Pace - July 2016 by Prime Creative Media

JULY 2016 | VOL.69 NO.6 | Est. 1953

INSIDE PACE

Energy Management

Factories of the Future

Wearable Inks

Solar as a Service starts to shine

Bringing back the human touch

Is this really the future of electronics?

Big Data takes off

Post Print Approved PP100008186

Utilising the full capabilities of Big Data to lift efficiency

EXCLUSIVE: Ten fluid measurement techniques that will increase efficiency

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CONTENTS

Managing Director: John Murphy Managing Editor: Branko Miletic Ph: (02) 8484 0976 branko.miletic@primecreative.com.au

Journalist: Stephanie Stefanovic Ph: (02) 8484 0769 stephanie.stefanovic@primecreative.com.au

IN THIS ISSUE

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News 5

Why building automation is critical to business Automation Innovation Summit 6

Insight into innovation - a blueprint for the future Energy Management 8 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. © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2016 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 P: +61 3 9690 8766 enquiries@primecreative.com.au http://www.australianmining.com.au

The new solar solution providing cheap energy for the manufacturing industry Mobile Communication 10

Big Data 22

Big Data digs into the mining industry Internet of Things 25

IoT and security: Hype, hysteria or cause for concern? Compressors 27

Fluid Measurement 12

Advanced Process Control 28

Ten fluid measurement plant imperatives that increase process efficiency Asset Management 14

Increasing operational efficiency using AVS Factories of the Future 16

Bringing back the human touch: Industry 5.0 concept creating factories of the future Sensors 18

Will conductive inks help wearables go truly wearable?

Improving energy efficiency of compressed air Safety record success at Fairfax’s Tamworth Press IT Security 30

The next frontier of cyber security Industry 4.0 32

Success is built into the design says submarine maker New Products 34

The latest new products for the process and control industry

ON THE COVER

Big data takes off

JULY 2016 | VOL.69 NO.6 | Est. 1953

INSIDE PACE

Average Net Distribution Period ending Sept ’15 5,521

Energy Management

Factories of the Future

Wearable Inks

Solar as a Service starts to shine

Bringing back the human touch

Is this really the future of electronics?

Big Data takes off

Post Print Approved PP100008186

Utilising the full capabilities of Big Data to lift efficiency

EXCLUSIVE: Ten fluid measurement techniques that will increase efficiency

PRINTED BY: MANARK PRINTING

How mining can learn the lessons from other industries

Innovative solutions for developing automotive embedded systems

Sydney Office Tower 2, Level 13, 475 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia

28 Dingley Ave Dandenong VIC 3175

Automation & Control 20

With the rise of Big Data, and the ability to monitor – often in real time – flow data from tanks and pipes, as well as metal and acid content, and compare it with historical data engineers are often overwhelmed with information. Nearly every aspect of the mining industry, from minute processes through to massive haul truck payloads and warehousing and maintenance activities are now measured, tracked, and stored, and these machines and

data sets can now compare and create a predictive picture for future production in a way the industry never could before. Rio Tinto has embraced this innovation path, and opened its Big Data, Analytics Excellence Centre early last year to help it deal with these reams of data from disparate sources. Put simply, the humble –and easily amendable with no tracking oversight – Excel sheet will no longer cut it in the current environment.

Ph: (03) 9794 8337 JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 3

COMMENT

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Branko Miletic Editor

THIS year’s global economic summit in Davos in Switzerland raised awareness of the opportunities of Industry 4.0 for everyone and not just for manufacturers or those with engineering degrees. Many industry, social and economic observers, including Thilo Brodtmann, Executive Director of the German Engineering Association (VDMA) have stated that in the not-too-distant future, digitisation will change the way our

Why Industry 4.0 should really matter to everyone society works, produces and consumes. However, the story of Industry 4.0 is not only about connecting masses of machines with sensors to the Internet. Sure, digitised production processes will fundamentally change many if not most existing business models, but Industry 4.0 is also about opportunities for the whole of society. Let’s take a look at sustainability as just one baseline in this argument. There

is general consensus across the world that the digitisation of industry and industrial processes will also be good for the environment. This is because companies will then be able to optimise their production processes in regards to their energy and resource consumption. In terms of scheduling, thanks to Industry 4.0, companies will also be able to produce products right where their clients need

them, without the cost and effort of shipping. As Thilo Brodtmann has noted on numerous occasions, Industry 4.0 holds the promise of a clean and sustainable industry. “Finally, Industry 4.0 is an opportunity to adapt the economy to a growing world population because of its flexibility and efficiency. In Europe, where society is aging, digitisation can create jobs that are not physically demanding. In this way, Industry 4.0 improves the working environment in companies and offers opportunities for older employees to contribute to the work process. The precondition is that we begin to prepare the workforce in time for their new challenges, and teach workers IT and engineering skills,” he said. “It is equally important for the broad success of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that people are not afraid of new technologies, but see the possibilities and think about how to make the most of them. If we do Industry 4.0 right, not just industry will benefit, but society as a whole,” added Brodtmann. So unlike much of our current political discourse, Industry 4.0 is not just a two or three-word throwaway slogan but a solid and concrete path for much of modern society to embrace and follow. The ultimate effect of Industry 4.0 will be one of allowing all those involved to optimise their processes and in turn not just streamline their profitability, but also ensure that the resources all of society relies upon are properly used and not over-abused. branko.miletic@ primecreative.com.au Like us on Facebook and join the conversation facebook.com/PACEtoday

4 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

NEWS ANALYSIS

BUILDING AUTOMATION

Smart building technology is critical to business success Next generation workplaces will drive innovation, productivity, and attract talent according to a new report.

ustralia’s commercial real estate leaders have cited smart building technology as critical to business productivity and employee wellbeing. This is according to a new report published by Schneider Electric. The report is based on interviews with nearly 100 industry experts from the corporate real estate sector. Preeti Bajaj, VP for Strategy & Transformation at Schneider Electric, said, “It is encouraging to see industry

Key trends highlighted in the report include: • Data driven improvements to workspace design and usage through the collection of activity and location data gathered by converged systems and the IOT • Introduction of apps into the workplace - with employees able to personalise their daily workplace experience through an app on their smart device

Australia’s commercial real estate leaders have cited smart building technology as critical to business productivity and employee wellbeing. experts recognise smart building technology as important to their business strategy.” “Smart technology has the power to transform our old-style offices into hyper-connected responsive and controllable machines. This results in healthier buildings that enable smarter, more innovative and productive workplaces.” “The challenge we have in Australia is that the industry is hesitant to invest in change. With the evolution of smart buildings well underway in Europe, developers, tenants and advisors here in Australia need to work together now to reap the rewards of these technological advancements and make next generation workplaces a reality.” Driven by a changing workforce, smart building technologies are shaping the workplace of the future for the better.

• Optimisation of the multigenerational workforce – through smarter, flexible design which meets the needs of a sociable, tech-savvy Gen Y as well as being fit for the older generation • Heathier and happier employees who work harder – drawing on smarter design and new wearable technologies to promote movement and healthier experiences in the workplace “We have seen how smart buildings are creating connected human-centric workspaces that have intuitive awareness of occupancy and usage,” Preeti added. “But ultimately, buildings are only enablers of economic activity. People, workplaces and technology must each be considered of equal importance in increasing productivity and innovation.” PACE JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 5

AUTOMATION INNOVATION SUMMIT

Insight into innovation a blueprint for the future Attendees of the recently-held 2016 PROFIBUS and PROFINET Global Forum and the Automation Innovation Summit were inspired by an international roster of experts, learned about the role of Industrial Networks and innovation in their organisations, and also gained new insight into the urgency of using automation to improve productivity, writes Andrew Dummett. Global Technical expertise

Mathew Dulcey and Paolo Silva from Procentec covered diagnostics and network maintenance strategies, while the audience gained insight into how Industry 4.0 will impact on manufacturing worldwide, thanks to Karsten Schneider, PI Chairman and Martin Mueller, Global VP of Automation at Phoenix Contact, who spoke about how his company is integrating the technology into its production, and the results of that integration. For attendees looking for the next step up in process automation, networking may be the key, noted Karl Buettner, Marketing Manager at Endress+Hauser (Switzerland). He presented on the latest industrial network technologies, while Professor Frithjof Klasen from the Technical University of Cologne, and owner of network services company AIT, showed the progressive development of PROFINET in expansive modern networks, that can contain tens of thousands of devices. The morning of the forum would not have been complete without representation from Australia, with Andrew Brown, Fortescue’s Lead Control Systems Engineer, providing a case study on how FMG’s Solomon Mines is utilising PROFIBUS and PROFINET in their operations.

The hows and whys of innovation

After a morning session full of information and inspiration from both local and international technical experts, attendees were treated to an in-depth analysis on innovation and Australia’s transition to a digital future. 6 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

Broaching themes like innovation will be key to Australian industries’ continuing competitiveness on the global stage, so how can government and industry stimulate innovation, and create a pathway for higher productivity, where do trends and technologies like automation, the Industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 fit into this? Representatives from industry associations, academia, and government were on hand to debate these pressing issues during the afternoon session at the Automation Innovation Summit. Organisations interested in taking a systematic approach to building an innovation culture heard from Professor Sam Bucolo from the University of Technology in Sydney (UTS), who presented on Design Thinking as a way to foster innovation. Professor Mark Dodgson from the University of Queensland gave an insight in critical stakeholder dependencies and contrasting practices in other global areas. For their part, and representing and speaking to the engineers in the audience, Engineers Australia CEO Steve Durkin reflected on the critical role engineers will play in Australia’s industrial innovation, while Jennifer Conley from the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council (AAMC) emphasised the innovative possibilities within the local manufacturing industry. From an SME point of view, Daniel Boland from the Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand explained how small and medium sized businesses can achieve rapid growth and flexibility by leveraging innovation.

To complete the presentations, Karsten Schneider, global PI Chairman, Michael Bowne from PI North America and Michael Freyny, Executive General Manager at Siemens Australia contributed with their experiences as system and technology experts in the field of automation.

Consensus on collaboration

Following the individual presentations, the representatives then engaged in a podium discussion facilitated by Professor Chris Aldrich from Curtin University, WA. A key topic was the need for closer collaboration between academia, industry and government. International stakeholders compared the situation in Australia with their experiences back home. The general consensus was that stronger guidance and long term vision was needed from the government at all levels. The presenters also agreed that Australia needs to maintain the viability of manufacturing and to improve productivity in the mining industry —

to do so will require greater innovation and the adoption of the tools used in Europe and the Americas, namely IIoT and Industry 4.0. In explaining the ambitions behind the 2016 PROFIBUS and PROFINET Global Forum and the Automation Innovation Summit, Rafael Koenig, Chairman of the PROFIBUS and PROFINET Association of Australia (PAA) said that the event successfully connected technology leaders from around the globe with local technology suppliers, users, academia, and the automation and process control community. At the same time, the event was able to leverage the international expertise to deliver real insights and action points for the local industry. “The Automation Innovation Summit has given us a great starting point and flushed out view points and needs for us in Australia,” said Mr. Koenig. “We can now build a network of relevant people and organisations, in order to continue contributing to the innovation process in Australia.” PACE

A NEW ERA OF SAFETY.

Since the invention of the light curtain, SICK has spent more than half a century developing pioneering innovations for a safer industrial world. The market leader for safety technology is now once again entering a whole new age with a new generation of safety laser scanners, light curtains, switches, and encoders: microScan3, deTec4 Prime, STR1, and DFS60S Pro. Whatever angle you approach industrial safety from, there are common aims: to set new standards for safety and productivity and to enable customers to implement pioneering solution concepts their way. We think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intelligent. For more information please visit www.sick.com.au or call 1800 334 802 (Tollfree).

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Solar as a Service providing cheap energy for industry Australian businesses within the manufacturing and process industries often highlight energy costs as the second highest burden their businesses face behind raw material costs. “We know from customers that being more environmentally friendly is of concern - especially those who use a lot of energy or operate on a 24/7 basis. So offering Solar as a Service is enabling companies to cross two things off their list: saving energy bill costs and doing their bit for the

Under Solar as a Service, businesses can keep the same solar electricity rate for up to 15 years, protecting them against any possible future electricity price hikes, or they can choose a CPI indexed rate.

hile solar has long been an option for manufacturing businesses to help reduce their energy costs, until now the costs of installing a large enough system to meet their energy needs has been too high for most. Now with the release of Origin’s Solar as a Service, companies are now able to enjoy the benefits of low cost solar energy without having to make the capital investment in the solar system. Richard Parker, General Manager of Townsville Engineering is one business owner that has been considering going solar since 2014 but never pursued it until Origin launched Solar as a Service. Origin’s Solar as a Service option allowed Richard to install an 80kW solar system on his roof without any 8 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

capital investment in the system. The system is generating a third of the business’s energy needs at a rate much lower than what they are paying for electricity from the grid. “The whole process has been really easy since Origin came back to us with this new option. We’re excited to see the new electricity savings, but are also glad that we can find a way to be environmentally conscious,” he says. Townsville Engineering’s premises covers over 5,000 square meters and services local government operations, mining companies, bulk-handling facilities and maintains an export line in mining equipment. Richard’s decision to finally move onto an efficient solar system is not only beneficial to the organisation, but also the community. “As a business that operates for almost 10 hours a day, this is a great service. I feel very positive about the

change and can’t see any negatives.” According to Phil Mackey, General Manager, Solar and Emerging Business, Origin’s “Solar as a Service provides businesses with a simple way to save money on their energy bills by providing them with access to low cost solar energy at a lower price than they are presently paying for their grid energy.” “Plus the business does not have to pay for the system or worry about ongoing maintenance as Origin owns the system and looks after all this. This option is ideal for companies with unshaded roof space, who plan to be in their premises for the long term and operate during the day.” Under Solar as a Service, businesses can keep the same solar electricity rate for up to 15 years, protecting them against any possible future electricity price hikes, or they can choose a CPI indexed rate.

environment,” says Phil Mackey, General Manager, Solar and Emerging Business, Origin. The amount that each business can save will depend on their daytime energy needs, roof space, the size of the system installed, the length of their Solar as a Service agreement as well as what happens more generally with retail electricity rates. The customer doesn’t need to be with Origin for grid supplied electricity to take up the offer. “The service is something that adds great benefit to not only a company’s cash flow but also to their green credentials too. And, at the end of the day, it gives companies a solution for some of their biggest and ongoing considerations,” Mackey concluded. PACE Origin Energy www.originenergy.com.au 13 23 34

THE INTELLIGENT

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DRIVESYSTEMS

MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS

Automotive software experts to streamline development of connected-car applications STMicroelectronics has announced its collaboration with ETAS, a provider of solutions for developing automotive embedded systems, and ESCRYPT, an ETAS subsidiary focused on security for embedded software.

oday’s auto designers rely more and more on electronic control units (ECUs) to manage intricately featured applications, including brake-by-wire, automatic transmission, multi-mode lighting, parking assist, collision avoidance and many others. These ECUs are enabling “digital” control of each function of the car through sending commands over the communication network that interconnects the vehicle sub-systems. Moreover, more cars are becoming connected to the cloud enabling new functionalities like OverThe-Air (OTA) software updates, remote diagnostics, and the forthcoming V2X communication. To safely support such trends, there is an acceleration in the deployment of robust hardware and software security platforms that are managed over the entire vehicle lifetime. ST said it was working with ETAS and ESCRYPT to deliver a cost-effective platform for sub-system developers to create ECUs that ensure a high level of protection for vehicle-owners’ privacy, OEMs’ intellectual property, ECU functional integrity, and secure communication among the car’s ECUs and the cloud. “This well-architected and easyto-use development platform will deliver unprecedented convenience to customers in the form of a ready-made solution that combines the security know-how of ESCRYPT, ETAS, and ST,” said Luca Rodeschini, Director Strategic Business Development and Microcontroller Business Unit, Automotive and Discrete Product Group, STMicroelectronics. The solution ST is developing with ETAS and ESCRYPT leverages the SPC58 series of power-efficient and real-time-capable automotive microcontrollers, which feature a built-in Hardware Security Module (HSM) as well as multiple state-ofthe-art CAN FD interfaces, plus LIN, 10 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

FlexRay, and Ethernet with timestamping to implement both control units with a functional integrity check and an in-vehicle network with encrypted communication. This approach expands ST’s offering for connected-car defense, which also includes Secure Elements, or embedded SIMs (Subscriber Identity Modules), for protection against Internet-based attacks on ECUs and gateways that can steal

SPC58 automotive microcontrollers deliver the underlying ruggedness and hardware security the industry needs at a competitive price. personal data or compromise important vehicle systems. “SPC58 automotive microcontrollers deliver the underlying ruggedness and hardware security the industry needs at a competitive price. They have already been selected by a major Tier-1 supplier for a secure OTA (Over-The-Air) application that enables remote software fixes and upgrades without requiring customers to bring their vehicles to a repair garage,” added Rodeschini. ESCRYPT is contributing its expertise in secure ECU communication, including distribution of OTA software updates, and provides firmware and middleware for ECU developers to utilise the SPC58 HSM. Together, the HSM and ESCRYPT’s security technologies handle all the necessary authentication of trusted sources and prevention of access by unauthorised agents. “We provide our product CycurHSM, the essential

solution that exercises the HSM and our Key Management Solution to secure every aspect of the ECU’s activity, including secure boot-up, programming, and updates, as well as secure in-vehicle communication,” explained Dr. Thomas Wollinger, Managing Director of ESCRYPT. The solution leverages ETAS’ proven RTA software products that support ECU code development. RTA-BSW (Basic Software) consists of a full AUTOSAR solution including AUTOSAR R4-compliant basic software capable of supporting safety-critical ECUs for both passenger cars (ISO 26262) and off-highway (ISO 25119) domains. RTA-BSW is complemented by ISOLAR-A and ISOLAR-EVE tools for authoring and testing a full ECU software stack in a virtual environment.

AUTOSAR, the AUTomotive Open Systems Architecture, is the accepted automotive industry framework for scalable, interoperable, standardscompliant embedded systems, which enables developers to bring new products to market quickly and costeffectively while allowing scope to create differentiating features. “We are building on a proven record of successful collaborations with ST,” said Dr. Nigel Tracey, leader of the ETAS Application Field RTA Solutions. “With our comprehensive ECU development environment, and the added dimension of advanced security from our subsidiary ESCRYPT, this new platform will enable OEMs to maximise the value of the connected-car concept and quickly build confidence among partner organizations and end users.” PACE

Today’s auto designers rely more and more on electronic control units (ECUs) to manage intricately featured applications, including brake-by-wire, automatic transmission, multi-mode lighting, parking assist, collision avoidance and many others.

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FLUID MEASUREMENT

Ten ways to increase efficiency in fluid measurement

ccurately measuring the flow and level of the various liquids and gases that travel through a process industry plant is a critical function for effective and efficient plant operations. Plant upgrade or maintenance projects that focus on continuous improvement and automation of flow and level measurement will improve plant productivity and lower overall production and maintenance cost by: • Optimising process efficiency and control • Increasing product through-put and yield • Decreasing the use of consumables • Reducing energy costs • Simplifying maintenance and avoiding unplanned maintenance • Ensuring employee and community safety • Complying with environmental regulations Ten important industrial process plant functions that can benefit from accurate, repeatable and reliable electronic flow or level measurement are:

• • • • • • • • •

Pump protection Tank liquid level/interface Plant gases distribution Fluid additive/injection monitoring Compressed air consumption Boiler fuel gas and air optimisation Tank blanketing Analyser flow assurance Stack gas monitoring (CEMS, QAL1, MCERTS) • Flare gas measurement 12 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

1. Pump protection

Pumping systems are extremely important to the continuous operation and production costs of process industry plants. It’s important for plant pumping systems to be 100 per cent operational with minimal downtime. As a result, flow monitoring for reliable and trouble-free pump protection is a necessary requirement to detect dry-running conditions. Failing to detect pump dry-running conditions results in extra maintenance and can shorten the life of a pump, which is typically expensive to replace. The use of a flow switch, such as FCI’s Model FLT93S, rapidly detects declining flow rates, which can provide early warning to operations to the potential of pump run-dry events. Preventative flow monitoring extends the pump life cycle and increases the intervals between scheduled maintenance. The flow switch is optimally installed in the feed line or discharge line of the pump, and it features two adjustable alarms/relays which are typically set with the first as a low flow warning signal and the second as a no flow (an empty pipe). It is shut down to avoid costly pump damage.

2. Tank liquid level/interface The reactor is often the central process in chemical and many other types of industrial process plants. Level switches, such as FCI’s Model FLT93S, are installed to support various reactor, vessel or tank applications, protecting and ensuring the accuracy of reactor processes. For low level monitoring, the switch is mounted near the bottom of the reactor or a flow switch is installed

in the reactor discharge line to detect a near empty or empty reactor, thereby eliminating contamination between batches. A level switch is also used for high level detection/alarm to prevent an overfill or spill condition. Furthermore, a thermal dispersion technology level switch is highly adept as a fastresponding interface sensor, detecting between foam, emulsion or any non-miscible fluids inside a vessel.

3. Plant gases distribution

Many chemical and other process type plants utilise large amounts of nitrogen, argon, oxygen, hydrogen and other gases in their processes, plant power and safety systems. Thermal mass gas flow meters, such as FCI’s Models ST50, ST75 and ST100, directly measure mass flow for accurate and repeatable process control and/or inventory purposes. Where sub-metering is desirable to track individual location or station gas usage and its costs, thermal mass air/gas meters are effective solutions. They measure wide turn-down and are effective at measuring very low gas flows to detect the slightest usage or even a leakage condition. Furthermore, they have almost no pressure drop and no moving parts to maintain to achieve the lowest installed cost.

4. Fluid additive/injection monitoring

Liquid and gas additives are frequently injected into processes, including for example oil well heads, mercaptan into natural gas, chlorine into water treatment and more. To assure

chemical injection flow is occurring, Model FLT93L is an inline flow switch for smaller pipe diameters which can detect gas flows down to 0.6cc/ sec and liquid flows down to 0.02cc/ sec – suitable for virtually all injection processes. This switch’s no-moving-parts flow element design provides = durability and reliability under harsh process conditions. Moreover, the inherent thermal time delay, available in all FCI flow switch/monitors, prevents false alarms caused by flow pulsation and eliminates the need for auxiliary time delay relays.

5. Compressed air consumption

Compressed air is useful for many industrial processes and plant applications. In compressed air systems, accurate, repeatable flow measurement helps to reduce the consumption of pneumatic air, improves manufacturing, assembly and process plant efficiency, and identifies leakages to eliminate wasted energy. Compressed air flow meters, such as FCI’s ST50 with its specially-designed FPC type compressed air sensor design, can measure compressed air accurately and rapidly detect system inefficiencies or expensive leaks. The installation of air flow meters in large facilities with multiple air compressors allows operators to compare compressor usage and adjust them for optimum efficiencies. The use of mass flow meters at the point of compressed air output also helps to ensure peak performance at a given flow rate.

FLUID MEASUREMENT

6. Boiler fuel gas and air optimisation

Carefully monitoring the natural gas flow fuelling plant boilers minimises fuel consumption, lowers plant energy costs and reduces pollutant emissions. Optimising the fuel-to-air ratio for boiler control helps to both reduce plant fuel costs and protect the environment. The natural gas flow measurement solution provided by thermal mass flow meters, such as FCI’s Model ST98, allows facility engineers to monitor and control the amount of fuel needed to run HVAC boilers efficiently. The direct mass flow sensing technology of these thermal meters eliminates the need to add a temperature sensor, pressure sensor and mass flow computer as is needed with other meter technologies. Eliminating these components, as well as the plant real estate that they occupy and the technician time needed to install and maintain them, reduces plant instrument and operating costs.

7. Tank blanketing

flaregasNitrogen tank blanketing is a practice commonly used in the chemical, petroleum refining and other process industry plants to reduce the hazards associated with flammable liquids, improving safety in the plant and helping to increase productivity. Blanketing or padding is a process of applying nitrogen gas to the vapor space of a tank or vessel, minimising the possibility of an explosion or fire (Fig 1). Blanketing also helps decrease product evaporation and protects the tank from structural corrosion damage caused by air and moisture.

Air/gas flow meters, such as the Model ST100 from FCI, help to measure the flow rate of nitrogen more accurately in tank blanketing applications. They provide a repeatable and reliable output necessary for the tank blanketing valve to operate as designed, and provide safety and cost savings.

8. Analyser flow assurance

Gas chromatographs (GCs), mass spectrometers, optical spectrometers and photometers are a few examples of analyser technologies applied in process and plant systems that need sample flow assurance. It is an accepted industry best practice that sampling systems have some type of flow monitor to assure valid samples and analysis. Analyser flow switch/monitors, such as the FCI FS10A, are designed specifically for gas and liquid process analysers and sampling systems. It features a fast responding, highly repeatable sensor that installs easily into a standard tube tee fitting or new SP76 (NeSSI) modular manifold. The instrument’s microprocessorbased electronics, on-board keypad and serial I/O computer port provide easy and extensive field adjustability.

9. Stack gas monitoring (CEMS, QAL1, MCERTS)

Flue gases are the general name given to the mixed composition gases that are the by-product of a combustion process. A flue is typically a large pipe, duct, stack, chimney or other venting attached to a process system such as a boiler, furnace, steam generator or oven, through which waste flue gases are exhausted from the combustion process.

Fig 1: Nitrogen tank blanketing minimises the possibility of an explosion or fire.

Flue gases need to be monitored accurately for process control data and reporting, which is often mandated by environmental and regional air quality regulations. Single- or multipoint air/gas mass flow meters, such as FCI’s Model MT91, ST102A, ST98 and ST100, offer accurate and cost effective solutions to flue gas measurement. Thermal dispersion insertion flow meters provide a costeffective and accurate solution to flue gas flow measurement.

10. Flare gas measurement

Flaring systems are used to burn off and dispose of waste, excess or off-gases and as a safety system to protect processes and equipment. They are found throughout the world in oil, gas, petrochemical refining and other industrial processing plants. Flare flow meters are a critical component used in these systems that measure, monitor and report these gas flows (Fig 2). Flare flow meters, such as the FCI ST100 Series, provide plant operations with a tool to signal abnormal process changes, early leak detection and report on flared gases to comply with environmental agency reporting regulations for greenhouse gases (GHG’s). Flare flow meters are installed in both land-based and offshore platform flare systems throughout the world. Furthermore, many flare systems include an assist gas line, such as natural gas, to ensure effective and efficient combustion. Inlinetype (spool-piece) thermal flow meters, such as FCI Models ST75 and ST100L, support flare gas flow control, measure flare gas

consumption and flow rate, as well as providing totalised flow data.

Conclusions

Fluid flow and level measurement accuracy and reliability are critical in many industrial process and manufacturing plants. They support efficient and high quality production operations, protect workers and equipment, ensure compliance with environmental regulations and reduce total operational costs. Plant upgrades, maintenance projects and process control initiatives that focus on improving the measurement and control of flow and level, better ensure that plants continuously operate as efficiently as possible. The various manufacturers of flow and level instruments offer applications expertise and experience across multiple industries. Their factory and field application engineers can provide optimum, cost-effective solutions for most common plant installations and also have the ability to engineer custom measurement solutions to meet unique or challenging special plant requirements. If you’re experiencing a measurement or control problem, chances are instrument manufacturers already have solved it before in similar plants and conditions. Frequently, the installation of the current generation of intelligent flow/level instruments, with smart sensors, diagnostics and bus communications capability will pay for themselves after installation in a sometimes surprisingly short period of time. AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 www.ams-ic.com.au

Fig 2: Flare monitors are used to monitor and report gas flows. JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 13

ASSET MANAGEMENT

Increasing operational efficiency using AVS Zebra Technologies Corporation has expanded the Zebra OneCare managed services portfolio with the availability of its new Asset Visibility Service (AVS).

esigned to increase mobile computer and thermal printer performance, AVS offers insight into device health, utilisation and availability in customer environments resulting in increased productivity and operational efficiency. It utilises a factory-installed agent available on Zebra devices which, when activated, provides quick and easy asset visibility for retailers, manufacturers, healthcare organisations and transportation and logistics companies with no lengthy configuration or commissioning process.

Asset Visibility Service provides insights that proactively address and prevent service issues, enabling customers and partners to deliver operational predictability and increased efficiency while reducing costs from asset shrinkage and spare devices. Powered by the company’s innovative cloud-based, big-data Asset Visibility Platform (AVP) capabilities, AVS provides at-a-glance dashboards to show utilisation, performance and availability of business-critical assets. It leverages advanced predictive analytics to provide recommendations so customers and partners can maximise operational performance. According to Zebra Technologies Vice President of managed and support services Jenna Stanley, “Mobile computers and printers are essential tools for a productive 14 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

A noticeable increase in warehouse productivity

workforce, no matter the size of the business. Employee productivity declines when these devices are lost, run out of power or use an outdated application or operating system.” “Asset Visibility Service provides insights that proactively address and prevent service issues, enabling customers and partners to deliver operational predictability and increased efficiency while reducing costs from asset shrinkage and spare devices.” In speaking about the increased efficiency of the AVS in relation to food, Senior Technical Director of Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific Wayne Harper said “Asset Visibility Service in the food industry benefits all manufacturers and operators who use our equipment in similar ways. For a food producer, reduced downtime would lead to increased productivity. Ensuring that your fleet of devices is working optimally also reduces potential impact on the quality of food in the supply chain.” This new, economical service is ideal for customers and channel partners who need valuable businesscritical data about device health and usage but do not need the more expensive two-way remote management capabilities of a mobile device management (MDM) tool.

Zebra also assisted in helping Toll Global provider to experience significant productivity gains through the implementation of the TC8000. The enterprise-class mobile computer is a landmark innovation in warehousing technology that will drive significant gains in productivity and decrease worker fatigue. Zebra worked with users around the globe to completely re-think, re-design and re-engineer industrial mobile computers based on deep research and human factors analysis. The ergonomic and lightweight TC8000 mobile computer offers an innovative design that reduces muscle effort by eliminating the need for “tilt and verify” motions that warehouse workers repeatedly conduct with traditional devices. Shaving seconds off each repetitive motion can save up to one hour per worker per shift – increasing productivity by an average of 14 per cent based on workflow. Customised Solutions, a service offering of the Toll Global Logistics division that specialises in purposebuilt and multi-user warehousing facilities, partnered with Zebra as one of three companies globally to pilot the new rugged TC8000 mobile computer. The results were proven in the demanding environment of one of Customised Solutions’ Altona distribution centres, where the site has seen a rapid improvement in scanning speed and elevated workforce user experience through the pilot. During the pilot, the business measured pick performance against existing devices across a sample of users, providing an opportunity for employees to move to the latest digital technology in their everyday operating behaviours. In reflecting on the partnership between Toll and Zebra Technologies, Wayne Harper concluded: “We’re thrilled that Toll saw such strong results during the

trial of the TC8000 in its facility. With its revolutionary design, the TC8000 mobile computer is the greatest advancement in warehousing technology in more than two decades. Companies can expect to boost productivity by 14 per cent as the TC8000 will enable workers to be more efficient and deliver more accurate information. Ultimately, this will help businesses operate more profitably.” PACE Zebra Technologies (02) 8860 9194 www.zebra.com

The ergonomic and lightweight TC8000 mobile computer offers an innovative design that reduces muscle effort by eliminating the need for “tilt and verify” motions that warehouse workers repeatedly conduct with traditional devices.

FACTORIES OF THE FUTURE

Bringing back the human touch:

Industry 5.0 creating factories of the future

hile there is a global movement built around creating smart, connected factories of the future, a new trend towards putting the human touch back in production is transforming the manufacturing process. Picture this: Robots brandish the tools and perform all tasks while human workers oversee operations. Supported by smart technology, humans and machines collaborate simultaneously on the factory floor. Believe it or not, this kind of futuristic scenario is already taking place in factories across the world. This phenomenon, referred to as “Industry 5.0” or collaborative 16 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

industries, reflects a growing view amongst manufacturers of the need to respond to increasing demand amongst customers for a higher degree of individualisation. In fact, 85 per cent of manufacturers consider the “connected workforce” - that is robots and humans working together - being routine in manufacturing by 2020. Moreover, an overwhelming majority of manufacturers now describe it as an essential element in their business strategy.

The creative touch

While robots are excellent at manufacturing standard products using standardised processes in a high production volume, customising or

personalising each and every product can be a challenge where robots will require guidance. Hence, maintaining the human touch within production processes is critical. In production processes, automation can be used to its fullest potential only when there is a spark of human creativity influencing the process. On its own, an automated production with traditional industrial robots will do only what it is being told - often only after long and strenuous programming efforts. Collaborative robots or “cobots”, however, work in sync with human employees. In this situation, man and machine complement each other, as the human can be responsible for customisation,

while the robot processes the product or prepares it for human attention. In this way, the employee is empowered and uses the cobot as a multifunctional tool, just like a screwdriver, packaging device or palletiser.

Job creation

A recent report into skills gaps by Deloitte suggests that in the next decade, there will be 3.4 million jobs with only 1.4 million qualified workers to fill them. Robots are perfectly matched for many of these roles and cobots in particular can work sideby-side with human workers. Cobots are useful because they can take over mundane, repetitive and dangerous jobs while human workers move into

FACTORIES OF THE FUTURE

higher-value positions. The biggest threat to job security is the failure of a business to remain competitive, and automation offers

“The employee is empowered and uses the robot as a multifunctional tool, just like a screwdriver, packaging device or palletiser.”

employment opportunities within businesses as they can increase productivity and encourage upgraded skillsets. Rather than replacing their human counterparts, these devices work alongside people in manufacturing and processing tasks. Moreover, as manufacturers aim to increase outputs and develop new product lines, cobots can help them multiply their workforce and transition employees from monotonous positions into roles with greater job satisfaction and compensation.

Better roles

The cobot is not designed to replace the human workforce, but to take companies a competitive advantage over strenuous or even dangerous through higher and more consistent tasks. As a result, human employees product quality, greater output can use their creativity to turn to and lower overall costs. In the food more complex projects. For instance, industry alone, robots are expected to when robots take over minor assembly create 70,000-90,000 jobs worldwide tasks, employees can move on to more between 2017 and 2020. nuanced assignments that require When compared to other A D _ P A C E A MS F E B _ 1 3 . p d f Pa ge 1 9 / 0 1 / 1 3 , human ingenuity. industrial robots, cobots can increase

For example, at Australian plastic injection moulding company Prysm Industries, workers used to stand in one spot for hours at a time to label products every six to seven seconds. After choosing to deploy a Universal Robots robotic arm, the manufacturer could automate this repetitive activity and free up staff to take on other responsibilities. Staff members feel a sense of pride from having learned to operate the robot and their ability to work on other activities has increased their job satisfaction. In addition, Prysm now saves $550 in labelling expenses every day that the robot is in action. Undoubtedly, the connected and collaborative workforce presents vast opportunities to boost manufacturing productivity and innovation. It also presents the prospect of enhancing safety and satisfaction in the workplace, while enabling more exciting roles for human workers and stimulating job growth itself. 1 0 : 0 0 AM As manufacturing processes

evolve to become more smart and connected, less agile competitors that are too slow to adapt will be left behind. Manufacturers must realise that collaborative factories offer not only the potential to improve operational efficiency and other previously mentioned benefits, but also the potential to reduce rising labour costs in increasingly competitive markets. PACE Written by Shermine Gotfredsen, General Manager, Universal Robots APAC References: Accenture, ‘Machine Dreams: making the most of the Connected Industrial Workforce’, https://www.accenture.com/. Deloitte, ‘The skills gap in US manufacturing 2015-2025 outlook’, http://www2.deloitte.com. International federation of Robotics, ‘Positive Impact of Industrial Robots on Employment’, http://www.ifr.org/. Universal Robots APAC 6635 7270 www.universal-robots.com

JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 17

SENSORS

Will conductive inks help wearables go truly wearable?

he first generation of wearable devices are constructed using mature, rigid technologies put inside a new box that can be worn. These are often bulky devices that are not truly wearable in the sense that our clothes are. This however, is beginning to change, albeit slowly. New conformal, clothing-based components are emerging. Recent announcements from Google’s Project Jacquard, in collaboration with Levis, shows that the technology and fashion industries are starting to make real progress through collaboration. This project is but one example of

18 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

work being done and the IDTechEx Research report, E-Textiles 2016-2026: Technologies, Markets, and Players, finds that electronic textiles (e-textiles) are on the cusp of rapid growth, forecasting the market to increase from under US$150 million in 2016 to over US$3.2 billion by 2026. Many still argue that e-textiles are solutions looking for a problem, but IDTechEx Research finds that there is tremendous interest and progress right across the value chain. This includes material suppliers, traditional textile companies, contract manufacturers and brand owners. Conductors will inevitably play an indispensable role in

any e-textile system. Naturally, conductive inks suppliers are all very interested. However, these suppliers face challenging conditions in their traditional well-established market sectors. For example, IDTechEx Research report, Conductive Ink Markets 20162026: Forecasts, Technologies, and Players, forecasts that the combined market for the previously wellestablished photovoltaic and touch screen edge electrodes will achieve a measly compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of one to two per cent between 2016 and 2026. The latter segment is forecast to decline whilst growth in

the former will be hugely constrained thanks to the decreasing average silver consumption per cell. In fact, these traditional markets are increasingly characterised by low demand growth, intense competition, high customer price sensitivity and low customer loyalty. This is yet another reason why conductive inks suppliers are hugely interested in new high-growth applications areas such as e-textiles.

Do conductive inks win out? Conductive ink suppliers are touching and feeling their way into the e-textile market. Many have launched speciallydesigned inks on the market and most

SENSORS

are also having to proactively help form and develop the nascent value chain. This is currently still more of a push than a pull market. This is a complex space since conductive inks are one of many approaches being concurrently developed for e-textiles. To name a few, these approaches include metal cabling, textile cabling, conducting knits, conductive wovens and conductive inks. There is no clear-cut winner. This is because some approaches win, say, on ease of integration with existing processes or maturity, whereas others win on increased clothing-like appearance and feel. Project Jacquard’s smart jacket, built specifically for urban bikers, is an excellent example of a compromise in these areas, with the look and feel being key in the selection of conductive yarns as the primary material. Still, there is no one-size-fits-all solution and the winner will be specific to an end use and/or a

production process. This makes sense as the traditional textile world itself includes many fabric types, production processes, and end uses. Despite the appearance of familiarity, this is an incredibly diverse and complex industry. The technology composition will therefore be a mixed bag in the medium-term as e-textile manufacturers will likely select their conductor of choice based on the specific requirements of each application and their own existing production processes. In the long-term, e-textile conductive inks will have a larger addressable market than all of the other solutions. This is because they offer the highest degree of universal applicability: their integration is a post-production process that can be used by almost any textile manufacturer unless the fabrics cannot withstand high laminating temperatures or are very loose. In the short to medium term however, the risk is that some end

applications are more equal than others. For example, IDTechEx Research finds that smart sports clothing alone will make up 65 per cent of the market by 2020. The challenge is therefore in identifying, targeting and winning in specific highgrowth application sectors.

Not the finished article yet

The ink technology however is not the finished article. Achieving washability, direct-on-fabric printability, and high stretchability are challenging technical requirements. The industry is only beginning to accumulate expertise here. Therefore, this is the beginning of the beginning and we expect better e-textile conductive inks in the future. The process is currently too complicated because the inks need to be printed and cured on a substrate such as TPU before being encapsulated using a similar substrate. The film then needs to be hot laminated over the fabric. This approach improves

Smarter grid automation.

washability and durability, and does away with the technical headache of having to develop a different ink optimised for each fabric substrate, but screams out to be simplified. TPU itself is the first choice of encapsulate but not likely to be the last. This is because it is not the most stretchable, thus restricting the clothing-like feeling of e-textiles particularly if large areas are covered. Companies are already experimenting with other material systems such as TPU/silicone combinations. Silver costs can also be a limiting factor. This opens the way for carbon or graphene-based inks in applications where high conductivity is not required. In the long term, copper inks may also be an option but they have a long way to go to prove their reliability and technology maturity.  This article was written by Khasha Ghaffarzadeh, Research Director, IDTechEx

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AUTOMATION & CONTROL

Innovations from other industries will enable a more sustainable mining industry As mining endures the downturn, it now has the opportunity to adopt innovations from other industries, Adrian Hale, director of Natural Resources, Asia Pacific South, Dassault Systèmes, writes.

s mining company profits continue to be pressured by the uncertainty that remains in the global economy, the industry is on a quest for innovation to help increase productivity. The mining industry tends to be slow in adopting new technology, but given the state of the industry – change is paramount in order to survive. By employing new technologies used by other industries, mining companies can better manage their businesses and their bottom line. As such, we can learn from other industries’ use of innovative technology to improve mining. By looking to other industries, the mining industry can incorporate new applications into existing technology for improved productivity. More advanced simulation and 3D technology, as well as big data and the interoperability of systems, must be used at each stage of the mining cycle to improve productivity and output levels. Bold moves are needed to propel the industry forward. To understand where mining can look for innovation, it is useful to examine what has led to successful 20 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

transformations in other industries. Take, for example, Toyota - it became the world’s largest and most successful producer of automobiles by becoming an agile business – one that rapidly adjusts itself in light of changing demand and economic conditions. In essence, it put the framework in place to become a much more sustainable business. It started at the very bottom of its business by establishing operational stability to gain better control over manufacturing processes. To become agile and sustainable, mining companies need to achieve operational stability – the predictability of expected mine production, costs, and performance levels. This requires mining and plant processing activities to function at higher levels of productivity and efficiency so that conformance to plan is always realised. The quickest avenue to improved operational stability begins with reducing the variability in the planning and execution of mining and processing, which requires comprehensive planning, optimised scheduling, and disciplined work management.

Stability increases throughput, reduces waste and associated costs, and ensures production and quality targets are met. The key lies in harnessing operational data. While “big data” may be produced in mining in terms of volume, it must become visible, analysable, and it must be made actionable to executives, mine management, and frontline workers. If it is, the path to mining execution excellence, and eventually business agility, is paved. Enabling technology from other industries is one of the most important requirements to begin the journey. Establishing predictability in operations is the first step towards transforming mining businesses in a meaningful way. Without control over operations, attempts at becoming agile may not deliver the desired value. If mining businesses do not understand how healthy their operating processes are (including their inputs, plans, equipment, labor, and supporting activities), and how well they are functioning in the now, they will continue to waste resources (capital, equipment, labor, and even the

mineral assets). Decades ago, the manufacturing industry established processes and systems to support operational stability, setting a foundation for agile decisionmaking and dramatic transformations. Today, companies from a wide variety of industries can design, simulate, and manage their businesses by leveraging seamless collaborative environments, connecting their operations, employees, suppliers, and even their customers. This technology exists today for mining companies, if they choose to embrace it. One of the most significant challenges mining operations face is conformance to mine plan. Achieving it often requires scrambling to make up shortfalls and increasing expenditures. Significant productivity benefits can be gained by reducing instability. If planning and operational data is used effectively, it can provide rapid insight into how well activities are performing, enabling fast adjustments as operating conditions change. The analytics operational data enables will also drive continuous improvement. Mining Execution Management

AUTOMATION & CONTROL

Systems (MES) / Mining Operations Management (MOM) platforms, which integrate data from every mining data source on the site, enable superior work management through increased visibility and control over performance. Companies can expect up-to-the-minute tracking and management of: mining and processing activities; equipment; maintenance; labor; support; and other inputs and outputs. Mining companies can update activities and tasks between scheduling cycles; gain real-time visibility into capacity, availability, and performance; and better manage activities, tasks and/ or priorities to account for changes in production and unexpected events. In addition, they can instantly communicate new and updated work orders wherever they are required, provide efficient handover of incomplete activities and tasks between shifts, and obtain assurance that activities and tasks are completed to specification (sequence, time, duration, tons, grade, maintenance, safety, regulatory compliance, etc.).

When connected to scheduling systems, the benefits of MES/MOM in mining are amplified: linking to scheduling ensures continuous feedback loops are part of the scheduling process

“Establishing predictability in operations is the first step towards transforming mining businesses in a meaningful way.” for production, blending, waste, maintenance, and support schedules. This allows for adjustments to be made rapidly, within shift, which keeps production on track. While MES/MOM systems are not yet widely employed in the mining industry, manufacturing and other industries have used them for decades. In these industries MES/MOM has played an enabling role in conformance

to plan by reducing variation in processes. We understand how 3D technology from other industries can be applied to the mining industry, and how it can enable operational stability by reimagining how productivity is addressed through next-generation technologies. Some of the results of borrowing technology from other industries include a 2-4 per cent increase in operating margins and reduced variation to plan by 20 per cent or more. One mining company, alone, has improved mine production output by 44 per cent and doubled mine production. Another aspect of achieving stability is improved collaboration to drive planning. Bombardier, an Aerospace company, provides an illustration of how significant improvements can be made to engineering. We partnered with global aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace to develop more innovative aircraft in response to intense competition and changes in the aviation industry. 3D models became the central source of all product information for

Bombardier, integrating internal teams and worldwide development partners. Bombardier rolled out a global platform that enabled geographically dispersed teams to collaborate anytime and anywhere, with each contributor able to access up-to-date information in the cloud. The results were a 62 per cent drop in the time taken to develop multiple iterations of existing designs, 95 per cent less time for engineering calculations and 80 per cent less time to locate design information. Advanced simulation also has a role to play in aiding the mining industry. Sydney-based mining consultancy, Coffey, has used our SIMULIA software, widely used in automotive, oil and gas and other industries, to improve both open pit slope stability for their rock mechanics analysis and underground safety. There is plenty of opportunity for innovation in the mining industry, and numerous proven technologies used in other industries that can be deployed today. The examples presented here are just but a few of what is available. PACE

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BIG DATA

Big Data digs into the mining industry Whilst it is leading the way in terms of remote operations and automated systems that allow a miner to operate a mining truck from thousands of kilometres away, at the other end of the scale enormous processing and metallurgical operations are monitored, controlled, and planned using Excel sheets despite the fact that mountains of precise technical data is already being collected writes Cole Latimer.

ith the rise of Big Data, and the ability to monitor – often in real time – flow data from tanks and pipes, as well as metal and acid content, and compare it with historical data engineers are often overwhelmed with information. Nearly every aspect of the mining industry, from minute processes through to massive haul truck payloads and warehousing and maintenance activities are now measured, tracked, and stored, and these machines and data sets can now compare and create a predictive picture for future production in a way the industry never could before. “We see a significant number of mines that have data locked away in individual systems but now want to federate that data together, instigate Nearly every aspect of the mining industry, from minute processes through to massive haul truck payloads and warehousing and maintenance activities are now measured, tracked, and stored

Metallurgical Intelligence, is a whole-of-plant management software that utilises thousands of data points to provide clean, accurate data, combined with automated intuitive reporting

new processes, involving their people in new ways to achieve better outcomes. Mining generates Big Data because the number of sensors are growing rapidly and systems involved are becoming more intelligent, so the challenge ahead is to federate that data,” Cisco Systems engineer Michael Boland said. Rio Tinto has embraced this innovation path, and opened its ‘Big Data’, Analytics Excellence Centre early last year to help it deal with these reams of data from disparate sources. Put simply, the humble –and easily amendable with no tracking oversight – Excel sheet will no longer cut it in the current environment. This need for a greater data control, oversight, and comprehension is compounded by the recent changes to the ASX governance rules. Publically listed companies will now need to

thousands of data points to provide clean, accurate data, combined with automated intuitive reporting that integrates with existing systems, software, and processes, and can be tailored to individual sites. Speaking to Metallurgical Systems managing director, John Vagenas, he explained the program was developed as there was a gap in the industry, and many mines were missing an opportunity to evolve their operations through the use of Big Data analytics. The need for this system is being even more prevalent as the higher level engineers get closer to retirement age, and take not only their skills but also their knowledge of plant operations and what are often proprietary data systems with them, leaving a large knowledge gap. Metallurgical Systems began life as

22 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

disclose their exposure to economic, environmental and social sustainability risks for the first time. This means miners need to present accurate, relevant corporate data, e.g. their operating data and compliance frameworks, to a level that was previously not required. With this growing need to utilise the full capabilities of Big Data analytics to comply with ASX rules and lift efficiency, combined with clarity of data – as well as the capability for preventative maintenance – Metallurgical Systems has developed a program designed to tick these boxes, and which has already been road-tested at a number of copper and polymetallic operations globally. The program, Metallurgical Intelligence, is a whole-of-plant management software that utilises

an offshoot of Elemental Engineering, a process simulation and process development company focused on mineral and metallurgical processing. Elemental is already well known for its work on OZ Minerals’ hydromet demonstration processing plant. It parlayed this knowledge from Elemental to spin out the new company focused on its plant information system, Metallurgical Intelligence. Using Tableau, Metallurgical Systems has allowed for data integration and drill down capabilities for engineers, operators, managers, and stakeholders in a user friendly environment, providing a total overview of every aspect of plant operations without the need for lengthy training programs or a background in IT. “Once the system has enough information gathered from all the

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BIG DATA

monitoring devices throughout the process, it can run a dynamic simulation of the entire process system down to individual tank level, building it from each node – and keep in mind that a plant may have 2000 to 3000 nodes,” Vagenas said. “This is a system that can examine and monitor information minute by minute, and be used to conduct detailed investigations and resolve issues.” The program can also combine this information with data gathered from historical sources and the lab to calculate plant chemistry and throughput, and combine this with data collected from the mining process, as well as power generation and distribution data, to give a never before

shared amongst the company. Vagenas gave the example of how it can delineate information, using one client’s experience on how it collects and presents data in a meaningful and accessible way. This major miner powered its plant using a number of different electricity suppliers; it used the program to figure out the percentage each supplier provided per hour, and the costs, and then used this information to renegotiate contracts. The program also allows for operating prediction, as it can overlay information which can then be used to compare relationships between aspects such as throughput, plant chemistry, acid usage, and recovery over certain

Put simply, the humble –and easily amendable with no tracking oversight – Excel sheet will no longer cut it in the current environment.

The program can also combine this information with data gathered from historical sources and the lab to calculate plant chemistry and throughput

seen level of interconnectedness and oversight over an operation. “This program can query any places that data is being stored, gather it together, filter it for quality and then organise it in a common structure where you can use it effectively,” Vagenas said. The ability to get right down to an almost ridiculously granular level makes the program a stand out. “This program can break down how different parts of the plant are performing, across any given shift or across a period of time, and how inventory is changing through the site,” he said. “It validates what’s in the refinery at any given time, down to the equivalent item level, and what’s in each tank,” Vagenas said. “It helps you understand what’s in your plant, what’s changing, and how it is changing.” “You can get the details on how much acid is being consumed by each element, and how much material is leaching is in each tank, and the tank profiles.” With this understanding, greater efficiencies in ore blending, use of consumables, and power usage can be gained. This data can then easily be 24 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

periods of time or different shifts, and then use that data to predict future performance. It can also be used for maintenance purposes. As it allows for a drill down to individual instruments and sensors, the program can be used to see which sensors are gathering data and where they reside in the plant, and if not those individual nodes can be investigated to find out why. This system is also explicitly transparent, Vagenas said, as it uses individual log-ins and tracking to show what changes were made, and who made them. It brings companies up to par in terms of the new ASX changes by making them compliant with the new codes, and makes their data easily externally auditable, and allows the company full access to their own data to make better, more incisive business decision. Vagenas demonstrated its ease of use, highlighting its simple drag and drop system, stating that by using the Tableau interface for reporting it makes the process a lot more intuitive, and helps cut tasks that previously took hours down to minutes. He added that Metallurgical Systems is also adding new user interfaces to the program in November, as “we think we can make this even better”. “This program is breaking down Big Data, and letting engineers get back to their job of analysing information and actually running the plant.” Metalurgical Systems 02 9114 9088 www.metsystems.com.au

INTERNET OF THINGS

IoT and security:

Hype, hysteria or cause for concern?

ny new technology is bound to have its share of challenges and barriers — for example the initial security concerns around cloud computing — and the Internet of Things (IoT) is no different, writes Robert Le Busque. With smart devices adding billions of new access points into enterprise systems and communicating with the network, IoT security will be key. A number of studies have looked at IoT device security, such as research by HP that shows that 70 per cent of IoT devices it tested contained security flaws. But just how big are the security threats?

Potential targets

With IoT still in its infancy, it’s difficult to say with certainty what we’re facing. But we can look at what we do know. Of the projected five billion enterprise devices that will be around in 2020, not all of them will necessarily be Internet-visible, and not all devices will be sending sensitive data. In fact, many of them will be simple devices that have

a single function, like a light sensor. That said, any device that is connected, regardless of whether it’s IoT-enabled, is a potential target for a cyber attack. The devices themselves may not be the end target (they could be used to carry out malicious activity as part of a botnet attack), but they could be used as a gateway into the broader enterprise network and critical systems.

Don’t panic, same rules apply

IoT is all about making the things around us smarter, but many sensors, especially those embedded in assets, must be frugal. Limitations on space mean that processing power and battery life are often limited. This means that many sensors aren’t capable of running the endpoint protection capabilities we’re used to seeing in more sophisticated assets, like laptops. But while some familiar security rules — such as applying anti-virus to all endpoints — don’t relate to IoT systems, many do:

• Authenticate all IoT connections. Digital certificates provide a robust solution without compromising practical operation. • Ensure that patches are applied to IoT devices promptly. The 2016 DBIR found that most attacks exploited known vulnerabilities where a patch has been available for months, often years. You don’t want to have to rely on manual methods to keep hundreds or thousands of devices up to date. Investigate secure methods to deploy updates automatically. • Only collect the information that you need from IoT devices, and dispose of it securely when you no longer need it. If you don’t have it, it can’t be stolen. • Encrypt sensitive IoT data. Encryption won’t stop criminals from stealing your data, but it will make it a lot harder for them to do anything damaging with it. • Segment IoT networks and systems to limit the spread and damage of

any attack. You don’t want a breach of a relatively innocuous sensor to lead to the compromise of your Connected Device or enterprise systems. Segmentation will also help reduce the amount of sensitive information criminals can exfiltrate.

Don’t cut corners

As IoT devices become more widespread and closely integrated with core enterprise systems, the more important it is that security is made paramount from the start. Just as with any other IT system, organisations should regularly assess the risk, apply appropriate security measures, and test their effectiveness. PACE Written by Robert Le Busque, Managing Director of Sales Operations and Strategy in APAC, EMEA and LATAM, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Verizon Enterprise Solutions 02 9434 5000 www.verizonenterprise.com

JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 25

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COMPRESSORS

Improving energy efficiency of compressed air Recommendation

CCAS Project Engineer, Syed Abbas (left) with ALT Manager, Lee Mascall (middle) and CCAS Technical Salesman, Aaron O’Connor (right) outside ALT’s new Jandakot premises.

f a compressed air station isn’t running properly, it will be using more electricity than needed – and wasted electricity is wasted money. Cleveland Compressed Air Services (CCAS) helps users understand their usage profile, enabling them to reduce energy consumption and overall business costs, solve compressed air problems and improve productivity. A customised audit at Aqua Leisure Technologies (ALT) investigated leakage and provided consistent results. ALT is the largest manufacturer of technologically advanced swimming pools in Australia. In 2015, the company engaged CCAS to conduct a compressed air energy audit on their existing system in Welshpool to understand their usage profile, reduce energy consumption and overall business costs, and improve productivity.

A compressed air energy audit is often the first step to reduce operating costs, improve manufacturing productivity and reduce capital spending. “It is essential to address all air compressor problems and look at the big picture in order to create a total solution,” explains CCAS Project Engineer, Syed Abbas. Today’s advanced energy surveying equipment can audit all areas including generation, treatment, distribution and process usage. To measure the system’s power, output performance and cost of energy, CCAS Project Engineer Abbas used a data logger over a 24-hour cycle for a typical week. The data revealed that the 75kW compressor was operating inefficiently between 35 to 40 per cent load at the production levels at the time and estimated that the additional cost of operating this compressor would be $35,000 per annum in power alone.

Leak detection

Leaks are a significant source of wasted energy in a compressed air system, often wasting as much as 20 to 30 per cent of the compressor’s output. “All compressed air systems have leaks – even a wellmaintained system may leak by as much as 10 per cent, but the leak rate of an unmanaged compressed air system can be as much as 50 per cent of the generated output and in certain applications even higher figures have been measured. An audit can detect each and every leak – even from a long distance (up to 15 metres) – which is useful in places that are not easily accessible or visible, optimising your resources and significantly reducing energy losses,” says CCAS Project Engineer Abbas. A leak test on the ALT compressed air piping system indicated a leakage rate of 24l/sec, and the estimated cost of producing this amount of air is $6,270 per annum.

As result of the audit CCAS recommended the installation of new Boge equipment including the frequency controlled SLF61-3 and S40-3 compressors plus DS120 and DS75 refrigerated air dryers as well as CC oil water separators, all managed with the airtelligence provis 2.0 central control system. “The use of system controllers, which control multiple compressors around a single set pressure, is one of the individual measures that results in the greatest and most sustainable improvements in efficiency,” says Abbas, the Cleveland engineer. Using the actual compressed air consumption, the airtelligence provis 2.0 for instance calculates the increased or reduced requirement and automatically selects the optimal compressor combination. The provision of compressed air based on consumption means that idle time is virtually eliminated. This significantly increases the energy efficiency of the compressed air station. Furthermore, installing the new equipment and Transair pipe work at ALT’s new premises in Jandakot would deliver long-term savings and improved efficiency.

Great Results for Aqua Leisure Technologies

In May 2015, CCAS installed a new compressed air system and associated Transair pipe work at ALT’s new Jandakot premises. To demonstrate the improved efficiency and longterm savings, CCAS conducted an audit of the new system, compared to the existing system in Welshpool. Results showed significant control improvements as well as an annual saving of nearly $54,000 which means ALT made back the money they invested getting the audit done over 26 times. Boge Compressors Australia 03 5940 3266 www.boge.net.au JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 27

ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL

Advancing safety at Fairfaxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tamworth press With the advancement of the digital age, gone are the days where printing presses were required to reside within close proximity to the journalists, who would rush a story down to the print room for inclusion in tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newspaper. It now makes good business sense to invest in new technologies and consolidate print centres to service a broader geographical location.

28 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL

airfax Media Print Distribution’s original printing press in Tamworth, New South Wales was installed back in 1997. The press was constructed from second-hand equipment from various sites around Australia and was approximately 25-30 years old. As a result of restructuring and with the requirement to consolidate a number of regional printing presses, a new greenfield facility was built in Tamworth and existing equipment from regional areas including Wagga, Nowra and Warrnambool were relocated to the site. With a strong focus on health and safety at the site, Fairfax conducted a risk assessment with participation from Goss International and Rockwell Automation. Based on the findings of the risk assessment, an innovative safety solution was commissioned at the site. This culminated in an enviable safety record for the press that is based on the latest technologies in integrated control and safety.

Driving safe print production

In addition to printing its main paper, The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth Press is also responsible for publishing newspapers for the surrounding regional towns. Each week the print centre goes through 15 to 20 tonnes of newsprint. January is one of the busier periods with additional print runs needed to meet the demands of Tamworth’s country music festival. The team produces around 20,000 to 30,000 copies of the festival guide. To continue to meet these requirements while putting safety first, a risk assessment was conducted to provide insight into ways to improve safety outcomes and productivity at the press. According to David Hedges, plant manager at Tamworth Press, “As a company, we are very focused on safety. We want our workers to go home in the same condition they arrived to work that day so safety is paramount in everything we do here. We looked at ways to improve

procedures and what we could do to improve the safety aspect of the work.” As part of a national move towards increased plant safety, regulations have been introduced which specify various employers’ duties for plants under their management and control. These regulations require the employer to undertake the risk assessment process for either new or relocated plants. The machine guarding and risk audit identified the required safety category for the guarding. “Fairfax have rigid safety standards and take safety very seriously so this safety solution went the extra mile to exceed current requirements,” said Matt Sharkady, general manager at Goss International. “Having worked with Rockwell Automation previously, we knew that their control and drive solution would meet these safety requirements. In addition, the fact that they had an experienced, local team that could do all the engineering was another reason that made Rockwell Automation stand out as the most appropriate choice for this project. “It meant that we were working in a real time interface and their engineering team could visit the site to commission and make sure everything was working well as opposed to working with an overseas group where the time zones would be out of sync,” he explained.

Integrated control and safety

Key to the success of the project was the requirement for a completely integrated solution that would provide effective safety, drive and process control for the press. “GuardLogix safety controllers met all the safety and control requirements for the press. The control and drive system was configured so that some particular safety guards could not be opened until the press reached a slow speed, while opening a unit guard at the inappropriate time would stop the press to help prevent injuries,” explained Peter Tomazic, senior solutions consultant at Rockwell Automation. DeviceNet provided communications between the Safety IO and GuardLogix to deliver

integrated safety, drive and process control. Four PowerFlex DC drives are used to power the press, which are linked back to the control system using ControlNet communications. There are also more than 110 Sipha Sensors put on the guards throughout the press. For fast troubleshooting, the PanelView graphic terminals display the status of the guards, showing which guards are open and which ones are closed. “If an adjustment has been made to a part of the press and the guard is left open, we can see from the console exactly which guard was left open. We can then go directly to close that guard so the press can continue to operate as usual,” explained Hedges. “Another feature of the solution is the ability to integrate additional guarding among the machinery. When we decided to add some doors in front of the reel stands to protect the printers from moving rollers, we were able to loop this additional guarding into the existing program really easily which was very beneficial for us,” he said.

Safe guarded record

The press contains six print towers, including six reel stands with two folders that create the end newspapers. This print line can either be run as two independent presses (each containing three print towers with a folder) or they can be run as one press. “To allow for this we introduced zoning into the safety system so that when used as one press, all of the press’s safe stops are active but if they are run as two separate presses the safe stop of one press does not control the other. There is also an emergency stop which can stop everything if required,” said Tomazic. In the design of the safety system, there was no stone left unturned which is why there is not one moving part that anyone can get hold of without having to take a guard off. There are over 150 guards just on the press alone, to keep fingers out and avoid serious injuries. “Sometimes guarding can be cumbersome and cause issues with

maintenance and production but with this solution there has been no hold up in production or maintenance schedules and it provides the safety and work environment for staff that we were wanting to achieve,” said Hedges. “In addition, we have found the working components offer great reliability and on top of that, we have implemented a monthly check list to make sure all the guards are working correctly and operating correctly. Every month we physically disconnect and open the guards on all our guard switches,” he said. Since the installation of the press there have been no failures on the guard switches and there have been no injuries or near misses thanks to the high level guarding at the press. This is reflected in the press’s safety record, which is the best in the group. “We’re now up to 2369 days without lost-time injury so we know that our staff will be able to go home at the end of the day in the same way they came to work each and every day,” said Hedges. Rockwell Automation 03 9757 1111 www.rockwellautomation.com

There are over 150 guards on the press to keep fingers out and avoid serious injuries. JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 29

IT SECURITY

The next frontier of cyber security

hen a company’s information technology (IT) system is hacked, a business’ immediate concerns are about sensitive documents being leaked, websites being altered or data wiped. Brad Yaeger, Director Process Automation Offer Management and Business Development, Pacific, Schneider Electric explains. The implications can be profound. The good news is that the government is taking a step in right direction to protect organisations from this sort of threat

30 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

with the recently announced Cyber Security Defence Strategy. While the announcement allows for a $230 million budget on initiatives, such as a Cyber Security Growth Centre and the appointment of a Cyber Ambassador, questions have been raised about whether this focus on IT protection is enough. As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) comes to fruition, it is cyber security at the operational technology (OT) layer that now requires attention. This is the ‘nuts and bolts’ machinery that keeps Australia’s biggest

industrial networks running smoothly. Think mining, manufacturing, electricity, water organisations or gas networks. At its most basic, OT is the equipment that monitors and alters physical devices such as pumps or switches. In our increasingly connected world this technology is now prevalent in most businesses, from simple lighting and cooling automation to complex motor control. Make no mistake, the protection of business operations beyond information is an essential frontier which must be reinforced. Organisations need to act

on the threat of cyberattack before they implement new technology, not after. This isn’t just a theoretical idea either; it’s had very real consequences. The risk of cyberattack becomes even more serious as organisations increasingly use smart technology (for example, sensors) to connect industrial devices. To give perspective on the impact, research organisation Research and Markets valued the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sector at US$93.99 billion in 2014 alone and expects it to be worth US$151.01 billion by 2020.

Helping to put you in Control

Graphic Recorder

Industrial equipment that previously worked in isolation becomes part of a network that is only as strong as its weakest point. Consider the impact of a water system malfunction that cuts off water to an isolated town or a small factory mishap that shuts down a production line for hours. For example, in Ukraine just months ago, hackers remotely installed malware and switched breakers that were part of an electrical grid. The result of this simple alteration was a blackout affecting 225,000 people. The attack was the first known successful cyber intrusion to knock a power grid offline. Although it is the first known such attack, it certainly isn’t the only one, and it isn’t the last. These sorts of attacks aren’t uncommon, but they are rarely spoken about unless they cause significant damage. In 2000, a disgruntled Queensland resident used simple radio commands to remotely control sewerage equipment which they had previously worked on. This caused 800,000 litres of raw sewage to spill out into local parks and rivers - an entire system brought to its knees by a simple weak point. The associated costs of having vulnerable technology targeted can vary from significant to astronomical, especially considering large scale operations like mining, manufacturing or utilities. It isn’t just big industrial operations that are at risk of having their OT threatened. Everyday business offices could be shut down by hackers simply targeting susceptible building management systems. They have the potential to cut ventilation, disable heating/cooling systems or simply set off alarms. Cisco estimates the IoT will consist of 50 billion

devices connected to the Internet by 2020. We’ve never been more linked by technology, and we’ve never been more at risk. Schneider Electric also agrees with the government’s belief that cyber security belongs at the centre of business strategy and what is needed most is cultural change to foster this. Part of this cultural change must be the open discussion of OT protection. While the government’s strategy touches on the topic, there is not enough linked to the protection of operations. When protecting the OT, it isn’t the information that is most precious, but continued operation. Without key OT operating, businesses cannot function. Conversations around this need to happen now, rather than later. We need to grow awareness, and make cyber-security part of our business culture. The dynamics and developments in cyber security are constantly changing. Businesses and organisations must be at the forefront of this change and leaked documents can’t be our foremost concern when addressing the cyber security threat. Hacking one piece of industrial equipment can now be the same as attacking a million. And when considering the types of organisations at risk, the scary part is that millions of people can be directly affected. Australia prides itself on its thorough expertise in IT protection and is home to many experts in the field that are constantly working to keep the nation safe. The next step is to consider the risks for IT and OT together and provide industrial protection at all levels. Schneider Electric 1300 369 233 www.schneider-electric.com.au

Fully-featured graphic recorder has 8 universal inputs and a 5.7” high definition touch panel. Supports RS-485/422 communication (Modbus, PC-link). Ethernet adapter for connection to a remote monitoring service and Smartphone Apps SKU: HND-001 Price: $1349.80 ea + GST

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FieldLogger Data Logger 24VDC Fully-featured data logger has 8 universal inputs and can use Modbus slave devices for many more. Internal 512k memory can be augmented with a USB key or SD memory card. 24 VDC/AC powered. SKU: NOD-006 Price: $1349.00 ea + GST

Integrated Easy Servo Motor NEMA 23 encoder-backed stepper motor with integrated driver. Standard pulse and direction input. Advanced DSP driver uses encoder feedback for servo like operation. SKU: SMC-136 Price: $359.95 ea + GST

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4-20mA Loop Current Simulator/ Generator The KTA-366 is a 4-20mA loop powered current generator designed to make testing and measuring 4-20mA loops simple, it is suitable for testing 2 and 3 wire transducers; it has two operating modes, Simulate and Generate mode. SKU: KTA-366 Price:$178.00 ea + GST

For Wholesale prices Contact Ocean Controls Ph: (03) 9782 5882 oceancontrols.com.au Prices are subjected to change without notice

JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 31

INDUSTRY 4.0

Success is built into the design says submarine maker The transfer of world-leading technologies to Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manufacturers was part of the lobbying efforts from Future Submarine contestants. Brent Balinski spoke to Dassault Systemes co-founder Philippe Forrestier about what they bring to the table.

The German team frequently highlighted the potential to migrate the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Industry 4.0 capability over here, helping defence suppliers and others make the leap to the next industrial age.

32 www.pacetoday.com.au JULY 2016

INDUSTRY 4.0

he contract to design Australia’s new submarines was good news for French defence company DCNS, but it was also a major win for software company Dassault Systemes. A pioneer in aerospace and with customers including Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin, it is also used by BMW, with a claimed $1.3 trillion in projects underway using its software globally. “Note that we didn’t do anything in order to deny our competition; we prefer the facts to show the reality,” the company’s co-founder and its Executive Vice President, Philippe Forrestier, told PACE earlier this month. “The reality is there is $1.3 trillion of projects using our solution end-to-end to build the most prestigious solutions in the world, whatever we are talking about: airplanes, cars, submarines, frigates and so on.” The competition to design the 12 Future Submarines, Australia’s biggest ever defence contract, was intense. Forrestier acknowledges an “underlying competition” subtext among the PLM providers in this. For Dassault, being a part of the winning bid is good news for its attempt to claim more of the naval market, where it is a relative newcomer, though it is gaining a foothold in shipyards in Korea and elsewhere. “When the Chinese recently selected their platform for their ships, they selected the 3D Experience platform from Dassault Systemes,” he said. “DCNS who were also willing to go to the next plateau at the end of last year, they chose our solution as well.” It partnered with DCNS in February, and will provide the “digital twin” of every single part of the subs. Everything will be designed, built and tested in the virtual before the real world using Dassault’s 3D Experience platform. The job is one involving extreme complexity, with challenges of integration, communication and collaboration in the cyber and physical worlds, as well as converting huge amounts of accumulated

information into dashboard displays. Then there is the job of only sharing the IP that is necessary to share between the many participants. “The same way as when Boeing and Airbus are using the same suppliers they don’t want to provide to the suppliers all the different secrets of those companies, they provide what is necessary and they collaborate on what is absolutely necessary and these solutions allow that,” Forrestier explained. Among the underlying PLM competition was a pitch for who would spread the most benefit for Australian manufacturers. The German team frequently highlighted the potential to export the country’s Industry 4.0 capability, helping defence suppliers and others make the leap to the next industrial age. Dassault contends that it will do the exact same thing, and is involved at the highest level in Industry 4.0 (and the same concept under different titles across locations) in Germany, France, Japan and elsewhere.

Its sloganeering is around moving to the age of experiences, with the digital thread between products and consumers forcing a move to mass customisation. As with its rival Siemens, Dassault pitches the adoption of its proprietary PLM solutions by Australian supplier companies as bringing huge benefits. “Manufacturing in our solutions is extremely important, because we can do basically the whole chain up to the shop floor,” he said. “It will be extremely important for the success of this.” “But I want to mention that it’s not only the manufacturing solutions for the different industries, it’s also the capabilities for the Tier 3, Tier 4 suppliers, even smaller than that, to do some work using the techniques that are based on the same very powerful solutions provided for the biggest enterprises but are used by small companies that are being created by dozens to make sure that we can sustain the evolution of the jobs.” The first submarine won’t be built until nearly 2030, but we can be certain

that progress will be watched closely by the disappointed rival bidders. Forrestier lists a collection of behindschedule shipbuilding projects that use a rival PLM provider. Underlying competition reasons mean that if there are any Future Submarine delays, Dassault’s competitors will be highlighting these. Obviously, Dassault will be doing its best to make sure the software collaboration side of things is as smooth as possible. It wants its stature in shipbuilding to catch up to aerospace. Boeing’s 787, for example, was the first ever plane virtually manufactured, enabled by Dassault’s software. “We cannot say honestly that we are as dominant in some ways, like we are in the aerospace industries, with all the aircraft manufacturers, but we are on our way,” said Forrestier. “And I think we are progressing dramatically in all domains. This agreement with DCNS is something that will help us to move ahead in that market.” PACE

JULY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 33

NEW PRODUCTS

Ready-to-use semi-rigid test probes

Rugged flash drive with USB 3.0 Fischer Connectors has launched the USB 3.0 version of its Fischer Flash Drive, a memory stick designed for the safe transportation and storage of sensitive data in harsh environments. According to the company, when compared to its USB 2.0 drive, the 3.0 version has a read speed of up to five times faster and a shorter body,

with standard memory sizes of 32, 64 and 128GB. For increased security, it is also available with the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UltiMate series interface, as well as its MiniMax series interface. Furthermore, the product features an activity LED to improve usability. According to the company, the drive is suited to applications where data and confidentiality

are critical, such as defence and security, finance, medicine, industry, energy, underwater and extreme sports. Electus Distribution 02 8832 3000 www.sonar.com

Ethernet spanner Turck has introduced the TBEN-L Ethernet spanner, which offers a protocol converter for applications dealing with multiple protocols on the same network. By utilising the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multiprotocol Ethernet technology and the embedded Ethernet switch, the device can allow isolated networks to pass data between them (up to 256 bytes),

even if the networks are on different Ethernet subnets or using different protocols such as Modbus TCP, PROFINET or EtherNet/IP. Additionally, by utilising the isolated Ethernet network, the spanner offers the ability to setup a NAT (Network Address Translation) router for up to five IP addresses. The product also includes an embedded web server for a streamlined setup and configuration process. Other features include an offering of 16 digital inputs available to both networks (allowing data transfer speeds of up to 100 megabits per second), a glass-fibre reinforced housing with fully potted electronics and an IP65, IP67 or IP69K-rated housing.. Turck Australia 1300 132 566 www.turck.com.au

Android rugged tablet with eTicketing capabilities Handheld Group has announced the availability of the Algiz RT7 eTicket, a new version of its Algiz RT7 Android tablet that adds a specialised RFID reader so transit workers can use it for mobile ticketing tasks. The product offers advanced functionality, fast transaction speed, light weight, and reliability and ruggedness for mobile transit environments, according to the company. The tablet has an Arcontia smart card reader, which is compatible with the entire MIFARE family, supports ISO/IEC and ISO14443 type A/B RFID tags/cards, and has two integrated Secure Access Modules (SAM) for secure transactions. Other product features include Google GMS certification, multi-touch capability, duel SIM card slots, an integrated GPS receiver and a 2D barcode reader. Handheld APAC 04 8801 8720 www.handheldgroup.com

34 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

Pasternack has introduced a new line of semi-rigid test probes designed to assist in testing microwave circuits. The test probes are offered in three different diameters of semirigid coax including 0.51mm, 0.86mm and 1.19mm. All test probe cable assemblies are 100 per cent RF tested to ensure the cable assemblies operate to a maximum frequency of 6 GHz and to also ensure that the SMA connector meets the 1:35:1 VSWR specification prior to shipping, according to the company. These assemblies come in 3, 6, 9 and 12-inch lengths and are designed to fit a variety of trace widths and applications. The probes are also terminated with female SMA connectors. Rojone 02 9829 1555 www.rojone.com.au

NEW PRODUCTS

Transponder-coded safety switch

Automated asset discovery Rockwell Automation has released its FactoryTalk AssetCentre v7.0 software for automating discovery and tracking the status of devices, network switches and software on workstation computers across an entire facility or production operation. The software streamlines life-cycle management and helps decrease unplanned downtime, according to the company. The softwareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s asset-inventory agent scans a network to discover hardware, firmware and software information for assets active in the facility. The devices are then tracked in an active asset inventory. The asset-inventory agent can be scheduled to scan at regular intervals or run on demand. The agent increases efficiency for a number of operational tasks and streamlined life-cycle management improves how a project scope is developed, according to the company. If an engineer needs to know how many devices are running in production during a firmware update, the assetinventory agent will automatically discover all of the current firmware, IP address and additional data that will help define the project.

Euchner has expanded its range of transponder-coded safety switches with the CEM-AR-C40, which features solenoid and integrated evaluation electronics. The new safety switch is used in applications that require guard locking for process protection. The solenoid achieves a locking force of 600N and prevents safety devices from being opened unintentionally when guard locking is not active. The safety switch features adhesive force adjustment, and can be adjusted in three levels from 0-50N. It offers various diagnostic options and features 2x4 LEDs in the housing. The LEDs display all important information about the status and are clearly visible from all directions. Electrical connection is simple via plug connectors. For larger installations requiring several safety doors to be monitored, up to 20 devices can be connected in a series.

Rockwell Automation 02 9428 7222 www.rockwellautomation.com

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MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 35

NEW PRODUCTS

Small 9-axis motion sensor Bosch Sensortech has introduced the BMX160, a compact 9-axis motion sensor suited for applications such as smart devices and wearable technology. This new sensor is housed in a compact 2.5 x 3.0 x 0.95mm3 package, making it the smallest 9-axis motion sensor in the industry, according to the company. Advanced accelerometer, gyroscope and geomagnetic sensor technologies have been used in this product to meet the increasingly stringent low-power requirements demanded by wearable devices. The product is able to reduce power consumption to below 1.5mA, and is a desirable option for applications that face extreme form factor restraints, such as smart glasses. Bosch Sensortech www.bosch-sensortech.com

Engineering and manufacturing supply chain software Aspen Technology has announced the release of aspenONE Engineering and Manufacturing and Supply Chain V9 software. According to the company, this latest release gives businesses in the oil, gas, refining, mining, chemicals, engineering and construction, and other process industries, insights into their processes to help them reduce OPEX and CAPEX costs. Furthermore, innovations in the software will empower users to design and troubleshoot with confidence, improve reliability by enabling greater insights into process constraints, on-board new users faster, and make process safety consistent and continuous throughout the entire asset lifecycle, according to the company. Aspen Technology www.aspentech.com 36 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

Live HD video streaming Scitech has introduced HD-Stream from Dage MTI, a solution for live HD video streaming in industrial applications requiring remote visual and parts inspection. The service is a desirable solution for saving time and money through immediate live collaboration and monitoring, according to the company. It allows users to stream live, HD images to remote devices at the touch of a button and can be seen

by colleagues from any location on any device. The service connects to the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network via its built-in Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet connection and displays a live image from the camera immediately upon start-up. The user wanting to share live images from the HD microscope camera can then move their slide, change specimens or magnifications, and the remote participants will

immediately see the same live activity on their devices. Scitech 02 9705 8059 www.scitech.com.au

Energy-efficient screw blowers Kaeser has developed a new range of energy-efficient screw blowers which will be showcased at the upcoming WIOA Victorian Water Industry Operations Exhibition in August and September this year. Manufactured at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state-of-the-art production facility in Germany, the EBS series screw blowers use up to 35 per cent less energy than conventional rotary blowers, according to the company. Energy savings are achieved through a combination of a blower screw compressor block with highefficiency Sigma Profile rotors, flow optimised components, efficient power transmission and drive

components that ensure high performance in accordance with ISO 1217 requirements.

Kaeser Compressors Australia 03 9791 5999 www.kaeser.com.au

Electrical resistance tester Hioki has released RM3542A, a highspeed electrical resistance tester that provides accurate resistance measurement of components including ferrite bead inductors. Features include low impact contacts to limit inductive limitation inrush current and very low applied voltage (5V), which permits no-stress testing of small components. Furthermore, the isolated fourterminal testing mode allows resistance measurement to 100MW with minimal interference from environmental electromagnetic noise. The productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Offset Voltage Compensation feature also eliminates the interference

of thermal emf with the accuracy of measurements, and automatic power line frequency sensing provides for accurate in-synch resistance measurement. Measured values are automatically subjected to statistical analysis including mean, minimum, maximum and standard deviation as well as process indicators such as dispersion and bias factors.

Power Parameters 1800 623 350 www.parameters.com.au

NEW PRODUCTS

Precision temperature controller Oven Industries has released a precision temperature controller with user-friendly software and data retrieval capabilities. The Model 5R7-388 RoHS Compliant controller is a bi-directional control for independent thermoelectric modules or in conjunction with auxiliary or supplemental resistive heaters for cooling and heating applications. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hâ&#x20AC;? bridge configuration of the solid state MOSFET output devices allows for the bi-directional flow of current through the thermoelectric modules. Highly efficient N-channel output devices are used for this control mode. The controller is PC-programmable via an RS232 communication port for direct interface with a compatible PC. The easily accessible communications link permits a variety of operational mode configurations. Fieldselectable parameters or data acquisition in a half duplex mode can also be performed. The controller will accept communications cable length in accordance with RS232 interface specifications. Once the desired set parameters are established, the PC may be disconnected and Model 5R7-388 becomes a stand alone controller. All parameter settings are retained in non-volatile memory. Oven Industries www.ovenind.com

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!

All-in-one RFID reader The new BIS M-4008 from Balluff is an all-in-one RFID reader with an integrated processor. The 13.56MHz reader has IP67 protection and a rugged die-cast zinc housing. It also features a Profinet interface, needs no additional processor and can communicate directly with the control level. According to the company, the device is the only all-in-one reader on the market with an integrated two-port Ethernet switch for constructing simple line and ring topologies. An integrated web server provides status monitoring from a distance. There are also highly visible LEDs directly on the device which indicate status. The device supports data carriers conforming with RFID standard ISO 15693. Anyone needing faster data transmission can choose Balluff high-speed data carriers with a transmission

rate of up to eight times faster than the standard, with memory capacities of up to 128kB. Treotham Automation 02 9907 1788 www.treotham.com.au

2016

11th August, 2016 MCG, Melbourne visit www.paceawards.com.au

MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 37

MINING: AUSTRALIA’S MOST RENOWNED INDUSTRY

Mining’s biggest night

IS BACK!

Don’t miss the Australian mining industry’s night of nights - the 13th annual Prospect Awards are back for 2016.

016 dney 2 y , S r f e r ctob d Wha O n a l 1 s 2 I rling Friday se, Da e Hou Dolton

Twelve awards will be up for grabs, recognising innovation and excellence within the Australian mining industry. Make sure you don’t miss any of the action! Head to www.prospectawards.com.au for more information.

For more information regarding nominations, please contact Cole Latimer - Editor, Australian Mining: 02 8484 0652 or cole.latimer@primecreative.com.au For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jonathan Duckett: 02 8484 0866 or jonathan.duckett@primecreative.com.au Platinum sponsor