PACE - Process & Control Engineering - August 2015

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AUGUST 2015 | VOL.68 NO.7

INSIDE PACE

Focus on Fieldbus

Wireless Technology

PLCs & Soft Control

Cybersecurity

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comes of age

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CONTENTS

Publisher: Martin Sinclair Email: martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au Editor: Branko Miletic Tel: (02) 8484 0976 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 Email: branko.miletic@cirrusmedia.com.au

IN THIS ISSUE 20

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Group Sales Manager: Tim Richards Tel: (02) 8484 0829 Mobile: 0420 550 799 Email: tim.richards@cirrusmedia.com.au Graphic Designer: Louis Santos Email: louis.santos@cirrusmedia.com.au Production Co-ordinator: Tracy Engle Tel: (02) 8484 0707 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 Email: tracy.engle@cirrusmedia.com.au

News 5 Opinion 6

SUBSCRIPTION: $99 pa incl GST OVERSEAS SUBSCRIPTIONS: NZ: $A109 pa & OS: $A119 pa

Motors, Drives & Motion Control 8 Focus on Fieldbus 10

CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1300 360 126

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PLCs & Soft Control 18 Industrial Mobility 20 Process Control in Mining 22 New Products 26

ON THE COVER PA0 8 1 5 _ 0 0 1

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AUGUST 2015 | VOL.68 NO.7

INSIDE PACE

Fieldbus device integration made easy

Wireless Technology

PLCs & Soft Control

Cybersecurity

Post Print Approved PP100008186

comes of age

EXCLUSIVE: Increasing efficiencies in uranium mining

Average Net Distribution Period ending Sept ’14 5,725

Industry Analysis 15 Wireless Technology 16

Cirrus Media Tower 2, Level 3, 475 Victoria Ave, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia Locked Bag 4700, Chatswood Delivery Centre, NSW 2067, Australia Phone: 02 8484 0888 Fax: 02 8484 0633 ABN 80 132 719 861 ISSN 1329-6221 www.cirrusmedia.com.au © Copyright Cirrus Media, 2015

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF:

Machine-to-Machine Communication 12

Security is now the name of the game

ACCORDING to Verizon’s 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), four out of five security incidents in the manufacturing sector involved denial of service (DoS) attacks, cyber-espionage and crimeware.

Such attacks have the potential to bring down critical systems while bringing productivity to a standstill, damaging customer and partner relationships, and ultimately compromising a company’s reputation and bottom line.

But why is this so? Many in the process and control industry will concur that it’s cybersecurity where some of the industry’s most crucial issues lie but how to fix them is another matter entirely.

In this issue, we talk to one expert who shares his views and ideas with us, however the issues surrounding cybersecurity are like a multi-headed monster that needs a coordinated and multipronged approach.

This issue will not go away and it’s one that we here at PACE will be keeping a close eye on in future editions.

AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 3

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COMMENT

WHAT’S ON

Bentley Connection Event 19-20 August, 2015 Brisbane QLD www.bentley.com/en-au/ Practical Process Control Techniques Course – Brisbane 25-27 August, 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au/events/ practical-process-controltechniques-course-brisbane

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Coming to your sensors

SO if we are to believe the fine closer to where that data is, or folks over at Cisco, within five you’ve lost the opportunity. years, the world will be dealing My view is, as an industry we with the output of 50 billion have to bring the computing sensors thanks to the Internet and the technology power to of Things (IoT). where the data is so that you Webinar – Solid Edge ST8 – Now that’s a lot of testing can make the decisions while it Branko Miletic Design without boundaries and measuring and even more has value,” said Robins recently Editor Webinar – Solid Edge ST8 – data that will be needed to be in an interview.

Design without boundaries stored.

Lets take his words to the 16 September, 2015 One firstly wonders about pinnacle of logic. Not only will www.pacetoday.com.au/events/ the storage capacities required, we have a mass of data to store; learn-how-to-overcome-commonas well as the levels of security we will also have a mass of data fea-roadblocks-we-2 needed to ensure all this data to collate, process, interpret, is well out of reach of those check and compare meaning Fundamentals of Process Safety who are not authorised to see process improvements will now – Melbourne it. be literally only a few clicks 12-16 October, 2015 Melbourne For its part, Cisco, and its away.

VIC Next Issue brand spanking new global Moreover, if you look at www.pacetoday.com.au/events/ CEO Chuck Robins are taking the last part of the Cisco webinar-solid-edge-st8-design• Water & Wastewater a somewhat more philosophical CEO’s statement: “…so that • HMIs, Rugged Systems without-boundaries approach to the imminent you can make the decisions • Sensors & Analysers arrival of this ‘sensor tsunami’. while it has value.” – the future • Process Control in Power For daily updates visit push Pwww.pacetoday.com.au A 0 8 1 5 _ 0 0 0 _ S I E -Generation 2 2 0 1 5 - 0 7 - 2 9 T “So 1 3 you : 4 have 0 : to 4 4 + 1the 0 : 0 0 all of a sudden becomes quite • Focus on Fieldbus capability to process that data clear.

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In other words, it’s real time in no time at all.

Now that is both the blessing and the curse that we will get from all these sensors.

Multiply that 50 billion by another 50 billion and that is the actual measurement or should I say worth of process improvements the IoT will bring to industry.

Testing and measuring of IoT sensor data it seems, is a growth industry all its own followed closely behind store and secure.

Actually, thinking about this is almost enough to overload my sensors. branko.miletic@ cirrusmedia.com.au Like us on Facebook and join the conversation facebook.com/PACEtoday

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NEWS ANALYSIS

SPACE TRAVEL

Launching Australia into space on the cheap LAUNCHING satellites into space could soon be easier and cheaper than ever before, thanks to research at The University of Queensland.

UQ’s Centre for Hypersonics is planning a three-stage transformational space project called SPARTAN, designed to deliver satellites weighing up to 500kgs into orbit and allowing them to be monitored nationally or internationally.

Chair of Hypersonic Propulsion Professor Michael Smart said the program aimed to take advantage of dramatic growth in the small satellite market.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Australia’s hypersonic industry to join the space community,” Professor Smart said.

“Currently, there are about 1265 satellites orbiting in space, but the cost to launch a single satellite is astronomical.

“Our project aim is to reduce this cost and make it more economically viable P Afor 0 smaller 4 1 5 _nations 0 0 0and _ A MS 1 organisations to launch their own

satellites and monitor their own space using wings and propellers. activity through the development of a The second stage SPARTAN scramjet reusable space launch system.” will fly like a plane up to Mach 10, Stage one of the system consists of an releasing the final rocket/satellite that stays Austral Launch Vehicle (ALV), a reusable in space, before it too returns to base. rocket booster that lifts the upper stages The combination of the ALV and of 1 the2rocket 0 1 5to- scramjet 0 3 - 1take-over 6 T 1 0speed : 3 6 : SPARTAN 5 4 + 1 1 allows : 0 0 95 per cent of the of Mach five, before flying back to base system to be reusable.

“If successful, SPARTAN has the potential to change the current paradigm of tossing away spacecraft after each launch,” Professor Smart said.

Partnering with Australian-based company Heliaq Advanced Engineering, the team is developing sub-scale versions of the ALV and SPARTAN as technology demonstrators.

It is expected that a subscale demonstrator (ALV-0) with a threemetre wingspan will be flown by the end of 2015.

“It will take off like a normal aircraft, stow the wings and then redeploy them,” Professor Smart said.

“This test flight will focus on the slow speed handling to prove that this prototype can actually work.

“We are trying to concentrate on the new things, not the classic rocketry things that have been done before.”

A follow-on rocket-powered demonstrator is also planned, but is still in the funding stages.

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AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 5

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OPINION

SECURITY

Why are manufacturers so prone to cyber attacks?

Verizon’s 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) has found that four out of five security incidents in the manufacturing sector involved denial of service (DoS) attacks, cyber-espionage and crimeware.

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uch attacks have the potential to bring down critical systems while bringing productivity to a standstill, damaging customer and partner relationships, and ultimately compromising a company’s reputation and bottom line.

PACE magazine spoke to Jason Whyte, Chief Security Architect, Verizon Enterprise Solutions to try and get to the bottom of the issue.

PACE: Why are manufacturers so prone to DoS attacks in your opinion?

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Jason Whyte: What makes the manufacturing industry attractive to DoS attackers is the immediate and quantifiable impact of security attacks to a company’s business operations.

Due to their specific use case, the nature of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) is notably different to that of the enterprise network. For example, an ICS typical real-time or near real-time transaction process means high latency or extended service unavailability is not acceptable, security controls and solutions must be tested in an offline non-production environment, and in most cases,

component lifespan exceeds 10-15 years.

It’s these specificities that create unique challenges when it comes to the ongoing security and availability of these systems.

Attacks on manufacturers tend to be financially motivated or carried out by activists that have an axe to grind with certain manufacturing organisations. This may be due to the perceived environmental impact of the organisation or industry’s operations, the types of products manufactured, and the manner in which the end products are used. For instance, a leading manufacturer of farming and

earthmoving equipment became a target due to its role in providing weaponised equipment to be used in highly volatile regions.

As mentioned, manufacturers hold unique assets that are comparatively easy to target. As such, while cyber security is a relatively new issue for manufacturing organisations when compared with financial services or government agencies its impact is no less significant in the event of an attack.

PACE: What part of the manufacturing industry is most at risk?

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OPINION

Jason Whyte: No segment of the manufacturing industry is immune from risk with the key motivating factors behind most attacks being political and financial. We would hesitate in saying that one part of the industry is at higher risk than another as it lends organisations into a ‘we are not a target’ mindset that is in itself a greater threat.

That said, it’s clear that manufacturers involved with anything deemed critical national infrastructure have more to lose in the event of a breach including the loss of ability to generate, distribute and deliver power and water.

PACE: Where are these attacks mainly coming from?

Jason Whyte: Statistics show that a large number of attacks are generated in Asia and Europe.

PACE: Have there been attacks that have been serious enough to risk a company’s bottom line recently?

Jason Whyte: Over the last 18 months, there have been a number of high profile cases that have discussed, in detail, the significant financial impacts to a breached organisation. One such case in particular saw company profits fall 46 per cent in the quarter following this security breach. There is no doubt that a 46 per cent drop in profit, even if for one quarter, would have had a significant impact on the company’s bottom line.

At Verizon, we have analysed almost 200 cyber-liability insurance claims involving a data breach. This has enabled us to provide a much clearer picture of the true financial risk behind a data breach covering a wide range of incidents. Despite what other models may suggest, the cost of breach does not follow a linear model. In fact, the cost per record falls as the number of lost records increase.

When averaged out, the variance grows greater as the number of records grows. As such, the longer it takes an organisation to discover a security breach, the greater the loss in data and the costs associated with the “clean up”. Below is a graphic by Verizon that has been generated from real world cyber forensic investigations. It shows that organisations are taking longer to discover a breach than it is taking for the attack to take place.

PACE: What are some practical things manufacturers can do to prevent cyberattacks?

Jason Whyte: There is no way of stopping a cyberattack in the same way that there is no way of stopping an attempted burglary. However, there are ways to mitigate the threat and impact of a security breach while increasing the likelihood of success. A cyber-criminal is more often than not going to take the path of least resistance. This means that organisations with stronger cybersecurity programs are less likely to attract cybercriminals in the first stance, and in the second are better placed in the event of an attack.

There are a few recommendations to significantly increase any manufacturing organisation’s security posture: • Develop mitigation plans: Ensure your policies include comprehensive strategies on dealing with largescale security attacks and brief key operations staff on the best course of action should an incident occur and anti-DoS service fail • Make sure it works: Don’t wait for a breach to occur before discovering gaps or potential failures in your organisation’s action. Test and update the strategy regularly, as your

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infrastructure and processes change, and as new and improved DoS techniques emerge Separate key systems: Don’t allow less important systems to act as a gateway to more important ones.

Segregate critical systems on different network circuits Patch promptly: Attackers often seek to exploit software vulnerabilities.

Timely patching limits their opportunity Enable two-factor authentication: Both phishing and malware attacks lead to lost credentials. Two-factorauthentication can break the chain of attack Train users: By training employees you can create a “human sensor network” that reduce the number of people falling victim to phishing

PACE: What are companies currently doing wrong that is making online security worse?

Jason Whyte: Just ten well known and documented Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) accounted for 97 per cent of attacks last year, one of which dates back to 1999. What this shows is that companies are not patching their systems adequately. The most

common yet underrated vulnerabilities include; • The belief among manufacturing organisations that ’we’re not a target’ • The lack of quality ingress and egress data filtering • Lack of security log monitoring and management in organisations don’t allow for a strong and streamlined process of alerts, logs and events that may potential security incidents • Identity and credential management – the vast majority of data breaches involve a compromised credential or identity. Despite this, organisations still do not employ sound identity and access policies Jason Whyte is Chief Security Architect for Security Solutions at Verizon Enterprise Solutions. With over 20 years’ experience in business, leadership and information security, Jason has held leadership roles across APAC, EMEA and the United States. At Verizon Enterprise Solutions, Jason leads a team focused on managed information security, governance risk and compliance, and cyber threat intelligence for the financial services, retail and healthcare industries.

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MOTORS, DRIVES & MOTION CONTROL

HARMONICS

Combating unseen faults with harmonics mitigation It isn’t always immediately obvious what factors cause the most damage to assets. Some invisible forces such as harmonics often go undetected and unchecked until the cumulative damage they cause becomes too significant to miss says Paul Stride – Drive Systems Engineer at Schneider Electric.

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or manufacturing facilities, the real cost of harmonic damage is almost unmeasurable because of its nature. Some sites have found they have equipment life expectancies of 25 per cent of what is considered normal. That is to say a main supply contactor design with a 30 year life, given the installation and load, now requires replacement every 7-8 years.

For other sites the real cost is in the unscheduled maintenance and loss of production, deadline reliability and, in some cases, production quality.

Replacing equipment because of damage caused by harmonics can increase capital expenses (CAPEX) by as much as 15 per cent and all that additional heat loss and production loss add to operational expenditure (OPEX) by as much as 10 per cent. As a result, Australian companies are increasingly turning to harmonics mitigation strategies to combat the effects of these minor, yet crucial, faults.

Harmonics explained

Harmonics are unwanted currents that create excessive heat and even fire in otherwise lightly loaded wiring and transformers in manufacturing facilities.

For example, a transformer designed for 100amps suppling only 20amps of 50Hz + 20amps of high frequency harmonics can overheat yet appear to be underloaded. If the transformer is already loaded to the extent it is approaching capacity, the results can be disastrous.

Harmonics are created by non-linear loads which are common in industrial sites and often comprise of equipment such as welding machines, arc and induction furnaces, variable speed drives for AC or DC motors, battery chargers, uninterruptible power supplies and more recently some lighting systems.

Non-linear loads deviate from 8 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

regular, or sinusoidal, waveforms and therefore create harmonic current through the distribution system. Voltage distortion is created from this, causing unseen damage to equipment.

While they are often seen to be a small fault, harmonics can significantly weaken the reliability and shorten the life expectancy of equipment. An increase of 10°C of the operating temperature of a motor, for example, can result in a lifetime reduction of up to 50 per cent.

Malfunctions in equipment are possible with a harmonic distortion factor of only five per cent of the voltage.

Malfunctions become probable as low as 8 per cent. These minor faults have momentous long-term effects on OPEX including overloading of the electrical system, increased power demand, loss of systems, increased outages and shorter equipment lifetime, oversizing of

components and even plant shutdown.

For this reason, many Australian companies are beginning to use a broad range of solutions for harmonic mitigation. Four of the most common solutions are input reactance, multipulse supply transformer, band-pass filters and finally active injection filters.

Each technology has different ways to offset the unseen damages harmonics cause every day and the best choice is dependent on the nature of the load as well as the power demand of connected equipment. Manufacturers must understand how each of the solutions work and interact to ensure they select the most appropriate combination.

AC line reactance and DC link reactance (chokes) for drives Both AC line reactors and DC link

chokes help to smooth out the flow of current to Variable Speed Drives, such as the Altivar range, and thereby reduce the level of harmonics on the network.

AC line reactors are placed in series with the incoming AC power line while DC link chokes are connected after the input diodes in the power circuit.

These devices are used to reduce the current peaks in a circuit. Without a choke or reactor in place, the inverter produces high current peaks. When the choke or reactor (or both) are added, the current draw is expanded and the amplitude is reduced. This helps to partially mitigate the level of harmonics.

When high quantities of drives are present within an installation, the use of AC line reactors or DC link chokes is recommended for each individual drive as implementing these devices increases the lifetime of the drives.

The three per cent AC line reactor will protect the drives diodes against network voltage transients and prevent excessive input voltage drop from the drive which can cause nuisance fault trips on network protection devices.

The DC link choke provides three per cent impedance also but with no voltage dip protection due to diode overlap conduction. However by incorporating both AC line reactors and DC link chokes six per cent impedance is achieved. While six per cent might not seem like a large figure, it can substantially reduce OPEX due to reduced equipment damage over an extended time. These extra funds can then be used as capital in other investment options.

Multi-pulse transformer arrangement

Particularly cost effective in new installations or major upgrades of drive systems over 400kW, the multi-pulse

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MOTORS, DRIVES & MOTION CONTROL

system consists of a transformer with more than one secondary winding matched to multiple 6 pulse rectifiers on the VFD. In order to make a simple 12-pulse option work correctly, a 30° phase shift transformer must be included. In its simplest form the MV primary is usually the site standard of 3.3, 6.6 or 11kV while the two secondary windings are each 415v (or 690v) with one star and one in delta therefore offering 30° phase shift to power two sets of rectifiers, one from the standard part of the transformer and the other from the 30°phase shift part. Additional gains can be made for industrial users by utilising 18-pulse, 24-pulse or even higher with great effect.

Band pass or passive filters

A passive filter consists of a number of separate internal circuits, each tuned to remove a specific harmonic or group of harmonics from the supply network caused by VFD. Unlike line reactance which P Aoffer 0 8 a1percentage 5 _ 0 0 0drop, _ E passive RN filters offer a known result to the

network of typically 5, 10 or 15 per cent THDi compliance at the input.

There are some downsides to the technology though – passive filters are not efficient at partial loads. While expensive compared to the simple choke, they provide a simple way for manufacturers to mitigate the unnoticed effects of harmonics that create costly voltage peaks and drops while improving the network power factor.

Active filters

Active filters are available in different supply voltages (three-phase with and without neutral) and can be used for filtering networks. Placement of monitoring CTs and selection of the injection point relative to other equipment is critical.

The two clashing spectrums cancel each other out which brings the harmonics level to near zero. A 300 amp unit will inject 300amps of inverted current into the system but adds less than 50 amps to the total network load as the energy injected is energy saved.

Typically, on large networks, several filters are paralleled to offer thousands of amps of mitigation to cover numerous network problems including harmonics.

Active filters measure and negate the harmonic currents in a different way.

Active filters measure harmonics and other network disturbances on a realtime basis and produce a harmonic current spectrum in direct opposition to The need for harmonics the original. mitigation This has the effect of cancelling the Manufacturing facilities are active harmful harmonic currents. In other places where a lot of large machinery words, the active filter can be seen as a is operating in a very active and visible generator of harmonics but it produces way. With such loud and dynamic the opposite harmonics of the measured setTof0‘noise 1 distortions, 2 0 1 5 much - 0 8like - 0a 3 9 : 3 4 : 3 equipment 0 + 1 0 : it0can 0 be easy to identify when a big error occurs and, as such, cancelling’ headphones.

a lot of care is devoted to avoiding big faults that can cause shutdown and effect OPEX/CAPEX. In the case of harmonics however, the smallest, least obvious faults can affect a plant’s bottom-line in ways often unseen and unnoticed.

Harmonics cannot be ignored and a robust harmonics mitigation strategy is necessary to cut operating costs and redirect CAPEX. Input reactance, multipulse supply transformer, band-pass filters and active injection filters are just some of the solutions that can help manufactures achieve this. Companies need to understand which of these is best for their equipment and plant overall. Those that ignore the small, yet crucial, elements of equipment maintenance risk squandering the savings from effective OPEX – savings that could otherwise be used in vital CAPEX initiatives.

Schnieder Electric 1300 369 233 www.schneider-electric.com

AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 9

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FIELDBUS

Field Device Integration made easy Field Device Integration opens up a new era in fieldbus technology says Neil Shah from ABB Control Technologies.

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ith the recent public release of the Field Device Integration (FDI) specification, instrument and automation manufacturers can now develop compatible products and host systems for managing field devices.

For the user, the specification combines the attributes of competing Device Integration technologies: EDDL and FDT/DTM. A key objective of the specification is to combine the simplicity of the text-based DD technology with the flexibility of specialised Windows-based FDT features and complex graphical representation.

Fieldbus device management tools

Today, more than 30 open and proprietary communication protocols serve industrial/process automation. Three – HART, PROFIBUS and FOUNDATION Fieldbus--account for 90 per cent of industrial process automation. Obviously these three protocols hold a lot of importance and potential in improving and optimising plant operations and enterprise asset management.

Since these three protocols form the basis for large improvement potential, they play a key role in maintenance and upkeep of field instruments. The tools for commissioning, calibrating, diagnosing, and maintaining these instruments must be capable of taking full advantage of the fieldbus communication protocols. Further, the tools must use these advantages in the simplest possible way, keeping the end user in mind.

More than one type of user of these tools operates at a single plant location. For example, an instrument service technician who is diagnosing a device requires only online communication with the device.

A commissioning engineer may want to first configure the device offline and then download the data to the device. Instrument engineers and maintenance managers would want access to an overview of device health. So the management tool for the field device should simultaneously and simply serve to all these users.

Key end-user issues

Today, each major process automation manufacturer has product portfolios ranging from instruments to full-fledge control systems. Most also offer their own tools for managing field devices. The same device may have different device drivers for different tools.

Despite much standardisation, the device drivers supplied for one system do not function, look, and 10 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

Figure 1. feel the same way in other systems. So the user has to maintain different drivers for different tools for the same underlying device. This is also a problem for instrumentation manufacturers as they have to execute tests of their device drivers with multiple device management tools.

The FDI device package will serve all devices and tools. Each device comes with an FDI package used by all the tools or systems, including standalone PCs, field instruments, and process control and automation systems.

The FDI device package, Fig. 1, makes sure all device management tools function with devices without any issues, regardless of the manufacturer.

Each host interprets a device driver slightly differently to fit into the layout of its user interface (UI) layout.

Device vendors typically design their driver for one preferred tool. Although the driver may adapt to the other tools, most often it still does so imperfectly.

Specifications and recommendations from the manufacturer don’t solve these issues, leading to FDI’s biggest strength: Common Host Components, Fig. 2: The Common Host Components consist of the EDD Engine and the UI Engine. All FDI device

packages will be tested and approved with reference to the FDI reference host containing the Common Host Components. These components will be available for implementation to host system manufacturers for their tools.

The usage of Common Host Components ensures that the representation of the FDI Device Package is similar in various tools. Importantly, since the device package developers will use the FDI Reference host during product development, the representation of graphs, images, text, etc. in the device package will be highly optimised as desired by the instrument vendor. Instrument and host system manufacturers will not need to test their device drivers in various tools.

One of the most irritating issues for the end user has been the inconsistent look and feel as well as inconsistent behavior of a field device’s driver in different host systems. Also, the drivers for different devices in the same host system may also behave differently.

Locked valuable device information In the initial life cycle of a plant, most users are content with employing the device information

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FIELDBUS

within the tool. Sooner or later, however, they get into situations where the valuable information from the device needs to be made available to external tools or systems. They may need to analyse the field device conditions, failures, and calibration data or they just think that another specialized tool would benefit from access to a particular device.

Most device management tools do not allow transparent and easy access to this valuable information. Even if the tool does allow access, a complex series of steps or additional hardware/software may be required.

Technologies like OPC-Unified Architecture play an effective role in easily opening up this information to third party tools.

The usage of the standard interface OPC-UA in FDI hosts allows easy access from other applications.

• Applications can be designed and developed without any support of the supplier of FDI host • OPC-UA services supported by the FDI server allow safe and secure access to the Device or to stored offline data • Generic OPC-UA clients can be maintenance tools or Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems Of course not all existing devices will have FDI Device Packages immediately. It will take some time before a sizeable number of FDI Device Packages are available in the market.

But users need not worry since FDI will support existing device drivers.

Figure 2.

Many tools have .NET and/or SQL as pre-requisites, increasing installation time.

Additionally, the device drivers must be installed or imported, and updated to the latest version. Additional steps include installing and configuring the modem driver, which varies from vendor to vendor. Then most tools need a manual catalog update. Some tools require Some unanswered issues the enabling or activation of license. Lastly a few more Will FDI answer every issue of all the users of clicks enable communication, scan, or go-live with the fieldbus device management tools? Not quite. A few device. areas cannot be simply answered by a specification Often, the user just wants to configure the same or standardisation. Problem issues may include basic parameters (for example Tag, Range, Unit) or procuring and installing the tool, non-intuitive tools, execute the same parameters or functions such as inadequate or overly complex tools, and inflexible and zero settings over and over again. Most tools do not non-scalable tools. support such tasks. Even if they do, many steps may be The first step sometimes becomes the most time involved, increasing user frustration.

P A 0 4 step.

1 5 Many _ 0 0 tools 0 _ have M E Ta heavy - footprint 1 2 0 that 1 5 - 0 3Today, - 1 7 the T 1user 1 : finds 2 1 :a host 3 9 of + 1tools 1 : –0from 0 consuming makes them time consuming to download and install. basic freeware to high-priced fully integrated tools.

Most often the user would like to employ the same tool in different ways. For example, a field technician standing next to transmitter would want a lightweight, quick and simple tool capable of online communication with the device--no more. When in the lab the same technician requires much more functionality, such as diagnostics, calibration, loopchecking, and device exchange. The point: scalability and flexibility become important criteria when selecting a tool to satisfy different uses. FDI is about to initiate the rise of a new era in fieldbus technology.

Users should note carefully how the providers of device management tools benefit from the new standard.

ABB 1800 222 435 www.abbaustralia.com.au

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M2M COMMUNICATION

How LTE is breaking ground for M2M communication The billions of dollars invested by service providers in LTE infrastructure, coupled with the growth of 4G-enabled mobile phones and tablets is creating opportunities for new billable services in the machineto-machine (M2M) sector says Stefano Moioli, Director Product Managemet Cellular, u-blox.

Remote security

LTE will enable cost-effective placement and video streaming in both covert and hard-to-access locations. It will become economical to remotely monitor warehouses, retail stores, healthcare units, utility stations, factories and a host of other industrial, commercial and residential facilities.

The people, or robots, watching over these locations can be anywhere in the world with a decent Internet connection, facilitating security and surveillance as an outsourced service, just as remote call centers appeared in tandem with low-cost, long-distance telephony.

Operators will generate revenue on equipment installation, provisioning and leasing, on management software, and on hours per day used (for example, only after shop closing times, or only when motion is detected). They’ll also charge for cloud-based storage of video streams.

Digital signage

As transmission of large multimedia files become cheaper, rich graphical and video displays, updated or rotated automatically over-the-air, will preplace paper signage and advertisements.

Revenue streams for service providers will include the LTE data service bundled with equipment/signage provisioning and leasing, bandwidth usage, and advertisement revenues based on location, and the time of day displayed. For example, different rates can be charged during times of peak vs. light traffic, on freeway vs. residential streets, and on the length of time for which advertisements are shown.

Cloud hosted storage and applications

Because LTE will enable fast storage and retrieval of large volumes of data, even from remote areas, businesses will be 12 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

will replace many wired connections.

This will cut costs, eliminate installation and service calls (“truck roll”), and reduce the expense of connections to new residential buildings. A single LTE to Wi-Fi router will be able to service hundreds of homes. Operator revenues will reflect current practice on cable, ADSL and VDSL connections.

Remote healthcare

LTE will enable security to be provided with SD or HD video streaming from the most remote locations, even where grid power may not be available able to operate far from cities or fixed line access points. Enterprises will be able to set up all their facilities where land and office space is significantly cheaper, and provide video links between them for communications.

Operators will be able to charge for cloud storage, hosted applications, access licenses and bandwidth usage.

phones revenue models to generate further profits. Charges may be flat rate or traffic based and will include local or wide-area roaming. There are also opportunities for subscriptions to tour guides, on-demand TV content or other digital services.

In-car infotainment

Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and other natural disasters have demonstrated the vulnerability of wired networks.

Dependency on physical connections and the power grid can mean that both data and voice connection break down just when they’re most needed. Mobile LTE routers deployed quickly to disaster regions can restore communications within hours. Operators can charge local government agencies for network setup, provisioning, storage, bandwidth, hosted applications, emergency technical personnel, and network takedown.

In-car LTE routers now enable high-speed downlinks of up to 150 Mbit/s (LTE Category 4). These support multiple, concurrent HD TV channels, and offer more than enough bandwidth for the typical mix of voice, video, Internet access and social media applications used by passengers.

Used with the vehicle navigation system, content will also be pushed to the vehicle depending on its location, for example video-rich information about services or other nearby points of interest. It won’t be long before every car comes with with either a vehiclemounted LTE router or mobile phone adapter, which turns a 4G phone into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

Operators will use existing mobile

Back up during natural disasters

LTE last-mile connections

Currently, residential broadband links, cable, ADSL and VDSL, need a physical connection to the home. In time, wireless 4G connections to Wi-Fi routers

LTE will lower healthcare costs by facilitating remote care over high-quality video links. A telehealth terminal at patient’s home will provide instant access to a doctor or healthcare professional.

Already, Verizon’s (USA) suite of digital health care products focuses on treating and preventing chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

Being deployed in America, it connects patients, glucose and blood pressure sensors with primary care providers over LTE-enabled mobile phones or tablets.

Telecom operators can now develop business with private medical practices, hospitals, or assisted living organizations, running revenue models similar those of mobile phone services including equipment rental, network usage, monitor queries, as well as fixed-location or roaming capabilities.

Homeland security

Government spending on security, particularly in the USA, is growing. At security checkpoints in airports, at events and along borders around the world there is a need to quickly identify and authorize individuals. LTE will enable facial recognition, even over large areas or within crowds, where cameras can pan across hundreds of faces. Facial recognition demands fast data capture and access to very large amounts of data. All the required information can be captured, delivered and updated

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M2M COMMUNICATION

wirelessly to anywhere on the planet over LTE, which creates an opportunity for service providers to sign contracts with government and private security agencies and to bill for connectivity, equipment leasing and a wide range of services from providing access control to secure storage.

More location-based services

When combined with satellite or other global positioning systems, LTE will give operators the chance to offer new types of service. Delivering position-relevant content will enhance shopping and tourism. Multimedia navigation over LTE will allow people to see and interact with destinations before they arrive, and even preview landmarks along the way.

And video interaction, combined with location information, will create new types of social media such as proximity dating. It will catalyze and enhance social movements, political rallies, sporting events and demonstrations. These services will run on any LTE-enabled mobile terminal, so operators will be able to provide traditional telecom services then charge more for enhanced features: location-relevant videos, historical data, information about friends, family, and potential new friends located near the user.

Vending machines

Vending machines are big business.

According to Global Industry Analysts, they’ll generate over 190 billion dollars in revenue in 2015 and many are already wirelessly connected to report when a refill is necessary, if there is any tampering, or simply where the machine is located – vending machine locations are often forgotten! LTE can bring video-rich multimedia advertising and social media services to vending machine displays. In fact, Coca-Cola experimented with this concept in 2011 by installing networkconnected vending machines around the world. These allowed customers interact with each other wherever they were, and to “buy a coke” for a stranger in another country. Network service providers charge either flat rates for video connections, or generate revenues from products sold while particular videos are played. Alternatively, product providers can pay to have their videos played on the vending machine.

Connected cars will provide a growing number of opportunities for new revenue streams and LTE will be enable those that need high bandwidth to be exploited many tasks deemed too dangerous or expensive for human operators.

Such tasks include surveying, utilities and building inspection, traffic and crowd monitoring, mapping, aerial photography, and search and rescue.

With an LTE connected camera mounted on them, drones can be leased by service providers or their partners for professional, private, and emergency services applications creating revenue opportunities from the LTE video pipe, equipment leasing, video hosting services, and even operator training.

Time-critical industrial and commercial applications LTE’s low-latency, typically around 10 ms, is particularly attractive for timecritical applications. These include industrial, traffic control (vehicle-

to-infrastructure communications), collision avoidance (vehicle-to-vehicle communications) and financial systems.

In all of these applications, splitsecond reaction times are crucial for industrial robots, traffic flow control and automated financial transactions.

Unlike 3G or 2G “best-effort” IP networks, LTE delivers the quality of service demanded by these time-critical applications. Services can come with guaranteed bandwidth, bit error rate, and latency. Operators can derive new revenues from premium LTE services for these applications.

The technologies that will underpin consistent, reliable and long term service delivery With the carrier infrastructure in place, all that is needed to capitalize on the

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Modules provide a fast and reliable way to add LTE connectivity

One LTE module family from u-blox, called TOBY-L2, is a range of compact, cost-optimized data modems targeted at many of the embedded wireless M2M applications outlined above.

The latest versions are designed for LTE Cat.4 operation with UMTS and GSM fallback. They come in small LGA form-factor and measure 24.8 x 35.6 x 2.8 mm, ensuring it’s easy to fit a modem inside most machines. They offer up to 150 Mb/s download and 50 MB/s upload data rates. Furthermore, footprint compatibility means that there is easy migration from u-blox UMTS, CDMA and GSM modules. There are various operator-compliant variants for North American, European, Asian and South American service providers and the modules, which are manufactured in ISO/TS 16949 certified factories, operate over the full industrial temperate range of -40 °C to +85 °C.

Summary

Aerial surveys and other drone applications Drones, including quad-copters, are now replacing helicopters for

opportunities described above is a small modem and antenna connected to the machine in question.

Many connected machines, including vehicles, will be expected to have very long lifetimes (typically 10 years or longer). While several cellular technologies (LTE, UMTS, GPRS, CDMA) will continue to coexist over the next few years, LTE is the only technology that can guarantee this kind of longevity.

For manufacturers deploying products which are supposed to work for 10 or more years, LTE is the natural choice and definitely less expensive than replacing 2G or 3G modules should the operator decide to shut down the legacy networks.

Intelligent vending machines can be more efficiently operated and create revenue-earning opportunities when connected over LTE networks

LTE’s growing accessibility, falling cost and high performance is creating new revenue opportunities that are only limited but the imagination of those that design machines which benefit from being connected across local or global networks. Wireless modem modules, particularly those that are easily integrated with GNSS positioning modules, provide a proven and fast way for product designers to turn stand-alone machines into location-aware, connected machines as the pace of the M2M revolution accelerates.

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INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Ensuring the safety and security of industrial control systems

BY ERIC C. COSMAN, CONSULTANT, ARC ADVISORY GROUP

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rocess safety and cybersecurity are distinctly different disciplines, but there is growing realisation that they are related.

Specifically, today’s industrial organisations face the common imperative of determining the appropriate response for each combination of desired security and safety for various parts of their industrial control systems.

International standards committees such as ISA84 and ISA99 are collaborating to develop information in this area that will appear in their respective standards (ISA84 and ISA-62443). In the meantime, preliminary guidance is available, as well as opportunities for stakeholders to help shape this discussion.

Current situation

Safe and reliable operation is an imperative for industrial processes.

Operations personnel often refer to safety as “priority one, two and three.”

As a result, process safety has become an established discipline in industry.

Standards and practices available as the ISA84 and IEC 61511 series’ provide requirements for specifying, designing, installing, operating, and maintaining a safety instrumented system (SIS). These provide a high degree of confidence that the SIS can maintain or place a process in a safe state. Certification is also available for safety-related systems.

Clearly, cybersecurity is also essential for safe industrial operations. Most industrial facilities employ a variety of IT-based products within systems designed to control and protect dangerous processes and equipment. It is essential to protect these systems from cybersecurityrelated threats that could potentially impact the operations and information security of an industrial facility.

The ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards and practices defines

requirements and procedures for implementing electronically secure manufacturing and control systems and security practices and assessing electronic security performance. Several cybersecurity-related compliance specifications are also available.

Inadequate security can compromise safety

As these standards are applied, there is a growing acceptance of the fact that a cybersecurity-related compromise in the operation of industrial control systems can undermine the basic assumptions used in the design of safety systems and procedures for operation and maintenance. This distinguishes industrial cybersecurity deliberations from those used for IT cybersecurity programs, which focus on confidentiality and privacy.

Complementary but distinct perspectives

The process safety and cybersecurity disciplines each have specific perspectives on the challenges associated with the design of industrial control and safety systems.

Industrial control systems are designed for safe operation. Designers perform extensive hazard analyses and

safety systems are deployed to limit the impact of operator errors, device failures, and control malfunctions.

The cybersecurity perspective includes consideration and analysis of new, non-deterministic challenges associated with the information and communications technologies that are at the heart of modern control systems.

Protecting IT-based control and safety equipment generally requires special products and compensatory controls.

Training automation personnel to use and maintain this new technology is another hurdle that must be overcome.

While distinct, these perspectives are complementary in that they both focus on achieving safe and reliable operations.

This “shared vision” forms the basis for collaboration between these disciplines.

when designing safety-related systems.

Designing secure systems also re-quires an analysis of hazard, followed by the application of defense-in-depth and system segmentation, similar in concept to LOPA. Each of the above processes are applied within the context of a relevant life cycle for the system under consideration. Recent work by the ISA84 and ISA99 committees has resulted in the development of a common version of this life cycle that can be used for both safety- and securityrelated analysis. A technical report on this topic is currently available from the ISA84 committee, which will form part of the description of life cycle as a fundamental concept at the foundation of the ISA/IEC-62443 standards.

A coordinated response

Safety integrity and security levels

The recognition and understanding of this shared vision has led to increased collaboration and coordination between these disciplines.

This collaboration takes several forms. Several companies that were previously focused on process safety related services have expanded their offerings to include a parallel set of cybersecurity services.

The committees responsible for the ISA84 (process safety) and ISA/ IEC-62443 (cybersecurity) standards have aligned working groups addressing the overlap between security and safety.

In the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), an ad-hoc group is currently investigating options for addressing this subject. These and other efforts have identified specific areas where safety and security are related.

Risk assessment and response

Whether addressing safety or security, it is first necessary to identify the specific risks as well as the approaches for their mitigation. Process safety experts have extensive experience using methods such as process hazard analysis (PHA) and layers of protection analysis (LOPA)

Another area of similarity between the safety- and cybersecurity-related disciplines is the use of levels to identify the degree of response required in a specific situation. The safety integrity level (SIL) concept is well established and described in the ISA84 and IEC 61511 standards.

The concept of security levels is fundamental to applying the ISA/IEC 62443 standards for cybersecurity.

However, because of the lack of determinism in cybersecurity-related threats, these levels are more qualitative than those used for describing safety.

It is now possible to establish a formal relationship between safety and security levels and consider them together to determine the design and operations measures required. This is also an area of common focus between these two disciplines.

About the author

Eric Cosman, a senior consultant at ARC Advisory Group, has over 35 years of experience in developing, delivering, managing, and supporting operationsrelated information technology solutions in the process industries.

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WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

Wireless Automation for Process Control Several different wireless technologies have evolved to support flexible links for industrial networking and process control applications, with a range of capabilities from hard real-time to low-cost says Guy Dann, Country Manager of ANZ at RS Components.

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here is a range of unlicensed frequencies available, varying from the sub-1GHz variants in different parts of the world – 915MHz band for the Americas, 868MHz in Europe and 920MHz in Japan – to the unified 2.4GHz band.

This provides greater volume, lower costs and more opportunities for integration of the RF transceiver with a low-cost microcontroller core.

For applications that require a hard real-time capability such as monitoring critical chemical or nuclear processes, a low latency solution is vital. Wireless versions of fieldbus protocols such as WirelessHART provide a way to deliver that real-time performance in a more flexible manner with wireless links. While it is based on the popular unlicensed band at 2.4GHz used by other technologies – notably WiFi and ZigBee – it also includes security and interference protection that makes sure every packet of information is delivered within a certain time.

Within the 2.4GHz global unlicensed band ZigBee is emerging as a robust yet flexible industrial protocol, allowing mesh networks to develop so that data can hop from one node to 16 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

the next. ZigBee has also now added support for IPv6 so that these nodes can be accessed directly from the Internet.

While this requirement has not seen huge demand in industrial applications, the use of remote monitoring and wider networking is growing and will be a key requirement for systems in the next few decades.

ZigBee IPv6

After several years of discussion, a version of the ZigBee mesh networking standard that supports the new IPv6 Internet protocol has been launched.

IPv6 extends the address space of today’s IPv4 protocol, which has essentially run out of numbers to identify all the devices on the Internet.

Moving ZigBee to support IPv6 requires changes to software in the network layer, and, as it is also designed to work with the ZigBee Smart Energy protocol (version 2, SE2) at different frequencies, can need changes to the MAC and PHY layers in a device.

Revision 0.7 of the SE2 is being discussed in the industry and takes

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WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

ZigBee into other frequency bands, not just the unlicensed 2.4GHz band.

This supports smart power grid, power and water utility applications as well as industrial machine-to-machine (M2M) applications such as process control.

ZigBee IP is the first open standard for an IPv6-based full wireless mesh networking solution and provides seamless Internet connections. The key is that, unlike ZigBee today, ZigBee IP networks do not need gateway devices to connect to the Internet and so will work directly with other Ethernet and Wi-Fi devices. The fact that this will also work with the sub-1GHz bands around the world opens this up as a global opportunity for process control equipment developers.

The specification adds network and security layers and an application framework to the existing IEEE 802.15.4 standard to provide a more scalable architecture but with the same proven, end-to-end security using TLS1.2 protocol, link layer frame security used in ZigBee. This is based on AES-128-CCM algorithm and support for public key infrastructure using standard X.509 v3 certificates and ECC-256 cipher suite.

A key change is that ZigBee IP continues to support global operation in the 2.4GHz frequency band but now also supports regional operation. Raw data throughput rates of 250Kbs can be achieved at 2.4GHz with 16 channels, 40Kbs at 915MHz through 10 channels and 20Kbs at 868MHz on one channel.

Transmission distances range from 50 to 200 metres, depending on power output and environmental characteristics.

Because there is no need for a gateway on the network, ZigBee IP had to support the development of discovery mechanisms with full application confirmation. Devices can be added anywhere in the network, and paired with devices perhaps on other networks, so the discovery, authentication and pairing layers are significantly more complex.

Interference will be an increasingly important challenge with IPv6-based systems that are more spread out and working with other networks in the 2.4GHz band such as Bluetooth and WiFi. As a result ZigBee IP products have access to 16 separate, 5MHz channels in the 2.4GHz band so that band management can be used to avoid interference. This can either be

interface, time synchronisation provides on-time messaging and the self-healing network topology means any breaks or failures do not impact the data transfer.

Systems can be developed using flexible 2.4GHz transceivers as the RF transceiver.

Security

A key change is that ZigBee IP continues to support global operation in the 2.4GHz frequency band but now also supports regional operation. done manually when a device is added to the network, or, as is more likely, using adaptive software to monitor the quality of a link and hop to a new band if necessary. This will also help keep the power consumption low, as higher power will not be needed in the link to overcome the interference.

More importantly several of these do not overlap with US and European versions of WiFi and so these bands can be used carefully to avoid likely sources of interference. ZigBee already incorporates an IEEE 802.15.4 CSMA-CA mechanism that reduces the probability of interfering with other users, plus ZigBee uses automatic retransmission of data to ensure network robustness. Because the duty cycle of a ZigBee product is usually extremely low, relatively few packet data units are transmitted, reducing the likelihood of an unsuccessful transmission and making the protocol more robust.

Additionally, the ZigBee IP protocol suite contains mechanisms that allow an operational network to move to a different channel.

The 802.11 WiFi standard (a,b,g,n) is cost effective but there can be issues of interference from other networks. While it lacks real time support it can be well suited to monitoring applications such as streaming a video feed from a remote camera.

WirelessHART

WirelessHART enables users to quickly and easily gain the benefits of wireless technology while maintaining compatibility with existing HART devices, tools and systems. The wireless version includes several features to provide built-in 99.9% end-to-end reliability in all industrial environments such as channel hopping to avoid interference and provide coexistence with other wireless networks. Clear Channel Assessments test for available channels, while blacklisting avoids frequently used channels, optimising bandwidth and radio time.

For the time critical links to the

Security is also a key consideration for an industrial network, and WirelessHART employs the latest security techniques to provide the highest levels of protection available via 128bit AES encryption and a unique encryption key for each message, as well as device authentication.

Each device in the mesh network can serve as a router for messages from other devices. In other words, a device doesn’t have to communicate directly to a gateway, but just forward its message to the next closest device. This extends the range of the network and provides redundant communication routes to increase reliability.

Conclusion

The range of wireless frequencies and protocols available for process automation, coupled with the different performance requirements down to hard real-time responses, has created a fragmented industry. The emerging ZigBee IP technology opens up all the regional frequency bands alongside the 2.4GHz band and gives the flexibility to connect equipment up in new ways.

This requires higher security levels, and the new protocol combines higher performance with more flexibility and the promise of an effective cost reduction programme as devices ship in ever-higher volumes.

AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 17

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PLCS AND SOFT CONTROL

PLCs and soft control helping to keep Kalgoorlie’s air clean Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) is one of Australia’s largest gold producers. KCGM is the managing company of the world famous Super Pit in the Goldfields of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

K

CGM has recently commissioned a new Metso carbon regeneration kiln as part of its $98 million Emissions Reduction Project that has eliminated sulphur dioxide and significantly reduced mercury emissions from its Gidji and Fimiston Processing Facilities. The project was supported by KCGM’s joint venture owners Barrick and Newmont.

Today KCGM’s Fimiston Open Pit is a massive operation, popularly known as the Super Pit. At 3.5km long, 1.5km wide and over 600m deep, it is so large that it can be seen from space and, despite its remote location, it is a popular tourist attraction.

Annually, KCGM processes over 12 million tonnes of rock to produce up to 800,000 ounces of gold. The Fimiston Open Pit is mined using the drill-andblast method, with the ore transported by six-metre high haul trucks. It is crushed down to nominal 300mm size rocks and then ground down to 0.2mm sized particles before it is mixed with flotation reagents.

This produces a gold-rich froth, which is dewatered in filters to produce a sulphide gold concentrate. A common practice is to roast this concentrate at 650°C which vaporises sulphur dioxide and other impurities like mercury.

As part of its Air Quality Management Plan, the company would stop the roasting process whenever prevailing winds could blow roasting emissions towards the town and residential areas. This resulted in unplanned stoppages and the sacrifice of up to one third of available production time. Improving air quality for the community and avoiding disruptions to production were the key drivers for research into alternatives to the roasting process. This year as part of KCGM’s $98 million ‘Emissions Reduction

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Metso and Electrical Board Manufacturers designed a complete system that was only required to control the kiln’s operation during testing and commissioning.

Project’, a new larger ultra-fine grinding (UFG) Mill was installed at Gidji to replace roasting.

UFG reduces ore down to 12 micron particles, it is then subjected to a cyanidation process followed by adsorption onto activated carbon in a process called Carbon-in-Leach or CIL. Next, the carbon is recovered from the CIL process and transferred to the elution circuit.

The elution process uses caustic soda and cyanide in a pressurised column at 110°C to strip the gold off the carbon.

Once this step is complete, only the spent carbon is left behind. The carbon is then

rinsed in water and sent for regeneration via the carbon regeneration kilns.

KCGM installed two Metso carbon regeneration kilns in 1994 and 1997.

Since then, they have relied on the company’s maintenance services and engineering knowledge to ensure that the kilns continued to perform efficiently. Hratch Loussikian, Metso’s National Product Manager – Pyro Systems, played a key role in the supply of the original kilns and has been directly involved in KCGM’s carbon regeneration process for over 10 years With the carbon at 700°C, great care has to be taken to ensure safe

interactions between the kiln and the upstream and downstream processes, particularly in the event of any process malfunction. This means the kiln needs a safety shutdown system, which operates independently of any external systems or power.

A momentary loss of control by the DCS (Distributed Control System) or a power outage could have catastrophic results. The drum which carries the carbon runs at temperatures of between 850°C and 1000°C. Stopping the kiln drum from rotating, even for a short period of time, will cause the drum to sag under its own weight.

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PLCS AND SOFT CONTROL

Hratch explained, “Even the smallest changes in tolerances will have dramatic effects on the kiln’s ability to operate correctly; it may not operate at all. With no easy way to rectify damage, it is likely the kiln would be offline for up to 6 months, whilst a new one is constructed and installed. Our design takes care of this problem with a special shutdown operation that is driven by a battery backup system in case of power failure.

It keeps the kiln rotating until all the carbon is safely out of the kiln and the drum has cooled down sufficiently to safely stop.”

Once the kiln had been assembled and tied in with the mechanical and electrical components of the upstream and downstream processes, testing and cold commissioning started. Although the site’s Yokogawa DCS will control the kiln, the kiln’s operation and control needed to be tested and proven independent of the DCS. Metso and Electrical Board Manufacturers P A 0 8 1 5designed _ 0 0 0a complete _ DEL 1 system that was only required to control

the kiln’s operation during testing and commissioning. David Merrick, Electrical Board Manufacturers’ automation and control engineer, explained in more detail.

“Once testing was complete, control of the kiln was transferred to the Yokogawa DCS. To ensure that control is exactly the same, our programming and our control interface hardware were integrated into the DCS. This was a complex process, but the cooperation I enjoyed from KCGM and Yokogawa, made the process really simple. ” With the roasters no longer in operation, atmospheric emissions have been eliminated from the Gidji Processing Plant.

Everybody wins – with emission reductions the environment and community wins and the process can run 24/7, without the need to halt operations due to prevailing wind conditions.

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Metso (02) 8825 1600 www.metso.com

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INDUSTRIAL MOBILITY

Industrial mobility: the new norm

Manufacturing intelligence software for industrial mobile applications is enabling users, in just seconds, to access business and production data, and personalise and share it for new levels of collaboration and productivity. Theresa Houck* writes.

H

OW many of you take your personal smartphone or tablet on the plant floor or to the business office, or see co-workers with their mobile devices?

Does your company use mobile devices for industrial purposes? It’s happening more and more, and because of that, today’s industrial information software is adapting too.

Industrial information software now allows users to create, modify, personalise and access their own displays of business and process information, in the office, at the machine, at home or on any mobile device.

The software’s dashboard on a device doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s; it can contain the specific information the user needs. They can access historical and real-time data reports from anywhere, anytime.

It’s no surprise mobility is changing the way managers, engineers, operators, technicians and others are working in the business office, the production plant and the field. Three trends have been leading to this advancement: 1. Growth in consumer devices, which is driven primarily by device manufacturers focusing on the user experience and moving away from single-use devices. It’s driving a lot of small productivity gains. Although a lot of people have these in their pockets, there’s a lack of industrial software that’s tailored to these devices.

2. Increased network access, which enables external network connectivity of the control system up to the business system so information reaches a broader set of people. Users are asking their automation suppliers about consuming that data, not just providing it. That’s a huge market trend and shift from isolated protected control systems, to be able to share tidbits of information, or in some cases entire pipes of information, to the external world that’s never been privy to that information before. At 20 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

Industrial information software now allows users to create, modify, personalise and access their own displays of business and process information on any mobile device.

Rockwell Automation, we call that The Connected Enterprise.

3. Continued productivity demands for automation system providers helps users better utilise assets, increase

uptime and equipment efficiency, and generally do more with less.

It’s all about context

A change in thinking also is contributing

to the usefulness of mobile devices in the industrial setting.

What has been primarily a machine and product focus is becoming systems thinking.

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INDUSTRIAL MOBILITY

This has been common for some lines can see their equipment all over time in the process industries, and the world to determine and share best now it’s everywhere. People want to practices for operation and maintenance. layer in context and collaborate across Portability and sites, whether it’s a multi-facility global personalisation food and beverage conglomerate, a The two keys to successful industrial pharmaceutical manufacturer contracting mobility are user enablement and system out a plant, or an industrial machinery extension.

OEM that wants to see how its It’s called the “Value- and User-First equipment is operating around the world.

Philosophy”. User enablement lets users The ability to view, navigate and configure their dashboards, reports and share information is being combined other information on the fly and make it with portability and mobility to make personalised. it so operators, engineers, and managers System extension means the industrial never have to leave their work,. information software uses HTML5 and With smart phones, tablets and other technologies so users can tailor the laptops, they can access their choice device to their specific needs. of content, subscribe to feeds, and The three primary ways to personalise their own dashboards with accomplish this are: the exact machine, system and business 1. Provide role-based and user tools for information they need or want to do user enablement. This means users their job in the best possible way for can configure on the fly, and it’s them. personalised to the user. Mobility The philosophy is being applied to really is a landscape in which users conventional operations technology (OT) A Dand _ PIT, A but C Ealso A Mfor S management.

F E B _ 1 3 . p d don’t f Pwant a g the e generic 1 9 login / 0 1and / the 1 3 , same report 50 other people want.

In automotive, suppliers of turnkey

They want a report that’s personalised to them, and then they want it personalised across a mobile device or laptop.

2. Innovate in the collaboration space.

This means looking at collaboration not from a machine telling users what’s happening, but other people telling users what’s happening — being able to provide a framework where, for example, an operator can talk with an engineer, or people are collaborating across sites. For example, users aren’t just looking at notifications. Instead, they see that this alarm happened, and here’s the trends graph that attached with it on a mobile device, and historically the user sees the top three reasons why the alarm happened so the issues can be addressed.

3. Extend existing systems. This means, as described previously, using HTML5 and other technologies to be able to customise existing views device in a secure and 1 to 0 :any 0 mobile 0 AM logical way, including existing reports

on a PC that can be used on a mobile device.

Collaboration makes a difference

Mobility is moving beyond replacing existing plant or machine-based experiences on a mobile device to enable collaboration across sites.

Today’s industrial information software can help solve problems faster and more efficiently, and even prevent them.

New levels of mobility, portability and personalisation can allow companies to easily try out different data, displays and configurations in a matter of seconds, without the need to call IT or a developer.

Getting the information users need where, when and how they want it allows them to do their job better and to run equipment and operations in a better way. *Theresa Houck is an Executive Editor with Rockwell Automation; 1800 762 593, www.rockwellautomation.com

AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 21

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PROCESS CONTROL IN MINING

URANIUM MINING

New uranium processing technology delivers gains An Adelaide-based specialist engineering company has designed and developed a unique modular processing system for a new uranium mine in Africa, writes Hartley Henderson.

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delaide Control Engineering (ACE) specialises in the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of processing equipment for uranium mines.

According to Managing Director, Glenn Jobling, innovative technology and advanced modular design has enabled ACE to reduce the build time and requirement for skilled labour at remote sites by almost 50 per cent, giving the company a sustainable competitive advantage internationally.

“The ACE modular system based on standard shipping containers is built, assembled, and tested in our Australian manufacturing facility before transport to site,” Jobling told PACE. “The $11million contract involves provision of a plant for dewatering, calcining and packing of yellowcake, complete with a waste gas scrubbing system. The processing system is fed

with yellowcake slurry from the mine’s primary processing plant. Slurry is dewatered in a centrifuge and then fed to a rotary kiln for drying.

“From the kiln, the dried yellowcake powder is transferred to the packing module where it is packed into drums.

A key design criterion for the fully automatic drum filling plant was that the risk of operator exposure had to be minimised. To achieve this, the drum filling and sampling system is contained within a sealed module, which has integral dust extraction.”

Jobling emphasised that this fully automatic system also provides a high level of product security. “No one has access to the product, which provides product security and ensures that all product is accounted for,” he said.

“Labels are printed automatically for all drums and drum samples with the details logged in a data base to account for all yellowcake. If required, the labels

Slurry is dewatered in a centrifuge and then fed to a rotary kiln for drying.

22 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

can incorporate barcodes for tracking and audit.

“With the ACE system, the security and integrity of the product is ensured.

When combined with sound site security, our design provides the best product security available.

“Drums are carried into and out of the packing module on conveyors through entry and exit airlocks. When they enter the module, the drums are weigh checked, then filled, sealed, weighed, washed and dried before leaving the module. The drums can be loaded and unloaded from the conveyors by forklift operators without the need for personal breathing protection.

“The automatic sampling system takes product at three intervals during the filling of each drum to give representative sample of the contents. These samples are placed into a laboratory jar, the lid is closed and the jar is transported out of the module for labelling.

“A second sampling sequence collects one sample from each drum and deposits it in a larger container to provide a composite sample from each batch of drums.”

Integrated platform

Specialist suppliers for the project included NHP Electrical Engineering Products, SEW Eurodrive, Global Pumps, and Endress & Hauser, while construction assistance was provided by F Miller Fabrications, Sturns Mechanical Fabrication, and AEC for electrical work.

Andrew Watts at NHP Electrical Engineering Products says the control system for the project is based around the Rockwell Automation ControlLogix hardware platform available from NHP. This allowed sequential control, process control and safety functionality all to be deployed in a single integrated hardware platform.

The ACE modular system is based on standard shipping containers.

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PROCESS CONTROL IN MINING

A key design criterion for the fully automatic drum filling plant was that the risk of operator exposure had to be minimised.

Netzsch helical rotor pumps are used to provide centrifuge feed and concentrate return for the ACE project.

“The system also uses Rockwell Automation’s PlantPax software for its visualisation software component.

This system drastically reduces software engineering time by providing a standard library of instructions and visualisation faceplates,” he explained.

“The ACE project solution also heavily leverages Rockwell Automation’s Ethernet/IP communication network.

This single network is based around unmodified Ethernet (IEEE 802) and allows for SIL 3 PLe safety, HMI traffic and real time control on a single network.

“Rockwell Automation’s machine mounted historian, FactoryTalk Historian ME, is also used for the large scale collection of data from the plant.

This data can then be analysed to allow for optimisation of the plant.

“In addition, advantage is taken of Rockwell Automation’s premier drive integration which allows for the complete configuration, control and backup of the systems’ variable speed drives inside the Logix-based controllers.

“The successful implementation of the Rockwell Automation solution was made possible by NHP’s specialist automation team. Its expert knowledge of the product and desired application enabled ACE to fully experience the benefits of this platform.”

Darren Seeley at Global Pumps advises that Netzsch helical rotor pumps

This increases product recovery and reduces risk of contamination, and the technology can be used for other minerals, not just uranium.

“ACE can also provide the technology and hardware for the continuous fluid bed precipitation of yellowcake. As with our drying/ calcining and packing plant, the fluid bed precipitation plant can be provided as modular units based on standard shipping containers for pilot or satellite plants.”

Jobling points out that continuous fluid bed precipitation provides several advantages over standard tank methods.

M Minclude 0 4 1 up 4 _to025 0 per 0 _cent I ND “These lower cost of production with reduced

are used to provide centrifuge feed and concentrate return for the ACE project.

“The product being pumped is gritty and abrasive slurry, so it’s important to keep the pressure drop across each stage as low as possible. Experience has shown that the 2S geometry of these pumps works very well on yellowcake,” he said.

Grand plan

Jobling says the company plans to remain globally competitive by further improving and standardising the modular plant design.

“Custom building requires expensive project specific design which significantly increases costs. By building a standard design, quality improves, delivery and commissioning time is reduced and cost can be cut by as much as 25 per cent,” he explained.

“The cost benefits also extend to the site building. Because each module is its own structural unit, complex and expensive buildings are not required to house the plant. All modules can sit at the same level and be housed in a very simple building. The modules can also be easily relocated to another mine should the deposit be mined out.

“We are also continuing to innovate with the development of our horizontal kiln for yellowcake calcining/drying to enable production of larger crystals of a more consistent size with less dust.

maintenance, increased recovery of uranium, and reduced fines creating less dust and consequently lower risk to operators. There is also an increase in product bulk density giving reduced transport costs and as much as 40 per cent improvement in dewatering which reduces drying costs,” he said.

1

Adelaide Control Engineering 08 8118 6460 www.adlcontrol.com.au Global Pumps 08 8275 8000 www.globalpummps.com.au NHP 2 0 1 4 - 0 3 - 1 3 T081 8297 2 : 9055 3 3 : 1 4 + 1 1 : 0 0 www.nhp.com.au

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AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 23

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PROCESS CONTROL IN MINING

OPINION

Addressing tomorrow’s mine today Australia is known for its mining industry success and has often been at the forefront of global innovation in terms of technology and process development. However, mining is facing major challenges across all operations, says Javier Orellana, Mineral Processing & Optimisation Centre of Expertise Manager at Schneider Electric.

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he decrease in pricing of commodities, increasing environmental legislation requirements, decreases in ore grade and a shift in the skills required have all led to major declines across the Australian mining sector in terms of productivity and profitability.

To meet these challenges, mining companies are beginning to focus on the integration of their mining businesses to get a better understanding of how their operations are performing and leverage multiple systems and processes 24 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

to drive business objectives. Integrated mining is a concept that describes the consolidation of mining data, process and procedures, managements systems to drive business intelligence.

As an initial step, current mining companies are concentrating the majority of their efforts in knowing what’s happening in their present operations and trying align their KPIs to better reflect business objectives rather that site requirements.

In order to ensure that Australia’s mining sector continues to grow and

thrive despite an unpredictable and unstable environment, mine operators must move towards a truly integrated approach to management through advanced business intelligence. In order to result in a business-wide transformation, a solution should not be limited to technology. It must also cover people and business processes and all these must be aligned to the overall business strategy for the short term and the long term.

Although this strategy is clear, it will need to be unique to each organisation

depending on the size of their operation, the commodities they are involved in, their markets and their objectives. The approach needs to be top-down and must include an end-to-end view, breaking down silos – not just from pit-to-port but also across the entire value chain like operations, sales, maintenance, engineering and corporate.

Although most mining companies are already using real-time and interactive access to information needed for planning, managing and optimising

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OPINION

mine operations, to the aforementioned relate to market demand, ore tracking, for people to find short cuts that are not points, it is important that this data is blending quality control, mobile optimal for the business. reviewed in a holistic approach to result equipment tracking, water management, Change management is also in a stronger outcome for productivity process control, weather forecast, energy extremely important in use of new in the future, that is, turning data usage, transport and port technology and implementation of into information to drive business Data and analysis aside, people new processes in existing operation for intelligence. are a major key in the success of any sustainable and profitable outcomes.

Decision makers are good at integrated approach. Providing the Care has to be taken that old processes, intervening in abnormal situations and technology that can enable these which may not be optimal, are not in applying non-linear reasoning but changes is one piece of the puzzle, carried into brown field or green for this to happen they must have the however, people will make these changes field projects as people from existing right information at the right time with successful. operations could be leading the new the right context. That is “data mining�

As part of mining’s transformation, projects. information from real-time, near realthe process and systems that support Another important matter that time and disparate systems and applying people must be improved and demands attention is managing to the complexities of mining operation, optimised. Here there is also scope for workforce transformation. It will analytics, simulation, modelling and considerable improvement in efficiency become increasingly difficult to optimisation. of people as a team and consistency of find people with the right skill and Some of the big data that is currently their work. experience and in the right location being used in mine operations is coming The efficiency can be generated from As the mining industry continues to from seemingly dissimilar systems. This running a flexible operational team in transform the industry will see flexible data is only useful when it relates to multiple locations along with a team of and geographically spread teams working internal and external constraints (as it virtual experts. together, interpreting information and can then be used in real-time for further The consistency would be achieved making decisions. The efficiency of improvement in integrated planning and through the use of workflow technology people and consistency of their actions optimisation).

P A 0 8 1 5 _ 0 0 0 _ A MP 1 to institutionalise 2 0 1 5 - 0 7their - 2 business 8 T 1 1 : 3 5 : 1 must 1 + 1be0through : 0 0 systems and processes For example, the systems could processes. It would leave no wiggle room rather than years of experience.

Tacit knowledge or good intuition will need to be formalised and integrated in the operational excellence system and more resources will be engaged in business improvement activities to standardise work procedures that can be automated.

In the recent years the mining industry has seen a large number of incremental or point solutions being implemented to improve productivity and reduce costs. While this trend will continue, the industry must now invest more in broad transformation in relation to managing business, running operations and re-defining the workforce. Each of these areas is dependent on the other and hence a unified approach is a must.

[Javier Orellana is Mineral Processing & Optimisation Centre of Expertise Manager at Schneider Electric] Schneider Electric 1300 369 233 www.schneider-electric.com.au

AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 25

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NEW PRODUCTS

Honeywell launches thermal printer for light duties Honeywell has introduced the PC42t, a thermal transfer desktop printer that is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of environments where affordability is key.

The PC42t is a light-duty printer ready for retail shelf price labelling, general office packing and shipping labelling, and distribution centre barcode labelling applications.

Well-suited for small business owners looking to upgrade to thermal printing from inkjet or laser printers for the first time, the PC42t is easy to setup and inexpensive to own.

Joining Honeywell’s range of barcode printers, the reliable PC42t label printer includes broad, industrystandard connectivity including USB Device and USB

Host with Serial or Ethernet (depending on the model).

The PC42t thermal transfer desktop printer is an economical choice for media up to 110 millimeters wide.

With an ability to accommodate large ribbon sizes, the PC42t can print longer before needing media replenishment, increasing productivity in label-making operations.

The PC42t’s compact size, common media specifications, support for Direct Protocol, and ZPLII and EPL command emulation make it an easy upgrade from legacy Intermec or competing thermal printers.

Honeywell Process Solutions 1800 456 066 www.honeywellprocess.com

Smart wireless gateways Emerson Process Management has introduced the Smart Wireless Gateway 1552WU, a Wi-Fi access point that connects WirelessHART sensors to the control network.

Jointly developed as an integral part of Cisco’s IoT Systems, the 1552WU Gateway is a fully-featured mesh access point that simplifies Wi-Fi and WirelessHART installations, lowers costs and reduces deployment time.

Users no longer have to run fiber optic cables for ethernet communication to every WirelessHART Gateway. The 1552WU seamlessly connects to neighbouring access points allowing complete wireless coverage, with only local power wired to the 1552WU. Emerson Process Management 03 9721 0309 www.emersonprocess.com.au

Paperless recorder released Automated Control and West Control Solutions have launched the DataVU 7 – a paperless recorder offering enhanced functionality together with the flexibility for seamless and efficient integration within a user’s application.

The recorder is designed for use in industrial and scientific processes including food & beverage, laboratory and heat treatment.

The DataVU 7 provides the ability to view recorded data in multiple ways such as graphical and numerical representations via a high clarity TFT display. Three batch reports can be created simultaneously in the recorder. The batch data can be displayed on the recorder and within the Evaluation Software.

The recorder can withstand humid or dusty conditions meeting the standard for IP65 ingress protection. The 26 www.pacetoday.com.au AUGUST 2015

• • • •

control knob has been practically designed so that a user can access recorder settings quickly even while wearing protective gloves. This durable recorder is ideally suited to challenging and harsh environments.

• Up to 18 internal /24 external analog channels • Batch logging • Customisable presentation of data • Flexible reporting • Enhanced security 5.5” high quality color TFT display Stainless steel fascia (option) Robust and durable IP65 Automated Control Pty Ltd 02 4722 4568 www.automatedcontrol.com.au

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NEW PRODUCTS

Compact PLC with IoT features RS Components (RS) has introduced the latest Mitsubishi FX5U compact PLCs, which extend the capabilities of the FX PLC platform with increased CPU performance and extra built-in functions including sophisticated position control.

The FX5U PLCs are part of the new Mitsubishi MELSEC iQF family, which features an ultra-fast 34ns/ step sequence-execution engine with 64k-steps program capacity, and 150-times faster system bus speed allowing maximum performance even when handling large quantities of data.

New built-in features enhance support for IoT and Industry 4.0 applications, including an Ethernet port that simplifies connectivity and allows remote maintenance, advanced security, and an SD Card slot for data logging and program updates.

Other built-in features, such as eight

channels of high-speed pulse inputs and 4-axis pulse outputs, allow developers to create more powerful systems for applications like controlling packaging machinery, using fewer modules.

Configuration using the familiar GX Works3 environment is also easier, with enhancements such as table-based parameterisation, motion setup tools and extra positioning instructions.

RS Components 1300 656 636 www.au.rs-online.com

New industrial UPS Power management company, Eaton, has launched a new range of high-efficiency “Heavy Duty” Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) developed to perform reliably in the toughest industrial environments.

The new 9EHD features Eaton’s tried and proven power conversion technology built into IP42 rated enclosures to provide continuous high efficiency operation in hot and dusty environments.

Available in three phase input/output ratings from 10-200kVA and single phase outputs up to 100kVA, the high density 9EHD combines a compact footprint with the ability to operate continuously in ambient temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius.

Its modular construction enhances its resilient design by enabling quick and easy service to provide a mean time to repair of less than 90 minutes.

With a transformer-free design and sophisticated sensing and control circuitry, the 9EHD is capable of

achieving up to 98 per cent efficiency, making it the most energy-efficient UPS in its class – whilst still providing maximum load protection. Advanced Battery Management technology counters the effects of high ambient temperature, extending battery life by up to 50 per cent to lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) and enhance safety by reducing the possibility of thermal runaway.

For extremely critical applications requiring parallel redundancy, Eaton’s patented Hot Sync technology enables load sharing between parallel systems without the need for a dedicated communication line, thereby eliminating a potential single point of failure and increasing power availability.

All Eaton 9EHD series UPSs include a large graphical LCD panel that shows UPS status and allowseasy access to measurements, controls and settings.

Eaton 02-9671-0620 www.eatoncorp.com.au AUGUST 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 27

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Gearmotors \ Heavy Industrial Solutions \ Electronics \ Decentralised Systems \ Services

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