PACE - Process & Control Engineering - March 2011 by Prime Creative Media

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PACE PROCESS & CONTROL ENGINEERING

The Edge delivers Enabling innovative design without worrying about how to set up the model. Conversation 12

Painless PLC upgrade Choice of migration methods allows Nyrstar to identify most suitable one. Process Control 22

The productivity challenge Zenith Awards update Addition of another category will make the 2011 Zenith Awards the biggest one yet. News 7 MARCH 2011

VOL.64 NO.2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Technology 6

Laser welding Transparent plastics joined using 1700 nm laser beam. Opinion 12

Asset management RTLS can deliver improved asset utilisation and also reduce MRO spend. Design 14

Drilling for speed Fyfe sees timesaving on the design of a gas pad drill using 3D design software. Flow control 18

Unpredictable flow profiles Well-designed conditioners present a consistent outlet flow profile to the flow meter. PLCs & Soft Control 26

Post Print Approved PP255003/00539

Synchrotron localises The Clayton Synchrotron is highly integrated making it more compact and serviceable.

BY KEVIN GOMEZ AFTER tackling water and energy last year, Siemens turns the spotlight on Australia’s productivity in its Picture the Future Series. According to Siemens, this is one of the largest industry based metaresearch studies in the nation’s history. There aren’t many surprises and the picture isn’t pretty: Australia’s rate of productivity has been in decline by approximately 1.2 per cent per year since 2003-04. One of the fixes advocated revolves around automation and digitalisation. “Digitalisation enables far better capture of data in real time. It also allows for extremely fast iterations in terms of design. If you have a fully digitalised and automated system, you can cut your time from design to product by half and this is what will improve productivity,” Matthew Rait told PACE. Rait is Head of Productivity Research, Picture the Future Australia at Siemens. Mining is an area of concern with productivity in this sector declining 4.6 per cent since 2003-04. “The real concern is how will the economy prosper beyond the mining boom - and booms are cyclical. Historically, they don’t end well,” says Rait who would like to see our economy thrive off green industry. He believes manufacturers ought to be looking at what can they do to improve their productivity from a green perspective because once the carbon taxes imposed, that’s going to cost money. “We need to improve our productivity to absorb these costs,” he stresses. According to Siemens research, digitalisation and automation will enable flexibility within the manufacturing environment. “We will then be able to adapt quickly to market changes and also

MATTHEW RAIT: Digitalisation and automation will enable flexibility. handle the high level of customisation demanded by customers,” notes Rait. “It also hits one of our other solution areas, which is environmental sustainability.” Things like Smart Grid Smart Management System are expected to place less pressure on the environment, on raw materials and enable sustainability. Following on from their PLM solutions, Siemens are now promoting Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) which has a common level protocol for communications between systems enabling continuous manufacturing optimisation. “Both PLM and TIA are enablers for improving productivity,” says Rait. To action and implement the Picture the Future proposals, Siemens have expressed a willingness to work with other companies in “collaborative innovation” thereby allowing a spread of risk, a

spread of cost and a spread of IP. Stripped of pretty pictures and noble sentiment, what can the country expect from this laudable initiative? “When we look at it from a national perspective, we will be able to see shifts in our productivity performance over time,” reckons Rait. “We will be able to measure the shifts at each industry level and we can see whether these visions are making a positive difference.” Siemens is certainly not alone when voicing concerns over the challenge of over regulation. “To accomplish our vision, it is absolutely necessary for us to somehow work through and rationalise some of the restrictions that are the consequence of a three-tier government – such as the 1,300 regulatory bodies we have across those levels,” concludes Rait. www.siemens.com.au

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CX8000 Fieldbus controller with ARM9 CPU, 400 MHz, e.g. for PROFIBUS, PROFINET, EtherCAT and Ethernet

NEWS

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

PACE

Measure uncertainty

PROCESS & CONTROL ENGINEERING

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Next Issue Motors, Drives & Motion Control ● Information Integration ● Wireless Technology ● Energy Management ●

LAST month I was fortunate to attend the session by Ronald Dieck that was organised by IICA’s Sydney branch. There was a goodly crowd; some perhaps attracted by the theme ‘10 Biggest Disasters and 5 Greatest Successes/Proudest Moments of the ISA’. Founded in 1945, the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA) develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts conferences and exhibitions for automation professionals. The so called disasters weren’t exploding pipes spewing vile fluids or automation systems gone berserk; rather a gentle look at some of ISA’s strategies that did not go to plan. For instance, ISA initially gave away the standards free and this reduced their desirability. Now, there’s a fee attached although members can view them for free online. A “disaster”? Hmmm Dieck is an acknowledged expert in the area of measurement uncertainty and the audience did get into an animated discussion with him on this subject. Dieck believes that no test data should be considered without

knowing their uncertainty. His book Measurement Uncertainty is now in its fourth edition and is said to be one of the most authoritative texts in its field. Although it is a critical aspect of process control set up, measurement uncertainty is a difficult concept to grasp. One of the IICA members (who shall remain nameless) mentioned to me that he’s read Dieck’s book several times and over several years but is yet to get his head around the practical application of measurement uncertainty in his operation. It’s no reflection on the author but an indication of the topic’s complexity. From uncertainty to certainty. This issue has an interesting line-up of stories. In an exclusive chat with PACE, Barry Bevis puts the capabilities of Solid Edge ST3 in an Australian context. There’s additional material from this interview online, so head over to www.pacetoday.com.au or follow us on Twitter @pacetoday and you will be alerted as soon our news, product stories and features are posted online. Kevin.Gomez@reedbusiness.com.au

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Siemens is on the prowl for acquisitions BY JIM PINTO SIEMENS, the largest automation company, is no doubt watching its competitors ABB and GE, which both have made recent acquisitions. The ‘big gorilla’ is signalling that it is armed with a huge war chest and is looking to acquire. After cleaning up and putting Siemens back on a credible growth path, top management says that the company has reached a level of ‘management maturity’ (meaning that it has surplus funds) and can now pursue major takeovers. The company now has an acquisition war chest of

Euros 15.6 billion (A$21.36 billion). [In an interview with Financial Times published 13 February 2011, Siemens CFO Joe Kaeser said his company was looking to do deals in the power network and/or plant automation markets worth potentially billions of dollars – Editor.] Who's on the menu to be bought for billions? In automation and power markets, there are only a few possibilities. ABB, GE or Schneider would strain the budget and stir antitrust problems. Perhaps Honeywell’s Process Systems group, which Siemens was toying with when GE became interested a decade

ago, and Allied Signal finally ended up with. Emerson’s US$46 billion market cap (without any takeover premium) is more than Siemens can swallow. This leaves Europeans like Alstom and Legrand. And, of course, my own long-forecasted takeover contenders: Rockwell (stuck with no-growth) and Invensys (flailing at a dead-end). And maybe Eaton. Mind you, buying ‘deals’ is a risky strategy. But then, where can you spend US$20-30 billion in automation and power markets? [Based in California, Jim Pinto is an industry analyst and commentator.] jim@jimpinto.com

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NEWS

TOP TWEETS

Here’s what you may have missed in February if you weren’t following @pacetoday on Twitter: ❏ iPad SCADA application boasts advanced HMI http://dlvr.it/H7mXp ❏ Marubeni invests in Osmoflo for water treatment engineering http://dlvr.it/HDQ8g ❏ SKM Awarded Study for Vale's Project http://dlvr.it/H7YM4 ❏ iPhone app supervises variables and memory of PLCs and RTUs http://dlvr.it/GbkVn ❏ Cyber attacks hit oil, energy and petrochem firms http://dlvr.it/GHzrd Follow @pacetoday on Twitter for the latest news, analysis, new product information and commentary. And never miss out again.

4 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

VELOCIMETER

QUT gets first flood data FUTURE emergency flood management and building design could benefit from the quick thinking of a QUT fluid mechanics researcher who gathered what's believed to be the world's first data on water velocity and sediment concentration in flooded buildings. Associate Professor Richard Brown from Queensland University of Technology's School of Engineering Systems, found being inside a building was no protection against water strong enough to knock people off their feet, during the Brisbane floods. "We had an ADV or Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter on-hand at QUT which measures water velocity and sediment concentration so we thought 'why not install it in the car park?' and try and learn something for the future," said Brown. He is still analysing data from a flood monitoring station he and his team installed in the car park of C Block at QUT's Gardens Point campus, about

MONITORING: Professor Richard Brown with the ADV in the car park where the study was conducted 100m from the surging Brisbane River.

100m from the overflowing Brisbane River. The device collected data for 48 hours. During this time it had to contend with debris including wheelie bins and logs. "We were surprised at how dangerous it was - the most stunning finding was the sudden changes in velocity. Our

analysed results will be useful for future disaster planning," said Brown. “We found the water could be flowing at 0.3 metres/second but within 40 seconds it could surge to 1.8 metres/second which is so swift and strong it would knock a person over. n.widdowson@qut.edu.au

NEWS

RESEARCH

Breakthrough in laser welding LASER welding is on the advance, but it also has its limits: it has been impossible to fuse two transparent plastic components together – up until now. Researchers have now succeeded in circumventing this hurdle – by choosing the right wavelength. The new welding process is revolutionising bioanalytics. It’s a quick process, generates almost no waste and is extremely precise: within a few seconds, a laser beam has welded the casing and speedometer cover together – without any screws, clamps or glues whatsoever. The result is a perfect weld seam scarcely visible to the naked eye. There are no sparks or particles flying through the air during welding. What’s more: the resulting heat is confined to a minimal area. This protects the material. Many industries have now turned to welding plastics with a laser. Still, the technology has its limits; when it comes to fusing two plastic components together, for instance, there is little freedom of choice. Up until now, the upper joining part had to be transparent to permit the laser to shine through unimpeded while the lower joining part absorbed the radiation. This usually meant soot particles had to be blended into the plastic. These particles absorb the energy of the laser beam and transmit the fusion heat generated to the upper joining part. “Up until now, you usually had to choose a single plastic combination: transparent and black. There are lots of applications – in medical technology, for instance – where what’s needed is a combination of two transparent plastics,” explains Dr

6 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

WELD: Transparent plastics can be joined via laser beam at a wavelength of around 1,700 nm. (Image ©Fraunhofer ILT)

Alexander Olowinsky, project manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen, Germany. The researcher and his team have now managed to erase the previous boundaries of laser welding. “The industry now also makes infrared absorbers that are nearly transparent, but these are not only very expensive but also have a green, yellowish tint to them,” Olowinsky elaborates. “So our goal was to find a way to get the job done completely free of absorber materials.” To accomplish this, researchers studied the absorption spectra of a range of transparent polymers in search of wavelength ranges within which plastic absorbs laser radiation. Then the scientists tested and perfected the laser systems to match:

systems that emit light of the right wavelengths. “Before, you didn’t have the right light source,” Olowinsky adds. “It was only during the past few years that laser sources have been developed that emit light in these wavelength ranges.” To deliver the light energy to the joining level – to the seam along the border between the two transparent plastics – the experts at ILT came up with special lens systems. These systems focus the beam so that the highest energy density occurs at the beam waist – where the beam diameter is the smallest – so that the highest temperature is delivered precisely to the joining level. The researchers’ most promising results were achieved at a wavelength of around 1,700 nanometers. “This is the peak welding-efficiency range,”

Olowinsky summarises. Nevertheless, the researchers are also continuing work on the EU Commission-sponsored PolyBright project in search of the combination of the right absorption bands with the matching light sources. “The result has to be the most costeffective laser system possible that can execute high-precision welding tasks at the highest possible speed.” Medical technology and bioanalytics in particular are among the main beneficiaries of the new welding process: The magic word is “lab on a chip.” This refers to automatic, miniature-sized laboratory analysis on the surface of a chip. Whether fluids, protein or DNA analyses – the spectrum of applications is a broad one. www.ilt.fraunhofer.de

NEWS

New category added to Zeniths THE 2011 Zenith Awards will see a respected industry professional recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award. This new category has been added to the eight Project Awards and the Young Achiever Award. With the addition of this category, the 2011 awards program is set to become the biggest yet. Categories for the eighth annual Zenith Awards are: ❏ Automotive & Manufacturing ❏ Food & Beverage ❏ Oil, Gas and Hydrocabons ❏ Metal Products Manufacturing ❏ Mining, Minerals and Exploration ❏ Power and Energy Management ❏ Transport, Power and Infrastructure ❏ Water & Wastewater ❏ Young Achiever Award (new) ❏ Lifetime Achievement Award (new) The Project of the Year Award is given out to the most innovative project overall. The sponsors for the 2011 Zenith Awards are: Rockwell Automation, ABB, Schneider Electric, AMS, Siemens Ltd, ifm efector, NHP

NOMINATIONS

WHY YOU SHOULD ENTER

and Endress+Hauser. Entering the Zenith Awards is free. It is the only awards program specific to process, control and automation in Australia. Download your entry kit today.

Now in its eighth year, the PACE Zenith Awards is raising the profile of process, instrumentation and automation engineers in Australia and New Zealand through rewarding outstanding projects performed by local engineers. The Zenith Awards program has grown year-on-year since its inception in 2004. The official Zenith Awards dinner now attracts 200 engineers, business leaders and their guests, and will be even bigger this year with the addition of two new categories: Young Achiever and Lifetime Achievement. The Zenith Awards is your chance to showcase your achievements and capabilities. The program is also a great way to meet new customers, interact with your peers and raise staff morale. Entering the PACE Zenith Awards is easy: simply email kevin.gomez@ reedbusiness.com.au or visit the Awards website www.pacetoday. com.au/awards to download an entry form. Entries close on 1 April 2011, so hurry for your chance to be part of the biggest Zenith Awards yet!

www.pacetoday.com.au

MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 7

NEWS

SOFTWARE

Gaming powers visualisation software SENTIENT has developed a 3D automation and visualisation software product targeted at mining, oil & gas and manufacturing operations. The software company’s product, MVX, uses technology that is also used in the world of ‘gaming’ and as a result, this Perth-based business has plenty of reasons to keep an eye on the latest video games. Sentient founder Doug Bester said when people hear the word gaming associated with MVX, they often underestimate the power of the software. “Many don’t actually understand how influential gaming technology is in the ongoing development of software. The worldwide video gaming industry is estimated to be worth around $100 billion. “The industry is responsible for leaps in technology, especially in the communications, graphics and deployment areas. So, for a business like ours, we benefit greatly from the research and development going on in that space,” Bester explained. “Many of the platforms and techniques used in gaming are eventually utilised in many different industries. This technology is used in medical science and imaging, architectural visualisation, scheduling and planning. There are many non-gaming applica-

8 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

PIPELINE: MVX software has the ability to seamlessly integrate data from various sources.

tions for this technology, but as the gaming industry has access to incredible budgets you usually see the uptake there first. “Because video games are something people do as a hobby, when you talk about gaming technology in rela-

tion to MVX, some people feel it somehow makes the product less commercial or serious. MVX is a powerful tool that pulls together data inside a 3D scene which has a very natural and seamless navigation much like a video game. However, the software is about more than

NEWS

Watchdog for CSG high quality graphics, it has the ability to seamlessly integrate data from various sources required by a client to carry out operations,” explained Bester. “We have put a lot of effort into the design of the system and have developed an ‘Object Server’ that produces objects from different sources using the ISA95 standard. These objects are then replicated into the 3D environment which can be running on different platforms and devices. So the same project can be deployed on Windows, web, Macintosh, iPad and mobile devices. This keeps costs low when compared with traditional 3D solutions. “The ability to securely access real time and historical data from different sources in an immersive 3D scene from anywhere in the world has enormous potential. Other software products, besides using 2D which require more user interpretation, are not designed for the full integration of data. This means different programs are used to track specific data, and those programs cannot communicate and share information with one another. “The real time aspect eliminates the issue of distance for remote operations which is a major point of difference. Additionally, the way MVX pulls data

together has a massive impact on efficiency and it gives clients a more thorough and up-to-date understanding of their operations. We believe we have set a new benchmark for this type of program, it is very exciting,” he said. Keeping an eye on developments in gaming was an essential part of the job at Sentient, said Bester. “As we specialise in leveraging these types of technologies we constantly research a wide range of platforms, technologies and future trends and of course, what is happening in the world of gaming,” he noted. “We sent an employee to the Unite conference in Montreal in November last year. This conference was focused on a specific 3D gaming development platform so it was especially relevant to what we are currently working with. The latest version of the product released just prior to the conference has a number of new features that will benefit us. “Gaming may be about leisure but, for us, keeping well versed in that industry is crucial for the ongoing development of our product,” concluded Bester.

QUEENSLAND'S new one-stop LNG Enforcement Unit is up and running. Andrew Brier has been appointed to establish and have overall management responsibility for the new multi-disciplinary unit made up of specialists tasked with monitoring the emerging CSG-LNG industry. The unit will develop strategic compliance plans that include proactive and spot investigations, as well as monitoring the compliance reporting required of the industry. The unit will also investigate formal complaints from landholders and lead prosecutions where investigations provide evidence of wrong-doing. The unit includes environmental and groundwater experts, who will form part of the team monitoring environmental impacts, groundwater quality and pressures, and will ensure environmental authority conditions are strictly adhered to. This team will also work closely with the Queensland Water Commission in monitoring bores across the Surat region. Additional Petroleum and Gas Safety Inspectors also form part of the team. They have the important task of making sure this industry operates safely, both for its own workers and for the community.

www.sencom.com.au

MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 9

OPINION

MAINTENANCE

Real-time location tracking c RTLS technology can track assets and people and users report improved asset utilisation and

ECHNOLOGY for tracking location in real time with RFID and Wi-Fi has matured, and offers new opportunities for asset management and safety systems. The indoor environment blocks GPS signals and makes location management within a large building problematic. An alternative is to leverage the indoor WiFi infrastructure by adding RFID tags and middleware to develop a real-time location system. Users realise improved asset utilisation and safety and reduced MRO (maintenance, repair, operations) spend. Real-time locating systems (RTLS) track the location of assets in real time.

The systems are used to track both assets and people. Systems use this location information to improve asset utilisation and efficiency. When tracking people, location information improves safety and event response.

Depending on the technology location accuracy varies from about a meter to twenty meters.

Location information RFID tags are attached to mobile equipment. RFID readers receive radio signals from the tags and use them to determine tag location. Depending on the technology, location accuracy varies from about a meter to twenty meters. The systems are configured to update location information as often as the end-use application requires – ranging

from seconds to hours. For supply chain and transportation applications, RTLS commonly uses GPS to identify asset location. The location information is combined with RFID data and used in an application. This is effective outdoors, where GPS is available. Unfortunately, GPS signals do not pene-

trate into building interiors. Here, we focus on technologies for RTLS for onsite and indoor applications. The components of an indoor RTLS include: • RFID tags • RFID readers • A location engine that interprets the tag and reader data streams • Application software that adds other value to the location information

On-site tracking Dedicated RFID readers read RFID tags. Also, Wi-Fi network access points (AP) can read Wi-Fi tags. This results in different classes of technology deployment and location accuracy.

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can improve asset management safety and reduced maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) spend, writes Ralph Rio. Choke Points. For room-level location, dedicated RFID readers are placed in the doorways where items enter or leave a room. Passive RFID tags respond to reader signals and the reader identifies tags (items) entering a room. The RTLS engine keeps track of what is in the room. When the reader reads the same tag again, the engine assumes the item left the room. This approach works with passive RFID tags. The other approach uses active tags. An issue with choke points is misinterpretation of events in which a tag approaches a door, but returns into the room. Closest Access Point. Here, Wi-Fi RFID tags with increased range periodically broadcast. The Wi-Fi access points (AP) read the tags. As each AP forwards the tag information, the RTLS software tracks the closest AP to the asset and the associated location range. This area can be large and include multiple rooms. For an access point with a range of 70 feet and omnidirectional coverage, the location area is roughly 15,000 square feet. This approach does not provide sufficient accuracy for many applications. Triangulation. With more APs and overlapping coverage, triangulation can be employed to refine location estimates. Here, the distance from the tag to the AP is calculated by measuring

either signal strength or arrival times. The RTLS software uses the known locations of the APs and draws a circle of possible locations mathematically around the AP. Two APs have two circles and provide estimates that are more refined. A third AP narrows this further. Location accuracy improves as the density of APs increases. The physical properties of the asset and the building’s interior affects the signals and can reduce accuracy. Reflection, interference caused by multiple paths, and signal attenuation (the effect of the assets physical properties like size and material) degrade the location accuracy. RF Fingerprinting. This adds information about the physical properties of the asset and building. A virtual grid map is created of the floor plan with all the APs. The APs gather real-world data regarding physical objects and building properties within a given area. This database becomes an RF fingerprint that predicts how the RFID signals will interact with the building. The fingerprint accounts for attenuation, reflection, and multiple paths. By compensating for the structure’s interference, RF fingerprinting is a more accurate location tracking technology. This proprietary technology requires vendor-specific Wi-Fi access points.

From a business viewpoint RTLS can improve the mine’s production capacity and revenue. For example, the Cisco Wireless Location Appliance uses RF fingerprinting technology for Wi-Fi clients and Wi-Fi-enabled RFID tags. Cisco claims it tracks mobile devices to within 3m – about the size of a typical office cube.

Manage assets in mining Mine Logistics. Mincom has applied RTLS technology to manage the traffic flow of haulers moving materials in the 3D labyrinth of tunnels within large, established underground mines. From a safety viewpoint, this technology helps avoid collisions. From a business viewpoint, it can improve the mine’s production capacity and revenue when the production constraint is hauler logistics. Mine Safety. Tata Consultancy Services designed a device for mine safety that is now being deployed in partnership with Coal India in the Jhanjra coal mine in Eastern India. Using a combination of RFID and Wi-Fi technologies, the system tracks the location of each miner.

The miner’s communication device has essentials, such as a battery and helmet lamp, but also contains an RFID tag with redundant communication via both Wi-Fi and medium wave radio. The system’s aboveground component tracks miners throughout the entire underground network and can detect unusual situations. For example, if a miner has not moved within a specified time, the miner and location are flagged on a display. RTLS has matured with suppliers of middleware and sensors specifically designed for location identification and tracking across a variety of different industrial applications. Users should consider these systems for improving safety, asset management, and MRO spend. [Ralph Rio (rrio@arcweb.com) is Research Director Enterprise Software, ARC Advisory Group.] www.arcweb.com

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MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 11

OPINION

SIMULATION

The Edge delivers Siemens Solid Edge ST3 accelerates product design says Barry Bevis. By Kevin Gomez. SIEMENS recently released Solid Edge ST3 in Australia. It features enhancements in simulation and design data management. ST3 delivers new functionality, enabled by synchronous technology, and claims to accelerate product design, streamline revisions, and make it easier to import and reuse third-party CAD data. Barry Bevis, Director of Edge Software, talks to PACE about ST3’s new functionality and the benefits of synchronous technology. Edge Software is a specialised provider of Siemens PLM solutions to Australian and New Zealand companies. Where do you see Solid Edge ST3 getting most play in Australia? In Australia, Solid Edge fits very much in the traditional mechanical discrete manufacturing marketplace. We’ve got customers using it for plant design and piping, materials handling and special purpose machines. My belief going forward is that we will see a big increase in sales in the process engineering market. We will continue to work through the discrete market too because the products are suited to that sector. Discrete manufacturing, as we all know, is becoming a rare bird in Australia. Will you be promoting the synchronous technology aspect? Yes, synchronous technology is a new way of developing CAD models. The real strength is that it is a direct editor. Direct solid modelling is a great advantage since we can open anyone else's files and work on them directly. For instance, we could take in a SolidWorks, Inventor or Bentley Systems file, and directly work on it without having to do any feature recognition. It's very fast and easy to manipulate and change; you're not restricted by the hierarchy and history of how the model was created. In traditional parametric CAD systems, you have the problem of hierarchy; make one change and several other things need to be adjusted. Synchronous technology is still a parametric modeller, but you don’t have the hierarchy or history tree attached. 12 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

This is what always slowed it down; and still slows down traditional modellers. Do you see synchronous technology giving you an edge in Australia? Yes I do and for several reasons. Most organisations here don't have dedicated CAD designers. Synchronous technology is more intuitive and easier to learn. So for part-time users, it's much more productive than a system where you've got to learn all the design intent before you can even think about getting started. With synchronous, you can basically just start modelling. With traditional modellers, you have to plan how you're going to do the design before you start. Now, because synchronous technology has been added to our piping and framing capabilities, you can pull, push, touch and move things more easily than before. You can even change the classification of the pipes and fittings. You can just create a 3D sketch of a framing or steel-work environment and then just add the beams, pipes, tubes or steel sections and it will cut, butt and make all the necessary fittings. You can then get your automatic cut list directly, so there's massive savings in those areas. What feedback have you received in Australia? A lot of companies have adopted Solid Edge and will upgrade to ST3, which is the third version of the synchronous technology. Many customers use contract staff – bringing in people who haven't used Solid Edge before. It’s much easier for them to get up to speed with synchronous technology than it ever was before, so people with Inventor or SolidWorks experience can pick up Solid Edge ST3 very quickly. We’ve got companies rolling ST3 out who have experienced huge productivity gains in all aspects, from creating basic models to large and complex assemblies. Our customers have also commented that the size of the models are much smaller using ST plus the graphics quality and speed has improved. One

Solid Edge will allow inventors to design solutions without worrying about the CAD technology. stand-out feature is the addition of piping and framing to the synchronous environment delivering incredible flexibility in our customer’s design approach and ease of use. Where do you see the technology and software going next? Solid Edge currently comes with excellent collaboration tools. These enable suppliers and users in a supply chain to access the data and the Solid Edge models, without actually having Solid Edge. I also see collaboration getting more focussed as the world – including Australia – becomes more involved in projects being designed or built overseas. Solid Edge will enable international collaboration of design and manufacturing projects to happen much easier than ever before. This is a very expensive proposition currently because of the requirement for big internet pipes between the locations to handle the large files. But the technology is evolving and companies will soon be able to collaborate on a remote scale. The automotive and aerospace industries have been doing this on a global scale for years, but they also have the money and dedicated staff to enable this technology. The product claims to deliver time savings, efficiency gains and productivity. Are you able to quantify the benefits? When we're editing, a design office would have supplier information that comes let's say, from an Inventor file. Traditionally you had to bring that in, do some work on it so you could recog-

nise the Inventor CAD features, and then model and edit the features to suit whatever you wanted to do in terms of change. Now, you don't have to do all that. It's instantaneous – you could open it up inside of Solid Edge and start editing. We're talking productivity gains of two or three to one for editing files that come from a different CAD system. For an organisation that's just using Solid Edge with synchronous technology, it's got to be at least 30 to 40 per cent better. You hear claims of it being 10 times faster which in certain circumstances it is, but in the real world, I see customers get productivity gains of 30 to 40 per cent over traditional CAD. What opportunities do you see in our shrinking manufacturing sector? No doubt, this is a shrinking market. Organisations that were using 10 CAD seats four years ago are now using only two. But Solid Edge, ST3 in particular and onwards, has a good opportunity in those marketplaces because of its ability to interact with other CAD systems. The other aspect is the product data management scalability with this version of Solid Edge. It features three levels of data management enabling various levels of collaboration internally, within the company; externally, with their suppliers and their supply chain; and then on a global scale when they get involved in design projects and collaborate with organisations overseas. But what really excites me about the future is being able to deliver design solutions to Australian companies and entrepreneurs that can just think about innovative design and manufacture without having to worry about how to set up the model and assemblies. Solid Edge will allow designers and inventors to do just that and not worry about the CAD technology. Some of the work that gets done in Australia is incredibly innovative. Edge Software 03 9598 4955 www.edgeaustralia.com.au

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Drilling for speed in Pickanjinnie Adelaide-based Fyfe Engineers & Surveyors records timesaving in the design of a gas pad drill that was developed with the assistance of AutoCAD Plant 3D software, writes Rob Malkin.

ASED in Adelaide, Fyfe Engineers & Surveyors delivers surveying and engineering services to land developers and oil and gas companies in Australia. The firm got its start offering surveying services; impressed with its can-do attitude and efficiency, Fyfe’s oil and gas clients encouraged the firm’s expansion into engineering. Today, Fyfe’s team of 250 planners, engineers, surveyors, and drafters takes projects from inception through to construction documentation—quickly. To make its design process even more efficient, Fyfe recently expanded its engineering toolkit to include AutoCAD Plant 3D software. The firm’s designers used AutoCAD Plant 3D to help complete the Pickanjinnie Pad Drill for Santos, a major Australian gas producer. With AutoCAD Plant 3D software on the project, Fyfe was able to: • Review and optimise the design with the client more easily • Spot and address interferences more easily using a 3D model • Produce construction documentation faster

The challenge The Pickanjinnie Pad Drill provides a single pad for four wells to extract coal seam gas (CSG) in the Pickanjinnie area of Queensland, Australia. It’s Santos’s first CSG multiple-well pad drill. By using a single pad for multiple wells, Santos can save money on leasing and by sharing well support facilities, including gas/water separation, flow metering, and gas flaring. The shared processing facilities require more intricate piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) than single wells, increasing the risk of design interferences. The most pressing and common issue on oil and gas projects – time – added to the challenge. Mark Dayman, managing director of Fyfe, explains, “After a company signs an extraction lease, they want to begin realising value 14 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

SKID RENDER: Designers could make changes to the model. Site Photo (Inset): The model made it easier to identify and resolve interferences delivering a better finished product.

from their investment as soon as possible. Piping interferences, inaccurate bills of materials (BOMs), and miscommunication can delay projects. It’s essential that our design tools help us work quickly and avoid issues.”

The solution Work on the Pickanjinnie Pad Drill project coincided with Fyfe’s adoption of

AutoCAD Plant 3D software. A long time user of another 3D plant design tool, Fyfe decided to switch for several reasons. The prior tool proved to be less user-friendly, leading to extended training periods for new staff. It took longer to make changes within the tools. But most importantly, the software developer supported the tool with a very small team of programmers.

The developer did not correct issues with the program in a timely manner, and the program’s functionality was not advancing rapidly. “We served our clients well with our prior solution, but we believed that switching would better prepare us for the future,” says Jeffrey Tapfield, principal designer with Fyfe. “Autodesk has more resources

We’re now generating construction documentation about 50 percent faster than before, and we hope to realise even greater timesaving in the future. devoted to enhancing AutoCAD Plant 3D software. We also liked the fact that Plant 3D is based on one of the most widely used CAD platforms, AutoCAD. The interface seems familiar to anyone who has used AutoCAD software.”

Clear communication According to Scott Reid, Fyfe’s design drafter on the pad drill project, AutoCAD Plant 3D software’s ease of use quickly factored into the Pickanjinnie project. “After a brief training session

SITE RENDER: When Fyfe began using AutoCAD Plant 3D software the firm already had the initial P&IDs.

quickly develop the 3D model from the P&IDs. The model made it easier to identify and resolve interferences, and the firm found that its designers could make changes more quickly to the model. The model proved to be an even bigger asset during design reviews with the client. “It’s much easier for clients to understand a design when they see it as a 3D model,” notes Tapfield. “Our client more quickly grasped the design intent, and made suggestions to optimise equipment and valve locations for constructability and long-term maintenance. Editing the model to include the changes was simpler and faster in Plant 3D software.”

Supporting construction with Autodesk, we began using Plant 3D software on the project,” he says. “Getting started took almost no time at all.” When Fyfe began using AutoCAD

Plant 3D software, the firm already had the initial P&IDs. AutoCAD Plant 3D software’s equipment modelling and pipe routing capabilities helped Fyfe to

As the design moved to completion, Fyfe turned to AutoCAD Plant 3D software to help prepare the construction documents. Using the built-in isometric > extraction capabilities of AutoCAD

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BEHIND THE SCENES

the site is just as important as clear isometrics. Plant 3D supported the generation of highly accurate BOMs.” Since completing the Pickanjinnie project, Fyfe has more fully integrated AutoCAD Plant 3D software into its workflow.

It’s much easier for clients to understand a design when they see it as a 3D model. Our client more quickly grasped the design intent, and made suggestions to optimise equipment and valve locations for constructability and longterm maintenance.

The result

SITE PHOTO: AutoCAD Plant 3D software’s equipment modelling and pipe routing capabilities helped Fyfe to develop the 3D model from the P&IDs. Plant 3D, all isometric drawings with more accurate BOMs were automatically generated from the 3D model. Since this was the first time they had used the software, the firm’s engineers were concerned they might lose significant time mastering the

process. They were pleased to find their concerns unfounded. “Even though we had never used AutoCAD Plant 3D to help generate construction documents, we

completed the process about 10 per cent faster than before,” says Reid. “With construction in a remote location like Pickanjinnie, getting the right materials and quantities to

Dayman reports seeing even more benefits on subsequent projects: “We’re now generating construction documentation about 50 per cent faster than before, and we hope to realise even greater timesaving in the future. Though we have only used AutoCAD Plant 3D for a short time, it’s clear the software supports the essentials for successful projects: fewer interferences, more accurate takeoffs, speed, and clear communication.” [Rob Malkin is Director, Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) for Autodesk Australia and New Zealand.] Autodesk 02 9844 8000 www.autodesk.com/autocadplant3d

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MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 17

IN FOCUS

Dealing effectively with unpredictable f Well-designed flow conditioners can present a consistent and predictable outlet flow profile to the flow meter,

LOW conditioners are widely recognised and applied in order to correct flow profile distortions caused by upstream flow disturbances. These unpredictable flow profile variations can be neutralised by a well-designed flow conditioner. Such flow conditioners are capable of presenting a consistent and predictable outlet flow profile to the flow meter, resulting in accurate and repeatable flow measurements. However, often overlooked in wideturndown flow measurement applications with Reynolds number ranges that go below 4000, are the effects of three naturally occurring transitional flow profile phenomena. These transitional flows have dramatic differences in the flow velocity profile that disrupt flow meter accuracy and repeatability. A well-designed flow conditioner can also efficiently neutralise transitional flow effects.

Flow conditioning To appreciate the value of flow conditioning in applications with naturally occurring flow profile variations, it is first necessary to understand how flow profiles can change. Engineers specifying flow metering technologies are quite aware that flow profile distortions will directly result in measurement inaccuracy. Engineers also understand that flow profiles are a function of pipe geometry, Reynolds number (Re), internal pipe roughness, and rate of change. In many applications with low-flow detection and wide turndown, what is often not well understood is that the flow profile also transitions dramatically, and without correction can result in tremendous flow metering inaccuracies over a portion of a critical measuring range. Consider the difference between laminar and turbulent flow conditions. Laminar flow occurs at low velocities where the Re number is below 2,000. Turbulent flow occurs typically above Re of 4,000. When flow occurs between the 2,000-4,000 Re region, it is commonly 18 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

FIGURE 1: The laminar profile takes on a parabolic shape where the relationship between the average velocity and centreline velocity is quite dramatic when compared to the turbulent flow profile. (Source: Richard Miller, Flow Measurement Engineering Handbook. Vortab profile added by FCI.)

referred to as the transitional flow range. However, depending on the direction, either increasing or decreasing flow, and the rate of change, transitional flow can continue up to 7,000 Re. Figure 1 compares laminar vs. turbulent flow profiles. The laminar profile takes on a parabolic shape where the relationship between the average velocity and centreline velocity

is quite dramatic when compared to the turbulent flow profile. As the Reynolds number and velocity increase from 2,000 Re up to 4,000 Re, the relationship between the average velocity V (avg) and the centreline velocity V (max) dramatically increases from 50 percent up to nearly 80 percent. Accordingly, the velocity profile from the centreline to the pipe wall is also

changing at a dramatic rate. Insertiontype, point-flow measuring instruments will be susceptible to profile changes during this transitional flow range to large varying degrees. Virtually all point insertion-type flow sensors are susceptible, regardless of whether they are centreline positioned or have variable insertion depths. These types of profile effects are generally more

IN FOCUS

flow profiles r,

write Mike Bess and Don Lundberg.

FIGURE 2: Ratio of the average to maximum (centreline) velocity for smooth and rough pipe. (Source: Richard Miller, Flow Measurement Engineering Handbook.)

A well-designed flow conditioner can eliminate the changing and unpredictable flow profiles in the transitional Reynolds number ranges. acute in smaller line sizes. The centreline relationship between V(max) and V(avg) can transition from 50 percent to in excess of 80 percent as flow rates change from laminar to turbulent. A well-designed flow conditioner can eliminate the changing and unpredictable flow profiles in the transitional Reynolds number ranges and will instead produce a repeatable consistent flow profile. This is even true as the

upstream velocity profile moves from laminar through transitional to turbulent flow or vice-versa.

Relationships With flow conditioners, the relationship between V(avg) and V(max) is maintained and a nearly constant flow profile is maintained downstream. When a flow meter is paired with a flow conditioner, a stable and consistent flow profile, independent of direction or rate of change, is produced upstream of the flow meter, resulting in highly accurate and repeatable meter performance. In all wide-turndown applications, it can easily be determined whether transitional flows will occur within a specified metering range. However, it is more difficult to predict whether transitional flow effects will be broad or narrow, or specifically where they will occur over a critical portion of the desired metering > MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 19

IN FOCUS

FIGURE 4: Flow conditioner installation with a downstream flowmeter.

range. Figure 3 shows an uncorrected flow profile effect and a corrected flow profile. Thermal dispersion-type devices feature wide turndown capability and low-flow sensitivity. As a result, it is common for engineers to specify large turndown requirements that include laminar, transitional and turbulent profiles. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to calibrate for both laminar flow rates and turbulent flow rates during the same instrument calibration, as these profile variations can be reproduced during laboratory calibration.

are installed with flow conditioners, transitional errors are eliminated, which provides optimum accuracy through the entire metering range. A well-designed flow conditioner performs double duty by simultaneously isolating the flow meter from common distortions found in every day process piping and eliminating the effects of unstable transitional flow profile variations. The net result assures continuous high accuracy and repeatable performance across the most extreme flow ranges, most importantly when critical low-flow metering accuracy is at a premium. Illustrated in Figure 4 is a typical flow conditioner installation with a flow meter located downstream of the flow conditioner. Whether the inlet profile is a function of Re number, or whether it is distorted by upstream piping obstructions like elbows, valves and other pipe straight-run variations, the outlet profile remains unaffected.

Flow conditioning

Achieving uniform accuracy

However, whenever there are both laminar and turbulent profiles, there is always a transitional flow profile that contains tremendous variations. Flow meters are centreline-mounted to consistently utilise the relationship between maximum velocity V(max) and average velocity V(avg), as centreline flows are the most predictable. When flow meters

Over time, pipe roughness has a tendency to change as build-up or wear occurs. While pipe wall changes are subtle when compared to the change in flow profiles between laminar and turbulent flow, they are additional unwanted process phenomenon that is mitigated with the use of flow conditioners.

What is often not well understood is that the flow profile transitions dramatically.

20 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

FIGURE 3: Uncorrected vs. corrected flowmeter profile in Argon. Inset (top right): FCI Model ST75V.

To ensure accurate flow metering performance across the entire flow range, process operators must rely on flow meter manufacturers to provide clear notification when user-specified measuring ranges cross over flow profile variations. Pre-use of application evaluation modelling software is recommended because it provides accurate flow profile insights for the optimum flow metering solution. Good modelling software considers all process metering conditions and installation imperfections, including those virtually hidden to operators, such as transitional flow profiles. [Mike Bess (mikeb@fluidcomponents. com) has been managing the Calibration

Lab and Test Engineering department at Fluid Components International (FCI) since 1989. Don Lundberg (donl@ fluidcomponents.com) has worked exclusively in flow measurement for 21 years, spending the last 14 years of his career as resident engineer for the Vortab Company.] [This article was originally published in the March 2010 issue of Flow Control magazine (www.FlowControlNetwork.com).] [AMS as the exclusive distributor of the FCI (www.fluidcomponents.com) product range in Australia.] AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 www.ams-ic.com.au

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Smelter upgrades PLCs painlessly Critical to the management of such a large and extreme smelter operation as at Port Pirie in South Australia is a reliable automation system, writes Paul Cooper.

YRSTAR is a global multimetals business, producing significant quantities of zinc and lead as well as other products which include silver, gold and copper. Nyrstar’s Port Pirie smelter is located on the eastern side of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia, approximately 200 kilometres north of Adelaide. The Port Pirie smelter is an integrated multi-metal blast-furnace smelter and refinery with the flexibility to process a wide range of metals from lead-dominant feedstock. With 670 fulltime employees and 110 contractors, this large smelter produces refined lead, silver, zinc, copper and gold. The operating environment is a particularly aggressive one that exposes equipment and personnel to extremes that include corrosive chemicals, dust, heat and humidity.

The challenge Critical to the management of such a large and extreme operation as at Port Pirie, is a reliable automation system. In 2008, Nyrstar’s Port Pirie site celebrated 120 years of operation and Schneider Electric’s Modicon PLC turned 40. To commemorate this landmark occasion, Nyrstar decided to celebrate by giving their long serving automation platform a face lift. Nyrstar’s automation platform consisted of over 20 Modicon PLCs that had been installed in the 1990s and almost 350 variable speed drives (VSDs). Nyrstar required a solution that would migrate their automation systems in accordance with their maintenance schedule, downtime and budget. Recognising that availability of spare parts would shorten, or lengthen the timeframe to complete migration, Nyrstar were searching for a supplier who could deliver spare parts and different migration options tailored to their business. Nyrstar also identified that there was a potential risk of failure as there was limited preventative maintenance for their VSDs. Any solution implemented needed to be able to cope with the site’s 22 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

ZINC PRODUCTION: The Port Pirie smelter is able to process a wide range of metals from lead-dominant feedstock.

harsh conditions, whilst minimising production downtime during project delivery. Nyrstar were looking for cost-effective methods of preserving their existing hardware and programming investment while extending component life and improving the manufacturing process.

Having the choice of migration methods allowed Nyrstar to identify the type of upgrade that best suited each unique situation.

The solution Schneider Electric proposed a solution that would enable Nyrstar to progressively modernise their PLCs with minimum disruption. For nearly 40 years, Schneider Electric has been providing automation technology to the marketplace. Modicon PLCs have set the standard for reliability, quality and long-lasting performance for

a wide variety of applications. Partnering with Schneider Electric Services, and implementing new Modicon Quantum PLCs, meant that migrating the automation systems onsite became easier. Nyrstar were able to choose between a complete, phased or partial migration on a case by case basis.

The choice of migration methods, combined with the openness and interoperability of Schneider Electric’s Unity platform allowed Nyrstar to evaluate the scope and cost of each migration project and better manage it to fit their maintenance schedule, downtime and budget.

Unique situation Having the choice of migration methods allowed Nyrstar to identify the type of upgrade that best suited each unique situation. The site could then tailor a method that met the individual needs while reducing cost, burden and risk, thereby making the project more manageable from a budgetary standpoint. Nyrstar required the migration to

BEHIND THE SCENES

ZINC MOULDS: The Port Pirie smelter is an integrated multi-metal blast-furnace smelter and refinery.

proceed in the shortest possible timeframe, making the availability of spare parts a critical component of the solution. The open-ended commitment from Schneider Electric means that Nyrstar will be able to coordinate directly with Schneider Electric to ensure that parts not yet migrated will still be available. In conjunction with system integrator GPA Engineering, one of Schneider Electric’s Partners, the PLC migration was completed in 12 months with minimum downtime.

Schedule the migration Maarten de Vries, Nyrstar’s senior electrical engineer, says “the comprehensive services provided by Schneider Electric allowed us to progressively migrate our automation platform to suit our business requirements. This enabled us to time the changes so that we could schedule the migration to coincide with planned maintenance downtime”. At the same time that the PLC migration strategy was implemented, Nyrstar chose Schneider Electric to provide a preventative maintenance program for approximately 350 variable speed drives on the Port Pirie site. These include a number of brands however the majority were Schneider Electric’s PDL drives. The drives servicing would be provided by Schneider Electric’s nationwide support team, with local support delivered out of the Adelaide workshop.

Installed base audit In order to develop a strategy that would address the specific needs of Nyrstar’s Port Pirie smelter, an installed base audit was undertaken to assess the current situation and propose recommendations that would support the life-cycle of the drives equipment. Following this audit, Schneider Electric’s Drives Servicing team proposed a strategy designed to extend the mean time between failures (MTBF). While the risk of failure is minimised by choosing

SNAPSHOT

PARTNER REQUIREMENTS Nyrstar were experiencing a high incidence of premature failure on their drives. In order to reduce this risk, the company wanted a partner who could develop and manage a preventative maintenance program that would: • Extend drive life • Have readily available spares for current and legacy drives • Provide a future upgrade path for same footprint changeover • Provide relevant training for Nyrstar maintenance personnel

high quality products and performing regular maintenance, it can never be entirely removed. It can however be managed. Parts availability or obsolescence can be very costly in the event of breakdown. Downtime can be significantly reduced by being prepared. It is for this reason that Schneider Electric Services documented a detailed spares list for Nyrstar that categorises spares according to their criticality and whether they are required on or off-site.

Same footprint Nyrstar’s drives maintenance program now includes a spare parts contract that ensues replacement parts are readily available for both current and legacy PDL drives within agreed contractual timeframes; and an upgrade path for ‘same footprint’ changeover. In addition, a comprehensive on-site training program was implemented to educate Nyrstar’s maintenance personnel. The training addressed various topics including > operator training, commissioning, maintenance MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 23

BEHIND THE SCENES

checks and basic on-site repairs. The training program delivered by Schneider Electric on-site at Port Pirie has resulted in improved knowledge of Nyrstar’s maintenance personnel. Maintenance personnel have priority access via a toll-free 1300 number, to a team of Schneider Electric experts meaning that most support issues can now be resolved remotely either by phone or e-mail.

Service drives All legacy PDL drives can now be serviced and spare parts can be conveniently supplied from Schneider Electric’s Service workshop in Adelaide, approximately 200 kilometres from site. In addition, a range of PDL and Telemecanique drives are available for use as service drives. These are used by Nyrstar to reduce downtime during breakdowns or for temporary replacements during routine maintenance. On the rare occasion that legacy drives cannot be repaired, Schneider

24 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

LOCATION: Nyrstar’s Port Pirie smelter is on the eastern side of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia.

BEHIND THE SCENES

lations here at Port Pirie to Schneider Electric drives because of their superior service provision and class-leading Altivar drives offering,” says Nyrstar’s Maarten de Vries. “The maintenance program we have adopted has reduced failure significantly which means our productivity has also improved.”

The migration had to proceed in the shortest possible timeframe making the availability of spare parts a critical component of the solution.

Continue migration Electric has developed a simple adaptor plate for the installation of an equivalent Altivar drive from Schneider’s current product range. This adaptor plate is available for the entire PDL legacy drives range, providing a viable solution for migrating legacy drives. Since Nyrstar implemented Schneider Electric’s drives maintenance program, the failure or problem rate has been reduced from high to virtually zero. This has resulted in cost savings as there has been little need to replace drives due to failure. “We are standardising all new instal-

Following the success of the PLC migration and drives maintenance program, Nyrstar are working with Schneider Electric to continue the migration of remaining PLCs when scheduled downtime permits. In addition, work is underway to replace the obsolete drives with Schneider Electric’s Altivar range of drives. [Paul Cooper is National Segment Manager Industry Business (Mining, Minerals, Metals) at Schneider Electric.] ZINC INGOTS: The Port Pirie smelter produces refined lead, silver, zinc, copper and gold.

Schneider Electric 1300 369 233 www.schneider-electric.com.au

MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 25

BEHIND THE SCENES

Synchrotron gets locally-designed mot o The Clayton Synchrotron is highly integrated making it more compact and serviceable than ones overseas because

NE of the most important and potentially far-reaching technological developments to be installed in Australia is the Synchrotron. Located in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton, the Australian Synchrotron is used to conduct research in a wide range of fields including forensics, protein and drug development, minerals, semi-conductor materials and medical diagnosis. Essentially, a synchrotron is a football field sized microscope that is used to probe the nature of matter using electromagnetic radiation. Currently the Synchrotron offers Infra-Red and a variety of X-Ray ‘beamlines’ that are used to study matter. Inside the facility there is a vast circular network of interconnecting tunnels and high tech apparatus where electricity is used to produce intense beams of light a million times brighter than the sun. This light is able to reveal the innermost sub-microscopic nature of materials.

High energy The Synchrotron is able to accelerate charged particles such as electrons to extremely high energies, thereby creating an electron beam that travels at almost the speed of light. When forced to travel in a circular orbit, high-energy electrons release extremely intense radiation known as Synchrotron light which can be directed down Beamlines for use in a wide range of imaging and analysis techniques. According to Dr Mark Clift, senior controls engineer at the Australian Synchrotron, the intensity of Synchrotron light means that research results are far superior in accuracy, clarity and specificity to those obtained by conventional laboratory methods. “Extremely high resolution is provided, so it is possible to see a lot of minute detail in the molecular structure of matter being studied,” he said. “Synchrotron techniques can generate images and provide elemental, structural, and chemical information from diverse sample types ranging from biological to industrial materials.” Clift says the Synchrotron technology undergoes continuing reviews and updates. “For example, a new MC8000 motor control system, designed and developed by Motion Solutions Australia (MSA) in partnership with Australian Synchrotron engineers, was recently installed to control approximately 300 motors. The variety of devices controlled ranges from manipulating radiation source devices and tuning XRay beam transport systems, to sample manipulation systems,” he said. “Our solution is highly integrated, which means 26 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

ANALYSIS: Microspectscopy beamline In Vacuum Undulator Magnet.

that it’s more compact and serviceable than Synchrotrons overseas because it is not as cluttered, has less cabling, and troubleshooting is easier.” After research and testing, the motor controllers for the MC8000 system were sourced from Galil Motion Control in the US and the E-DC Drives are from Parker Hanifin.

porate a 32-bit microcomputer and provide such advanced features as PID compensation with velocity and acceleration feed-forward, program memory with multi-tasking for simultaneously running up to eight programs, and uncommitted I/O for synchronising motion with external events,” he said.

Cost sensitive applications

According to Berenger, modes of motion include point-to-point positioning, jogging, linear and circular interpolation, contouring, electronic gearing and ECAM. An additional benefit is that these controllers use a simple, English-like command language that

MSA manager, Clem Berenger, says Galil’s DMC-21x3 Ethernet motion controllers are designed for extremely cost-sensitive and space-sensitive applications. “These controllers, which use a 96-pin DIN connector, incor-

Circular interpolation

BEHIND THE SCENES

t or control system upgrade it is not as cluttered and has less cabling, writes Hartley Henderson. The private-public partnership in getting motor controllers developed in Victoria provides an opportunity for export to new Synchrotrons throughout the world. makes them very easy to program. “System set-up is further simplified through Galil’s WSDK servo design software, ‘one-button’ tuning, and real-time display of position and velocity information. “The micro-stepping E-DC Drives run two-phase step motors. The controller sends step and direction signals to the drive, and for each step pulse it receives, the drive will commutate the motor to increment rotor position. All communications with the controller take place through the E-DC Drive’s 25 pin D-connector, and the available inputs and outputs are step input, direction input, remote input, fault output, and gearshift input.”

Tight integration Berenger explains that the MC8000 provides eight axes of motion control integrated with micro-stepping drives, all contained in a rack mounted enclosure. “The motion controllers have been tightly integrated with the Synchrotron’s Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS),” Berenger said. “The EPICS driver, which was written by Dr Mark Clift for the Galil controller, interfaces with the motor record and a collection of standard EPICS records. “The requirement for compact, more serviceable controllers has seen continued development of the MC8000 to its current revision 3, and the designs have primarily concentrated on further reducing cabling and ensuring that troubleshooting is easier. “This private-public partnership in getting the motor controllers developed in Victoria has provided an opportunity for export to new Synchrotrons throughout the world. Additionally, it has provided enhanced local opportunities and skills development, and importantly, the opportunity for import replacement.” Clift adds that the motor systems provided by MSA are Australian Synchrotron’s standard product for controlling motors. “We have a strong preference for these systems as the build quality of the hardware is excellent, the technology is easily understood, support is second to none, and we have total control over the interface software,” he said.

INTENSE: In Vacuum Undulator control rack.

Power diffraction Clift notes that Australian Synchrotron systems using the motor control systems from MSA include major Beamlines such as the Powder Diffraction Beamline, XRay Absorption Beamline, Small/Wide Angle X-Rays Scattering Beamline, Infra-Red Beamline, X-Ray Tomography Beamline, and Imaging and Medical Therapy Beamline. “Various radiation source magnets (the smallest is around one tonne) also use MSA motor control systems including the X-Ray Tomography In-Vacuum Undulator, Micro Crystallography In-Vacuum Undulator, Small/Wide Angle In-Vacuum Undulator, and the Medical Therapy Wiggler,” explains Clift. Fee-paying clients can access the Australian Synchrotron’s facilities and services on a confidential basis, and some businesses may be eligible for the Victorian Government’s Small Technology Industries Uptake Program. Australian Synchrotron 03 8540 4100 www.synchrotron.org.au Motion Solutions Australia 03 9563 0115 www.motion-solutions.com.au MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 27

SPOTLIGHT

7best of the

PACE showcase of the best engineering technology releases of the month.

Influx Deltaflux Orifice Flow Meter Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Deltaflux Orifice Flow Meter measures gas and liquid flows. It is suitable for high flow rate measurement and control in process flows, water treatment and gas furnace applications. The main orifice carrier is constructed of quality 316 Stainless Steel in a polyester coated carbon steel carrier. The Deltaflux Orifice Flow Meter features: direct reading scale; flange or groove style connections; compact construction; vertical and horizontal mounting; 10:1 turndown; integral bleed and drain nuts; full bore isolation valves; and an optional alarm. Duff and Macintosh 02 9482 1411 www.duffmac.com.au

Presentation gateway CrispTech’s WPG-120 from Planet is a portable 802.11g wireless presentation gateway. It works in Windows 2000, XP and Vista and enables four wireless users to display their presentations without swapping cables. The output resolution of WPG-120 supports up to 1024x768 with 16-bit colour. To ensure session security, each user is required to key in a valid password prior to projecting through the gateway. The built-in wireless AP supports 64/128-bit WEP and

WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK encryption to secure its communication. The WPG120 is compatible with VGA-equipped devices so users can connect to any projector, LCD TV or large screen display. The embedded windows-based utility enables users to directly download the WPG-120 utility from its webpage, driver CD or USB adapter. CrispTech 1300 727 477 www.crisptech.com.au

ArcPack controls improve weld quality ABB has released its robotic welding package, ArcPack, which offers quality welds with minimum downtime. The package includes ABB’s fifth generation IRC5 controller, the touch screen interface FlexPendant, RobotWare Arc programming software and an IRB1410 industrial robot to deliver an integrated solution. The package is also provided with ABB’s new RPC welding power source suited for MIG and MAG welding automation. The new RPC welding power source offers enhanced control of welding 28 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

applications enabling manufacturers to specify process parameters such as voltage, current and gas flow, managed via the ABB FlexPendant controller. Also included is ArcPack’s Memory Channel function which enables manufacturers to program different parameters within one memory channel. Up to 90 channels are available for programming. ABB Australia 03 8544 0035 www.abbaustralia.com.au

Email your product news to pace@reedbusiness.com.au

A smarter way to calibrate temperature

New class for IR handheld cameras FLIR Systems has unveiled its E-Series range of compact thermal imaging cameras with new features like WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, touch-screen and an iPhone app. It is available in three different ‘point and shoot’ models – E40, E50 or E60 for electrical and industrial plus a bx range for building. The redesigned handheld cameras are lightweight and, according to FLIR, ‘very competitively priced’. FLIR E-Series has other user-friendly features like MeterLiNK and a 3.5” LCD screen. MeterLiNK enables the thermographer to wirelessly transmit diagnostic data from clamp and moisture meters directly to the camera and associate these readings with the corresponding targets stored in an infrared image for accurate, coordinated documentation. Voice comments can be added via the Bluetooth headset and text notes from the touch-screen keypad. Weighing in at 800g, the cameras have been tested to survive and maintain accuracy after a 2m fall to concrete. FLIR Systems Australia 03 9 550 28 00 www.flir.com

Beamex has introduced a more efficient and accurate solution for calibrating temperature. It is a complete solution for temperature calibration with various products and services, such as dry blocks for field and laboratory use, smart reference probes and temperature calibration laboratory services. Two different dry block series are on offer: the Beamex FB Series Field Temperature Blocks and the Beamex MB Series Metrology Temperature Blocks. The dry blocks in the FB Series are lightweight, high-accuracy temperature dry blocks for industrial use. The dry blocks in the MB Series deliver bath-level accuracy for industrial applications as well. The FB and MB dry blocks are also part of the Beamex Integrated Calibration Solution. The Beamex dry blocks communicate with the Beamex MC5 Multifunction Calibrators enabling fully automated temperature calibration and documentation. The calibration results can then be uploaded from the MC5 to the Beamex CMX Calibration Software. This saves a lot of valuable time, eliminates any errors related to manual entry and assures repeatable calibration procedures. AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 www.ams-ic.com.au

Larox filter cloths cover entire permeability range Outotec has launched the Larox filter cloths that cover the entire permeability range and facilitate optimised performance and process results for each application and filter. Outotec Larox filtration solutions are designed to achieve savings in energy and/or water consumption in most of the processes they facilitate. Efficient filtration will lead to better quality waste water, thus reducing the environmental burden. Outotec Larox filter cloths claim the following benefits: optimised throughput and filtrate clarity; high discharge level and dry cake; good cake release and resistance to blinding; Stretch, shrink and abrasion resistance; Extended filter cloth life and high availability of the filter. Outotec Australia 02 9984 2500 laura.white@outotec.com

Online condition monitoring unit The CMU 1000 is an electronic evaluation unit for permanent online condition monitoring of machines and systems. In order to achieve this, the device must be supplied with relevant data which is recorded by the sensors connected to it. This recorded data (processed or unprocessed) can be transferred by the CMU 1000 via various ports or as an analogue value to other instruments and/ or monitoring levels. It is possible to connect

easily to higher level control systems, monitoring systems and bus systems using the built-in interfaces or in combination with an additional coupling module. Using the CMU 1000 means that operating costs can be reduced whilst at the same time increasing machine availability. Hydac 1300 449 322 www.hydac.com.au MARCH 2011 www.pacetoday.com.au 29

EVENTS & EDUCATION

WHAT’S ON

REVIEW

Hydraulics and Pneumatics: A Technician’s Guide

Safety In Action 5-7 April 2011, Melbourne www.thesafetyshow.com.au HAZOP study 6-8 April 2011, Melbourne austcourses@icheme.org Ozwater '11 9-11 May 2011, Adelaide www.ozwater11.com.au National Manufacturing Week NMW 2011 24-17 May, Melbourne www.nationalmanufacturingweek.com.au PACE Zenith Awards 2011 16 June 2011, Sydney www.pacetoday.com.au/awards Queensland Gas Conference & Exhibition (QGCE) 16-17 August 2011, Sydney www.queenslandgasconference.com.au

For daily updates visit www.pacetoday.com.au

‘Hydraulics and Pneumatics (3rd Edition): A technician's and engineer's guide’ By Andrew Parr Elsevier Academic Press $62.95 Nearly all industrial processes require objects to be moved, manipulated or subjected to some sort of force. Such movements and manipulations are frequently accomplished by means of devices driven by liquids (hydraulics) or air (pneumatics), the subject of this book. Hydraulics and Pneumatics is written by a practicing process control engineer as a guide to the successful opera-

GIVE

AWAY

tion of hydraulic and pneumatic systems for all engineers and technicians working with them. This guide is thorough but accessible to technicians without an advanced engineering background.

‘Safety Critical Systems Handbook’ By David J Smith & Kenneth G L Simpson Elsevier Academic Press $144.95 Electrical, electronic and programmable electronic systems increasingly carry out safety functions to guard workers and the public against injury or death and the environment against pollution. The international functional safety standard IEC 61508 was revised in 2010 and this is the first comprehensive guide available to the revised standard. As Functional Safety is

applicable to many industries, this book will have a wide readership beyond the chemical and process sector, including oil and gas, power generation, nuclear, aircraft, and automotive industries, plus project, instrumentation, design, and control engineers.

You could win one of these engineering textbooks by answering the following simple question: On which page of this magazine will you find "Mincom" mentioned? Email your answer to kevin.gomez@reedbusiness.com.au

Both books are available direct from Elsevier Australia Customer Service, 1800 263 951 or customerserviceau@elsevier.com

IICA NEWS & VIEWS

IICA changes names and programmes for 2011 Tech Expos are an economical way to access prospective customers, writes Dirk Kuiper. THE IICA is introducing new names for its Events & Training programme in 2011. The popular IICA Table Tops will now be known as Technology Expos to better define the purpose of these events. Technology Expos are run Australiawide in capital cities and regional areas providing a one-stop shop for companies involved in instrumentation, control and automation to showcase their products. Technology Expos are an economical way to access prospective customers in a friendly, relaxed environment over drinks or nibbles. Visitor entry is free and an opportune way to keep up with the latest in technology and services. There is something for all, right from apprentices all the way up to those in management level. IICA Symposia will now be known

30 www.pacetoday.com.au MARCH 2011

as Seminars and the topic for 2011 is Safety. Presentations will include: ❏ New National OH&S Legislation and Your Legal Obligations ❏ Global Standard IEC61508 – Impact of Recent Changes ❏ The Changing World of Machine Safety Standards ❏ Alarm Systems & Safety An optional Workshop will be conducted on Risk Assessment Methods. The Presentations and the Workshop will be conducted by industry leaders in these fields. Look out for registration details in your inbox or email Caroline Kuiper (events@iica.org.au) to register your interest. The Seminars will be held in most capital cities plus Gladstone and Newcastle.

IICA/ ISA Training is now known as IICA/ ISA Professional Development and several new courses and instructors have been added for 2011. Whether an experienced engineer, practicing technician, or newcomer to the industry, you can hone your skills with the one-day ISA Professional Development Courses. These internationally recognised courses are updated to Australian standards. Instructors are IICA and ISA approved, with relevant industry non-biased experience. Courses are held in capital city and regional locations and registrations start at $545 for IICA members. [Dirk Kuiper is IICA Federal President.] IICA 1300 781 715 www.iica.org.au

NOMINATE NOW

FOR 2011 8TH ANNUAL PACE

ZENITH AWARDS

The Process, Automation, Control and Engineering night of nights! The PACE Zenith Awards is the prestigious industry awards program that recognises and rewards companies that show leadership in engineering projects, and technological excellence and innovation.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE 1 APRIL 2011 CATEGORIES:

Automotive and Manufacturing Food and Beverage Metal Products Manufacturing Mining, Minerals and Exploration Oil, Gas and Hydrocarbons Power and Energy Management Project of the Year Transport, Power and Infrastructure Water and Wastewater Young Achiever Award (NEW!) Lifetime Achievement Award (NEW!)

FOR A NOMINATION KIT OR CRITERIA, PLEASE GO TO www.pacetoday.com.au/Awards or contact Kevin Gomez at kevin.gomez@reedbusiness.com.au or by phone 02 9422 2976 SPONSORED BY:

FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT TIM RICHARDS at tim.richards@reedbusiness.com.au or by phone 02 9422 2818

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