PACE Mar 2019 by Prime Creative Media

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 | VOL.72 NO.1 | Est. 1953

Low Flow Fluidics Handling Technology

Gas Flow measurement from 0 - 0,7 mln/min up to 0 - 11000 m3n/h Liquid flow measurement from 0 - 100 mg/h up to 0-600 kg/h Laboratory, industrial (IP65), Class I Div. 2 or ATEX approved design Analog, RS232, FLOW-BUS, PROFIBUS DP, PROFINET, DeviceNet™,

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WE SERVICE ALL INDUSTRIES We at AMS have been supplying instrumentation and calibration equipment to all industries, government departments and public utilities. We are proud to have developed these relationships over many years and will continue to do so and building new ones as they appear. Our proven track record is testimony to our commitment to sales and service.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 | VOL.72 NO.1 | Est. 1953

INSIDE PACE

Additive Manufacturing

Learning on the job

Thought Leadership

GE Additive and Sydney Uni sign MoU

Making the most of opportunities

The future of instrumentation

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CAN CARBON COMPOSITES GET “SMART”?

EXCLUSIVE:

Uni students win award for hull cleaning robot

XXX

CONTENTS

Managing Director: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy Managing Editor: Syed Shah Editor: Mike Wheeler Ph:(02) 9439 7227 mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au

IN THIS ISSUE

Journalist: David Loneragan Ph: (02) 9439 7227 david.loneragan@primecreative.com.au Sales/Advertising: Isht Singh Ph: 0411 067 795 isht.singh@primecreative.com.au Production Coordinator: Janine Clements Ph: (02) 9439 janine.clements@primecreative.com.au Art Director: Michelle Weston

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16 Editor’s Comment 6

IICA NSW chairman Peter Veron on the year ahead for the institute

Smart Technology 14

3D Printing 26

Flow Measurement 16

Instrumentation 29

Flow measurement needs to be accurate. Especially for companies in the pharmaceutical industry Thought Leadership 18

AMS’s Dirk Kuiper has been in the industry for almost five decades. He’s bullish about the future Energy Management 20

Long-term planning is key to reducing energy costs Test and Measurement 22

Why accelerometers play an important part in preventative maintenance

Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

New Technologies 24

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Additive Manufacturing

Women in Industry

Thought leadership

GE Additive and Sydney Uni sign MoU

Learning on the job

The future of instrumentation

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Making it easy to analyse data using a web browser Safety Automation Solutions 30

Safety automation solutions from Pilz Innovation 32

A group of university students win a competition that will see them heading to the US Women in Industry 34

BOC Limited’s Romana Tomic on why she loves her job so much Safety 36

Introducing the Vegadif 84 from Vega New Products 37

How smart can carbon fibre composites be?

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 | VOL.71 NO.7 | Est. 1953

We at AMS have been supplying instrumentation and calibration equipment to all industries, government departments and public utilities. We are proud to have developed these relationships over many years and will continue to do so and building new ones as they appear. Our proven track record is testimony to our commitment to sales and service.

GE Additive and the University of Sydney sign MoU.

ON THE COVER

INSIDE PACE

W: ams-ic.com.au

IICA 25

News 10

Is it possible to make carbon composites smart? One New South Wales scientist says “yes”

Copyright PACE is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in PACE is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in PACE are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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4 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

EXCLUSIVE:

Uni students win award for hull cleaning robot

As technology moves along rapidly, it is hard to believe that we are now getting to the stage where carbon composites might actually become “smart”. This is what the team led by Dr Nishar Hameed at Swinburne University is trying to develop – composites that will be able to communicate information about

structures where they are implemented. This is exciting when you look at the types of products that can be made using carbon fibre composites. This includes the automotive and aerospace industries. Having this type of information ready in maintenance engineers hands could lead to new methods of carrying out maintenance.

simply a tube

No compromises when it comes to flow measurement. FLOWave | a flowmeter that meets the strictest hygiene requirements We make ideas flow. www.burkert.com.au

COMMENT

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Mike Wheeler Editor

Tertiary institutions leading the way with advancements

COLLABORATION. It’s a word that’s been bandied around recently within the manufacturing and process engineering sectors. At an event I attended held in Sydney, GE Additive signed an MoU with the University of Sydney, which will see the university receive $1 million a year over the next 10 years, the word “collaboration” was used by all six speakers. A cynic might think all of those on the dais planned it that way – and it probably was – but listening to the different speakers, you know that in order for these industries to be top of the game, collaboration between tertiary institutions and the

6 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

engineering industry is a must. Conglomerates like GE and its subsidiaries bring expertise and money to the game, while universities bring the best minds and peerreviewed, cutting edge technologies that are being integrated into the latest processing and manufacturing techniques. And when it comes to cutting edge technologies, Australia can give itself a pat on the back. Every month, we are publishing either in the magazine, or online, a new breakthrough in technology or products that universities throughout the continent

are developing for the industry. In this issue alone, there are three innovations that could have positive financial outcomes for Australian businesses and industry. One is about of group of engineering students from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) who won this year’s Maker Games; another is Swinburne University’s Dr Nishar Hameed who is a Young Tall Poppy Science Award recipient for his research into advanced composite materials; while researchers at the UNSW are making strides towards building a large-scale quantum computer.

None of these projects have been carried out by the university personnel alone. They have all had technical assistance from elsewhere – in other words collaboration. Another technology highlighted in this issue of PACE include accelerometers designed for condition monitoring. Then we have a story on how important it is to have flow meters that can record information under harsh conditions. Finally, we also spoke to one of the longest serving people in the instrumentation industry, AMS’s Dirk Kuiper, about where the industry is heading in the near future. PACE

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NEWS

UNSW Quantum scientists demonstrate world first

niversity of New South Wales (UNSW) scientists have shown that their pioneering single atom technology can be adapted to building 3D silicon quantum chips – with precise interlayer alignment and highly accurate measurement of spin states. The 3D architecture is considered a major step in the development of a blueprint to build a large-scale quantum computer. For the first time, UNSW researchers at the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T) have shown that they can build atomic precision qubits in a 3D device – another major step towards a universal quantum computer. The team of researchers, led by 2018 Australian of the Year and Director of CQC2T Professor Michelle Simmons, have demonstrated that they can extend their atomic qubit fabrication technique to multiple layers of a silicon crystal – achieving a critical component of the 3D chip architecture that they introduced to the world in 2015. This new research was published recently in Nature Nanotechnology. The group is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of an architecture that uses atomic-scale qubits aligned to control lines – which are essentially very narrow wires – inside a 3D design. What’s more, the team was able to align the different layers in their 3D device with nanometer precision – and showed they could read out qubit states single shot, i.e. within one single measurement and with high fidelity. “This 3D device architecture is a significant advancement for atomic qubits in silicon,” said Simmons. “To be able to constantly correct for errors in quantum calculations – an important milestone in our field – you have to be able to control many qubits in parallel.

10 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

“The only way to do this is to use a 3D architecture, so in 2015 we developed and patented a vertical crisscross architecture. However, there were still a series of challenges related to the fabrication of this multi-layered device. With this result, we have now shown that engineering our approach in 3D is possible in the way we envisioned it a few years ago.” In this paper, the team has demonstrated how to build a second control plane, or layer, on top of the first layer of qubits. “It’s a highly complicated process, but in simple terms, we built the first plane, and then optimised a technique to grow the second layer without impacting the structures in first layer,” explained CQC2T researcher and co-author, Dr Joris Keizer. “In the past, critics would say that that’s not possible because the surface of the second layer gets very rough, and you wouldn’t be able to

use our precision technique anymore – however, in this paper, we have shown that we can do it, contrary to expectations.” The team also demonstrated that they can then align these multiple layers with nanometer precision. “If you write something on the first silicon layer and then put a silicon layer on top, you still need to identify your location to align components on both layers. We have shown a technique that can achieve alignment within under five nanometers, which is quite extraordinary,” Keizer said. Lastly, the researchers were able to measure the qubit output of the 3D device with what’s called single shot – i.e. with one single, accurate measurement, rather than having to rely on averaging out millions of experiments. “This will further help us scale up faster,” Keizer said. Simmons says that this research is a

UNSW scientists have shown they can build atomic precision qubits in a 3D device.

major milestone in the field. “We are working systematically towards a large-scale architecture that will lead us to the eventual commercialisation of the technology. “This is an important development in the field of quantum computing, but it’s also quite exciting for SQC,” said Simmons, who is also the founder and a director of SQC. Since May 2017, Australia’s first quantum computing company, Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), has been working to create and commercialise a quantum computer based on a suite of intellectual property developed at CQC2T and its own proprietary intellectual property. “While we are still at least a decade away from a large-scale quantum computer, the work of CQC2T remains at the forefront of innovation in this space. Concrete results such as these reaffirm our strong position internationally,” she said. PACE

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NEWS

Australia’s national cybersecurity advisor warns against complacency

he Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is providing assistance to ICT managed service providers (MSPs) in the wake of the global cybersecurity compromise confirmed by the Australian government. Alastair MacGibbon, head of the ACSC and national cybersecurity adviser, said the incident has affected ICT providers and their customers across the globe, and demonstrates there is no room for complacency in boardrooms around Australia when it comes to ensuring organisations have better cybersecurity protections put in place. “This is a catalytic event for Australia and an opportunity for all parts of our economy to lift the levels of cyber protection for all Australians, to make Australia the safest place to live, work and play online,” MacGibbon said. “What we’ve exposed is a global campaign to steal commercial secrets, and that translates to stealing food from the tables of Australian families.” MacGibbon said that businesses need to understand the inherent risks

12 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

in cyber-enabled technology and to have the appropriate strategies in place to manage those risks. “Cybersecurity is about risk management. You can’t eliminate risk, but you can strengthen your defences to reduce the likelihood of the risk being realised, and the harm caused when it is,” he said. The ACSC’s immediate focus is on providing support and advice to affected MSPs and their customers. The Centre has developed guidance for MSPs and customers of MSPs to help safeguard their networks. The Centre is also working with Australian MSPs on a new partner program designed to strengthen their security. “Our guides also assist organisations looking to engage MSPs to enable them to assess their suppliers’ readiness for cyber compromises of the type we have just seen,” MacGibbon said. “Taking a responsible approach to safeguarding ICT systems, networks and customer data is an important part of Australian business and governments’ social responsibility to all Australians.” PACE

National cybersecurity advisor Alastair MacGibbon.

NEWS

MEGATRANS to return in 2020

eading logistics and transport event MEGATRANS will be returning to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 1-3 April 2020. Last year’s event saw Australia’s supply chain and logistics industry together under one roof for the first time. It was hailed by some as the “transport and logistics event of the year”. It will be the ideal platform for businesses to launch new products and services, and will provide a great opportunity to network with those involved in all aspects of the logistics and transport industries. “We’re excited to announce the return of MEGATRANS. Once again, we will connect all facets of the logistics and multimodal freight

industry in one place – with an integrated exhibition, conference and social program. We look forward to showcasing the latest developments and innovations in one of Australia’s most important industries,” said exhibition director Simon Coburn. Attended by senior leaders, decision makers and business owners, the event was a rare opportunity for the industry to get to together and discuss common concerns and developments across the entire supply chain. MEGATRANS2020 will also take place in conjunction with the specialised bulk handling expo, Australian Bulk Handling Expo BULK2020. The two events will be held side-by-side, with one ticket entry into both exhibitions.

The conference will showcase the latest in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, automated racking, telematics and route optimisation, warehouse automation, blockchain, Internet of Things and big data.

More information will be coming soon, for more information contact Ben Griffiths on Ph: +61 3 9690 8766 or ben.griffiths@primecreative.com.au. PACE

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SMART TECHNOLOGY

Bringing “smart” carbon composites into the fourth industrial revolution Recent research is exploring how graphene can be used to enable innovative processing and performance monitoring functions in carbon fibre composite structures. Dr Nishar Hameed talks to David Loneragan about how he and his team are making these materials “smart”.

r Nishar Hameed has been working at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne for two years. In November 2018, he received the Young Tall Poppy Science Award for his research on advanced composite materials, an area he has been working on for some 10 years. Carbon fibre composites have been frequently used in the aerospace sector, primarily due to their light weight. More than 50 per cent of the structural components of the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner are made from this material, making the aircraft lighter and enabling greater fuel efficiency. Now the automotive sector is looking to incorporate these composite materials into passenger vehicle parts to make lighter cars that use less fuel. While the demand for composites is on the rise in the automotive industry, challenges exist in manufacturing large volumes of these materials. Another challenge, which Hameed and his team at Swinburne’s Manufacturing Futures Research Institute have been tackling, is how to provide composites with multi-functionality, and, in particular, so-called “smart” functionality. “What we are doing is exploring how to convert a part or structure made from composite material into one that can inform us about structural changes that are happening within the material for other functionalities, such as energy storage, data storage or connectivity,” said Hameed. “My research is primarily into composite materials and structures that are able to self-power and communicate 14 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

“By using graphene nano-platelets we can convert a ‘dumb’ composite – one that doesn’t share any information – into a ‘smart’ composite that communicates vital information about the structure.” information that lets us know what is going on within these structures and materials – for example, about their durability, their performance and the damage they might have sustained.” Hameed said that these “smart” composites can be created through the integration of highly conductive nanomaterials such as graphene that enable the structure to act as its own sensor. “We are not talking here about traditional sensors that need to be The team from Swinburne University are working on how to give composite “smart” functionality.

attached or printed on to pre-existing structures, but structures that are themselves already sensors,” he said. “By using graphene nano-platelets we can convert a ‘dumb’ composite – one that doesn’t share any information – into a ‘smart’ composite that communicates vital information about the structure.” One of the main areas where these smart composites will find application is in automotive manufacturing. But, according to Hameed, there are many

opportunities across other industry sectors. “We’ve just completed a project on a smart mining screen that can be used in the mining sector. These are composite structures, which are used for filtering coal,” Hameed explained. “They are suitable because these composite parts can be placed deep in the ground, or in remote areas, which are for the most part inaccessible to workers, or difficult for them to access. The smart composite mining filter is able to remotely provide important information, such as whether it is functioning properly or whether it has sustained any damage.” This kind of application points towards the impact of smart composites could have in the wider manufacturing and processing space. As the materials are able to effectively operate as sensors,

SMART TECHNOLOGY

they are able to collect data and information about the performance of the processes. “One of the projects I have been working on relates to the real-time monitoring of the manufacturing process for composites themselves. It’s very much the same technology, but it is being used in a different approach, this time involving graphene-enabled components in the production of composites,” Hameed said. The information that can be gathered through this process monitoring, such as on optimal temperature and pressure and material flow, can help eliminate defects in composite materials. “Ordinarily, as these composites are multi-component systems or hybrid systems, where three or more materials are mixed together, it is often the case that defects will be formed in the manufacturing process, leading to imperfections and inconsistencies,” said Hameed. Additionally, the optical fibres that have traditionally been used to monitor the process of composite manufacturing also cause defects to the material, as these fibres are much thicker than the fibres in composites. Using nano-materials such as graphene means that this issue is eliminated, Hameed said. Furthermore, having a smart manufacturing process that can be monitored in minute detail means that the consistency and quality of the material can be maintained. Because sensors are integrated into the material, it means that performance data will be continued to be recorded. “It’s like having a digital passport within the composite that enables you to record data, both during and after manufacturing,” said Hameed. “There’s actually a double-advantage: on the one hand, graphene can reinforce your composites so that they have better mechanical properties compared to a traditional composite. On the other hand, you have the integration of smart functionalities within a single combine. “There are challenges, of course. For instance, how do you balance the mechanical and smart functions of a composite? You need to have the right formulations and the right engineering techniques to be able to carry this out effectively. This is an area where we are doing a lot of research.” While composite materials have a highly established supply chain,

Dr Nishar Hameed believes the composite manufacturing sector still has a lot of challenges.

“One of the areas of focus for us is to really help this process along. We are studying graphene so that we can understand its structure properly and enable better provision of the right types of graphene for the right applications,” there are challenges to the commercial production of smart composites. Hameed said the benefits of graphene in the enabling of smart functioning in composites is that they can be produced in large volumes at a relatively low price. However, the commercialisation of graphene products is still in its early stages. “One of the areas of focus for us is to really help this process along. We are studying graphene so that we can understand its structure properly and enable better provision of the right types of graphene for the right applications,” he said. Hameed indicated that his team would be pressing forward in integrating a number of innovative ideas they have been working on to date. “We are primarily focused on bringing composite manufacturing up to Industry 4.0 standards. The sector

still has many challenges in front of it,” he said. “In many respects, composite manufacturing is still Industry 2.0; the process is still frequently carried out by manual labour.” Bringing composite manufacturing into the fourth industrial revolution would mean making strides in automating the process, according to Hameed. Swinburne University will be establishing Australia’s first Industry 4.0 test lab focused on composite manufacturing. “In about six to eight months, we will have a fully established lab where we will have a digital and efficient process that will be a worldfirst – a completely innovative 3D printing approach for making carbon fibre composites,” Hameed said. Hameed and his team have also been working on rapid-cure epoxy resins. Epoxy usually takes many

hours to cure to make composite parts, which has been a challenge for creating large volumes of the materials for commercial production. The Swinburne researchers have recently developed a new solution where epoxy can cure within 50 seconds. Hameed said these different projects – the development of smart functionalities, digital manufacturing technologies, automation processes and a rapid-cure resin system – are parts of the wider puzzle that his team is fitting together in order to bring composite manufacturing into the fourth industrial revolution. “We are trying to fit these areas together, so that we have a completely automated Industry 4.0 process to rapidly manufacture smart composite material. That is the ultimate goal we want to achieve. “And this requires a multidisciplinary approach. We are bringing together people from many different areas of research and speciality. “This is the ultimate goal of the Manufacturing Futures Research Institute, where we have individuals from different disciplines all working together to address manufacturing challenges for Australian industries.” PACE FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 15

FLOW MEASUREMENT

FLOWave is said to offer increased productivity by offering optimised cleaning.

Failure not an option in pharma Reliability under harsh conditions is an important feature of flowmeters. PACE explains why.

or obvious reasons, product safety is a crucial factor in the pharmaceutical industry, especially relating to the manufacture of infusion solutions, such as production of pure water, filling systems for infusion bags and exact measurements for CIP media. Accuracy was a matter of utmost importance to a German-based manufacturer of infusions, clinical nutrition, drugs and medical products. To achieve maximum product safety, it was necessary to use a flow measurement system. But which flowmeter was going to offer them peace of mind, meeting the strictest hygiene requirements? In seeking expert advice, they partnered with Bürkert and their new technology was installed in a field test in the supply line of a filling system for infusion bags with the company. The crucial factors for flow measurement systems are long-term operation with no failures and, above all, with no errors in measurement – even under harsh conditions. The exact measurement of the flow rate of CIP media is also decisive. In the

16 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

After trialling the flowmeter, the resident project engineer stated, “FLOWave is not just a flowmeter, but a revolutionary instrument for quality assurance.” past, however, it was often necessary to use expensive processes with less than optimal hygienic properties in order to meet the high requirements for measuring accuracy. That’s where Bürkert’s FLOWave flowmeter changes things. The “new” in this technology is how the flow rate measurement from the fluidics experts was developed; a technology based on Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW). This technology measures the propagation of surface waves on the measuring tube and in the flowing medium. The effect is comparable to the wave propagation in seismic activities. The flowmeter features a simple design without internal sensor elements in the measuring tube, and in terms of fluid technology, it’s simply a tube. FLOWave does not affect the process

or the flowing product in any way and can be regarded as any other tube. With a diameter of up to 50 mm the FLOWave weighs in at about 4kg and can be installed or replaced by a single person. After trialling the flowmeter, the resident project engineer stated, “FLOWave is not just a flowmeter, but a revolutionary instrument for quality assurance.” FLOWave is not only a costeffective alternative to previous measuring systems, it also results in increased productivity by offering optimised cleaning, sterilisation and filling times; continuous monitoring for reliable reproduction; minimal cleaning and less susceptible to contamination; easy validation due to digital monitoring and extended production times through the

combination of FLOWave and Robolux. Currently, FLOWave is able to measure volumetric flow rate and process temperatures. Recently released, is the extended functionality of the additional parameters of mass flow measurements and associated density used in a wide range of applications. FLOWave is set to redefine process flow and monitoring control. In a practical test, the Germanbased customer was convinced of the unlimited suitability and the advantages of FLOWave. The reliable and reproducible monitoring of CIP and SIP processes made it possible to identify potentials for optimisation within a short period. Not only the efficiency of cleaning and sterilisation, but also the overall system efficiency was boosted as a result of the exact measurement of the flow rate and temperature control as well as the simple design for installation, rapid start-up, easy handling and simple operation thanks to the high-resolution 2.4-inch display. The FLOWave flowmeter is

FLOW MEASUREMENT

FLOWave is able to measure volumetric flow rate and process temperature.

not only a measuring system, but also a tool for quality assurance and optimisation. Its use even allowed the user to gain additional filling time. Bürkert also offers a complete system solution for flow measurement. A new filling system for infusion solutions incorporates three FLOWave flowmeters and Robolux valve interfaces. The latter need less space than conventional valve interfaces and they have a smaller internal volume. Another advantage of these multiple valve interfaces is that they have no dead zones. The result is a reduction of flushing times for each valve interface every day. FLOWave is the technology used for a superior flow measurement process, because when people’s lives and health depend on correct agent composition and zero contamination, you want to make sure you’ve got the right equipment you can rely on. PACE

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Steady year ahead for instrumentation industry AMS has had its hands on the pulse of the instrumentation sector for the past 20-plus years. Mike Wheeler talks to CEO Dirk Kuiper about the trends of 2018 and what 2019 has in store for the industry.

n increase in business in the mining and power utilities sectors are the big moves that instrumentation and calibration specialist AMS CEO Dirk Kuiper has seen over the past 12 months. This is especially the case with the latter. “Although the sales in the mining industry were down on previous years, I have seen a pick-up within the past few months,” he said. “But the power utilities industry has been very big for us. Mainly the power side of things. Over the years, we have worked hard on that aspect of the business. A lot of the major power stations are using our equipment now. “The utilities industry is also moving a lot more towards the smart metering and things like that, whether it is domestic or industrial. I recently started a new company called AMS Water Metering to look at the smart metering side of domestic smart water meters. Several councils are already

Mining is one sector where Kuiper has seen a recent increase in business for the instrumentation industry.

trialling them. That is definitely going to be a growth industry.” But wouldn’t there be a huge capital investment needed to be made if literally hundreds of thousands of AMS CEO Dirk Kuiper.

18 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

water meters need replacing. “Initially, yes,” said Kuiper, “but you save money by not having to employ so many readers. And the cost of these smart meters are coming down all the time. It will save the councils and water authorities a lot of money to be able to read these meters remotely. They can save a lot of money on leakage as well. That includes industrial applications, but with the new company we are concentrating on the domestic market.” A peripheral industry AMS is looking into is renewables, which has also grown over the past few years. “We are making a push into renewables, with some of our flow product lines,” said Kuiper. “Some of the companies we distribute for in Australia have produced products that are in that market and it is definitely a growing area for us. It has not been a big market for us thus far.” A problem that Kuiper also talks about is something that has been an

issue for the past couple of years – a lack of qualified instrumentation specialists. It is a subject that is not going to go away any time soon, especially as it seems like a forgone conclusion that those types of specialised courses have been merged with the electrical/electronics’ programs. “We are not getting enough people coming through the instrumentation side,” he said. “Industry in general struggles to get instrumentation apprentices, which is a crying shame. This is especially since they put [the instrumentation courses] together with the electrical ones. You get more electricians than instrumentation people. “I’d like to see more instrument people, and more qualified instrument people. You even struggle to find qualified sales people in our industry. “And a lot of them, the technicians, take the FIFO jobs in the remote areas and make the

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

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Ethernet & USB Multifunction DAQ

big money, but when they finish and the job has disappeared, the big money is gone. They need to think more about long-term employment.” Kuiper said he is happy with the direction AMS has taken in 2018 and is seeing that the next couple of years will be good, if a little static. “Overall, it’s been a very good year for us,” he said. “We had some major sales on the calibration side, which is interesting because there has not been as many major developments in the market regarding calibration. “It’s pretty stagnant in terms of new products and software. I don’t think it will change over the next couple of years either. There will be some minor software developments, but nothing major will happen as far as hardware.” And what about the buzzword of the past 12 months – the Internet of Things (IoT). Where does AMS stand with regard to how it will have an impact on their business and instrumentation in the near future? “All I do is read up about the IoT,” he said. “We don’t really get involved with the IoT side here. None of our product lines that we represent have done anything with the IoT. However, in the future, we’ll have to be involved because it is definitely a thing that is being more and more

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“Industry in general struggles to get instrumentation apprentices, which is a crying shame. This is especially since they put [the instrumentation courses] together with the electrical ones. I’d like to see more instrument people, and more qualified instrument people.” talked about. It will have an impact on our product lines.” Kuiper is cautiously optimistic about the next 12 months, too. “With business confidence, I wouldn’t say it is exceptional but there is still confidence there that the whole market will increase. There is no slowdown predicted as far as I can see.” Dirk Kuiper has been in the instrumentation industry for almost 50 years) and has seen many changes. He has been CEO of AMS for 20 years and has seen it grow from four people to nearly 30. AMS has offices throughout the country. PACE Analogue water meters will soon be a thing of the past as digital versions take over.

Heating Cooling Controller Multistage BACnet heating and cooling controller with backlight LCD display. 3 analogue 0..10V outputs, 2 digital outputs, 1 external auto-detect sensor, 1 digital input, built-in temperature sensor. SKU: SXS-150 Price: $173.65 ea + GST

Split core current transducer

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FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 19

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Holistic approach needed to energy savings SMC has a number of component-led processes in place that will deliver companies direct savings through reduced energy on their compressed air and electricity use. Mike Wheeler explains.

uick wins and long-term savings are as valuable as each other when it comes to energy savings for plant and machinery that utilises compressed air. Electro-pneumatic and control system’s specialist, SMC Corporation ANZ, knows how much a company’s bottom line can be affected if the right kind of energy savings strategies are implemented. “SMC has years in the business when it comes to energy saving,” said the company’s Australian and New Zealand director of sales and marketing, James McKew. “Energy savings don’t come from replacing one component in your factory. A holistic approach needs to be taken. We have developed an energy-saving roadmap that helps guide customers through the process. Our expertise in this area is put to good use as we can advise customers where the quick wins are, and how to plan for a long-term roll out in terms of saving on compressed air. Energy savings have to translate to cost savings for the customer and a healthier bottom line. That is the main

SMC has developed products that are smaller, lighter and consume less energy. 20 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

An automatic leak detection system can be programmed into a user’s IoT solution.

objective we always keep in mind.” One measure of how successful a roll out has been is how the market reacts. McKew is happy with the feedback the company has received so far. He puts it down to several things, including the work put in at the coalface of rolling the roadmap out. Also, they can

customise to a client’s needs, which is proving popular. “There has been a very positive uptake,” he said. “I think customers are finding it easier to implement energy-saving strategies because the technology associated with energy saving has advanced at such a rapid rate. For example, SMC’s R&D has been developing products that are smaller, lighter, consume less electricity or air while delivering the same or greater performance than what they replace. This helps customers select products more closely aligned to the usage and demand profile eliminating wastage. My feeling is that customers find the way that SMC does business is refreshing because we keep it simple. We take the thinking out of it and problem solve with the customer. Because we know our products and always seek to understand the customer’s unique challenges we can offer valuable advice and correct product selections to make their job

so much more efficient and the whole experience with us some much more customer centric.” Another aspect that is not lost on McKew is the need for education. Not just that customers should and can save energy on their compressed air output, but that there needs to be an informed approach when doing so. This is where SMC can help out, according to McKew. “The sum total of the components add up to the biggest saving,” he said. “There needs to be a systematic approach to how you approach energy saving in the factory. Replacing one item isn’t going to miraculously save you thousands of dollars. It needs to be an informed approach. Customers have a lot to deal with. SMC will supply electro-pneumatics, but they are dealing with so many other facets in the production plant. It is impossible to be an expert on everything from cylinders, to PLCs to gearboxes – that is where SMC comes in [and other suppliers]

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

“SMC has years in the business when it comes to energy saving... Energy savings don’t come from replacing one component in your factory. A holistic approach needs to be taken. We have developed an energy-saving roadmap that helps guide customers through the process.” – we need to offer our expertise and technical service to our customers.” Savings can come in many forms, which is something else that people can look at when putting a plan in place. It is not a matter of one plan fits every plant, but there can be some common themes. He also points out that it is a malleable process because companies should also be looking to improve on energy savings all the time. “Choosing the right-sized product for an application, and in that choosing the most efficient product too, is a key consideration to optimum saving,” he said. “This is an ongoing process. You install energy-saving components but

SMC’s James McKew says his company can help industrial customers plan for long-term energy savings.

then you need to measure the output in order to monitor the condition and predict the leaks or failures. We make customers aware that we have the tools to get them there, but once you get there, you still have more to do to make sure you get the most efficiency out of your systems; and importantly to fully understand the value of, and retain, these benefits. “Of course, energy efficiency products such as the ALDS (Automatic Leak Detection Systems) can be programmed into the customer’s Internet of Things solution and this is also something customers should be aware of in their planning.” PACE

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www.bronkhorst.com - www.ams-ic.com.au FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 21

TEST AND MEASUREMENT

Good vibrations: monitoring machines with accelerometers Accelerometers are an important part of condition monitoring and preventative maintenance in industrial settings. David Loneragan talks to Mitch Callon from Metromatics to find out more.

anufacturing production lines often rely on highly complex automated processes and systems, with machinery and moving parts often put under immense pressure and strain from constant use. In these circumstances, condition monitoring to identify changes and potential or existing issues and problems for these processes is a necessity to avoid significant failure and damage to equipment. Accelerometers form a central part of this process. Accelerometers are devices that measure vibrations and acceleration of machinery and industrial structures, providing crucial reporting on changes and fluctuations in equipment such as turbines, pumps, fans, rollers and compressors. A provider of accelerometers is Dytran Instruments, a company based in Chatsworth, California. Formed in 1980, the company has been producing accelerometers and force and pressure sensors for over three decades. While initially the company’s output was based on piezoelectric technology, its offerings now include DC-MEMS-based accelerometers, digital output, and USB-powered

The Dytran 2300 is an IEPE probe-style pressure sensor.

22 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

triaxial accelerometers. Brisbane-based technology solutions company, Metromatics, has been a long-time supplier of Dytran products in Australia and New Zealand. Recently, Dytran made Metromatics its sole distributer for Australia and New Zealand. According to Mitch Callon, technical sales manager at Metromatics, Dytran’s accelerometers and sensors are the go-to for manufacturers looking to carry out effective condition monitoring and preventative maintenance. “While we at Metromatics don’t actually provide a full engineering solution for process lines, if an engineering or manufacturing firm or client comes to us for preventative maintenance solutions, we’ll be frequently recommending that they apply Dytran accelerometers,” Callon said. Paper mill recycling plants are a perfect example of where pressure sensors are used on pipelines and accelerometers are used on drying drums and other machinery for watching for potential pending failures of bearings or pumps. These are able to provide advanced warning of failure to the maintenance team, letting them know that a shutdown may be needed to carry out preventative maintenance before issues with the machinery

The Dytran 6190 magnetic mounting base is made of stainless steel. become more serious. It also prevents unnecessary downtime, Callon said. “As you can imagine, it’s not a simple task to shut down a whole production line. The accelerometers enable maintenance to be carried out when it’s needed and not before that point,” he said. “The accelerometers measure changes against baseline vibrations. In other words, if we know that this vibration should be at a particular frequency at this particular g-force, and if the equipment exceeds those parameters, then the accelerometer end controller can generate an alarm. “Additionally, you can actually have a vibration specialist who comes in once a month and measures it with an instrument against the known good baseline vibration figures and says, ‘This is exceeding the baseline target; we to have a maintenance shutdown before there is a catastrophic failure event’.” When supplying customers with Dytran accelerometers, Metromatics

will generally recommend they are used with DEWESoft. “It’s a highspeed data acquisition hardware and software analysis solution that provides users with all the logging, triggering and maths that you apply to the accelerometers to get your known outputs,” Callon said. Power stations use accelerometers in much the same way a process line in a manufacturing plant does but on turbines where they can monitor turbine vibrations. “We supply data acquisition systems and accelerometers to a power plant where they are used to make sure that when the generator is running generator up and down that it is not left in a resonant frequency zone,” Callon said. “Otherwise the generator will blow itself apart.” He said that for some processes, such as those that involve highpressure pipes channelling liquids, accelerometers can be coupled with Dytran pressure transducers. These can be placed at every juncture along

TEST AND MEASUREMENT

a pipeline to monitor blockages or other issues by indicating fluctuations in pressure. “And this is exactly what one of our customers, a paper mill based in Auckland, New Zealand, has been doing. They are using approximately 40 Dytran pressure sensors for this application in their pressure pipes,” Callon said. “They’ve been using them for around 10 years without failure.” According to Callon, one of the salient features of Dytran’s accelerometers is their versatility: they can be used in a variety of industrial applications and in a range of conditions. “They can be used in environments from low temperature to high temperature. In fact, Dytran is developing some sensors now that will operate in up to 600-800 degrees Celsius without failure,” said Callon. “They provide a silver hermetic seal on

the sensor, which allows air to escape from the accelerometer when it heats up, enabling the system to continue operating without pressurising the sensor and thus destroying it.” This accelerometer range spans from general-purpose industrial accelerometers to seismic accelerometers, which are used to monitor construction activity, volcanoes and earthquakes. The company also has a range of accelerometers that are geared for aerospace – specifically aircraft and helicopters – or for monitoring vibration through flight (known as HUMS accelerometers). “The kind of accelerometer and its features depend on the application they are geared towards,” Callon said. “For seismic applications, or aircraft applications, what you’re looking for are accelerometers that can work with very low frequencies – 0 hertz

up to 3000 hertz. However, if you’re looking at something like a turbine, where it’s spinning at 3000 rpm, then you need an accelerometer that’s got a frequency range of around 1000 to 20,000 kilohertz, and it has to be able to withstand any shock and vibration.” Dytran is also at the cutting edge of the industry, supplying accelerometers to commercial; space companies, where they are being used for engine testing. The company is also leading the way in miniaturising accelerometers – their smallest one is only about 5mm x 8mm in size. These are used for drone testing or for autonomous vehicles, where weight and size is a factor. “That’s the strength of Dytran’s accelerometers,” Callon said. “They have such a diversity of applications and an ability to be used to such a wide variety of environments and situations – from industrial process

The Dytran series 1053 force sensor is designed to measure dynamic forces.

lines to rocket testing. “In many cases, they are essential for effective condition monitoring. They can prevent unnecessary maintenance and help stop catastrophic failures in industrial equipment. They’re a fantastic product.” PACE

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Treotham Automation Pty Ltd www.treotham.com.au info@treotham.com.au 1300 65 75 64 FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 23

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Invention could allow smaller and safer sensors in driverless cars A new device that is being developed by researchers at the Australian National University could not only stop queues at airports, but help driverless cars with safety challenges. PACE explains.

research team led by The Australian National University (ANU) has invented a device that could be developed into ultra-sensitive cameras for security screening that would not require people to queue at airports. Other applications could include smaller and safer sensors for driverless vehicles. Lead researcher, Dr Mingkai Liu, said the research had already led to a proof-of-concept prototype device and provisional patent. The device is made with metasurfaces, which are ultra-compact complex structures that can control the direction of electromagnetic waves to perform highly advanced sensing functions. “This device can sense the entire environment surrounding it with unprecedented precision – previously, multiple fixed sensors pointing towards different directions would be required to achieve this,” said Liu from the Nonlinear Physics Centre at the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering. Liu said the concept could benefit the development of super-sensitive cameras for security systems at airports. “These future cameras could identify hazardous devices or dangerous chemicals in people’s carry-on baggage when they walk through an airport, without needing them to queue up and go through the various procedures that are necessary now,” he said. “Unlike conventional cameras used in CCTV, this type of camera cannot recognise people’s faces.” Liu said the concept could provide a new foundation for next-generation electromagnetic devices, including more compact sensors for driverless cars and other vehicles that can 24 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

New research could profile a new foundation for next-generation electromagnetic devices.

“These future cameras could identify hazardous devices or dangerous chemicals in people’s carry-on baggage when they walk through an airport, without needing them to queue up and go through the various procedures that are necessary now,” help to overcome safety challenges encountered with today’s technologies. These safety challenges include sensing hazards in rough weathers or narrow spaces. Co-author, Dr David Powell, said the new device was the first of its kind to be arbitrarily tuneable so that it can direct electromagnetic waves towards any direction or control multiple

beams to perform different functions at the same time. “Our research provides the first theoretical and experimental demonstration that dynamic and arbitrary control of electromagnetic waves is possible,” said Powell. who is also from the Nonlinear Physics Centre at the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering.

Professor Ilya Shadrivov, the leader of the microwave and terahertz group at the Nonlinear Physics Centre, said the research team would continue to develop the device so that it is ready to be commercialised and manufactured on a large scale. “We are very interested in realising the concept at other frequency bands, including terahertz and even optical frequencies. We also hope to collaborate with industrial partners to explore the full potential of this concept in practical applications,” Professor Shadrivov said. The work, which involved the School of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of New South Wales, Canberra, is published in Physical Review X. PACE

IICA | COMMENT

Fresh look for IICA in new year Industry associations are currently experiencing a renewed relevance especially in the manufacturing sector. It is vital that those involved in the primary manufacturing and process engineering sectors become involved in what is going on their industries. IICA NSW chairman Peter Veron explains.

he Institute of Instrumentation, Control and Automation (IICA) has just celebrated its 75th year and there seems to be renewed interest in its activities and benefits that the association has to offer for its members. This year, the IICA has over 21 events planned around the country which can be seen on our newly designed web site: https://iica.org. au/events/. These include technology expos, training and various site visits and networking opportunities which will be announced throughout the year closer to the dates on which they will

be held. Our new website has a fresh new look that is easy to navigate and contains useful information about the IICA and the events we conduct. Nearly all manufacturers and distributors of industrial instrumentation and control equipment are members of the IICA and actively participate in our technology expos around Australia. These expos are designed to assist industry in identifying the latest control equipment, which may be suitable for their requirements. Our members are beneficiaries of the opportunities the IICA create to

network with industry directly at all levels, keeping up with the latest technology, techniques and trends. Currently, Australia is experiencing positive growth in all manufacturing sectors largely due to increased activity in the building, roads, rail and mining industries. Power generation and water harvesting are key issues that are sure to create new opportunities over the next decade. Take an active role with the IICA, share your industry knowledge, experience or participate in the networking events with likeminded people and experience what the IICA has to offer. PACE

Peter Veron

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FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 25

3D PRINTING

Partnerships between universities and multinationals are becoming increasingly important for the future of Australia’s primary industries.

Partnership will help kick-start Australia’s 3D printing future Over the next few years, additive manufacturing/3D printing is going to have an impact on Australia’s engineering and manufacturing sectors. Mike Wheeler explains.

eneral Electric is a company with a massive pedigree in the world of manufacturing and processing engineering. Founded by Thomas Edison and J P Morgan among others in 1892, it has a range of interests in many industries including aviation, renewable energy, oil, gas and additive manufacturing. With revenue in 2017 of $170 billion and assets of $526 billion, it is company that was once ranked number one in the world and now sits at number 14 in the US according to Forbes. In other words, if you are a university looking for a collaborative partner in the additive manufacturing space, they are a good starting point. Two years ago, GE decided to set up a subsidiary aimed at additive manufacturing, or 3D printing,

26 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

thus, GE Additive was born. It was looking for a partner in Australia that complements its hub-and-spoke strategic approach to research and development. The approach encourages non-competitive partnerships with leading universities and research organisations on joint initiatives. This is why a partnership with the University of Sydney was sought. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday 12th December 2018 between the Americanbased company and the tertiary institution. The 10-year MoU supports the creation of the first metal additive manufacturing “total ecosystem” in Australia – with the critical technology and people in place to drive commercial and economic opportunity,

education, skills and job development, underpinned by a capacity for fundamental research. The University of Sydney will receive a $1 million grant annually over the next 10 years, which will go towards not only research and development, but will also help foster adoption of metal additive manufacturing in Australia and the region. “This MoU builds on [our] worldclass expertise in the disciplines essential to advanced manufacturing such as materials engineering and integrated digital systems,” said the university’s vice-chancellor and principal, Dr Michael Spence. “By partnering with GE Additive, we can set the agenda for this disruptive technology and ensure that Australia is primed to contribute to this exciting

next phase of the industrial revolution. “The collaboration will drive the research and development needed to learn how this disruption to manufacturing can be harnessed for economic benefit.” At an event held at Sydney’s Bangaroo precinct in early December, members of GE Additive’s US-based executive, the University of Sydney’s manufacturing/research/engineering faculties, as well as New South Wales business interests, talked about the partnership and what it will mean for the state, and country, in the long term. Collaboration was the main buzzword of the event, and is something that all parties were pushing as additive manufacturing starts to make a name for itself as the new norm in the engineering and manufacturing spaces.

3D PRINTING

Currently, additive manufacturing makes up about three per cent of the $50 trillion in global manufacturing enterprises. And it is the other 97 per cent where the growth will occur, according to GE Additive’s chief commercial officer Debbra Rogers. And it’s not just within the realm of 3D printing itself that will trigger the increase. “It is in the software. It is in the material. And these ecosystems that develop around it that will bring out the other [possibilities],” said Rogers. “With regards to the materials and metals that are here in Australia in terms of mining, this can lead to a strong advantage especially in complying with education levels [in the country].” Rogers has a fervent, almost evangelical, regard for additive manufacturing, but that is because although it is now entering the mainstream, General Electric (GE) as a company has been involved in the development of the process for more than a decade. And all the positives it brings to the sector excite her – the possibilities are endless. GE has already proven that with some of the products it is also making, she said. “With regards to the challenges facing Australia, it’s daunting in a sense,” she said. “GE has spent 15 years concentrating on additive manufacturing. Aviation is well on its way to production – we’ve built 30,000 parts and we’ve built engines that are almost 75 per cent additive, which represents massive savings for us in that market. I think a combination of the New South Wales government and the university system, with its educating of engineers, will bring about a closure in the gap of knowledge faster. “GE’s had a long journey. It’s been 10-12 years since we put out the fuel nozzle, which was our very first additive product. “We now have a catalyst engine that is almost made from 25 per cent additive. As well as cost savings, it is also light in weight, which means less fuel use when it is in operation.” Michael Sharp, the NSW director of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, is looking at the bigger picture this opportunity will afford – and he’s not thinking just in terms of NSW or even Australia. “We have a company in Brisbane

that is 3D printing orthotics for shoes,” he said. “So, it is more than just the work and machinery, it is the collaborative effort that goes into that. We would much rather see them have a global audience of seven billion people than just the 25 million people here in Australia. Collaboration is the key word you will hear over and over again. To build this ecosystem that we are creating right across the nation now is a terrific time for manufacturers to get on board. The orthotics is more than just the orthotic itself, it is the algorithms that go into the software. It is the sales and service. How do you talk to your global customers? How do you get your brand out there and be recognised for

crystal ball that shows the way we are playing a leadership role in helping our SMEs to enter into these global supply chains,” he said. “If you think about the Australian aerospace industry, which is flourishing right now there are 830 companies with 14,000 people working in that industry. It has $4 billion in revenue, and 25 per cent of that – $1 billion – is export oriented. “You can see there is a way a partnership with the university/GE Additive can help Australian companies penetrate those global markets and supply chains and actually succeed,” he said, “either transitioning their business into additive or other areas they are entering into. Specifically, when [a

“By partnering with GE Additive, we can set the agenda for this disruptive technology and ensure that Australia is primed to contribute to this exciting next phase of the industrial revolution”

The University of Sydney’s Professor Simon Ringer (2nd right) said a key to the MoU between the tertiary institution and GE Additive is helping SMEs enter the global markets and supply chains. the work you do right here in Australia and value add?” From the University of Sydney’s point of view, it’s not just the grant money that will help put the university on the map. It’s also the long game – to help put Australia on the additive manufacturing map, according to the tertiary institution’s academic director of core research facilities, Professor Simon Ringer. “I’ll give you a peek into the crystal ball that we have at Sydney Uni. It’s a

company like GE Additive] comes to us, we’ve got research facilities, we’ve got have capability, engineers and scientists doing materials and so on that we talked about today. “We want to help people design. We want to help people do the business supply modelling. We want to help people look at the legal aspects – a sort of total enterprise solution is what we can offer. And we know simply hanging our shingle out as an individual university is not going to cut it. But we

think in partnership we can actually be there to facilitate it – to help with those new supply chains.” Vice-president and chief technology officer for GE Additive, Christine Furstoss, also makes it clear that there is nothing revolutionary about 3D printing, though it will be a new way of approaching manufacturing. To her, getting on board now is a must for those who want to be part of manufacturing’s future. “I call additive manufacturing a revelation, not a revolution,” she said “I know it is often referred to as the next industrial revolution. To me, a revolution is a group that is saying ‘we are going to take over, we are going to change everything’. That is not what additive manufacturing is all about. It’s about embracing technologies that we have today. It’s not one group that is going to make a change, it’s going to take all of us. It is going to take a true community to make sure that we can impact change in how our customers, our industries, our students, our teams, our businesses – think about growth. Think about being able to manufacture different. Thinking about being about to make new types of components. Being able to serve new industries in new ways. It really is a revelation to say that we have that opportunity to be able to drive growth in a new way.” There were several universities in the running to become partners with GE Additive. So, why did they decide to go with the University of Sydney? There were two main reasons. “With the University of Sydney, I know that they have the strength of materials, which are key because you are forming properties at the same time,” said Furstoss. “However, with the University of Sydney, another reason is that they take a whole system view. They bring together automation, plus design, plus knowledge, and I like taking that system view and running with it.” The MoU comes on the back of the university’s commitment to establish a new 1,000sqm Additive Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Processing research facility that will serve as a focal point for the partnership. The development of this laboratory is the initial phase of a plan to build greater capacity and capability at its Parramatta/Westmead campus. PACE FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 27

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INSTRUMENTATION

Datalogger offers compatibility with cloud data portals The Logbox Connect dataloggers range makes it easy to analyse data using a web browser. PACE explains.

ovus Automation has released its latest model in the Logbox Connect datalogger series. The Logbox Connect models feature both a datalogger and wireless connectivity. The Logbox WiFi now joins the Logbox Connect BLE with Bluetooth connectivity and the LogBox 3G with 2G/3G connectivity. All of the Logbox Connect models are fitted with a large LCD display, two or three universal analogue inputs, one digital input and one alarm output. The universal analogue inputs

have 15-bit resolution and accept thermocouples J,K,T,N,E,R,S,B or Pt100 RTD or 0-50mV, 0-5V, 0-10V or 0-20mA, 4-20mA signals The digital input can be used to count pulses or start/stop the datalogging. There are internal sensors for temperature, battery voltage and external power supply and also a buzzer for alarms. Each model has a memory capacity of 140,000 readings. Configuration and data downloading can be performed with the mobile application NXperience BLE (BLE Model only), or computer software NXperience, which can access

“The Logbox Connect models feature both a datalogger and wireless connectivity. The Logbox WiFi now joins the Logbox Connect BLE with Bluetooth connectivity and the LogBox 3G with 2G/3G connectivity.”

LogBox BLE is a mobile application that be used in Android devices.

all LogBox Connect models via USB. The new LogBox Connect family also provides compatibility with cloud data portals so that stored data can be transferred easily to the cloud. This makes it easy for users and their colleagues to access, view and analyse data using a web browser. Novus now provides free access for users to securely store the logged data to their NOVUS Cloud. The NOVUS Cloud portal can be used to access historical data, display variables from all sites or to configure the devices assigned to the portal. This is a safe environment to store your data, password protected and with defined user’s hierarchy. Most importantly, it can be accessed from anywhere. The LogBox Connect BLE is a bluetooth data logger for up to three analogue sensors and one digital input. The analogue channels accept direct connection of thermocouple temperature sensors, or Pt100 and sensors for any other quantities with signals in current or voltage. The digital channel could either record events with time stamp, such as opening a door or counting pulses from a flow sensor. Then there is LogChart BLE, which is a mobile application that can be used in Android devices (Apple devices are in development), an ideal tool for daily operation as monitoring, data download or configuration of LogBox BLE, adding the mobility of Bluetooth communication to it. LogChart BLE can download data from several LogBox BLE and transfer the data to the NOVUS Cloud. The LogBox Connect 3G is an Internet of Things (IoT) device with integrated data logger and 3G/2G connectivity that allows remote telemetry or mobile monitoring solution. Data can be accessed remotely and centrally through a SCADA application

The LogBox Connect devices are compatible with cloud data portals. or NXperience software. Secure, real-time information accessed quickly and easily. The device has two universal analogue inputs that accept a range of sensors. It also has internal sensors for measuring temperature, battery voltage and external sources. In addition, LogBox 3G has SMS alarm commands and alerts. Ten different alarms with SMS text messages can be configured and the phone book allows up to 20 contacts. The Logbox Connect 3G can also be fitted with a GPS so that mobile monitoring and mapping can be carried out The LogBox Connect WiFi is an IoT device with integrated data logger and Wi-Fi connectivity. LogBox Wi-Fi is suitable for monitoring multiple rooms in buildings such as hospitals and industrial refrigerated food plants with multiple points being monitored and logged, all connected to the Wi-Fi network of the facilities. LogBox Wi-Fi has MQTT protocol to publish data into IoT brokers, Cloud or SCADA system, as well as Modbus TCP protocol to operate as slave into SCADA systems. Novus are currently developing an app for configuration of the LogBox Wi-Fi. PACE FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 29

SAFETY AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS

Looking back and moving forward Pilz Australia has been a leader in safety automation solutions for the past 21 years. Rob Stevenson, the company’s national sales and marketing manager, talks with PACE about where the company is headed in the future.

ilz, the German-based automation company, has had a long history of success and innovation in the automation sector. The company was founded in 1948, producing mercury timers for industrial applications and later it became one of the first European companies to produce a programmable logic controller (PLC). The company is still owned and operated by the Pilz family, and now has 42 subsidiaries and 25 sales partners in countries all around the world. The Australian subsidiary of the company has been in operation for 21 years – only 11 years after the company’s move into safety automation. This move occurred in 1987, when Pilz developed and produced the first emergency stop

Pilz’s core offering remains safety related products, but it has been broadening its focus in recent years. 30 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

“While to some in the industry we’re known as a safety product company, our services side of the business equates to approximately 25 per cent of our earnings – and this side continues to grow,” safety relay. According to Rob Stevenson, Pilz Australia’s national sales and marketing manager, Pilz has been synonymous with safety automation ever since. “When you talk about safety automation, it literally started with that relay from Pilz,” said Stevenson. From there, the next major milestone was in 1995 with the production of the first safety PLC – the PSS 3000. While the company had been working in the automation

sector previously, Pilz saw the opportunity to do something that wasn’t in the marketplace at that time. The safety relay and the safety PLC helped the company build the fundamentals of its continuing success in safety automation products and solutions. Pilz’s core offering continues to be safety-related products, and much of the company’s wider offerings – including its consulting, engineering and training services – are based

around machinery safety solutions. “While to some in the industry we’re known as a safety product company, our services side of the business equates to approximately 25 per cent of our earnings – and this side continues to grow,” Stevenson said. “For us, it’s not about selling something in a box and leaving it at that. It’s about delivering safety solutions. We have a team of safety consultants and sales engineers who have expertise at the highest level, coupled with our long history in safety automation – it’s what differentiates us from any other player in the marketplace.” The company is now broadening its focus, moving more and more into engineering services and broader automation solutions. Previously, Pilz’s engineering was mostly focused around supporting the project lifecycle by delivering safety concepts, safety designs and machine safety upgrades. But the view for the future is taking the engineering services beyond that and getting into bigger projects. The team at Pilz Australia is now working on its largest ever engineering project since starting up 21 years ago. Stevenson said that, with Pilz’s developing breadth and depth of focus, it would be wrong to pigeonhole the company as merely a safety-oriented product solutions company. “With our range of engineering services and experienced team, we are now really showcasing what we can do. We have been doing many of these things, quietly acquiring experience and knowledge, for some time,” Stevenson said. “But now we’re ready to be a bit more boisterous. If a customer has an engineering project that needs to be completed to the highest level of quality, Pilz has the capacity, experience and expertise to do it. Whether it’s project management,

SAFETY AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS

design, programming, installation or commissioning, you name it, we can do it.” Stevenson indicated that while the core of the business would always remain in safety products and solutions, the future of Pilz would see it expanding and growing into other areas. “There will always be the overriding safety element to the business, but we will be broadening into more and more avenues. Our market is already fairly open: we work with clients in industries ranging from rail, to defence, food and beverage, mining, robotics and amusements – there’s not much we don’t get into. Safety automation, at the end of the day, is about maintaining the integrity of a solution,” he said. “And this can be applied to more than just man-machine interactions – it can apply to systems monitoring and laboratory monitoring. Even the word ‘automation’ seems like a pigeonhole when it comes to what Pilz does. In many ways, we are beyond that.” Pilz is now growing further in the direction of integrating Industry 4.0 and the industrial internet of things (IIoT) into its array of strengths, introducing products with online functionality. We are always striving to make our products smarter and

“We have just launched the Security Bridge, an industrial firewall for our controllers and PLC. It’s a product that has already won an award at the GIT Security Awards for 2018.” Pilz remains a family company. Renate Pilz (centre) and her children, Susanne Kunschert (left) and Thomas Pilz (right). better,” said Stevenson. “We have the Pilz cloud coming online and we have already moved into cybersecurity solutions. We have just launched the Security Bridge, an industrial firewall for our controllers and PLCs. It’s a product that has already won an award at the GIT Security Awards for 2018.” But with all this expansion occurring – including the launch of a robot during National Manufacturing Week later this year – Pilz remains proud of its roots in safety automation solutions. “The safety

aspect will always remain our base. There is a lot more to the company than this, but Pilz is very proud that we have maintained this focus,” said Stevenson. “We have maintained growth, we’ve maintained market share and we’ve maintained innovation. And we at Pilz are very proud about how the business continues to conduct itself.” After 21 years of operation, among the subsidiaries in the broader global Pilz Group, Pilz Australia is well renowned for its expertise in hightechnology products and services.

“One of the things in Australia that we are quite proud of is that our team is always at the forefront from a technical solution perspective,” said Stevenson. “There are big multinationals in the US, Asia and Europe that will ask specifically for our people to be involved in projects. “We’re only a small team, but within the whole Pilz Group we are a highly respected subsidiary that contributes significantly to the overall expanding technical expertise and innovation of the company,” Stevenson said. “After over 20 years of operating at the highest level, we are proud of what we’ve been able to achieve. And we’re excited to take that forward into the future.” PACE Pilz has had a long history of success in innovative automation products and services.

FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 31

INNOVATION

From left: Brendan Funnel (BAE Systems), Dr Arash Khatamianfar, Kiel Allen, Evan Pignatelli, Professor Ian Jacobs (UNSW vice chancellor), Tom Grimes, Edwin Lipman.

Competition clean-up Winners of the Maker Games at the University of New South Wales last year, Team Arash, spoke to David Loneragan about the technology behind their autonomous naval ship hull cleaner.

NSW’s Maker Games 2018 completed its second year in October, showcasing the innovative projects of undergraduate students. The winners this round were Team Arash, a group of four third-year engineering students in their third year at the university. The students – Tom Grimes, Evan Pignatelli, Edwin Lipman and Kiel Allen – responded to the challenge set by defence industry group BAE Systems to come up with a way to make the process of cleaning and painting of naval warships a cheaper, safer and more efficient. “The competition was pitched to a few of the students in lectures and online. Kiel, Tom, Ed and I have been good mates since our first year of university, so we decided to form a team and scroll through the different projects that make up the Maker Games and determine which one we wanted to do,” Pignatelli told PACE. “From there, we decided to do the BAE Systems project, which was the ship cleaning one. We had to develop a two-page pitch and video to submit to BAE Systems and they would in turn

32 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

select us to do the project.” BAE Systems presented the team with a problem – how to effectively automate ship cleaning, inspecting and painting processes. Traditionally, these tasks are carried out manually, with the vessel lifted into dry dock while maintenance staff carry out the arduous work in often dangerous conditions in a process that can cost $250,000 a day. Team Arash went through several ideas in an effort to come up with a solution to the problem. “That’s what the development phase of the competition was – developing a prototype that proves this problem can be solved,” Pignatelli said. Pignatelli said some of the team’s early ideas were not so successful. “At the start of the competition, we sat down and thought of all these different ways to solve the problem. Our first idea was a window cleaning hoist that moved around – it wasn’t an especially good idea, to be honest.” It was when the team began to think about the kind of adhesion mechanism that would be required when the idea of using magnets came up. “We thought, ‘What if we can use

magnets at a certain distance from the hull to create an attractive force between the robot and the ship but not make it stick there?’” Pignatelli said. “After we played around with this idea, we developed an initial prototype and we figured out that it works pretty well. We took it further to make the final prototype.” The robot – called the Autonomous

Magnetic Attraction Robot (AMAR) – is fixed with magnets, creating an attractive force that enables the robot to move around the steel hull of a vessel without sticking to it. Motors with encoders attached were fixed to the robot so that, as the motor spins, it lets out a pulse. “There are a set number of pulses per rotation of the motor. From these rotations, we are

Part of Team Arash’s prize was a week-long trip to the United States to connect with UNSW alumni.

INNOVATION

able to determine the distance the motors have travelled as well as their velocity,” Pignatelli said. “We used this setup to code into the system the path we wanted the device to take.” For painting and cleaning, the prototype featured hose nozzles on the front of the device, enabling it to spray water (in this case, a simulation of high-pressure water) as it moved forward across the hull to remove barnacles. Painting nozzles were located to the side of the device, enabling it to paint as it moved down the ship. “The high-pressure water nozzles that we used, and whole systems, were expensive. We had a small budget, so we couldn’t afford to test it. We instead calculated the reaction force high-pressure water would create and then adjusted the level of magnetism the robot needed to hold on to the hull,” Pignatelli explained. Because the whole team is made up of mechanical engineering students, Pignatelli said it was a challenge learning to develop the electronic systems that the device required. “I was responsible for the electronics and it was quite challenging because, up to that point, none of us really knew about electronics and coding, so we had to teach ourselves how to do it,” he said. “With the encoder systems, as you run the electric motors, they should in theory be spinning at the same velocity, but due to inaccuracies in the hardware you’ve got in the system, they might spin at different speeds, steering the device in a different direction instead of going straight. It took a bit of work, but we overcame the issue by developing a control system where all the motors try to match the velocity of one of the other motors so that they would spin in a straight line.” The team was named after their academic supervisor, Dr Arash Khatamianfar, who they met with two to three times a week. Pignatelli said that his help was crucial to the project. “He is a passionate and inspiring educator who was vital to the success of the electronic aspects of the design.” Team Arash would also meet once a fortnight with a representative from

Team Arash demonstrating its hull-cleaning robot.

“We thought, ‘What if we can use magnets at a certain distance from the hull to create an attractive force between the robot and the ship but not make it stick there?’... After we played around with this idea, we developed an initial prototype and we figured out that it works pretty well. We took it further to make the final prototype.” BAE Systems who would point out issues that the team had failed to address and give insights into how the process of cleaning a naval ship actually worked. “He was very good at helping us develop a better understanding of the problem we were trying to solve,” said Pignatelli. It took 13 weeks from the beginning of the competition to the completion of the final prototype – a whole semester. “I didn’t get a lot of other course work done in that time because I was focussing on the Maker Games,” Pignatelli said. “I think

competition was so challenging and yet so engaging that were happy to devote extra time to doing the best we could.” When it came time to present their project, Pignatelli said that his team were one of the few that demonstrated their product on the night. “We were one of the only teams who had our prototype up and working properly. I think that’s one of the things that got us over the line to be honest,” he said. “It actually went pretty well. We made sure we did lots of practice runs to make sure we had it all right. It was pretty nerve-wracking being on stage and

demonstrating how the AMAR worked because so many things could’ve gone wrong. But thankfully everything went smoothly.” Part of the team’s prize was a weeklong trip to the United States to connect and network with UNSW alumni working in Silicon Valley, as well as other entrepreneurs. Pignatelli said that he and his fellow teammates are considering taking their collaboration forward in the future, but, for now, the priority is finishing their engineering studies. “The main thing that’s stopping us is that we’ve still got our degrees to finish. We still have one or two years left. The main thing that’s motivating us to consider going forward with a start-up is the experience we’ll gain as a result of the process. It’ll be very difficult, but we think it will be very rewarding at the same time,” Pignatelli said. “We’re in talks with the university at the moment regarding its program that supports students wanting to become entrepreneurs. So, there are a lot of things we’re discussing at the moment.” PACE FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 33

Romana Tomic (2nd left) started working for BOC Limited straight out of university.

Taking the lead Romana Tomic, a process engineer with BOC Limited, spoke to David Loneragan about how taking opportunities can drive forward a career in the engineering sector.

n 2013, following her graduation from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Hons) and a Master of Biomedical Engineering, Romana Tomic joined BOC Limited, a supplier of compressed and bulk gases, chemicals and equipment, through the company’s Graduate Development Programme. She has proven herself to be a valuable addition to BOC’s engineering team. Five years after her start with the company, Tomic was nominated in the Excellence in Engineering category at the 2018 Women in Industry Awards. “It was pretty humbling to be nominated for the award, especially when I read the bios of the other

34 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

nominees and the winner – they have a lot of experience, so it was pretty daunting,” Tomic told PACE. “But it was a wonderful feeling to be considered.” Tomic started out with BOC as a production engineer across the cylinder business at the Sydney Operations Centre (SOC) at Wetherill Park. Her role included general production process improvement for the industrial cylinder filling facilities, working on projects that involved installing a new acetone supply system for acetylene production, and upgrading a silane treatment system. As a graduate, Tomic worked for six months at BOC’s central customer-engineering department at the company’s North Ryde head office. She designed maintenance programs

for customer liquid cylinders. Tomic returned to the SOC in 2014, providing engineering support to the specialty gases facility. She was promoted to lead design engineer, overseeing the design, build and conditions of all cylinder filling equipment during the construction of BOC’s new $20 million specialty gases facility that opened in February 2018. In her role, she was also in charge of conducting process hazard and risk analysis to ensure the new specialty gases facility was safe and met all internal and Australian standards and regulatory requirements. “It was a fairly significant investment for us, and it has taken quite a few years for it to be developed and brought to fruition,” Tomic explained. “I got involved in the

project and, eventually, I ended up being the lead engineer for most of the main equipment that was designed and built.” The plant specialises in filling and analysing a whole range of specialty gas mixtures, which are made to order with a whole different array of gases. They are largely for the scientific industry, although they have many different applications. “We make certified mixtures that are largely used for calibration and analysis in industries,” said Tomic. “They are low-volume, high-value, very precise mixtures. A lot of different industries use them, from medicine, to hospitals, to the car industry and mining.” Tomic came to her role at the specialty gases facility following the

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY

retirement of the highly experienced technical manager during the design stage of the project. “I had to expand my role at the very beginning after one of our technical managers – who was one of the brains behind the whole idea – retired right when we started going into the detailed design. So, there were a few challenges in getting through that initial stage.” Her role also involved a lot of travelling, as BOC was dealing with a largely Chinese-staffed equipment supplier. Getting the job done meant overcoming cultural and language barriers, Tomic explained. “Our main equipment supplier is based in Singapore. This meant that there were a few challenges communicating our ideas about what we needed. It was a challenge for a fairly young person to step into this role.” The work on the specialty gases facility is now mostly completed. The last year has seen testing and final improvements, with the aim of optimising the process. “A lot of the equipment is quite new, and we did put a lot of automation into the plant, which has never been done in this way before,” Tomic said. “These systems and processes were manual previously, and around the world it is still mostly done manually. And that has been the key challenge: we have fundamentally changed how these processes are carried out to improve safety for ourselves and for our customers and to ensure we get the best product we can out in the safest possible way.” Tomic said that while she had a few engineers in her family, she didn’t always consider going into the field herself. “My interest developed over time. I was always interested in how things worked at in school, in science, problem solving – that was always something I enjoyed. When I started reading about chemical engineering, I enjoyed the idea of how these processes encompass an overall plan, rather than just focusing on one aspect,” Tomic explained. Studying at UNSW, Tomic said, put her in good stead for her career as an engineer, but there was a lot of on the job experience that she had to acquire. “When you get into an industry, there is still a lot of technical detail that had to be learned, as

well as all other skills that are often more important for communicating with people from different levels of the organisation with different backgrounds and experiences,” she said. “A lot of people have been here their whole careers and they have gained a wealth of experience within the company and that knowledge just doesn’t come from university. A lot of my learning has been gaining that knowledge and using and building relationships within the company to be able to get things done. It’s one thing to have a good idea, it’s another thing to be able to convince someone else to support it, to actually gain that trust.” Having worked with the company for five years, Tomic’s colleagues consider her to be an expert in her field and a go-to person for guidance and advice. During the official

opening of the newly upgraded specialty gases facility in February 2018, she led the tour and presented new laboratory equipment and its workings to over 50 dignitaries and guests. This includes Linde’s global chief executive, Aldo Belloni, federal resources minister, Matthew Canavan, as well as Stuart Ayres, NSW state minister for Western Sydney, WestConnex and sport. Tomic said that it can be hard for young graduate engineers to get their foot in the door and get that first job, but she encourages those looking to make their careers in the area to express their opinions and make the best of opportunities when they present themselves. “It is all about putting yourself forward. Work on your network. Communicate with people and develop a network within the company, with people that will

teach and support you. And offer assistance when you need it,” she said. “Also, I found the biggest difference is having colleagues and managers that support your ideas support your development. For myself, as a young engineer, BOC has been really good at that. People here have been willing to give me the opportunity to stretch myself. It is important to get comfortable at being uncomfortable, because that’s where most of the learning happens and where you have the opportunity to show what you can do and hopefully add value to the company.” PACE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN www.womeninindustry.com.au

Tomic encourages those who have just started out to voice their opinions if in doubt. FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 35

SAFETY

Twice as safe under pressure Safety is a key component to a new differential pressure transmitter that has recently been brought to market. PACE explains.

n processing facilities in the chemical, pharmaceutical and energy industries, the main focus today, more than ever, is on safety. That’s why Safety Integrity Level (SIL) is becoming more important, providing modern process instrumentation with a coherent concept that can minimise potentially high risks to people and the environment. Vegadif 85 is a differential pressure transmitter developed especially with safety in mind. It is Vega’s new component for reliable, continuous control and monitoring of industrial processes. Its strengths lie not only in functional safety, but also in the option of measuring differential and static pressure simultaneously with just one instrument. Housed in a compact singlechamber case, the transmitter is designed for economic efficiency and installation with low space requirements. These features are flanked by particularly simple, intelligent operation – a plus in terms of error avoidance. Vegadif 85 is now qualified and approved according to SIL-2 (SIL-3) for manufacturing processes that depend on certified components, simple, user-friendly operation and permanently transparent processes. It can be parameterised via cable connection as well as wirelessly via Bluetooth. Its measured values can be quickly integrated into the existing processes – always in a form suitable to the respective conditions and requirements. Differential pressure, a robust and universal measuring principle, is used in many processes, especially for gases or steam. The pressure difference is determined by means of an orifice disc that narrows the flow in a pipe

36 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

The Vegadif 85 was developed with safety in mind.

“Housed in a compact single-chamber case, the transmitter is designed for economic efficiency and installation where there are low space requirements.” at a predetermined point. Flowing steam or gas builds up a higher pressure in front of the constriction point than behind it. The difference between the two values – before and after the restriction – can be used to deduce the absolute quantity of gas that flows through. Differential pressure transmitters are characterised by their high accuracy in measuring flow rates, even

“Bluetooth is now available as an option for the new generation of differential pressure transmitters. Since it is part of the tried-and-trusted modular Vega instrument platform PLICS, it implements safety precautions at various levels already proven in the field. ” at pressures of only a few mbar. They also handle extreme temperatures. Vega rounds out these advantages with a number of available measuring ranges. Many different process fittings are available in conjunction with single- or double-sided chemical seals: denoted as CSS or CSB respectively. With this high-performance line of products, highly accurate, fail-safe measurements can be realised even under challenging conditions. Vegadif 85 sensors are equipped with a second, piezoresistive detector. They are therefore, the first transmitters of their kind that can measure both differential pressure and static pressure. And, they can easily handle these two different measuring tasks in parallel. For example, they ensure a high degree of fail safety in pipelines by determining the dynamic pressure and the superimposed static pressure at the same time – a measuring task that required two separate pressure transmitters until now. There are many ways to simplify processes. However, it is important to strike the right balance between safety and convenience. Wireless data transmission can offer real added value in cases where access to data is difficult. With intuitive, simplicity, Bluetooth makes operation more flexible via smartphone, tablet or PC, and provides transparency in wideranging applications. Bluetooth is now available as an

option for the new generation of differential pressure transmitters. Since it is part of the tried-andtrusted modular Vega instrument platform PLICS, it implements safety precautions at various levels already proven in the field. These include current encryption modes at the interface level. For example, this can be via a personal computer or smartphone, as well as the necessary access codes that protect the sensor from unauthorised access, which lessens security issues. Bluetooth is also something for older systems – the current display and adjustment module PLICSCOM is downward compatible for the majority of Vega measuring instruments manufactured since 2002 and now operating in the field. In process engineering applications, there is the issue that pressure transmitters have to withstand environments where flammable gases, vapours or mists can escape from closed systems, which can cause safety issues at a work site. Under certain conditions, with oxygen from the air mixed in the right proportion, there is a great risk of explosion. The electronics used in Vegadif 85 are 100 per cent intrinsically safe and flameproof according to ATEX, IECEx and CSA. This means that it is possible for the instruments to be safely adjusted at any time, even during operation in hazardous areas in various factory settings. PACE

NEW PRODUCTS

Explosion-protected Ethernet with Remote I/O IS1+

XXX xxx

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R. Stahl, an company that specialises in explosion protection, leads the realisation of an explosion-protected field Ethernet. The IS1+ Remote I/O system allows Ethernet communication in hazardous areas via PROFINET, Modbus TCP and EnterNet/IP. Optical cables with transmission rates of 100 Mbit/s are used for fast, explosion-protected data transmission in Zone 1. The fibre optic technology, which can cross distances of up to 30 km depending on the optical fibre used, has the type of protection defined as “inherently safe” according to DIN EN 60079-28. Along the lines of intrinsic safety “i”, this type of protection ensures that potentially ignitable optical energy is limited to a non-ignitable level even under error conditions. For Zone 2 and distances of up to 100 m, the more affordable CAT 5 copper cables with type of protection “ec” can also be used. Even in explosive atmospheres all modules can be exchanged during operations (“hot swapping”), and IS1+ stations can always be easily expanded without disconnection. For the connection of field devices in Zone 0, 1 or 2, R. Stahl has a comprehensive range of I/O modules of series IS1+ with up to 16 channels that are available with intrinsically safe, non-intrinsically safe and even pneumatic interfaces. IS1+ has been extensively used with most major DCS/PCS/PLC systems globally. With PROFINET connection and comprehensive diagnosis functions, IS1+ is ideally suited for predictive maintenance concepts as well as for the implementation in plant asset management systems. As your EX solutions partner, R. Stahl is promoting the establishment of technology standards for the inherently safe Ethernet connection into the field and actively participates both in the Advanced Physical Layer (APL) project as well as the “Intrinsically Safe IEEE 100BASE-TX Working Group” to achieve a single, common and transparent physical layer for Ethernet in the field of process automation. With APL communication, based on established IEEE and IEC standards, certified in any region around the world, it is anticipated that market participation will be extensive.

R Stahl (02) 42 544 777 www.stahl.com.au

New NTDC series rugged 2000-3000W DC-DC converters Technology Dynamics has introduced a new series of DC-DC converters suited for high power applications where reliable DC power is a must. The new NTDC series of high-power DC-DC converters provides highly regulated DC output power in a 2000-3000 watts range. The rugged construction and quality of these converters make them suitable for bulk power DC applications in the industrial, medical, military and electric vehicle markets. The NTDC series offers a range of DC-DC converter solutions for DC power requirements including fully customised units. The NTDC series has an input range of 19-72 V DC and 72-144 V DC with available outputs of 12 V, 24 V, 28 V and 48 V DC. The series delivers high efficiency, tightly regulated outputs and OV, OC and OT protections. Metromatics (07) 3868-4255 www.metromatics.com.au

FEB/MAR 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 37

NEW PRODUCTS

Stainless-steel industrial pressure cleaner eliminates corrosion in plant Australian Pumps has released a stainless-steel industrial pressure cleaner. The Aussie 3,000 psi Super Scud 300, a powerful electric drive blaster, is the latest in the Aussie Monsoon series. The new industrial blaster features the new “sharp-free” ergonomic stainless-steel frame fitted with four big ‘off-road’ style steel wheels with flat free tyres. The company has moved to stainless steel to eliminate corrosion. With a 7.5kW three-phase, four-pole electric drive motor, the cleaner delivers 21 lpm flow. This makes it suitable for a range of industrial applications requiring fast, continuous cleaning including wash bays and machinery wash-down. The Super Scud Monsoon 300 uses the TTL series “Big Berty” Bertolini triplex pump with ceramic pistons. This pump incorporates a big ribbed crankcase that ensures it stays cool even in continuous run applications. The valve caps are fitted with a new Bertolini sealing system designed for higher pressure and longer working hours. The blaster is classified as Class A under the AS/NZS 4233.01 safety standards. This is an advantage for users as the standards do not mandate operator certification for this class of machine. The power is provided by a heavy-duty, IP55-rated, four pole TEFC electric motor and features an Aussie Safety Protection (ASP) kit. The kit includes a thermal dump valve to protect the machine from excessive bypass. An industrial on/off thermal protection switch prevents overload of the motor and prevents pressure spikes. High-quality accessories complete the package. A heavy-duty gun/ lance combination provides the operator with control of the machine with a trigger lock that improves safety and prevents accidental activation.

Intelligent Ethernet extenders Phoenix Contact TC extenders do not only extend simple point-to-point Ethernet paths via plug-and-play, but all extender paths and devices can be monitored remotely using a single managed device via IP. In the case of unexpected events such as a weakening of the path, this information is available via Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap and can be issued as a warning to one or more freely selectable network devices In addition, the managed Ethernet extenders feature integrated, replaceable surge protection. The intelligent Plugtrab PT-IQ technology does not only provide appropriate protection, it can also call up the status of the surge protection remotely at any time. In emergencies, it can also transit this status as an SNMP warning. This means that the devices independently provide information on when surge protection should be replaced, or where immediate replacement is required. Using automatic topology and data rate detection, extender applications can be expanded into line and ring topologies during operation, easily and without configuration, and without impact through the addition of up to 50 extenders. The use of special cables is not required. Any existing two-wire cables can be used for Ethernet networking. This enables transmission ranges beyond the corresponding standard and up to as much as 20km per extender segment. Phoenix Contact 1300 786 411 www.phoenixcontact.com.au

38 www.pacetoday.com.au FEB/MAR 2019

Australian Pump Industries (02) 8865 3500 www. Aussiepumps.com.au

1300 886 122

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Low-cost level measurement. Radar sensor for water management. Reliable level measurement in water treatment facilities, pump stations and rain overflow basins. Open channel flow measurement and water level monitoring.

VEGAPULS WL S 61 ▪ Measuring range up to 8 m

▪ Can be used outdoors without restriction ▪ Flood-proof IP 68 housing

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