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ISS 5/16

Technology That Counts

MAY 2016 | VOL.69 NO.4 | Est. 1953

INSIDE PACE

Mobile malware rising

PLC-controlled hydraulics

Companies are being urged to protect their mobile devices.

Bridge maintenance technologies that lift, shift and manoeuvre heavy structures.

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How the cloud is helping F1 racing

EXCLUSIVE: Improving safety on wind structures

Technology in Australian mining Miners have to adapt to the new way of doing business.

CONTENTS

Managing Director: John Murphy 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

Sales/Advertising: Bill Gatsis Ph: (02) 8484 0829 bill.gatsis@primecreative.com.au

Production Coordinator: Kristina Peric Ph: (02) 8484 0998 kristina.peric@primecreative.com.au Designer: Louis Santos louis.santos@primecreative.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS: $99 pa incl GST NZ: $A109 pa & OS: $A119 pa

Subscriptions: Gordon Watson Ph: (03) 9690 8766 Copyright

29 NEWS 6

REVIEW 25

AUTOMATION 8

SAFETY SYSTEMS 27

OPINION 12

ENERGY MANAGEMENT 29

CONNECTIVITY & NETWORKING 14

CYBERSECURITY 31

The latest industry news

We take Dell’s M3800 ultrabook for a spin

Automation in the mining industry 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

What Hitachi is saying about innovation Avanade uses the cloud to give the Williams F1 team more speed REMOTE MONITORING 16

Technology and remote monitoring in mining INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS 18

The IIoT made simple

Average Net Distribution Period ending Sept ’15 5,521

How hydraulic PLCs help in bridge building NEW PRODUCTS 35

The latest new products for the process and control industry

Avanade feels the need for speed

Mobile malware rising

PLC-controlled hydraulics

Companies are being urged to protect their mobile devices.

Bridge maintenance technologies that lift, shift and manoeuvre heavy structures.

Post Print Approved PP100008186

How the cloud is helping F1 racing

EXCLUSIVE: Improving safety on wind structures

4 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

PLCs 34

ON THE COVER

INSIDE PACE

Ph: (03) 9794 8337

The threat of mobile malware

Alarm management for safer, smoother operations

MAY 2016 | VOL.69 NO.4 | Est. 1953

PRINTED BY: MANARK PRINTING

Ensuring that your energy costs don’t blow out

ALARM MANAGEMENT 23

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

28 Dingley Ave Dandenong VIC 3175

Why machine safety matters

Technology in Australian mining Miners have to adapt to the new way of doing business.

Avanade is accustomed to clients that want business results fast. But when the client in question is a world-renowned Formula One racing organization, “fast” takes on a whole new meaning. That was the situation facing Avanade when it was engaged by Williams Martini Racing to help the company implement a wide-ranging technology vision. The partnership began in 2015 and Williams wanted its first technology projects to be ready to launch for the first race of

the season—just three months later. Avanade’s first challenge was to assemble a team with the precise combination of design, development, business analyst, digital marketing and workplace collaboration skills that Williams needed. Traditionally, such a team—with a dozen members, to start—might take two to three months to recruit and brief on the client’s needs, leaving little or no time for the first wave of projects. But Avanade had its global delivery team ready to go in just four weeks.

COMMENT

Helping to put you in Control

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Are Asimov’s Three Laws still valid today?

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Branko Miletic Editor

ACCORDING to a recent article in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) titled: Machine intelligence and humanity’s moral dilemma requires answers, as we begin giving autonomous machines (read: robots) more and more control of our world, we must also give them the guidelines to make decisions about our health, safety, and above all, our livelihoods. The godfather of science fiction Isaac Asimov sought to address this way back in 1942 with his ‘Three Laws of Robotics’, which stated: • A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. • A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. • A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws. However as the Evan Stubb’s oped in the AFR pointed out, there are countless unintended consequences that are hidden in these laws, since without adequate ‘instruction’, these robots may or may not have the capability to, for example, save people inside a burning house or pull them from the wreckage of a serious vehicle accident.

As the article goes on to ask, how does one define the notion of “harm”? Is letting someone eat themselves to a slow death from diabetes equitable to murder, apathy, or could it be out of respect for personal freedom and selfexpression? While not wanting to get into the philosophical human-like intricacies of the notion of free will, or Calvinist predestination, nor any of the highly technical aspects of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as Stubbs himself said, [robotic] “systems need to be given enough intelligence to understand the consequences of their action.” So is this another way of saying AI or, as was inferred earlier, a higher version of control (instruction)? Heady questions indeed as we look around at the current industrial landscape where robots, automation and sensors all abound in an increasingly complex web of interconnectivity, designed to automatically and for that matter, axiomatically do the work and make the decisions once entrusted to mortals. So maybe its not so much three laws that we need but an entire ‘robot constitution’ that seeks to alleviate the potential harm that this upcoming ubiquity of automation could deliver. Checks and balances for once may be best left to humans while the tedium of work and control is left to the machines. While there are those that would say there is plenty of time for this, considering that Asimov’s Three Laws were penned in an era when the word ‘robot’ was barely in the common vernacular, starting on a robot constitution now when many in the industry are equally lauding and awaiting the Industrial Internet of Things, could prove to be quite prudent. branko.miletic@ primecreative.com.au Like us on Facebook and join the conversation facebook.com/PACEtoday

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5 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

NEWS ANALYSIS

NEW INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Thermal interface materials enabling new industrial applications

Mobile devices

With multi-app usage, consumer devices can get 50 per cent hotter than is safe. Low power cannot support the desired usage. With small form factors, there is less natural convection. For light devices, lower density materials are desired but tend to have lower conductivity. In thin devices, heat from the CPU can distort the screen, so heat spreaders must be used. Metal heat spreaders fatigue under bending, but graphite heat spreaders have been used up to 2000 cycles. These devices are including more and more functionalities. Wireless charging is very inefficient and produces a lot of heat. 3D cameras need a fixed distance between the IR projector and sensor, so thermal expansion must be very small. 4K will only bring high data rates, and cannot be throttled without a very noticeable reduction in quality. For two-in-one devices 6 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

(laptop-tablet hybrids) the thermal management can be changed depending on the mode, and retractable heat spreaders can be used. consumer markets, the design cycle is short, product life is short, products are high volume and low cost. These markets will not spend money on TIM research, but use materials developed in other sectors.

Wearable technologies

Highly conductive materials are typically not flexible, and desired shapes of wearables are complex. Thinner form factors also mean that skin temperature is a key concern. First degree burns occur at 43°C, but the user is uncomfortable far below that, as low as 38°C when the device is touching their face. Surface area to dissipate heat is also very small. In a watch or bracelet, the stack sequence can be used to make sure the heat is dissipated on the world-facing side, not the hand-facing side. Components are spread out on single-sided boards. Movement does give an additional 20-30 per cent of forced convection.

Renewable energy

Many forms of renewable energy have time-dependent thermal loads. Solar and wind power both have 24-hour temperature cycles, while electric vehicles are heated over a matter of minutes. All the packaging materials must be able to handle cycling changes in ambient temperature.

Electrification of vehicles

Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) are used in high-speed trains and electric vehicles. They

Picture courtesy of www.nocamel.org

hile there are obviously similarities, different applications have different key requirements when it comes to Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) writes Rachel Gordon, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx. In all cases, the TIM needs to minimise stress, prevent electromigration of its fillers, and maximise adhesion. The Thermal Interface Materials 2016-2026 report explores in detail the relationship between the form factors and characteristics of different commercial product offerings and their applications, focussed on new opportunities and gaps in the market.

have a junction temperature of 175°C, which will rise to 200°C for the next generation, so are liquid cooled. The cost of thermal management in vehicles is too high to be sustainable and it is slowing the rate of electrification. In avionics, parts have a 20-year lifetime with 2000-3000 service hours. Deutsche Barn are driving IGBT development, demanding 30-year lifetimes (13 years is currently the norm). In geothermal exploration, these electronics must run at ambient temperatures up to 300°C and in highly corrosive environments.

LEDs

In a white LED, only 50 per cent of the input electrical power is emitted a light. 90 per cent of the heat emitted is conducted away through the solid. LEDs are more sensitive to temperature than standard solid-state electronic

components so more attention must be paid to the thermal architecture. Often, if a material with a lower thermal conductivity is used due to cost or manufacturing reasons, the design will demand either shortening the length of the thermal path or increasing the heat transfer area. Despite the lighting industry’s ability to provide more lumens per watt than ever before, an LED’s reliability and performance depend greatly on how it is packaged and mounted. The main drivers of technology development in this area are directly related to increasing lumens per watt while decreasing overall costs.

Data centres

Performance is the number one requirement for thermal interface materials in data centres.

Facebook decommissions every server after three years. They run them fast and hot to save cooling power while maximising computing power, but then must change them often. This also means they can take advantage of new microprocessors.

GaN semiconductors

The voltages at which GaN can be operated is limited because the heat that can be dissipated from them is capped at 1kW/ m2. For high performance embedded computing, the chips are standard, but the packaging is the limiting factor and differentiates. Packaging should be lightweight, reliable, CTE matched, hermetic, stable against corrosion, cheap, and route the power and coolant. Learn more about the new IDTechEx Research report Thermal Interface Materials 2016-2026 at www.IDTechEx. com/tim.

AUTOMATION

The next four trends for the industrial internet As the mine becomes more ‘intelligent’, Cole Latimer examines the upcoming automation trends.

s Mining is entering a new financial dark age? All of the world’s largest miners have declared massive losses and cut costs, many have had to shutter operations or sell underperforming assets, and others have cut hundreds of workers. BHP, Rio Tinto, Anglo American, Vale, and Glencore have all suffered, and many pundits in the market are forecasting the industry to continue to be pressured until late this year. Data from Bloomberg Intelligence showed capex by the top 10 miners fell dramatically year on year, from US$82.5 billion in 2014 down to US$65.5 billion the following year, with forecasts that it will decline by 25 per cent this year to US$49.23 billion, and another 12 per

8 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

cent next year to US$44.1 billion. So what can miners do to keep their operations afloat and in shape, preparing themselves for the eventual revival of mining? Innovative, smarter technology, automated processes, and an eye to increase efficiencies are what miners are turning to in these turbulent times to weather the storm. This new technology is helping shift focus from the old, siloed way of doing business and disconnected pit to port chains into one where the entire business is working in concert; asset performance management is key. As Schneider Electric’s head of mining and metals, Diego Areces, has previously told Australian Mining, “it used to be

about being the biggest, pushing out the most tonnes”, but the position has evolved along with technology. “The focus is no longer on being the biggest; it’s on being the best, the most efficient.” According to the McKinsey report How Digital Innovation Can Improve Mining Productivity, and its author Ryan Geragthy, a number of digital technologies that have been developed over the last few years are now available and affordable enough to operate across the mining industry. “The industry has shifted its focus to improving productivity by “sweating” existing assets, but this strategy will only go so far. Despite the industry’s booms and busts, the nature

of mining has stayed the same for decades,” Geragthy said. Mining is undergoing a productivity revolution, and using innovation to address cost issues. According to new BMI Research, “Miners will increasingly focus capital expenditure on innovation through the use of technology and automation to improve efficiency and increase output at existing mining operations.” “Firms’ competitiveness will increase as technology is utilised to improve mining operational management and processes,” it said. “This shift will follow miners’ strategy of retrenchment and divestment of high costs assets.” So what are the areas of focus?

AUTOMATION

technology, which uses eye tracking and facial recognition technology to measure truck drivers’ fatigue. BMI linked employee management, scheduling, and tracking systems to lowering issues related to battling productivity loss through absenteeism and a deeper understanding of workers operate, implementing more efficient standards. Big Data Internet of Everything (IIoT) platforms and processors, essentially Big Data, is being integrated at every level. “Mining firms’ operational efficiency will increase through the use of data analytics and processing. 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 now these machines and data sets can 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 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

THE FOUR KEY AREAS Man & Machine BMI Research, in its paper IoT (Internet of Things): The Future of Mining, has outlined the four key innovation areas. It labelled machine interfaces, IIoT (Industrial Internet of Everything) platforms and processors, communication and controllers, and equipment utilisation. Regarding human and external interfaces, it stated that fatigue and fatigue management programs and technology can aid in lifting efficiency. “Technology can be utilised to improve both mining operational management and safety and environmental governance,” BMI said.

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. According to Rio the new centre “will assess massive volumes of data captured by the array of sensors attached to Rio Tinto’s fixed and mobile equipment and enable experts to predict and prevent engine breakdowns and other downtime events, significantly boosting productivity and safety”. “Using predictive mathematics, machine learning and advanced modelling, data scientists in the Analytics Excellence Centre in Pune, India will be working to identify a range of problems before they occur. “This analysis will reduce maintenance costs and production losses from unplanned breakdowns,” the miner said. “The Analytics Excellence Centre will allow us to extract maximum value from the data we are capturing around the performance of our equipment, making our operations more predictable, efficient and safer,” Rio Tinto group executive technology and innovation Greg Lilleyman said at the time. “The Centre will help us predict the future through the use of advanced data analytic techniques to pinpoint with incredible accuracy the operating performance of our equipment. Our

“For example, according to a study by Caterpillar, mining companies face significant losses in operational efficiency through employees being fatigued and distracted.” According to McKinsey, one example of this technology is “smart glasses or goggles that feed instructions to workers carrying out repairs”. “Another is work clothing that incorporates sensors transmitting data to managers about hazardous conditions and the physical condition of the workers themselves, improving safety outcomes.” BHP has installed systems like these on its trucks in the Pilbara. According to the company 110 trucks have implemented the MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 9

AUTOMATION

aim is to run more efficient, smarter and safer mining operations and provide greater shareholder returns.” Communications & Control BMI states that innovation through improving communication and controls will increase the availability for process control, asset monitoring, and overall safety and security for workers in difficult and harsh operating environments. There will be a growing focus on the capabilities for connectivity, real-time data delivery, collaboration and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, and the role they will play as critical technological pillars for the industry. These solutions bridge the gap between remote sites, improving management efficiency and reducing the time it takes to make important business decisions, according to Kevin Griffen, Orange Business Services country manager – Australasia. “Mining site communications is a varied mesh of different technologies including GSM, MPLS, VSAT, undersea and surface fibre optic cables. It’s critical to create a reliable and realtime environment for collaboration in today’s increasingly digital mining operations. “In order to get the most benefit from digitisation, mining infrastructure must have hybrid networking capability to provide cost effective access to the cloud; support advanced collaboration services such as video conferencing, unified communications and remote monitoring; and deploy M2M communications for devices within mines to communicate. “A robust, high availability communications network makes operations more cost-effective because mining companies can stay up-to-speed with changes in supply and demand,” he said. BMI added this intercommunication capability will improve blasting and drilling processes and safety, while also boost signals, helping to link communications between site, surface, and underground mining equipment, aiding remote control operations and lifting safety levels by removing the operator from the vehicle itself. Machinery utilisation Smarter use of equipment will lead to streamlining and efficiencies. 10 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

BMI Research’s latest paper states “apparatus innovation will improve operational efficiency and lower production costs by increasing fleet utilisation”. According to professor of mining engineering at the University of British

There will be a growing focus on the capabilities for connectivity, real-time data delivery, collaboration and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, and the role they will play as critical technological pillars for the industry Columbia, John Meech, autonomous vehicle operations can help increase productivity by between 15 to 20 per cent, and truck uptimes by up to a fifth, with Rio Tinto automated fleets recording a 12 per cent production increase compared to manned vehicles.

“At our Hope Downs 4 site our automated trucks have load utilisation rates 14 per cent higher than manned trucks and their operating costs are 13 per cent better,” Rio Tinto’s Greg Lilleyman said. “And what of our maintenance of our fleet of trucks? Well using asset analytics and the power of Big Data we can better predict and extend component life, improve maintenance schedules and, most importantly, reduce production down time.” BMI explained that by more efficient utilisation, battling absenteeism, and hot seating during shift changes productivity was lifted.

Pushing mining forwards

A combination of these trends, better regulation and safety guidelines in operating with and around automated processes and vehicles, and a focus on efficiency is changing the face of mining in what is an economically inhospitable environment. By driving geological modelling, daily operations scheduling, increased mechanisation, managing hazardous conditions and predictive maintenance, mining companies could make better

decisions that would help improve their understanding of the resource base and optimise materials and equipment. The Industrial Internet of Things is taking the world by storm and opening new and exciting possibilities to businesses, government and industries. The mining sector also has much to gain from the benefits that IIoT can provide, particularly in light of the current challenges. Through IIoT, mining operations can save energy, downtime and costs associated with production and transportation of resources. Remote operations remove people from potentially hazardous situations. The IIoT provides the platform for the integration and optimisation of the entire supply chain. Boland explained: “On a national scale, for Australia, the benefits that the IIoT can deliver are most important because as a country we are not going to win on efficiency gains based on cheaper labour to drive down costs.” “We are going to use our expertise and knowledge of mining and automation systems to continually improve the most efficient and cost effective mining capability in the world.”

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DRIVESYSTEMS 05.02.15 22:30

OPINION

Co-innovation and social innovation:

Hitachi takes the lead in the industrial revolution

n a worldwide basis, Hitachi is a unique company because of how it positions (and continues to reposition) its IT and social infrastructure businesses. The company’s new Social Innovation Business resolves issues faced by society and customers through innovation that combines both IT and social infrastructure, thereby contributing to improvements in people’s quality of life. PACE managing editor Branko Miletic spoke to Hitachi’s CTO/Vice President & Chief Engineer Global Solutions, Strategy & Development IT Platform Division Michael Hay about how the company’s ideas on repurposing IP is leading the way to a better understanding of how innovation can be managed more usefully. PACE: What does co-innovation actually mean and how is this being realised in industry? Michael Hay (MH): Co-Innovation means working profoundly in partnership between two organisations to realise a dramatic new capability or efficiency improvement. Co-Innovation starts from merely engaging with prospective partners to disclose current capabilities and retained IP that could be used by them to identify and solve a game-changing problem. It then moves into one of many potential exits. In the shallowest form, customers are able to make their mark on soon to be released products, goods and services by supplying their feedback. However, the deeper form two (or more) parties work together to realise a dramatic outcome that will lead to a new good, service or product. PACE: Is repurposing IP another way of saying ‘open source’ or does it have a deeper meaning? 12 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

Hitachi’s CTO/Vice President & Chief Engineer Global Solutions, Strategy & Development IT Platform Division Michael Hay MH: Open source is an example of IP reuse, but it is indeed deeper as it includes both closed and open variants. It may also be Hitachi subsidiary providing IP for another Hitachi subsidiary to do something different. The combination of Hitachi’s rich industrial heritage and our deep domain expertise in both operational and information technology uniquely positions us to address many of society’s most pressing issues, while creating new business opportunities. We are repurposing of IP beyond Hitachi to/from other companies. Here is an example of that: the repurposing is Hitachi’s consumption of Nissan’s backup camera for our Mining Haulers. As a result the notion of repurposing

obviously would include both open and closed IP assets and could include both between Hitachi companies and beyond Hitachi. PACE: Lets talk about Social innovation: you said it was the ‘intersection of technology and society’. How does this look in practical terms and how does it help industry? MH: In the case of the National Health Services in the UK we’re using works around diet and information technology to assist with the management of diabetes. While the above example isn’t about manufacturing per se it is related to the food industry. Further in the area of healthcare HDS is working with University

Technology PETRONAS (UTP), one of Malaysia’s most prominent universities, to improve clinical support for traumatic brain injuries. The partnership will bring together Hitachi Cloud Services Connection (HCSC) – Healthcare, a first-of-its-kind open healthcare cloud platform for analytics, with UTP’s biomedical image analysis and analytics. The study will initially be focused on traumatic brain injuries, integrating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, blood panels and intensive care unit (ICU) data to deliver precise and instant clinical support that can benefit both patients and healthcare professionals. Because HCSC – Healthcare is based on industry standards, any additional medical data can easily be integrated and analysed throughout the study. In other cases we’ve used our technologies (both emerging Artificial Intelligence and Robotics) to improve logistics for shipping and picking. In this system the aim was to put AI in the role of an assistive co-pilot to the warehouse work staff so that they can achieve higher productivity. So the human being, the robot and the AI were all acting as mutual partners to achieve the final result. So it is the intersection of these three things that resulted in a real business improvement. Other areas that the AI system could help with include non-seasonal improvements revenues for retail venues. For all of these cases it is the intersection of the humans in society with technology, or perhaps better said is that the technology is joining society. Further in many of these cases the usage of these digital tools could be used to improve efficiencies, etc. PACE: With a global economy that seems to be patchy in terms of growth, how do the above-mentioned notions help with

OPINION

growth? Are we talking about creating new opportunities or is this all about extracting the maximum value out of existing projects? MH: Both are possible. For instance I’m aware of an innovation at a financial services company where the challenge provided to their partner was to reduce costs by 10-fold. This cannot merely be done by reducing staff and must employ the usage of novel digital technologies. In their case a new expense system was used which added the idea of gamification to the equation. As a result when an employee saves over the required threshold a percentage of the savings is returned to them. So this is on the extracting value side. For the idea of growth, the thinking would be to enable the genesis of new services or capabilities that lead to new revenue streams or enhanced competitiveness. Here we can talk about Subaru’s usage of the Hitachi’s technologies behind the Subaru EyeSight system. Our partnership with Subaru provided them with a competitive advantage in assistive breaking. PACE: What about disruption? While uncertainty and disruption are related, how does this play out in industry and in particular for the IoT? MH: Disruption frequently replies to a known and certain state that is being challenged. My point about the current economic condition is that there isn’t a known state to disrupt so disruption isn’t relevant. In fact were entering the ‘Era of Uncertainty’ whereby our current approaches to business don’t necessarily apply. For example today’s customers are tomorrow’s partners, today’s competitors are tomorrow’s customers, today’s customers are tomorrow’s competitors, etc. So whether it is IoT or another vertical you may find that with changing laws there are new competitors where you had not seen them before. For example in the US the laws around personal investing and lending have changed. The result is that services like KickStarter and Lending Clubs have emerged to challenge VC investing and loans from traditional banks respectively. This is not something that the Financial Services industry would have thought possible in previous years.

PACE: You mentioned the term ‘perpetual beta’: what implications does a ‘perpetual beta’ phase actually mean for companies? MH: With Innovation moving from “behind the black cloth” to being more publicly transparent (whether limited or fully open) companies need to be prepared to test early and often to achieve first mover status in their existing or new markets. For example, if a new service is somewhat imperfect in the beginning, because it uses beta technologies, but enables them to move into a new space then it provides longer time in the market and the ability to “make the market.” This however means there is potentially a need to race something to market faster with less completeness. The notion of running in beta is tied to getting services, goods or products out to market faster and then being willing to prune when they aren’t viable. PACE: Are there local practical examples of ‘perpetual beta’ ? MH: Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd., and Yanmar Co., have been commissioned to conduct a study on the effective use overseas of advanced positioning signals from Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan. The study seeks to verify that advanced positioning signals transmitted

from the QZSS can be used in precision farming in Australia. Specifically, demonstration tests will be conducted using the advanced positioning signals to control a self-steering robotic tractor and perform actual farm work in a paddy field. At present, technical validation is in progress for three high precision positioning methods: 1) RTNet, 2) RMIT, and 3) MADOCA . The demonstration tests aim to determine the optimal positioning method for precision farming in Australia. PACE: You spoke of ‘Train as a Service’ as the a model for the next phase of growth for many verticals…how do you related this to say the mining industry or food processing? MH: I can imagine that mining or more generally natural resource development this is possible. Perhaps more generally the goal would be outcome based benefits, such as providing increased tonnage of production per unit time which can be tied to an as a Service delivery. I assume the same thing could be supplied to Food Services. PACE: By focussing on transition IT, you mentioned this was the next phase of growth for Hitachi. Just how much of your business will this make up in say 2020? MH: HDS is focused on growing its Social Innovation as a business

over the coming year, evidenced by increased investment in resources and focus. While today the bulk of our revenues comes from traditional and emerging infrastructure technologies, such as flash and data protection storage, we expect to see these traditional product lines experience flat or diminishing growth by 2020. We are currently seeing an increased appetite for virtualised, cloud-based and hyper-converged technologies, and are increasing our share of market and revenues in these areas. Finally, our Social Infrastructure is expected to grow rapidly, particularly in the areas of analytics and Internet of Things. By 2020, we expect these last two technology areas to contribute significantly to the overall revenues for Hitachi Data Systems. As Vice President and Chief Engineer at Hitachi Data Systems, Michael Hay leads a geographically dispersed team called the Global Office of Technology and Planning and focuses on competitive and customer market insights, responses to disruptive market forces and open innovation through incubations to enrich the Global Hitachi ICT portfolio. Hitachi Australia 02 9988 4100 www.hitachi.com.au MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 13

CONNECTIVITY & NETWORKING

How agile software is helping Williams fulfil their need for speed

Seattle-based Avanade has been partnering with the Williams Martini Racing team since January 2015 in a three-year partnership focused on helping the team transform and perform better by leveraging digital technologies. Managing editor Branko Miletic spoke to Chris Miller, Avanade CTIO and Graeme Hackland, Williams Martini Racing IT Director for an insight into how IT is helping the F1 racing team stay at the front of the grid.

“

One example is how with the use of an agile software development process, Avanade developed a solution to automate Williams’ wind tunnel tests in just three months,” said Avanade’s Miller. “Previously, these tests were preceded by time-consuming checks to ensure expensive prototypes would not damage or be damaged by the even more expensive testing facility.” “Avanade’s solution automates the process of analysing and running quality checks on service requests from aerodynamicists, ensuring that the combinations of prototype designs and requested wind tunnel simulations can be performed safely.” “Avanade also built a portal for the process that streamlines and speeds communications workflows, which the Williams team estimates will save approximately 300 personnel hours per year,” he noted. Williams Martini Racing’s primary business goal is to perform better on and off the track. Formula One is arguably the most highly regulated, technology-dependent motorsport in the world and digital technologies provide an exciting opportunity for the team to

14 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

drive new innovations and operate more effectively. “Over the course of the partnership,” said Miller, “Williams Martini Racing has had three top priorities: improving internal collaboration; enhancing fan engagement; and speeding access to data.” “Together with Graeme and the Williams team, we have so far identified 50 projects to address these priorities.” “This includes helping Williams to digitise workflows across its organisation by implementing SharePoint Online for improved information-sharing, and migrating the team to Office 365 and Microsoft Lync to improve internal collaboration.” “In the highly competitive Formula One industry, it’s essential that Williams is constantly at the forefront of technology innovation,” said Graeme Hackland of Williams Martini Racing. “We have been working with Avanade to build a digital workplace to empower our team with a more social, mobile, always-on and data-driven environment,” said Hackland. “Aside from the wind tunnel testing solution, another Avanade-developed app is

giving our engineers real-time access to data from the tyres of our cars, so they can make decisions on strategy during a race – rather than after the event, as was the case previously.” “However, we are not only seeing value from digital internally – demand is coming from across the business and Avanade is helping us meet that demand in an agile way.” “For example,” said Hackland, “In a matter of weeks, Avanade deployed a new Williams Martini Racing web presence on Sitecore with Microsoft Azure, which is enabling us to engage better with our fans. The Microsoft Azure platform also allows flexible provisioning for peak loads, which we expect will achieve cost savings of up to 50 per cent.” According to Hackland, via the use of an agile development process, Avanade’s global team was able to develop and help us launch the tyre optimisation app within five weeks. “The tyre optimisation app allows us to instantly capture and process information from our trackside WISDOM server, a data warehouse that integrates sensor, weather, telemetry, and other real-time feeds. Using proprietary algorithms, the

application takes raw data in order to isolate the impact of tyre status on performance.” “The application presents this analysis in the form of highly visual trend lines that can be clicked on, enabling the operator to drill down to analyse performance lap-by-lap.” “Before we had the Avanade-developed application,” said Hackland, “data was generated by our cars or from our GPS or weather tracking systems during races, but not all the data could be processed and communicated fast enough for our engineers to use it in real-time at the track or at our headquarters in the UK during Grand Prix sessions.” “Ultimately, the team is now able to make fully informed decisions on tyre strategy during a race, which directly impacts our performance on the track.” Working at the speed of F1 has also helped Avanade to be more effective in delivering agile cloud and digital innovation to our enterprise clients, according to Miller. “At the core of our work with Williams Martini Racing is digital business transformation, and that is really what translates into value for our

enterprise clients.” However it’s not just the glamorous world of motor racing where agile software solutions are finding a niche. “Like our partnership with Williams Martini Racing, Avanade is working with companies across all major industries to help them transform to a digital workplace,” said Miller. “The advanced analytics we are working with the Williams F1 team on are also similarly a digital workplace priority for our enterprise clients in mining.” “A great example in the mining industry here in Australia is our work with Rio Tinto, where we are migrating the company’s information systems and technology platforms to a cloud-based “as-a-service” solution delivery model.” “Aside from helping Rio Tinto operate more efficiently, migrating to a cloud delivery model will free the company’s internal IT resources to focus on innovation and value-added tasks instead of the modernisation and maintenance of systems.”

Avanade Australia 02 9005 5900 www.avanade.com

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REMOTE MONITORING

Technology in Australian mining – where are we now, where are we going? As the mining industry changes, miners have to adapt to the new way of doing business. Kevin Griffen writes

he mining sector always faces a wide range of significantly varying challenges. Safety and security are always paramount since mining sites are often located in some of the riskiest places on earth. Remote sites cut off from mainstream areas and services, mines deep underground where the landscape can become more dangerous in an instant, new sites in new locations with all-new challenges and risks – all have to be managed successfully. Mining in Australia is one of the most significant vertical sectors in the country and considered one of the vital ‘five pillars’ of the economy. And technology has always played a major part in helping the mining sector

16 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

push forwards, with the adoption of new advancements having a big effect on safety, productivity, security, communications, employee welfare and more. In recent years Australia’s mining sector has enjoyed great growth, with the ten years from 2003 to 2013 seeing six-fold growth in revenues and reaching $154 billion US by 2014. The couple of years since have seen something of a slowdown, with a rising demand for production capacity creating a knock-on effect of rising production and labour costs, typically caused by companies expanding operations into more dangerous mining locations to meet the increase in demand. This in turn created a need to reduce costs – a far

from ideal scenario when operating in remote and dangerous locations and when employee and site safety are two of your paramount concerns. So cost reduction initiatives were put in place but 80 per cent of them failed. Accidents increased, up three-fold between 2013 and 2014. So what can technology do to help make sites safer and reinvigorate the Australian mining sector?

Making remote sites safer

To put it bluntly, technology helps make remote sites safer. For many years now we have been investing in tools and techniques designed to improve mining sites, bringing fast, reliable connectivity to them to ensure

secure data transmission and also focusing on smart, connected devices and data analytics. This three-pronged approach is designed to bring safer and more productive operations to mining companies however remote their sites. The Internet of Things (IoT) and machine to machine communications (M2M) are still in their relative infancy as technologies, but for mining operations they are a great development. When I say smart devices, I’m not talking only about smartphones. In the mining industry this means M2M sensors placed on pieces of equipment all over a site, it means huge driverless trucks and other vehicles that move ore about the site without putting human

REMOTE MONITORING

drivers at risk. It means vehicle telemetry data that is analysed in real-tie to make sure vehicles are taking the safest possible routes. It can also be used to provide workers with health monitoring devices that track and transmit data about their physical conditions, also in real-time, and raise alerts in the event of accidents or incidents. Technology has enabled all these advances.

Getting the most out of the IoT

So technology is enabling another key area in Australia’s mining industry – efficiency. As the price of commodities in the sector has fallen, mining companies have had to shift focus away from capital expenditure and onto efficiency. Attaching sensors on equipment and vehicles and utilizing today’s IoT-linked data analytics tools helps mining companies make operations more efficient and increase productivity, making remote sites more cost-effective and reducing downtime of assets. Ultimately it is about embracing new technologies to keep a long-established industry fresh and inventive. Previously physical and manual ways of doing things can now be done using IoT and M2M. For example where previously mining companies would have had a physical team presence at every mine site, today’s technology enables a central management team to monitor

multiple locations. Traditional worker safety processes and procedures have been surpassed by smart solutions that monitor worker health and security on site in real-time. Sensors and data analytics in remote locations can now drive predictive maintenance and fault avoidance in mine assets, where before manual management and labour-intensive upkeep was required. Automated haulage systems and driverless trains can now make sites both safer and more efficient.

For the right solutions you need the right expertise

Mining companies know how to work remote mining sites. Orange knows how to power them forward with all this state of the art technology. Mobile working, applications that enhance business performance, fast, reliable connectivity wherever it is needed and the flexibility of cloud infrastructure are all vital to empowering these next generation mining tools and practices. At Orange we have worked with some of the world’s largest mining conglomerates for more than 20 years and we know what technologies, relationships and skills are required to keep mining operations moving forward. Kevin Griffen is the country manager – Australasia for Orange Business Services

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MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 17

INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS

Small is beautiful with IIoT

It appears, many companies are still daunted by IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) when in fact simple, small steps can lead to success, as Alan Johnson reports.

he Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is often described as a revolution that is changing the face of manufacturing in a profound manner. However, in reality it is more of an evolution that has its origins in technologies and functionalities developed by visionary automation suppliers more than 15 years ago. As the industry and necessary global standards further mature, experts believe it may well take another 15 years to realise its full potential. According to Brad Yager, who has been implementing industrial automation solutions for close to 20 years, the key to successfully implementing IIoT is to start small and build from there. Yager, who is now Director of Offer Management and Business Development for the Pacific region with Schneider Electric Australia, says that with over two billion connected users today and an expected 507.5ZB of information produced by IoT devices by 2019, changes to the industry will certainly be far-reaching. “The potential lies in using the correct solutions to link automation systems with enterprise planning, scheduling and product lifecycle systems.” While that might sound daunting, he says in reality it’s not that difficult to achieve at all. “The first thing people need to realise is that IIoT is not a thing you can buy, but a methodology. “It’s about starting small looking at an actual project, maybe narrowing it down to just motor control to start with, as an example,” Yager told PACE magazine. The first step, he advises, is to pick a small part of a plant, do a pilot project, and “stay focused”. Once that is completed, he says companies should evaluate their ROI and if positive, roll it out to other parts of the plant. “We at Schneider look at it in three different ways; asset performance, enterprise control and lifecycle costs. “Companies should look at what they can do to reduce their lifecycle costs, as they can be 10 to 15 times more than the initial purchasing cost;

18 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

can’t rely on employees knowing how a process has been done in previous years. If that person doesn’t get that information in a timely and actionable way he or she can’t be effective,” Yager said.

Present technology

IIoT’s potential lies in using the correct solutions to link automation systems with enterprise planning, scheduling and product lifecycle systems. and look at it an augmented operator way to get that actual timely insight information. “For example, on our latest motor control drives, if there is an error or malfunction it will put forward a dynamic QR code so an engineer can snap that with his phone which will take him to exactly where he needs to go. “We can do that today, just by upgrading a drive for example; a very small incremental improvement delivering actionable insights and improving performance.” “The final pillar, a smarter enterprise control, is just about getting the transparency required within a plant,” Yager explained.

Different layers

According to Yager there are four key levels of IIoT, with the first layer being the things that need to be connected. “We see this as a general evolution of the industrial automation phase. Schneider first adopted what it calls the transparent-ready control layer back in 1997 where it took the step of saying any control product it produces should have Internet-level connectivity. “The next layer is the control of these things, and being mission-critical for our applications, it’s important that we prioritise the operation over the information. “

He says this is the key difference between the IIot (Industrial Internet of Things) and the generic Iot (Internet of Things) where it’s just about the information. “Back in 1997 these things were connected within their local environment. What we now see happening, with the benefits of greater transparency and information can provide, we are getting that Internet-level of connectivity. “With these connected things we are now able to extract that data, which can be in the Cloud or on-premise. Once companies do that, that’s when they can add a layer of analytics to take that data and turn it into information.” Yager says a key point is taking that information and turning it into an actionable insight. “In a manufacturing plant, for example, this might be a precise preventative maintenance action on an electric motor. “Saying exactly what and when the maintenance is needed is powerful message, especially when you look at the generational change that’s happening in the workplace.” Yager points out that the average length of people staying with an employer is now just over two years. “Meaning in an automation or manufacturing operation today, employers

Many companies might not realise that they often don’t need any new technology or software to take advantage of IIoT initially. According to Yager, they can use the technologies of today, rather than waiting for the technologies of tomorrow. He pointed to the IEA (International Energy Authority) who recently stated that by just using today’s technology companies can improve their energy efficiencies by 58 per cent in industrial applications. “As long as the ‘things’ they are using have non-proprietary protocols, it does not matter who the manufacturer of the ‘thing’ is. “If you take that approach, and have systems that use open-standard products, as Schneider has, then it is very easy.“ Though Yager does point out that it’s not quite so easy with proprietary systems, where there might be a need to create an open interface into something. But there are gateways that will allow users to do that. “Being more than a product company, Schneider can offer solutions and knowledge of the processes, the domain expertise and the ability to understand the key things to do to make a real difference.” He says other benefits of IIoT include adaptable supply chains and the ability to adapt to a changing workforce environment. “To bring in new people with innovative ideas so that the systems will allow them to focus on improving the product processes and forming a better end customer experience.” According to Yager, it doesn’t really matter which industry companies are in to make savings, and says IIoT is not just for large companies. “In fact the opposite. SMEs have a far higher level of flexibility to roll out these type of improvements and can be big differentiators against the bigger players. “As I said it can be as simple as a

INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS

small motor. If someone has a motor driving something in their plant, they can implement an IIoT solution.” To prepare for generational shifts, he says savvy organisations are adopting Operational Intelligence (OI), a datadriven, real-time analytics that provide visibility and insight into business operations. “But OI is not essential, that’s not the starting point, companies can introduce that level over time.” “What we are seeing in these architectures now, with our latest PLCs for example, is information being able to flow through the processor onto the backplane without having to interact with the control philosophy at all. “Which means operators can have any type of device plugged into that same network, assuming they have the correct security protocols in place, and gain access via that PLC directly down to the process layer and send information to other intelligent devices connected by the Internet. to A beMSCADA, P“And A 0 that 2 1 doesn’t 5 _ 0 have 0 0 _ S1 it could be an asset management system

or a web page on a hand-held HMI that is getting data out of an intelligent device,” Yager said.

Before starting the journey

While it’s relatively easy to get started on the IIoT journey, Yager warns that it is vitally important to make sure the data is secure before starting to connect things. He believes we don’t give enough

Many companies might not realise that they often don’t need any new technology or software to take advantage of IIoT initially

He says there’s not enough focus on people prioritising their operations. “I would advocate people, when they start doing these IIoT designs, to make sure they approach it in a cyber secure way and carry out a cyber security audit with an operational focus, which is probably step number one. “By conducting a cyber security audit with operation as a priority, instead of information, the audit can uncover several potential problems. Could be something as simple as an old switch in the network, which if it was to fail could bring the whole system down. “It’s all about risk mitigation, and process improvement after that,” Yager said.

IoT survey

Late last year Schneider conducted an IoT survey on close to 3000 companies worldwide, including Australia, and credit to cyber security. “Information is important, but in crit- found a big change since the last time ical applications or in plant-based applica- they ran the survey, a few years ago. tions often 1 2 0 1it’s 5 the - 0operation 1 - 0 9 that T 1 is5more : 1 5 : 2 4Instead + 1 1of: 50 0 per 0 cent of respondents thinking IoT will make a difference important than the information.”

to their business, that figure had risen substantially to 80 per cent. “More people are wanting to adopt it, but still not understanding the how. I think that’s where we are at the moment and is very indicative of what we have here in Australia.” The survey’s findings revealed that 75 per cent of businesses are optimistic about the opportunities the IoT presents this year, including improved customer experience and cost savings in automation. Regarding improved customer experience 63 per cent of respondents plan to use the IoT to analyse customer behaviour in 2016, with faster problem resolution, better customer service and customer satisfaction ranking among the top five potential business benefits. Industrial automation represented one of the highest potential annual cost savings, 62 per cent, with results showing automation technologies will be the future of the IoT. Schneider Electric 1300 369 233 www.schneider-electric.com.au

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MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 19

Celebrating Excellence in Industry

Nominations NOW OPEN Celebrating Excellence in Industry Celebrating Excellence in Industry Nominations NOW OPEN Nominations NOW OPEN

Employer of the year Awards Dinner: Thursday 25 June 2015 Excellence in Engineering Time: 6.30pm – 7.00pm start Venue: The Ivy Ballroom Excellence in Manufacturing Excellence in Engineering Costs: Excellence in Mining Date: 14th July Single 2016 tickets – $165 Inc GST Excellence in Manufacturing Table of 10 – $1320 Inc GST Industry Advocacy Time: 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start Employer of the year Excellence in Road Transport Awards Dinner: Thursday 25 June 2015 Excellence Mining BDM in ofinof the Year Venue: Showtime Events Melbourne Employer the year Excellence Engineering Time:Thursday 6.30pm –257.00pm start Awards Dinner: June 2015 Industry Advocacy Award Marketing/Communications Award Excellence in Engineering Venue: The Ivy Ballroom Excellence inthe Manufacturing Time: 6.30pm – 7.00pm start BDM of Year For further information Mentor of the Year Venue: Ivy Ballroom Costs:The Single ticketsplease – $165contact Inc GST Excellence in Manufacturing Excellence in Mining Marketing/Communications Award For further information please contact Samantha.gilroy@cirrusmedia.com.au Costs: Single tickets $165 IncIncGST Table of 10 –– $1320 GST RisingofStar Award Excellence Mining Mentor thein Year Industry Advocacy lauren.winterbottom@primecreative.com.au Table of 10 –0944 $1320 Inc GST (02) 8484 Rising Star Advocacy Award Industry Social Leader (03) 9690 8766 BDM of the Year Social Leader of the Year BDM of the Year Award Marketing/Communications Marketing/Communications Award For further information please contact Mentor of the Year close Nominations 5pmTuesday Thursday 9 information April Nominations 31st May 2015 2016 For further please contact Mentor of the Year close5pm Samantha.gilroy@cirrusmedia.com.au Rising Star Award Samantha.gilroy@cirrusmedia.com.au Nominate nowat: at:www.womeninindustry.com.au www.womeninindustry.com.au Rising Star Award Nominate now (02) 8484 0944 Social Leader (02) 8484 0944 Social Leader

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SAFETY SYSTEMS

Selecting the right safety logic system Choosing the correct system for an application can help optimise safety, enhance productivity and reduce costs. Brian Taylor and Tim Roback* explain.

achine safety systems have evolved from strictly hardwired systems, where safety and standard logic were separate, to the multifaceted spectrum of newer programmable systems with varying levels of cost, complexity and wiring methods. When designing safety into machinery, engineers must verify compliance with today’s more-stringent standards and determine how safety will interplay with productivity to keep downtime to a minimum. Engineers also should consider how flexible and scalable a safety system will be with evolving operations.

Pivotal changes

The implementation of ISO 13849 (AS/ NZS 4024.1503:2014) and IEC 62061 (AS 62061), and the withdrawal of EN 954-1 in 2011, ushered in a new era of safety standards. These more rigorous standards required engineers to assess and document a safety system’s reliability by adding quantitative calculations to the design. These standards allow a more methodical risk-assessment process and, when combined with the latest programmable safety technologies, can help machinery achieve more predictable

performance, greater reliability and better return on investment.

Out with the old

Legacy safety systems consist of standard programmable logic controllers (PLCs), with each input, logic and output safety device hardwired. Significant wiring requirements make installation more complex, resulting in longer start-up times and more difficult system upgrades. A lack of diagnostics make troubleshooting more difficult and can lead to longer downtimes. Contemporary electronic safety

systems deliver a streamlined architecture, meaning safety applications can be programmed with the same software used for the control and motion systems. This can help optimise safety, enhance productivity and reduce costs in multiple ways: • Simplified wiring: I/O devices can be directly wired to the safety I/O modules that communicate with programmable safety systems to reduce wiring costs and shorten installation time. • Improved productivity: Flexible programming allows engineers to create maintenance modes of operation, such as safe speed or partial shutMAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 27

SAFETY SYSTEMS

down, to minimize machinery downtime issues. • More advanced diagnostics: Information can easily be made available to operators and maintenance teams, allowing them to quickly troubleshoot safety events. • Greater flexibility: Uptime-enhancing strategies, such as zone control, are easier to implement and expand.

Safety systems

Choosing the most appropriate system for an application often can be difficult, given the number of factors to consider. The following overview of available systems can help ease the decisionmaking process. Safety relays are appropriate for minimal zone control with local hardwired I/O. Various options are available: • Single-function relays are designed for relatively small safety applications and simple machines needing singlezone control. Gateways allow them to send diagnostic data to a controller or HMI. • Designed for stand-alone machines, dual-input relays combine the functionality of two safety relays into one device. Any logic used with these

In addition to optimising safety, uptime and productivity, integrated technologies can help reduce design, programming and system start-up time. relays is usually configured by switches on the relay and is very limited. Dualchannel relays usually provide only LED-based local diagnostics. • Modular safety-relay systems provide safety control for larger, more complex manufacturing equipment. They allow engineers to combine multiple single-function relays to support multiple safety devices, and also offer diagnostic and communication functionality. • Configurable safety relays are designed

for applications requiring multiple safety circuits and control several zones. They enable a safety system to be created, controlled and monitored in the same software environment as the standard controller, which reduces programming time and can help increase productivity. Advanced connectivity makes more information — including I/O values, logic status and diagnostics — available to users. A general-purpose programmable safety controller can provide more advanced functionality for safety applications that require some complex logic. This could include systems that require multiple safety zones, distributed safety I/O or interlocking with other safety controllers. Programmable controllers also are appropriate for applications where a safety PLC is excessive, such as when only a safety network is needed, or when simple and uncomplicated software is desired. Integrated safety systems are ideal for applications requiring advanced logic, situations where a large physical space needs to be safeguarded, or when a modular and scalable system is needed. They are designed for use in systems that have more than three zones of control,

multiple axes of motion control, and high I/O counts. An integrated safety system uses dual processors to run all standard control functions and safety-control functions simultaneously from a single safety PLC. Safety memory can be locked and protected, while all standard functions work as they would on a regular controller. Standard logic and external devices can read safety memory within an integrated safety system, allowing the display of safety statuses on human-machine interfaces (HMIs), displays or marquees. Multiple safety PLCs in an integrated

While the full range of safety logic systems will continue to provide effective and affordable safety functionality for the foreseeable future, manufacturers are moving toward an integrated approach safety system can share safety data for zone-to-zone interlocking, and a single safety PLC can use remote distributed safety I/O between different cells or areas.

Integrated future

While the full range of safety logic systems will continue to provide effective and affordable safety functionality for the foreseeable future, manufacturers are moving toward an integrated approach. In addition to optimising safety, uptime and productivity, integrated technologies can help reduce design, programming and system start-up time. They also simplify wiring and network integration, and can accommodate future safety changes better than hardwired systems.

Engineers also should consider how flexible and scalable a safety system will be with evolving operations. 28 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

*Brian Taylor is safety components business director with Rockwell Automation, and Tim Roback is safety marketing manager with Rockwell Automation. The article was first published in the Journal From Rockwell Automation and Our PartnerNetwork is published by Putman Media, Inc.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Improving safety on wind structures By Doug Lascarbeau, Anaerobic Technology Director and Ed Fisher, Senior Market Application Engineer, Henkel Corp.

amage and mechanical failuresÂ on wind turbines happen most often on blades, in gear boxes, on generators, drive trains, and brake assemblies all of which are housed in the nacelle. Access to these areas on a large commercial turbine requires that maintenance professionals climb a series of ladders that can take them more than 90 meters up. So how the ladder and treads are secured to the tower deserves close attention. For instance, it should perform as a part of the tower assembly and not a series of separate parts added after tower construction. Maintenance workers can fall if the ladder is not unitized, sturdy, and stable. Such a fall would mean certain injury and possible death.

clamp load is not maintained. Clamp force must be adequate at the time the fastener is assembled and remain at that level throughout the useful life of the fastener. In addition to vibration, a fastenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to stay tightly fixed is impaired by the natural existence of gaps between the mating thread surfaces. These tiny gaps allow micro movements that eventually

Why threaded assemblies fail

loosen mated parts and result in a loss of clamp load. Clamp load must be maintained over the life of the assembly.

Thermal cycling, movement, and vibration can cause threaded fasteners to loosen over time. The normal contact area of mating threads presents a problem because it is a surprisingly small percent. Without appropriate protection, fasteners can fail. Even when its blades are at rest, a wind turbine is a moving structure. High winds that rotate the blades also sway the tower and nacelle, generating mechanical stress and vibration that affect the entire structure from the tip of the highest blade down to the base. In addition, structural elements expand and contract when subjected to operating temperatures that range from sub-zero to more than 37Â°C. Vibration is the number one cause of threaded fastener loosening. Failure occurs when

Threadlocking adhesives are the most reliable method to ensure a threaded assembly remains locked and sealed for its entire service life

How to prevent failure Anaerobic threadlockers are single-component adhesives that when applied to metals cure in the absence of air into tough thermoset plastics. Threadlockers completely fill the voids between interfacing threads, preventing the micro movements that lead to loosening. Threadlockers provide 100 per cent contact between metal parts while a typical untreated nut and bolt assembly can have as little as 15 per cent metal to metal contact. These adhesives maintain clamp load on the fastener until the bond is intentionally broken. Threadlocking adhesives are the most reliable method to ensure a threaded assembly

remains locked and sealed for its entire service life. Available in a variety of strengths, they offer excellent temperature resistance, rapid fixture and cure speeds, and easy dispensing. Now consider the nacelle. Bolts there hold the panels together, letting this important enclosure endure vibration and exposure. Inside the nacelle, hundreds of threaded fasteners secure moving parts on generator components. Threadlockers also act as lubricants during fastener tightening, so instead of dissipating torque as friction and heat, the adhesives improve the conversion of applied torque to high clamp load. Once cured, threadlockers provide a reliable seal and prevent leaks, galling, and corrosion that can seize threads.

Anaerobic adhesives can lock and seal dozens of fasteners on the yaw and main rotor bearings, and nacelle panels.

Advancements in threadlockers

Recent advances in the stability and reactivity of anaerobic chemistry have resulted in gel, stick, and tape formulations. Semi-solid sticks and tapes work well in difficult areas, such as vertical and overhead applications where liquids could be too messy or could migrate. Dry-tothe-touch and packaged on a roll, tape threadlockers can be pre-applied to threaded fasteners for future use or applied during maintenance operations. Recently developed high lubricity anaerobics effectively reduce friction and reliably convert torque energy into increased clamp load. These are especially effective for large diameter, high strength fasteners that provide high clamp load. This article was reprinted with the full permission of http://www. windpowerengineering.com/

The latest adhesives are formulated to provide improved oil tolerance and excellent performance without primers. Primerless formulations are ideal for use on plated and stainless fasteners because they eliminate cleaning and priming operations and cure rapidly for immediate use. Oil-tolerant formulations are ideal for use in gearboxes and other moving parts exposed to lubricants.

Threadlockers completely fill the voids between interfacing threads, thereby preventing the micro movements that lead to loosening. MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 29

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Reducing fatigue failure on wind farms In 2014, AU$18.3 million was spent on wind turbine operations and maintenance. With the wind industry predicted to grow exponentially by the early 2020’s, so will the maintenance costs, writes Stephanie Stefanovic.

n order to capture more wind energy, engineers will need to increase the size of wind turbines, which will ultimately lead to elevated vibration levels and increased stress on tower fasteners. This can cause loosening and bolted-joint failure, which means decreased turbine longevity and increased maintenance costs. To avoid fatigue failure, it is essential that wind turbines are engineered using innovative, heavyduty fasteners that can withstand immense stress levels.

it is essential for wind turbines to be constructed with superior fasteners that can withstand this kind of stress. While the main goal should be to construct safe, sturdy wind turbines, there are a number of different stakeholders in the wind power industry, all of whom have different problems they are looking to solve. For maintenance staff, the main issue is finding a simple, accurate way to judge fastener tension. Wind farm owners however, are looking to reduce maintenance and the associated costs.

The problem with turbines

A solution that works

As mentioned, engineers are looking to extract more and more energy from wind turbines. As it stands, wind turbines are already susceptible to fatigue damage because they are constantly vibrating and threatening to loosen their fasteners. Even when its blades are at rest, a wind turbine is still a moving structure. The high winds that rotate its blades also sway the tower and nacelle (the element atop the tower containing most of its technical parts), which generates mechanical stress and vibration that affect the entire structure. Not to mention the fact that structural elements expand and contract when subjected to temperatures below zero or above 37 degrees. This means that

30 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

For maintenance staff, the main issue is measuring the tension of the fasteners. This is essential when determining whether a fastener has been loosened. One of the traditional methods of doing so is by measuring torque, which is the application of a force that tends to cause rotation. Torque is measured by multiplying the value of the force by the distance from the point of application. It is considered to be a rather indirect indication of tension however, because so many factors can affect this relationship, such as surface texture, rust, oil, and debris – all variables that are seen in wind turbines. A more direct and accurate way to measure fastener tension is with a visual tension indicator, such as the

one found in the iQbolt from Stanley Engineered fastening. The iQbolt’s patented Visual Indication System correlates fastener tension with colour, with the indicator gradually darkening from red to black as the fastener is tightened. The iQbolt also comes with a visual indicator colour chart, ensuring reliable and accurate measurements and allowing maintenance staff to determine tension at a glance – no hands and no training is required. Additionally, the fastener is reusable with no wearable parts, meaning less work for maintenance staff. Another good fastener option is Stanley’s Neobolt, which is a non-breakstem lockbolt fastening system designed for use in heavy structural applications. It offers shockless installation, which not only reduces operator fatigue, but improves tool life and reduces installation noise. The fastener also features a collar ‘fit-up’ feature which makes for easy pre-assembly of the joint as well as avoiding the need to support the pin during the placing operation. All of this makes the installation process easier than with traditional lockbolts. As far as cutting costs by reducing maintenance frequency, Stanley’s Spiralock is unique with a proprietary preload locking internal thread form that is resistant to transverse vibration.

The thread form has a unique 30 degree wedge ramp at the root of the thread that locks the bolt securely in the threaded joint, meaning the load is distributed radially along the length of the bolt instead of being concentrated under the head (as seen in standard bolts). Therefore, the thread remains in contact with the bolt, rather than being allowed to vibrate separately. This increases the strength of the connection and creates a superior resistance to heavy shock and vibration. The fastener can also withstand extreme temperatures, long hours of strenuous operation and millions of loading cycles without the opportunity for retightening. This makes it a desireable solution for reducing wind turbine fatigue. In doing this, maintenance costs will also be reduced. With the Australian wind power industry growing every year, it is becoming increasingly important to address the structural issues causing turbine fatigue failure, as well as the cost of maintenance for wind farm owners. Fortunately, there are now a range of innovative fastener options that can counteract these issues and bring the Australian wind power industry into the next generation. Infastech Australia 03 9765 6400 www.infastechaustralia.com.au

CYBER SECURITY

The threat of mobile malware rising Companies are being urged to protect their mobile devices with the same robust security as traditional PCs and networks. John Allen reports.

esearch by Check Point Software Technologies, the largest pure-play security vendor globally, has identified more than 1,400 different malware families globally during February this year. For the second month running, the Conficker, Sality, and Dorkbot families were the three most commonly used malware variants on the company’s threat index, collectively accounting for 39% of all attacks globally in February. However, Conficker and Sality were only in the seventh and eighth position on the index in Australia, while at the same time, Australia and NZ accounted for over 20 per cent of the global Torpig botnet detections in February. The company’s research also revealed the most prevalent mobile malware during February 2016, with once again attacks against Android devices significantly more common than iOS. The top three mobile malware families on the threat index were: Hummingbad - Android malware that establishes a persistent rootkit on the device, installs fraudulent applications, and enables additional malicious activity such as installing a key-logger, stealing credentials and bypassing encrypted email containers used by enterprises. AndroRAT - Malware that is able to pack itself with a legitimate mobile

application and install without the user’s knowledge, allowing a hacker full remote control of an Android device. Xinyin - Observed as a TrojanClicker that performs Click Fraud on Chinese ad sites. For the first time, malware targeting mobiles was one of the top 10 most prevalent attack types, with the

installs fraudulent apps and enabling malicious activity such as installing a key-logger, stealing credentials and bypassing encrypted email containers used by enterprises, with the aim of intercepting corporate data. Nathan Shuchami, Head of Threat Prevention at Check Point said the rapid rise in attacks using Hummingbad highlights the real

In February the research pinpointed Australia as number 82 and NZ as 62 on the list of 117 most risky countries in the world previously-unknown HummingBad agent being the seventh most common malware detected targeting corporate networks and devices. Hummingbad targets Android devices, establishing a persistent rootkit,

and present danger posed to business networks by unsecured mobile devices and the malware that targets them. “Organisations must start to protect their mobile devices with the same robust security as traditional PCs and

The Conficker, Sality, and Dorkbot families were the three most commonly used malware variants in February. networks as a matter of urgency. “With the range of attack vectors open to hackers, adopting a holistic approach to security that includes mobile devices is critical in protecting both corporate networks and sensitive business data.” In Australia for example, malware has recently affected Australia’s big four bank’s mobile apps and although Android will continue to be a security concern, it is anticipated that consumers will experience more attacks on iOS because iPhones and iPads continue to gain popularly globally, making them prime, high-value targets for cybercriminals. David De Laine, Regional Managing Director, ANZ, Check MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 31

CYBER SECURITY

Point, says it really is only a matter of time before cybercriminals climb over the App Store’s walled garden with APTs that utilise exploit packs to achieve privilege escalations, gaining full control over the attacked device. “Android malware will also become even more evasive. “We’ll start seeing stenographic methods being used in the wild, like decoding executable payloads from strings hidden in image files. “Stealth methods like this (in combination with obfuscation capabilities of off-the-shelf packers and custom encryption) will get much more complicated in 2016 as detection methods get smarter and become more accurate.

“On top of these risks, we’ll experience a trend of cybercriminals using advanced techniques to not only take over and control individual devices but groups of multiple devices. “Controlling one device is fun, but controlling an army of devices is a real money-maker. Botnets are getting bigger and more well-orchestrated, giving hackers a range of malicious capabilities from massive spamming schemes and heavy DDOS attacks to cryptocurrency mining.” In February the research pinpointed Australia as number 82 and NZ as 62 on the list of 117 most risky countries in the world. Check Point’s threat index is based on threat intelligence drawn from its

ThreatCloud World Cyber Threat Map , which tracks how and where cyberattacks are taking place worldwide in real time. The Threat Map is powered by ThreatCloud intelligence, the largest collaborative network to fight cybercrime. It delivers threat data and attack trends from a global network of threat sensors with over 250 million addresses analysed for bot discovery, over 11 million malware signatures and over 5.5 million infected websites, and identifies millions of malware types daily. The top three most commonly used malware variants and their definitions are: • Conficker – machines infected by Conficker are controlled by a botnet.

It also disables security services, leaving computers even more vulnerable to other infections. • Sality - Virus that allows remote operations and downloads of additional malware to infected systems by its operator. Its main goal is to persist in a system and provide means for remote control and installing further malware. • Dorkbot - IRC-based Worm designed to allow remote code execution by its operator, as well as download additional malware to the infected system, with the primary motivation being to steal sensitive information and launch denialof-service attacks. Check Point Software Technologies 02 9493 6000 www.checkpoint.com

Cybersecurity Responsibility: Are Execs Passing the Buck? By Douglas Bonderud

ho’s ultimately responsible for cybersecurity? It’s a critical question; according to Bloomberg BNA, 84 per cent of businesses polled have adopted some kind of cybersecurity framework, and information security is quickly becoming a highpriority boardroom topic. But there’s a problem: A new survey found that more than 90 per cent of executives can’t read a security report, CNBC reported. More worrisome? Forty percent say they “don’t feel responsible” for the repercussions of a hack. Are execs passing the buck on cybersecurity responsibility?

Opting out, however, comes with two significant risks. First is a complete absence of adequate protection. SC Magazine reported that 16 per cent of all companies surveyed didn’t have any type of cybersecurity framework in place. If executives aren’t willing to invest time or money into the process, IT professionals will find other tasks to complete. Another problem? CEOs and other highprofile executives are often on the hook as the public face of a data breach or loss. Shareholders want accountability, and “it wasn’t my job” isn’t a satisfactory answer.

Rolling Downhill

Talking Up Cybersecurity Responsibility

As noted by CNBC, many C-suite executives don’t feel prepared to handle a cyberattack but aren’t making the effort to become personally invested in the InfoSec process. Instead, they’re “handing this off to their techies, and they’re really just placing their heads in the sand right now,” said Dave Damato of security firm Tanium, whose company commissioned the recent survey along with Nasdaq. With companies losing more than $USD400 billion a year to cybercrime, it’s impossible for executives to ignore the effects of bad security habits. However, since IT expertise isn’t part of the executive skill set, it’s often easier to delegate this responsibility downhill and focus on more pressing line-of-business tasks.

32 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

Helping executives embrace cybersecurity responsibility requires a two-pronged approach. It starts with InfoSec professionals and CISOs improving data presentation and visualization at board meetings. Tripwire put it simply: IT staff has trouble talking to management. This won’t be a terminal problem if they take a cue from other boardroom presenters and adopt a hits-and-highlights strategy — provide clear, actionable data without embellishment or excessive technical detail. C-suite executives, meanwhile, need to re-evaluate their time investment since it’s not possible to pick up enough security knowledge

simply by paying attention during presentations. Management must take some extracurricular initiative to learn critical IT terms, network vulnerabilities and potential repercussions. If a breach occurs, CEOs who know exactly what happened, are part of the plan to fix the problem and who don’t pass the buck have a far better chance of keeping their title when the dust and data settles. This article first appeared in IBM’s security blog www. securityintelligence.com and has been reprinted with the permission of IBM. A freelance writer for three years, Doug Bonderud is a Canadian with expertise in the fields of technology and innovation. In addition to working for the IBM Midsize Insider, The Content Standard and Proteomics programs for Skyword, Doug also writes for companies like Ephricon Web Marketing and sites such as MSDynamicsWorld.

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PLCs

PLC-controlled hydraulics allows safe bridge building The logistics of heavy lifting is never simple, but Enerpac has taken their infrastructure maintenance systems to new levels of efficiency and safety, writes Sam Murden.

ridge and infrastructure maintenance technologies that can lift, shift and manoeuvre heavy structures to tolerances down to margins less than a millimetre are being introduced to Australasia by Enerpac to improve workplace safety and cost-efficiency. The compact PLC controlled high-pressure (700 bar) hydraulic technologies –including synchronous lift, stage lift and crane assistance technologies are designed to reduce manpower needs, hazards and complexity when maintaining and heavily used structures. The latest technologies have been designed for public and private infrastructure projects ranging from major concrete steel road and rail bridges, through to smaller timber and concrete bridges serving local communities. They are also used extensively in infrastructure construction and upgrading of road, rail and port facilities. Engineered to facilitate projects such as bearing replacement, deck lifting, de-propping and structural repair, the maintenance technologies complement Enerpac’s bridge launching technologies, such as its globally unique spindle bar systems and Enerlauncher incremental launching systems used on high-precision projects such as main route projects and high viaducts. Enerpac said the latest technologies available in Australia and New Zealand have been directly evolved from products that have been proven in global landmark projects, such as lifting of the Golden 34 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

Gate Bridge for maintenance and the construction of the Millau viaduct in France, which, with a mast summit of 343 metres, is twice as high as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Enerpac Australasia integrated systems manager Warren Baltineshter said the Enerpac systems offered many benefits for infrastructure projects, with a range of tasks confronting Australia and New Zealand as they refurbish and renew their arterial routes and regional infrastructure. “It is estimated that there are more than 30,00 timber and concrete bridges maintained by local authorities, for example, of which more than a quarter are in poor or fair condition,” Baltineshter said.

Integrated solutions for bridge maintenance Enerpac bridge maintenance technologies such as the EVo Synchronous Lifting System, SFP-Series Spit Flow Pumps, BLS-Series Stage Lift Cylinders, Strand Jack Systems, SyncHoist and Hydraulic Gantry systems are members the Enerpac Integrated Solutions family, which is backed globally by the expertise and experience of the Enerpac Integrated Solutions Team lead locally by Baltineshter. “Heavy lifts are a complex and specialised discipline where one technology does not fit all,” he said. “Sometimes the enormous power and precision of synchronous hydraulic technology is the best option for bridging and infrastructure; sometimes standard indoor and outdoor cranes can do the job cost-efficiently; and sometimes lifting gantries are

Level Lift System: The Level Lift System is a fully configured and assembled system, which includes a ZE4 pump, hoses, gauges and cart. It is designed for safe, fast, even and controlled lifting, and lowering of uneven loads, typically up to 800 tons, including civil engineering machinery used in infrastructure projects. During operation, uneven loads are moved evenly as Enerpac’s patented Level Lift valve sends a fixed volume of oil to each cylinder a safe and cost-efficient option for tasks across industries such as mining and resources plant, oil and gas structures, energy and infrastructure installation and maintenance and ports and shipping tasks.” “All heavy infrastructure and plant lifts however share the need to complete the task not only with maximum cost-efficiency, but also with optimum safety and ease of control.” The power and precision of stand jacking has been demonstrated in Australian

while lifting or lowering. Regardless of the distribution of weight in the application, or the resulting pressure at each lift point, the Level Lift System strokes each cylinder by the same amount. Each amount must have the same effective area. Skidding System: Enerpac skidding systems are usually custom-built to individual specifications but are also available in two standard versions.

resources and infrastructure projects, including lifts of 800-1400 tonne ball mills. Units were hoisted and positioned on their pedestals with a PLC controlled lift system capable of safely positioning huge loads to accuracies within fractions of a millimetre. “The same position is a highly applicable to bridge projects,” Baltineshter said. Enerpac’s SHS SyncHoist system is a high precision hydraulic load hoisting and positioning system engineered

to enhance crane performance and safety while reducing costs compared with conventional load positioning methods. Available in system load capacities of 240, 320 and 440 tonnes with system reach of 1500mm from each lifting point, SyncHost offers very high accuracies (+/-1.0mm), less dependence on weather conditions, while at the same time, vastly improved operating speed and worker safety. Enerpac 02 9743 8988 www.enerpac.com/en-au

NEW PRODUCTS

3D metrology software INNOVMETRIC Software has released PolyWorks 2016, the latest release of the company’s universal 3D metrology software platform. Available from Hi-Tech Metrology, the software package fully supports probing and laser scanning on stationary CNC CMMs that is said to delivers a truly universal 3D metrology workflow that will allow users to operate any type of portable metrology and CNC CMM measurement device within a common framework, from a single software module, and using similar tools and methods. The company says that with PolyWorks 2016, the definition of what constitutes a universal platform takes on a new meaning: a universal hub that interfaces with any type of 3D metrology measurement device, and offers a universal workflow for performing all inspection tasks. According to the company, this innovative end-to-end approach will significantly lower the total cost of software ownership for industrial manufacturers as it eliminates

Cast polyamide

metrology workflow silos, decreases the cost of training, facilitates broader collaboration between teams, ensures consistency in measurement results, and increases workforce mobility. With PolyWorks 2016, portable metrology and CNC CMM operators are now able to define a measurement plan without being physically connected to a specific measurement device; specify geometry controls on measurement objects and prepare inspection reports; connect to a non-contact or a contact-based portable metrology device, or to a CNC CMM controller (from Hexagon, Mitutoyo, Nikon, Pantec, Wenzel, and I++ servers),

to play the measurement sequence; and review measured object geometry controls and reports, or multi-piece inspection results through the built-in SPC functionality. Operating portable metrology and CNC CMM devices within a common framework is now possible with the introduction of two new components of the software: the measurement sequence editor and the offline simulation. Hi-Tech Metrology 03 9702 3911 www.hitechmetrology.com.au

Biogas flow meter AMS Instrumentation & Calibration has released the ST98 air/gas flow meter from Fluid Components International (FCI) suitable for measuring dirty landfill gases for co-generation electric power or for flare gas system reporting. According to the company, the meter can measure biogases accurately with virtually no maintenance over a long life to provide a lowest lifecycle cost instrumentation solution. The ST98 Flow Meter with its thermal mass sensor provides direct mass flow measurement without the need for additional temperature or pressure sensors or density calculating devices. The meter’s insertion style configuration makes it simple to install in existing piping without cutting the pipe or welding, offering minimal interruption to plant operations. With its rugged no-moving parts sensor design, the ST98 meter is suitable for service in biogas and natural gas, as well as numerous other process gases, hydrocarbon mixed or dirty gases and plant compressed air and HVAC systems. The meter is also suitable for use in other industries such as chemical, electronics, food/beverage, oil/gas, pharmaceutical, pulp/paper, steel and wastewater treatment. The insertion style ST98 meter’s flow range is from

0.21 to 172NPS in air at standard conditions of 21.2°C and 0°C and 1013,25 bar (a), typical for most gases. Accuracy is said to be ±1% of reading, plus ±0.5% of full scale, with a repeatability to ±0.5% of reading. Designed for demanding environments, the rugged ST98’s thermal mass flow sensing element is constructed with two all-welded 316L stainless steel thermowells, which protect two matched platinum precision resistance temperature detectors (RTDs). One RTD is heated relative to the reference RTD, and the temperature difference between the two is proportional to the process gas mass flow rate. AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 www.ams-ic.com.au

CUT To Size Plastics now has available the Wearlon family of cast polyamides from the international manufacturer of engineering plastics Licharz. According to the company, hardwearing cast polyamide is increasingly used to cost-efficiently fabricate industrial castors, pallet rollers, flanged and grooved wheels and idler wheels on materials handling machinery, indoor conveyor vehicles and transport wagons as an alternative to metals and rubber. The material’s low weight, low friction and resulting ease of handling means polyamide wheels and rollers have less damaging or marking impact on floors, plus being resistance to chemicals means they stand up well for use in laboratories, hazardous storage and production areas in many industries. The Wearlon family of polyamides is suitable for OEM use and metal replacement in applications including manufacturing and process engineering, mining and energy, oil and gas, transport and construction, food, beverage and primary production and water and waste water. Able to operate in humid and wet environments, and in extreme temperatures, the material can be economically fabricated in almost any size. Specific formulations of polyamides are available for wheels and rollers which are said to offer a high degree of durable elasticity that ensures any flat spots which develop under static load become quickly and reliably round again. In this way, vibration-free running can be achieved after a very short distance. Extreme Pressure (EP) wheels can also be fabricated from polyamide, performing best when used in clean application where foreign matter or material is not lying on the floor or track. Cut To Size Plastics 02 9681 0400 www.cuttosize.com.au MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 35

NEW PRODUCTS

Loop-powered isolator ALVI Technologies has released the BL540, a compact, accurate, reliable loop-powered isolator from its low-cost BasicLine series. By reliably decoupling the field and control levels, the device prevents system malfunctions. At 1.7V voltage drop, the device needs no auxiliary power supply but can be powered through the loop – this results in the additional advantage of a much reduced wiring effort. The isolator features a 0.2% full scale accuracy and are CE-compliant. One and two-channel devices are available in a 6mm DIN rail housing. Strictly concentrating on basic functions, the company has tailored the device for mechanical engineering companies that need precise and reliable yet costoptimised isolators for large-scale applications. It is said to feature high level of manufacturing quality and precision as well as complete galvanic isolation. The company’s BasicLine comprises transducers for all major control cabinet requirements: current, voltage, or temperature measurement, conversion of standard signals or measured values, signal isolation, and set-point monitoring. ALVI Technologies 02 9838 7220 www.alvi.com.au

Hydraulic filters and clogging indicators IN order to prevent any serious personal injury and damage to equipment due to flammable substances, Hydac has upgraded its hydraulic filters and clogging indicators allowing them to be used in potentially explosive atmospheres. For example, the company has designed its StatFree Filter elements to prevent electrostatic charging in the system. Modified clogging indicators can be supplied with the product with a manufacturer’s declaration and an ATEX specific operating manual. Following these safety measures, the company has specifically designed filter elements in Stat-Free versions, preventing static charging which can be produced in the filter in certain cases. As conventional glass fibre or synthetic elements always cause static charging, the company says it’s Stat-Free Filter elements, the filter housing and

elements should always be made from electrically conductive materials, with the necessary equalisation of potential (earthing) implemented by the system manufacturer or operator. Hydac International 03 9272 8918 www.hydac.com.au

Multi-core oscilloscope BECKHOFF Automation has released the TwinCAT 3 Scope – multi-core oscilloscope for “big data”. Measuring applications using the oscilloscope are said to simple, even for “big data” applications: support for multi-core processing also enables the acquisition and display of very large quantities of data. The software is fully integrated within the oscilloscope’s control architecture which enables the simple graphical display of signal curves using the charting tool. With the acquisition and analysis of data on machines becoming more important, especially against the backdrop

of Industrie 4.0 and “big data” applications, all process data must be clearly and graphically displayed and analysed across the entire lifecycle of the machine in the correct chronological order and with highest possible performance. Using the oscilloscope, curves can be displayed with a resolution up to the microsecond range, plus its multi-core capability makes it suitable for large recordings with several hundred variables. According to the company, machine developers now have a charting tool at their disposal that considerably simplifies the engineering process during application development as well as process monitoring.

In combination with the new oscilloscope’s Analytics and IoT software modules, the acquired process data can be analysed either locally or in a private or public cloud. Beckhoff Automation 03 9912 5430 www.beckhoff.com.au

Versatile filling machine for bag-in-box and stand-up pouches HBM Plastics & Packaging Technologies has released SACMI’s new BIB & Pouch Filler, which features the company’s Ultra-Clean Filling Valves capable of handling 1.5L to 25L stand-up pouch and bag-in-box formats. Additional features of the filling machine include its compactness, high productivity, nitrogen injection and steam sterilisation along with contamination and product leakage prevention which ensures oxygen absorption of less than 0.4PPM and a filling precision of 0.3 per cent. According to the company, the machine is ideal for wine, beverages, dairy, syrups, edible oils and detergents in either package format. 36 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

The stand-up pouches are made from films said to have excellent oxygen barrier properties to preserve the liquid inside, protecting the content from the external environment. The product inside the pouches is dispensed through a plastic non return valve preventing air entering the packaging during dispensing. The pouch/valve system works together to prolong the shelf life before and after the pack is opened. The pouches are said to unbreakable and extremely lightweight with a very low carbon footprint in comparison to glass and PET bottle packaging

HBM Plastics & Packaging Technologies 02 8814 3100 www.hbm.com.au

NEW PRODUCTS

Heavy duty linear actuator THE Thomson Electrak HD actuator, now available from Treotham Automation, is described as the next generation heavy duty linear actuator. Said to provide the best on-board controls currently available in electric linear actuators, eliminating the need for standalone controls, the actuator offers advanced performance and superior environmental protection. The higher power and longer stroke lengths allow the actuator to tackle applications outside the range of other electric linear actuators. According to the company, the actuator can withstand the harshest environments and be used for a large number of applications including utility vehicles, roadwork and construction site equipment, railroad equipment, emergency and rescue vehicles, and switch gears. It is also

suitable for single-user maintenance and repair, quick attach and logistic systems. The actuator is described as being simple to use and is built within one compact housing. It includes an optional built-in J1939 CAN bus support, temperature compensation, overload protection and electronic trip point calibration. Constant monitoring of vital parameters such as end-of-stroke, voltage, current and temperature is standard on all HD actuators. It also features a dynamic/holding break, flying lead cables and

front/rear clevis options. The actuator is CE, RoHS and REACH (EU) certified, and meets the most extreme OEM component environmental acceptance tests, including IP69K, IP67 and IP66. Treotham Automation www.treotham.com.au 02 9907 1788

SPM probes and cantilevers

Laser sensors with integrated web interface BESTECH has released the new optoNCDT laser sensors based on the triangulation measuring principle to perform non-contact displacement, distance and position measurements. The compact optoNCDT 1420 triangulation sensors are said to achieve a high measurement accuracy even with measuring rates of up to 4kHz. The connection is made either via a 3m cable with open ends or via a 0.3m pigtail with M12 connector. The sensor’s Auto Target

Compensation (ATC) is designed to ensure stable results regardless of changing colours or brightness of the target. The high-performance optical system projects the small light spot sharply onto the measurement object which enables it to detect very small components reliably. Different output signals enable to integrate the sensor into plant or machine control systems. As there is no need for a separate controller, installation effort is said to be minimal. As

well as analogue voltage and current outputs, a digital RS422 interface provides distance information from the sensor. The sensors are operated using an intuitive web interface. Presets and a quality slider for the selection of the measurement task enable fast sensor parameter set up. Furthermore, up to eight userspecific sensors settings can be stored and exported in the setup management. Bestech Australia 03 9540 5117 www.bestech.com.au

SCITECH has available the AppNano range of conventional and specialised SPM probes for most applications. The probes leverage the company’s extensive experience in nanofabrication technology and research in AFM probes to supply high quality probes utilising the latest technology in the market. Compatible with most commercially available AFMs, the probes will also work with AFMs that require mounted probes. AppNano silicon probes are manufactured out of prime grade, low resistivity (0.01- 0.025 Ω-cm), n-type antimony doped, single crystal silicon. According to the company, AppNano’s silicon technologies combined with micro-fabrication processes achieve consistent high quality monolithic probes with unprecedented tip sharpness. The company’s probes include the ACL Series is designed for non-contact, tapping mode intermittent contact and/or close contact applications, the ACST Series designed for soft tapping or non-contact mode applications, and the ACT Series short and stiff cantilevers with high resonance frequency for high speed scanning of hard samples in tapping/non-contact modes. Scitech 03 9480 4999 www.scitech.com.au

MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 37

NEW PRODUCTS

Industrial router THE Wieland Wienet VPN industrial router, now available from Treotham Automation, allows the user to manage tele-control, remote maintenance and alarm simply and safely from a distance. The industrial router is said to allow unlimited M2M communication to ensure increased efficiency and data security whether it’s for the control of machines, monitoring of production or the coordination of production areas. The router allows control commands, level indicators and video signals to be transmitted. The routers can be used for many applications, including energy systems such as wind turbines, solar farms, biogas cogeneration systems and heat pumps, water and waste water management,

and system monitoring in machine building such as washing machines, packaging machines and compressors. They are also suitable for external surveillance cameras, vending, smart metering and mobile fleet management. Said to be extremely user friendly with the arrangement of ports on the front panel and a standard USB port, the router features a robust aluminum housing and DIN top hat rail assembly. It has an operating temperature range of -30°C to 70°C and supports all popular mobile systems. The devices are also available with a second SIM card slot, additional I/O, RS-232, RS-422/

RS-485, M-Bus, second Ethernet interface, WiFi module or integrated 3 port switch.

Contactless torque sensor BESTECH Australia has available the DR-3001 range of rotating torque transducers with non-contact transmission which serve as active sensors with integrated measuring amplifiers. According to the company, the advantage of bearing-less transducers is that under high speeds, no friction will falsify the measurement result. Digital sensors with RS485 have high noise immunity even with very long connection cables, whilst sensors with USB interface possess significant superiority in displaying data and connecting to PC for further software analysis. The sensor has digital signal transmission from rotor to stator

and it is bearing free which means no signal falsification and maintenance free. The USB torque sensor is suitable for mobile operation with a laptop, measuring speed up to 4000 min-1 featuring high torsional stiffness and high accuracy of 0.1% of full scale. Features of the contactless torque sensor include a nominal torque of 0.1Nm to 5000Nm, up to 2500 measurements/s, a drive-square socket and very short axial length. Special versions are available on request.

Conveyor belting

Bestech Australia 03 9540 5117 www.bestech.com.au

Clean room differential pressure monitor IN order to monitor differential pressures in clean rooms, defined as a room in which the concentration of airborne particles is maintained within established parameters, ALVI offers a differential pressure transmitter; the DE21. It is a compact, DIN Rail Mounted measuring instrument in 2-wire technology, serving to cover numerous measuring ranges in the low pressure area. Using capacitive measuring cells specially designed for nominal pressure ranges along with high overpressure safety, monitor 38 www.pacetoday.com.au MAY 2016

ensures high precision, long term stability and drift free operation. The measurement units, mbar, Pa, kPa and inWC, are selectable

Treotham Automation 02 9907 1788 www.treotham.com.au

via the DIP Switch on the unit. It’s equipped with the 4 digit LCD display clearly indicating the measured differential pressure in selected pressure units. Differential pressure is simply the measured pressure deviation between two points in different pressure systems. If the pressure is too low, especially when a door is opened, contaminants can enter. If it is too high, energy is being wasted. ALVI Technologies 02 9838 7220 www.alvi.com.au

RYDELL Industrial (Belting) has released the Cog-Veyor Lug drive system for homogenous conveyor belting. According to the company, the belting offers superior drive and performance in the most demanding applications. The belting is said to be extremely durable and will not slip or track off, requiring minimal tension. Smooth running and maximum pulling power is achieved using open tooth sprockets that intermesh with dual lugs on the bottom side of the belt. The belts are made from polyester or urethane material, with their unique design said to offer better traction and zero slippage. FDA/USDA approved, the conveyor belting is suitable for many applications including full food contact and raw food applications being bacteria free. The belting is said to offer tremendous shock absorption, plus it impact and cut resistant for sharp products like bones. Features of the belting include sprockets that are matched to the drive lugs on the underside of the belt, suitable wet and dirty conditions, and self-cleaning sprockets that prevent material build up. Rydell Industrial (Belting) 02 9831 7300 www.rydell.com.au

NEW PRODUCTS

Plastic and steel conveyor chains RYDELL Industrial (Belting) is the exclusive Australian distributor for Uni-chains comprehensive range of plastic and steel table top chains suitable for a wide variety of industries and applications. Designed mainly for industries that use glass bottles, such as breweries and the wine and soft drinks industries, the steel chains are available in several variants including straight running, side flexing, with or without tabs, as magnet chains, and in the special Uni Super Flex design as well as the

Uni-chains PLUS range. The steel chains are said to be strong, suitable for applications running at high speed and not affected by broken glass. The plastic chains are described as a light-weight yet strong and silent alternative to steel chains suitable for use in the food and packaging industry for conveying many kinds of containers. Rydell Industrial (Belting) 02 9831 7300 www.rydell.com.au

Industrial gas analyser MICHELL’S new XGA301 industrial gas analyser, available from AMS Instrumentation & Calibration, is designed to provide a reliable and cost-effective method to monitor for air leaks combined with moisture measurement. The adaptable instrument offers a choice of zirconia or electrochemical sensors for measuring oxygen with optional moisture measurements via a built-in Easidew transmitter. With glove boxes often having an inert gas, such as nitrogen or argon introduced as an atmosphere, the XGA301’s electrochemical sensor can be calibrated to detect trace oxygen from 0.1ppm to 10,000ppm and alert users early to any leaks of air into the system. Where a dry atmosphere is also needed, the option of moisture measurements using an Easidew enable users to monitor for moisture ingress. AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 www.ams-ic.com.au

Stainless steel keyboard with integrated touchpad BACKPLANE Systems Technology has released InduKey’s TKV-084-FIT-TouchIP65-MGEH series of stainless steel keyboards with integrated touchpads. The new range of stainless steel keyboards includes three compact versions, which are suitable for use in tough industrial applications in a variety of environments as the silicone seal between the top and bottom parts of the keys protects against any ingress by dust or splashing water. By integrating the keys in an additional membrane (consisting of silicone or PORON), it is possible to

create a LABS-free version designed for medical and laboratory applications. The flat key caps and the arrangement of the keys enable noisefree typing strokes and supports fast touch typing. The capacitive keypad also allows precise operations for users, even if they are wearing silicone gloves. Customised modifications are available to meet the requirements of specific applications. Backplane Systems Technology 02 9457 6400 www.backplane.com.au MAY 2016 www.pacetoday.com.au 39

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