical insulation the road. Visual checklists are available for plant is a valuable asset in maintaining energy managers to use during routine main- efficiency and reducing operating costs and tenance checks. Checklists are a simple is worth the investment in proper installaguide to visually inspect the condition tion and maintenance. The most important tasks for a mechaniof mechanical insulation systems and shouldn’t be relied upon solely. Internal cal insulation contractor are to effectively inspectors will want to look for missing, analyze the environment where the insulose or sagging insulation and the common lation will be installed and to specify the problems that are caused by leaking pipes correct type of insulation that will hold up against any harsh or potentially damaging or damaged equipment. A mechanical insulation survey is help- conditions. Making time for this process ful in addition to the visual inspection. before installation can prevent future damSur veys are more in-depth and involve age, saving a plant from inconvenient and documentation of each type of insulation costly repairs and replacement parts down and a list of damaged or missing insulation. the road. It is imperative that mechanical insulaAfter damaged or missing insulation is identified by a plant manager an action tion contractors and plant managers know plan should be implemented to assess about the insulation being installed, folthe degree of damage and what repairs low recommended maintenance schedules or replacements need to be conducted to and be aware of any causes of damage. Not prevent further damage and risk of injury. only is it vital to use the correct mechaniA professional mechanical insulation con- cal insulation for the project, but having tractor has the skills and experience neces- a professional industrial mechanical insusary to assess the system as recommended. lation contractor that knows the proper, and efficient techniques for installing and Warranties replacing insulation is key for successful It is an industry standard that HVAC and plant operations. PE mechanical insulation installers provide Nick Eaton is the sales engineer of ISS Insua one-year warranty on the installation of the products where warranties for the lation Services & Solutions, which is a memproducts vary by manufacturer. If the insu- ber of the National Insulation Association. lation is installed improperly the installer His email is neaton@insulationsands.com. www.plantengineering.com
plant engineering
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10 tips to lower compressed air costs Keep an ear out for leaks, but look at other factors as well. By Deepak Vetal Atlas Copco Compressors
C
ompressed air is a necessity in many industrial applications, but it can be costly if you’re not careful. By investing some time and thought into your compressed air system, you can identify inefficiencies that, when fixed, will make compressed air an affordable solution. Following these 10 tips will lower your compressed air costs.
1. Analyze air consumption
“It’s common to
find systems running at a high pressure to satisfy the needs of only one point of use. However, this can waste large volumes of compressed air, especially when the pressure needs of different end uses are highly disparate.
”
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Typically, only half of generated compressed air is used for the intended process. The other half is depleted by artificial demand, inappropriate use, and leaks. Artificial demand is created when there are extra margins on sizing compressed air systems in terms of flow or pressure requirement. It can account for about 10% to 15% of compressed air consumption, which translates into wasted money. Also should check the operation for potentially inappropriate uses of compressed air such as open blowing, personnel cooling, cabinet cooling or air motors. Some of these applications, including cabinet cooling, liquid agitation or stirring and vacuum generation, can be served more efficiently by a fan, blower or vacuum pump, all of which consume less energy than air compressors. Knowing where your air goes is the first step toward developing an action plan to reduce unnecessary compressed air consumption.
2. Inspect distribution
Inspecting your distribution means checking for leaks and assessing your pipe sizing. Both leaks and incorrectly sized pipes can result in unwanted pressure drops, causing your compressed air system to work harder and consume more energy. In some systems, leaks account for 20% to 30% of air consumption. Let’s take a look at some calculations and examples to understand the impact of distribution inefficiencies. plant engineering
Leaks: At 80 psig, a leak through a 1/16-inch hole consumes about 5.24 cfm. When the pressure moves to 125 psig, that number jumps to 7.66 cfm. This 46% increase in wasted air can compound energy costs quickly, so leaks should be identified and addressed as quickly as possible. While some larger leaks can be heard in a system walk, an audit is the best way to ensure all leaks are found. Ultrasonic leak detectors are available to find minute leaks, but an ongoing identification program involving all personnel is the most effective practice. Pipe sizing and configuration: Pipe sizing may seem like a small factor, but it can have a big impact on pressure. For example, suppose a plant experiencing low pressure generates 400 cfm while running at 100 psig with pipes that are two inches in diameter. To compensate for the low pressure, the operator considers purchasing a new, larger compressor. Is this a good solution? Probably not. Increasing the pipe size from 2 inches to 3 inches and creating a closed-loop system reduced the pressure drop from 12 psi to 1 psi without a new compressor. Another way to avoid air pressure drops associated with piping and configuration is to just say no to long hoses. Minimizing the use of hoses and frequently inspecting fittings can preserve line pressure without forcing the compressor to work harder than necessary.
3. Reduce pressure
It’s common to find systems running at a high pressure to satisfy the needs of only one point of use. However, this can waste large volumes of compressed air, especially when the pressure needs of different end uses are highly disparate. To avoid generating unnecessary amounts of compressed air, try using a separate compressor or booster. That way, the rest of your system can continue to operate at a lower pressure, reducing leakage and usage rates and ultimately decreasing overall energy consumption. www.plantengineering.com
These savings can add up. Every additional 2 psi increases energy costs by about 1%. But before you buy a separate compressor, try a few simple checks: • Assess the validity of compressor control settings. • Look for pressure drops through dryers, filters, and piping systems. • Determine if there’s artificial demand.
4. Ensure air receivers are used properly
Air receiver sizing and placement are crucial to lowering compressed air costs. Air receivers play a vital role in the compressed air process. They store compressed air prior to end use and serve as a buffer between the compressor and system, modulating pressure variation that may happen during compression. The Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI) recommends four to five gallons per cfm. For installation with multiple compressors, the air receiver should be based on the size of the trim compressor. Ensuring your air receiver is in the right location is another way to lower your compressed air costs. Some operators decide to install an air receiver before the compressed air dryer. This can be beneficial to the dryer, as the receiver may provide radiant cooling that removes some of the condensate and entrained oil. However, the receiver will be filled with saturated air. If there is a sudden demand that exceeds the compressor and dryer capacity rating, the dryer can become overloaded, leading to a higher pressure dew point. Installing the receiver after the dryer doesn’t provide the same advantages, but it does store clean, dry air. Any sudden demand occurring in this situation will be met with dry air. The best proactive air receiver placement is to have two receivers on the supply side: one “wet” receiver before the dryer to provide control storage and condensate dropout and a second “dry” air receiver to meet sudden demand.
5. Control multiple systems effectively
When designing a multiple compressor system, a good way to save money is to base load as many compressors as possible. Multiple www.plantengineering.com
compressor control can optimize the running cost because you are selecting which compressor to run at a specific load based on plant flow demand. It can also reduce the compressor operating pressure band (remember, 2 psi increases the energy consumption by 1%). If you have variable speed drive (VSD) and a centrifugal compressor in the system, multiple compressor controls will keep the VSD compressor and centrifugal compressor in an optimum zone, minimizing compressed air blow-off.
Measuring and monitoring air use is an important component in managing your compressed air costs. Image courtesy: Atlas Copco
6. Choose the right dryer and filter
The process of drying compressed air is often misunderstood, which results in inefficiently pieced together systems that waste energy and money. We often get questions regarding dryer and filter selection, such as: • Should I get a desiccant or refrigerant dryer? • What level of filtration do I need? • Do I need all these filters, regulators and lubricants? Regardless of the question, the answer is almost always the same: it depends on your application. However, there are a few universal tips to follow when using dryers and filters that can help reduce compressed air costs: plant engineering
January/February 2017 • 59
mechanicalSOLUTIONS • Do not dry compressed air more than the application requires. This is unnecessary and wastes money. • Consider initial drying with a refrigeranttype dryer, then dry further only to meet point-of-use requirements. • Every filter causes a pressure drop, which costs money. Don’t filter more than necessary.
7. Remove condensate with no-loss drains
“Keeping
Compressors make a lot of water. You need a way to safely and efficiently remove it from your system to avoid turning your compressed air pipes into water pipes. Manual drains should not be used, because they rely on a maintenance team who may have other priorities. When left open, manual drains can waste expensive amounts of compressed air. Timer drains present a similar issue, and both types of drains may not work properly on a humid day. Instead, opt for drain traps that sense the presence of condensate and drain it without the loss of compressed air. You should always inspect drain traps regularly and repair as needed.
4. Record maintenance data and trends. 5. Record operating pressures at strategic
points in the system, as these changes can reveal problem areas. 6. Review the impact of new production machines. 7. Analyze low pressure at point of use; this could signal a system problem rather than a need for a new compressor. Mapping the system is a helpful starting point. This could be done by plant personnel or through a compressed air audit. The latter can offer deeper insights into the system’s functionality and reveal changes that would improve the current system. Another way to keep an eye on your compressors is through a remote monitoring system, which can show where compressed air is going, where pressure drops occur and how much energy the system is using.
track of your compressed air consumption can 10. Select the right compressor offer important Selecting the right compressor for your operation is paramount. While there are many insights. From options, it’s important to understand the different types of compressors and the cost informing advantages they offer. Every technology has its maintenance unique advantage based on the plant demand 8. Recover heat and application. practices to Heat is always a byproduct of air compression. • VSD: Because it adjusts to meet demand, In fact, you can recover almost 90% to 95% this compressor is good for trim applicaprompting energy of heat from certain compressors. A radiatortions. • Oil-free: Oil-free compressors are ideal for saving initiatives, cooled unit can provide air for space heating in a building, and a water-cooled unit can prosensitive applications like food, beverage it’s always good duce hot water for plant use. Instead of directand pharmaceutical processing. ing hot compressor outside or discarding the • Centrifugal: These dynamic compressors to know what’s hot water, use these resources to power your are large and produce high flows, making facility to save money. them good base load compressors for large happening in your production industries such as semiconduc9. Measure and monitor air use tor production. system.
”
Keeping track of your compressed air consumption can offer important insights. From informing maintenance practices to prompting energy saving initiatives, it’s always good to know what’s happening in your system. Doing so will not only prevent serious issues from going unnoticed, it will also help your plant find ways to continuously improve efficiency. There are seven important things to keep in mind regarding monitoring:
1. Establish a baseline of your system before making changes.
2. Establish a benchmark of energy consumption against rate of production.
3. Record any system changes and resulting energy savings.
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• Piston: Piston compressors are frequently small and portable, making them perfect for automotive and other shop applications.
Don’t purchase a compressor without first researching which best fits your application, pressure and capacity needs. Examining your options up front will save you money down the line. These tips are just the beginning. Implementing energy and cost-saving practices takes time and ongoing commitment. By adhering to the above practices, your facility can save significant amounts of energy—and money. PE Deepak Vetal is product marketing manager for Atlas Copco Compressors. www.plantengineering.com
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MAINTENANCESOLUTIONS Mobile safety strategy: Six things to consider Combine smart devices with flexible technology to provide real-time alerts. By Jason Dea and Gary Edwards Intelex Technologies
O
rganizations go through significant evolutions in many areas of their businesses. The technical challenges in managing risks around workplace safety are similar in many respects to other parts of the enterprise: there is software to minimize the hurdles that impede getting information from a source into a system which in turn enables the right people to make informed, proactive and actionable decisions. Archaic environmental health and safety (EHS) programs rely on employees to collect data manually, transpose the information into spreadsheets or disparate, disconnected software products—or worse yet, paper binders—and perpetually repeat this process. Such programs may suffice in meeting minimum regulatory standards, but they typically fall short due to human error and the sheer quantity of information involved. Absent adequate software, actionable intelligence is not available to inform proactive decision-making and preventive actions. Mobile devices integrated with EHS tools to leverage real-time connectivity, native apps, and easy in-the-field data entry, are game changing. They place employees, not the safety manager, in the center of influence.
With mobile devices, data can be collected on the fly from all personnel. Conversely, these same field staff and their managers can receive data-driven insights and alerts as they go. Mobile devices unleash potential by exposing and reducing hazards and unsafe behaviors, facilitating broader employee (and contractor) adoption and by transforming real-time source data lifted from the field into instantly actionable intelligence. In the case of incident management, for example, no reports are complete without some form of location-based data. GPS and mapping services are embedded into almost all current smart mobile devices (phones and tablets) as native apps. Critical location data can be pushed to managers and employees instantly when on-device apps connect with EHS tools. Similarly, all smart mobile devices feature some form of a camera capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos. Both capabilities already are frequently used to enrich incident and audit reporting, but when tied to EHS systems they instantly provide essential visual support. No mobile device is complete without a series of apps designed to fulfill its main purpose: communication. Between the efficient
“Beautiful scorecards might light up a safety manager’s interest, but the real question to ask is: Does this tool work in the hands of my workers who are at the frontlines and highest risk?
www.plantengineering.com
”
Gary Edwards, Intelex Technologies
PLANT ENGINEERING
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mAINTENANCESOLUTIONS “Ensure your mobile EHS app is an integral component of a safety
ecosystem that prevents incidents rather than just reporting them.
”
Rethinking mobile requirements
Unlike other mobile apps, choosing an EHS mobile app is not a simple “feature and functions” race. Because of the complexity and variety of operational requirements both within companies and within sectors, a simple feature list for an EHS app is not helpful in evaluating its potential effectiveness or fit. Consider the following six essential requirements when adopting mobile EHS apps:
1. Is it field tested and battle ready?
Being developed in the field with frontline user input is crucial. That means the app has been optimized for ease, convenience, speed and relevance in the environments and circumstances where end users put it to use. Beautiful scorecards might light up a safety manager’s interest, but the real question to ask is: Does this tool work in the hands of my workers who are at the frontlines and highest risk? Approaching 100% adoption and engagement of EHS mobile is the only route to achieving 100% safety.
2.
Are configurable views unique to and optimized for mobile? User-friendly design is critical, again, most importantly for field users. Remember that
64 • January/February 2017
plant engineering
3.
Is it optimized to capture leading indicators? Capturing incidences as they occur in the field is an obvious and base requirement of any EHS mobile solution. To meet the promise that mobile deployment offers, EHS mobile solutions need to focus and optimize features that capture leading indicators, including hazards, unsafe behaviors (“etiquettes”) and minor incidences that do not get formally reported to regulators. Benchmarks on leading indicators must be part of the mobile solution if you want your enterprise to achieve a step change in safety results.
Jason Dea, Intelex Technologies
use of phone logs and chat apps, as well as voice recording, dictation and note-taking tools, the burden on frontline staff of collecting and inputting data into an EHS system in the field is immensely reduced. Mobile devices improve accuracy and significantly reduce the time associated with completing tasks. Joining native capabilities with existing EHS enterprise software combines cuttingedge technologies with battle-tested apps. By contrast, adopting new market entrant standalone entities injects considerable risk into risk management.
mobile apps are not just about shrinking a screen. Indeed, many mobile apps remain fixated on individual “page” views while neglecting more important design elements. Consider the user experience in navigating within the app versus just the final destination page.
4. Does it offer integrated predictive and prescriptive analytics capabilities? While some apps claim to provide data analysis, they are primarily reports detailing which incidents have happened and when. Descriptive information on past events, while informative, is very limited in enabling action. The abundant streaming data points provided by the broad adoption of a user-friendly mobile app offers the opportunity for a “network effect” in workplace safety. Real-time data processed with machine learning algorithms can provide actionable in-the-moment prescriptive advice. Data that engaged workforces capture is proving to be highly predictive of future serious incidences. Information collected on reports of pain, near misses, hazards and safety observations all are proving to be strong leading indicators. Dashboards, reports and alerts that highlight risk and provide an immediate opportunity for prevention need to be an integral part of any mobile solution. Ensure your mobile EHS app has an integral component of a safety ecosystem that prevents incidents rather than just reporting them. 5. Does it have an EHS mobile software as a platform or is it a stand-alone entity? Ideally, couple your existing EHS software such that changes in the core system www.plantengineering.com
are automatically reflected in the mobile app. Need to capture new information? You should be able to seamlessly integrate it into existing software, allowing you to get started in the field and finish back at the office. Get an app that can be tweaked for each different user type in your company and that will adapt to your evolving needs.
6.
Does your vendor offer the opportunity for co-creation? This last requirement builds on the previous one and may be the most important. Ensure the ability for co-creation of requirements with your vendor. Additional features you discover are critical to the field must be easily captured, built into the core software and reflected in the mobile app. User feedback and front-line input are critical to success.
Consider all job types, each with their attendant risks and the various experience levels of individuals who perform them. We could know who a person is, what training they need, and the particular time and place
when they need a helpful reminder or nudge. Further, consider the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) where we can track the objects and equipment people in our workplaces encounter day to day. Now combine the two. We can keep people safe in workplaces like never before by targeting their needs in ways that replace disengaged general advice with highly accurate information tailored to the job, the individual and the moments that matter to them. Consider that your marketing department probably avoids spamming “offers for everyone” and instead uses highly personalized messages and offers. Hence, they evolved from a one-to-many to a one-to-one customer approach. If you want breakthrough ideas in safety management, bring the lessons learned from digital marketing and its enabling technologies to your health and safety professionals and a mobile strategy. PE Jason Dea is director of product marketing at Intelex Technologies, and Gary Edwards is a data science advisor to Intelex Technologies. Advertorial
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Heat Exchanger Cooling Tower
Spray Nozzles Instrumentation
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O IV R L A
Automatic Self-Cleaning
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Protect:
heat exchangers, spray nozzles, instrumentation, pump seals, I.E. & R.O. units, air compressors and the environment.
Remove: airborne particles, sand, gravel, algae, pollen, silt, scale, rust, microbiological growth, zebra mussels and other dirt particles down to micron size.
Applications:
anywhere that dirt is a problem– cooling water, process water, reclaim water, effluent water, intake water, waste water, wash water, potable water.
Users: U.S. government, municipalities, big 3 automakers, steel mills, major oil companies, commercial buildings, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics, paper, car / rail washes, mines, power.
input #22 at www.plantengineering.com/information
T
he voice of the engineering community speaks loud and clear in the following pages featuring corporate profiles of those companies participating in the Executive Voice program presented by Plant Engineering magazine. Our thanks to the following participants:
AutomationDirect Camfil Air Pollution Control Century Spring Corporation Flexicon Corporation Kaeser Compressors SEW Eurodrive Universal Electric Corporation
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A
well-recognized name in the industrial automation market, AutomationDirect also provides quality products with FREE award-winning in-house sales and technical support. AutomationDirect provides customers with quick order and delivery through an online store and toll-free number. Prices on most products are well below the industry average and a 30-day money-back guarantee is offered on nearly all items. With tens of thousands of part listings, new products include the Productivity2000 PLC, C-more EA9 HMI, and SR55 AC motor soft starter. These products represent many years of design and development by AutomationDirect’s own engineering team as well as their strategic partners. The company also offers AC drives/motors, sensors, pushbuttons, enclosures, circuit protection and more.
See videos on AutomationDirect’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/automationdirect
The company provides online tutorial videos through their web store at www.automationdirect.com as well as their YouTube channel. A Customer Forum provides peer support on technical and application questions. AutomationDirect’s customer support team has been rated top-notch by its customers. For 15 years running, the Tech Support team has been voted by readers of Control Design magazine as best in service and support for various products. And, their own customer surveys consistently rank the company’s service as better than other suppliers.
AutomationDirect’s corporate headquarters near Atlanta, Georgia
The state-of-the-art headquarters facility near Atlanta is designed throughout for maximum performance. Orders for in-stock items can be taken as late at 6 p.m. EST and be shipped for next-day delivery.
For an in-depth look at products offered, visit: www.automationdirect.com
sales@automationdirect.com 1-800-633-0405 www.automationdirect.com
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C
amfil APC offers the most technologically advanced dust, mist and fume collectors available – backed by dependable customer support and decades of experience.
Our mission is to ship collectors fast while still giving the customer what they want; to be the most customer friendly company in the business; and to make the best collector in the business from an end-user and maintenance viewpoint. We guarantee our collectors to meet EPA particle emission requirements. We are also a leader in explosion protection, with a full range of technical services to analyze combustible dust problems and exclusive products to protect against dust collector explosions. We are a subsidiary of Camfil, the largest air filter manufacturer in the world. All our components, including filter cartridges, are manufactured in ISO 9001 certified facilities.
Camfil APC factory in Jonesboro, Arkansas
Our corporate headquarters facility in Jonesboro, Arkansas houses manufacturing, sales and
administrative functions and a state-of-the-art test lab equipped to conduct a battery of bench tests on dust samples, as well as simulated full-scale testing. These scientific tests take the guesswork out of equipment selection to help identify the best dust collection equipment for the job. During 2017 Camfil APC will further expand its global product portfolio to cement its position as “Dust, mist and fume collector supplier of first choice.” Our flagship Farr Gold Series® dry dust collector will be complemented by the new Quantum Series dust collector. This innovative, compact unit is designed to ensure a cleaner and safer workplace in a wide array of dry dust collection applications. The Handte EM Profi emulsion coolant mist collector for machining centers offers very high collection efficiency and “24/7” performance. Benefits include increased productivity, exceptional service ease and lower operating costs. Service life is up to six years for the primary filters. The Handte Oil Expert handles ultrafine, hard-tocapture oil mists generated by machining processes that use pure (undiluted) lubricant oils. Both products come with a 12-year limited warranty.
Graeme Bell
Vice president, Camfil APC Americas
In 2017 Camfil APC will further expand its global product portfolio with the introduction of the Quantum Series. The Handte Vortex wet scrubber combines high-performance wet dust collection with “plug and play” operation. It’s ideal for capturing very sticky dusts and fibers and highly explosive metallic and chemical dusts. Because it provides wetting of combustible dusts, it can eliminate the need for costly ancillary explosion protection devices.
filterman@camfil.com • 1-800-479-6801 www.camfilapc.com
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F
lexicon Corporation engineers and manufactures bulk handling equipment from stand-alone units to automated systems that are integrated with new or existing process equipment and storage vessels throughout the plant.
Virtually any bulk solid material or blend Flexicon equipment can handle virtually any bulk material, from large pellets to sub-micron powders including friable materials, free- and non-free-flowing products, and materials that pack, cake, plug, smear, fluidize or separate. After more than 20,000 installations, Flexicon is knowledgeable about virtually all bulk materials and blends that customers are likely to encounter.
Lifetime Performance Guarantee The Flexicon Lifetime Performance Guarantee assures customers of a successful result, regardless of whether they purchase one piece of equipment or an automated plant-wide system, providing added assurance that customers can trust their process, and their reputation, to Flexicon.
Stand-alone equipment The Flexicon line of stand-alone equipment includes: Flexible Screw Conveyors, Tubular Cable Conveyors, Pneumatic Conveying Systems, Bulk Bag Unloaders, Bulk Bag Conditioners, Bulk Bag Fillers, Bag Dump Stations, Drum/Box/Container Dumpers and Weigh Batching and Blending Systems. Numerous model configurations are offered within each equipment category, as basic, low cost units up to engineered, automated, highcapacity machines.
Large-scale bulk handling projects Customers can alleviate the burden and risk of designing large-scale bulk handling systems, coordinating multiple suppliers, integrating components and trouble-shooting start-up, by relying on Flexicon for it all.
Designed and constructed to industry standards worldwide
Flexicon can evaluate customer material(s), plant layout, through-put rates, cost, cycle times and other parameters, and engineer the optimum solution to individual bulk handling problems in the form of CAD drawings that integrate Flexicon and other equipment with new or existing equipment in the customer’s plant.
All Flexicon equipment is available in carbon steel with a variety of durable industrial finishes, and stainless steel in industrial and food, dairy and pharmaceutical finishes, including designed and constructed for 3-A certification and USDA acceptance.
In addition, Flexicon can test customer materials on full-size test equipment, build the equipment, supervise installation, validate the project, and train customer personnel to operate it— anywhere in the world.
David Gill
President
Manufacturing on four continents Flexicon manufactures equipment in the US, UK, Australia and South Africa, maintains dedicated factory representation in Singapore, Spain, Chile and Germany, and also markets equipment and systems through an extensive network of authorized representatives worldwide. The company holds 36 patents in 13 countries, and recently doubled the size of its US headquarters.
Flexicon Corporation +1 610 814 2400 • sales@flexicon.com www.flexicon.com
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T
he start of a new year is a chance to examine current processes, look to the future, and plan for new growth. At Kaeser, we continually look for opportunities to improve our operations so we can better serve our customers, but never at the expense of our heritage. This heritage is built on nearly a century of manufacturing excellence and holds reliability, efficiency, and quality at its core. This commitment to excellence guides our engineering, design, and customer service principles and means we deliver solutions-based systems of the highest quality.
Kaeser Compressors, Inc. Headquarters in Fredericksburg, Virginia
While others offer cookie cutter scenarios or one-size fits all systems, our consultative approach means we work with our customers to understand their application needs and develop a tailored solution that will continue to deliver the compressed air they need year after year. Using our comprehensive Air Demand Analysis (ADA) program, our engineers build a complete and accurate air demand and consumption profile to give a clear picture of the system’s compressed air requirements.
With this system data, we can simulate power requirements of different system scenarios using our Kaeser Energy Saving System (KESS) in order to build the most energy efficient system possible.
Frank Mueller President, Kaeser Compressors, Inc.
These compressed air audit tools coupled with our unbeatable efficiency, simple maintenance, and rugged reliability, result in a built for a lifetime™ system that is engineered to perform.
interfaces for seamless integration into the IIoT.
Kaeser is not intimidated by demanding applications. Our commitment to designing the best engineered solutions results in compressed air systems that remain reliable even in the toughest of applications in the harshest of environments. That’s why our customers know us as the air systems specialist.
Kaeser is committed to providing our customers with engineering excellence, the highest in manufacturing quality, and cutting edge solutions. Prompt and dependable customer service and engineering support are backed by extensive training and our ISO 9001:2008 quality assurance and ISO 14001:2004 environmental compliance program. These all contribute to the value our customers have come to expect from the Kaeser name.
“Kaeser is committed to providing our customers with engineering excellence, the highest in manufacturing quality, and cutting edge solutions.” Our turnkey, all-weather Custom Engineered Solutions are compressed air packages that integrate our high quality compressed air systems with rugged, weather-proof containers or skids. Remote operations are supported by our Sigma Air Manager 4.0, which controls air production and offers a variety of industrial communications
customer.us@kaeser.com www.us.kaeser.com (866) 516-6888
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A
s a world leader in drive technology and a pioneer in drive-based automation, SEW-EURODRIVE has established a reputation for quickly solving the most difficult power transmission and motion control challenges. We introduced the gearmotor in 1931 and in the 86 years since then, we have been bringing the best in drive technology to our customers worldwide.
U.S. Corporate Headquarters in Lyman, South Carolina
Quickly solving problems so that our customers can be more productive and profitable continues to be our priority. We offer the broadest product line in the industry – from gearmotors and heavy industrial gear units to electronic drives, software and complete drive-based automation systems.
Our products are based on a unique system of modular components that can be assembled in literally millions of different configurations so every drive solution is custom built to our customer’s exact specifications. Our regional assembly centers stock millions of dollars of our modular inventory for quick delivery of drive solutions and spare parts anywhere in the U.S. At SEW-EURODRIVE our expertise doesn’t stop with the sale of our products. We offer one of the most accessible customer support systems in the industry. Our trained product specialists are readily available for on-site start up assistance and applications support. In addition, our PT Pilot® selection tool quickly selects the drive for your specific needs. Our customer service personnel, engineers, product specialists, and service technicians are available to answer questions and troubleshoot problems. SEW-EURODRIVE offers on-call emergency technical support around the clock.
MOVIGEAR® Mechatronic Drive System
The MOVIGEAR® Mechatronic Drive System for horizontal materials handling from SEW-EURODRIVE sets new standards in terms of efficiency and functionality.
“reduces total start-up cost and annual operating costs in your material handling system by 20-30%!” MOVIGEAR® not only combines the gear unit, motor and drive electronics within one highly reliable, efficient, and hygienically designed unit, it also reduces total start-up cost and annual operating costs in your material handling system by 20-30%! MOVIGEAR® also eliminates excess inventory since it allows the use of a single ratio to replace several different ratios.
“We offer the broadest product line in the industry – from gearmotors and heavy industrial gear units to electronic drives, software and complete drive-based automation systems.” 864-439-7537 • www.seweurodrive.com
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U
niversal Electric Corporation (UEC), the manufacturer of Starline and U-S Safety Trolley, has been tackling common industrial power issues through the development of innovative products for more than 50 years.
Innovative
David Grafton
All great inventions are initially sparked by a simple idea. At UEC, we take pride in acting on these ideas. U-S Safety Trolley, our line of no-joint mobile electrification products, was a first of its kind to bring safety to manufacturing facilities by incorporating an insulated cover over the conductor bar in the 1950s.
Vice President of Engineering & Quality
In addition to the previous safety concern, UEC recognizes that one of the main challenges with arranging a manufacturing floor is ensuring all equipment will have access to power. In the past this would involve an electrician running ridged conduit and wire to fixed locations, and thus equipment would be immovable once hardwired.
Customizable
Today, UEC offers a suite of power distribution and monitoring solutions that remove this burden from facility managers and operations executives. Our Starline products Track Busway and Plug-In Raceway can be used overhead or along the wall to supply power to lights, tools and equipment.
Flexible
A key element to the Starline products is their flexibility- making them a perfect fit for lean manufacturing environments. With overhead Track Busway, UEC pioneered the first continuous, open access channel that allows you to relocate power anywhere along the system. The system requires no routine maintenance and allows for the rearranging of tools and equipment on the manufacturing floor both safely and easily; saving future costs and downtime associated with electrical rewiring work.. Starline Plug-In Raceway employs the same flexible, continuous access concept, but for along the wall; perfect for labs, assembly lines, and office or common areas.
UEC is committed to both customer satisfaction and engineering excellence by maintaining a completely customizable shop. Our plug-in units, that can be placed anywhere along the system, are available in more than 60 million possible combinations. Whatever configuration of drop cords, outlets, circuit breakers or fused disconnects will fit the customer’s needs best, our engineering team will build. This customer-first culture and commitment to continuing innovation has resulted in great success and exponential growth for our company. UEC’s mission is to continue to solve common power issues by providing innovative, flexible and customizable power solutions that fit each customer’s critical requirements.
Canonsburg, PA headquarters
724-597-7800 info@uecorp.com www.uecorp.com
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R
ecently upgrading to a larger facility in Commerce, Calif., paired with substantial investments in new equipment, Century has considerably expanded their stock and custom manufacturing and fulfilment capabilities.
Century’s leadership stems primarily from listening to customer needs, then providing a quality product, proudly made in the U.S.A., and in turn, ensuring customer success.
Same-day shipments are available from an extensive selection of compression, extension, torsion, tapered, urethane, die springs, and washers (Bellevilles and disc springs). Whether the demand is for production volumes or small prototype quantities, CSC’s stock levels and low order minimums make it simple to satisfy customer requirements quickly, without lengthy manufacturing lead-times.
Century Spring Corp. (CSC) was founded over 84 years ago, and is renowned for stocking the largest and most diverse inventory of springs in the industry. With over 35,000 spring designs and 330,000,000 parts in stock, Century’s comprehensive line of precision coiled and disc springs are relied upon in a variety of markets, including aerospace, shipbuilding, medical, commercial, defense, and dozens of others.
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Our new Commerce, California facility
Century’s highest priority is customer satisfaction, having received numerous customer service awards for on-time delivery, shipping accuracy, and quality control measures that are guided by ISO standards.
John Teeter
{
Senior Vice President and General Manager
the largest and most diverse inventory of springs in the industry
}
Contact Century Spring Corp. today to discuss your spring needs or to acquire more information on CSC’s exceptional products and services. www.centuryspring.com
2016
1/18/2017 8:53:53 AM
Industrial Internet of Things & Industrie 4.0 Turning research into insights makes for better business decisions This study was conducted by CFE Media to gauge the engineer’s understanding and current implementation of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industrie 4.0. Respondents to the 2016 Industrial Internet of Things & Industrie 4.0 study identified five key findings regarding their familiarity and implementation of the IIoT framework and Industrie 4.0 platform. According to the study, familiarity with the IIoT framework and the Industrie 4.0 platform has significantly increased since 2015; 79% of respondents are very/somewhat familiar with IIoT, compared to 60% last year, and 53% are very/somewhat familiar with Industrie 4.0, compared to 33% previously. More than half of respondents expect IIoT and Industrie 4.0 to improve connections between people, data, and machines at their facilities. Other expected benefits include increased information flow, increased innovations, and improved data analysis.
Access the 2016 Industrial Internet of Things & Industrie 4.0 report with additional findings and insights. www.controleng.com/2016IIoTStudy
CFE Media’s
Global System Integrator Database CFE Media’s Global System Integrator Database is an interactive community of global end-users and system integrators hosted by Control Engineering, Plant Engineering, and our global partners in Asia and Europe. The newest version of the online database is even easier to use. Features and updates:
• Relevancy score indicates how closely
• New feature allows an end-user to
• Users can now preview the most
• The most relevant data about an
an integrator’s qualifications match a user’s search criteria
pertinent data of a System Integrator before clicking to view the full corporate profile
“
request a quote for a project directly from the database site
integrator’s engineering services appear on one page on their corporate profile – other details are organized by tabs.
As a Systems Integrator there are quite a few options available for online advertising. They vary in functionality and design, but the Global System Integrator Database has been our go to. It is easy to use, professionally designed, and has given us a great deal of exposure to clients we wouldn’t normally be able to reach. We have had more clients contact us with this solution than any other System Integrator database combined. We not only going to renew our profile this year, we plan on upgrading.
”
William Aja, Panacea Technologies
Find and connect with the most suitable service provider for your unique application.
www.plantengineering.com/global-si-database
IN NOVATIONS CFE Media launches
New Products for Engineers database CFE Media Technology, a division of CFE Media, has released a New Products for Engineers database; a unique software as a service (SaaS) platform that provides valuable services to engineering users who are interested in discovering new products, and vendors who would like to promote their new products to engineers. User benefits include the following: • Engineering and technical professionals can quickly access the latest new product information for the manufacturing, commercial construction, automation and control industries. • Engineers can rate and provide feedback on new products. • Engineers can set up automatic notifications allowing aggregation and delivery of select, new product information on a predetermined, scheduled basis. • New product vendors can easily upload, edit and manage their new product information within the platform. • Vendors have the ability to enhance their product profiles with media files, spec sheets, case studies, and videos to give end users valuable information about their products. “Our global engineering audience takes pride in knowing what new products are immediately available to help them better address their production performance, safety, and information needs,” said Steve Rourke, CEO CFE Media LLC. “Our latest database platform not only allows them to quickly find and peruse new products but also allows them to set up new product notification messages that will keep them informed of any new product or desired company related updates.” The New Products for Engineers Database has a community of manufacturers that provide new and updated products, which are easily searchable within the database. The database is hosted by Control Engineering, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Oil & Gas Engineering, and Plant Engineering.
Measurement technology modules The ELM series EtherCAT measurement technology modules are designed to lower the use of raw materials and energy in machines and plants while forming the basis for advanced condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. The ELM modules integrate directly into the EtherCAT I/O system and other terminals. The metal housings of the series optimize shielding and cooling in measurement technology applications. The metal enclosure of the ELM series features a flexible connector frontend for all standard measurement technology interfaces. The hardware ensures high-quality measurement data with the full utilization of EtherCAT features. Beckhoff www.beckhoff.com Input #200 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 75
IN NOVATIONS
Send new product releases to: peproducts@cfemedia.com
Pressure indicators The Series 699 differential pressure indicators and transmitters are designed for use with air and neutral gases and are available in three configurations and several pressure ranges. Series 699 Indicators/transmitters measure low differential pressures typically found in air conditioning applications, such as in air flow measurement, fan static pressures and specialty room pressure measurements. The series incorporates ceramic fulcrum lever technology and long set-point stability, which deliver adjusted and temperature-compensated sensor signals. Configuration 1 is a transmitter with field selectable ranges and factory preset output signal and zero offset configurations. Configuration 2 incorporates a 10-position DIP switch allowing field selection of range, output signal and response time. Configuration 3 is designed with an LED display and full field function programming via a programming button. Clark Solutions www.clarksol.com
Air/gas thermal flow meter The ST100 Air/Gas Thermal Flow Meter uses thermal dispersion technology and is designed for the measurement of air, combustion air, oxygen, natural gas, synthesis gas, methane and many other process gases. It has a fast-response, direct mass flow sensor for close ratio control at combine cycle gas turbine (CCGT) electric power generation plants. The direct mass device is installed in the process control loop to allow operators to achieve a direct ratio of control without any corrections for pressure, temperature or density. The flow meters not only are applied on cold, fresh-air intakes, but also at preheated or combustion air feeds to the gas turbines. Fluid Components International (FCI) www.fluidcomponents.com
Input #202 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Analytical measurement sensors The DS80 Intelligent Sensor Series is designed to provide multi-parameter analytical measurement of pH, ORP, DO, conductivity, resistivity and numerous specific ions. The series has replaceable cartridge sensors and a standard modular design that can be customized for a wide range of industrial application-specific measurements in the most rugged environments. The DS80 sensors store and identify calibration information and communicate via Modbus RTU with the ability to connect directly to a programmable logic controller or a computer. The DS80 sensors are available in two universal package designs: insertion/submersion or valve retractable with a flared-end to prevent blowout. Electro-Chemical Devices (ECD) www.ecdi.com Input #203 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Input #201 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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PLANT ENGINEERING
www.plantengineering.com
eNewsletters Plant Engineering’s electronic newsletters deliver news and information on the latest trends in manufacturing in every corner of the plant floor. Applied Automation Education and Training Energy Management IIoT: Machines, Equipment and Asset Management IIoT: Operations and IT IIoT: Process Control and Automation Maintenance Connection New Products for Engineers Showcase Oil & Gas Engineering PLANTMAIL! Plant Safety Predictive and Preventive Maintenance Product Focus Whitepaper Connection
Get your plant ahead of the curve. Subscribe today: www.plantengineering.com/newsletters
IN NOVATIONS
Send new product releases to: peproducts@cfemedia.com
Biodegradable coatings system The biobased and biodegradable system replaces hazardous synthetic chemicals with safe, green alternatives for corrosion protection in metalworking industries. BioCorr is water-based and designed for preservation of metals by combining filmforming additives with Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors (VpCIs). Ecoline 3220 is a canola oil-based, temporary coating that clings to metal surfaces for vapor corrosion inhibition and lubrication. Ecoline 3690 is an open-air solution for marine and high humidity conditions and has no effect on rubber, plastics, or paint. Ecoline Cleaner/Degreaser is a soya-based solution designed for tough cleaning jobs and can be used on all metals and alloys. The cleaner is non-flammable, and all the products in the system are VOC, chromate and nitrite free. Cortec Corporation www.cortecvci.com Input #204 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Handheld production control system
Belt-type oil skimmer The Mini-Skimmer is a belt-type oil skimmer designed to collect over a quart of oil per hour despite its tiny housing, measuring just 3 in. x 3 in. x 2.75 in. It also is designed to skim unwanted tramp oils from coolants and clean wastewater. The oil skimmer has an on/off switch to allow users to easily monitor its activity for machine shops, ultrasonic cleaners and parts washers. The skimmer for small machining operations is portable, with a stretch-resistant, fiberglassreinforced cogged belt. It has a liquid tight housing made of anodized aluminum and a motor with the highest torque for a skimmer of its size.
The Commander XT1000 is a handheld production control system designed as an assembly aide while collecting critical hydraulic bolting data. The wireless control device will lead the operator through each bolt to the correct torque and in sequence and store the data real-time to the cloud. It can also control and operate the pump and tool independently. The Commander XT1000 has its own software, but it can also interface with others. The Commander XT1000 includes a high-resolution camera for recording images of the bolting operation. Torq-Comm www.torq-comm.com Input #206 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Wayne Products www.wayneproducts.com Input #205 at www.plantengineering.com/information
78 • January/February 2017
PLANT ENGINEERING
www.plantengineering.com
Webcasts
Plant Engineering Webcasts help you obtain educational information on specific topics and learn about the latest industry trends. Check out some of our Webcasts on topics like:
• Maintenance • lloT series: OT/IT convergence, collaboration • Energy Management • lloT series: Edge, cloud, fog computing • lloT series: Maintenance optimization • System Integration case studies • lloT series: Network integration, cyber security • Safety www.plantengineering.com.com/webcasts
IN NOVATIONS Adjustable LED lamp The Lotus Lamp is designed for versatility with a 180 F adjustable mounting arm that allows the lamp to be installed in multiple positions and at different lengths for use in a wide variety of applications. The lamp is designed for use with recessed cans, canopy lights, parking garage fixtures, parking lot lights, flood/spot lights, high ceilings and high/low bays. The LED Lotus replaces anything up to 400 W metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps with up to 80% energy savings. The Lotus has 60,000 hours of rated life and comes with a 20 kA in-line surge protection device to protect the lamp against disruptive and damaging power surges and transients. The Lotus is completely protected from contact, dust and water splashes. HyLite www.hyliteledlighting.com Input #207 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Handheld camera The X6570sc handheld camera is a part of the X6000sc series and is designed to provide researchers, engineers and scientists with measurement accuracy, advanced processing algorithms and connectivity. The longwave performance camera records 640 x 512 full frame video at 234 Hz (up to 14,550 Hz with windowing) with the rapid integration times needed to analyze high-speed processes or monitor fast temperature spikes. The camera is sensitive enough to distinguish temperature differences down to 20 mK and offers connection options. The X6570sc also has saved user configurations for efficient transfer between test teams. Flir www.flir.com Input #208 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Mobile portable compressor The M58 is designed to deliver 210 cfm at 100 psig for rental houses, construction, demolition, sandblasting, repair trucks and other demanding applications. The portable compressor has a powder coated, fully weatherproofed steel cabinet built to withstand harsh conditions. It also has a single-point lifting ball for easy mounting or dismounting. The eye-level curbside instrument panel is equipped with a smart electronic controller with a protective metal cover. The 28-gallon fuel tank is designed to provide extended operation up to 10 hours. Additional features include a steel chassis, torsion bar suspension, over-sized tires and lighting package. Kaeser www.us.kaeser.com Input #209 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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Send new product releases to: peproducts@cfemedia.com
Compressed air pipe The SmartPipe is a modular, aluminum compressed air distribution system designed with lightweight materials and simple connectors that can be installed without threading, welding or sweating. Available in multiple sizes from 1/2 to 6 inches, SmartPipe is ideal for headers and branch lines all the way down to the point of use. SmartPipe is made from smooth, calibrated aluminum and will not rust. It has a low coefficient of friction and provides laminar flow. Full bore fittings minimize pressure drop and leak-free connectors prevent costly compressed air loss. SmartPipe can be easily integrated into existing steel or copper systems and modified to accommodate changing needs. Kaeser www.us.kaeser.com Input #210 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Outdoor IP camera dome The IKS-WR7413 IP is designed to monitor everything that is happening outdoors even in complete darkness. With its 3-megapixel video resolution and LED IR illuminators, the camera dome provides high video quality with four simultaneous video streams. The IKS-WR7413 can be adjusted to cover a wide field-of-view or narrow its focus to a smaller area for additional detail, and it is outfitted with four adaptive infrared LEDs to capture images up to 25 feet away in the complete absence of light. Additional capabilities include: recording in two different codecs, integration with ONVIF-compliant recorders, and memory storage up to 64 GB. Toshiba www.toshiba.com Input #211 at www.plantengineering.com/information
www.plantengineering.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 81
MEDIA SHOWCASE FOR ENGINEERS Your place for new products, literature, Apps, Videos, Case Studies and White Papers.
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Find Out How to Design, Optimize, & Monetize Compressed Air Systems for Manufacturing What is Pressure & Profit? We will show you ways to improve your system so you can reduce downtime, scrap rates, and maintenance and lower production costs. We’ll talk to you about new DOE efficiency standards, variable frequency drive, leaks, controls, and a lot more. It’s not a sales pitch. We won’t try and sell you anything. Who Should Attend? Energy managers, plant and production managers, consulting and plant engineers or anyone responsible for compressed air system design or maintenance. How Can I Register? Visit www.kaeser.com/conferences to register. Tickets are $99. Early bird and discounts for bringing a colleague are available. Contact conference organizer Bob Glenn (bob.glenn@kaeser.com) for more information. Input #100 at plantengineering.hotims.com
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DIGITAL REPORTS 2017 DIGITAL REPORT
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MOTION CONTROL
Motion control advances and solutions can help with machine control, automated control on assembly lines, integration of robotics and automation, and machine safety. Intelligent motion control helps manufacturing end users, machine builders, and system integrators who work on these project.
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PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 85
For more information on how to advertise in Plant Engineering’s Internet Connection, call Jim Langhenry at 630-571-4070 x2203 abb.us
dynatect.com
solonmfg.com
ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. ABB Inc.
Dynatect designs and manufactures a complete line of components to protect equipment and people. Dynatect
Solon Manufacturing Co. engineers and manufactures Solon Belleville Springs and pressure switches. Solon Manufacturing Co.
aitkenproducts.com
emaint.com
uecorp.com
eMaint improves the way over 50,000 users worldwide manage, monitor, and control assets for a connected world. eMaint Enterprises
UEC provides innovative, customizable power distribution and monitoring solutions. Universal Electric Corp.
flexicon.com
VAC-U-MAX specializes in design and manufacture of pneumatic systems and support equipment for conveying, weighing and batching of dry materials. VAC-U-MAX
Aitken Products manufacturers and distributes high-quality industrial heaters. Aitken’s products are for a variety of industrial applications and are available when needed. Aitken Products Inc.
a3automate.org The Association for Advancing Automation is the global advocate for the benefits of automating. Association for Advancing Automation
Flexicon designs and manufactures bulk handling equipment and custom-engineered and integrated plant-wide systems. Flexicon Corp.
atlascopco.us
us.kaeser.com
Atlas Copco produces and markets compressed air equipment and generators, construction and mining equipment, industrial tools, assembly systems, services and rentals. Atlas Copco
Manufacturer of air system products, including rotary screw compressors, portable compressors, rotary lobe blowers, vacuum packages, refrigerated and desiccant dryers, filters, and condensate management systems. Kaeser Compressors Inc.
automationdirect.com AutomationDirect offers over 16,000+ industrial automation products through their free catalog and online superstore including PLCs, operator interfaces, drives, enclosures, sensors and more. AutomationDirect
lubriplate.com
avotraining.com
mhia.org MHIA is the leading non-profit trade association representing the U.S. material handling and logistics industry. Material Handling Industry of America
baldor.com
noria.com
Baldor Electric designs, manufacturers, and markets a broad line of industrial energy-efficient electric motors, mechanical power transmission products, and more. Baldor Electric Co.
Noria is a worldwide leader in providing lubrication consulting services and training. Noria Corp.
camfilapc.com
Orival is a leading manufacturer of self-cleaning water filters, automatic water filters and strainers, for use as industrial water filters, irrigation filters, cooling tower filters, and more. Orival Inc.
centuryspring.com Century Spring has been supplying quality stock and custom springs, metal stampings, and wire forms for MRO and OEM applications since 1927. Century Spring Corp.
donaldson.com Compressed air purifications solutions, compressed air filters, dryers and process water chillers. Donaldson Company Inc.
86 • January/February 2017
yaskawa.com Yaskawa is the world’s largest manufacturer of ac inverter drives, servo and motion control, and robotics automation systems. Yaskawa America Inc.
Lubriplate manufactures more than 200 high quality lubricants, including high performance synthetic lubricants and NSF-H1 lubricants for food processing and beverage. Lubriplate Lubricants Co.
For almost 50 years, AVO has been helping organizations create safe and reliable electrical systems. AVO Training Institute
Camfil Air Pollution Control (APC) is a leading global manufacturer of industrial dust, fume and mist collection equipment and is part of Camfil, the world’s largest air filtration company. Camfil APC
vac-u-max.com
orival.com
rogers-machinery.com Manufacturer of rotary screw and reciprocating air compressors, fixed and variable speed drives, rotary and centrifugal compressors, blowers, and vacuum systems. Rogers Machinery
seweurodrive.com One of the largest global suppliers of drive technology, SEW-EURODRIVE specializes in gear reducers, motors and electronic motor controls. SEW-EURODRIVE USA
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PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2017 • 87
A LIFE IN MANUFACTURING As part of Plant Engineering’s 70th anniversary celebration, we’re asking industry leaders and manufacturing professionals to tell us about their careers in manufacturing and its impact on them, their company and their community. If you’d like to contribute your story, please send it to content manager Bob Vavra at bvavra@cfemedia.com.
Manufacturing’s melting pot focuses on people By Billy Ray Taylor The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
I
love manufacturing. It’s the foundation of America and breeds the freedom of creativity and change. Historically, manufacturing played a vital role in our country’s economic development. Manufacturing remains the core of economic success because it produces consumer value. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, every dollar spent in manufacturing generates $1.48 in economic activity, more than any other major economic sector. Manufacturing not only drives our nation’s economic health and national security, it is a vehicle that drives innovation. Manufacturing accounts for two-thirds of all private spending on research and development. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, one out of three engineers work in manufacturing. Manufacturing, coupled with innovation, transforms the unimaginable into the reality, converts concepts to viable products and improves the company’s value proposition—all while simultaneously improving our quality of life.
My entire 20-plus year career with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has been in operations. I have a deep-rooted passion for manufacturing and have been fortunate to work for a great company. As a disciple of operational excellence, my passion centers on people first. Manufacturing is a melting pot that links people, tools, innovation and processes to deliver constant value to the consumer. Manufacturing is as American as apple pie; it is a way of life in the United States of America. Manufacturing is a land of opportunity. In its truest sense, manufacturing’s greatest asset is an engaged workforce. The best companies have a culture of respect for people. One of my favorite sayings is, “make people visible, and people will make value.” In my role as a leader in North American manufacturing, I have the rich opportunity to learn from and embrace diverse talents, solutions and cultures. I believe respect for people is what drives a sustainable culture where leaders and teams engage and empower each other and build a culture that prioritizes the quality of the solution over the source of the idea. The best ideas and solutions come from everywhere and everybody. Effective manufacturing cultures accept
“The best ideas and solutions come from everywhere and everybody. Effective manufacturing cultures accept and embrace diverse ideas. They include everyone in the process.
”
88 • January/February 2017
PLANT ENGINEERING
and embrace diverse ideas. They include everyone in the process. Driving manufacturing excellence requires both diversity and inclusion. Henry Ford is a great example. He was a progressive and forward-thinker who leveraged diversity and inclusion. Ford hired African-Americans, women and disabled people long before most other business owners did. He was committed transparently to the principle of hiring and retaining the best employees and to cultivating the best ideas and solutions. By doing so, he maintained a commitment to creating “the best possible goods at the lowest possible price.” As director of Goodyear’s largest and most complex manufacturing facilities, I have had the opportunity to experience firsthand the value of people-driven processes. I believe success happens at the source, through people and process ownership at all levels. And this success results in growth—within the people and the business. In turn, this drives sustainable, tangible results. Finally, I love manufacturing because it is incredibly gratifying. Manufacturing allows me to impact change through others, and to leverage people, tools, innovation and processes to deliver consistent value to the consumer and our economy. PE Billy Ray Taylor is director of commercial and off-highway manufacturing in North American for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio. Taylor also is a member of the Plant Engineering Editorial Advisory Board. www.plantengineering.com
ENTER THE MATRIX
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LC Filter
Input Fuses
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Standard Drive
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input #23 at www.plantengineering.com/information DRIVES & MOTION DIVISION
YASKAWA.COM
1-800-YASKAWA
Identify potential motor failures before they happen? Absolutely.
Motors, like any other machines, are subject to wear and aging. Fortunately, condition monitoring solutions from ABB can identify possible weaknesses and defects at an early stage, while there is still time to take action. – Life Expectancy Analysis Program (LEAP) assesses the condition of stator winding insulation and evaluates the insulation’s remaining life. – MACHsense-R monitors the rotor and bearings of the motor from a remote location, measuring vibration and temperature across multiple points. ABB conditioning monitoring services – minimizing unplanned downtime, improving reliability and enhancing performance. So you can identify possible failures before they happen. For more information on condition monitoring services from ABB, visit new.abb.com/motors-generators/service.
ABB Motors and Generators Service Team Tel 1-800-Help365 Email US-MotorService@abb.com input #24 at www.plantengineering.com/information