JUNE/JULY 2019 | VOL.72 NO.3 | Est. 1953
© PHOENIX CONTACT 2019
JUNE/JULY 2019 | VOL.72 NO.3 | Est. 1953
INSIDE PACE
IIoT
Control Systems
Collaborative Robots
Highlights from the IICA Sydney general meeting
Virtualised solutions that enhance connectivity
The benefits of cobots for your plant explained
Post Print Approved PP100008186
WHY INVESTING IN STEM WILL CONNECT AUSTRALIA TO THE FUTURE
EXCLUSIVE:
The importance of customer service in process control
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CONTENTS
Managing Director: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy Group Managing Editor (Northern): Syed Shah Editor: Mike Wheeler Ph:(02) 9439 7227 mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au
IN THIS ISSUE 28
Assistant Editor: David Loneragan Ph: (02) 9439 7227 david.loneragan@primecreative.com.au Sales/Advertising: Zelda Tupicoff zelda.tupicoff@primecreative.com.au Production Coordinator: Janine Clements Ph: (02) 9439 janine.clements@primecreative.com.au Design Production Manager: Michelle Weston
35
Art Director: Blake Storey Designers: Madeline McCarty, Kerry Pert SUBSCRIPTIONS: $99 p/a incl GST NZ: $A109 p/a & OS: $A119 p/a
12 Editor’s Comment 6 News 8
How can the design of process indicators and controllers make installation easier?
STEM 12
IICA 31
Industrial Internet of Things 16
Instrumentation & Control 33
Control Systems 20
Sensors 35
With the election over, what are the funding priorities across the STEM sector?
Subscriptions: Gordon Watson Ph: (03) 9690 8766 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.
Exploring the differences between IIoT and traditional process control
The value of good customer relations in automation and control system solutions, and the benefits of digitalised workstations Collaborative Robots 25
© Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2019
IICA NSW Chairman Peter Veron on the value of industry associations The important of accelerometers in establishing a well-functioning condition monitoring system Vega’s leadership in developing radar level transmitters for the process industry New Products 36
Should we fear the robot revolution? Universal Robots’ Peter Hern says we should welcome the benefits they will bring to the manufacturing workplace
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. Head Office 11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne VIC 3205 Ph: +61 3 9690 8766 enquiries@primecreative.com.au www.primecreative.com.au
ON THE COVER
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Investing in the future
JUNE/JULY 2019 | VOL.72 NO.3 | Est. 1953
INSIDE PACE
IIoT
Control Systems
Collaborative Robots
Highlights from the IICA Sydney general meeting
Virtualised solutions that enhance connectivity
The benefits of cobots for your plant explained
Post Print Approved PP100008186
WHY INVESTING IN STEM WILL CONNECT AUSTRALIA TO THE FUTURE
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Panel Controls 28
EXCLUSIVE:
The importance of customer service in process control
It is widely acknowledged that government investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research and education is crucial for an advanced industrial economy in maintaining an edge in a world of competitive global markets. The OECD average for total (public and private) STEM research funding is 2.36 per of GDP; in Australia, the figure is only 1.88 per cent. Skill shortages in the STEM sector are also of concern. Figures
from Engineers Australia show that the number of students applying to study engineering peaked in 2013. It is now falling steadily. In this issue of PACE, we explore what some of the federal funding priorities are across the STEM sector – in research and development, infrastructure, skills and education – in the aftermath of the federal election. With the Coalition returned to government, what will the future hold? JUNE/JULY 2018 www.pacetoday.com.au 5
COMMENT
EDITOR’S MESSAGE
Mike Wheeler Editor
Forging a skilled workforce for the digital age
FUNDING. It’s a word on everybody’s lips when elections come around and this federal election is no exception. By the time this issue of PACE comes out, the federal election will be over. Promises will have been made by all parties, and no doubt many voters – especially those who rely on funding – will have taken those promises into consideration when casting their ballots. However, when it comes to R&D it doesn’t matter who is in charge because all the main players have not been exactly forthcoming when it comes to dishing out tax payer money to fund the next innovations in the engineering and process control space. The Organisation for Economic
6 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
Co-operation and Development (OECD) says the aveage member country spends 2.36 per cent of its GDP on R&D. Over the past 10 years, Australia’s spend has fallen, and it now stands at 1.88 per cent. With a shortage of engineers graduating from Australian institutions, and issues remaining in being able to attract women into the industry, David Loneragan looks at funding and how it can secure Australia’s future as a STEM hub not only in Oceania, but Asia, too. Collaborative robots, or cobots as they are commonly called, are starting to make an impact on the manufacturing and process engineering sectors. Those on the shop floor often don’t see cobots
as their friends, more as an enemy. PACE has written several articles over the past couple of years addressing these concerns. One cobot manufacturer, Universal Robots, likes to talk about humans working with machines, not machines replacing humans. Having just gotten used to the term Industry 4.0, Universal Robots is pushing the case of Industry 5.0, which the company’s country manager and sales development manager, Peter Hern, sees as more about human interaction. For example, he believes that Industry 4.0 is about replacing platforms or people, while Industry 5.0 is about improving people.
The underlying theme is that robots, cobots, AI, automation – they’re all here to stay. Past inventions – the printing press, cotton gin, assembly line – have all come and expanded the human experience in the manufacturing sector and lead to efficiencies and ROI for owners and shareholders alike. These new technologies have taken jobs, but they’ve also created them, too. Hern is pushing Industry 5.0 because he believes it will also help man and machine reconcile in order to make production more efficient. Time will tell if he’s right, but one thing is for sure: like the inventions of yore, they’re here to stay until another invention comes along and supercedes them. PACE
NEWS
National AI Centre to be established in Melbourne
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elbourne will be home to an internationalstandard artificial intelligence centre (AI), pending a formal agreement between the Victorian state government and the next federal government. The state Labor government will contribute $1 million towards establishing the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Melbourne. Victorian Treasurer and economic development minister Tim Pallas said he welcomed federal Labor’s promise to establish the centre if elected. “The Andrews Labor Government is ready to partner with the next federal government because
Melbourne is the natural home to a national centre for artificial intelligence,” Pallas said. “We are already attracting significant tech investment and we want to make Melbourne the drawcard for the best and brightest talent in the world.” The state’s $1 million investment to the proposed centre would help identify and establish a location for the new national centre, bringing together a mix of world-leading businesses, startups and tertiary institutions. Already, inner Melbourne is attracting a cluster of digital businesses, including Seek, carsales. com.au, MYOB, Tesla and Uber.
Victorian universities produce about 37 per cent of Australia’s tech graduates, which is more than any other state. Worldwide expenditure on AI systems is forecast to reach $112.2 billion a year by 2022. According to a recent Ai Group report, artificial intelligence is also changing the skills that employers want, with skills shortages in big data and machine learning. “This centre will help turbo-charge Victoria’s innovation ecosystem – it will be great to have it In Melbourne,” state innovation minister Martin Pakula said. “Artificial Intelligence is
becoming the defining technology that is changing the way business is done, from autonomous vehicles and healthcare robots to the latest agriculture technology.” PACE
AI is redefining the way that business is done.
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NEWS
ANSTO to drive new collaborative research precinct in Sydney
Materials science research has links to an international project to develop clean fusion energy and advanced nuclear reactors.
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he Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) will be the anchor institution for an expansive Innovation Precinct south of Sydney at Lucas Heights. The three-tiered development will comprise a deep technology incubator, graduate centre and high-tech industry component in close proximity to ANSTO’s scientific facilities. The focus is on collaborative research and industry engagement using nuclear science and technology to deliver real world benefits in nuclear medicine, advanced materials, agriculture and food. The multi-million-dollar precinct focuses on innovation to accelerate solving industrial problems, boost technology transfer, bolster emerging industries and support
the development of advanced products and services. The deep technology incubator, nandin, which was officially opened in 2018, is a base for entrepreneurs, start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses with a diverse range of businesses already in attendance. The development expects to house large and small industry partners in the high-tech industry centre. Three main areas of focus, health, advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0, agriculture and food build on ANSTO’s contributions to these disciplines using the latest scientific techniques. In the area of human health, ANSTO produces radioactive substances for enhanced imaging techniques and novel treatments, analyses food and food sources for optimal health studies and measures
radiation, explores prevention strategies and contributes to the development of new treatments for cancer. With the operation of Australia’s only nuclear reactor and accelerator technology, ANSTO investigates the behaviour of materials in extreme environments. Materials science research has links to international project to develop clean fusion energy and advanced nuclear reactors. Both ANSTO scientists and users from across the world use infrastructure and facilities in the search for enhancements to advanced manufacturing techniques and better food production processes. The connection with graduates is to provide training and development to create the next generation of researchers, engineers and technoentrepreneurs, who will shape
industries of the future. The focus of student engagement is to provide a deep learning experience real world experience to graduates and translation work to benefit industry ANSTO will build on a number of technology transfers including a nano-particulate membrane for waste water solutions, sub-micron particle encapsulation for industrial and medical uses, ANSTO Synroc waste immobilisation technology, a new radiation imaging technology, mineral separation technology, biological and chemical deuteration and contributions to the development of new cancer therapies. The Innovation Precinct is modelled on the Grenobld Innovation for Advanced New Technologies (GIANT) Innovation Campus in France, which co-located national and landmark infrastructure and expertise. PACE JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 9
NEWS
$20 million promised for Australia’s first “Future Factory”
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ederal Labor has committed $20 million for the proposed $50 million Flinders University-led Australian Centre for Innovative Manufacturing (ACIM) at Tonsley, which is to connect Australian companies with the latest manufacturing technologies and research expertise and provide training to modernise workforces. The 4000sqm advanced manufacturing test bed facility at Flinders’ Tonsley Innovation District is expected to play a key role in providing state of the art facilities to explore the application of new technologies capable of manufacturing next generation products. Professor John Spoehr, pro-vice chancellor, research impact and Director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, welcomed the funding commitment from federal Labor, announced by Opposition spokesperson for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr. “This is an initiative that transcends politics and is deserving of broad support in the state’s – and the nation’s – interest,” Spoehr said. “Advanced technologies are transforming manufacturing around the world, fuelling the growth of new and existing companies and generating thousands of well-paid and rewarding jobs.” ACIM will be established with a mandate to create jobs and promote growth in areas of strategic importance to Australia including defence and aerospace, construction, medical devices/assistive technologies, wine and food and minerals and energy. “Step change strategies are needed to enable Australia and SA to be at the centre of this technological revolution,” Spoehr said. “Large scale ‘Factories of the Future’ are playing a key role in accelerating this transition in the UK, Europe and the United States because they bring 10 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
ACIM will be established with a mandate to create jobs and promote growth in areas of strategic importance to Australia. researchers and companies together in purpose built facilties to explore innovation of existing technologies and experimentation with new technologies.” Advanced manufacturing technologies featured at ACIM could include automation, robotics, cobotics (collaborative robots), digitally assisted assembly, photonic sensing and maritime autonomous systems. ACIM will be an affiliate of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield, UK – a manufacturing accelerator funded by the UK Government’s Industry Catapult Program. The centre will also work closely with the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) to support the application of new manufacturing technologies for shipbuilding. Flinders University vice-chancellor Professor Colin Stirling said the facility reinforces Flinders University’s contribution to the state’s – and the nation’s – prosperity.
“ACIM will encourage a ‘can-do’ culture, where students can interact with business and where business interacts with researchers to transform manufacturing processes of the twentyfirst century. “We’re helping to revolutionise the way we live and work, by placing Australia at the forefront of Industry 4.0 change to help accelerate the growth of advanced manufacturing companies and jobs” Stirling said. ACIM is expected to generate $182 million in economic activity for South Australia and create more than 750 jobs. It will incorporate more than 200 academics from Flinders, employ an additional 20 researchers and technical personnel and be capable of hosting up to 50 industry personnel working collaboratively on multiple projects. The facility will also provide accredited courses in manufacturing and in Industry 4.0, advanced education and training for up to 1000 students each year and accommodate up to 50 post-graduate students.
ACIM has already attracted significant industry support, most notably in the shipbuilding sector where the benefits of advanced manufacturing practices will be significant. BAE Systems will explore the potential applications of robotics and automation technologies in shipbuilding, while SAGE plans to co-locate its Skills Lab Head office and main laboratory in ACIM. “ACIM will significantly lower the barriers to entry that many companies face when considering the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies and play a brokerage role in helping to connect companies to key enabling technologies and research capabilities,” said Spoehr. Flinders University will invest $10m towards land, capital and operational costs while $30m investment has been sought from the federal and state governments towards capital, equipment and operational costs. Industry investment is expected to be more than $10m over the short term. PACE
NEWS
New cybersecurity course developed to boost industry asset protection
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MIT University has developed a new cybersecurity course in partnership with industry to arm people with the skills needed to protect their digital assets. According to a report from AustCyber, Australia’s Cyber Security Sector Competitiveness Plan, Australia’s cybersecurity sector is facing a severe skills shortage, costing the nation more than $400 million in lost revenue and wages, with almost 17,600 additional cybersecurity professionals likely to be needed by 2026. As technology continues to transform businesses, the threat of
cyber-attacks becomes more imminent and the need to arm people with the skills required to protect digital assets from malicious activity becomes greater. Cyber Security Risk and Strategy, part of RMIT Online’s Future Skills portfolio, is aimed at upskilling participants to understand the fundamentals of cybersecurity and how to formulate a preventative strategy of good cyber governance with a business. The new course addresses the need for management to understand cyber security and offers a professional pathway to help address the skills shortage in the field. RMIT Online CEO, Helen
Souness, said the course had been developed in consultation with industry, including key collaborators Palo Alto Networks and NAB. Palo Alto Networks are providing mentors for the course, with students able to earn an RMIT and Palo Alto Networks-endorsed credential in cybersecurity on completion. “We are pleased to create this course with industry, to strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity preparedness by training Australians to fill a diverse range of technical and non-technical roles,” Souness said. “The rate at which technologies are advancing and turning industries
and departments upside down is not slowing down, and neither should our commitment to lifelong learning.” Harvey Deak, head of security strategy and architecture at NAB, said the course would play an important role in helping to teach new and emerging skills and supporting a sustained skills pipeline for generations to come. “As the Australian economy becomes more and more digitised, it is critical for Australia’s future economic prosperity that we build a highly skilled and educated cybersecurity workforce to help raise Australia’s cyber defence profile.” PACE
JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 11
STEM
Investing in the future With the 2019 federal election done and dusted, what can industry and research institutions expect with regards to funding and policy in STEM? David Loneragan explores.
12 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison during the 2019 federal election.
spending to 3 per cent over 10 years. President of the Academy of Science, Professor John Shine said that Australians deserved a coherent and visionary plan for science from their government. “Australia has a choice: determine our future and develop the science plan to drive it or be swept along trailing the decisions of other nations,” he said. In its 2018-19 Federal Budget, the Morrison Coalition government announced $3.4 million new funding to support women in STEM through the SAGE Initiative and a digital National Awareness Raising Initiative led by the Women in STEM Ambassador Professor Lisa Harvey Smith. It also announced $56.4 million over three years to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to support
Image Credit: AAP.
A
ccording to a 2017 report from the European Commission, ambitious and sustained government investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is crucial to driving productivity and economic growth and to maintaining competitive industrial economies on the world stage. However, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, government investment in STEM research in Australia has been falling over the last 10 years, placing a greater burden on the private sector to provide research and development (R&D) funding itself. The latest figures indicate that both public and private sector investment has fallen: now only 1.88 per cent of Australia’s GDP goes into investment in R&D, which is well below the OECD average of 2.36 per cent. Prior to this year’s federal election, Science and Technology Australia (STA) outlined several recommended areas of focus for government policy in relation to STEM, including a commitment making Australia a top 10 global investor in R&D (with 3 per cent of GDP to devoted to this), a commitment to establishing a 10-year plan for R&D (building on NISA in 2015 and the Science Statement in 2016), with five-year funding plans and a long-term vision for stronger Australian science and technology, and a commitment to make no further cuts to federal institutions such as the Bureau of Meteorology, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the CSIRO. The Australian Academy of Science similarly laid out 10 recommendations, including a charter between scientists and government, a boosted commitment to STEM education – which would involve all the nation’s schools having access to the academy’s science and maths programs – and, like the STA, an increase to gross national R&D
nuclear medicine production, critical radioactive waste management and nuclear decommissioning activities, and asset management, and a further $19.5 million over four years to establish a Space Infrastructure Fund. But there were concerns from the science and technology sector over the $3.9 billion Education Investment Fund and a $345 million reduction to university research funding. Shine said that it had been hoped that there would have been more funding provided focus on science and innovation in the budget. “It is counterintuitive to seek to produce a surplus by cutting the knowledge economy. The reductions in indexation of research programs over the forward estimates, resulting in cuts of $345 million to university research funding remain concerning.” Professor Shine said.
“Given the government’s focus on economic growth it is disappointing that some of the very welcome announcements in this budget went hand in hand with some cuts to Australia’s research programs.” The sentiment was echoed by the STA’s president Professor Emma Johnston, who said that the reduction in the Research Support Program would “severely limit” the ability of universities to carry out world-leading research and drive technological innovation. “Research at tertiary institutions is also severely hampered by the reallocation of $3.9 billion from the Education Investment Fund (EIF) to a new Emergency Response Fund,” she said. “While it is important to support those affected by emergencies including floods and fires, stripping funds from education to support
STEM
emergency responses is a false economy.” During the election campaign, federal Labor committed itself to a total national R&D funding of 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, along with a root and branch system-wide National Review into Research, which will be tasked with advising the government on measures needed to organise science and research efforts, in order to mobilise the resources of government, the science and research sector, and industry to achieve the target. It also said it would commit to re-establishing the Education Investment Fund for university research infrastructure. “Australia must put innovation, science and research at the heart of industry policy. We must foster a culture of entrepreneurialism across the economy, from start-ups to established businesses and within the public sector,” a Labor submission to STA reads. “Only by extending our knowledge, skills and technological capabilities and diversifying Australia’s
economic base will we be able to compete effectively in global markets.” During the election campaign, Labor’s Kim Carr unveiled a $170 million boost to the R&D Tax Incentive, which will see businesses that collaborate with universities and government scientists on innovation eligible for a 10 per cent tax break. Carr also announced that federal Labor would commit $20 million to the proposed $50 million Flinders University-led Australian Centre for Innovative Manufacturing (ACIM) at Tonsley, which is to connect Australian companies with the latest manufacturing technologies and research expertise and provide training to modernise workforces. Professor John Spoehr, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Research Impact and Director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, welcomed the funding commitment. “This is an initiative that transcends politics and is deserving of broad support in the state’s – and the nation’s – interest,” Spoehr said. “Advanced technologies are
transforming manufacturing around the world, fuelling the growth of new and existing companies and generating thousands of well-paid and rewarding jobs.” While Labor lost the election, which was held on 18 May, the STEM the community will expect continued developments around policy and funding proposals, whether from the government or the opposition. The issues around STEM spending are ongoing, and will likely be a priority for industy when Australia again goes to the polls in three years.
The future of STEM skills
Alongside lagging investment in research, Australia is facing a growing demand for engineers across a range of industries. The expanding pipeline of projects – in areas such as infrastructure, transport, mining and resources, construction, defence and beyond – means that more and more skilled engineers are needed to deliver them. Further, staying ahead of the curve in new developments such as
robotics, digital technology, artificial intelligence and advanced materials will require the knowledge, innovation and know-how of trained engineers. But this burgeoning demand for labour is not being met with an adequate supply. While industries are calling out for more engineers, the number of young people completing engineering degrees at university is shrinking. According to Engineers Australia, the nation’s peak body for the engineering profession, over the past 15 years, skilled migration has become the dominant source of Australia’s engineers. Of the new engineers entering the workforce in 2015, 9,850 were entry-level engineering graduates, while 16,000 were migrants on either temporary or permanent visas. The decade to 2012 saw the engineering workforce expand significantly to meet the high demand for engineers during the construction phase of the resources boom and, more broadly, the need for engineers to support a rapidly growing national economy. Figures from Engineers
Staying up to speed with technological developments will require the knowledge and skills of trained eningeers. JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 13
STEM
Australia show that the number of students applying to study engineering peaked in 2013. It is now falling steadily. A glance at the mining sector, for instance, shows the extent of the problem. During the resources boom, approximately 300 mining engineers graduated every year, according to figures from the Minerals Council of Australia. Based on current enrolment figures, it is expected that in four years that figure will have sunk to 50 graduates. Worryingly, the problem reaches beyond university graduation rates: high school student participation in science, mathematics and technology subjects is falling. A 2017 report from Engineers Australia indicates that female participation in science and mathematics in Year 12 is alarmingly low. The report’s findings show fewer than 6 per cent of girls nationally studied physics in year 12, with advanced maths numbers almost as low – 6.2 per cent for girls and 11.5 per cent for boys. These numbers are linked to acceptances of places in engineering courses at university. “A key issue is that in the face of falling participating in science and mathematics subjects, increasing high school retention further can stabilise the number of students in these subjects and create a window of opportunity that policy makers can take advantage of to implement new policies to reverse falling STEM participation. An important factor here is eliminating excessive differences in retention between states and territories,” the Engineers Australia report states. “The results suggest that Australia’s capacity to develop more of its own future engineers is limited by falling participation in year 12 science and mathematics and, in the case of women, is impeded by alarmingly low participation. There is an urgent need to reverse these trends to overcome these limitations and impediments.” With numbers like these, there is little wonder that Australia is heavily reliant on engineers from overseas. To build up Australia’s homegrown engineering workforce, then, it will be necessary to encourage more high school students to study advanced and intermediate mathematics and science to year 12. “STEM skills start in school, but woefully few children take the advanced maths and physics subjects that enable 14 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
1.88 per cent of Australia’s GDP goes into R&D, well below the OECD average of 2.36 per cent.
further studies in engineering at university,” Jonathan Russell, Engineers Australia’s national manager of public Affairs, told PACE. “Engineers Australia analysis shows that just 6 per cent of girls study those essential enabling subjects. A priority for governments, especially at the state level, is to encourage more boys and girls to get excited about the science and maths-based fields and the careers they will have. “But school-focussed policies will fail without complementary industry policies to make life-long STEM-based careers a reality. We have the lowest level of graduate engineers entering the workforce now, but jobs for graduates is still a challenge. Industry policy needs to give employers confidence to employ the next generation and re-build the nation’s indigenous engineering capability,” said Russell.
Bridging the gap
The Morrison government commissioned the National Science and Technology Council to lead work on improving performance in science and maths enrolments. It also invested an additional $15.1 million for Questacon to expand its education and outreach programs to engage children in science and technology. A skills package in the 2019-20 Budget also included $62.4 million to
establish a national program to deliver foundational skills training, including for numeracy and digital skills. In Bill Shorten’s Budget Reply speech this year – which effectively functioned as an election pitch – the need for more investment in STEM skills was highlighted. The federal Labor leader said that, if it won government, his party would provide up to $200 million to renovate TAFE campuses in regional and outersuburban Australia. Labor had said it would also provide upfront fees for 100,000 TAFE places to get more Australians training in high-priority courses. University places, also, were to be uncapped, enabling more Australians to get a university qualification. STA welcomed Labor’s announced measures to support the growth of a STEM-skilled workforce, but indicated that more investment in research would be needed to make Australia a world-leader. “Labor’s commitment to support access to universities by removing caps on undergraduate places would enable universities to train more people in science – with their requirement for specialist equipment and technical staff, these degrees tend to be more costly to deliver. We know that jobs requiring STEM skills are forecast to be the fastest growing sector of the
economy for the next decade and beyond,” said STA President Professor Emma Johnston. Labor also promised to build a $10 million to build a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Innovations Centre to connect industry, universities, and local schools to create new forms of partnerships in education and research. In response to the STEM skills shortage, industry and research organisations have recently started to take a closer look at its image and whether there might be ways of making the engineering profession more appealing, especially to young adults and teenagers. Broadening the intake is now seen as a way of overcoming the crisis. And this is requiring a change in perceptions about what an engineering career looks like in the twenty-first century. Changing perceptions requires a change in messaging. One of the ways forward, according to Engineers Australia, is to focus more on the creativity and teamwork that is involved in engineering and the benefits that the profession brings to society. “Mathematics and science will remain necessary skills for engineering, but we need to change the messaging to appeal to younger people,” Engineers
STEM
Australia’s State of the Engineering Profession report reads. “Let’s shift the focus away from the subjects students need to study to become engineers, and showcase examples of how engineers benefit society, improving the everyday lives of Australians by creating new innovative products for us to enjoy.” Traditionally, engineering has been a maledominated profession. While more women than ever are pursuing careers as engineers, the numbers are still heavily skewed. Companies are now broadening their intake and trying to hire more female engineers. And, while there have been improvements, the statistics remain sobering. A recent report by Engineers Australia showed that women make up a mere 12.4 per cent of the engineering population. In 2017, only 17 per cent of engineering places at Australia’s universities were taken by women. This is a record high, but more work remains to be done. According to Engineers Australia, while persistent workplace and cultural problems figure among the reasons for the low numbers of women pursuing a career in engineering, a more intractable problem is the lagging participation of young women in critical foundation subjects for engineering – which contrasts significantly with overall female participation in higher education, which is 30 per cent higher than young men. “In effect, this low participation has created an environment in which engineering recruits most engineers from half of the population, a situation that is unsustainable given our national ambitions,” one the body’s recent reports states. But the performance of young women that do take up degrees in engineering is indicative of the potential they they can bring to the profession. For instance, young women who accept places have better ATAR scores than young men. The gap between numbers of men the and number of women studying engineering courses is a deep concern of Engineers Australia, which is promoting strategies to overcome the imbalance. “From the male-dominated courses grows a male dominated profession, which is an unsustainable situation given our national ambitions,” the State of the Engineering Profession report states. “We need to encourage interest in engineering-related subjects from both genders equally.” The Morrison government has been pursuing methods of encouraging more females to take up the engineering profession. In the 2018-19 federal budget, $4.5 million was provided for initiatives that encourage more female participation in STEM, including a Decadal Plan that is to be developed by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering. For its part, Engineers Australia has recently been working hard to reach out to young people – females in particular. STARportal, an interactive website established in partnership with the Office of the Chief Scientist, was launched in 2017. It gives teachers, parents and students a real-time resource to find STEM activities in their local area. The
body’s Engineering Studies Teacher Program was also officially accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority in 2018. The program provides teachers with resources and webinars through 90-minute sessions twice per school term to develop and improve their understanding and appreciation of the field of engineering. Prior to the elction, Shorten’s Labor said it would create Australia’s first National Evaluation Framework for Girls and Women in STEM Initiatives to support to more than 300 initiatives that support women and girls’ participation in STEM fields around the country. Labor had also committed to funding the Science and Gender Equity (SAGE) program to drive gender equity in science and research institutions, establish a National Women in Science Day and work with the Australian Research Council and Medical Research Council to find structural fixes to barriers to women’s participation in research. While the shortage of engineers isn’t going away any time soon, it is hoped that these sorts of initiatives will go some way to overturning the downward trend in engineering numbers at universities across Australia. The University of Queensland is among the institutions that have been making strides in this area, commencing its Women in Engineering (WE) program in 2013. WE is the nation’s first university-led, industryfunded initiative to address the gender disparity in engineering at both the tertiary and industry levels. According to the university, it has seen significant growth in female student numbers, with women now accounting for 23.8 per cent of commencing engineering students in 2017 – up from 18.8 per cent before 2013 and well above the current national average of 16 per cent. The program’s goal is to achieve more than 30 per cent by 2023. Among the many challenges for industry is changing perceptions about what an engineering career can offer young women. In the past, a lack of obvious role models has hampering the communication of the broad range of skills and experiences that the profession offers. But this is beginning to change. Last year, award-winning astrophysicist Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith from The University of NSW was appointed as Australia’s first Women in STEM Ambassador – a role which will be dedicated to encouraging girls and women to study and work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields on a national scale. “As Australia’s first Women in STEM Ambassador, Professor Harvey-Smith will advocate for girls and women in STEM education and careers, raising awareness and driving cultural and social change for gender equity. I look forward to working closely with her,” minister Karen Andrews said upon the appointment. “If we can increase participation in STEM by girls and women, we will strengthen Australia’s research, scientific and business capability.” PACE
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INTERNET OF THINGS
Explaining the process: IIoT and the future of control systems The latest general meeting of the IICA, which took place at Strathfield Golf Club in mid-April, featured a presentation by Manny Romero, the director of ETM Pacific, who explained how the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is changing the control system environment.
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omero began by addressing the inherent woolliness of the concept of IIoT, which can cause a great deal of confusion. “One of the easiest ways to explain IIoT is starting with what IIoT is not,” Romero said. “It’s not a technology. It’s not a protocol. It’s not a standard. IIoT is not dominated by any one vendor. It’s not going to replace control systems by any means. And it’s not the same as Industry 4.0, which is another very popular term these days.” So, then, what is the Industrial Internet of Things? Romero explained that it is a new paradigm – “SCADA for the masses” – which gives anyone the means to design and build a control system, regardless of technical knowledge and experience. “It is a new ecosystem that introduces new types of technologies, new types hardware and software, and which brings the online cloud into the industrial space. It also introduces new business models and new revenue streams,” he said. Romero said that IIoT came about as a convergence of technologies, many of which are already located in the typical smart phone. “We are all carrying an amazing amount of technology in what is really a very powerful device. And first and foremost, from a hardware perspective, there is the family of technologies called micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).” MEMS are miniaturised mechanical and electromechanical devices and structures that are made via microfabrication – the process of fabricating miniature structures at micrometre scales and smaller. MEMS devices can vary from simple structures to complex electromechanical systems. Among the components of MEMS are microsensors that can that can monitor and measure movement, humidity, temperature, pressure, etc. 16 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
IIoT is seeing a move away from the closed environment of traditional SCADA systems. “MEMS are the start of the hardware revolution,” Romero said. In terms of wireless technologies, there are new WAN technologies which are expanding the options available. Also, cloud platforms are enabling companies to make less heavy investment in new infrastructure in their own environments. “It has really levelled the playing field as to who can get into this market. Further, application programming interfaces (APIs) allow disparate systems to talk to each other, while ever-continuing improvements in connectivity and bandwidth means that speeds are going up and costs are going down,” Romero said. “We are at the point now where bandwidth or data is a basic utility, and it doesn’t really cost much anymore.” According to Romero, the world of IIoT is analogous to health tracking devices like Fitbits, which are a main feature of the consumer-based Internet of Things (IoT). These devices contain the MEMS technology to track movement, blood pressure, elevation,
body temperature, pulse, etc.; they are low powered enough that they can run on batteries; and they use wireless technology – typically Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) – to talk to our phones. “BLE is an exciting technology that, in my view, forms the underlying foundation for new opportunities in industrial settings,” he said. With regards to software, too, the resident firmware in Fitbit devices is highly sophisticated, while the apps that the devices use are all accessible via the online cloud. And, the accessibility of the data means that it offers opportunities for new business models in the form of third-party companies utilising and monetising that data for their own services. The consumer-based Internet of Things and the Industrial Internet of Things are equally sophisticated and complex, with essentially the same technological architecture and types of connectivity. “In fact, the sophistication of the hardware, the software, the firmware, the apps – the vertically-
integrated solution – is just as complex as any modern SCADA or control system environment,” Romero said. Romero then spelt out the differences between the traditional control system environment (SCADA, DCS, PLC) and IIoT. The traditional control system world is a closed ecosystem – even though there might be open protocols and open standards – and it is one that is very difficult to break into. It is enterprise-centric, centred on large organisations, and requires high-levels of expertise. By comparison, IIoT is extremely open, and almost anyone can get involved –it doesn’t require the same depth and technicality of knowledge that is typical for traditional process control environments. Further, data in the traditional setting is very siloed within single departments, while IIoT data is usually spread across a whole enterprise and, sometimes, beyond the enterprise, with very minimal effort. Romero said this openness of IIoT heavily distinguished it from the business models of the past. “The traditional control system world has a few, big players that design and make these systems, and they protect their market share, making it difficult for new players to jump in,” he said. IIoT, on the other hand, is a disruptive technology, with many players in the market. Control systems will typically feature user layer workstations, whereas the IIoT world employs apps (often on phones) and web server applications. And IIoT makes use of the cloud, where data and applications are stored. Regarding communications, many traditional systems are characterised by the use of Ethernet, though cellular communications have now moved into this architecture, particularly in
INTERNET OF THINGS
SCADA for remote access, where it replaces traditional telemetry. While there are a few commonly used protocols in the traditional space, in the industrial IoT world, there has been a great proliferation of different protocols. MQTT (Messaging Queueing Telemetry Transport) and CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol) are among the most popular. “I was at a meeting the other day with a company that comes from the traditional SCADA control world. They’ve now jumped into IIoT and have developed a whole new server platform, using their experience and background in the industrial SCADA environment,” Romero said. “They did a lot of research as to the appropriate types of protocols to use, settling for one that is often used in the finance industry, a client server protocol, but one that is extremely fast. It came out of a completely different market, but they were able to see how it could work for their IIoT solutions.” And most of the new protocols
coming through in the world of IIoT are incredibly well-suited to encryption, Romero said. “They come with very high levels of encryption, as opposed to the traditional industrial world, where anyone can go along to a two-wire transmitter with a HART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer) protocol with a handheld HART communicator they’ve bought from Ebay and connect up to it. The cybersecurity features of IIoT protocols are a key part of what makes them an industrial solution.” In sensors, Romero said that in the traditional control system environment, things had, for the most part, been the same for the last 30 years following the move out of pneumatics: often analogue, discreet, with 4-20 mA output. “In the IIoT world, on the other hand, there are a plethora of new sensor types – the MEMS devices that are making inroads in the development of a whole new family of sensor types,” he said. “There is also now, with wireless technologies, a whole new set of ways to power
sensors. This is definitely where there is a new paradigm with IIoT.” Bringing up a black and white picture of an old industrial mainframe from the 1960s on his presentation slideshow, Romero said that this was the way young people coming through the industry saw SCADA today – ancient, antiquated, massivelyexpensive systems that require in-depth expertise for operation, making barriers to entry very high. “This is a generational shift that is happening. From the old centralised computer systems, to the PC era, to this new era, which is about data centres, and where efficiency and agility is at a whole new level,” Romero said. And the IIoT shift is bringing with it a whole new set of business models, such as pay-as-you-go, a focus on operational expenditures rather than capital expenditures (which have lowered). It’s a new way of looking at things. And, often, this divide between different generations of technology matches up with a generational divide in the workforce as well. Young
people coming out of university today will be more familiar with these new structures, with little to no understanding of legacy systems. “What I’m finding as I travel around the country visiting clients and talking about IIoT solutions is that, more and more, people are interested in data, the dashboard, the app, and less and less about the equipment that gets it there, which they assume is fit for purpose. They’re far more interested in what the data will do for them and their business, and how it can be tied in with existing legacy systems.” According to Romero, to understand the world of IIoT it is apt to think of an “industrial Fitbit” for the process environment, where MEMS allow for the monitoring vibration, temperature and humidity in industrial settings. A battery-powered and wireless revolution, it would appear that this kind of flexible, datacentric model, while not replacing process control systems, will be a major part of the future of monitoring and control in industrial settings. PACE
u-remote More Performance. Simplified. Weidmüller compact distributed I/O system “u-remote” is an advanced platform that’s built to ensure faster installation and setup, and designed to improve performance and productivity. At only 11.5mm wide per modular slice, its slim design and high-channel density makes it one of the most feature-rich distributed I/O platforms available. Being vendor neutral, it supports integration with all major fieldbus networks including EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP, and many more for seamless compatibility with existing plant/machine networks. An integrated web server helps speed up installation and provides real time diagnostic access to up to 64 I/O slices/cards connected. Its high-speed system bus also provides impressive electronic performance and works with as many as 256 DI/DOs in just 20 μs cycle time. Let’s connect. www.weidmuller.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 17
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CONTROL SYSTEMS
Catering to businesses near and far A company’s priorities may vary depending on where in Australia they are situated. Miri Schroeter writes.
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unbury Industrial Controls (BIC) is an automation company that mostly serves companies within Western Australia. It is about a two-hour drive from the hustle and bustle of Perth to the quaint town of Bunbury. Coming from a regional setting, the team at BIC value customer service, meeting the companies face-to-face, and making sure even the most-remote businesses in Western Australia are receiving the help they need. BIC sales manager Andrew Godber said as a small company with a couple of salespeople, it is important to invest in their customer’s time and needs. To do that, BIC needs reliable suppliers that can provide products and feedback on time. 20 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
For this reason, BIC has been working with ifm for more than two decades. “In the 23 years I’ve been dealing with ifm I haven’t had a problem. The people from ifm I deal with understand that working in a regional area is quite different to working in a CBD,” said Godber. “Relationships are important in all aspects of sale and even more so in a regional area. That feeling of trust in a product and trust in the information is really important. That personal approach makes a big difference. “When someone actually has time to listen to what we have to say and asks how the product may assist our customers, that’s positive,” he said. BIC works with industrial companies, covering automation
“Because of the nature of the businesses that we are dealing, with we can’t always wait 48 hours. With a lot of companies, it will take two working days to get products, but with ifm we get it overnight and they don’t charge a premium for it. It’s not surprising for ifm anymore. We just don’t get let down by them. It gets us positive feedback and it gets us return business.” solutions for chemical, mining, refining, beef and timber industries. “We do primary control systems for beef processing, for instance, and as a part of that we integrate ifm products. If there’s a sensing product on that
equipment that needs to be replaced, we will typically replace it with an ifm product,” said Godber. “Because of the nature of the businesses that we are dealing with, we can’t always wait 48 hours. With a lot
CONTROL SYSTEMS
Coertze endeavours to visit every few weeks and keeps in touch with customer needs. “In a CBD environment everybody just buys things from everyone. Whereas here it’s more about those relationships. “We still come out and show them new equipment. Every time I phone Andrew, he always wants to see what’s new.”
Solutions for all
Working in a variety of sectors, BIC needs access to numerous products in order to give customers the best solution specific to their needs. Godber said that ifm provides a wide range of products that are wellstocked and well-priced. “ifm has a really good condition based monitoring solution that uses
their hardware. “The solution provides the information to the frontline trades people in real time and warns them that there’s a problem forming. Then they can go to their condition based monitoring staff and get them to look specifically at an issue and determine what’s going on. “In particular, that extends the length of time between changing motors out,” Godber said. Godber explained that, in one instance, a customer was changing out a motor in their system every three months. With the right condition based monitoring solution, they were able to push that out by two years and it still hasn’t been changed. Where new systems have been put in place, ifm offers training to BIC staff and its customers so they are
well-equipped to use the system. “Our customers that are using ifm products have an expectation that they need the ability to look after and troubleshoot their own installations. “They are good, interactive training presentations that take in to account what the customers want to learn about,” said Godber. He explained that BIC relies on quality products that won’t give customers trouble. And that hint of orange from ifm’s products that sit in the work BIC does for its customers, reassures Godber that the solution they are providing is the right one. “One of the things that’s really important is that if you see it laseretched on a piece of equipment you know it’s going to be reliable. That’s priceless.” PACE BIC provides automation solutions for the chemical, mining, refining, beef and timber industries.
BIC has been working with ifm for two decades.
of companies, it will take two working days to get products, but with ifm we get it overnight and they don’t charge a premium for it. “It’s not surprising for ifm anymore. We just don’t get let down by them. It gets us positive feedback and it gets us return business.” Godber said that while some other companies achieve similar performance, there are many that don’t, which can be detrimental to business. “It’s not nice telling a customer they are going to lose 24 hours of production.”
Valued relationships
Freddie Coertze, ifm product manager of industrial communications, said most customers in Western Australia have family owned businesses so they put value on building relationships within their regions. “We find it hard to work against those companies. So when we do work with companies like BIC, we see it as a partnership. Because ifm does not have an office in Perth, JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 21
CONTROL SYSTEMS
Industry 4.0 and system changes in field operation Classic workstations and server units are increasingly giving way to virtualised solutions that provide connected, intelligent and swift computing and storage capacities, which are far more easily scalable with lower costs and maintenance requirements. PACE explains.
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istributed control systems and cloud applications running on virtual machines enable flexible remote access to a wide range of systems – from process automation to condition monitoring and maintenance programs through to tracking and management systems. As far as operating systems are concerned, conventional KVM systems have reached their limits here. Modern thin clients are therefore replacing them. As Industry 4.0 will drive transformation from analog to digital operations on the production floor and beyond, the increase in the volume
of data and information will become cumbersome when using legacy systems that use pure hardware-bound control and data transfer architectures. Virtual machines or cloud-connected systems have therefore become established as more flexible, efficient and instantly scalable. To provide constant secure access to process values, system status and production and maintenance processes from the field to the control station, both the hardware and the software of the field operating devices must meet the requirements of process and system control. Thin clients with Industry 4.0-optimised software are therefore replacing traditional
standard computers and KVM systems for remote access to distributed control systems.
Classic variants with connection problems
Compared with industry PCs in the field, operator stations with a remote connection are the much more compact, energy-efficient and low-maintenance solution in hazardous and non-hazardous areas. The classic variant of the fixed connection of an explosion-protected HMI system with a workstation in safe areas is still a common sight in the process industry. This comprises a remote
terminal that is connected to a KVM box via a copper or FO cable. The KVM box, in turn, is connected to the keyboard, video and mouse interfaces of a PC workstation in order to transfer screen data to the remote terminal and the inputs made via the keyboard and mouse to the computer. With optic cables, this means that long transmission paths of up to 2km can be covered. Current USB standards such as USB 3.0 or 3.1 are difficult to fulfil in such concepts since the connected USB devices such as keyboard, mouse or touchscreen fail due to interferences in the industrial environment and may make it necessary to restart the host. In addition, the systems lack the flexibility to be integrated seamlessly into higher network levels. Classic KVM systems cannot be connected directly to virtual workstations. They do not have the physical interfaces for the keyboard, video and mouse which must be provided by another PC or thin client. This type of hardware constellation is possible, but is much more expensive both to purchase and to commission and maintain. To connect operating and monitoring systems in the field closely to the process control technology and higher network levels, operator stations are therefore needed, which are capable of connecting to a wide range of server architectures, including virtual machines and automation in the cloud.
Future-proof Industry 4.0 solution Thin clients with Industry 4.0-optimised software are replacing traditional computers and systems. 22 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
Thin clients provide a future-proof solution for operation in the process industry, from the control centre to the field, but must be optimally tailored to the requirements of modern
CONTROL SYSTEMS
industrial networks and be compatible with all current control systems from leading manufacturers. The most important requirement is IT security. Thin clients should therefore be closed, tamper-proof systems that can only be parameterised using passcodes. Integrity and availability are important characteristics of the firmware of these systems. Security features such as the Unified Write Filter and HORM (Hibernate Once/Resume Many) increase system stability and provide higher fail-safe functionality in industrial environments. Redundant Ethernet interfaces with automatic reconnection and change-over to redundant server ensure fail-safe operation. It should only be possible to call up applications of third-party providers – such as browsers, those allowing the integration of camera images or Citrix – securely in Kiosk mode. In addition to the features mentioned above, the systems must be easily and ergonomically configurable. The thin clients from R. Stahl have been specially developed for the process industry with the above specifications and are universally acceptable. They are available both in versions for standard industry use and in explosion-protected device variants certified according to ATEX and IECEx. Variants in a hygienic design R. Stahl’s thin clients have been specifically designed with the process industry in mind.
Thin clients have become the contemporary solution for flexible and secure access to control systems.
that are suitable for clean rooms are also available. The “industrial grade” Remote HMI V5 firmware, based on the Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB operating system, enables rights management with tiered access rights to programs and applications stored centrally or in the cloud. The clearly
structured user-friendly operating interface with virtual keyboard and touch-friendly operation offers variable display options for multisession and dual-screen display. The Remote HMI V5 firmware supports process visualisation and system operation via remote control on PC workstations,
virtual server structures and cloudbased applications. To do this, the firmware controls all common remote protocols – including the latest RDP version 10.2 and VNC 5.3 – and thus ensures flexible access by any HMI station to virtual or real workstations in a network. Using KVM-over-IP technology, older PCs or required KVM connections can be incorporated into the network architecture. In addition to the Windows-based operating system, Linux-compatible versions can also be supplied with ThinManager via PXE Boot or IGEL OS. Conventional KVM systems can no longer cope with the increasingly larger networking of automation, electronics and information and communications technology. Thin clients have therefore become the contemporary solution for flexible and secure access to distributed control systems and applications via servers, virtual machines or cloud services. The Exicom 500 Series from R. Stahl provides streamlined, futureproof systems for field operation in the hazardous and non-hazardous areas, which interact with a wide range of control systems and network architectures and ensure optimum availability and system integrity. PACE JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 23
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COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS
Overtaking Industry 4.0: the coming of the cobots Will robots take our jobs? Or will they provide new opportunities for better working conditions for manufacturing workers? In his presentation at AUSPACK 2019, Universal Robots’ Peter Hern said the introduction of collaborative robots into firms is bringing the human element back in an age of machines and computers.
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USPACK 2019, Australia’s largest packaging and processing conference and exhibition, saw thousands descend on Melbourne Convention Centre in late March to see and hear the latest in technologies and solutions. For the most part, much of the talk was around Industry 4.0 and how important it is for companies to get on board with developments in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and embrace the data and digitisation revolution. With so many eager to learn how best to take on these developments, talk of development beyond Industry 4.0, about what comes next, might seem premature. Not to Peter Hern, the Country Manager and Sales Development Manager at Universal Robots Southeast Asia and Oceania, who said that the time was now to start looking ahead towards Industry 5.0. “Whenever I talk about this, a lot of people say, ‘Industry 5.0? How is this all happening? We’re not even up to speed on Industry 4.0!’ The reality is that technology changes exponentially, while organisations change logarithmically,” Hern said. “And that is always going to be the challenge. Technology will always be moving forward. Our organisations need to embrace these changes and move with them as quickly as they can. It is not always easy, but it is always the better way to go.”
Catching up to Industry 4.0 and speeding into Industry 5.0
Hern, delivering his keynote speech on the second day of the conference, said that while Industry 4.0 was currently in the ascendant and
Universal Robots is providing cobots for manufacturing businesses of all sizes.
transforming the sector, there were challenges ahead that would require even greater changes. “Demand for automation along Industry 4.0 principles within the manufacturing sector is high. But it’s not without challenges. We have to understand what those challenges are: market demands are changing, the employment environment is changing, and the face of manufacturing is changing,” Hern said. We have to embrace these changes to understand how we
can move forward. Variation and customisation are now becoming a bigger and bigger element for a manufacturer – how do we make those variations and customisations for our customers?” Hern said that, more and more, the industry was seeing shorter product life cycles, greater complexity and miniaturisation, requiring greater precision and consistency. From an employment environment perspective, higher wages and training costs, alongside a skills shortage within
manufacturing would also bring challenges. And then there’s the issue of greater global competition. “We’ve seen how the globe is becoming smaller and smaller – people can access their products from all over the world. In this market environment, how do we keep manufacturing in Australia? These are the challenges,” Hern told the audience. Hern also pointed to the growth of smaller and medium enterprises in the manufacturing sector. While larger JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 25
COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS
Universal Robots’ Peter Hern thinks that collaborative robots can make manufacturing workforces more productive.
M.I.T. back in 2016. So, no, we’re not losing jobs. What we’re finding is that our collaborative robots actually help us to become more productive. It enables companies to reposition their staff, their workers, from the dull, dangerous and mundane roles into more productive roles and higher value roles. And that’s what we want to help them to do.” Regarding automation, Hern said the reality is that less than 10 percent of jobs are fully automatable. But at the same time, he said, integrating collaborative robots can actually lead to a 50 percent increase in productivity without job losses. “The next potential industrial revolution is about returning the human touch to business: people and production; not just production. People will move out of dull, dangerous and dirty jobs, and move into higher value-adding positions. And that’s what collaborative robots can bring to your operation.”
Bringing together man and machine
enterprises tend to have large fixed installations, smaller enterprises need to be more flexible, so they seek out more relocatable equipment. “There is limited human interaction from large enterprises whereas there are frequent interactions for a small enterprise. Another difference is the separation of space: in a large enterprise, all of the machinery is guarded; in smaller enterprises, the space around the equipment tends to be shared with the workers. And, in smaller companies, there are more frequent changes in the kinds of work required as a function of more customisation and shorter runs.” Hern provided a schematic overview of the most recent “industrial revolutions” of the modern era. The Third Industrial Revolution, he said, saw more machinery brought into the plant itself, such as robotics and automation. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution – Industry 4.0 – all that automation is being connected and collected and put into the online cloud, enabling greater access to that information to make value decisions about the organisation 26 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
“Demand for automation along Industry 4.0 principles within the manufacturing sector is high. But it’s not without challenges. We have to understand what those challenges are: market demands are changing, the employment environment is changing, and the face of manufacturing is changing.” and about the production operation. “Industry 4.0 is the merging of the Internet of Things (IoT), digital supply chains, and digital manufacturing. It’s the internet technology that is allowing the interconnectivity to have rapid data, rapid decision making and value creation,” Hern said. “More accurate data enable companies to make the right decisions and improve time to market to be able to get products out the door quicker and reduce costs.” Hern said that the first four industrial revolutions were about putting more machines into the operation and, effectively, taking
people out of the production process. Industry 5.0, on the other hand, is moving towards the area of putting humans back into those operations and adding human value to the whole process. The enabler of this refocus on the human side of production, Hern said, was robots – more specifically, collaborative robots, or cobots. “When we talk about robots, a lot of people ask, ‘Are we losing our jobs to robots?’ Absolutely not. In fact, what we find is that the human robot collaboration is actually 85 per cent more productive than humans or robots alone. That was a finding from
So, how does this future really look like in a manufacturing facility? And how does it compare to Industry 4.0? The former, according to Hern, is about man or machine, while Industry 5.0 is about bringing the two together – man and machine. “Industry 4.0 is replacing platforms or people; Industry 5.0 is improving people. Industry 4.0 is about standardisation and doing lots of the same thing; Industry 5.0 allows for a lot more mass customisation, which is what customers are demanding. Industry 4.0 is about value creation from a monetary perspective; Industry 5.0 is about saying ‘Sure, we’re all in business to create value for our shareholders, but there are also non-monetary benefits for our workers. We’ve got to look after our workers if we want to keep on manufacturing,’” Hern said. Hern gave several examples of cobot use in firms. At a medical device manufacturer, production output doubled as a function of employing robots or collaborative robots to do jobs. Furthermore, the use of the cobots meant that caging for heavy and dangerous machinery wasn’t required, and much less space was used than would ordinarily be
COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS
Helping to put you in Control
Touchscreen Thermostat
the case in implementing this level of automation. “It maintained the same footprint as they were already using so there wasn’t an additional real estate cost to implement the automation. Very interestingly, though, there was a reduction in defects. That was a big cost saving for the new organisation,” said Hern. And, because they’re being moved from one operation to another as production defines the need, the cobots are never idle. “These are all small businesses that don’t necessarily have fulltime operation on one particular line. They’ve got a lot of flexibility in their manufacture and so they need the robots to do different functions at different times. It offers a manufacturer a whole lot of flexibility and reduces their costs,” he explained. Hern said that, in Universal Robots’ view, collaborative robots ought to be seen as multipurpose tool – to be used by the production staff to help them do their job better, increase the efficiency of production, and make the workplace safer for workers. Achieving maximum productivity, said Hern, cobots facilitated a merging of human expertise with technological competency. They also don’t require a total overhaul of the premises. The same space, or even less space, can be used to do more; and, in helping human workers, cobots can reduce the time that human workers are idle, and free them up to do other, possibly higher-value, tasks. “Looking forward at the future of integration between humans and machines, our workplaces will no longer be defined by traditional rules.
New technologies will define the ways we work and change the roles that we play. Workplaces will play host to humans and robotics working alongside each other as co-workers rather than just tools,” Hern said. “The IoT will mean that workers are more connected to the workplace than ever before. And with constant real-time communication available, the manufacturing plants of the future will be agile, flexible, and reactive to change.” Automation and other technologies will help reduce waste, minimise the risks to workers, who will be freed from the dirtiest and most dangerous work, he went on to say, while implementing faster and more streamlined manufacturing processes or procedures by utilising technologies like cobots will help businesses meet and exceed changing customer expectations by improving standards, reducing reputational risks, and delivering high quality products faster. “This is where we’re heading, and we’ll be faced with choices: responding or failing to adapt to change. The rewards for the manufacturers that adapt are clear; those that are slow to respond to changing expectations, by failing to embrace the future of manufacturing, risk losing business to others,” Hern concluded. “In a nutshell, Industry 5.0 is the revolution in which man and machine reconcile and find ways to work together to improve the means and efficiency of production. The greatest advance predicted of Industry 5.0 involves the interaction of human intelligence and cognitive computing. Robots are Industry 5.0 ready. Are you?” PACE
SRT-50-MOD Flush Mounted 3.5in Touchscreen Thermostat. 255K colours. Resistive responsive touchsreen. 24Vac/ dc powered and Modbus RTU RS485 communications. SKU: SXS-200M Price: $227.07 ea + GST
ITP11 Process indicator (Red) Easy to mount the ITP11 fits into a standard 22.5 mm borehole for signal lamps and can be connected to any transmitter with a 4-20 mA output. The measured values are scalable and there is also an optional square root function. SKU: AKI-001 Price: $119.95 ea + GST
RTD Temperature probe RTD probe with magnet fixing for surface temperature measurement. -50 to 200 ºC. SKU: CMS-007 Price: $89.95 ea + GST
MD5 Dual 5 Digit Process Indicator Part of the MD5 series of DCBox indicators this dual 5 Digit Process Indicator (48X96 mm) features two 4-20mA Inputs and 24 VDC Powered. SKU: DBI-035 Price: $179.95 ea + GST
Outdoor RTD Temperature Probe IP54 Outdoor RTD Temperature Probe. Loop powered, 4 to 20 mA output with -50 to 50 ºC measurement range. Other temperature ranges selectable by switches. SKU: SXS-520 Price: $129.95 ea + GST
LogBox Connect 3G
Data logger with 2 universal AI, IDI and IDO. Memory 140k records 3G connectivity for SMS alarms and free Novus Cloud Storage. SKU: NOD-011 Price: $699.95 ea + GST
Ethernet DAQ Unit
The T4 is a USB or Ethernet multifunction DAQ device with up to 12 analogue inputs or 16 digital I/O, 2 analog outputs (10-bit), and multiple digital counters/ timers. SKU: LAJ-027 Price: $315.00 ea + GST
Automation can free workers up to do less dangerous, higher-value tasks.
For Wholesale prices Contact Ocean Controls Ph: (03) 9708 2390 oceancontrols.com.au Prices are subjected to change without notice.
JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 27
PANEL CONTROLS
Easily mounted displays and controllers One of the time-consuming tasks in electrical cabinet building is cutting out rectangular holes in which to mount process indicators and controllers. PACE explains how Akytec displays make installation easier.
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kytec manufacture a series of attractive, compact programmable process indicators with a 4 digit 7 segment 24x 48mm LED Display. What sets the displays apart from other manufacturers is their installation, which is fast, simple and convenient. Rather than having to cut a rectangular hole in the cabinet the user simply drills a standard 22mm diameter hole as used for pushbuttons. The display is then locked into place with a locknut. The displays are fully programmable with an alarm output for low, within range or high levels, and are available with Red or Green (more suitable for bright sunlight) LEDs.
ITP11 loop-powered 4-20mA digital display: The ITP11 digital display features programmable signal scaling.
The ITP11is designed to be connected to any transmitter with a 4-20 mA output. It requires no auxiliary power and is supplied directly from the measured current. It features programmable signal scaling, adjustable decimal point position, display range of -999…+9999 and a square root function (for special transmitters).
The SMI200 logic controller is equipped with a Modbus RTU RS485 interface.
ITP14 universal process indicator 0-10 V / 4-20 mA The ITP14 display features a digital output and a configurable analog input. The input can accept voltage 0(2)-10 V or current signal 0(4)-20 mA, 0-5 mA. The NPN transistor output can control a load up to 42 V DC / 200 mA, which makes it possible to implement on/off control of pumps, coolers and heater.
ITP16 temperature indicator
The ITP16 can process signals from various RTDs (Pt100, Pt1000, and others) or thermocouples (K, J, N, T, S, R and others). It comes with a NPN transistor output which can control a load up to 200 mA / 42 V DC. The programmable output makes it possible to implement on-off control for heating/cooling. This output can also be used as an alarm output.
SM12 Modbus RTU RS485 indicator
The SM12 has a Modbus RTU RS485 interface and the measured values can be displayed up to four digits. The SMI2 can act as a Modbus RTU/Ascii Master or Slave. It can display modbus registers that are integer, word, float or String The ITP11, ITP14, ITP16 and SM12 digital displays have excellent legibility in various lighting conditions, from wide angles, and considerable distances even at low current. Also they feature a 28 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
IP65 rated enclosure offering high protection against water and dust, making them very well suited for industrial environments.
ITP11-W process indicator 4-20 mA loop-powered
The ITP11-W’s rugged design allows it to operate in an ambient temperature range of -40...+80 °C making it suitable for use in telemetry and solar applications where cabinets are exposed to harsh weather conditions. The ITP11-W has a compact IP65 enclosure for DIN rail or wall mounting. Moreover, it can be fixed to a tube with a diameter of up to 200 mm.
SMI200 programmable logic controller Akytec are about to release their new SMI200 programmable logic controller with a 2 x 16 line LCD display. Instead of a number of analog and digital inputs and outputs in the controller, the device is equipped with a Modbus RTU RS485 interface. Due to this solution, the SMI200’s
PANEL CONTROLS
“What sets the displays apart from other manufacturers is their installation which is fast, simple and convenient. Rather than having to cut a rectangular hole in the cabinet the user simply drills a standard 22mm dia hole as used for pushbuttons. The display is then locked into place with a locknut.”
enclosure is significantly minimized to 100 x 60 x 60 mm and fits into a standard 22.5 mm borehole for signal lamps and pushbuttons. This provides quick and easy installation. Further, plenty of SMI200s can be accommodated in a control cabinet door or on a panel. Over the RS485 interface, any Modbus I/O modules and sensors can be connected to the device. As a result, any required combination of I/O-points can be selected. In a Modbus network, the SMI200 can
Akytec’s displays are installed by by drilling a simple 22mm diameter hole.
operate both as a Master and as a Slave. The device programming is carried out using the free Akytec ALP programming software over micro-USB. The software uses function block programming and variables can be in integer, word or float format. Ocean Controls is the Australian distributor for Akytec’s process indicators. To find more information, including contact details, visit www.oceancontrols. com.au. PACE
Beamex MC6-Ex
New intrinsically safe field calibrator and communicator!
AMS AMS INSTRUMENTATION & CALIBRATION PTY LTD Unit 20, 51 Kalman drive Boronia VIC 3155 AUSTRALIA Phone: +61-3-9017 8225 Fax: +61-3-9729 9604 E-mail: sales@ams-ic.com.au Internet: www.ams-ic.com.au
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ATEX and IECEx approved for all hazardous zones Very accurate calibrator delivered with traceable, accredited calibration certificate Enables a fully paperless and automated calibration process Integrated field communicator for HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus and Profibus protocols Multifunctional process calibrator for pressure, temperature and electrical signals
www.beamex.com info@beamex.com
JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 29
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COMMENT
The relevance of industry associations in modern manufacturing plants Industry associations play an important role in the manufacturing sector. IICA NSW Chairman Peter Veron explains.
“The IICA play an important role brining the industry together through various activities throughout the year. Our members are often at the forefront of their fields – who better to inform others than the industry leaders.”
The IICA provides those in the process control sector with valuable networking, education and promotion opportunities.
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he Institute of Instrumentation Controls and Automation (IICA) has been an industry association in Australia for over 75 years and plays an important role within the manufacturing sector. This body comprises of people from all facets of process control within the manufacturing industry, including engineers, operators, maintenance staff, E&I, instrument specialists, instrumentation purveyors and students. The IICA plays an important role brining the industry together through various activities throughout the year. Our members are often at the forefront of their fields – who better to inform others than the industry leaders? Our most popular events are the technology expos, technical evenings and site visits where our members have an opportunity to network and show off the latest technology and practices in their field. The technology expos are held in regional cities as well as major cities around the country providing
manufacturers an opportunity to participate locally. Individual membership is considered valuable as it opens opportunities to participate in the many activities offered by the IICA. Our corporate members primarily consist of purveyors of instrumentation and process control equipment and services, known as CIP members (Corporate Industry Program). These CIP members see value in what the IICA has to offer and the benefits from the arranged activities and participate in our events. They benefit from the opportunities provided by the IICA to meet and network directly with key industry personnel, providing a direct benefit for both parties. Individual members also benefit by direct network and learning opportunities where project activities, industry requirements and product developments can be shared. The IICA arranges several informal social activities for our members including our annual Christmas in July function, corporate social day
such as go-karting or golf day, and our highly contested trivia evening wrapping up the year. These activities are always well attended and enjoyed by all who attend. IICA offers various courses, such as the AS4025 Safety of Machinery Workshops/Training course and the 100 per cent independent TUV Functional Safety Engineer SIS training course. CIP members hosting “at home” events are also a great learning, networking and promotional opportunity.
One of the greatest benefits with IICA membership is the ability and the opportunities available to network with your peers, competitors, industry experts, in an informal manner as well as formally, where everyone at every level is approachable and willing to share their experiences and knowledge. The IICA has events and activates scheduled for most months. To find out more about the IICA, its activities and benefits, please go to our website. PACE
IICA NSW Chairman, Peter Veron.
JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 31
B E F E A TURED IN
Automation, robotics, artifical intelligence (AI): these are the industry watchwords of the future. As technology continues to stampede ahead, bringing with it advances in efficiency and quality, businesses will need to get up to speed and adapt to a new environment. Getting informed about what is happening next at the frontier of these developments will be crucial to those working in process control. The August/September feature of PACE magazine focusses on Automation, Robotics and AI and how it is forcing industry to meet the challenge of a changing world.
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN TAKING PART IN THE NEXT EDITION OF PACE, contact Zelda Tupicoff at Zelda.Tupicoff@primecreative.com.au
INSTRUMENTATION & CONTROL
Using accelerometers in condition monitoring Accelerometers are critical in establishing a well-functioning condition monitoring system. PACE takes a look at a new portable accelerometer calibrator, the 28959G.
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he era of automation has elevated the role of sensors as integral components along the entire supply chain of manufacturing process. They are integrated in the process machinery and are critical to supply engineers and operators with machinery data. It is essential to monitor this data to identify changes and issues that may signify potential process along the manufacturing chain. Accelerometers are essential as part of condition monitoring system. Faults or potential defects in products and machinery can be easily identified by
comparing the measured vibration level with their reference data. It is of utmost important to ensure that these values are accurate to avoid misfeeding of information. Headquartered in the UK, MeggittEndevco is a company that specialises in providing state-of-the-art solutions for vibration monitoring in extreme and dynamic environments. The product line covers a wide range of accelerometers, piezoresistive pressure sensors, signal conditioners and calibrators. As the authorised distributor of Meggitt-Endevco in Australia and The 28959G is best suited for condition monitoring applications.
New Zealand, Bestech Australia is committed to continuing to offer highquality sensors for vibration testing and measurement to the local industry. The company’s product specialists and factory-trained application engineers provide advice and high-quality technical support. Recently, Bestech announced the release of the portable accelerometer calibrator, 28959G, to the Australia and New Zealand market. This portable vibration calibrator is designed for field calibration of various types of accelerometer with the highest precision. It is a self-contained calibration system that consists of a built-in exciter, signal generator, servo-amplifier, internal reference accelerometer, USB connectors, signal conditioners and all necessary mounting accessories. One of the unique features of 28959G is its capability to calibrate charge-type piezoelectric, IEPE, piezoresistive and variable capacitance accelerometer in one system. To date, this is the only device available in the market that is able to do so, as other similar calibrators are unable to support both piezoresistive and variable capacitance accelerometer together. The 28959G portable vibration calibrator is best suited for condition monitoring application and may also assist in fault finding in the industry. There are multiple scenarios in the industry where the application of this instrument is ideal. One of the applications is in the process monitoring chain in the manufacturing industry. It can be used to determine whether excessive vibrations are present in the machine, indicating faults or defects. This ensures that the process can be accurately monitored in the long term to prevent costly downtime. This portable accelerometer
calibrator can also be used to identify which part of the process monitoring chain is faulty. It can indicate whether the faults lie within the accelerometer, the machinery, or the connecting parts. As this device combines a small electrodynamic shaker and a servo loop controller, it can be used as spot calibration or automated calibration of accelerometers with different levels of G to obtain the NIST calibration certificate. This offers the users capability to conduct on-site calibration without having to send the instrument back to the manufacturers. The device can also operate as a standalone shaker, generating zero frequency and zero amplitude. This is useful to check the measurement chain all the way to the control room. This device will provide great benefit for fault finding applications especially in process and control environment. It can be used to check the performance of individual components separately and as a whole to single out the source of issue. Although it is not commonly used for, the 28959G can also be used as quality control in the manufacturing industry, especially when used to check the welding quality of products. By measuring the resonance frequency of the finished product and comparing it with the reference value, users can determine the faulty products easily. With the release of 28959G, fault finding in the process and controls environment should be easier. It can also assist the manufacturing industry to streamline their quality control process. With that being said, the 28959G portable calibrator is an excellent addition to the product portfolio of Bestech Australia as a leading supplier of sensors and instrumentation technology for test and measurement applications in the industry. PACE JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 33
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SENSORS
Radar level transmitters Vega has been a leader in radar level transmitters for over 20 years, continuing to offer improvements to the process control sector. PACE explains how the transmitters have changed over the years.
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he use of the radar level transmitter for the process industry started back in 1991. These were extremely large units and operated with a 6GHz frequency. The units were sold generally into liquid applications and were only ever considered when no other technology would work. They were a large unit weighing in at several kilograms and operated only from an AC supply In 1997 Vega released the world’s first true loop powered radar level transmitter, offering a more suitable transmitter for typical process applications. But once again they came with their limitations. 1999 saw the 26 GHz radar level transmitter being released, offering a smaller unit with a reduced antenna size and narrower beam angle (a downside to lower frequencies is the larger beam angle). Vega continued to develop and improve radar level transmitter performances through the first decade of 2000. The main changes were in the software area where, thanks to customer feedback, the parameters for setup were improved and made much more descriptive and user friendly. As with all developments you reach The VEGAPULS 69 is Vega’s radar level transmitter for solids.
a point where the components and physics of the technology have been maximised. At this stage, Vega started research on the 80 GHz frequency range. This frequency was not new to the market as it was and still is quite common in the automotive industry with reversing sensors. During the research and development of this frequency Vega carried out a number of real-life customer trials and the results of these opened up many more opportunities for the use of the radar that had never been practical before. It also allowed, for the first time, antenna sizing and adaption to many typical process fittings that exist in the industry. One of the things to note with regard to radar frequencies is that, as you increase the frequency, the antenna size and the beam angle reduce. Radar level transmitters work on the reflection of the signal from the product being measured, and the strength of that returned signal is based in the Dielectric Constant (conductivity). So, in the past, they were not considered suitable for applications that have a relatively low DK value radar. 80 GHz now allowed these measurements to take place, but, of course, there are other considerations.
Vega’s VEGAPULS 64 has a dynamic range of 120 db.
As well as the high frequency, you also need quality components that provie you very good sensitivity or dynamic range as it is commonly known as. Typically, up to this point, radar level transmitters had a dynamic range of around 90 db – that is, until the VEGAPULS 64 (liquids) and the VEGAPULS 69 (solids) were developed. Vega had manufactured a radar level transmitter with a dynamic range of 120 db. So what does this mean? Well, as with audio, for every increase of 3 db you get a doubling of the power. An increase of 30 db over the previous and existing radar frequencies achieve an increase of over 1000 times in the sensitivity of the Vega 80GHz radar level transmitters. For this increase Vega transmitters were now able to measure extremely low DK products such as plastics. Radar level transmitters, like all instruments, do have their limitations, and many limitations are set by the
physics of the technology. It is very important to take into account not just the frequency, but all the data, when evaluating whether a transmitter is suitable for the application. At Vega, 80 GHz has proven to be a large step forward in solving difficult applications, but the company has developed a model for liquid applications and a model for solids applications, as different algorithms for the types of process medium are needed. Radar level transmitters are now a very accepted form of non-contact level measurement and the use of these units has increased by many times over the past decade. But as with all developments, this one has not yet finished, and Vega is continuing to improve the transmitters. The company said that, in the near future, it will again break through barriers and open up opportunities for radar to provide more solutions in industry applications. PACE JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 35
NEW PRODUCTS
Safety door system MGB2 Classic adds intelligence to non-networked machines
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Like the recently introduced MGB2 Modular, the new MGB2 Classic is an enhancement of the globally successful Multifunctional Gate Box MGB from Euchner. Unlike the Modularvariant, however, the Classic version does not communicate using a bus system. It is instead connected directly to the respective control system, making it the ideal choice for non-networked machines that are wired in parallel. The system features two OSSD outputs, continuously provides diagnostic information via an LED indicator, and can be connected in series with up to ten devices. The modular design of the MGB2 Classic offers maximum flexibility to machine manufacturers, integrators and users. All requirements for door locking systems can be met through combination with numerous freely selectable submodules. Submodules can include pushbuttons, selector switches, key-operated rotary switches or emergency stop buttons, for example. This simplifies warehousing and allows subsequent machine modifications or expansions to be implemented efficiently. A DIP switch additionally contributes to the versatility offered by the MGB2 Classic: Depending on the switch position, the safety outputs are activated as soon as the door is closed but not locked or only when the door is safely locked. Even greater variability is provided by the locking module, which can be fastened on doors hinged on the left or right and on sliding doors. Moreover, the MGB2 Classic can be tailored to its respective task using Euchner accessories from the comprehensive Treotham range: from enabling switches to escape releases or auxiliary releases. In addition to the robust housing, the extensive diagnostic functions and the submodules’ hot-plugging capability, attention was also paid to the repair friendliness of the components when developing the new member in the MGB2 family. For example, all screws are captive
Scientifica’s slimline, versatile upright microscope Introducing Scientifica’s SliceScope – a stable, compact and slimline upright microscope. Its modular and versatile design enables it to be used for a range of neuroscience techniques including electrophysiology, fluorescence imaging, two and three-photon imaging and optogenetics. The slim profile allows easy placement of other equipment around your sample, including manipulators, light sources and perfusion systems. It provides users with the ability to remotely control the objective and condenser, which enables focus and Koehler to be controlled away from the sample area and ensures a high-level of useability in dark/ cramped areas and in vivo samples. The SliceScope is compatible with a comprehensive range of Olympus objectives, condensers, eyepieces and light sources. It’s also compatible with fluorescence turrets and a broad range of contrast techniques including devices such as LEDs, halogens and broad-spectrum white light sources. Scitech Pty Ltd (03) 9480 4999 www.scitech.com.au
36 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
and can be tightened or loosened with just one tool. Furthermore, coded terminals or an RC18 plug connector on the connection modules ensure rapid, trouble-free replacement. This greatly shortens downtimes. Treotham Automation Pty Ltd 1300 65 75 64 www.treotham.com.au
NEW PRODUCTS
Fanless AI box computer for autonomous vehicles, AI deep learning, and factory automation Backplane Systems Technology presents the new ABOX-5200G4 and ABOX-5200G1 Fanless AI Box Computers with Intel’s 8th Generation 6-Core i7-8700T. The ABOX-5200G4 and ABOX-5200G1 are AI box PCs that can support not only autonomous vehicles, deep learning AI, and factory automation, but also applications in Smart Patrol and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). The new ABOX-5200G4 and ABOX-5200G1 fanless computers are powered by Intel’s 8th Generation 6-Core i7-8700T CPU with NVIDIA GeForce GTX technology: The ABOX-5200G4 is powered by a GTX 1060 GPU, and the ABOX-5200G1 is powered by a GTX 1050TI. They can provide high computing performance on broad acceleration of computational workloads. The ABOX-5200G4 supports 1280 CUDA Cores and the ABOX-5200G1 supports 768 CUDA Cores. In regards to expansion capabilities, the ABOX-5200G4 and ABOX5200G1 both have 8x GPI, 4x GPO, 3x RS-232/422/485 to connect, and 10x GbE LAN (optional 8x PoE) with dual hot-swappable SATA storage RAID 0, 1, 5. As for operation in extreme weather conditions, the ABOX-5200G4 has a wide-range operating temperature of -40°C~60°C while the ABOX-5200G1’s range is -40°C~70°C. Overall, the ABOX-5200G4 and ABOX-5200G1 fanless AI box computers can effectively process deep learning operations with NVIDIA CUDA technology and support end-to-end deep learning solutions which play a vital role in autonomous vehicles and factory automation. Furthermore, the ABOX-5200G4 and ABOX-5200G1 can also be applied to assist systems in object
detection, basic classification, and alerting drivers (i.e. Smart Patrol, ADAS monitoring and warning). Key features: • Intel 8th Generation 6-Core i7-8700T • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU (G4)/1050TI GPU (G1) • Supports 1280 CUDA Cores (G4)/768 CUDA Cores (G1) • 8x GPI and 4x GPO and 3x RS-232/422/485 • Dual Hot-Swappable SATA Storage RAID 0, 1, 5 • 9-48V DC Input and -40~60°C (G4)/-40~70°C (G1) Operating Temp • 10x GbE LAN (Optional 8x PoE) Backplane Systems Technology (02) 9457 6400 www.backplane.com.au
New 10-gigabit Ethernet XMC modules Acromag’s XMC630 Series modules offer up to four independent 10-gigabit Ethernet interface ports. The XMC mezzanine card mounts on VME, VPX, PCIe and other embedded computing carrier boards. An industry-leading Intel XL710 Ethernet Controller provides high-performance network connectivity with advanced off-load and virtualisation capabilities. Two models are available. The air-cooled XMC631 model has four SFP+ connectors on the front panel for fibre optic or copper media transceivers and the rear I/O model XMC632 routes two XAUI interfaces to the P16 connector and is compatible with conduction-cooling frames. Optional VITA 61 connectors enable PCI Express 3.0 data rates across eight high-speed serial lanes on the XMC P15 connector. Designed for COTS applications, these XMC modules are ideal for use in defence, aerospace, industrial, and scientific research computing systems. Extended temperature operation is supported for -40 to 85°C. Employing Intel’s advanced XL710 4-port 10-gigabit Ethernet controller, these XMC modules optimise network performance with intelligent off-loading, innovative virtualisation, and advanced traffic direction. When paired with a Xeon-D processor, the two Intel devices provide a balanced hybrid solution of compute and off-load to achieve optimal performance and reduce bottlenecks. For example, with TCP stateless off-loads, the XL710 demonstrates leading performance versus TOE solutions without restricting feature usage. Other features include precision timing, Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), and dynamic load balancing. Advanced traffic steering capabilities increase transaction rates and reduce latency. The four SFP+ ports support 10GBASE-SR, 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-T and 10GSFP+Cu connections. In rugged systems, the
dual XAUI interface offers low-cost, low-power 10 GbE chip-to-chip communication over the backplane. Software support is available for Linux and Windows systems. Acromag has responded to the increasing demand for faster networking and higher density with these Quad 10GbE NIC modules. By using the latest Intel Ethernet Controller technologies, Acromag can help customers move data rapidly between systems. Metromatics Pty Ltd (07) 3868 4255 www.metromatics.com.au
JUNE/JULY 2019 www.pacetoday.com.au 37
NEW PRODUCTS
Qalcosonic E1 is certified for cooling energy accounting
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“Axioma Metering” manufactures heating and cooling meters Qalcosonic E1, which have been granted a German Cooling Approval certificate. The certificate is issued by the German National Metrology Bureau PTB, which is known and appreciated throughout Europe. From now on, all European residents may use the Qalcosonic E1 meter produced by “Axioma Metering” not only for heat but also cooling energy accounting. “Unlike heat, cooling accounting in the European Union is not uniformly regulated by the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID); hence, its requirements are set by national documents. This certificate is appreciated and acknowledged in many EU countries,” says Mantvydas Vaicius, head of commerce department at “Axioma Metering”. The company submitted an application for this certificate about half a year ago, along with the samples of the meter Qalcosonic E1. The PTB Laboratory examined the documentation provided and verified how these meters work in real terms. Besides, an accelerated life cycle test was carried out, which demonstrated how the company’s meters operate in 10 years. “Axioma Metering” has been manufacturing Qalcosonic E1 meters since 2011. Around 50 thousand meters are produced a year. The majority of the meters are exported to the Scandinavian countries, Germany and Italy. “Axioma Metering” team is planning that this certificate will help to increase the export of Qalcosonic E1 by 30-40 per cent. AMS Water Metering 03 9017 8225 www.amswatermetering.com
Intelligent monitoring system for surge protection ImpulseCheck from Phoenix Contact is the first intelligent assistance system for surge protection in the field of mains protection available on the market. The condition of the system and surge protection is recorded on a continuous basis thanks to the real-time measurement of electromagnetic interferences and surge currents. This makes the remaining service life expectancy (state of health) of the protective devices transparent, so that maintenance services become more predictable. The cloud-based analysis of the determined measured values provides completely new automated processes. Digital benefits and services, such as the connection to site information or local weather data, can be implemented easily via cloud integration. Automated order processing of replacement plugs or the simple export of measured values for your own evaluations are thus possible. Real-time monitoring ensures that the stateof the surge protective devices is always known. A status report can be created at the touch of a button at any time. Suitable for property management, critical infrastructure, or plant wide diagnostics, ImpulseCheck provides real time data and reporting to know your plants true operating conditions. Phoenix Contact 1300 786 411 www.phoenixcontact.com
38 www.pacetoday.com.au JUNE/JULY 2019
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A radar beam focused like a laser! The future is 80 GHz: a new generation of radar level sensors
The latest cutting-edge technology from the world leader: the unsurpassed focusing of VEGAPULS 64. This enables the radar beam to be targeted at the liquid surface with pinpoint accuracy, avoiding internal obstructions like heating coils and agitators. This new generation of level sensors is also completely unaffected by condensation or buildup and has the smallest antenna of its kind. Simply world-class! www.vega.com/radar IFAT 2016: Hall A5, Stand 239/338