Design World/EE Network - IoT Handbook

September 2015

Big future for cyber-physical manufacturing systems. Page 36

What will the IIoT mean to manufacturers? Page 50

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CONTENTS

Cover image courtesy of: Mentor Graphics

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Internet of Things

16 08 Would the IoT make for a boring movie? 34 10

Low-power wireless links let the IoT proliferate Through beacon technology, smartphones will passively pick up information about activities nearby, extending the IoT to a whole new range of applications.

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22

Systems-on-modules and platform approaches can help keep IIoT efforts from getting lost in the weeds of interfacing and hardware development.

36

the analytics arising from cyber-physical models of machines and systems.

42 A case of IoT fatigue?

Market studies show consumers are less enthusiastic about connected products these days. But electronic suppliers are still designing components and software aimed at quickly implementing the Internet of Things.

The IoT and connected highways Dedicated short-range communication techniques could usher in connected cars and safer driving.

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30

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Industrial power for the Internet of Things Many devices on the Industrial IoT will need rugged primary and rechargeable lithium batteries to provide reliable, long-term power.

Real-time operating systems for wearable devices in the IoT Operating systems and the way they handle tasks can make or break applications such as activity trackers and fashion electronics.

Big future for cyber-physical manufacturing systems The real value of the IoT for manufacturers will be in

The circuit protection connection for wearables and the IoT Circuit protection technologies and board layout strategies help promote safety, reliability and connectivity.

SoMs speed the move to the Industrial Internet of Things

46

Building IoT gateways to the cloud

Test instruments ensure connections to the cloud coexist peacefully with IoT communication schemes.

48 Data, data everywhere, but no insights in sight

50

What will the Industrial Internet of Things mean to manufacturers?

How will the IIoT affect manufacturing operations and processes? Experts weigh in.

54

IIoT—the technological changes coming to automation equipment and systems Experts discuss the changes in technology that will enable greater connectivity and data gathering, and how it will affect your designs.

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60 Who’s investing in IIoT and why Medical, automation, automotive, food and beverage, material handling—so many industries plan to take advantage of IIoT. Experts explain why.

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Internet of Things

Would the IoT make for a boring movie?

LELAND TESCHLER Executive Editor @DW_LeeTeschler

T

The research was part of an array of early investigations into wireless topics. Though it was not the basis for future work in the area, a decade or so later the same ideas would gel into both RFID concepts and into a discipline known as near field communication (NFC). NFC is the technology that lets two cell phones exchange information simply by touching each other. The first NFC patents came in the late 1990s when a couple of Brits worked out the details for use in Star Wars toys. Now, of course, NFC is found in mobile payment schemes, such as Apple’s Apple Pay, as well as in more prosaic uses, such as swapping selfies on smartphones. Both RFID and NFC are expected to have big roles in IoT scenarios.

It would have been hard to see that in those pre-world-wide-web days. Back then, there were a lot of refinements necessary before wireless technologies were ready for prime time. For example, NFC schemes now use a frequency shift modulation rather than the AM described in the ISSCC paper. Nevertheless, that early work demonstrated the concept. So you might wonder whether people in that ISSCC audience realized they were seeing the first glimmers of ideas that would NFC is found in mobile payment schemes such as eventually become significant Apple’s Apple Pay as well as in more prosaic uses communication technologies.

Well, if anybody had those such as swapping selfies on smart phones. feelings, I certainly couldn’t detect them. The room where the presentation took place was only half full. As I recall, in animals (cattle, for example) that could the author got polite applause and fielded a couple of be scanned and identified as they passed straightforward technical questions after his talk. There through a gate. were no dramatic moments.

The kid went on to describe an IC The kid who gave that ISSCC paper, by the way, containing transmission and receive coils. was Adam Malamy, an engineer who has gone on Rather than drive current through the coils, which to work in video compression and decompression. would consume a lot of power, the chip switched Safe to say, if moviemakers ever decide to put its coil impedance high and low to change, thereby the beginnings of IoT technologies up on the big inducing an amplitude modulation in an external screen, they’d have a tough time making Adam’s magnetic field. The amplitude modulation resulted in a small part melodramatic. data rate of around 50 kBd.

here’s a new movie coming out about the life of Apple’s Steve Jobs. Despite what you might conclude from movies like this one, the birth of new technologies seldom involves much drama. At least that’s the conclusion I’ve come to after reflecting on a talk I attended in 1988 during the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC).

The ISSCC is considered one of the premier technical conferences for IC design. Papers accepted for presentation there are generally considered either “important” or “interesting.” Twenty-seven years ago, I was among those listening to a paper that I’m pretty sure organizers lumped into the “interesting” category.

The main author was a kid from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who, judging by his demeanor at the podium, was pretty happy to be there. He should have been: The work he described was his master’s thesis. Though it wasn’t even doctorial work, it got selected for ISSCC. That must have been quite a plum.

The kid’s project demonstrated a way of letting ICs communicate with each other wirelessly—single chips couldn’t do that back then. He was thinking about RFID-like applications such as chips embedded

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Internet of Things

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Low-power wireless links let the IoT proliferate JASON TOLLEFSON Microchip Technology

Through beacon technology, smartphones will passively pick up information about activities nearby, extending the IoT to a whole new range of applications.

A

nalysts project there will be tens of billions of “things” making up the IoT, and each of these things will require power. The IoT will necessitate innovation in energy-conservation techniques, particularly because many of the ideas envisioned involve remote nodes residing far away from power lines. Extremely low-power microcontrollers (MCUs) and Bluetooth Smart radios can help solve power problems.

There is a lot of debate about just what constitutes the Internet of Things. Is it connected car keys? Is it the connected refrigerator?

Despite the debate, a few key aspects have emerged. For one thing, IoT objects are uniquely identifiable. They also connect to the existing Internet infrastructure and offer services that go beyond machine-tomachine techniques.

One particular type of IoT connection that has gotten a lot of attention is that of locale-based services. Examples include getting an instant update on ski conditions as you board the lift, or an instant coupon as you walk in the grocery store. The same capabilities could deliver customized status updates of activities that are close to home, such as your child’s tooth-brushing habits.

A typical blood pressure cuff as handled by a Bluetooth Smart app. Profiles in Bluetooth are specifications for how a device works in a particular application—for low energy devices.

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Internet of Things

It looks as though locale-based services will mainly be delivered by smartphones communicating with low-power MCUs and Bluetooth Smart radio. The Bluetooth Smart spec (also called Bluetooth LE) is basically a low-power version of Bluetooth. It offers designers a simple way to add IoT capabilities.

Smartphones now ship with integrated Bluetooth Smart protocol.

A smartphone app can control the user experience and manage the data transfer to and from the edge device.

Here, an edge device is a mechanism that provides entry into an enterprise or service provider network. Routers and network switches are both examples of edge devices.

Bluetooth Smart can work like what’s called a beacon, vastly simplifying the pairing process (that is, establishing a connection between two devices). Beacons can advertise their presence to the smartphone when the two are in close proximity.

In contrast, the pairing of two WiFi devices can only take place when a user pushes a WiFi Direct button on the router, which often resides in another room.

When low-power MCUs mate to a Bluetooth Smart radio, the MCUs typically collect sensor data. Typical data might include location or hours

The typical use example is that of buying a drink from a soda machine with a smartphone. For this one-time data transaction, sending out a URL lets the phone user get a drink without having to install an app. of use. The MCU then stores the data it collects in a usable format. When a smartphone connects with the device, the data uploads and either gets transmitted or displayed.

It is useful to cover Bluetooth beacon capabilities in some detail.

Bluetooth beacons are typically 12

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small transmitters (usually battery powered) that beam out information that a smartphone or tablet picks up. Beacons are not new. The Apple iBeacon standard has been out for two years. But it is proprietary and only works with Apple equipment.

The Bluetooth Smart standard is relatively new and of most interest for IoT devices. This new standard enables low-power operation, a benefit for IoT applications. The original Bluetooth spec, now called Bluetooth Classic, offers a longer range and throughput of 2.1 Mbps.

But low-data-rate applications like IoT temperature sensors don’t need rates this high. Bluetooth Smart’s advantage is that it connects quickly, has throughput matching IoT needs and consumes less power.

One recent development in beacon technology is the release

by Google of Eddystone, an opensource, cross-platform Bluetooth Smart beacon format. Eddystone supports multiple types of “frames,” basically data bursts performing various functions.

Bluetooth beacons communicate just one way. For beacons working with smartphones, the usual goal is to send a notification that the phone user can tap. Tapping launches another application that takes some action— accepting a store coupon, say.

The beacon spec defines something called a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID). This is a 128-bit value that uniquely identifies every specific beacon in the world.

A typical use for a UUID might be to find smartphones near a store having a specific UUID, then send the phone users a coupon.

Eddystone also defines a URL frame. A specific location can send out a URL frame instead of a UUID. Doing so would open a Web browser.

The typical use example is that of buying a drink from a soda machine

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LOW-POWER WIRELESS

One example of a Bluetooth Smart controller is the RN4020 Bluetooth Version 4.1 low energy module. On board is a complete Bluetooth stack. It is controlled via ASCII commands over a UART interface. The RN4020 also includes all Bluetooth SIG profiles, as well as MLDP (Microchip Low-energy Data Profile) for custom data. A built-in PCB antenna is tuned for long range, typically over 100 m.

with a smartphone. For this one-time data transaction, sending out a URL lets the phone user get a drink without having to install an app.

Ephemeral Identifiers (EIDs) are frames defined with security in mind.

There seem to be few details published about this type of frame. Finally, a frame for Telemetry Data is meant for sending diagnostic information about the beacon, such as its remaining battery power.

Readers might wonder why Bluetooth beacons are necessary for locale-based services when GPS is already available. The answer is that GPS transceivers consume a lot of power and aren’t particularly accurate in densely populated areas. They also don’t work well indoors. For example, in a scenario where two bus stops are across the street from each other, GPS might get confused about which was closer to the phone user.

Beacons wouldn’t have this problem.

LOWERING ENERGY DISSIPATION The Bluetooth SIG defines several profiles—specifications for how a device works in a particular application—for low-energy devices. Among them is a profile for heart rate. A blood pressure cuff employing Bluetooth communication, for example, might make use of the heart rate profile.

The profile might handle services such as device and blood pressure measurements. The profile would also include a UUID—in this example, probably specifying the manufacturer.

Profiles are spelled out in a section of the Bluetooth spec called the Bluetooth Smart GATT or Generic Attribute Profiles. The profiles are typically supported in the Bluetooth device directly, and all current lowenergy application profiles are based on the GATT. Bluetooth Smart employs several measures to keep energy use low.

For example, it uses GFSK, or Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying, while transmitting. This method is simpler and requires less power than classic designworldonline.com

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Bluetooth, which uses non-Gaussian FSK. GFSK isn’t compatible with FSK and has a preamble that is different than in Bluetooth Classic. Some Bluetooth radios will work in either of these modes, but must be configured for one mode or the other to do so.

Another benefit of Bluetooth Smart is its packet size. Bluetooth Smart packets are smaller than those of classic Bluetooth by as much as 60%. This means the Bluetooth Smart radio consumes energy for one-third as long as the older standard.

The Bluetooth Smart radio reduces energy use as well by minimizing its connection time. The radio can stay paired with a smartphone without requiring a constant connection. A constant connection consumes constant power, so removing this requirement saves energy. The Bluetooth Smart radio features a “Connect Interval” and “Slave Latency,” which make pairing this way possible.

The connection parameters for Bluetooth Smart were set up with energy efficiency in mind. These parameters determine when and how a peripheral exchanges information with a central unit.

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Internet of Things

The central unit sets the connection parameters, but the peripheral can send a so-called Connection Parameter Update Request to change them.

There are basically three different connection parameters. One called the connection interval determines how often the central unit asks the peripheral

To make sure the peripheral hasn’t died somehow, there is another parameter called the connection supervision timeout. This period determines the time from the last data exchange until a link is considered lost. A central unit won’t try to reconnect until the timeout has passed. The timeout feature is useful for handling devices that go in and out of range, where the central unit needs to notice when this happens.

All in all, connection parameters let peripherals transmit data as frequently as every 7.5 msec, or as infrequently as every 33 min, thus optimizing energy use.

All in all, connection parameters let peripherals transmit data as frequently as every 7.5 msec, or as infrequently as every 33 min, thus optimizing energy use. for data. Here, the peripheral can set what’s called the slave latency period. This factor sets how long the peripheral can ignore the central unit’s request for data.

By setting slave latency to some non-zero number, the peripheral can choose how long it can wait when the central unit asks for data. (However, the peripheral can send data any time it needs to.)

Slave latency lets a peripheral stay asleep (and thus save energy) if it doesn’t have data to send, but still send data fast if necessary. The classic example is that of wireless keyboards and mice. They can sleep when there is no data to send, but still have a low latency (and a low connection interval for the mouse).

LOW-POWER MCU FEATURES Of course, the MCU figures in the power equation. MCU power consumption is largely determined by the powermode state and clock speed.

Many new MCUs include low-power modes and can change operating modes under software control. Typical operating modes include run, doze, idle, low-voltage sleep and deep sleep. Each of these modes reduces power consumption under specific operating conditions.

For example, the PIC MCU has doze and low-voltage sleep modes. In doze, the MCU can run code more slowly than its on-chip peripherals. This reduces current

Slave latency lets a peripheral stay asleep (and thus save energy) if it doesn’t have data to send, but still send data fast if necessary. The classic example is that of wireless keyboards and mice. They can sleep when there is no data to send, but still have a low latency (and a low connection interval for the mouse).

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LOW-POWER WIRELESS

Comparing Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Smart

consumption but still allows peripherals, such as UARTs, to communicate at the proper baud rate. Low-voltage sleep mode switches out the high-performance, onchip regulator for a low-current regulator. This allows full MCU state retention using a current of only a few hundred nanoamps. A transition from run to lowvoltage-sleep reduces current consumption by 99.9%.

Low-power MCUs also offer on-the-fly clock switching. This is the ability to change clock frequency depending on the task. For example, the MCU might run at full clock speed when computing math-intensive filter algorithms on sensor data. If the MCU is in a simple loop and awaiting an interrupt, it might dial back clock speed to reduce power. These methods can reduce current consumption from 5 mA to 26 µA—a savings of 99%.

Similarly, many low-power MCUs have smart peripherals that can operate independent of the program execution. They are independent of the MCU core in that, once they are configured, they complete the work without intervention.

For example, the PIC MCU has an integrated analog-to-digital converter (ADC) able to run in sleep mode. It accomplishes this feat by using its own clock and dedicated logic called threshold detect. Threshold detect is the ability to sample a signal, as from a temperature sensor, and wake the CPU only when a specific target is reached. Features like this one can cut ADC current in half. designworldonline.com

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All in all, use of low-power modes for coreindependent peripherals, MCUs and Bluetooth Smart radios make it possible to connect a wide variety of applications to the IoT. Smartphones provide an instant gateway to get online wirelessly. This connectivity will likely let people simplify their lives.

REFERENCES Bluetooth Smart specs developer.bluetooth.org/ TechnologyOverview/Pages/BLE.aspx Bluetooth module ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/ DeviceDoc/70005191A%20(1).pdf

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Internet of Things

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The circuit protection connection for wearables and the IoT JAMES COLBY Littelfuse

Circuit protection technologies and board layout strategies help promote safety, reliability and connectivity.

T

here’s one down-side to wearable technology that is unlikely to show up in headlines about the IoT: Human bodies generate static electricity as they move. That static electricity can potentially harm the sensitive electronics that power IoT applications.

To understand the problem, consider the human-body model (HBM), a model used for characterizing the susceptibility of integrated circuits to damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD). The most widely used HBM definition is the test model defined in the military standard MIL-STD-883, Method 3015.8, Electrostatic Discharge Sensitivity Classification.

A similar international HBM standard is JEDEC JS-001. In both JS-001-2012 and MIL-STD883H, the charged human body is modeled by a 100-pF capacitor and a 1.5-kΩ discharging resistor. During testing, the capacitor is fully charged in a range between 250 V and 8 kV, then discharged through the 1.5-kΩ resistor in series to the device under test.

Because wearables are designed to be worn next to the skin, they are constantly bombarded by static electricity generated by close interaction with the user. Without proper protection, the device’s sensor circuits, batterycharging interfaces, buttons or data I/Os could be damaged by ESD levels similar to those Back-to-back (bidirectional) generated in the HBM tests. If the wearable Unidirectional device fails, the functions and reliability of the diode configuration diode configuration overall network can degrade.

Advanced circuit protection technologies and board layout strategies TVS diodes come in unidirectional or bidirectional (back-to-back) can safeguard wearable devices and their users. Applying these configurations. Unidirectional diodes are typically used for dc recommendations early in the design process will help circuit designers circuits as well as digital circuits. Bidirectional diodes are used improve the performance, safety and reliability of their wearable technology in ac circuits or any that may include a signal with a negative designs and help build a more reliable IoT. component exceeding -0.7 V.

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Despite their small outline, today’s TVS diode devices perform well without compromising ESD protection.

BIG ESD PROTECTION, SMALL PACKAGE One problem with designing protection for wearable circuits is that wearable electronics are small and getting smaller. In the past, it took large diode structures in large packages (for example, 0603 [with a footprint of about 1.6 × 0.81 mm] and 0402 [about 1.0 × 0.8601-mm footprint]) to protect against ESD and realize low clamping voltages. But there have been steady improvements in wafer fabrication processes and back-end assemblies that now make it possible to get serious ESD protection in a small form factor. For example, consider the generalpurpose 01005 transient voltage suppression (TVS) diode from Littelfuse. It sits in a package having an outline measuring 0.45 × 0.24 mm and can withstand 30 kV contact discharge (IEC 61000-4-2). It also has a dynamic resistance value of less than 1 Ω.

To see why robust ESD protection is important, again consider the HBM. It specifies test levels beginning at 250 V, but most

application designers ensure their equipment meets at least Level 4 of the IEC 61000-4-2 test standard (8 kV contact, 15 kV air discharge). In many portable devices and wearables, the contact discharge design level is being raised to 15 or 20 kV, with some companies setting it as high as 30 kV. Compact ESD devices are robust enough to meet these demanding conditions.

Use of modern ESD technologies can save a lot of circuit board space. For example, the most common discrete form factor for TVS diodes is the SOD882 package, which has an outline of 1.0 × 0.6 mm. Moving to a device having a 0201 form factor (0.6 × 0.3 mm) takes up only 30% of the board area. Furthermore, a device having a 01005 outline (0.4 × 0.2 mm) brings an 85% space savings compared to the SOD882 package.

Despite their small outline, today’s TVS diode devices perform well without compromising ESD protection. In fact, discrete semiconductors with a small form factor can have the same level of ESD protection (30 kV contact

One example of TVS diodes small enough for use in wearables: the Littelfuse SP3022 Series. These are 0.35-pF, 20-kV bidirectional (back-to-back) discrete diodes able to absorb repetitive ESD strikes over the maximum level specified in the IEC61000-4-2 international standard. The back-to-back configuration provides symmetrical ESD protection for data lines in the pretense of ac signals. Their 0.35-pF loading capacitance makes them practical for protecting high-speed data lines. The device comes in a 0402 footprint and a 0201 flip chip.

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discharge) and clamping performance (dynamic resistance < 1 Ω) as their larger counterparts (for example, SOD323 and SOD123). However, the small size of the component may present manufacturing challenges. At 0.4 × 0.2 mm, the 01005 package will need well-designed board treatments, such as solder pads and thick stencils, to ensure the component does not slide or “tombstone” during the reflow solder process.

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SELECTION AND CONFIGURATION A few key points about the selection and configuration of TVS diode technologies will help design engineers optimize their wearable designs.

Know when to choose unidirectional versus bidirectional diodes. TVS diodes come in unidirectional or bidirectional (back-to-back) configurations.

Unidirectional diodes are typically used for dc circuits, including pushbuttons and switches, as well as digital circuits (low-voltage differential signaling).

Bidirectional diodes are used in ac circuits, which may include any signal with a negative component greater than -0.7 V. These circuits include audio, analog video, legacy data ports and RF interfaces.

Whenever possible, design engineers should choose unidirectional diode configurations because they perform better during negative-voltage ESD events. During these discharges, the clamping voltage will be based on the forward bias voltage of the diode, which is typically less than 1.0 V. In contrast, a bidirectional diode configuration provides a clamping voltage during a negative strike that is based on the reverse breakdown voltage, which is higher than the forward bias of the unidirectional diode. Thus, the unidirectional configuration can dramatically reduce the stress on the system during negative strikes.

Position diodes judiciously. Most wearable designs do not need TVS diodes on the PCB at each integrated circuit pin.

Instead, the designer should determine which pins have exposure to the outside of the application where user-generated ESD events are likely. If the user can touch a communication/control line, it could become a path for ESD to enter the integrated circuit. Typical circuits prone to compromise this way include USB, audio, button/switch control and other signal lines. Adding these discrete protection devices will take up board space, so it is important to get devices that fit in small 0201 or 01005 outlines. For some wearable applications, space-saving multichannel arrays are available. Regardless of package style, the ESD suppressor should sit as close as possible to the ESD source.

For example, protection for a USB port should sit close to the USB connector.

Keep traces short. Trace routing Multi-diode arrays are increasingly housed in super-small packages. An example is the is important in the design of TVS diode Littelfuse five-channel, bidirectional (back-to-back) SP1012 Series TVS diode array. It protection for integrated circuit pins. houses five ESD diodes in a 0402-size flip-chip package that normally holds just one. Its Unlike lightning transients, ESD does dynamic resistance is a low 0.48 Ω, and it permits a back-to-back 6-V standoff.

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not unleash a large amount of current for long durations. To handle ESD, it is important to move the charge from the protected circuit to the ESD reference as quickly as possible.

The length of the trace—from the signal line to the ESD component and from the ESD component to ground—is the overriding factor, not the width of the trace to ground. The trace length should be as short as possible to limit parasitic inductance. This inductance will result in inductive overshoot, which is a brief voltage spike that can reach hundreds of volts if the stub trace is long enough. Recent package developments include µDFN outlines that fit directly over the data lanes to eliminate the need for stub traces.

Understand HBM, Machine Model (MM) and Charged Device Model (CDM) definitions.

In addition to HBM, MM and CDM are test models for characterizing how well ICs running the portable device or wearable withstand ESD. Many semiconductor makers consider MM to be obsolete. It tends to track HBM in terms of robustness and in failure modes produced, though some producers still employ it. CDM is another alternative to the HBM. Instead of simulating the interaction between a human and an IC, the CDM simulates an IC sliding down a track or tube, then touching a grounded surface. Devices classified according to CDM are exposed to a charge at a given voltage level, then tested for survival. If the device still functions, it is tested at the next level and so on, until failure. CDM is standardized by JEDEC in JESD22-C101E. Chips that include the processor, memory and ASIC would all be characterized with one or more of these models. Semiconductor suppliers use the models to ensure the robustness of the circuits during manufacturing.

The current trend is for suppliers to reduce the voltage test levels because doing so saves die space and because most suppliers adhere to excellent in-house ESD policies.

Strict ESD policies benefit the supplier by allowing for lower on-chip ESD protection, but circuit designers end up with a chip that is sensitive to application-level ESD and which must be prevented from failing due to field-level or user-induced ESD. Designers must select a protective device able to protect against intensifying electrical stresses while clamping voltages low enough to protect the highly sensitive integrated circuitry. designworldonline.com

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WHEN EVALUATING ESD PROTECTION DEVICES, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS: 1. Dynamic resistance: This value is a measure of how well the diode will clamp and divert the ESD transient to ground. It helps determine how low the resistance of the diode will be after it switches on. The lower the dynamic resistance, the better.

2. IEC 61000-4-2 rating: The TVS diode supplier determines this value by increasing the ESD voltage until the diode fails. The failure point characterizes the robustness of the diode. For this parameter, the higher the value, the better.

A growing number of Littelfuse TVS diodes can reach as high as 20 and 30 kV contact discharge, which far exceeds the highest level of the IEC 61000-4-2 (Level 4 = 8 kV contact discharge).

As the wearable market continues to grow, so too does the need for circuit protection. In fact, it is more important than ever to consider ESD protection and proper board layout practices early in the design process. Circuit protection devices, such as TVS diodes, can help protect the sensitive integrated circuitry inside wearable devices to maintain the value proposition of the IoT ecosystem.

REFERENCES Littelfuse littelfuse.com

TVS diodes now come in small packages compatible with the cramped quarters that typically define space available for electronics in wearable devices.

1 mm 1 mm

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The IoT and connected highways MATT VAN DAM Laird Telematics & M2M Business Unit

Dedicated short-range communication techniques could usher in connected cars and safer driving.

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ars are getting more “intelligent” technology every year. Soon, that technology will let vehicles communicate interactively and share critical information. One result: fewer fender-benders.

When the traffic in front of you slows dramatically, the vehicles ahead will signal to yours and alert you to the dramatic change in speed.

But this is only the beginning. Your vehicle may soon alert you to approaching fire trucks, traffic congestion or even potholes. Through smartphones, IoT-connected vehicles may communicate maintenance issues like tire pressure, fuel level or the need for new antifreeze, before these become serious problems.

Vehicles in the IoT won’t just connect to other vehicles. Traffic lights, cross walks and even the road itself could provide real-time information to make your trip safer and more efficient. This kind of connectivity also enables Internet browsing; passengers can start shopping before they hit the store or entertain themselves during a longer ride.

Automotive manufacturers and technology companies are now testing this type of connectivity. In fact, the noted industry analyst firm Gartner is predicting more than a quarter-billion “connected cars”—about one in five vehicles worldwide—will be on the road by 2020. And the cellular phone company Verizon shows an 83% growth year-over-year for the IoT market in transportation and distribution.

A CRITICAL ELECTION CYCLE In about 18 months, the U.S. will have a new president. He or she will have an opportunity to help convert the information superhighway into a real American connected superhighway, where cars, trucks, pavement, infrastructure and related traffic systems will talk with each other to enhance auto safety and efficiency.

That’s because the next president will likely appoint a new chair and five commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission when their five-year terms expire in 2017 and 2018. Ditto for the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, a presidential appointee and member of the president’s cabinet, who oversees the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Together with the president and Congress, they’ll play a crucial role in shaping the future of America’s “smart” highway system. One challenge 22

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Vehicles in the IoT won’t just connect to other vehicles. Traffic lights, cross walks and even the road itself could provide real-time information to make trips safer and more efficient.

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they’ll face is the fact that network-connected cars and highways will operate in complex radio frequency (RF) environments. Robust end-to-end infrastructure that enables immediate processing of life-critical, actionable data and greater data security will be a necessity.

This infrastructure will also require sophisticated antenna technology, high-performance radios, robust software, bandwidth and excellent coverage, ensuring vehicles stay connected with no blips or outages.

One network technology that can provide this kind of performance and coverage is called dedicated short range communication (DSRC). DSRC is based on the IEEE 802.11 standards used for WiFi, but it’s specifically focused on meeting the requirements for highway safety. (Its physical layer is defined by the IEEE standard 802.11p, an extension to 802.11 wireless LAN medium access layer [MAC] and physical layer [PHY] specification.) It’s a good candidate for the highway environment because it enables direct communication with other systems on the road—vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X)—thus requiring no cellular networks.

It is useful to review some of the technical aspects of these communication systems. DSRC uses 75 MHz of spectrum in the 5.9-GHz

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CONNECTED HIGHWAYS

band that the FCC allocated for intelligent transportation systems. DSRC messages and messaging schemes are defined in the SAE J2735 standard. This SAE Standard specifies a message set and its data frames and data elements. The most fundamental message is the basic safety message (BSM). All vehicles send it periodically. It contains parameters defining a vehicle’s dynamic state, which are critical for safety applications, such as speed, heading and location.

DSRC operates over the Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE) communication system. This standard is an amended version of the IEEE 802.11 standard (the common WiFi standard). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated a frequency band for DSRC from 5.85 to 5.925 GHz. DSRC divides this range into seven 10-MHz channels and a 5-MHz guard band. It uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) with four pilot and 48 data sub-carriers for each channel.

Of the seven channels, one is a control channel (CCH) used for safety applications. The other six channels, called service channels (SCHs), will be used for infotainment or commercial applications to get the cost of this technology down. Vehicles will synchronize the switching between the CCH and one or more of the SCHs in a way that prevents the loss of safetyrelated messages. A synchronization interval (SI) contains a CCH interval (CCI), followed by a SCH interval.

V2V is a communication scheme designed to let automobiles talk to each other. The systems also use the 5.9-GHz band. V2V is also known as VANET (Vehicular ad hoc network) and is currently in active development by major automakers. It is a variation of MANET (Mobile ad hoc network), a continuously self-configuring, infrastructure-less network of mobile devices where the nodes are vehicular.

In V2V, vehicles exchange information about location, speed, acceleration and braking. Because V2V allows this data designworldonline.com

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exchange ten times per second, vehicles will be able to calculate a hazard risk within about 300 m and alert the driver or even execute collision-avoidance actions. Drivers will be able to see, hear and even feel the hazard signals through vibration of the seat.

DSRC also includes complex circuitry and software enabling it to create a unique identity for each vehicle to protect

Street lights could adjust their brightness automatically for optimal lighting on a cloudy afternoon or during a rain storm. the operator’s privacy and the system’s data security. In addition, DSRC schemes will build in security measures as defined by a family of standards called IEEE 1609. They also provide for a resource manager that manages communication between remote applications and vehicles and communications through multiple channels. This standard also allows for both vehicular onboard units (OBU) and roadside units (RSU). RSUs act like wireless LAN access points and can provide communications with infrastructure. Finally, a third type of communicating node called a Public Safety OBU (PSOBU) is a vehicle able to provide services normally coming from an RSU. PSOBUs are mainly police cars, fire trucks and ambulances in emergency situations.

In outlying or rural areas, DSRCequipped vehicles also would act as their own hotspots, relaying signals to each other, so there would be no dead-zones as long as vehicles are on the road.

Unlike WiFi, DSRC is designed to work with moving vehicles and to adjust for environmental challenges related to RF signal reflection, temperature variations, and high vibration. The technology is currently being tested and developed with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Test Bed Program on roads in Michigan and other states.

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DSRC in action DSRC is based on the IEEE 802.11 standards used for WiFi. Its physical layer is defined by the IEEE standard 802.11p, an extension to 802.11 wireless LAN medium access layer (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) specification. It enables direct communication with other systems on the road—vehicle-tovehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-toeverything (V2X)—thus requiring no cellular networks.

IoT ADVANTAGES With the resources of the IoT, the environment around the road can also play a role in managing the safety of motorists. DSRC antennas and devices can provide realtime data, letting vehicles detect motorcycles, cyclists and even pedestrians blocked from the driver’s view.

The same technology could let traffic command centers monitor and re-route traffic around potential dangers.

Street lights could adjust their brightness automatically for optimal lighting on a cloudy afternoon or during a rain storm. And the process of merging into traffic from a blind turn becomes less of a guessing game when the connected parking garage alerts you to approaching traffic around the corner.

There are benefits besides safety. With the IoT in place, in-vehicle navigation data would be more accurate with near real-time updates. Connected vehicles could share fuel efficiency data so drivers could get more miles per gallon by selecting the right routes.

A connected highway could also keep in touch with local governments. Maintenance crews could be alerted to potholes or icy patches when a connected car detects 26

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them. And circling for a parking spot may eventually be a thing of the past. Parking lots could provide near realtime data about the number of open parking spaces and directions to their location.

A standardized and regulated IoT environment, however, will only come after a great deal of innovation and collaboration among the automotive and networking industries. It also will require the cooperation and commitment of the new FCC and USDOT appointees, and the support of the next U.S. President.

REFERENCES Laird Tech, The Connected Highway lairdtech.com/solutions/white-papers/connected-highway

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SOL JACOBS

Tadiran Batteries

primary and rechargeable lithium batteries to provide

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Many devices on the Industrial IoT will need rugged

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Industrial power for the Internet of Things reliable, long-term power.

N

o question there will be a lot of remote wireless devices on the IoT. Many of them will be powered either by primary lithium batteries or energy harvesting devices combined with rechargeable batteries or supercapacitors. Here are a few ideas about battery chemistries that make sense for power scenarios likely to arise in industrial IoT applications.

A wireless device intended for longterm deployment and drawing a low average daily current could be a candidate for primary bobbin-type lithium thionyl chloride (LiSOCL2) batteries. LiSOCL2 chemistry is the predominant choice for remote wireless applications because of its exceptionally high energy density (1,420 Wh/l volumetric densities are widely available, compared to about 100 Wh/l for lead acid), high capacity, wide temperature range, and low annual self-discharge rate.

Certain bobbin-type LiSOCL2 batteries can deliver a self-discharge rate of less than 1% per year; batteries can operate for up to 40 years in situations where the annual self-discharge of the battery exceeds the annual power consumption of the device. The smart grid is a prime example of where bobbin-type LiSOCL2 batteries have been deployed in an industrial IoT environment. For nearly 30 years these batteries have powered endpoint terminals of metering devices that communicate to central databases.

Power meters are increasingly becoming smart meters. They now interface with

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In the CattleWatch system, smart collars placed on cattle all communicate with hub collars placed on a select few of the herd. The hub collars communicate with Iridium satellites serving as a link to the cloud. All the devices carry industrial grade lithium batteries for power.

Ranchers typically get aggregated data on their smartphones.

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the IoT to provide real-time information and alerts about consumption patterns. To conserve energy, these wireless devices operate mainly in a dormant state, drawing little or no energy. They periodically take data, but only awaken if they note certain data parameters.

Careful control of energy consumption lets these wireless devices operate maintenance-free for decades.

The main limitation of standard LiSOCL2 chemistry is high passivation arising from a low-rate design. In LiSOCL2 cells, thionyl chloride is a liquid. Metal lithium touches the thionyl chloride and will slowly oxidize out lithium chloride.

The lithium chloride layer produced on the surface of the metal lithium tends to prevent lithium from reacting with thionyl chloride. This phenomenon is passivation. The passivation takes place slowly, but the speed of passivation is higher at higher temperatures and is more pronounced over longer time periods.

The passivation prohibits these cells from delivering high current pulses. This issue can be addressed by combining a standard LiSOCL2 cell with a patented hybrid layer capacitor (HLC). The standard LiSOCL2 cell delivers low background current to power the device in its standby mode, while the HLC stores and delivers the high pulses required when the device is in its active mode of data interrogation and transmission.

An alternative involves the use of supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), which store energy in an electrostatic field rather than in a chemical state. Supercapacitors are primarily used to provide memory back-up power for mobile phones, laptops and digital cameras. This technology has certain inherent drawbacks, including short-duration power, linear discharge characteristics that do not allow for use of all the available energy, low capacity, low energy density, high self-discharge (up to 60% per year), and the need for cell balancing when supercapacitors link in series.

Supercapacitors also have crimped seals that may leak and have not been proven to deliver long life.

CONSUMER GRADE VERSUS INDUSTRIAL GRADE Some industrial IoT applications may be well suited for energy harvesting. Energy harvesting (also called energy scavenging) refers to the process of deriving energy from external sources (such as solar power, thermal energy, wind energy, salinity gradients and kinetic energy). Harvested energy is usually used to power wireless autonomous devices. The decision to use an energy harvesting device depends on factors that include the reliability of the device and its energy source; the expected operating life of the device; environmental requirements; size and weight considerations; and total cost of ownership.

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An energy harvesting device generally contains five basic components: sensor, transducer, energy processor, microcontroller and optional radio link. The sensor detects and measures environmental parameters such as motion, proximity, temperature, humidity, pressure, light, strain vibration and pH. The transducer and energy processor work in tandem to convert, collect and store the electrical energy in either a rechargeable lithium battery or a supercapacitor. The microcontroller collects and processes the data. The radio link communicates with a host receiver or data collection point. The energy harvested is often relatively small, especially for devices that draw only a few microamps of current daily.

Energy harvesting devices are typically paired with rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that store harvested energy. Consumer grade Li-ion cells are reasonably inexpensive and widely available, but have a life expectancy of less than five years and 500 recharge cycles. They also only work over a moderate temperature range of -10 to 60° C, so they don’t work well for long-term deployment in extreme environments.

Industrial grade Li-ion batteries are a better choice if the wireless device is intended for use in remote, inaccessible locations. Industrial Li-ion cells can operate for up to 20 years and handle 5,000 full recharge cycles.

They also work over a temperature range of -40 to 85° C and can deliver high current pulses (5 A for an AA-size cell). These industrial grade Li-ion cells also feature glassto-metal hermetic seals, whereas consumer rechargeable batteries use crimped seals more prone to leak.

As a general rule, industrial grade Li-ion batteries make sense where the expense of battery replacement far exceeds the cost of the battery itself. This can be confirmed by calculating the total lifetime cost of the industrial grade Li-ion battery versus a consumer grade Li-ion battery.

For an example application, consider wireless solar-powered parking meters. Made by the IPS Group, they incorporate state-of-the-art features that include multiple payment system options, access to real-time data, integration to vehicle detection sensors, user guidance and enforcement modules, and connections to a comprehensive web-based management system.

PV panels in the meter gather solar energy, which then gets stored in an industrial grade rechargeable Li-ion battery. The rechargeable battery can deliver the high pulses required to initiate two-way wireless communications.

Another example of an industrial IoT application is CattleWatch, which places solar-powered hub collars and solar-powered collar units on cattle. All collars communicate with the hub collars through a wireless

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The M5 single-space parking meter developed by the IPS Group uses an industrial grade rechargeable Li-ion battery to store energy harvested by built-in solar cells. The meter mechanism is wirelessly networked to a management system in the cloud.

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mesh network. Hub collars communicate to the cloud through Iridium satellites.

Ranchers get real-time updates on daily animal behavior, including herd location, walking time, grazing time, resting time, water consumption, in-heat condition and other health events. Ranchers also receive instant notification if potential threats arise from predatory animals or poachers.

Energy harvested by PV panels in CattleWatch units gets stored in industrial grade Li-ion rechargeable batteries. The batteries were chosen over supercapacitors because they were

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significantly lighter and smaller, and thus more comfortable for the animals to wear.

Every application is special and specific requirements dictate the best power supply. When long-term reliability is essential, an industrial grade battery generally makes more economic sense than a consumer gradeone.

REFERENCES Tadiran Batteries tadiranbat.com

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Real-time operating systems for wearable devices in the IoT WARREN KURISU Mentor Graphics

Operating systems and the way they handle tasks can make or break applications such as activity trackers and fashion electronics.

T

Breakthroughs in optimizing power efficiency let the Omate Smartwatch operate up to five days (standby mode) on a single battery charge.

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he wearables industry is still in its early stages of development. The financial firm Morgan Stanley estimates that the wearables market could become a $1.6 trillion business in the next few years. But a lot of software work will have to go into realizing these trends. A full-featured, real-time operating system (RTOS) can help get smart wearable products up and running quickly.

The physical form factor of most wearable devices leaves little room for the electronics. A wearable device can pack an amazing array of peripherals for its size, but memory capacity is the one area where geometry can’t be out-maneuvered. An RTOS can help minimize memory demands in wearables. The RTOS itself can have a small footprint 9 • 2015

and provide a deterministic behavior that helps keep code compact. But it must also scale down to a minimal size in both code and data requirements to survive at the lowest end of the device spectrum. This same RTOS must also be able to scale up to the most full-featured range of services.

Wearables, for the most part, are extremely small.

They often use an 8-bit MCU clocked at less than 25 MHz, with only 8 K of memory. Low-power ARMbased processors are good candidates for wearable devices because of their small form factor and minimal power requirements. Recent products taking the ARM approach include the Pebble watch and the Omate Racer Smartwatch.

Omate is a hardware and software design company. Its Racer Smartwatch is a stand-alone telecom mobile device that works with numerous iOS and Android applications using Bluetooth connectivity to a smartphone. Users can send and receive incoming calls, social media updates, messages and reminders, among other notifications.

The Racer Smartwatch carries an ARM7 MediaTek Aster SoC, the industry’s smallest wearable SoC. The MediaTek chipset relies on the Nucleus RTOS from Mentor Graphics for power management and wireless programming. Nucleus can scale voltage and frequency for reduced power consumption of a single or multiple operating system platform, maximizing cycles-per-watt to conserve power. designworldonline.com

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Industry average

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Internet of Things

With built-in power management and connectivity capabilities, the RTOS helps with power-sensitive wireless communications applications.

Nucleus also applies a “system power state” for each of the peripherals in the SoC. This lets the SoC independently control the power to different blocks, modules or peripherals, allowing various applications to run simultaneously.

More complex designs often include feature-rich SoCs clocked in the hundreds of megahertz and megabytes of memory. These hybrid systems may include special-purpose processors and multiple application and/or microcontroller cores. The more complex SoCs often require a graphical user interface (GUI) and wireless connectivity to the Internet or cloud. It takes a full-featured RTOS to power these more complex designs.

The compelling difference between wearables today and devices from a few years ago is the greater availability of wireless connectivity options. Wireless connectivity spans the range from Near Field Communication, The Nucleus real-time operating system employs a light-weight approach to a process model. The MPU in the ARM Cortex-M3/ M4-based SoCs on which it runs can be used for spatial domain partitioning without the need (or overhead) to virtualize memory.

Processes can load directly from ROM or Flash into memory.

And with pre-linked embedding, processes can execute in situ in Flash, a feature commonly necessary in MCUs with limited RAM.

Static Application

Kerner-mode Process 1

Kerner-mode Process 2

Bluetooth/BLE and WiFi, up to huge mobile cellular networks. This is an area where technology, protocols and options change rapidly. Similarly, solutions currently deemed to be too expensive today can easily become the economical standard tomorrow.

Communication technologies can change over the lifetime of a wearable device, or even during the development cycle. The operating system environment can help handle these changes to minimize the impact on applications.

RTOSs have been around for years, and countless embedded devices have employed them. The typical RTOS incorporates basic capabilities such as a kernel, scheduler, file system, connectivity and graphics support. An RTOS for wearable devices also has stringent requirements in three other critical areas: scalability, space partitioning and comprehensive power management.

One advantage of an RTOS environment is the ability to treat the RTOS application programming interface (API) as the target machine. This lets software personnel develop applications to that specification. Beneath the RTOS, middleware and device drivers handle the hardware directly.

So an application can adapt to the particular details of the a specific product version by working with the API. This can happen through dynamic evaluation of the features at runtime, or through selective build options during compilation and linking.

The Nucleus RTOS lets applications work with a wide variety of peripheral combinations. It also lets developers transport applications and use them in different processor variations, families, and architectures.

Moreover, it lets a reduced feature version of an application work on a single-chip MCU and behave much the same way as a full-featured version on a high-performance MPU platform.

SPACE DOMAIN PARTITIONING Space domain partitioning created through the use of light-weight processes can make systems more reliable and prevent one subsystem from bringing down another. The idea is to let limited memory resources be re-used by loading and unloading memory modules based on the application needs.

These features are normally found only in high-end or general-purpose OSs that use cores containing memory management units (MMUs) for partitioning and virtualizing memory. The Nucleus RTOS brings these functions to Cortex M devices that do not incorporate an MMU. In other words, it can handle space

Kerner-mode Process m

User-mode Process 1 (e.g. Qt)

User-mode Process 2

User-mode Process n

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REAL-TIME OS

A view of the Nucleus RTOS functional makeup shows the Device Manager at the center of a power management framework.

The Device Manager coordinates the transition of all devices during a change to a low-power state.

domain partitioning without the overhead of virtualizing memory. Processes can load from a file system to memory or run directly in RAM or Flash (XIP).

RTOSs that are equipped to handle spatial partitioning can configure the MPU at run time to establish memory regions in both kernel and user space.

APIs can be used to load processes at runtime or based on the use-case during execution.

Battery life is obviously critical for wearables. Modern processors contain numerous power saving capabilities.

Examples include idle modes, sleep modes, dynamic voltage frequency scaling (DVFS) and hibernation modes.

If the underlying operating system does not have a framework to take advantage of the low-power features in the silicon, the developers must generate the code to do so. The amount of code required creates more complexity and can add to code bloat.

Power saving features are built into the silicon. However, their use becomes complicated in the absence of an operating system designed to handle them. For instance, consider the process of implementing a simple power-saving feature such as lowering the frequency.

Before the processor can shift frequency, software must know the state of each peripheral device. Additionally, it must know if each peripheral device can operate at the new lower frequency— some may not. Software must also know how long each active device can be taken offline to effectuate the frequency shift without losing any data. Some devices can only go offline for a short period, so they must be taken offline last and brought back online first. And after the frequency shift, devices like the UART will need their baud rate reset. designworldonline.com

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Obviously, the management of all these details takes a significant coding effort in the absence of an RTOS with an API for power management. But with an API available, a frequency shift can happen with a single API call. All in all, a power management framework provides a way for API calls to control all system devices.

The power management framework approaches the conservation of power use from four directions: 1) system states are used to control peripheral power; 2) dynamic voltage scaling—basically, reducing the operating voltage—focuses on the entire system; 3) idle power management prevents expending energy without a specific goal; and 4) hibernate/sleep modes that let the system go off-line during long periods of inactivity.

A power management framework lets software developers write code to conserve power without creating code bloat or increasing the footprint. A power management framework also lets software developers plan for power specifications early in the design cycle. The resulting code can be tested throughout the development

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process to ensure power consumption remains at targeted levels.

Finally, wireless connectivity is important for any IoT application. RTOSs, such as Nucleus, include facilities for handling wireless standards such as WiFi, Bluetooth/BLE, and 802.15.4. Additionally, adaptation layers like 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area Networks)provide routeable addressing to IoT devices based on IPv6, the most recent version of the Internet protocol. In short, RTOSs will need to support numerous wireless schemes and IoT protocols, as well as methods of integrating wireless devices into the cloud.

REFERENCES Mentor Graphics, Nucleus RTOS mentor.com/embedded-software/nucleus/ Wikipedia page for real-time operating systems en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time_operating_system Wikipedia page for Nucleus RTOS, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleus_RTOS

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Internet of Things

SoMs speed the move to the Industrial Internet of Things ERIC MYERS

National Instruments

Systems-on-modules and platform approaches can help keep IIoT efforts from getting lost in the weeds of interfacing and hardware development.

E

ngineers who design equipment for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will likely face a number of technical challenges. One of the most significant is in developing systems that are adaptable and that can scale with the IIoT. To get a feel for the problem, consider the aircraft maker Airbus and its experiences developing a Factory of the Future. This is a long-term research and technology project that employs emerging computing and communications technologies to build aircraft faster, more flexibly and with higher quality. Airbus plans to develop many systems— such as smart tools, inspection devices and robotics—that will connect and work in harmony to improve the overall manufacturing process.

Like most traditional design firms, Airbus began by designing its concepts from the ground up. It eventually recognized that connecting all of these systems in a smart way is not trivial due to the many communication mechanisms and protocols involved in an IIoT network.

As Airbus learned, the task of building a complete system from the ground up takes a substantial amount of time. During the initial design, teams spend most of their time making

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An example of a system on module (SoM) device.

This one, from National Instruments, employs a realtime version of Linux and a programmable SoC.

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SOMs SPEED THE MOVE

components work together. Only a small amount of time is spent developing the special functions of individual nodes.

Another challenge lies in scaling these systems to grow with the expanding IIoT. When such a system is first deployed, it generally works well. But nodes in the network must be able to change and adapt and new devices are constantly added. It’s not unusual for new devices or functions to force a redesign of the network from the ground up. For example, were Airbus to add a new robotic system on its factory floor, the move would force a redesign of other systems to support the proprietary protocol involved.

It’s also not uncommon to see teams developing systems using multiple off-the-shelf subsystems, sometimes developing parts themselves, then using off-the-shelf devices where appropriate. In machine control, for example, many systems today add health monitoring capabilities using off-the-shelf subsystems.

This approach speeds development, but off-theshelf subsystems are typically closed and fixed. Closed architectures tend to have a limited ability to expand.

If they can expand at all, it is generally though one or two expansion ports that use a proprietary design, perhaps requiring a license fee from the manufacturer.

And it may take technicians with specialized tools or training to install any enhancements. The proprietary nature of closed designs tends to limit the amount of information they can share over the network.

Moreover, data that can’t be communicated through an open standard interface can’t be analyzed by other devices, eliminating one of the benefits of the IIoT. The way around this difficulty in the IIoT is by deploying a network of “things” flexible enough to evolve and adapt. Teams need an evolved approach that focuses on the innovation within the application itself, not on hardware or software. This is known as a platform-based approach, one emphasizing systematic reuse of software and compatible hardware, intended to reduce development risks, costs and time to market.

One example of a platform technology that is becoming widely used is system on module (SoM) and computer on module (CoM). For hardware developers, an SoM provides the processing, memory, peripherals and I/O elements needed in any IIoT system. For software developers, an SoM comes with anything from a board support package (BSP) to a complete software suite fully supporting the hardware and connectivity to other systems.

In the case of Airbus and its Factory of the Future, the firm decided to adopt NI SoM, providing designworldonline.com

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core hardware components along with a software suite to support the board. Airbus estimates that switching to this approach cut its development effort by a factor of ten.

Among the entities developed for the Airbus Factory of the Future are smart tools. A given airplane subassembly has about 400,000 fastening points that must be tightened. Human assemblers handle the task using over 1,100 different tightening tools. The operator must follow a list of steps and verify the proper torque law settings for each

It’s also not uncommon to see teams developing systems using multiple off-the-shelf subsystems, sometimes developing parts themselves, then using off-the-shelf devices where appropriate. location. To eliminate possibilities for error, a smart tightening tool uses machine vision to understand the tightening task at hand and automatically set the torque. The outcome of the task gets recorded in a central database. This lets production managers review procedures and processes during quality control and certification.

With a platform-based approach and growing technology though, these teams will be able to efficiently develop the IIoT, such as Airbus with the NI SoM. REFERENCES Airbus Factory of the Future case history sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16246 LabVIEW overview www.ni.com/labview Systems on Modules sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/212787

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Internet of Things

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Big future for cyber-physical manufacturing systems.

BEHRAD BAGHERI

NSF I/UCRC for Intelligent Maintenance Systems (IMS)

The real value of the IoT for manufacturers will be in the analytics arising from cyberphysical models of machines and systems.

A

couple decades ago, smart appliances only belonged to sci-fi movies. But rapid advances in technology made it practical to connect sensors and physical assets to networks. We have now progressed to the Internet of Things (IoT) where embedded sensors are in charge of collecting data from ever more physical assets. This process is generating a massive amount of data.

Unfortunately, the technology for storing such a gigantic amount of data

JAY LEE

University of Cincinnati

is inadequate to cover all the data being generated daily. Similarly, the analytical approaches in wide use are not mature enough to intelligently and efficiently process all the generated data. This problem has been known as the Big Data challenge. To understand its magnitude, consider the 2014 annual report on Big Data by EMC and IDC, which found in 2013 that the digital universe generated 4.4 zettabytes (1 ZB = 1 billion TB) of data. In that same year, only 7% of 187

A cyber-physical system is characterized by a physical asset, such as a machine, and its digital twin; basically a software model that mimics the behavior of the physical asset. In contrast, the IoT in common parlance is generally limited to the physical assets, not their digital models.

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Internet of Things

billion connectable assets were actually connected.

Predictions are that by 2020, 15% of 212 billion connectable assets will be hooked up and will generate about 44 ZB of data, a factor of ten increase in seven years.

Clearly there are challenges in handling the data generated by the IoT. In recent years, terms and definitions have emerged to help label and organize deficiencies and provide a road-map for future developments. Among those terms, cyber-physical system (CPS) has gotten a lot of attention.

The term cyber-physical system usually refers to systems of collaborating computational elements that control physical entities, generally using feedback from sensors they monitor. The similarities of using networking, internet and sensors in definitions of IoT and CPS might lead one to wonder if these two terms are different definitions of the same concept. But though there are similarities, a CPS is not the same thing as IoT. The IoT is based on connections between physical assets through which data can transfer.

The connections are made possible by the secure implementation of computer networks, internet and

communication protocols. This communication is based on normal internet protocols or dedicated protocols such as MTConnect.

But despite the connectivity, the IoT paradigm doesn’t include the idea of information systems or analytics. On the other hand, CPSs are based on connectivity but run complex analytics. Complex inference in a CPS takes place through a centralized analytical hub where knowledge is excavated from raw data. Based on the knowledge inferred from the data, control commands get sent to the physical asset. All in all, it’s possible to view the IoT as the infrastructure that makes CPSs possible.

CPSs IN MANUFACTURING The impact of IoT and CPS on industry will be significant. Today most industrial installations that use IoT and CPS concepts don’t do much more than embed sensors in manufacturing equipment or tag products with RFID tags. The data coming from these devices undergo comparatively little analysis.

This is only the beginning step. The real value in these systems comes from using an information

The real value in these systems comes from using an information system to analyze the IoT data, then using the information that results to make informed decisions.

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CYBER-PHYSICAL MANUFACTURING

2. Conversion: This level converts data to information using algorithms that are based on the application. For example, consider raw vibration data from a machine tool in a production line. The raw data carries no knowledge about the health or status of the machine.

But health assessment algorithms can extract pertinent features and use them to get knowledge about the status of the machine.

3. Cyber: The cyber level receives processed information from the level below and uses it to create additional value. This level acts as the hub for information and performs complex analytics. For example, the cyber level might run sophisticated fleet-based analytical methods. These compare similar assets in a fleet or group (such as specific kinds of manufacturing machines in a single facility). It might run deeplearning algorithms to identify patterns in a large set of fleet data. Recommender systems, special algorithms that seek to predict the “rating” or “preference” for an item, might recommend the best way to use each individual asset.

It might seem as though the cyber and conversion levels do similar tasks. The major difference between the two is the scope of input information and the target of the algorithms. The conversion level is more focused on individual assets while the cyber level uses data from the entire system to infer additional knowledge. It is possible to perform conversion level analytics locally, at individual sensor nodes, say. But cyber-level methods take place on a central computation hub such as the cloud.

Operators and managers will interact with CPSs through a variety of interfaces made possible by the fact that analytical data gets stored in the cloud in standard formats.

system to analyze the IoT data, then using the information that results to make informed decisions.

For example, data from embedded sensors in manufacturing equipment can be used to predict equipment wear or diagnose possible faults. It has been shown that these analytics can help reduce maintenance costs by nearly 40%. Performing such analysis on the data provided by IoT is the task of CPSs that improve the performance of manufacturing companies.

Data scientists have defined a five-level architecture for the tasks involved in CPSs that work in manufacturing. The visualization of the architecture is pyramid-shaped to represent the way data passing to higher levels gets reduced in size while the value of the information rises.

The levels break out this way: 1. Connection: In the connection level, the data generated by connected machines, tools and products is gathered so it can be pushed up through the next levels. designworldonline.com

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4. Cognition: The cognition level may be able to convert machine signals to health information and compare this information with other instances of it. In cognition level, the machine itself should take advantage of online monitoring to diagnose its own potential failures and become aware of its potential degradation in advance of any obvious signs of trouble. Based on adaptive learning from historical health evaluations, the system then can use specific prediction algorithms to foresee a potential failure and estimate the time to reach certain kinds of failures.

5. Configuration: A machine able to track its own health can detect failures early on and send health monitoring information to the operation level. This maintenance information can serve as feedback to business management systems. Operators and factory managers, in turn, can use it to make informed decisions. At the same time, the machine itself can adjust its working 9 • 2015

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load or manufacturing schedule to reduce down time caused by machine malfunctions. The overall goal of these measures is to produce a system that is resilient— able to defend itself from difficulties by changing its own behaviors and preventing cascading failures that would otherwise disrupt operations.

APPLYING THE 5C STRUCTURE The 5C structure can apply to different levels of an industrial concern including components, machines, fleets and the enterprise. Each level uses different analytics to generate useful information from raw data and generate useful knowledge about the system. The overall approach is that upper levels of the hierarchy use analytical methods to aggregate data from lower levels while passing important high-level information back down hierarchy.

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Component level: This is the most detailed level of the 5C architecture. There is a virtual twin of the machine that exists in cyber space at this level. The virtual twins model the critical components of each machine.

These twins (avatars) work in parallel with the physical component but with a huge difference: They are not bounded by time and location.

The avatars capture significant changes in the health status of each component. Once the physical component starts to degrade, the avatars start capturing the lifespan Data scientists have conceived a five-layer architecture to depict the way a cyber-physical system is implemented in industrial settings.

The sense of the pyramid shape is that lower levels collect data that is analyzed and condensed at each upper level. So information fed to each higher level is more valuable than information coming into the level below.

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CYBER-PHYSICAL MANUFACTURING

of the next component. Additionally, these virtual twins exist on the cloud. So they can interact with other component twins that are geographically far away.

Such models log the lifespan of components undergoing various stress levels and which function in different working regimes. This is one of the mechanisms through which the system will gain self-awareness.

Machine Level: This level incorporates knowledge generated in the component level combined with machine operation history, system settings and so forth, to create an avatar for each machine. Virtual twins of similar machines are compared to each other as a way of identifying low-performance machines regardless of working regime.

Fleet Level: The fact that virtual models are not bounded by time and location brings an opportunity to implement methods for modifying the production flow in response to changing conditions. For example, it is possible to optimize the way machines in the fleet handle production work through use of historical machine performance data and component status from component and machine levels. This method can be used to maximize the life span of all components while simultaneously keeping production and quality levels at their best points. The overall result is a system that is selfmaintaining and self-configuring.

Enterprise Level: The highest level aggregates the outcomes of previous levels to produce a high-level performance report. This level can also incorporate optimization methods based on the needs of the enterprise. For example, certain enterprises might find it feasible to modify the production rate at one or more plants based on the fleet performance while keeping the total production rate and costs the same.

CPSs store and maintain data in the cloud using standard formats. Use of standard formats lets developers create interactive web and mobile applications to present information to the users at different levels of the company. For example, a business executive needs information about throughput, production rate, supply chain management and so forth.

He or she might need to see it on a smartphone during an international flight. In contrast, an engineer needs to see life-cycle management information and production quality estimates through a web interface inside the company.

In one case, band-saw machines instrumented with sensors served as a demonstration of a CPS. The band-saw units were in different geographical locations. Sensors measured vibration, acoustics and pressure. The CPS also collected controller signals about factors such as feed rate and size of the material. On-site industrial computers performed preliminary data-to-information conversion. In the cloud, more complex adaptive use-based health analysis methods assessed machine performance and predicted wear in different machine components. Analysis results were available through web and mobile applications.

These results are interesting, but they also reveal that many technologies—such as data storage systems, big data analysis methods, communication protocols and cyber-security—still need a lot of research, testing and development before the industrial IoT and CPSs can reach their potential.

This method can be used to maximize the life span of all components while simultaneously keeping production and quality levels at their best points.

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REFERENCES NSF I/UCRC for Intelligent Maintenance Systems (IMS), University of Cincinnati imscenter.net IDC, EMC, The Digital Universe of Opportunities: Rich Data and Increasing Value of the Internet of Things, 2014 emc.com/collateral/ analyst-reports/idc-digitaluniverse-2014.pdf Vijayaraghavan A, Sobel W, Fox A, Dornfeld D, Warndorf P., Improving machine tool interoperability using standardized interface protocols: MT connect, Lab Manuf Sustain, 2008.

Chen G., Internet of Things towards Ubiquitous and Mobile Computing, Microsoft, 2010 research.microsoft.com/ en-us/um/redmond/events/ asiafacsum2010/presentations/ guihai-chen_oct19.pdf Bughin J, Chui M, Manyika J., An executive’s guide to the Internet of Things, McKinsey&Company, 2015 mckinsey.com/Insights/ Business_Technology/ An_executives_guide_to_the_ Internet_of_Things?cid=digitaleml-alt-mip-mck-oth-1508 Lee J, Bagheri B, Kao H-A., A Cyber Physical Systems Architecture for Industry 4.0-based Manufacturing System, Manuf Lett 2015;3:18–23. doi:10.1016/j. mfglet.2014.12.001.

Yang S, Bagheri B, Kao H-A, Lee J., A Unified Framework and Platform for Designing of Cloud-Based Machine Health Monitoring and Manufacturing Systems, J Manuf Sci Eng 2015;137:040914. doi:10.1115/1.4030669.

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A case of IoT fatigue?

LELAND TESCHLER Executive Editor

Market studies show consumers are less enthusiastic about connected products these days. But electronic suppliers are still designing components and software aimed at quickly implementing the Internet of Things.

G

o to YouTube, type in Internet of things, and you’ll find enumerable videos and TEDx talks all foreseeing a future where each person will be surrounded by thousands of everyday “things” connected to the Internet. But the prognosticators making these claims apparently forgot to check with real consumers about preferences for connected homes and lives.

Or at least that might be one take-away from recent market studies by Argus Insights, a consumer and enterprise marketing analysis firm in Los Gatos, Calif. Argus says it has seen a significant slowing in consumer demand for staples of the IoT that include both wearables in general and fitness bands in particular. According to John Feland, Argus CEO and founder, “Consumers expect their wearables to do more than simply count steps, just as they expect to do more than just make phone calls with their handsets. …

Fitbit and others in this category will need to add more to their offerings to keep consumers engaged and coming back for more.”

Similarly, Argus recently found that the home automation portion of the IoT market is quickly losing steam. Its data show that as of a few months ago, consumer demand for such connected home devices as thermostats, lightbulbs, locks, sensors and cameras experienced its first drop below the level of a year ago, a sign that consumer interest is stagnating.

Suppliers with their eyes on IoT business admit there are difficulties slowing the predictions of an interconnected world. One big obstacle is all the communication protocols now associated with wireless technology and the Internet. Bluetooth, ZigBee, IEEE 802.11p, LTE and several others are all considered

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mainstream standards. The plurality of standards is a problem, say suppliers. “There are no global industry standards for IoT or connected devices,” said Andrew Caples, Mentor Graphics’ product manger for the Nucleus real-time operating system. “Fragmentation makes IoT adoption more challenging. There is a need to establish IoT standards that are embraced by specific vertical markets as well as horizontally across many industries. With established standards, IoT adoption would accelerate to the benefit of the consumer.”

Power supply maker CUI says the smart home is a great example. There are a number of proposed protocols available, including Z-Wave and ZigBee. Consumers need to ensure their HVAC, lighting, audio/visual and security systems speak the same language. But this equipment typically comes from multiple manufacturers, so the task of getting them to talk is challenging.

But indications are these obstacles aren’t stopping electronics suppliers. Component makers say the quest for smaller and cheaper IoT technology is driving several developments in hardware and software. “As more things become part of the IoT, we’ll be dealing with smaller devices that deliver more intelligence. With that in mind, we strive to improve power efficiency and latency and design improvements for where the data needs to be processed,” said Intel Corp. General Manager Bridget Karlin. She also said that because of the IoT, “our components and solutions are more policydriven, allowing for greater security and control over deployed devices.”

Other semiconductor makers echo these sentiments.

“As the IoT continues to evolve, we expect engineers will continue to see innovations from semiconductor vendors

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CASE OF FATIGUE

geared toward low-power devices and integration, such as more advanced on-chip security capabilities for low-end devices,” said Gil Reiter, Texas Instruments, director, strategic marketing, IoT. “These trends will drive more battery-operated IoT designs.

Better memory and processing capabilities on microcontrollers and processors will enable the design of smarter devices capable of making more local decisions.”

The same trend toward smaller packaging is evident in electronic passive components. “As more things become connected, more care must be given to certain types of isolation.

Connected machines, motors and devices have created the need for common-mode chokes for EMI compatibility as well as miniature isolation transformers,” said Len Crane, director of technical marketing, Coilcraft. Coilcraft makes chip inductors, power magnetics, EMI filters, wideband transformers and similar magnetic components.

Much has been written about the continual shrinking size of semiconductors, but the IoT is forcing passive components to get smaller as well. “We’ve made huge advances in recent years, particularly with our XAL/XFL families of ultra-small, ultra efficient power inductors,” said Crane. “They are built using wirewound construction and housed in rugged, magnetic-shielding bodies.”

To get a sense of the demands IoT applications can put on passive components, Crane relays a situation that cropped up recently in an energy harvesting product. “We were asked to develop a miniature flyback transformer for low-voltage stepup. That is where our LPR6235 Series came from,” he said. “It measures just 6 mm square and 3.5 mm high with turns ratios from 1:10 to 1:100. This application wasn’t realistic 10 years ago, both from the energy supply and consumption sides of the equation. Compact energy harvesters have reached a price point that can make sense, and power consumption has now been reduced to the point where these applications can be supported by harvested energy.”

Similarly, the advent of smaller electronics has forced makers of power supplies to develop more power-dense modules able to work at low voltages. CUI says the trend has accelerated as processor and FPGA designs have pushed supply voltages down to 1 V or less. As a result, voltages in the 1.8 to 3 V range are only used for specialized I/O devices that interface to memory and peripherals. But CUI points out that the maximum power envelope of server processors and FPGAs is still on the order of tens of watts, and pushing more than 100 W for the highestperformance products. The result is a current demand that is beginning to exceed the 100-A level at the point of load (POL).

To handle such needs, CUI recently released a 3-kW hotswap power supply with PMBus capabilities called the PSE3000. It has a power density of 33.5 W/in.3. To address the high current/low voltage demands at the POL, the firm recently released a 90-A digital non-isolated module (NDM3Z-90) designed specifically to provide high current and precise voltages as low as 0.6 V. designworldonline.com

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Consumers need to ensure their HVAC, lighting, audio/visual and security systems speak the same language. But this equipment typically comes from multiple manufacturers, so the task of getting them to talk is challenging.

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Internet of Things

And IoT processors work with memory sizes that can sometimes be quite small. The result is that an RTOS destined for IoT use needs an ability to scale—supporting a broad range of devices packing a variety of memory and processing power combinations.

The diversity also increases the likelihood of security vulnerabilities. To stay ahead of hackers, devices forming the IoT must be remotely managed and updated.

Consequently, more RTOSs are moving to a modular approach that facilitates rapid upgrades, based on a stable core and addon components.

An example of an RTOS built with the IoT in mind is one called Nucleus from Mentor Graphics. Nucleus Product Manager Andrew Caples described it as featuring a small footprint with IoT and M2M connectivity protocols, networking middleware and security, all scalable to conform to resource-constrained devices.

Nucleus also has a built-in power management framework designed to handle the low-power features in processors and SoCs so applications can be written to minimize power consumption to extend battery life.

Many IoT applications tend to sit in cramped quarters that limit the volume available for electronics. With this reality in mind, Nucleus supports memory space partitioning. This is an ability to allocate memory resources based on the use case, Caples explained. Memory partitions can be used to load application processes when required; they can be unloaded to free-up memory. This feature is particularly helpful, said Caples, for wearable products that tend to be based on multicore SoCs. “Although the systems are limited in resources, they still include complex user interfaces, middleware, and of course, connectivity. Not only is small footprint a requirement, but the ability to leverage the existing resources is an absolute must,” he said.

The diversity also increases the likelihood of security vulnerabilities. To stay ahead of hackers, devices forming the IoT must be remotely managed and updated.

HIGH PRIORITY FOR LOW ENERGY It has been an old truism that an army marches on its stomach. In the same regard, it might be said that IoT technologies often get implemented because of their batteries. Much of the IoT is battery powered, so there’s a need for designers of these IoT devices to thoroughly characterize and understand the

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COMMUNICATING ACROSS THE IoT Obviously, there will be a lot of traditionally “unconnected” objects that will start sporting communication features once the IoT gets rolling. Signs of the trend are already emerging.

An example comes from the realm of position encoders used for gauging the position and speed of rotating shafts. Rotary encoders from CUI nowadays contain an ASIC and an MCU. The electronics imbue the encoders with control features including the ability to programmatically set resolution, zero point and commutation signals with GUI software.

Additionally, the encoders sport onboard diagnostics to aid in field-failure analysis. The encoder can be queried to indicate if it is operating properly or if there’s been a failure from a mechanical misalignment on the shaft or from other issues.

The same type of features can implement preventative measures. In the case of CUI encoders, for example, a test sequence run before starting an application can verify the encoder is supplying valid data.

With all the digital entities that the IoT will network together, it might be easy to become bogged down with the sheer volume of connections. Real-time operating systems (RTOSs) will likely help head off such problems because they can do so without introducing delays.

RTOSs have been widely applied for decades in control systems handling applications such as car engines and industrial process control. An RTOS meets control deadlines deterministically, running and executing tasks within a guaranteed time frame.

A complicating factor, though, is that devices being connected to the IoT are quite diverse. There are a variety of processors and brands of processors handling control tasks and running connected devices such as cell phones.

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CASE OF FATIGUE

dynamic energy use of their designs. The necessary measurements can be challenging because of the dynamic nature of the current; a lot of IoT devices transition between sleep current to a much more energy intense active state. The result is a low and pulsing current with fast rise and fall times over a wide dynamic range.

Instrument makers have developed equipment specifically designed for measuring these kinds of waveforms. Keysight Technologies, for example, now markets instruments with the ability to accurately measure 10 sec worth of sleep currents in the microamp range, while also recording currents of 2 amps or more, both in a single measurement pass.

Instrumentation able to handle this kind of range was unavailable 10 years ago; designers back then could only capture current spikes in the ampere range in one pass, microampere-level currents in another.

Though this procedure might have given an idea of the steady state current situation, it would have introduced inaccuracies.

An insulin infusion pump illustrates how a wide dynamic range can be handy for gauging electrical current. In one case, engineers measured dynamic current drain (not just average current) while evaluating different battery types. They also had to analyze the current drain profile and document the test results for FDA audits.

Use of a Keysight DC Power Analyzer (N6705B) helped characterize the drain profile by means of its data logging mode. Developers measured the initialization pulse, pump current pulse, keypad press current and sleep current.

Other kinds of equipment have also been developed for IoT applications, including the Keysight EXM wireless test set. It can test multiple, multi-format wireless transmitting devices simultaneously.

Keysight continues to add applications to address the formats widely used in the IoT; including 802.11p, 802.11ah and 802.11af.

A typical application for these instruments is the testing of RF modules built into the gateways. A gateway is a network node equipped for interfacing with another network that uses different communication protocols. Gateways may contain both cellular and non-cellular transceivers. The RF modules that are built into these gateways must be tested for various cellular and non-cellular formats (Bluetooth, ZigBee, WLAN, LTE and others).

The Keysight one-box tester, the EXM (E6640A), or the Keysight X-Series signal generator and signal analyzer are frequently used to test RF modules for these various wireless formats. Typically, X-Series signal generators and analyzers serve in product development where there’s a need for high RF performance and flexibility to run a variety of tests as for multi-channel MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) testing.

The EXM one-box tester often serves in design validation and also manufacturing. Both instruments use the same software tools.

In one case, engineers used the EXM one-box tester to test an IEEE 802.11p WLAN module targeted at vehicle-to-vehicle communications. Unlike IEEE 802.11a, which targets higher data rates, the goal of 802.11p is reliable communication. Testing requirements, consequently, are much more stringent than for other WLAN standards. For example, 802.11p has much stricter spectrum emission mask (SEM) requirements for class C and D devices. designworldonline.com

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REFERENCES Argus Insights argusinsights.com Coilcraft coilcraft.com CUI Inc., cui.com Intel Corp. intel.com Keysight Technologies keysight.com Mentor Graphics mentor.com TE Connectivity te.com Texas Instruments ti.com

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Internet of Things

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Building IoT gateways to the cloud

There is no such thing as an IoT communication standard, so networks will need to cope with numerous devices having different communication requirements. At one end will be simple wireless devices such as batterypowered sensors and actuators that will transmit little data while operating unattended for several years. At the other end—literally and figuratively—will be highbandwidth, mission-critical services and devices such as autonomous cars demanding constant, reliable and super-secure connections.

In most cases there’s no direct connection between the thing, the cloud or the remote application. Instead, they will connect through a gateway. For one example, consider an apartment complex equipped with a network of ZigBee-based fire-detection Test instruments help ensure connections to the cloud and entry sensors: Data is compiled and stored in a local ADSL intelligent gateway that periodically reports to a coexist peacefully with IoT communication schemes. security company. The gateway would be programmed to immediately raise MARTHA ZEMEDE an alarm when the system detects an abnormal sensor Keysight Technologies response. Gateways make data flow seamlessly and securely from sensors and other edge devices to the eople once thought that a “thing” on the cloud. In general, a gateway is responsible for translating “Internet of Things” was an item that could be between protocols and the interoperation of individual counted—RFID tags on shipping containers, for devices, the app and the cloud. example, or parking lot exit-and-entry systems that know While cellular and WiFi are quite common when the lot is full. Today, an IoT “thing” can be any natural wireless standards, emerging low-power wide-area or man-made entity, fixed or mobile, able to transfer data networks (LPWAN), such as Sigfox, LoRa and PLANet, over a network. A common healthcare example is the are relatively new standards optimized for IoT/M2M remote monitoring of a patient’s condition away from a communication. Unlike traditional cellular networks, clinic or hospital. Another is a vehicle involved in a traffic LPWANs are optimized for low data rates, long battery accident that not only summons emergency assistance, but life, low duty cycle, and the ability to coexist in a also reports its location, the number of occupants and the shared spectrum using unlicensed ISM bands. An severity of their injuries. example is in city street lamp lighting systems, which It’s likely that a majority of IoT things will rely on tend to be in place for decades, far longer than typical some kind of wireless communication technology. cellular standards are in force.

There are myriad wireless schemes. They range from Here are some brief descriptions of these near-field communication (NFC) for mobile payments, emerging LPWANs. to geosynchronous satellites for unattended remote Sigfox is a French firm that builds wireless weather stations, and everything in between: Bluetooth, networks handling low data rate IoT and M2M wireless LAN (WLAN), cellular, ZigBee, point-to-point applications. Its cellular-style network uses a patented radio and more. radio technology based on ultra-narrow band (UNB) These wireless points will connect to the cloud through technology. The throughput is characterized by up to IoT Gateways. Gateways are the link between end devices 140 messages per object per day, with a payload size and the cloud. In many instances, there is no direct of 12 bytes per message, and wireless throughput of connection between the thing and the cloud, or the remote up to 100 b/sec. Sigfox said each base station can application that needs to communicate with it. Rather than handle up to a million connected objects, but the connect directly to the Internet, each device will use one or network is scalable to handle more objects. The density more standards to connect to a higher level gateway that of the cells is based on an average range of about is responsible for protocol and operation of the individual 30 to 50 km in rural areas and 3 to 10 km in cities. device with the cloud.

Distances can be much higher for outdoor objects

P

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GATEWAYS TO THE CLOUD

One way to size up various wireless protocol candidates for IoT applications is by the projected range of their connections.

where messages in line-of-sight can travel over 1,000 km.

A LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide-area Network) is a LPWAN specification targeting low-cost, low-power, mobile, bi-directional communications for IoT, M2M, smart city and industrial applications. It uses a spread spectrum modulation scheme derived from Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) modulation.

This technology is standardized by a group of companies in the LoRa Alliance and defines several classes of end-point devices to address wide range of applications.

The PLANet communication scheme is from a UK firm called Telensa. Like Sigfox, it uses UNB wireless technology. PLANet was originally designed for controlling networks of street lights. It has also been used in a wireless parking space monitoring system called PARKet, which detects cars, monitors parking space availability and delivers realtime information to drivers about where to find a parking space.

A typical PLANet base station consists of a radio, antenna and sensor. Each base station has a range of several miles and communicates with Telecell devices installed at each monitored point. (In the case of lighting systems, a luminaire. For parking systems, a parking spot.) A central server manages connections with Telecell units through base stations.

Of course, the cellular standards bodies are not standing still. The 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) has been working toward support for IoT and machine-type communication (MTC). Release 12 of the standard (March 2015) added an MTC extension to LTE-Advanced, defining

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a new device category called Category-0 or Cat-0. Significant optimization of Cat-0 MTC is planned for Release 13 (March 2016), targeting lower-cost, lower-complexity devices with reduced transmission power, ultra-long battery life and extended-coverage operation.

Looking for even better link budget, cost and power consumption than available with LTE-MTC (Cat-0), the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) Radio Access Network (GERAN) groups are proposing two strands for what’s called cellular IoT (CIoT). One is based on an evolution of GSM and the other uses cleanslate radio access technologies aimed at low-end IoT applications.

TECHNOLOGIES VERSUS RANGE When it comes to the communication technologies being proposed for IoT, there is no firm definition of the boundaries of WPAN, WLAN, WNAN and WWAN. To facilitate future development, standards are quickly forming and evolving as new devices become connected. Currently, there are more than 60 legacy and new RF formats in use for M2M and IoT-related applications.

The multitude of these RF formats came about because some companies have developed proprietary communication schemes out of expediency: They have been relatively easy to create because they generally work at low data rates, their transmissions consume little power, and there are minimal interoperability requirements. This approach is likely to fall out of favor because the globalization of markets is pushing designs toward use of standardized methods.

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Gateways will increasingly use standard interfaces to devices and to the cloud, but the amount of intelligence they’ll need will depend on specific applications. One key to rapid deployment of custom gateways is the availability of test gear flexible enough to meet the needs of engineers across R&D, manufacturing and deployment. To understand this flexibility in this context, consider an example: Early in product development, engineers can run simulations that include virtual measurement tools.

These can attach to nodes in the simulation, providing realistic views of how the product will perform. As the design moves from simulation to reality, physical device modules can be substituted into the simulation, and real measurements replace their virtual simulations.

Once prototypes are available, engineers can make use of lab-grade test equipment, which generally has built-in measurement applications that can show whether the prototype performs to standards. For custom gateway products, engineers can do prequalification testing for each supported format to verify the product will meet the relevant specifications, including interoperability with other communication standards.

REFERENCES Keysight Technologies keysight.com Sigfox white paper www.sigfox.com Telensa PLANet system www.telensa.com/about/about-telensa

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Internet of Things

Data, data everywhere, but no insights in sight LESLIE LANGNAU Managing Editor @DW_3DPrinting

R

ecently, I had to call my wireless Internet service provider because my internet service was super slow. The customer service rep asked me how many devices I have connected to the Internet. I answered four. Four!

Apparently, that was at least one too many. I would need to upgrade to the Turbo Charged bandwidth for an additional monthly fee.

The office I work in also has wireless Internet service, from the same provider—it has a monopoly in our geographic area. On average, our office has about 60 to 80 devices connecting with the Internet daily. The wireless crashes frequently, so frequently that many of us choose to connect through

We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.

— John Naisbitt 48

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a hardwire cable in hopes of getting more reliable Internet service. That means fewer devices trying to connect wirelessly, yet our service still crashes often.

So I snigger when I hear we are going to connect billions of devices to the Internet for the Internet of Things. Particularly for the Industrial IoT, many of these devices will need to transmit reliably so as not to produce scrap.

Has anyone informed the Internet service providers about the Tsunami of data the IoT will throw at them? Are we really going to be able to connect billions of data-transmitting devices to the Internet without crashes all the time?

Just for reference: 1,024 GB = 1 TB; 1,024 TB = 1 petabyte (PB); 1,024 PB = 1 exabyte (EB); 1,024 EB = 1 zettabyte. In the year 2003, the world’s population of Internet-linked accounts created 3 EB of “information.” Today, with just Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook, we are at 1 EB. Now include individual and corporate websites. How many more exabytes will we generate once billions of devices are all connected to the IoT? Have the promoters of the IoT thought about just how they are going to manage petabytes of data? Manufacturers with connected factories thought about this more than 20 years ago when they connected all their “islands of automation.” They gathered data from every sensor, every chip, every control that they could—sensor on, sensor off, on, off, on, off, on, off, and so on. The data arrived at a millisecond rate. More than 90% of these collected data indicated everything operated as planned. That’s when management questioned the logic of seeing every single bit of data. Thus began management by exception—only if the sensor doesn’t go on as planned do you want to know about it.

The hype of the IoT is ridiculous. Unfortunately, it is driving many decisions, including design decisions.

Will more data really deliver more insight? Or will it simply drown us? designworldonline.com

9/11/15 2:09 PM

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Internet of Things

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What will the Industrial Internet of Things mean to manufacturers?

LESLIE LANGNAU Managing Editor

How will the IIoT affect manufacturing operations and processes? Experts weigh in.

T

If the IIoT comes to fruition, HMI devices and controls, like these from Red Lion, will be key to transmitting data for analysis.

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he words—the Internet of Things (IoT), Industry 4.0, or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are new. But the goal is not new— use data from machinery and equipment to improve overall manufacturing performance, efficiency, more uptime and lower costs.

“A lot of us have noted that IIoT is something we could do a decade or more ago,” said John Kowal, director, business development at B&R Automation.

Yet, a number of manufacturing facilities either have not taken advantage of connecting their enterprises or they lag way behind. “Despite more than 30 years of industrial device level buses, increased computer capability and control, a number of manufacturing facilities and businesses are not as connected and automated as they could be,” said Jeremy King, product marketing manager, Bimba Manufacturing.

Agreed Mike Hannah, market development for The Connected Enterprise, Rockwell Automation, “The proliferation of these smarter end points, big

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data, analytics, virtualization and mobility are the evolutionary steps to harness the most powerful element that too few manufacturers today are fully capitalizing on: their own data.”

“IIoT’s newfound celebrity, though, elevates automation to a C-suite topic where it always should have been, so future projects might get funded when the next machine is specified,” added Kowal.

The advances in microprocessors used in field devices are key to IIoT. “These developments allow us as manufacturers to take advantage of the onboard computing power to provide more data to operators/customers,” said Randy Durick, VP, Network and Interface Div., TURCK. As the marketplace becomes more sophisticated about using the supplied data, the more efficient and connected the industrial workplace becomes.

But others see different possibilities with the IIoT. “The ‘Internet of Things’ disruption will alter the ways our machines interact,” said Armin Pühringer,

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Internet of Things

business development manager, Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation. “The automation pyramid will change from being a vertical structure to a more horizontal one. Machines, systems and even production lines and businesses will become so highly de-centralized and yet inter-connected that our network architectures will morph more and more into mesh systems. Machines and systems will become autonomous and have far greater flexibility. Some experts are even predicting that IIoT could usher in an era of mass-produced one-offs, among other developments.”

Clearly, the IIoT means different things to different organizations depending on their needs and their openness to the technology. In general, though, the IIoT is believed to be able to deliver the following benefits: Connectivity: The demand for connectivity may be “as simple as an email generated by a PLC/HMI sent to a maintenance technician, or an HMI screen capture showing production data sent to a plant manager, up to a complete FTP file transfer of real-time production data sent to corporate management across the world,” said Gary Marchuk, director of business development, AutomationDirect.

“Manufacturers will be able to connect many different devices, including older equipment, and get them to ‘talk’ with each other in a way that they could not before, and use that data to improve efficiency and gain a competitive advantage,” added Colin Geis, product marketing manager, Red Lion Controls. “This connectivity is one of the key building blocks for the IIoT.” Visibility: “The IIoT means unprecedented visibility for all levels into the manufacturing process and enables a dramatic rise in the amount of flexibility in production,” said Will Healy III, strategic marketing manager, Balluff.

The goal of the IIoT is not new—use data from machinery and equipment to improve overall manufacturing performance, efficiency, more uptime and lower costs.

The IIoT, however, will require manufacturers to adopt new ways of thinking. IT and operational groups will need closer working relationships. New and more resources will be needed to manage the influx of data. A more thorough understanding of manufacturing that can be used to form analytical algorithms will be needed to derive actionable insights from that data.

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“Ultimately, the IIoT is going to open the door to greater efficiency, better performance and more uptime,” added King.

Efficiency: “The increasingly global nature of manufacturing means we need to find ways to optimize processes and cut out inefficiencies for the long-term viability of many enterprises,” said Daymon Thompson, TwinCAT product specialist, Beckhoff Automation.

Improved maintenance: “IIoT can give manufacturers better ways to monitor equipment for Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) scoring, detect trends in production and equipment behavior, while evolving predictive maintenance systems to further reduce unscheduled downtime for equipment service and replacements,” Thompson added.

Because the IIoT is about data, predictive maintenance will be one of the first applications to take advantage.

Increased automation: “Instead of the factory being a building of individual machines and processes that must be manually integrated and controlled,” said Allen Tubbs, product manager, Electric Drives and Controls at Bosch Rexroth, “the factory will become an intelligent organism of sorts, able to detect and react to its own environment.”

Improved remote diagnostics: For those who provide remote diagnostic services, the IIoT should help service providers deliver better service and reduce or eliminate backlogs, and ultimately build customer loyalty, noted Bob Gates, global marketing director, GE Intelligent Platforms.

Adaptive processes: Most manufacturing is still at the stage where changes in product offerings or unexpected orders require production line modifications, which usually require line shutdown to handle. “If the IIoT succeeds, then production lines will adapt automatically to product modifications,” said Nuzha Yakoob, product manager, Positioning, at Festo.

Connected supply chain: Many challenges related to logistics, such as material shortages and inventory costs, could be minimized or eliminated if manufacturers were more connected and automated. IIoT systems can feed data to an ERP system providing real-time information to accounting functions.

“The underlying concept is an outgrowth of a variety of production processes made possible by new technologies,” said Anthony Varga, president, Canada, SVP, North America Strategic Sales, Rittal. The focus is no longer simply on optimizing individual engineering, production or logistics stages separately, but on addressing their interrelation in value chains and value adding networks to establish efficient, cost-effective processes with maximum flexibility and high customer benefit.”

With the IIoT, manufacturers will have the capability to track every aspect of a business, from managing

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IIoT MEAN TO MANUFACTURERS

manufacturing processes, suppliers and inventory, all the way down to field service staff. “When fully leveraged, IIoT can mean better inventory management, pulled production instead of pushed production, accurate activity-based costing, automatic adjusted logistics that adapt to changes in the manufacturing layer and productivity increases,” said Matt O’Kane, VP of the Industry Business, Schneider Electric.

The IIoT reflects the growing number of smart, connected products and highlights new opportunities they can represent. Yet it’s not helpful in understanding the phenomenon or its implications.

“What makes smart, connected products fundamentally different is not the Internet, but the changing nature of the ‘things,’” said Jim Heppelmann, CEO of PTC. “It is the expanded capabilities of smart, connected products and the data they generate that are ushering in a new era of competition.”

Added Suzanne Lee, director of marketing, Siemens Digital Factory, “The Internet of Things Digitalization acts as an accelerator for business processes and is revolutionizing global business. Companies can work together more closely and faster with partners, communicate directly with end customers, and deal effectively with their specific changing requirements.”

REFERENCES AutomationDirect automationdirect.com Balluff balluff.com Beckhoff Automation beckhoffautomation.com B&R Automation br-automation.com Bimba Manufacturing Co. bimba.com Bosch Rexroth boschrexroth-us.com FESTO festo.com GE Intelligent Platforms geautomation.com Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation hilscher.com PTC ptc.com Red Lion Controls redlion.net Rittal rittal.com Rockwell Automation rockwellautomation.com Schneider Electric schneider-electric.com/us/en Siemens Digital Factory usa.siemens.com TURCK turck.us

In some cases, the IIoT will eliminate machine cabinets for drives, such as this configuration from Bosch Rexroth for its IndraDrive Mi systems.

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Internet of Things

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IIoT—the technological changes coming to automation equipment and systems LESLIE LANGNAU Managing Editor

Experts discuss the changes in technology that will enable greater connectivity and data gathering, and how it will affect your designs.

O

Secure transmission will be a requirement for the IIoT to become a reality on the factory floor.

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verall, the IIoT is primarily a concept—better business operations through knowledge. The basic technology to achieve this concept will be smart sensors, communication buses and analytical software.

Vendors are developing creative solutions within these areas.

“We see the IIoT as comprised of three basic technology attributes: intelligence (logic solving, data collection, signal conditioning); networking (wired serial or Ethernet, wireless LAN, cellular, Bluetooth); and communications (protocols and APIs),” said Ben Orchard, applications engineer at Opto 22.

The ability to have data at your fingertips, thanks to recent technology developments like mobile platforms, is part of what’s driving the implementation of wider connectivity. Noted Gary Marchuk, director of business development at AutomationDirect, “Our customers have constantly demanded that they have the ability to access data from their HMI or PLC on their cell phone or tablet.”

But existing networks will not disappear. “Instead,” said Armin Pühringer, business development manager, Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation, “our networking infrastructures—particularly at the higher levels—will have to be changed to deal with Big Data and its potential.”

A technology helping to push the limits of what was previously thought possible for data collection and communication is the field programmable gate array (FPGA). “Through FPGAs, we’ve distributed intelligence down to the I/O slice level like never before,” said John Kowal, director, business development at B&R Automation. “We have a slice that closes the loop internally in one microsecond, without needing to go up to the PLC CPU first.”

Other technological changes Kowal is seeing include affordable accelerometers. Thanks to the smartphone, these accelerometers can be used to monitor key bearings for predictive maintenance.

9 • 2015

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For some, this investment involves the And technology can take things even open standard IO-Link. IO-Link technology further, soon. Added Kowal, “We can put uses a master device talking on Ethernet and software algorithms in servo drives to smooth provides access to multiple smart sensors. IOout disturbances before they have an impact Link field devices can communicate diagnostic on the drivetrain.” information and preventative warnings and can Another area that design engineers receive parameters for configuration. will see improvement will be security for Other technology that engineers will communications. As recent news reports see includes scalable performance CPUs and indicate, everyone will need to determine software tools that represent the convergence how best to secure not only the data, but of automation technology (AT) and Information the machines and systems sending the data.

Technology (IT). “Developments in cloudSecure transmission will be a requirement for the IIoT to become a reality on the factory floor. based systems and services, such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, represent Data security in cloud-based systems can ideal platforms to store manufacturing data be assured through standards like OPC UA sent from connected machine controls,” with its built-in data encryption in horizontal said Daymon Thompson, TwinCAT product communication architectures. specialist, Beckhoff Automation.

But part of getting more data out of While vendors of more proprietary, automation processes means much more “closed” architecture systems must develop connectivity than is working today. Noted products that can implement web- and cloudWill Healy III, strategic marketing manager, based solutions, PC-based controls have Balluff, “Visibility into the manufacturing quickly adapted to new protocols and cloud process requires that even some of the lowest devices need to be seen and communicated to. connected technology without the need for new hardware offerings.

Getting visibility to thousands of sensors and actuators on a production line would require COMMUNICATION KEYS dramatic investment in Industrial Ethernet One challenge now with IIoT installations, is architecture to implement IoT in every device.” that most do not use a standard Ethernet based protocol. While Ethernet is commonly used by just about everything, it’s not a “plugand-play” setup. Some vendors are urging a more cohesive approach.

“Several leading players in industrial automation, such as Festo, have products that communicate over a range of industrial network protocols including Ethernet based protocols such as EtherCAT, Profinet and Ethernet/IP,” said Nuzha Yakoob, product manager, Positioning, Festo. Connecting to the enterprise level, though, typically involves PLCs or gateways.

Hilscher also offers a chip family that connects to all popular automation network protocol stacks with one driver interface. The netX chip family supports interoperability of different standards and communication systems.

Some argue that to increase productivity and profitability, a single network platform is necessary. A single network lets manufacturers take advantage of advanced cloud services and DESIGN WORLD — EE Network

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TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES COMING Your Global Automation Partner

data driven manufacturing, and can also provide greater security throughout.

“Thanks to advances in wireless technology,” said Doug Bellin, global senior manager for Manufacturing and Energy, Cisco, “users can add more data-gathering end points onto a network. As wireless speeds reach those of a traditional wired network, new opportunities arise for real-

Existing networks will not disappear. ‘Instead our networking infrastructures—particularly at the higher levels—will have to be changed to deal with Big Data and its potential.’

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time monitoring, analytics, and computing at the edge, also known as fog computing.”

Another example of a cohesive communication approach is the Connected Enterprise from Rockwell Automation. This approach should boost the advantages of smart, safe, secure and sustainable manufacturing and industrial operations. Users benefit from faster time-tomarket, lower total cost of ownership, improved asset useage and enterprise risk management.

Central to achieving The Connected Enterprise, or any smart manufacturing initiative, is the need to converge information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT). Some companies, like Rockwell, are aligning with other IT and OT market leaders—like Cisco, Microsoft, Panduit and AT&T. Rockwell aims to continue to drive The Connected Enterprise vision forward and help solve realworld customer problems that cannot be solved without such cooperation.

In the future, with the implementation of Industry 4.0 there will be only one, worldwide standard protocol—an Internet protocol based on a real-time capable WLAN or Ethernet.

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Internet of Things

One challenge now with IIoT installations, is that most do not use a standard Ethernet based protocol. While Ethernet is commonly used by just about everything, it’s not a

“plug-and-play”

setup. Some vendors are urging a more cohesive approach.

Another example is Rexroth’s wirelessly every day! Manufacturing, management and engineers will need Open Core Interface. It provides a sophisticated analytic programs to turn raw gathered data into meaningful software development kit for the and actionable information. company’s motion control systems Noted Colin Geis, product marketing manager, Red Lion Controls, in different programming platforms.

“One key IIoT development will be protocol conversion. This function will “The benefit is that they have quick help users deal with the challenge of gathering data from all the different connectivity/communication protocols used by manufacturing floor devices.” and easy access to our ‘things’ and other ‘things’ connected to our One example of such a program is the Historian data management control without needing to know our platform that GE has been using for years to capture data without having to programming software,” said Allen archive them. “When you have that amount of data at your fingertips,” said Tubbs, program manager, Electric Bob Gates, global marketing director, GE Intelligent Platforms, “you can better Drives and Controls, Bosch Rexroth. understand correlations, look at what you were able to do versus what you are “The continued growth of cheap and doing now and conduct this analysis with specific products and materials. It’s affordable processing power enables no longer anecdotal that you need product A followed by product B to run the smart products. Thus, you can plant equipment more efficiently. Now it’s product B followed by product A and offload processing power, enabling the why is because you have the validation through data.

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TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES COMING Your Global Automation Partner

devices to think on their own, collecting and processing their own data and communicating only relevant data back to other systems.”

Schneider Electric offers several examples of IIoT ready components. “We have a number of products with dynamic QR codes for smart diagnostics,” said Matt O’Kane, VP, Industry Business, Schneider Electric.

“Our Altivar Process drives are the first with embedded intelligence to help with big data and analytics applications.

Additionally, our Vijeo Design’Air mobile app for the configuration of control devices increases the speed of commissioning and helps reduce plant downtime.”

PTC offers the ThingWorx IoT development platform to enable better service, more uptime and differentiated product design for developers of smart, connected products. With this platform, designers can include functions that unify visibility, trigger alerts, and develop analytics that help improve operational performance and reduce wast.

But should everything be connected to the Internet?

A direct connection may not be the best approach. “While developments in microprocessors make more diagnostic, status, configuration and preventative maintenance data available,” said Randy Durick, VP, Network and Interface Div., TURCK, “in many instances, it may not make sense to directly connect field devices to the Internet. Here, innovative fieldbus technology has a strong place. In this scenario, the field device still has a microprocessor that eases device configuration and diagnostic data, but given the number of field devices in some larger applications, it may not make sense to connect directly to the IIoT. However, in using some device-level protocol and elevating this information to the Internet or Ethernet through an I/O device, a user has essentially connected the device to the Internet.”

Of course, sensors are the nerve endings of the Internet backbone and will play a huge role in the IIoT. An example is the IntelliSense sensor from Bimba. “For use on pneumatic actuators, this sensor collects and analyzes data at the actuator level to gain insights into how the actuator is performing and to have a sound basis for considering improvements,” said Jeremy King, product marketing manager, Bimba Manufacturing.

And finally, IIoT technology will speed the development of documentation. Noted Anthony Varga, president, Canada, SVP North America Strategic Sales, Rittal, as manual processes convert to automation, any changes made to products can also be automated.

Drawings, schematics, bills of material, 2D and/or 3D layouts, manufacturing lists and instructions can be simultaneously revised, reducing opportunities for error and the subsequent need for expensive rework.

REFERENCES AutomationDirect automationdirect.com Balluff balluff.com Beckhoff Automation beckhoffautomation.com B&R Automation br-automation.com Bimba Manufacturing bimba.com Bosch Rexroth boschrexroth-us.com

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Who’s investing in IIoT and why Medical, automation, automotive, food and beverage, material handling—so many industries plan to take advantage of IIoT. Experts explain why.

C

LESLIE LANGNAU

onnecting various devices, systems and equipment together through an Ethernet platform has been going on for years in various manufacturing industries. Data about manufacturing machine performance and operation used to be loaded up to “dashboards” monitored by upper management. An overwhelming amount of data, though, shifted this effort from recording every single device operation to “management by exception,” where only certain bits of data were analyzed for importance.

Why are manufacturing industries returning to massive data gathering? And which industries are doing so?

Managing Editor

Web accessible pages, such as this one from Beckhoff Automation, can be accessed from almost any mobile platform.

The answer to which industries is easy: “We have seen the IoT applications in dozens of industries from oil and gas, paper products, recycling, plastics, vending, food and beverage, medical machinery, automotive and wastewater,” said Gary Marchuk, director of business development, AutomationDirect. “The demand seems to exist just about everywhere.”

“We see greater interest in a variety of industries, from consumer product manufacturing, to packaging, to material handling, heavy industry, and more,” said Daymon Thompson, TwinCAT product specialist, Beckhoff Automation.

“Don’t forget agriculture,” added Jeremy King, product marketing manager, Bimba Manufacturing.

Answers for why include: • The promise of getting almost any type of information in digital format, which experts claim makes this information free as well as “fluid.”

• The predictive potential of such data, especially its ability to improve uptime. “Everyone wants to avoid having an actuator wear out in the middle of a product run,” said King. “This is an area most IIoT products are targeting.”

• Marketers, managers and product developers expect to learn what customers want practically before they know themselves.

• Managers and manufacturing directors expect to know in

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Internet of Things

•

plenty of time when a machine component will break or need maintenance.

“Access to device-level data and the ability to more reliably operate and diagnose problems are factors in deploying Ethernet automation networks, thus allowing the capability to connect more devices to the Internet,” said Randy Durick, VP, Network and Interface Div., TURCK.

“Making domestic manufacturing more affordable is a key theme of Industry 4.0,” added Thompson.

“This requires the optimization of processes to accommodate made-to-order manufacturing (lot size one), highly flexible manufacturing lines (such as objectoriented manufacturing), quality improvements, and production throughput despite requirements for more frequent product changeovers.”

“The ability of management to get instant access to manufacturing throughput or yields while traveling around the world creates instant value,” added Marchuk.

But the IIoT will need to offer more than the possibility of helping manufacturing reach these here-tofore unreachable goals. The next step may be to predict changes in equipment and processes. Some customers are looking at different ways to use the data to improve how machines work together; they have broadened their perspective to more than just uptime.

According to some experts, these are the customers that are at the forefront of IIoT. “Although commercial tools have long been available to provide Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) information to factory management,” said Anthony Varga, president, Canada, SVP, North America Strategic Sales, Rittal, “they

tend to be focused on finding root causes for problems that have already happened rather than providing predictions that managers can use to prevent problems.”

Added Bob Gates, global marketing director, GE Intelligent Platforms, “It’s not only beneficial to use the Industrial Internet to build a better product, you can also use applications within those products to run and manage them better. That’s critical when you are talking about gaining better fuel capacity with certain weather patterns or altitudes. Or, when you are sending a turbine out for maintenance, you can now assess how parts wear and see how to use the turbine in the best way possible.

Maximizing asset potential—that is what it is all about.”

Many managers of manufacturing operations have experience with data gathering on their processes. As was mentioned

The ability to access machine performance from anywhere, helps OEMs optimize their designs. Photo courtesy of B&R Automation

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WHO’S INVESTING

Diagnostic data can be sent to remote applications written in C#, Python, or accessed through OPC UA.

Currently only bits and pieces of the true potential of the IoT are being implemented in industry.

— Nuzha Yakoob, Product Manager, Festo

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earlier, it’s been done before. The data that’s been collected for nearly 30 years was primarily for making operations more efficient and reducing downtime—the same goals mentioned today.

“Some of the large end users have been collecting all kinds of machine data for a long time,” said John Kowal, director, business development, B&R Automation. “But they will tell you: it’s tough to get their arms around, to analyze and use. Meanwhile, machine builders know their machines and they are in a perfect position to offer IIoT functionality as a service, one they can turn on or off using the existing control hardware. And being able to access their machines’ performance data helps them optimize their designs.”

This time vendors can put more sensors on more industrial components. This time, manufacturers know a bit more about their production processes and can factor that in to their analyses. But there will be challenges.

The goals of better, faster, more cost efficient, and more flexible operations will deliver terabytes (1 TB is roughly 1,000 GB) of data to users, per day.

Manufacturers must have a new generation of IT infrastructure to handle the data between the plant floor and the enterprise.

“Currently only bits and pieces of the true potential of the IoT are being implemented in industry,” said Nuzha Yakoob, product manager, Festo. “Manufacturers of automation hardware, such as PLCs and motion control devices, are able to incorporate the electronics and Ethernet protocols into their hardware and some go as far as saying that their hardware is IoT ready. However, the standardized open Ethernet protocol is yet to be defined and the required IT infrastructure is yet to be implemented.”

9 • 2015

REFERENCES AutomationDirect automationdirect.com Beckhoff Automation beckhoffautomation.com B&R Automation br-automation.com Bimba Manufacturing bimba.com FESTO festo.com GE Intelligent Platforms geautomation.com Rittal rittal.com TURCK turck.us

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Ad Index Acopian Technical Co........................................................ 19

Memory Protection Devices, Inc. ........................................ 9

Allegro MicroSystems, LLC................................................ 23

Mornsun Guangzhou Science and Technology Co.,Ltd. .......31

Allied Electronics, Inc. ......................................................BC

National Instruments Corp. ................................................ 3

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GE Intelligent Platforms...................................................... 1

Renco Electronics, Inc. ........................................................ 4

Hilscher North America..................................................... 55

Rogers Corp. ...................................................................... 7

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KEB America, Inc. ............................................................. 51

TURCK, Inc. ................................................................ 57, 59

Kepware, Inc. .................................................................... 61

WAGO Corp. ...................................................................IBC

Master Bond, Inc. ............................................................. 45

SALES VP Sales Todd Tidmore ttidmore@wtwhmedia.com 512.626.8263 @wtwh_ttidmore

Regional Sales Manager Tom Lazar tlazar@wtwhmedia.com 408.701.7944 @wtwh_Tom

Publisher Mike Emich memich@wtwhmedia.com 508.446.1823 @wtwh_memich

VP of EE Product Development Mike Caruso mcaruso@wtwhmedia.com 469.855.7344

Regional Sales Manager Courtney Seel cseel@wtwhmedia.com 440.523.1685 @wtwh_CSeel

Managing Director Scott McCafferty smccafferty@wtwhmedia.com 310.279.3844 @SMMcCafferty

Regional Sales Manager Jessica East jeast@wtwhmedia.com 330-319-1253 @wtwh_MsMedia

EVP Marshall Matheson mmatheson@wtwhmedia.com 805.895.3609 @mmatheson

VP, Business Development Michael Ference mference@wtwhmedia.com 408.769.1188 @mrference General Manager Todd Christenson tchristenson@wtwhmedia.com 440.381.9048 @wtwh_todd VP, Business Development David Geltman dgeltman@wtwhmedia.com 516.510.6514 @wtwh_david Key Account Manager Jim Powers jpowers@wtwhmedia.com 312.925.7793 @jpowers_media

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LEADERSHIP TEAM

Regional Sales Manager Neel Gleason ngleason@wtwhmedia.com 312.882.9867 @wtwh_ngleason Regional Sales Manager Megan Hollis mhollis@wtwhmedia.com 440.821.2941 @wtwh_Megan Business Development Michelle Flando mflando@wtwhmedia.com 440.670.4772 @mflando

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CONNECT WITH US!

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