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PlantEngineering.com

Find your missing power factor Also in this issue: • Use smart pneumatics and save • No more two-way radios • Resolving conflicts

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Pneumatic Air Preparation

Solenoid Valves

Pneumatic Cylinders

All pneumatic motion requires clean and dry air with enough flow to provide the required pressure.

The process of filtering, regulating and lubricating compressed air is known as air prep. The NITRA family of air preparation components include:

Solenoid valves are electrically controlled to direct air flow to sequence operations in pneumatic systems. Solenoid valves are used to control cylinders, rotary actuators, grippers and other pneumatic devices. Use a manifold to simplify plumbing for a bank of valves.

Modular systems even allow networked control of valve group.

The most popular style of pneumatic actuator uses compressed air acting on a piston inside a cylinder to move a load along a linear path.

• Filters with 40 micron filter element (5 micron option) in sizes from 1/8” to 1” NPT port sizes • Regulators with adjustment from 20-130 PSI and 4-57 PSI • Combination filter/regulators available with same options in one unit • Lubricators in 1/8” to 1” port sizes • Total air prep units that combine all air preparation functions in one compact unit

• Available as stand-alone units or as part of a compact modular valve system • Stand-alone units can be used with optional manifolds to make system configuration simpler • Available in 3-port/3-way, and 5-port/4-way styles • 4-way valves come in 2-position or 3-position styles with center closed or center open

Also Available Modular Solenoid Valves

NFPA Tie-Rod Cylinders

• Round body cylinders available in single-acting or double-acting styles, with up to an 18-inch stroke and 2-inch bore. Also available in stainless steel. Magnetic pistons are optional.

• NFPA tie rod air cylinders come in double-acting style, with up to a 24-inch stroke and 4-inch bore.

All include a magnetic piston.

Adjustable air cushions are an option.

• ISO 15552 air cylinders are double-acting cylinders with up to a 600mm stroke and 100mm bore.

All include magnetic pistons and adjustable air cushions.

• Metric and Inch compact air cylinders as well as dual rod guided air cylinders also available.

Coalescing Filters

Research, price, buy at:

www.automationdirect.com/pneumatics

Order Today, Ships Fast! * See our Web site for details and restrictions. © Copyright 2020 AutomationDirect, Cumming, GA USA. All rights reserved.

1-800-633-0405

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the #1 value in automation

OUR MISSION WAS THE SAME 75 YEARS AGO AS IT IS TODAY. NEVER STOP. input #2 at www.plantengineering.com/information

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Tired of working nights and weekends on motion control projects? It’s time to contact an automation specialist at SEW-EURODRIVE for help.

We provide a complete package from start to finish, including project planning, software, components, commissioning, troubleshooting, and worldwide support.

Let our specialists be an extension of your team.

seweurodrive.com | 864-439-7537 input #3 at www.plantengineering.com/information

MARCH 2021

INSIGHTS 9 | Evolving environmental policies will have a big impact on power generation industry Policies and regulations support shift from fossil fuels to clean energy

11 | Post-pandemic, employee wellness powered by predictive analytics

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COVER: Use a power logger to gain fast insight into overall electrical system health. Courtesy: Fluke

EDITOR’S INSIGHT

Who else is tired of talking about Covid-19?

13 | Five digital transformation trends for 2021 Survey shows the Covid-19 pandemic has supercharged the demand for digital offerings and Industry 4.0 technology

5 | Address strategic flow concerns

SOLUTIONS INSIGHTS 6 | New production sources for tungsten are critical for increased global supply Little known tungsten has a multitude of use cases

7 | How to increase ROI and efficiency with EAM An effective asset management system holds the key to greater return on investment

17 | Recognize service conditions for motors and generators Understand the differences between the usual service conditions most motor designs assume and the unusual service conditions that lead to unreliable operators and costly shutdowns

20 | Circuit breaker promotes automotiveplant energy efficiency Communications and power metering capabilities built in

PLANT ENGINEERING (ISSN 0032-082X, Vol. 75, No. 2, GST #123397457) is published 9x per year, monthly except in January, July and November, by CFE Media, LLC, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325, Downers Grove, IL 60515. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. PLANT ENGINEERING copyright 2019 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. PLANT ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Periodicals postage paid at Downers Grove, IL 60515 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at CFE Media, LLC, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325, Downers Grove, IL 60515. E-mail: pe@omeda.com. Postmaster: send address changes to PLANT ENGINEERING, PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Email: pe@omeda.com. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions, including all issues: USA, $165/yr; Canada/Mexico, $200/yr (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); International air delivery $350/yr. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $30 US, $35 foreign. Please address all subscription mail to PLANT ENGINEERING, PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. 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, and regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.

Technology TM

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PLANT ENGINEERING

March 2021

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IIoT FOR ENGINEERS 42 | Expanding edge control MARCH 2021

Edge control can take many forms to access stranded data, with modern programmable logic controllers (PLCs) often the preferred alternative.

SOLUTIONS 24 | How to find your missing power factor

42

Not addressing power quality issues like low power factor and harmonics can hurt

28 | Mercury Marine builds innovative acoustic testing facility Mercury Marine commissioned Albert Kahn Assoc. to design and engineer a new noise, vibration and harness testing facility

32 | How to resolve a conflict before it manifests itself Focus on and build healthier relationships

46 | Operational technology: Data acquisition, analytics Using Big Data for operational technology (OT) automation and control applications is increasingly important and can be a bewildering journey if the right questions aren’t asked. See four elements of data analytics system architecture.

61 | New edge device benefits Build smarter end-to-end automation systems: See three ways to prepare automation for edge success and a case study with a 5% increase in yield.

36 | Leave the two-way radio in the past Modern team communication technologies and safety

39 | Two ways smart pneumatics maximize energy savings Flow, pressure and temperature data included

UPCOMING WEBCASTS MARCH 11, 2021: The how and why of plant energy management MARCH 23, 2021: Overcoming Big Data challenges at the industrial edge

INSIDE: OIL & GAS ENGINEERING 5 | E-House OEM delivers higher asset utilization AC power, a Texas oil and gas drilling contractor, upgraded its newest rigs for reliable, packaged electric buildings and standardized components

8 | Next-gen trim cuts rotary valve cavitation Enabled byadditive manufac-turing; proved in river water trial

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MARCH 24, 2021: Effective process control system migration To view all upcoming webcasts for Plant Engineering visit WWW.PLANTENGINEERING.COM/WEBCASTS

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www.plantengineering.com

PlantEngineering.com 3010 Highland Parkway Suite 325 Downers Grove, IL 60515 Ph. 630-571-4070, Fax 630-214-4504

CONTENT SPECIALISTS/EDITORIAL KEVIN PARKER, Editor KParker@CFEMedia.com JACK SMITH, Managing Editor JSmith@CFEMedia.com AMANDA PELLICCIONE, Director of Research 860-432-4767, APelliccione@CFEMedia.com KATIE SPAIN NAREL, Art Director KSpain@CFEMedia.com SUSIE BAK, Production Coordinator SBak@CFEMedia.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD H. LANDIS “LANNY” FLOYD, IEEE Life Fellow H.Landis.Floyd@gmail.com JOHN GLENSKI, President, Automation Plus jglenski@processplus.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 JOHN MALINOWSKI, Senior manager of industry affairs (retired), Baldor Electric Company 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 enewsletters 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.

Learn more at: www.plantengineering.com/contribute

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INSIGHTS

By Kevin Parker, Editor

Address strategic flow control concerns How will U.S. industry restructure to support the reshoring of productive capacity from overseas?

One challenge will be finding the skilled workers to fill those repatriated positions.

While automation and the growing scope and scale of software applications may eliminate repetitive, unsafe or manual work, computerization itself calls for a skilled workforce. Moreover, when it comes to things like data science and analytics, manufacturing has to compete with the financial, medical and oil & gas industries for gifted personnel.

In the recently published 2020 Plant Engineering salary survey (Jan/Feb 2021), 43% of respondents said that lack of skilled staff was one reason why their facilities outsourced select functions to 3rd parties.

One way to make best use of scarce resources is to station them centrally while connecting them as managed service providers across a wide range of production resources.

Industrial fluid motion

To date, most managed services providers are purveyors of information technologies. It’s also proved effective for things like the compressors used in the upstream and midstream oil & gas industries.

Dallas-based Flowserve’s introduction of its RedRaven IoT services platform is a good example of the managed services concept extending into other areas, in this case flow control.

Flowserve’s IoT service suite helps production facilities monitor assets remotely, predict equipment failures before they happen and take preventive measures to avoid business disruptions.

The platform supports any flow control equipment regardless of manufacturer, opening the door for companies to realize IIoT and predictive analytics benefits www.plantengineering.com

without major infrastructure changes.

Use of predictive maintenance is growing, made possible by IIoT technology for sensing and connectivity, while analytics are applied to the gathered data.

“We’re betting big on IoT to help companies avoid costly downtime, which is not allowable in today’s world,” said Scott Rowe, Flowserve president and chief executive officer. “The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the critical importance of digitalization in production facilities.”

RedRaven includes sensors for placement on industrial equipment and gateways to collect asset data that is securely transmitted to the cloud. Companies access critical equipment performance data via a portal dashboard.

The remote monitoring facility doesn’t just identify problems, it addresses issues.

RedRaven is suited for the oil & gas, water, chemical, power, food & beverage and mining industries, among others. The name RedRaven comes from the bird known for its intelligence and insight.

Let’s talk it over

On April 9th, Flowserve will sponsor a CFE Media webcast on how IIoT and remote services enable major changes in industrial flow control.

Join us that day, as we discuss application of IIoT, analytics and managed engineering services to industrial fluidmotion processes with Flowserve’s Vice President of Global IoT, Aric Zurek.

Topics will include current challenges in industrial flow operations under COVID-19 business restrictions; how IIoT is being applied in industrial flow environments; why managed services use is growing; and the application of analytics in industrial environments. For more information, visit the Plant Engineering website under the “online training” tab. PE

PLANT ENGINEERING

March 2021

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INSIGHTS THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN

By Lewis Black

New production sources for tungsten are critical for increased global supply Little known tungsten has a multitude of use cases

I

n the wake of the pandemic, as manufacturers ramp back up to produce everything from automobiles to airplanes, they will face the normal litany of production challenges, which includes dealing with a strained supply chain on certain critical raw materials, such as tungsten.

Tungsten is the most valuable material you’ve never heard of. Tungsten is frequently used to make items that aren’t considered everyday products, but nevertheless are critical for almost everything that’s important, such as core drilling bits and diamond drilling bits used by the mining industry.

Among the most durable elements found on earth, tungsten is also used in more everyday items such as lamps, transistors and alloys, as well as construction tools and components in airplanes and automobiles.

It is one of the most important raw materials on Earth.

Tungsten is valuable because of its strength and durability, and because it offers one of the highest melting points of all elements on the periodic table. There would be no rockets or aerospace propulsion systems without it.

However, sourcing tungsten has been a great challenge since there are no mines in the U.S. that produce this precious raw material.

China’s tungsten domination

China controls the market for nearly 35 precious minerals and metals that are important to the U.S. for production and manufacturing, and tungsten is among them.

According to the United States Geological Service (USGS) in its Mineral Commodity Summaries 2019 report 2, “World tungsten supply was dominated by production in China and exports from China."

Furthermore, the second largest tungsten supplier, located in Vietnam, had sourced 6 million metric tons last year. Other regions outside of the U.S. such as Russia, Austria and the United

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Kingdom are also known to have important tungsten sources.

The issue at hand is that China has limited the amount of tungsten exports that can be shipped to the U.S., and this has caused great concern about the overall supply chain of tungsten.

"China's government regulated its tungsten industry by limiting the number of mining and export licenses, imposing quotas on concentrate production, and placing constraints on mining and processing," according to the USGS’ 2019 report 2.

Tungsten and the global supply chain

Fortunately, new entrants into the market have begun tungsten mining projects throughout the world. These efforts are critically important to increase supply levels and exports back to the U.S., which will benefit the overall global supply chain of tungsten for production and manufacturing.

One project of particular importance is the Korea Tungsten project located in the Sangdong Mine of South Korea, which hosts one of the largest tungsten resources in the world. This mine was the leading global tungsten producer for more than 40 years and it has the potential to produce 50% of the world’s tungsten supply.

The project has become a center of focus recently for resource experts, miners, investors, shareholders, and other interested parties around the globe.

Global economies are anxiously awaiting production of tungsten from this region, especially since it will ease China’s stranglehold on the overall supply.

What’s more, U.S. manufacturers are keenly watching, since additional supply of tungsten from South Korea would help avoid expensive U.S. import tariffs of goods shipped from China.

Here’s hoping the Sangdong Mine will be only one example of relief U.S. and global manufacturers will see from the mining and production of tungsten as a means to enhancing its global supply chain, sorely needed for some of today’s most important uses. PE Lewis Black is CEO of Almonty Industries, involved in the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate. www.plantengineering.com

INSIGHTS

ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT

By Craig Greenhalgh

How to increase ROI and efficiency with EAM An effective asset management and maintenance system holds the key to greater return on investment

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he management of physical assets, from tools and equipment to movable fleets and infrastructure, is critical for asset-intensive businesses. Whether the goal is to grow revenue, reduce downtime or improve asset performance, an effective asset management and maintenance system holds the key to greater efficiency — not to mention the role it plays in improving maintenance strategies, with asset failure costing businesses 10 times more in repairs and lost production than it does to implement a proactive approach to maintenance.

The asset management and maintenance market is dominated by two tools? computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and enterprise asset management (EAM) software. While on the surface, these two solutions seem to do the same thing, they do not. Whereas both are geared toward maintenance management, EAM provides a more robust and complex approach that goes beyond the capabilities of a CMMS.

Think again

Figure 1: Asset-intensive business owners should know the difference between EAM and a CMMS. Courtesy: Comparesoft.com www.plantengineering.com

Although similar in their approach to maximizing the performance and useful life of physical assets, there is a defined difference between a CMMS and EAM toolset. For example,

both systems are designed to optimize asset maintenance, offer cloud-based subscriptions and provide various inventory tracking features. But that’s just the beginning when it comes to EAM; the natural stepping stone for a fast-growing organization wanting to greatly increase its efficiency when managing assets.

As lines continue to blur between the two asset management models, particularly with the advertisement of EAM/CMMS hybrid models, it’s important for asset-intensive business owners to know the difference between EAM and a CMMS (see Figure 1).

What a CMMS is

A CMMS does exactly what it says on the tin; it manages maintenance in a computerized system.

Although capabilities can vary and tools can be added to work alongside a CMMS, its capabilities are limited to managing the maintenance of physical assets. However, EAM tools have an additional focus on asset performance analysis and total cost of ownership (TCO).

That doesn’t necessarily mean a CMMS is the wrong choice. The right system will provide tools to streamline maintenance operations and deploy a proactive maintenance approach, whether preventive, planned or predictive. Its ability to manage work orders and assist with spare parts at a reasonable purchase price makes it an attractive solution for most small to medium maintenance operations.

What EAM is

EAM is a more powerful, robust and complex tool in terms of asset maintenance management. A focus on maintenance management is just a fraction of its capabilities, providing enterprises with detailed data regarding their most critical physical assets.

Typical features of an EAM system include work order management; supply chain and inventory management; maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) planning and procurement; project management; accounting; safety and compliance; and big data analytics to gauge TCO. PLANT ENGINEERING

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INSIGHTS

ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT With this collective arsenal of data gathering tools, businesses can store and analyze large amounts of information such as purchase costs, repair history, energy usage data, audit trails and more. By being able to collect such data, businesses can take full advantage of what an EAM solution is intended for: efficient asset lifecycle management.

Figure 2: An EAM is much more than just a maintenance management tool. Courtesy: Comparesoft. com

Importance of lifecycle management

No matter the type or size of a business’s operations, all asset-intensive organizations rely on the proper upkeep of their assets, particularly in industries like manufacturing and utilities where large assets such as machinery and infrastructure make up a large portion of operations. Which is why, for organizations that center revenue around the output of their assets, successful asset lifecycle management is vital.

There are four stages of asset lifecycle management: planning, procurement/acquisition, operation and maintenance, and disposal/replacement. Whereas a CMMS is geared more toward the operation and maintenance phase of an asset’s lifecycle, EAM tools have the capabilities to function at all four stages.

One person who knows the benefits of deploying an efficient asset management and maintenance system is Ryan Batchelor, maintenance manager at Britvic Plc.: “We only run 24 hours, Monday to Friday. At the weekends, we shut down for planned maintenance activities…So when we start up on Monday, we’ve got smooth sailing for the week,” he said.

Being able to control the lifecycle management of each physical asset in one centralized system can be a revelation for asset-intensive businesses. Not only does it simplify data analysis and help to seamlessly share information across the right departments, but it also benefits businesses by prolonging optimal performance levels, supporting preventive maintenance strategies and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. PE Craig Greenhalgh is a research analyst at Comparesoft. com.

input #4 at www.plantengineering.com/information

INSIGHTS

2021 REGULATORY AND COMPLIANCE

By Maggie Estrada and Rick Spurlock

Evolving environmental policies will have big impact on power generation industry Policies and regulations support shift from fossil fuels to clean energy

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ithin the power generation industry, policies are rapidly changing to require a higher percentage of clean energy plants — such as wind, solar and more recently battery storage — to replace various combustion technologies like boilers, once-through cooling plants, and simple-cycle and combined-cycle turbines. Furthermore, in many states, especially in California, additional policies are being proposed to move up the effective year the percentage of clean energy plants must be implemented.

This greatly impacts the power generation industry, as existing fossil-fueled power plants are not able to obtain renewed power purchase agreements (PPA) and thus will switch to merchant plants to sell power on the open market.

However, operations and management (O&M) companies are seeking O&M contracts for wind, hydro, solar and battery storage to add to their operating portfolio.

Gas turbine units, especially those with simplecycle technologies, are implementing “fast-start” and “low-load” capabilities in order to augment power, as renewable units reduce or stop daily generation. These operating scenarios have to be evaluated against existing air permit limits and requirements to ensure compliance can be met, which often then necessitates operational testing. Permit modifications may be required to adjust permit language in order to accommodate for these specific operating scenarios.

Biomass plants play an important role in utilizing forest and agriculture wood waste to reduce open burning and minimize waste in landfills.

Plant operators and managers have been working closely with policy makers to ensure biomass is included in the renewable mix. Many companies are also exploring new technologies, such as carbon capture and liquid hydrogen at biomass plants, www.plantengineering.com

to find the interconnections and implement them throughout the infrastructure.

Top predictions 2021

1. A big push to move up the clean energy compliance date. For instance, in California, we can expect to see a push in legislature to get to 100% clean electricity well ahead of the current target of 2045. Senate Bill 100 requires the whole California economy to be net zero by 2045, and President Joe Biden’s new plan calls for 100% clean electricity nationwide by 2035.

2. The power generation industry will place a heavy focus on achieving 24/7 clean energy.

This year, expect to see movement toward a new 24/7 clean energy standard, which will place more focus on the times of day that are not as well served by solar and wind renewables. Currently, those times are dependent on fossil fuel power plants. This will result in a greater need for 24/7 renewables, such as biomass and geothermal, as well as for longterm energy storage.

3. The growth of carbon capture technologies and innovation. A recent Lawrence Livermore study spotlighted the need for carbon capture and storage. For states and the nation as a whole to reach their ambitious climate change goals, carbon capture is a must. Carbon capture has encouraging potential and could radically alter the energy landscape because it allows for continued use of highly energy dense and efficient carbon-based fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas and oil) without contributing additional carbon gasses to the atmosphere.

PLANT ENGINEERING

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INSIGHTS 2021 REGULATORY AND COMPLIANCE

Cost of compliance

The cost of environmental compliance has grown significantly over the last few years, and plants now find themselves in a fragile balancing act between cost and compliance. The main costs associated with environmental compliance can be broken down into the following categories: • Emissions control equipment operations and maintenance costs, along with emissions monitoring equipment, operations and maintenance. This includes permit fees, control equipment (e.g., baghouse, electrostatic precipitator, stormwater filtration, hazardous waste storage areas, etc.) and monitoring equipment (e.g., continuous emission monitoring, automated storm water monitoring, meter calibrations and more).

• Consumables used for compliance, such as anhydrous ammonia, limestone, waste drums and hazardous waste disposal fees.

• Engineering compliance equipment, which encompasses engineering studies, RATA/source emissions testing, and toxic emissions inventory testing and reporting.

• The labor for record keeping, tracking and compliance monitoring. Within the last two decades, many plants have had to hire a full-time employee whose job is to solely focus on maintaining compliance.

Smart IoT Compressed Air Device Delivers Advanced System Diagnostic and Energy Efficiency Saving energy is easier than ever before thanks to the MSE6-E2M. Achieve your energy efficiency and sustainability targets while optimizing process equipment performance. Intelligent assembly features include: • • • •

Zero compressed air consumption in standby mode Monitors the system for leaks Ensures maintenance in the event of leaks Enables effective real-time monitoring of relevant process data

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• Regulatory-requested additional emissions testing.

• New and modified emissions and effluent standards.

Recent lower limits require power plants to further improve or replace their control equipment prior to limits becoming effective.

Measuring the results

It’s critical to establish environmental metrics to track trends and determine where resources are necessary.

Resources include additional budgets for equipment maintenance or replacement, best practice measures (BMP) implementation, the addition of plant staff focused on environmental tasks, and corporate environment support staff to provide immediate and thorough regulatory guidance and support. PE Maggie Estrada is the vice president of environmental at IHI Power Services Corp. Rick Spurlock is the director of operations at IHI Power Services Corp.

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INSIGHTS THE AGE OF ANALYTICS

By Mohamed Abuali, PhD

Post-pandemic, employee wellness powered by predictive analytics Who else is tired of talking about Covid-19?

W

hat if we reframe the Covid conversation to focus on what it’s really all about? Creating smarter, safer access to manufacturing operations, and enabling plants to focus on employee wellness and business continuity.

Regardless of whether we’re talking exotic Covid variants or the common cold, the bottom line is plant management and associates alike want healthy employees that feel good about themselves.

While the pandemic got the conversation going, manufacturers already faced considerable workforce development challenges. For one, they lack needed data. Application of analytics to that data can slow rising healthcare costs and improve employee wellness.

Diagram courtesy: IoTco

Balancing health, infections and revenue

Manufacturers want the cleanest, safest and healthiest environments possible. Plant management teams want

policies and protocols that lead to good productive outcomes.

Handwashing stations and hand sanitizers are all well and good, but do they positively impact plant safety and, at the same time, boost operations productivity and continuity of operations? Besides machine uptime, how do manufacturers impact “employee uptime”?

Consider the possibilities following: • Analytics to ensure healthy employees enter the plant • Data for a 360 view of plant/employee health • Mitigation of insurance and sanitation costs • Scalability to all plant locations for enterprisewide wellness.

With the Internet of Things (IoT) for data gathering and growing availability of analytics platforms, organizations have options to engage with employees for improved health and productivity.

A.I. for wellness

What will be different about a day at the manufacturing plant once predictive analytics for employee wellness is implemented?

Arriving employees are greeted at an interactive kiosk and are asked to take a survey about any immediate health issues and a quick vitals check. Employees enter the plant after clearing both checks. If an employee’s answers fall outside pre-determined parameters for temperature or other health parameters, access may be denied. That employee is directed to the plant health resource. This is the extent of impact to plant employees. Plant leadership can be confident employees entering the plant each day are healthy.

Data gathered on employees is sent to a private, secure cloud for analysis and tracking, with compliance to HIPPA and GDPR regulations.

From there, the plant decides the metrics important to track and gain insights. Plant administrators can monitor high-risk zones, and are made aware of the number of safe and denied entries. www.plantengineering.com

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INSIGHTS THE AGE OF ANALYTICS

Additional options for implementation include smart cameras throughout the plant that apply image-based A.I. techniques to send violation alerts if employees are not wearing masks or if there are large gatherings in potential hotspots like cafeterias or washrooms.

Additionally, wearable technology gives human resources managers the ability to gather and apply data to healthcare models in new and innovative ways. Individuals can see how their activity compares to others with similar profiles.

The automatic, continuous and accurate log of activity and biometrics motivates participants to achieve their health goals.

The application of biometric data and predictive analytics in population health management can manifest health improvements in many areas including increased morale and productivity, as well as early and proactive interventions if health issues arise.

Predictive analytics and applying A.I. for employee wellness deliver a complete 360-degree view of all locations and the abil-

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ity to drill down into individual plant locations. This is important because each plant may have unique metrics needed to determine overall safety. For example, if one plant has a higher average age of employee with greater chronic illness, this plant may need to be more cautious when an employee becomes ill so as not to spread illness to other high-risk employees. It is crucial to use analytics to track overall risk per employee or per location.

Delivering outcomes

Perhaps the biggest takeaway for the manufacturing industry in 2020 is that businesses that rely on their employees’ ability to safely be on-premises must find new ways to manage operations.

Many plants have embraced technology to automate production of goods as well as AI technologies for their asset health and OEE improvements. Using data analytics and “Wellness A.I.” to evaluate employee health and wellbeing is a next step in operational efficiency.

After all, aren’t your employees your most valued asset?

Investing in the overall wellness of the manufacturing plant team will undoubtedly directly impact the ability to sustain operations and revenue.

The proactive management of employee wellness provides health and cost saving benefits to the manufacturing HR and EHS organizations. Predictive analytics and wearable devices, combined with smarter, safer access to manufacturing plants, are poised to transform factory health and safety management.

Key takeaways

Creating smarter, safer access to the manufacturing enables plants to focus on employee wellness and business continuity.

In addition to machine uptime, manufacturers are also looking for “employee uptime” and considering analytics to support healthy employees, increased productivity, reduced sick days, and lower costs.

Many plants have embraced technology to automate production of goods as well as AI technologies for their asset health and OEE improvements. Using data analytics and “Wellness AI” to evaluate employee health and wellbeing is the next step in operational efficiency. PE Dr. Mo Abuali is the CEO and managing partner at IoTco, the internet of things company. He is a strategic and transformative technology and business management leader with a 20-year record of achievement driving and sustaining change in manufacturing. Mo serves industrial and manufacturing clients in automotive,aerospace & defense and others, providing digital transformation, Industrial IIoT and predictive analytics technology and services, as well as the IoT Academy for Industry 4.0 Training. Mo has a doctorate degree in Industrial Engineering and has worked with companies like IBM, P&G, Omron, and Toyota.

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INSIGHTS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

By Julia Quintel and Johannes Papst

Five digital transformation trends in manufacturing for 2021 Survey shows the COVID-19 pandemic has supercharged the demand for digital offerings and Industry 4.0 technology

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s much as the COVID-19 pandemic will be remembered for its chilling effect on business and economic activity, apparently it has had quite the opposite impact on industry’s zest for digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies.

Based on a survey of 900 C-level executives across industries, the consulting firm McKinsey concluded in October 2020 the COVID-19 crisis has brought about a years’ worth of change in just a few months’ time. Not only have companies “accelerated the digitalization of their customer and supply-chain interactions and of their internal operations by three to four years” as a result of the pandemic, McKinsey observed, “perhaps more surprising is the speedup in creating digital or digitally enhanced offerings. Across regions, the results suggest a seven-year increase, on average, in the rate at which companies are developing these products and services.”

All of which portends a period of frenetic digitalization activity in the industrial sector throughout 2021 — activity that, looking at companies across the global industrial manufacturing and automotive landscape, likely will be focused in these five areas:

1. A decisive move to modular production as part of a broader focus on operational flexibility. A growing customer appetite for customized products is prompting manufacturers to explore new ways to make mass customization a profitable proposition. To that end, we see more manufacturers embracing modular production approaches that integrate tightly with other parts of the business.

Within an automotive factory, for example, multiple modular workstations could be established, each with their own assembly itinerary (e.g., one module to assemble battery-electric vehicles, and another to assemble hybridelectric vehicles). When efficiently configured and intelligently connected to the broader enterprise, this modular approach can make mass customization viable. In a simulation of flexible-cell automotive manufacturing, the Boston Consulting Group found that worker utilization increased by 12%, “which in turn can lead to a similar reduction in labor cost per vehicle.” www.plantengineering.com

The ability to capture these types of efficiencies on the plant floor is largely predicated on an intelligent, end-toend approach whereby smart factory assets are connected to the broader enterprise. This enables a manufacturer to factor in short-term signals from sales, manufacturing, suppliers and even directly from customers — including lateorder changes, labor shortages, quality issues and machine breakdowns — and then make in-the-moment decisions on the shop floor based on their overall business impact.

2. The ascendance of extended business networks.

The pandemic-related disruptions of 2020 have made manufacturers laser-focused on resiliency in 2021. Many have looked to evolve beyond the traditional supply chain, with its inherent limitations, to a network or ecosystem construct that extends beyond company borders. More companies will move to multishoring, geographic diversity and extended business networks that include multiple tiers of suppliers, business partners, logistics providers, distributors, resellers, wholesalers, retailers and more to alleviate supply chain risk, in what amounts to an acknowledgement by manufacturers that their best chance of success comes with collaboration across the entire value chain.

This construct enables members to connect and exchange data in a safe and interoperable way to achieve real-time visibility, collaborate efficiently and take quick, sound, data-informed actions. A manufacturer would gain the ability to choose suppliers based on their proximity (to reduce emissions) or on in-the-moment component availability, for example. Having full visibility across the network enables a company and others that are part of the network to adjust on the fly to changing conditions. The recently announced Automotive Alliance is an example of how six companies within the automotive value chain are exploring an open B2B network.

3. A growing reliance on edge computing prompts a heightened emphasis on cybersecurity. As more manufacturers embrace edge computing to enable greater realtime flexibility, automation and adaptability within their plants and production processes, they also are moving to fortify cybersecurity at the edge. Amid a 2,000% yearPLANT ENGINEERING

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INSIGHTS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

over-year surge in cyberattacks on operational technology (OT), it’s expected there will be major ongoing investment in security planning and in measures to protect networks and data that are increasingly vulnerable as manufacturers’ use of connected assets grows.

to Industry 4.0 technologies to help model and develop processes tailored to the Circular Economy principals of minimizing waste and maximizing reuse. Initiatives like Climate 21 and Plastic Energy/GreenToken are developing digital tools and processes to help companies do just that.

4. A major movement to mainstream sustainability initiatives. Decarbonization, net-zero emissions, the Circular Economy — more manufacturing companies will move these once-peripheral initiatives into their core operational and business decision making in 2021, joining companies like Bosch, BMW and many others that already have made sustainability a strategic imperative.

They’re motivated by their own shifting strategic priorities as well as by the growing emphasis their shareholders, customers, business partners and, of course, regulators are placing on sustainability.

Digital capabilities (track and trace, advanced modeling, digital twin, etc.) can help companies execute on their commitment to sustainability. This enables them to factor “green line” considerations into decisions across their business and to measure, report and articulate the impact their operations have in areas such as carbon emissions.

In 2021 and beyond, more companies will likely turn

5. A renewed emphasis on human resources — not the department, but rather the people on whom manufacturers rely to produce quality products, innovate and deliver positive customer experiences. “Even in the age of robotics, industrial manufacturers cannot run without skilled workers,” observes a 2020 study from Oxford Economics.

Ensuring that employees have the necessary skills and training to work collaboratively with intelligent machines and make decisions on the fly will be a key priority for manufacturers in 2021, as will keeping those employees — still manufacturers’ most important asset — safe inside the plant. PE Julia Quintel and Johannes Papst are solution managers in SAP’s discrete manufacturing industry business units responsible for Industry 4.0 initiatives for automotive and industrial manufacturing.

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SOLUTIONS MOTORS & DRIVES

By Thomas H. Bishop, P.E.

Recognize service conditions for motors and generators Understand the differences between the usual service conditions most motor designs assume and unusual service conditions that lead to unreliable operation and costly shutdowns

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hen selecting a motor for a new application or solving a problem with an existing one, it’s important to verify the motor will operate normally in the conditions the application presents. Although these situations may not occur often, it’s helpful to understand the differences between the usual service conditions most motor designs assume and the unusual service conditions that can lead to unreliable operation and costly shutdowns.

Good starting points for this discussion are the definitions of usual and unusual service conditions in the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Standard MG 1: Motors and Generators (MG 1). The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard 60034-1: Rotating Electrical Machines, Part 1: Ratings and Performance, also addresses application conditions (see Clause 6) but to a lesser extent, so the focus here is on MG 1.

Usual conditions

MG 1, 1.6 defines usual service conditions for a wide variety of motors and generators. These include general-purpose alternating-current motors, general-purpose direct-current small

Figure 1: A motor in an application that could be classified as “usual.”

Courtesy: EASA www.plantengineering.com

motors, general-purpose generators, industrial direct-current medium motors and industrial direct-current generators.

According to MG 1, general-purpose ac motor designs have “standard ratings with standard operating characteristics and mechanical construction for use under usual service conditions without restriction to a particular application or type of application.” Its definitions of the four other motor categories share this characteristics: mechanical construction suitable for use under usual service conditions. Since the manufacturer designs the mechanical construction for a specific type of motor (e.g., a general-purpose ac motor), the variables that could affect successful operation are the usual service conditions.

According to MG 1, 14.2, the usual environmental/service conditions include (see Figure 1): • Exposure to ambient temperature in the range of -15°C to 40°C, or 5°C to 40°C for watercooled machines (to prevent water from freezing). For machines rated less than 3/4 hp and all machines (except water-cooled) that have a commutator or sleeve bearings, the minimum ambient temperature is 0°C. • Exposure to an altitude of 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) or less • Installation on a rigid mounting surface • Installation in areas or supplementary enclosures that do not seriously interfere with the ventilation of the machine.

Each of these items deserves fuller explanation.

Ambient temperature. Motor nameplates frequently indicate the maximum ambient rating of 40°C but rarely state the lower ambient temperature limit. Nevertheless, operation below the minimum or above the maximum ambient temperature normally is not permissible.

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SOLUTIONS MOTORS & DRIVES

• Chemical fumes; flammable or explosive gases • Steam, salt-laden air, oil vapor • Damp locations, radiant heat, vermin infestation, atmospheres conducive to the growth of fungus • Abnormal shock, vibration or mechanical loading from external sources.

Figure 2: Motors exposed to an unusual condition of chemical (possibly explosive) fumes.

Courtesy: EASA

A best practice is to check with the motor manufacturer regarding operation outside of the usual ambient temperature range. At low temperatures, bearings and lubrication may be the primary concerns. At high temperatures, the winding, as well as bearings and lubrication, may be the main issues.

Caution. The ambient rating on nameplates applies to what we often term “room temperature.” The temperature rise, or maximum winding temperature, rarely appears on motor nameplates and is beyond the scope of this article.

Altitude. Operation above 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) is not normally permissible without derating the motor power rating. Temperature rise may provide guidance for operation at such altitudes without derating the motor’s power rating, but as mentioned earlier, that is beyond the scope of this article.

Rigid mounting. Most motors mount on a rigid base, so this is seldom a concern. Consult the motor manufacturer about other mounting arrangements (e.g., a cantilevered base supported by belt tension).

Ventilation. An uncompromised ventilation system is the normal condition for a motor. An example that violates this rule would be to place a compressor motor, air compressor and controls inside an enclosure such as a cabinet.

Unusual conditions

MG 1, 14.3 provides a list of unusual service conditions and recommends consulting the manufacturer if any of them may affect motor construction or operation (see Figure 2), including exposure to: • Combustible, explosive, abrasive or conducting dusts • Accumulated dirt and debris that may interfere with normal ventilation

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The list of unusual exposure conditions in MG 1, 14.3 is not intended to be exhaustive or complete, because that would be too voluminous for practical use. To better appreciate what constitutes unusual service conditions, consider their opposites. From that perspective, exposure should be to clean, dry (but not too dry) air with no mechanical or physical disturbances, e.g., conditions that would be expected for factory testing new motors.

As with exposure conditions, the list of unusual operating conditions in MG 1, 14.3 is not intended to be exhaustive or complete. Among the items it covers are: • Electrical supply voltage and frequency o Excessive departure from rated voltage or frequency, or both o The ac supply voltage more than 1% unbalanced • Operation at above rated speed (see Table 1) • Operation in a poorly ventilated room or a pit • Operation in an inclined position • Excessive mechanical forces o Repetitive abnormal overloads o Torsional impact o Frequent starting or reversing o Electric braking.

As with the list of usual conditions, each of these unusual conditions merits more discussion.

Electrical supply voltage and frequenc y.

Unusual service conditions exist if voltages exceed ±10% of motor rated voltage, frequency exceeds ±5% of rated (+3%/-5% per IEC 60034-1, 7.3), or both. Voltage unbalance greater than 1% among phases also is an unusual service condition.

Operation at above rated speed. This could be a concern for a motor powered by a variable frequency drive (VFD). Table 1 provides overspeed limits for induction motors.

Poor ventilation and pit operation. Poor ventilation resembles unusual exposure conditions already mentioned. Likewise, operation in a pit may lead to problems with dampness or possibly submergence.

Operation in an inclined position. Small and medium horizontal motors typically can operate in an inclined or even a vertical position, but those www.plantengineering.com

orientations are classified as unusual service conditions. Changing the motor’s orientation could affect its lubricant pathways, preventing grease from reaching the bearings. On oil-lubricated motors, it could cause leaks.

Excessive mechanical forces. Excessive mechanical forces, such as overload and torsional impact, are obviously unusual service conditions because they can lead to premature shaft failure. Frequent starting or reversing also can result in excess mechanical load, as well as stator and rotor overheating due to the high ratio of starting to full-load current (typically from 5:1 to 8:1).

Similarly, electric braking can cause above-rated current during braking, and rapid heating if the braking power is still applied after the motor is at rest.

Final thoughts

Knowing the differences between usual and unusual motor service conditions may not be something you’ll use often. But this information will be invaluable when it’s time to choose a motor for a new application or to troubleshoot a problem or failure. PE

TABLE 1: Overspeed limits for induction motors

Overspeed, percent of synchronous speed Synchronous speeds (rpm)

Less than or equal to 200 hp (150 kW)

Greater than 200 hp (150 kW)

1,801 and over

25

20

1,201 to 1,800

25

25

1,200 and below

50

25

Thomas H. Bishop, PE is a senior technical support specialist at EASA Inc., St. Louis. The Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA) is an international trade association of more than 1,800 firms in about 70 countries that sell and service electromechanical apparatus.

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SOLUTIONS CASE STUDY

By Jim Sirois

Circuit breaker promotes automotive-plant energy efficiency Communications and power metering capabilities built in

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Figure 1: Equipment for cold testing engines.

Image courtesy: Siemens

reen technology is topic of interest in today’s automotive industry. At the forefront of these endeavors are innovations that focus on environmental issues through sustainable manufacturing practices. In addition, major automotive companies are looking for ways to reduce energy consumption.

To this end, DigiTek, a provider of innovative test solutions, proposed designing and implementing a new way of monitoring energy usage at one Midwest automotive plant. Specifically, the solution needed to provide integrated power monitoring, replacing separate current transformers.

It also had to communicate with a programmable logic controller (PLC) and human-machine interface (HMI) over a network and eliminate a potentially dangerous 480VAC electrical connection to a door-mounted monitor. This type of connection is typical in many existing power monitoring applications.

For this application example, we’ll explore how the Siemens 3VA6 circuit breaker fit the bill — reducing costs, promoting energy savings and improving worker safety at a 3-million-square-foot facility in Kokomo, IN.

Specialist in automotive testing

Based in Livonia, MI, DigiTek is a decade-old company that designs, engineers and delivers innovative test equip-

ment for transmissions, engines and other powertrain products in the automotive and off-highway industries.

The company’s solutions include a wide variety of production tests — everything from leak testing to electric vehicle (EV) battery testing, to full engine testing.

“We specialize in advanced propulsion testing systems,” said Tom James, who helped found DigiTek in 2010. “Our machines meet the automotive industry’s strictest standards of repeatability, and we’ve proven we can do this well.”

In fact, despite the company’s short history, it has already gained the attention of major automotive and off-highway companies like GM, Caterpillar, John Deere, Hyundai and many more. It has also expanded its services to five other countries — South Korea, China, India, Mexico and Italy.

“Although we’re relatively small and operate in a niche market, we’re unique in our ability to deliver high-end test equipment and engineering services at the level that we do,” James says. “We’re also actively pursuing markets that are trending toward electric vehicles.”

DigiTek’s SiEVT end-of-line (EOL) test machine, for example, currently tests front-wheel drive (FWD) hybrid transmissions. The company also routinely conducts EV battery tests, as well as electrical and advanced propulsion tests for electric motors, fuel cells and sensors. As green technology continues to rise in popularity — with global sales for EVs projected to cross 60 million vehicles by 2040 — these testing processes have become all the more important, making powertrain electric test systems indispensable to EV quality and safety.

Cost-effective energy monitoring

With the automotive industry trending toward energy efficiency, DigiTek was recently tasked to provide a safe, cost-effective solution for monitoring energy consumption in the Kokomo plant. At the time, the automotive giant was using separate current transformers, which are often difficult to install and mount securely. In addition, a separate monitor screen, which was mounted on the door of the panel, required a 480-volt connection.

“Each time maintenance personnel wanted to inspect the panel, they had to open the door,” explains Jim Sirois,

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vertical market development manager, control products at Siemens. “But having the 480-volt connection on the door was potentially dangerous. Over time, the wires could become loose — creating a potential hazard for operators and maintenance personnel.”

To come up with a solution, DigiTek consulted Siemens, whose products DigiTek was already familiar with and used in the Kokomo plant. “Siemens is accepted globally by our customers,” said James. “Many of our customers are large, global corporations and so they prefer global solutions.”

To meet the applications requirements, the SiemensDigiTek team selected the Siemens 3VA6 Circuit Breaker, which reliably protects circuits and starter combinations in industrial applications, infrastructure and buildings. Thanks to its integrated power monitoring method, it effectively replaced the separate current transformers in the panels. Able to communicate with PLCs and HMIs over a plant-wide network, the 3VA6 also includes open interfaces and standard protocols — PROFIBUS, PROFINET, Modbus TCP and Modbus RTU — for seamless integration into existing technical infrastructure and automation environments. As a result, it eliminated the need to bring 480 volts to a door-mounted monitor — or have a separate monitor at all.

For circuit protection

The 3VA6 is ideal for any machine that requires circuit protection. It has communications and power metering capabilities integrated into it — both of which break new ground for circuit breakers. “Typically, these were all separate systems,” Sirois said. “But now, you have a single unified piece of equipment that can communicate directly with plant personnel who need the information.”

In addition, the 3VA6 complies with UL, IEC, and CCC standards, enabling users to take advantage of its functionalities in Europe, North America and Asia. It is said to be the only circuit breaker on the market to offer pre-cut probe holes in its terminal shields. Other circuit breakers integrate shields that cover everything, making it difficult for electricians to check the voltage.

In those cases, “To get the cover off, the electrician must first shut off the overhead bus plug — turning what should be a 30-second process into half an hour,” Sirois said. “Having precut voltage probe holes is a huge convenience for our customers, allowing them to quickly perform their safe electrical lockout procedures.”

Other notable features of the circuit breaker include: • Line protection from 40 to 1000 amps • Breaking capacity up to 200 kilo amps at 480 volts AC • Electronic trip unit • Three- or four-pole versions • Integrated measuring function for current, voltage and energy values www.plantengineering.com

• Communication via PROFIBUS, PROFINET, Ethernet IP, Ethernet (Modbus TCP), Modbus RTU • Wide range of internal accessories — auxiliary and alarm switches, shunt trips and many more — that are universal to the product line.

Improving safety and saving

The circuit breaker successfully lowered hardware and installation costs, improved safety and promoted energy savings in the Kokomo plant — all while providing a single point for configuration and monitoring.

Worker safety. The circuit breaker eliminated a potentially hazardous voltage connection to a panel door — improving the safety of operators and other personnel coming into regular contact with it. The device provides a single point for configuration and monitoring accessible via TIA Portal, Powerconfig configuration software, or directly using the circuit breaker keypad.

Time and energy savings. Configuration software facilitates commissioning and maintenance work,

PLANT ENGINEERING

Figure 2: One of 25 final test stands for transmission testing. Image courtesy: Siemens

Figure 3: DigiTek shop floor, fully loaded with 12 machines.

Image courtesy: Siemens

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SOLUTIONS CASE STUDY

hooked the 3VA6 up, we had to configure it to the right voltage and current level,” Coak said. “There were no issues with this process; the software was easy to use and can be freely downloaded from the Siemens website.”

Cost savings. By replacing the separate current transformers, the 3VA6 provided a clean, professional-looking installation that reduced the number of components — lowering hardware costs by as much as 17 percent.

Optimizing EV testing

Figure 4: DigiTek system installation in Shanghai, China. Image courtesy: Siemens

while power monitoring software manages and archives the acquired energy data for analysis. “Thanks to the 3VA6, personnel have a good idea of the plant’s energy consumption — shedding light on how they can lower their bills,” Sirois says. “Seeing how specific pieces of equipment consume energy also gives them a heads up about potential maintenance issues.”

Ease of use. Chuck Coak, DigiTek’s lead electrician for the Kokomo plant project, describes the circuit breaker as simple and straightforward to use. “When we first

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DigiTek has big plans for the 3VA6 circuit breaker in its EOL test equipment. Whether a hybrid or automatic standard gear transmission, engineers can use the device to see if one motor demands more power than another.

They can also use it to quantify internally regenerative transmissions, which tend to mask some power consumption. “Electric vehicles are becoming more popular, and we could use the data from the 3VA6 to optimize our electric testing process,” James says. “Better understanding the role of the motor in the powerchain is critical.” PE Jim Sirois is vertical market development manager for control products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure USA.

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input #8 at www.plantengineering.com/information

2/9/2021 1:38:50 PM

The Importance of a Proper Lubrication Program David Reh | Director of field engineering and training services, Lubriplate Lubricants Company

Proper lubrication is essential to maintaining the bottom line, but starting a lubrication plan can seem to be an overwhelming proposition. Not having an effective program can result in hundreds of hours of downtime and lost production. Where does one begin faced with such a daunting task? This article will discuss methods to implement a comprehensive lubrication program, or how to possibly improve one already in place.

The first thing that should be done is to define the program’s goals and objectives.

Many plants want to consolidate inventory, reduce costs, and to ensure that the correct products are being used in the right places, especially in regard to any applicable legislation or food grade lubrication requirements. A qualified lubrication expert can assist with each of these goals, and advise you on what may or may not be a practical plan based on their experience.

Even a seemingly small accomplishment can be crucial. Some examples might include consolidating multiple gear oils into a single one, inventory reduction, or identifying an opportunity to save money through the advantages of using a superior lubricant. A few successes like these along the way help to keep the ball rolling.

Implementing a color‐coding plan, tagging equipment, and employee training are also smaller sized goals that can be accomplished fairly quickly with a moderate effort and reap much larger benefits in the long term. Another example of this is oil analysis. Oil analysis can be a good place to start, because it can be started on critical equipment without a lot of effort, and carries with it a potentially large return on the initial investment.

With each small part of the project that is completed, employees become more invested in the continuance of the program as it builds towards the conclusion‐ a comprehensive lubrication program that saves money in the long run.

Lubriplate provides it’s customers with a complete extra services package. These services include a technical support hotline and e-mail, complete plant surveys, customized, color coded lubricant tags, lubrication maintenance software, plant user training and no charge oil, fluid and grease analysis. For more on this subject and customer assistance call 1-800-733-4755 or e-mail LubeXpert@lubriplate.com www.lubriplate.com Download the paper at: www.lubriplate.com/Resources/White-Papers/

input #9 at www.plantengineering.com/information

SOLUTIONS POWER QUALITY

By Jason Axelson

How to find your missing power factor Not addressing power quality issues like low power factor and harmonics can hurt

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hat would happen if the pizza just delivered to your front door was missing a piece? You wouldn’t just let that go.

You’d want to know where that piece went. Did the driver eat it on the way? Maybe someone’s elbow got stuck in it while being boxed? Who knows?

Consider the power coming into your facility. You pay for that power to maximize productivity. But what if you aren’t getting what you paid for? In an industrial setting, a key parameter is “power factor:” the percentage ratio of true power, measured in kilowatts (kW), to apparent power, measured in kilovolt amperes (kVA).

The apparent power is the total requirement a facility places on the utility to deliver voltage and current, Figure 1: Ensuring power factor is as close as possible to 1.0 makes good financial sense because most utilities charge a higher rate when power factor falls below a certain level, typically 90%. Courtesy: Fluke

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regardless of whether it does the actual work. Utilities generally charge a higher rate when power factor falls below a certain level, most often 90% (see Figure 1).

True power (kW)/apparent power (kVA) = power factor • Example of good power factor: 50 kW/52 kVA 0.96 (96%) • Example of poor power factor: 50 kW/63 kVA 0.79 (79%).

The cost of energy inefficiency

When the topic is power factor, we’re really talking about energy efficiency. How well is the power delivered being used in the facility? If a circuit were 100% efficient, demand would be equal to the power available.

When demand is greater than the power available, a strain is placed on the utility system. Many utilities add a demand charge to the bills of large customers to offset the differences between supply and demand (where supply is less than demand). For most utilities, demand is calculated based on the average load placed within 15 to 30 minutes. If demand is irregular, the utility must have more reserve capacity available than if the load remains constant.

If a facility’s power factor is less than 97%, for example, steps can be taken to find that missing energy. The two most common contributors to poor power factor are motor inductance and harmonic currents.

The first step is to measure to determine the root cause of bad power factor.

By measuring energy and power quality, insight is gained into the facility’s performance patterns. Measurement will help you understand www.plantengineering.com

where your energy goes each month. Monitoring, analyzing and comparing equipment operation histories helps determine cause and severity of quality issues affecting power factor.

Where does missing power factor go?

Missing power factor is wasted power. To improve power factor, determine the root cause of the bad power factor. Where is power going and how is it being used (or wasted)? Wasted power is common where there is a lack of balance in either voltage or current. Consider motor vibration. Energy that should be used to work the motor is, instead, being used to vibrate the motor. That is lost energy that cannot be recovered. It is wasted. Heat is another form of energy loss. If a system is running inefficiently for whatever reason, it could overheat the system. That heat is also wasted energy.

Voltage and current unbalance

Voltage imbalance is the measure of voltage differences between the phases of a 3-phase system. It degrades the performance and shortens the life of 3-phase motors.

Voltage imbalance at the motor stator terminals causes high current imbalance leading to negative torque and higher running temperatures, which can be six to 10 times as large as the voltage imbalance. Unbalanced currents lead to torque pulsation, increased vibration and mechanical stress, increased losses and motor overheating. All that wasted energy is lost power factor. www.plantengineering.com

Figure 2: Use a power quality analyzer such as the Fluke 438-II to characterize electrical system dynamics in generator startups, UPS switching, etc. Courtesy: Fluke

Voltage and current imbalances also could indicate maintenance issues such as loose connections or worn contacts. Identifying and fixing these may make the equipment more efficient and retrieve some missing power factor.

Make some basic phase-to-phase voltage unbalance measurements using a high-quality digital multimeter and phase-to-phase current unbalance using a high-quality clamp meter. Accurate, real-time unbalance measurements need a 3-phase power quality analyzer to enable troubleshooting unbalance problems. Open circuits and singlephase to ground faults are easier to correct than load balancing, which typically require system-level design changes.

Power factor correction capacitors

When dealing with inductive current, adding power factor correction capacitors — energy storage devices — to a facility’s power distribution system is one common solution. This is best accomplished via an automatic controller that switches capacitors, and sometimes reactors, on and off. The most basic applications use a fixed capacitor bank.

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Figure 3: Use a power logger to gain fast insight into overall electrical system health.

Courtesy: Fluke

Power factor correction capacitors do require regular inspection and recommended preventive maintenance, but under normal conditions, they will operate without trouble for many years. Conditions such as harmonic currents, high ambient temperatures and poor ventilation can cause premature failures in power correction capacitors and related circuitry. Failures can cause substantial increases in energy expenses, and in extreme cases create the potential for fires or explosion.

It’s important to inspect power-factor correction capacitors on a regular basis to ensure they are working properly. Check the capacitor manufacturer’s website for recommended preventive maintenance schedules.

Identifying and correcting harmonics

Harmonics are multiples of a fundamental frequency.

For example, if the fundamental frequency is 60 Hz, the second harmonic is 120 Hz, the third is 180 Hz, and so on. These harmonics distort the voltage wave form, which should be a pure sine wave.

Devices that conduct current for less than the entire voltage sine wave are nonlinear loads, and consequently generate harmonics. There are two basic types of nonlinear load: single-phase and 3-phase. Single-phase, nonlinear loads are prevalent in offices, while 3-phase

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loads are widespread in industrial plants. Symptoms usually show up in the power distribution equipment that supports nonlinear loads.

• Neutral conductors: In a 3-phase, four-wire system, neutral conductors can be severely affected by nonlinear loads connected to the 120 V branch circuits. Under normal conditions for a balanced linear load, the fundamental 60 Hz portion of the phase currents will cancel in the neutral conductor.

In a four-wire system with single-phase, non-linear loads, certain odd-numbered harmonics called triplens — odd multiples of the third harmonic: third, ninth, fifteenth, etc. — do not cancel, but rather add together in the neutral conductor.

Excessive current in the neutral conductor also can cause higher-than-normal voltage drops between the neutral conductor and ground at the 120 V outlet.

• Circuit breakers: Common thermal-magnetic circuit breakers use a bi-metallic trip mechanism that responds to the heating effect of the circuit current. They are designed to respond to the TrueRMS value of the current waveform and will trip when the trip mechanism gets too hot. This type of breaker has a good chance of protecting against harmonic current overloads.

A peak-sensing, electric trip circuit breaker responds to the peak of current waveform. As a result, it won’t always respond properly to harmonic currents. www.plantengineering.com

Since the peak of the harmonic current is generally higher than normal, this type of circuit breaker may trip prematurely at a low current. If the peak is lower than normal, the breaker may fail to trip when it should.

• Bus bars and connecting lugs: Neutral bus bars and connecting lugs are sized to carry the full value of the related phase current. They can become overloaded when the neutral conductors are overloaded with the additional sum of the triplen harmonics.

• Electrical panels: Panels designed to carry 60 Hz currents can become mechanically resonant to the magnetic fields generated by higher frequency harmonic currents. When this happens, the panel vibrates and emits a buzzing sound at the harmonic frequencies.

• Telecommunications: These systems often give you the first clue to a harmonics problem because the cable can be run right next to power cables. To minimize the inductive interference from phase currents, telecommunications cables are run closer to the neutral wire.

Triplens in the neutral conductor commonly cause inductive interference, which can be heard on a phone line. This is often the first indication of a harmonics problem and gives you a head start in detecting the problem before it causes major damage.

Since harmonic current flowing through system impedances generates harmonic voltage distortion, it also can create voltage drops. In severe instances, this voltage distortion can cause thermal tripping of relays and protective devices, and logic faults in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and variable frequency drives (VFDs). As voltage distortion increases, linear loads begin to draw harmonic current. In motors, some of these harmonic currents — most notably the fifth and eleventh harmonics causing counter-torque in the motor -- result in more current, to decrease motor efficiency, increase heating, and shorten motor life.

Monitor, measure, compare and correct

Measure harmonics at the point of common coupling using a power quality analyzer or a harmonics analyzer. For simple snapshots, use a high-quality digital multimeter for harmonic voltage or high-quality clamp meter for harmonic current. The digital multimeter and clamp meter must be true RMS, which is necessary for accurate measurements of distorted waveforms.

True RMS refers to the root-mean-square, or equivalent heating value of a current or voltage wave shape.

“True” distinguishes the measurement from those taken by “average responding” meters. Average responding instruments give correct readings for pure sine waves only and will typically read low by as much as 50% www.plantengineering.com

when confronted with a distorted current waveform.

True-RMS meters give correct readings for any wave shape within the instrument’s crest factor and bandwidth specifications.

Start with a basic harmonic survey to identify whether you have a harmonics problem and where it might be located: • Load inventory • Transformer heat check • Transformer secondary current • Sub-panel neutral current check • Receptacle neutral-to-ground voltage check.

Many 6-pulse VFDs generate fifth and seventh harmonics. However, 12- and 18-pulse drives help reduce harmonics because as the number of pulses increase, their amplitudes decrease. Other solutions for mitigating drive-generated harmonics include passive front-end chokes/filters, harmonic trap filters and active filters if your situation is more complex. Active filtering compensates for reactive currents, harmonic currents and unbalanced currents.

Avoid the common mistake of using capacitors to mitigate harmonic currents. A capacitor will act as a short circuit for higher harmonics. Because of the internal resistance, the capacitor will heat up and have a drastically reduced lifespan because the internal electrolyte will vaporize.

A total harmonic distortion (THD) measurement can help determine whether filtering is necessary. Note that a utility can only influence voltage quality and demand that approved loads are connected. Utilities are not responsible for the current that flows due to customers’ installation.

Find your missing power factor, drive efficiency, save money

If your facility has a poor power factor, take the first step toward improving it by identifying the root cause through measurement. Learn where, when and how power is used each month, and make strategic choices that eliminate waste and increase power factor. Save money by becoming more predictable with power use — in quantity and timing — to help utilities be better prepared for your needs. PE Jason Axelson is a product application specialist for Fluke, which manufactures electrical test and measurement tools, including multimeters, clamp meters and insulation, earth ground and installation testers. For more than 15 years Axelson has been helping customers and partners find solutions for power quality, scope meters and battery testers. He also conducts application training to help diagnose and resolve both technical and product inquiries.

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SOLUTIONS CASE STUDY

By Peter G. Lynde, PE

Mercury Marine builds innovative acoustic testing facility Mercury Marine commissioned Albert Kahn Associates to design and engineer a new noise, vibration and harshness test facility

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hen an industry leader in the marine segment decided it needed a worthy noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) test facility — one that exceeded product development goals across a broad range of products — engineers at Mercury Marine quickly learned that designing a state-of-the-art facility to satisfy rigid acoustic noise and vibration criteria and facilitate collaboration among product development and engineering staff would not be easy.

Rather, the new facility had to overcome several challenges: • Undesirable low -frequency vibration levels from heavy vehicle traffic on nearby interstate highways, as well as snowplow activity in campus parking lots.

• The same traffic, together with construction activity, facility service access roads and truck docks and small aircraft or helicopter flyovers created unpredictable, unavoidable exterior noise events that could impact the indoor test environment.

• An unprecedented level of flexibility was needed to accommodate the entire Brunswick product line — test sources with a wide range of physical sizes and sound level signatures.

Establishing ground truth

The hemi-anechoic Plant 12 Sound Lab, located at the Mercury Marine PD&E

Center in Fond du Lac, WI, had served Mercury Marine well for more than a decade. It was a cornerstone of the company’s leadership in NVH testing and development of marine products, particularly outboard and sterndrive motors. However, its use had become limited due to the relentless evolution of product technology and motor horsepower. To improve the NVH quality of its prop-to-helm marine propulsion solutions and test its future product mix, Mercury Marine commissioned Albert Kahn Associates (Kahn) to design and engineer a new NVH test facility.

The new facility needed to consolidate NVH testing and support areas to optimize team efficiency and promote collaboration between product development and engineering teams. Support areas are located around the test chambers with space for engineers and technicians to comfortably perform various duties. Nearby, a larger office space was incorporated with floor-toceiling windows, infusing a combination of workstations and an open collaborative area with natural light.

Both owner and design team needed to visualize the facility’s many complex interrelationships, including both interior and exterior factors. To do this, Kahn engineers employed Revit and Revit 3D MEP modeling software to accurately coordinate and integrate building systems and easily create isometric views (see Figure 1). In addition, visualization tools such as Revit Live and Google Cardboard were used to create flythroughs and simulate the building’s interior and exterior in virtual reality (see Figure 2).

Marine product testing must replicate the open water environment to best simulate real world NVH characteristics. To do this successfully, the test envi-

Figure 1: Isometric view from Revit Model. Kahn engineers used Revit and Revit 3D MEP modeling software to create isometric views. Courtesy: Albert Kahn Associates Inc.

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ronment must be controlled and external sources of noise and vibration are problematic.

Figure 2: Figure 2: Rendering of the test facility lobby.

Courtesy: Albert Kahn Associates Inc.

Mitigating undesirable vibration

Engineers suspected that low frequency vibration levels, caused by multiple sources including heavy vehicle traffic on nearby highways, and snowplow activity in campus parking lots, were evident in the soil. The facility’s structure could conduct these vibrations into the hemi-anechoic test chambers, potentially impacting the noise and vibration test results; engineers needed to confirm whether this would indeed be a problem.

The design team expanded a typical preconstruction geotechnical investigation to include ambient ground vibration measurements. That testing confirmed their suspicions: Engineered systems would be required to block these unwanted vibrations from disrupting NVH testing in the new facility.

To mitigate these external vibrations, Kahn engineers came up with a one-of-a-kind installation: supporting the test rooms on a steel coil spring vibration isolation system above a 66,000-gallon water reservoir (see Figure 3).

Next, engineers needed to design a test reservoir that would accurately simulate real-world open water conditions and replicate outboard motors’ flow characteristics. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis optimized the depth and shape of the reservoir to mitigate unwanted turbulence and wake formation from the engine props’ thrust (see Figure 4).

The CFD analysis also aided in confirming the placement of floor support piers, the ideal radius of reservoir corners and configuration of underwater baffle plates. This CFD analysis further served as a valuable engineering tool, allowing initial conservative estimates of reservoir depth to be reduced substantially, lowering excavation and foundation costs.

The reservoir floor doubles as a common concrete mat foundation for the test rooms, which are independent from each other. The mat foundation consists of two-foot-thick steel-reinforced concrete, bearing on compacted native soils. This foundation supports poured concrete walls and piers. Averaging three feet thick, the perimeter foundation walls resist the lateral forces associated with water on one side and earth on the other, as well as the unique geometry required for the vibration isolation systems.

In turn, the coiled steel springs in the vibration isolating mounts are placed between the foundation walls/ piers and the underside of the test room floor. They isolate the test room floor and acoustic room structure from any remaining unwanted ground-borne vibration.

Meanwhile, the foundation walls bear the load of the test room concrete slabs — 6-inch-thick steel-

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reinforced concrete designed for added stiffness to mitigate the potential for floor resonance.

The acoustic panel test chamber and its steel structural frame are supported on the perimeter of the floor slab, where the slab transfers its dead and live loads through 42 steel-coil isolation mounts. Mount loadings vary considerably and range from 2 kips to nearly 12 kips [A kip is a U.S. customary unit of force. It equals 1,000 pounds-force and is used primarily by architects and civil engineers to indicate engineering loads where the pound-force is too small a unit. Although uncommon, it is occasionally also considered a unit of mass, equal to 1,000 pounds, i.e., one half of a short ton.]. Steel spring isolating elements afford 90% isolation efficiency from disturbing frequencies of 8 Hz and higher.

The high mass afforded by the foundation mat and walls mitigates the transmission of unwanted ground-

Figure 3: Vibration isolation mount.

Courtesy: Albert Kahn Associates Inc. PLANT ENGINEERING

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the project team that Brunswick, Mercury Marine’s corporate parent, had stipulated the test rooms be configured for NVH testing of the entire Brunswick product line — a line that covers outboard and sterndrive marine engines, electric trolling motors and various other marine parts and accessories.

Flexible test room sizing and ventilation

Figure 4: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis optimized the depth and shape of the reservoir to mitigate unwanted turbulence and wake formation from the engine props’ thrust.

Courtesy: Albert Kahn Associates Inc.

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borne vibration into the structure. To further attenuate unwanted ground-borne vibration, a three-foot band of sand material, in lieu of the native clay soils, was used for back fill around the entire depth of the perimeter foundation walls.

Mitigating exterior noise events

Exterior noise events from construction activity, truck noise from the nearby highways and roadways, as well as small aircraft or helicopter flyovers, could easily produce ambient noise levels in excess of 80 dBA. Because these events are inherently unpredictable, even careful test scheduling can’t mitigate them.

With test room noise floor targets nearing NC-10 [NC is the abbreviation for noise criterion. The NC rating can be determined by plotting the measured sound pressure at each octave band. The noise spectrum is specified as having an NC rating the same as the lowest NC curve which is not exceeded by the spectrum.], a minimum sound transmission class of STC-56 was necessary to afford effective reduction of unwanted sound from surrounding site activities. Research into precast concrete products found panels offering sound transmission class ratings as high as STC-61.

With precast concrete a preferred choice — and part of the existing campus architectural vocabulary — the decision was made to construct the exterior perimeter walls with precast insulated concrete panels to prevent the unwanted external sound sources from reaching the indoor test environment.

Room-within-a-room configuration ensures the maintenance of targeted background sound levels.

With ground-borne vibration a concern, and test room isolation essential, the inner test room was best constructed of metal acoustic wall panels to significantly reduce loading on the vibration isolation mounts.

Mercury selected Eckel Acoustics to supply the acoustic test rooms and perforated metal anechoic wedge system to line the interior. Eckel furnished and erected the test room as a complete assembly with structure, panels, wedges and doors, guaranteeing specified acoustic performance parameters were met.

Originally conceived as a test facility exclusively for Mercury products, Mercury NVH Engineers advised

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This required an unprecedented level of flexibility to be designed into the test room infrastructure to accommodate a very wide range of acoustic test sources, both in physical size and sound level signature.

Conventional approaches to sizing hemi-anechoic test rooms generally assume the need for sound pressure level measurements in the free field of the test source. The recommended size and configuration of the test source for this facility was established by Mercury to allow the majority testing of the Brunswick family product line.

Review of the products and their physical parameters yielded a source envelope measuring 90 inches long by 40 inches wide by 70 inches high. In addition to the test source envelope, room sizing was also made considering multiple guidelines, including: • Compliance with mandatory requirements of applicable ANSI/ASA S12.55/ISO 3745 standards • Established industry practice • Benefit of experience gained on previous projects • Allowable clearances and access requirements around the applicable test source • Wavelength at room cutoff frequency • Requirements associated with room ventilation systems.

The ANSI/ASA S12.55/ISO 3745 standard offers guidelines for determining the size of hemi-anechoic rooms. Interior room dimensions are a function of test source size, radius of the measurement hemisphere and distance to the reflecting plane based on the lowest cutoff frequency.

These parameters yielded a room with internal dimensions (wedge tip-to-tip) of 38 feet long by 38 feet wide by 19 feet high at the minimum desired room cutoff frequency of 60 Hz. However, the resultant square room does not satisfy industry practice for room proportions and could be subject to undesirable standing waves. Accordingly, room dimensions were adjusted to fall within guidelines as shown in Figure 5.

HVAC considerations

Size wasn’t the only factor in designing flexible test rooms. HVAC system engineering — specifically, the ability to scavenge exhaust from operating engines — also needed to be considered. www.plantengineering.com

Marine outboards discharge engine exhaust underwater through the hub of the propeller when operating off idle. When idling, exhaust is discharged through bypass ports above the waterline. Ventilation systems needed to safely remove exhaust gases in both modes of operation, as well as manage the heat released from a wide range of engine products.

A single-pass 100% outside air HVAC system is used to ventilate the test room and mitigate CO and HC emissions released during active engine testing.

The system is configured with three operating modes: setup, test low and test high.

• In setup mode, systems operate at their lowest flow rates, providing the minimum amount of ventilation make-up air to the continuous scavenge exhaust system while moderating the test room temperature to its design setpoint.

• Test low and test high modes are used with active engine testing, with increasingly higher ventilation rates used to manage added heat loads from increased engine horsepower.

• Mercury testing engineers select the operating mode based on multiple testing parameters, including engine horsepower and anticipated thermal cycling.

With the test room constructed over a water reservoir, controlling temperature and relative humidity to required tolerances proved an added challenge to a task already made difficult by the single-pass, multistep ventilation system. Custom air handling units were configured with several heating and cooling features to allow these challenging conditions to be met.

In addition, the combination of high airflow rates and single-pass ventilation demanded specialized temperature controls given winter-to-summer temperature gradients characteristic of Wisconsin.

With the facility’s stand-alone nature and desire for energy efficiency dictating the use of natural gas, the heating system uses three direct-fired gas burner sections arranged in a 1/3-2/3 split and equipped with 30:1 turndown control valves to allow maintenance of ±2°F variance from heating setpoint.

This same setpoint tolerance was required when operating in cooling mode and resulted in the use of direct expansion refrigeration for cooling cycles with two condensing units sized at 1/3 and 2/3 total system capacity. Each condensing unit stages multiple compressors to match capacity with test room heat loading.

Finally, fuel supply systems are interlocked with the stepped HVAC control, allowing fuel solenoids to open only when HVAC is in low-test or high-test mode and staying closed when in setup mode.

Mercury Marine provided measured sound spectra from its marine product line to establish a desired www.plantengineering.com

Figure 5: Preferred room dimensions according to room modes.

Courtesy: Albert Kahn Associates Inc.

noise floor of approximately NC-10 (21 dBA) in the test rooms. During commissioning of the hemianechoic test chamber, background sound levels with ventilation systems off were measured at 16 dBA. The team engineered a test chamber that exceeded their requirements to accurately test the full spectrum of products.

Outside the test facility, general building HVAC systems optimize energy efficiency and provide Mercury with a comfortable indoor environment.

High-efficiency (95%) condensing boilers generate low-temperature hot water (100 F to 120 F based on OA reset schedule) for use in both variable volume terminal unit reheat coils as well as in-floor radiant heating.

The low-temperature hot water allows reduced system equipment complexity and simplified control technology while eliminating the need for heat exchangers and mixing valves. Self-regulating variable speed hot water (HW) heating pumps keep energy consumption low.

Partnering efforts were of foremost importance on this project. Representatives from the engineering, construction and supplier communities worked together to ensure its success. The uniqueness of this facility proved inspirational to many suppliers and constructors, who engaged in preliminary engineering and coordination efforts with enthusiasm.

This proved to be significant as their experience helped the entire team foresee problems and plan in advance for their resolution. On Dec. 6, 2018, Mercury Marine unveiled its new NVH Technical Center in a grand opening event. It now stands as a testament to the art and science of engineering a world-class test facility. PE Peter G. Lynde, PE, is senior vice president and director of research and technology at Albert Kahn Associates Inc. PLANT ENGINEERING

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SOLUTIONS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

By Brock Culpepper

How to resolve a conflict before it manifests itself Focus on and build healthier relationships within a workplace team

T

he world is full of conflicts both large and small. The typical industrial workplace is no different. Even within each of us there are conflicts between competing impulses.

Controlling what one eats is a struggle for many of us. Binge-watching favorite television series instead of exercising is another example. The costs vary depending on the activity and the level of participation associated with that activity.

Discussions with people in substance abuse rehabilitation programs often contains this advice: “Draw a line in the sand. Decide now, while you are in a safe environment. Understand that entertaining the thought of participation is one step in the opposite direction of where you want to be.”

This article focuses on building healthier relationships within a workplace team.

Team members’ conflicts

Consider having to resolve a conflict between team members. Was there a natural response that potentially produced undesirable results, extending a negative situation for an indefinite period of

time, creating a downhill cycle or making things even worse? There is something simple people can do ahead of time that will serve as a template for dealing with and overcoming the future conflict: Conduct a values survey.

A values survey is a simple exercise of proactively finding out what is most important to an individual in the plant. It allows discovery of a person’s principles or standards of behavior — one’s judgment of what is important in life.

For every employee on the team, find out the top five or so things they esteem the most. Keep that list in a convenient place. For some, those areas can be faith, family, teamwork, integrity, trust, creativity/ innovation and giving. Teams can find a list of values online. Write them on a white board and have people circle their top values. Also available is this free online tool created by Motion Industries: (https://tinyurl. com/y4robrvs).

Know your team

Putting conflict resolution aside, this kind of exercise allows people to get to know their team better. Gaining knowledge concerning what is important to a person gives one a unique insight into how to relate to that person. Give them projects based on certain passions they select.

Avoid task misalignment. It may not be desirable to have the outgoing, interactive, people-person who values “community” keying data into an Excel spreadsheet all Figure 1: Begin on a positive note and demonstrate what a “healthy team” looks like from your perspective, as it relates to the situation at hand, through a simple cycle graphic.

Courtesy: Motion Industries

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day, with no way of connecting with others. It also may not be ideal to have the highly introverted person that values “behind-the-scenes work” making daily presentations when what they value is a quiet, personal space where they can methodically work through their assigned tasks with limited social interaction. The maintenance individual who really values troubleshooting may not be properly assigned if performing a thoughtless job of simple assembly — all day, every day.

Some people in the learning and development world have had people go through personality profile assessments, such as the DiSC profile or the MBTI assessment. Knowing one’s strategy is half the battle. To quote Alan Lakein, “Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.”

Before looking at how to resolve conflict, think of potential points of conflict that could arise in the plant’s operation, which may include: • Differing philosophies regarding quality of products purchased as it relates to cost and life of product • Differing philosophies on maintenance strategies: preventive/predictive maintenance versus run to fail • Pressure from the plant manager for increased output versus resistance from maintenance for pushing equipment above recommended tolerances • Scheduled downtime strategy versus reactive downtime strategy in crisis mode • Conflict as it relates to efficiency and waste • Conflicts that arise with too much inventory on hand versus not enough inventory on hand • Employee comfort: environmental temperature in the manufacturing process, cost of maintaining the preferred environment.

Template for resolution

By nature of the word “conflict,” at least one person is going in a direction or doing something that another person or group of people disagrees with, is against or does not like, causing tension between at least two people. The two parties are at odds with each other.

For the purpose of demonstration, assume that you, as a mid-level manager or executive, are managing the conflict between an unproductive employee and that employee’s confrontational supervisor. The www.plantengineering.com

lack of productivity frustrates the supervisor. The employee feels micromanaged.

No matter the conflict, begin addressing the situation independently with each party involved, so their concerns can be shared in a place without the conversation being escalated by the party on the other side. You are not solving anything here. You are listening.

Start by stating the values of the organization and affirm that you desire to uphold those values in your discussion. Our president at Motion Industries, Randy Breaux, made these clear for our organization when he moved into his role. Our values are to be “fair,” “ethical,” “inclusive” and “invested.”

Ask the executive management team what the values of the organization are. Ask the employee if any of his or her values that have already been identified during onboarding (remember the values survey?) are in conflict in any way with the established values of the organization.

More than likely, there will not be an obvious conflict between an employee’s values and the organization’s values, as the organization’s values will be broad, high-level values that can intrinsically include all the personal values listed by the team.

If someone takes issue with being fair or inclusive, for example, this is an easy discussion. That person does not have a place on the team. More complicated issues arise when people are placed in the wrong “seats” or when more specific values held by team members conflict with each other. For example, the person who values time management, independence and efficiency is highly annoyed by the coworker who values fun and conversation, showing up unannounced for a seemingly trivial, unproductive 30-minute conversation. Likewise, the conversationalist that values relationships is bothered by the completely task-oriented, impersonal colleague.

For the situation at hand, ask the employee if there is a conflict between what that person values and the values of any person on the other side of the issue. That is when the real conversation begins.

People perform based on their beliefs or what they value. Those values and beliefs lead to their behaviors. Behaviors produce results. You need different results than what you are getting from the collective behaviors, which must change. Beliefs and values are hard to change, but even that can take place, but it may not be necessary.

What is necessary is to understand a person’s “why” so what drives them can be understood, and then getting people outside of focusing exclusively on their needs. When they understand the needs of others, and ultimately, the needs of the business, PLANT ENGINEERING

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Figure 2: These are the scenarios than can cause an organization to lose in its pursuit of its goals. Courtesy: Motion Industries

they can maintain their individual values, even while working with individuals completely different from them. The diversity represented there will make a team stronger. Beliefs about people also will change for the better in that process. The boundaries and expectations need to be clearly established.

What we want and what we are getting

Once you are fully aware of the dynamics at play and everyone has shared their respective positions privately, lead a meeting with all parties involved. Begin on a positive note and demonstrate what a “healthy team” looks like, as it relates to the situation at hand, through a simple cycle graphic (see Figure 1).

Every action, environment or mindset listed in the model shown in Figure 1 will naturally leads to the next outcome in the circle. Feel free to enter the model at any given place. There is no starting point.

It is a continuous flow.

For the next model, the phrase, “we lose” is placed in the middle. This represents the reality of what is taking place in the example situation based on the hypothetical, independent conversations that were conducted acts as the basis of the model (see Figure 2).

Determining whether the supervisor or the employee started the process is irrelevant. The focus is on a winning outcome, which requires the cycle to be broken.

Now, take your conflict and the behaviors associated with your situation and populate your own

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cause-and-effect models for a healthy team and a losing team. Remember to start on a positive note. Indicate that from your perspective, this is what a healthy team looks like, relative to the issue at hand. The parties involved may want to add additional entries to the healthy team model. There really should not be anything to dispute at this point.

Next, show and discuss the “we lose” model and detail the characteristics of the process in which you currently function. Paramount in this part of the process is staying away from personal attacks or phrases that put people on the defensive. Right now, attempt having this conversation in your head without using the word “you.” It’s tough. Use data and facts to prove the point.

• The department’s agreed upon goal was to have 10 projects completed by this time. What factors are causing us to only have three completed projects at this point?

• It was communicated that the data entry position is not a job that allows for flexible hours and that the time to report to work is 8:00 a.m. There are three instances where that has not occurred this week. What factors are creating this situation? Are there reasons this policy should be reconsidered?

• Output per hour is down 10% from last month and 12% under quota. I would like everyone’s thoughts on why we are seeing a downward trend, and I would like recommendations on ways to increase productivity.

You are not avoiding the conflict. You are directly addressing the issue. You are simply trying to tear down the walls that will naturally be built, showing people respect in the process. All the while you are making your expectations clear.

Form a needs agreement and performance-improvement plan

The goal for the end of this conversation is to form a “needs agreement” between the parties in conflict.

The “needs agreement” is formed by asking one question. “What do you need to perform your job with excellence?” Any sales course one will ever take will involve asking open-ended questions to obtain as www.plantengineering.com

much information from the customer as possible and repeating that information back to the customer to ensure you understand the full need and expectation, so you can deliver to the customer’s satisfaction.

That is exactly what we have done to this point in the conflict resolution. In our example: • The employee expresses that they feel micromanaged, making it difficult to perform. They indicate that they need a little space, which will ignite their creative abilities, and performance will improve.

• The supervisor needs completed projects. The supervisor needs proactive communication from the employee as to where things stand, which will eliminate the need for the supervisor to constantly check in.

In our example, the needs agreement will lead to the “performance improvement plan” document, or PIP. Based on the needs agreement, fill out the action items that all parties involved will take over a defined period of time and have everyone sign the document. In the example, we will agree to remove any unnecessary distractions the employee and supervisor have expressed is causing issues. This can even include eliminating interaction between the parties for a short, agreed-upon time. The purpose is to know if the employee can perform the duties of the job, and if the supervisor has the ability to trust the employee and not interfere in the process. You are eliminating excuses. Action items listed on the example PIP include: • Project timeline expectations will be clearly communicated by the supervisor, and employee will confirm to the supervisor what he/she can expect to receive and when.

• The supervisor will not “check-up” on the status of projects until a project has gone beyond agreed upon timeline expectations.

• The employee agrees to proactively communicate project status as progress is made.

• The employee agrees to eliminate personal email and social media activities while on the clock.

Include the possible actions that will take place if the PIP is not successfully executed. When the agreed-upon time frame of the PIP passes, and if the process fails, you have the wrong person in the seat for one or more of the jobs at that time. The needs of the business require you to either train, realign or dismiss. If training takes place and individuals www.plantengineering.com

remain in their respective seats, repeat the process at the training’s conclusion. If the process works, celebrate, and build on your new process and success.

Final thoughts

This process works if these steps are followed: • Know the company’s values • Identify the values of every individual on the team • When conflict arises, ask: o Are any of your values in conflict with the organization’s values? o Are any of your values in conflict with the values of a coworker with whom you are having an issue?

• Hold a “healthy team” model and “we lose” model team meeting with all parties involved • Form a needs agreement • Form a personal improvement plan (with action items to take place over a specified time, and signatures of all parties involved). Note on the PIP what possible action(s) will be considered if this is not successful.

PIP failure = Training (and a repeat of the process), realignment/restructure (based on the skills and values of the individual(s) and the needs of the business), or dismissal.

PIP success = Healthy team.

Solving problems that exist between two parties can be much more of a process than a crisis, especially if you start the process before you are fully aware of the issue. That sounds a little crazy, but it leads to good organizational health. It simply requires proactivity in determining where you are as an organization and investing in people from the start. As you solve problems before they exist, you will find yourself enjoying a culture that hires right and values those hires, their unique abilities and insights. PE Brock Culpepper is director of learning & development at Motion Industries and leads the company’s training arm, Mi Learning & Development. He is passionate about cultivating a continuous learning mindset through technical training, professional development, multimedia productions and community service. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Culpepper has worked 20 years for Motion Industries.

PLANT ENGINEERING

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SOLUTIONS COMMUNICATIONS

By Chris Clarke

Leave the two-way radio in the past Modern team communication technologies boost productivity and safety

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lant environments present many challenges for person-to-person and group communication. Plants are noisy and entail safety concerns. Workers are spread out and lack new technology — or any technology — for effective team communication. Current communication practices in plants can make it cumbersome, time consuming and risky to give direction, ask a question or simply have a necessary conversation to accomplish the task at hand.

Communication method challenges

In the 1980s and 1990s, many plants adopted the technology of the age, the two-way radio, for communication. It is still in use today. Although an effective solution three or four decades ago, twoway radios are not the most effective or efficient communication tools. Conversations take anywhere from two to five times as long as they need to due to the one-at-a-time communication structure. Each person in a conversation has to push a button to talk and to respond, the others have to wait for their turn to speak. This makes back and forth conversation for asking questions or confirming understanding stilted and halting.

It’s not a natural way to talk. Two-way radios also require hands-on use, and a single radio may not be sufficient for some personnel. For example, some plant managers have to carry multiple radios to communicate with various teams.

Figure 1: Industrialgrade Bluetooth provides ranges up to one mile.

Courtesy: Sena Technologies

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PLANT ENGINEERING

Some plants have resorted to using employees’ personal or company-provided cellular phones for communication. This approach relies on consumer technology, which is fragile without the correct protective cases and undependable in areas where the signal is weak or because of batteries that deplete quickly. It also requires hands-on use. Finally, mobile phones are expensive to provide to all personnel.

Yet other plants eschew communication technology altogether and rely on face-to-face communication.

This approach requires employees to go find the person they need to speak with. In noisy environments, that can lead to shouting. With COVID-19 operating regulations in effect, the no-tech communication method is not only inefficient, it is also dangerous.

Even facilities that aren’t categorized as “smart” update their technology use in the form of new machines, contemporary software and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) integration. Now is the perfect time to evaluate your technology and communication practices and consider how to improve.

Enter: wireless intercom

Communication between people and among teams in plants should be easy, efficient, safe and improve productivity.

Fortunately, there are practical and affordable communication technology options for plants: Bluetooth intercom and Mesh Intercom. Both systems offer fast, reliable and robust communication tools that can be easily implemented, often without even involving information technology (IT) departments.

Bluetooth intercom. When you hear the word “Bluetooth,” images of wireless mice for laptops or earbuds for smartphones may come to mind. But industrial-grade Bluetooth intercom is much more than those consumer-use accessories. Bluetooth operates with a variety of profiles for different purposes, such as pairing wireless devices. Bluetooth intercom uses a specific profile to connect headsets together for voice communication.

Setting up in-plant Bluetooth intercom is as simple as pairing team devices to each other, typically limited www.plantengineering.com

to four total devices. It is secure in that each device in the network must accept the other and there is no reliance on Wi-Fi or cellular signals (see Figure 1).

Mesh Intercom. Mesh Intercom is built on a mesh network that uses local network topology with an infrastructure of nodes that connect directly with each other to efficiently route data or signal to each other. Each device on the network acts as a node and builds the network, making it stronger while also broadening the range.

Whereas Bluetooth is a familiar technology term, “mesh” is often thought to be new and extremely high tech. While the technology is sophisticated, it is simple to implement and has been around for more than a decade. Mesh Intercom systems have been proven in a variety of industries and its adoption for industrial manufacturing is growing.

Mesh Intercom systems are secure and operate independently from Wi-Fi or cellular much like Bluetooth, however it offers additional benefits beyond a simple Bluetooth intercom system with broader ranges and the capability of connecting a virtually limitless numbers of devices to the network (see Figure 2).

Wireless intercom improves productivity

The concept is simple: Better communication produces better work. By speeding up, simplifying and stabilizing communication among plant personnel, efficiency and productivity improves while solving quality and safety challenges you may not have previously known about.

Full duplex, high-quality communication. Headsets on both Bluetooth and Mesh Intercom systems offer full duplex in communication, meaning that everyone on the network can both talk and listen to everyone else at the same time. This translates into completely natural communication and the ability to interrupt to clarify or correct immediately, which reduces the risk of errors stemming from miscommunication. In addition, full duplex in communication systems means hands-free operation since there’s no need to press a button to talk. When a worker is wearing a headset, he or she can speak to his or her team while continuing to work.

The benefits of full duplex operation are faster, clearer and more natural conversations, hands-free operation and fewer work-stopping interruptions.

In addition, both Bluetooth and mesh technologies offer better quality audio than two-way radios. These technologies are not susceptible to pops, crackles or other interference. High-quality audio means that workers can hear each other more clearly to avoid miscommunication (see Figure 3). www.plantengineering.com

Figure 2: Easy-to-use, reliable communication without the need for Wi-Fi or cellular signal. Courtesy: Sena Technologies

Simplified hardware. Communication devices operating on a Mesh Intercom system can offer multiple communication channels, meaning that a single headset can replace a belt full of radios. Plant managers and other personnel will be able to better communicate with every working group in the plant using just one device. This connects engineering, maintenance, supervisors and training groups in a convenient and efficient way while improving productivity.

IIoT connectivity. If your plant has an IIoT environment, you can incorporate plant communications using Mesh Intercom in a way that two-way radios and cellular phones could never be integrated. Whole plant communication is possible when Bluetoothenabled programmable logic controllers (PLCs) Figure 3: High frequency bands provide crystal-clear communication. Courtesy: Sena Technologies

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SOLUTIONS COMMUNICATIONS

As bring your own device (BYOD) programs grow in popularity across the manufacturing sector, the ability to allow employees to use the devices most comfortable for them is an attractive option.

Alternatives enable safety practices

Figure 4: Mesh Intercom bridges Bluetooth, phones, smartphones and tablets for whole plant connectivity. Courtesy: Sena Technologies

are connected to a Mesh Intercom network using an adapter. Machine errors or other alerts indicating a need for attention can be transitioned from, or supplement, pillar light and text-based alerts to audible alerts sent out over the Mesh Intercom. This speeds up attention to errors and reduces machine downtime (see Figure 4).

Mix-and-match hardware capability. Bluetooth and Mesh Intercom networks can operate with a range of hardware, so teams are not limited to the same headset as others. Headsets with hearing protection incorporated can be used in loud plant areas while standard over-the-ear headsets may be better suited for shipping. Adapters also can be used to connect any Bluetooth-enabled headset, including Apple Airpods, to the mesh network. This provides the flexibility for employees to bring their own device as well as to have a “floater” for connecting visitors or temporary contractors to the team with their own equipment.

Safety is paramount for all manufacturing facilities.

Communication systems should reflect that. Noiseattenuating headsets or those that can be mounted to hard hats are simple integrations with PPE that enhance plant safety. Additionally, the simple switch to hands-free communication improves safety practices by freeing up workers to focus on their task at hand — with all of the hands that it needs. For plants that incorporate lab or cleanroom functions, it’s also important that the devices can be used inside suits and/or under masks, reducing the risk of touch contamination and the need to pull down a mask to speak (see Figure 5).

Adapt to the “new normal” Easy operation with masks is one way that communication technology can help plants adapt to what has become the new normal in a COVID-19 environment. Bluetooth and Mesh Intercom systems make communicating effectively while maintaining appropriate physical distance a reality.

These systems also can be leveraged for reducing the number of people who need to be physically present in a plant. For example, a food processing plant was planning an executive visit and demonstration on a new piece of equipment in the Spring. Those plans had to pivot quickly due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions. Rather than plan an onsite demo, the company connected an iPad to its Mesh Intercom network using a mesh adapter. They hosted a Zoom call on the iPad with the executives who were now remote rather than onsite. The team of five who were onsite were able to properly maintain distance wearing their headsets while presenting and discussing the machine as originally planned. They have now incorporated this method into their training practices to keep their people safe.

The technology curve

There’s no doubt that plants are getting smarter by integrating technology in all areas. Team communication is the most immediately impacted and easiest area to update from old technology or no technology. However, updating won’t only move your plant forward along the technology curve, it will enable safer work for your employees, ease communication challenges and improve productivity. PE

Figure 5: Hardhat integration for safe, comfortable, hands-free communication.

Courtesy: Sena Technologies

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Chris Clarke is a global director at Sena Technologies.

PLANT ENGINEERING

www.plantengineering.com

SOLUTIONS

COMPRESSED AIR & ENERGY MANAGEMENT

By Dieter Michalkowski and Chris Noble

Two ways smart pneumatics maximize energy savings Flow, pressure and temperature data included

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Smart pneumatics analyzer visualizes and displays live data from flow sensors.

Courtesy: Emerson

hether driven by sustainability goals or environmental standards, manufacturers want to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Smart pneumatics make compressed air a prime opportunity to save a remarkable amount of energy and reduce overall emissions.

In the past, manufacturers had no clear or simple way to analyze machine air consumption. However, more and more are discovering the energy-saving benefits of smart pneumatics to collect flow, pressure and temperature data and better understand equipment energy consumption.

This digital transformation of machines can be scaled for pneumatic operations of practically any size. Operators capture and process data from pneumatic and other machine elements to unlock actionable, energy-saving insights. Transforming the raw data from a smart pneumatic system into something actionable is the key to lowering energy costs, not to mention reducing downtime, enabling faster cycle times and increasing overall productivity, too.

Wasted energy in pneumatic systems can be staggering. To put a number on it, manufacturing plants typically lose 30% of compressed air just due to leakage alone. Wasted energy leads to machine downtime and, of course, increased energy costs.

Compressed air is used throughout industrial facilities to help operate machinery and processes, so its prevalence makes it pivotal to lower year-over-year energy costs. In fact, improvements in the compressed airflow of a plant’s machinery of even just a few percentage points can mean tens of thousands of dollars saved in energy costs each month, depending on the size and nature of the equipment. That can translate

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to hundreds of thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions saved. By using smart pneumatics like software monitoring and notification solutions to detect leakages, manufacturers can often reduce their compressed air energy spend by 10% to 20% and reduce their CO2 footprint by 10%.

However, for many manufacturers, this transformation remains a goal rather than a reality. While they may acknowledge the benefits, over 70% of manufacturers lack a data analytics plan and a clear blueprint for success. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and other enabling technologies are considered too complex, costly and time-consuming to implement.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. Manufacturers can invest in plug-and-play smart pneumatic solutions that keep installation time and costs to a minimum.

Manufacturers can take the first step toward digital transformation by taking a closer look at how these smart pneumatics save energy in areas where leakages and losses occur.

Plants can improve compressed energy savings through digital transformation in two primary ways.

Detect compressed air leaks

The most obvious way manufacturing plants lose energy in pneumatic systems is through leakage.

Leaks cause the average manufacturing plant to lose around 35% of compressed air annually. When pneumatic system components are subject to wear, leakage can occur and grow over time. The larger the leak, the more significant the energy loss. This results in wasted energy, a bigger carbon footprint and higher operating costs. Some operators can lose more than $50,000 per year, per machine!

In addition to energy loss, a compressed air leak can cause system pressure in machinery to fluctuate, affecting equipment efficiency and even production.

As a result, a machine may have to work harder to compensate. This unnecessary cycling and increased run time can raise energy costs, decrease equipment service life and increase maintenance.

To detect and locate compressed air leaks, companies bring in technicians with ultrasonic equipment to test PLANT ENGINEERING

March 2021

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SOLUTIONS

COMPRESSED AIR & ENERGY MANAGEMENT Users get the real-time data they need to reduce energy consumption by monitoring their machines with a smart pneumatic analyzer.

Courtesy: Emerson

Edge computing device interprets incoming sensor data into easy-tounderstand, actionable information.

Courtesy: Emerson

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for them. But leaks can often appear, persist and grow in the time between these periodic, stopgap visits.

Smart pneumatics, on the other hand, continuously monitor airflow. Some sensors can collect and provide real-time insights on flow, while also capturing pressure and temperature data in the feed line, enabling advanced diagnosis of the operating parameters. These solutions can often easily retrofit to existing machines with the use of edge gateways. Around-the-clock software monitoring can detect leaks in near real time.

The software identifies the machine in question and sends notification alerts directly to maintenance staff so they can further investigate.

By detecting leaks in near-real time, smart pneumatics can lower compressed air energy spend by 10-20% and reduce a plant’s CO2 footprint by 10%. Addressing compressed air leaks earlier also reduces both planned (time used to test for air leakages on each machine) and unplanned downtime and improves overall equipment efficiency (OEE).

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Optimize consumption

Some manufacturers may not have the full picture when it comes to the relationship between air pressure and airflow. This means they may not actually know the optimal consumption point of compressed air for their manufacturing process. The air pressure in their industrial machines may be higher than it needs to be. When equipment consumes more compressed air than necessary, it consumes more energy, which raises energy costs and CO2 emissions.

Smart sensors plus an edge computing device can collect data about air pressure and airflow. By analyzing the edge analytics of the pneumatic system, plants can get a clearer picture of the relationship between air pressure and flow. By lowering the overall pressure of their pneumatic system, they can reduce the airflow to a certain point while maintaining the same cylinder cycle time.

Finding the optimal ratio between pressure and flow can lead to a 10-20% reduction of compressed air consumption and energy costs, as well as a 10% reduction in CO2 footprint, without affecting production. This allows manufacturers to maintain current cycle times in production, but with lower energy consumption, costs and CO2 emissions.

Real-time data, savings

By using smart pneumatics to detect leaks and monitor air consumption, industrial manufacturers can save a significant amount of energy. Manufacturers can work with their automation partner to start on the area or areas of focus that make the most sense for their situation, budget and goals.

PLANT ENGINEERING

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For example, a global producer serving the automotive industry recently took steps in its digital transformation by focusing on energy lost through compressed air leakage and air consumption. The company wanted to reduce energy consumption by using an IIoT-enabled energy management tool on an existing production line. They partnered with Emerson, a leading supplier of automation solutions, to monitor and measure the amount of energy the line used.

Like most brownfield applications, this production line included various legacy equipment that came from different suppliers. A power supply, Ethernet bus coupler, power meter (one per circuit) and IO-Link, which included eight available ports for sensors, made up each meter box. Current transformers were located either inside or outside the meter box, and these modules all had to be installed upright to allow for air circulation.

Making this setup even more complex, there were a limited number of Ethernet access points to work with.

To expand would require considerable investment.

To meet the needs of this complex setup, Emerson recommended its AVENTICSTM Series AF2 Sensor, an easy-to-use airflow sensor that measures flow, pressure and temperature and monitors air consumption in pneumatic systems.

The AF2 is ideal for a collection of legacy machines like this for a couple of reasons. First, the compact sensor is easy to assemble and can be installed on existing machines and pneumatic systems. Second, the AF2 has IO-Link and Ethernet communication options. The sensor is easy to integrate into air preparation units and gives manufacturers the option to operate as a standalone version. With a colored, rotatable LED display that provides clear feedback, the AF2 sends notification alerts to users when it detects a leak so they can take action. This simple IIoT-enabled device allowed the company to invest in energy savings while keeping installation time and costs to a minimum.

After choosing a sensor, Emerson helped the company monitor and measure the amount of energy the line used by temporarily connecting the AVENTICS Smart Pneumatic Analyzer (SPA) to one machine. The SPA, which provides pneumatic system analysis at a glance, recorded, analyzed and visualized the line’s air consumption during the production process. The team was able to read the real-time air consumption, which the SPA displays in norm liters per minute (Nl/min), alongside average and maximum values to quickly identify trends and anomalies.

The data collected from the SPA helped the company decide whether Emerson’s PACSystems RXi2-BP Edge Computing Device was worth investing in. In simple terms, the PACSystems RXi2-BP Edge Computing Device interprets and displays all incoming AF2 sensor data. Using mathematical algorithms, it digitizes www.plantengineering.com

then translates the data into straightforward, user-friendly information. This information is recorded and displayed on a live, web-based dashboard and gives users even more energy insights without additional software. The SPA data revealed that the PACSystems RXi2-BP Edge Computing Device would indeed help the company save energy and its associated costs, so the company decided to make the investment.

In total, Emerson supplied approximately 180 AF2 flow sensors to meet the production line’s needs, along with the PACSystems RXi2-BP Edge Computing Device. This all-in-one energy-saving sensing and edge computing solution monitors pneumatic air consumption and generates and interprets machine data, giving the automotive producer actionable insights and a more complete picture of what’s happening in its plant. As a result, the company has successfully found areas for improvement, including reducing peak power consumption, optimizing maintenance costs and avoiding downtime, and plans to continue optimizing its machines to use less energy.

Air flow sensor measures flow, pressure and temperature and monitors air consumption in pneumatic systems.

Courtesy: Emerson

Toward a transformation

Across all industries, energy management continues to be a top priority for industrial facilities. As concerns about energy consumption and carbon emissions grow, monitoring compressed air in pneumatic systems is a critical opportunity for reducing emissions and lowering energy costs. When machines aren’t monitored, neither is their energy consumption. Leaks and losses are free to grow, problems that could be solved early deteriorate into late-stage quality issues and significant amounts of energy are wasted.

Yet the road to digital transformation that unlocks compressed air energy savings looks different for everyone. Like any transformation, digital transformation is a process that unfolds at its own pace, depending on a plant’s unique circumstances. To successfully start saving energy through digital transformation, it’s important to work with an automation expert who knows smart pneumatics and the unique characteristics of fluid power applications. When you have access to the right expert, knowledge and tools, you can realize your compressed air energy saving — and digital transformation — goals. PE Dieter Michalkowski is global account manager, fluid control & pneumatics at Emerson. Chris Noble is business development, food & Beverage, packaging and IIoT consultant at Emerson.

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ANSWERS

EDGE COMPUTING Don Pham, Idec Corp.

Expanding edge control Edge control can take many forms to access stranded data, with modern programmable logic controllers (PLCs) often the preferred alternative.

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Figure 1: The message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) protocol is a comprehensive yet lightweight way for field devices like sensors and PLCs to communicate with centralized cloudbased brokers, and to other clients like mobile devices.

Images courtesy: Idec Corp.

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or as long as operators have interacted with machinery and equipment, the concepts of the industrial “edge” and “edge control” have existed. Control at the edge could be an operator’s manual interaction with the equipment, or it could be hardwired controls performing some required functionality. A more sophisticated arrangement could consist of digital automation, usually with a programmable logic controller (PLC) monitoring input sensors at the edge, processing logic, and commanding outputs to control edge devices.

If the concept of edge control is so familiar, then why is it gaining newfound attention? Traditional edge control has often been quite remote and isolated, and it was expensive and complex to connect edge assets to each other or to higher-level systems. Today’s concept of edge control maintains all the robust automation functionality of previous technology generations – while incorporating modern hardware, software, and networking advances –making it economical and easy to connect edge assets to on-site and cloud-based systems. This ready access to edge data is often described as an Internet of Things (IoT) implementation.

Smart sensors, modern PLCs and advanced edge controllers or PC-based platforms are among the ways designers can incorporate IoT concepts into systems. PLCs with IoT capabilities help automation system designers and end users access data more easily.

Complete connectivity is important to users as they recognize the need to access data available from edge control systems. This data can be

plant engineering

sensor signals, derived machine information, or other values—and it may be used just for simple remote visualization. But more operational value is unlocked when the data can be stored and analyzed, often via cloud-based computing, so users can take action to optimize operations.

Sensor, machine connectivity

For new industrial projects, it is becoming mandatory for designers to select automation platforms with built-in IoT connectivity, even if they will not immediately use it. Some end users also are investing to upgrade existing assets to gain IoT capabilities.

Designers might consider incorporating PC hardware and software, or more specialized edge controllers with some general-purpose computing ability, to create an IoT-enabled system. These options offer a higher level of computing power and capability, but they can be quite a step change in cost and effort required for implementing them. In many cases, this may not be warranted.

This is why modern PLCs often occupy the sweet spot for automation devices able to act as practical IoT platforms, while still performing as edge controller. As an established and familiar automation technology, PLCs are already the go-to solution for most industrial automation projects. PLCs also are ideally positioned to access, consolidate and transmit edge data. Because they are controllers, they can do more than just move the data. They also can act on it directly or send data to and receive direction from

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input #10 at www.plantengineering.com/information

ANSWERS

EDGE COMPUTING

Figure 2: MQTT enables PLCs and other smart field devices to interact with mobile users, supervisory systems, and analytical applications via cloud-based services.

higher-level systems. A few key features transform PLCs into IoT-capable edge controllers.

Five IIoT edge functions for PLCs

Modern PLCs in edge installations can gather useful information. A PLC can fulfill the edge controller role with these features: • Field and network connectivity • On board data logging to support store and forward operations • Web server functionality • Support for cloud-capable communications protocols, like message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) • Simple configuration to support two-way communications.

M More ANSWERS

KEYWORDS: edge computing,

message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT), programmable logic controller (PLC) Modern PLCs can act as practical Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, while still performing as an edge controller.

Many edge devices use message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) to transmit data.

Edge control is best fulfilled by using PLCs that can support IoT initiatives right out of the box.

ONLINE In the digital edition click on the headline to read “MQTT as an networking enabler.”

CONSIDER THIS What benefits could your facility gain from edge computing and edge devices?

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Even the most basic PLC is capable of interacting with field devices via wired input/output (I/O) signals. Most of today’s PLCs also incorporate serial and Ethernet connectivity, which provides the ability to interface to a wide variety of intelligent field devices.

A PLC intended for the edge control role should include industrial network protocols such as EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP and RTU, and BACnet/IP to ensure it can communicate with the widest range of I/O systems and other intelligent edge devices. More specialized protocols such as SAE J1939 make the PLC suitable for vehicles and heavy equipment.

Certain features can make it easier for users to interact with PLCs. Local wireless Bluetooth connectivity, along with convenient configuration and monitoring using mobile apps, makes it convenient for users to access, monitor, and adjust

plant engineering

modern PLCs. On-board data logging, web server functions, and file transfer protocol (FTP) communications give remote access options.

Edge controllers transmit data over the network and/or internet to site-located or cloud-hosted systems. Among communications protocols, MQTT is widely used. Many smart instruments support MQTT. MQTT is a good option for more complex edge controllers. Controllers supporting MQTT are ideal for many automation applications (Figure 2). PLCs can be configured as MQTT subscribers to receive data from supervisory systems and execute user commands and directly control field equipment.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for industrial machinery are moving to MQTT-capable PLCs for many reasons. OEMs already use PLCs for many machine automation needs, so it is a small step from technical and cost standpoints to specify MQTTenabled PLCs and future-proof such systems.

Specific business needs make adoption of IoT desirable. Many are leasing machines and need to monitor machine functionality and usage. Some OEMs base lease values on uptime or machine production or may take advantage of remote connectivity to sell more support services or consumable parts.

PLCs are affordable and fit with business models and skillsets. Integrating a PC-based or relatively complex edge controller device for small- and mediumsized systems often is not realistic.

For many users, edge control is best fulfilled by using PLCs that can support IoT initiatives out of the box. PLCs with support for MQTT, combined with cloud services such as AWS IoT Core, help merge modern practices with traditional automation to deliver optimal results. ce Don Pham is senior product marketing manager at Idec Corp. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com. www.plantengineering.com

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input #11 at www.plantengineering.com/information

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*

ANSWERS

DATA ANALYTICS FOR OT Joe Martin, MartinCSI

Operational technology: Data acquisition, analytics Using Big Data for operational technology (OT) automation and control applications is increasingly important and can be a bewildering journey if the right questions aren’t asked. See four elements of data analytics system architecture.

H

ow data is treated for operational technology (OT) automation and control applications is increasingly important as people talk about Big Data analytics role in meeting enterprise goals. Data design, data architecture and data acquisition profoundly affect data analytics, or, in old-school terms: Garbage in, garbage out. Learn best practices for data gathering so data can be turned into information and value beyond its original purpose.

Consider this scenario: Two travelers are on a journey. The first one says, “We’re lost.” The second replies, “We’re not lost, I know exactly where we are. I just don’t know how to get to our destination.” This highlights three pieces of information are need when trying to reach a destination.

Knowledge of the destination, our current location, and a path to get there.

Data collection and analytics is similar. It is easy to “jump in” and start collecting data. However, before it is important to review the three points listed above before doing so:

Solving a problem roadmap requires users to determine the problem, gather data and find the solution. Image and table courtesy: MartinCSI

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1. The destination: What is the problem we want to solve?

2. The location: What data is available to the solve the problem.

3. The path: How does the data we have move us toward the solution?

The data analytics destination: Identify a problem, ask a question

The first step in data analytics is to identify a problem and then ask a question. For example, a manufacturing company may have a product with a wide variance in material strength, resulting in poor quality (the problem).

The company suspects variations in pressure or temperature during the manufacturing process are the reason. Next, restate the problem in the form of a question, which we will use data to answer. In this case we can ask, “Are variations in pressure or temperature affecting the strength of my product?”

The location: Gather data needed to answer the question

The next step is to decide what data is needed to answer my question. The available data can be thought of as my current location. A user may say: “On the surface, the data I need to collect is obvious, pressure and temperature. But, to have a complete picture, I also must look at where, when and how the data is gathered.”

For example, the user may have a sensor measuring the temperature of a process tank. However, the sensor may be mounted at the top of the tank and not measure the exact temperature where the reaction is occurring. So, the user may need to add a second sensor to more directly measure the reaction.

The user also will need some form of linking data, which allows them to associate each quality measurement with a corresponding process measurement. In this example, the user will record a common batch number that is associated with www.plantengineering.com

Take your performance to the edge with advanced automation and control Emerson’s PACSystems™ portfolio of industrial automation controls enhance your operations and leverage data from the control room to the machine edge for improved productivity and efficiency. Our programmable logic controllers, including our industrial edge controller, combined with Emerson’s cutting edge Movicon NExT™ IIoT software and other HMI/SCADA solutions, brings you advanced analytics to solve your big data challenges.

Visit www.emerson.com/PACSystems to learn more. Reach out to us directly at ContactUs@Emerson.com

The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. ©2020 Emerson Electric Co.

input #12 at www.plantengineering.com/information

ANSWERS

DATA ANALYTICS FOR OT both the process data (temperature and pressure) and quality data (material strength). They’ll also need to generate a batch number, which will be tracked through all steps of the process.

The data analytics path

‘

Analyze, follow the data: Analytics methods include regression and classification algorithms, neural networks and supervised

’

learning.

Analyzing and following the data will lead the user to the destination, which is an answer to the original question. There are a number of paths to choose from. These include analytics methods ranging from regression and classification algorithms to neural networks and supervised learning. However, the user needs to have a good understanding of the relationship between the data and the problem before starting on the path. They might want to know how variations in pressure and temperature affect my product quality in the form of material strength. It may be tempting to select a model, plug the data in and look for results.

Having a good understanding of process will achieve better results. If the user knows a temperature overshoot by 2 degrees will weaken the product, then they can select a model that will help look for this in the data. Also, if it takes an hour of this over-temperature to impact quality, that helps with selecting an appropriate resolution and sampling rate. It may require making some assumptions, but the better the assumptions, the easier it will be to answer the questions.

Four elements of data analytics

With everything addressed and answered, the user now has a road map to the destination and can

Local, cloud, edge, or data concentrator?

Edge Device

Edge Concentrator

Is the data I’m collecting in a raw format? Can it be processed or converted to a standard format before being collected?

X

X

Do I have a variety of devices that communicate using different protocols?

X

Will calculations be performed on the data in real time?

X

Local Server

Cloud Server

KEYWORDS: system integrator, Big Data, data

X X

Is the data of value enterprise-wide or just corporate?

X

X

Does the data span multiple plants or facilities?

X

X

Is there a need to provide access to reports and analytics over a public network?

X

Is there a need to run advanced data analytics?

X

Table: Asking questions can help users determine whether they need a local server, cloud server, an edge device or a data concentrator.

• March 2021

plant engineering

Joe Martin is founder and president of MartinCSI and is a Control Engineering Editorial Advisory board member. MartinCSI is a CSIA Certified control systems integrator in Central Ohio. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

M More ANSWERS

Is the data of value to just the local plant or process area?

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embark on the data collection. The vehicle used to get there will be the system architecture. Common components can build this architecture. See several components and use cases below.

Edge device: Provides an interface between the devices on the local network (the source of the data) and the public network. They can be used to buffer and format data and perform calculations.

Some edge devices have options to configure a firewall, provide cellular access and act as a protocol converter.

Data concentrator: This device, which is often a programmable logic controller (PLC), is used to collect and aggregate data from existing sensors and PLCs. It can be used to buffer data, format data, and perform calculations before uploading to a server computer.

Local server: Server PC, hosted on premise. It is often used to provide monitoring, reporting and data warehousing.

Cloud server: Server PC, hosted in the cloud and accessible over the internet. It can be used to provide dashboards, reporting, notifications, data warehousing and advanced analytics.

The path from data acquisition to solutions can sometimes resemble a long and winding road.

However, the extra effort spent identifying the problem, asking questions, and gathering quality data will lead to a more direct route. The system architecture, built on a set of common components, is the vehicle that will take me to my destination. So, enjoy the drive. ce

acquisition Users looking to solve an operations technology (OT) automation problem need to know what problem they want to solve.

Following the data and asking questions along the way helps shape the answer.

Once the answer has been found, the system architecture will help make it a reality.

ONLINE See additional system integration stories at www.controleng.com.

CONSIDER THIS How do you design and develop your automation roadmap? www.plantengineering.com

ANSWERS

EDGE

Rashesh Mody, Aveva

New edge device benefits Build smarter end-to-end automation systems: See three ways to prepare automation for edge success and case study with a 5% increase in yield.

A

n environment that prioritizes worker safety now means an environment where remote capabilities are not only possible, but secure. Enterprises are realizing they need to do more to connect their people and systems, more efficiently, and at a lower cost. To unlock maximum value from operations, automation systems should be end-to-end, meaning they are able to help employees at every stage of the business understand the information critical to them, while offering a holistic overview of operations that allows rapid decisions to be made.

Using connected edge solutions, which are automated industrial computing systems that protect and deliver reliable and efficient business critical applications can help provide situational awareness to both upstream and downstream operations. In conjunction, decision-making at appropriate levels of an organization should be empowered by utilizing a decentralized but connected approach with edge devices.

Challenges to edge architectures

Edge devices help offload tasks from machine or process controllers and keep factories or facilities running. However, data from sources like edge devices have historically proven difficult to bring in sight of the supply chain. Traditional barriers to using edge solutions include being able to stay ahead of the technology curve and having access to the full scope of such technologies as and when they become commercially viable and are ready for production.

A lack of purpose-built, “off-the-shelf ” solutions leads many companies to rely on proprietary software and in-house engineering capabilities to incorporate new technologies. As a result, companies find by using isolated or unconnected systems, they have little context to the greater process; conversely, connected systems are often a one-way data feed with little pull-down insight. An additional challenge is integrating smart systems while accounting for the interoperability required to collect and aggregate data. These challenges limit key system benefits like those that cloud capabilities make possible in terms of key performance indicator-level data democratization, and hamper production transparency from the shop floor to the top floor.

A large fleet of remote or physical equipment can be very time-consuming to update and maintain.

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Pushing new application versions or making changes to configurations is often done on an individual or ad-hoc basis, which can result in an edge system acting out of sync. A hardware, software, and platform-agnostic approach to interoperability simplifies connectivity between disparate systems and data silos. In total, this makes system integration, maintenance and upgrade far easier to accomplish.

Build smarter edge architectures

Edge devices are used to build smarter end-toend automation systems. Among the benefits of deploying edge technology are the integrated application development environment, native systems that monitor performance and enable communication across multiple platforms, and remote monitoring and control capabilities, all features that allow for the edge solution to scale and grow with the business.

The integrated development environment that edge offers reduces the time it takes for a company to develop applications. Using built-in capabilities, many edge solutions are then able to deploy applications across multiple platforms, such as industrial computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets or the cloud.

Native drivers also allow seamless communication between human-machine interface (HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), as well plant engineering

Aveva Teamwork enables industrial organizations to implement skills development, knowledge sharing, and collaboration management across the enterprise from the cloud. Whether providing training videos, digital logbook or answering a call for help, the software solves many challenges with traditional training and knowledge retention. The edge-to-enterprise architecture is for complex industrial and infrastructure monitoring and control. Courtesy: Aveva

March 2021

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ANSWERS

EDGE

as programmable logic controllers. The tiered architecture of edge also facilitates IIoT-based applications that grows the number of interconnected devices.

For companies’ work environments that are increasingly remote, but still require connected workers and operational excellence, many edge devices have monitoring and control capabilities on smartphones and tablets. Companies can monitor machine status and performance against the

‘

The tortilla factory achieved a 5% improvement in yield, improved visualization and reaction times and made continuous

’

improvement much easier to achieve.

Organization for Machine Automation and Control (OMAC) packaging machine language (PackML) data and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) standards. As a best practice, edge devices should be able to operate independently, but also connect to a larger centralized operations platform for endto-end visibility.

3 ways: Prepare automation for edge

Of course, edge solutions are most successful when they meet the goals of the business and don’t overburden users with superfluous information, so it’s important for companies to be able to tailor their edge solution to their business needs.

Companies are looking to connect artificial and human intelligence for better insights and building automation systems that are end-to-end is one of the best ways to achieve this. Edge, which is a great place to start, should be met with the consideration of three tasks:

M More ANSWERS

KEYWORDS: Cloud to edge,

digitalization Optimize factory architecture, machine design, operations How to prepare automation for success at the edge.

Combine existing factory floor systems into one cohesive view.

CONSIDER THIS Are your automation systems delivering edge to cloud benefits?

ONLINE From the digital edition, click on the headline to read more on how to “Optimize factory architecture, design machine design, operations.” www.controleng.com/magazine

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• March 2021

1. Identify the target areas, scope and digital technology and implement them.

2. Prepare the workforce to perform the new tasks that deliver value in the optimized plant.

increased competitiveness, reduced costs, stronger regulatory compliance and ultimately, a solidified and resilient business.

Case study: Tortilla factory achieves real-time monitoring, reporting

A California-based tortilla factory has grown to be one of the largest and most popular tortilla brands with tortillas distributed nationwide at most major retailers.

The company wanted to implement a shop floor system that would allow it to have real-time data at its fingertips to improve and drive costs down. After evaluating its factory operations, the company found its traditional way of manually doing things was no longer a viable option. A range of disparate systems that previously did not work together had to be able to provide accurate performance data. Moreover, the operations team was unable to successfully achieve day-to-day performance improvements since critical information was not available in real-time and manual reporting was hindering access to key data metrics.

Automation was key to the tortilla factory’s ongoing and future success.

One cohesive factory floor view

The tortilla factory implemented a customized solution to easily integrate with and manage the existing equipment and processes. First, the company implemented a system platform that enabled it to build a single, unified plant model that represents processes, physical equipment, industrial systems and even legacy equipment, making the design and maintenance of these systems more flexible and efficient.

An edge solution was used as the system platform’s visualization tool, which provided the factory’s shop floor team real-time visibility into their processes. The edge device also included a more effective HMI design, better troubleshooting, ease of application maintenance, as well as visual enhancements to improve the ability to identify and address abnormal situations before they impacted factory operations.

Results included:

3. Execute a plan to implement the business transformation, technology and change management needed for the workforce to scale and realize the gains.

• The tortilla factory achieved a 5% improvement in yield.

• Company-wide visualization of operations data improved teamwork and reaction times.

• Edge software has made the company’s culture of continuous improvement much easier to achieve. ce

With edge technologies and proper execution companies can reach new heights, heading towards a future with boosted collaboration,

Rashesh Mody is senior vice president and head of monitoring and control, Aveva. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

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