ODOUR CONTROL SEWER VALVE SUITABLE FOR H2S REMOVAL
The Wager 1800 Odour Control Vent Valve from SPD Sales connects to a candy cane style pipe and is designed to allow for ventilation in the open position. The valve body is said to be easily disassembled with two quick-release lockable metal latches. The interior of the body contains a canister filled with odour media in pellet form allowing for better airflow through the media bed and is highly effective in removing hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) found in wastewater treatment applications, the company says. Pellets are non-toxic and landfill disposable. The media contains blue indicator pellets that turn white when the media is spent. The 1800 is cast in 356-T6 aluminum with an epoxy powder coated finish.
SPD Sales www.spdsales.com
HMI SYSTEMS FOR CLASS 1 DIVISION 1 HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS
HMI systems for operator stations from R. STAHL that use the device platform MANTA are geared towards the requirements of the pharmaceutical, chemical, and life science industries. All devices are available as a thin client for automation in the cloud and provide a KVM system. Depending on the variant the MANTAs are suitable for hazardous areas of Class I Division 1 using Y purge. Devices are cleanroom-suitable, display complex processes in high definition 24 in. screens and have intrinsic safe glass touchscreens. For DCS operation, units can be equipped with keyboards and various pointing devices.
R. Stahl
www.rstahl.com
ANALOG POSITIONER COMPETES WITH DIGITAL VERSIONS
The V200 analog positioner from VAC is a compact, modular positioner that can be used in place of many digital positioners. With over 1,000 mounting kits available and designed by VAC, replacing a “smart”, digital positioner with this analog version is possible on linear, rotary, spring-return, and double acting actuators. The accuracy of this positioner competes with many digital positioners on the market, and in fact can be used in a hart loop. The unit utilizes the 4 to 20 mA signal to modulate the valve.
With the FP 70, KNF has added another low pulsation pump to its smooth flow series. The ltest pump is said to combine the low pulsation from gear and centrifugal pumps and the strengths known from diaphragm pumps. The self-priming unit can run dry, handles the liquid transfer gently and cleanly and is chemically resistant, the company says. Thanks to the integration of pulsation dampening technology, it adds, there is no need for additional pulsation dampening elements and tubing when using the model. The pulsation pump achieves a flow of up to 850 ml/min and is developed for an operation up to 2 bar. In addition, patented 4-pointvalves are said to ensure the reliable self-priming of the pump. Thus, no additional priming pump is required. The smooth flow pump can be used in a wide range of applications including medical technology, inkjet, 3D printing and analytical instruments.
KNF
www.knf.com
The Common Sense Way to buy sensors
Contrinex DW Series
Proximity Sensors made in the USA
AutomationDirect carries a full line of sensors from photoelectric to limit switches, proximity and ultrasonic - we’ve got them all! Our sensors have the best pricing available and are in stock for fast shipment, with FREE shipping on orders over $49*. When it comes to buying sensors, it makes sense to choose AutomationDirect.
• Available in 8, 12, 18 and 30mm diameter housings
Starting at $15.50 (DW-AS-614-M12)
• Standard and extended sensing distances
• Flush and non-flush mounting versions
• IO-Link available in PNP models
• Lifetime warranty
• Proudly made in the USA
Wenglor OPT Series
Photoelectric Sensors
Starting at $63.00 (OPT2130)
• Diffuse with background suppression, retroreflective, retroreflective for transparent objects, and through-beam models
• LO/DO, NO/NC outputs
• IO-Link compatibility
• Visible light spot allows easy target set-up
• IP67/IP68 rated
ProSense PB Series Inductive Proximity Sensors
Starting at $9.75 (PBM6-AP-1A)
• Available in 8, 12, 18 and 30mm diameter housings
• Up to 15mm sensing distance
• Flush and non-flush mounting versions
• Our lowest cost proximity sensor series offers great value
• Lifetime warranty
Fast free standard shipping* is available for most orders over $49 U.S., and that includes the brokerage fees (when using an AutomationDirect nominated broker). Using our choice of carrier, we can reach most Canadian destinations within 2 to 3 days.
*Free shipping does not apply to items requiring LTL transport, but those shipments can take advantage of our negotiated super-low at rates (based on weight) that include brokerage fees.
See Web site for details and restrictions at: www.automationdirect.com/canada
(SEN-TESTER-001)
• Fast field check of various sensor types
NEW! Contrinex 18mm
Photoelectric Sensors
Starting at $22.00 (LTR-M18PA-PMS-603)
• Diffuse with adjustable background suppression, diffuse, retroreflective, through-beam styles
• Sensing distance up to 30m
• Axial cable or M12 quick-disconnect models; purchase cable separately
• Complete overload protection
• IP67 rated
• 2-year warranty
• IO-Link V 1.0 on PNP models
• Proudly made in the USA
NEW! Schmersal IEC
Limit Switches
Starting at $14.00 (ZS-236-02Z)
• Available in 30mm and 40mm body widths
• Zinc alloy, aluminum or glass-fiber thermoplastic bodies
• 90-degree adjustable head, with levers adjustable to any angle
• Snap-action contacts in a variety of NO/NC configurations
MADE
MADE IN
WATER/WASTEWATER GUIDE SHOWS HOW TO OPTIMIZE FLOW MEASUREMENT FOR PROCESS EFFICIENCY
The Water & Wastewater Treatment Guide from Fluid Components International explains how to optimize flow measurement in 20 different municipal applications to enhance water and wastewater treatment process efficiency while also reducing operating costs at the same time. Whether a plant team is adding process measurements, replacing under-performing flow technologies, undertaking major automation upgrades, or designing new or expanded facilities, the company says it has the
right products for air/gas flow measurement, water/liquid/air/gas flow switching and alarms, and point level applications in municipal and industrial WWTP and WTP operations. From wastewater aeration lines to digester gases, from potable water disinfection processes to pump flow protection, the right flow measurement instrumentation ensures optimal process operations and minimized maintenance, it adds.
Fluid Components International www.fluidcomponents.com
DATA ANALYTICS APP HELPS TACKLE EMISSIONS, PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE
ABB Ability Genix Datalyzer is a cloud-based data analytics solution for fleet-wide management and optimization of emissions monitoring equipment in highly regulated industries like cement, steel, chemicals, and power generation. The new application pre-empts plant failure and helps achieve emissions compliance, improving plant uptime and process safety, ABB says. Datalyzer collects data from emissions monitoring analyzers which is then routed to an on-site Edge device (Micro PC). The Edge device sends the relevant information up to application which sits in the Microsoft Azure cloud. The application analyzes the data received transforming it into a concrete information for decision-making. ABB www.abb.com/ca
ZONE 2 ETHERNET COMMUNICATION GATEWAY FOR EX AREAS
Turck Canada has announced a Zone 2 Ethernet gateway for the excom I/O system. All process data can thus now for the first time reach IT systems for analysis and evaluation at sufficient speed via a parallel data channel, the company says, a fast and easy way of implementing condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. Controllers and control systems are protected here from access attempts. The new GEN-3G multiprotocol device operates at high data rates in Profinet, Ethernet/IP or Modbus TCP networks without the need for manual intervention. The integrated gateway switch enables the implementation of linear topologies which can be connected easily in the network to form a ring. Besides the hardware redundancies for power supply units and gateways, the system also supports redundancy concepts such as S2 system redundancy to ensure maximum availability.
Turck Canada
www.turck.ca
Editor’s Forum
Last month, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) called on the Province of Ontario to work with the industry and other stakeholders to renew and transform Ontario's important chemistry sector.
CIAC president and CEO Bob Masterson noted, "The global chemistry sector is one of the world's fastest growing sectors. That growth is expected to continue with global chemical volumes tripling over the next two decades."
Masterson highlighted that more than $300 billion of chemistry sec-
tor investments have been completed or are underway in North America over the past seven years, but "while Ontario has taken important steps to improve the regulatory climate, urgent attention is needed to ensure the province does not continue to be a fly-over destination for global chemistry investors."
A recent study conducted by IHS Markit concluded that Ontario's $26-billion chemistry industry has never before faced such serious challenges to its viability as the pet-
rochemical industry transitions to a Net-Zero future. The study found that Ontario provides the least competitive investment conditions across the five major and competing chemistry regions in North America. It cautioned that the status quo cannot be taken for granted and that if immediate action is not taken to attract capital investment, the sector would fall even further behind, and likely lead to eventual plant closures.
Mike Edwards medwards@cpecn.com
50TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUES FEATURE:
February Focus on... Instrumentation Supplement: Straining & Filtering
August Focus on... Environment Supplement: Motors & Drives
Editorial closing date: July 8 CONTACT:
Founder Ray Blair
CABINET LAYOUT AND DESIGN SOFTWARE PLATFORM
The Eplan Platform 2022 cabinet layout and design software includes a new user interface, improved workflows, and many additional functions in connection with complementary cloud services. Overall, the engineering software is characterized by its ease of use and high performance, Eplan says, and is available via subscription. This can be seen in the integrated ribbon bars, it adds, the Backstage View users may recognize from many other
established software apps, and improved user ergonomics. The interface takes its cues from common international user concepts, making it easy to get started with the software. In addition, cloud applications such as Eplan eBuild, eManage, and eView are said to provide for completely new forms of collaboration in the context of the Platform.
EPLAN Canada
www.eplancanada.com
SMART DISSOLVED OXYGEN ANALYZER HELPS PROTECT WATER QUALITY
Water engineers, environmentalists and aquaculture technicians will find the S80-T80 Dissolved Oxygen Analyzer from Electro-Chemical Devices (ECD) helps them easily, accurately and economically measure dissolved oxygen (DO) levels to ensure they support sensitive ecosystems, the company says, as well as municipal water storage and fish farming. The analyzer with its intelligent S80 sensors and intuitive T80 transmitter comes pre-calibrated from the factory, requiring no special tools or installation training. When the S80’s sensor is connected to the transmitter, the sensor’s information is uploaded to the analyzer. It then configures the displays and outputs of the transmitter to the values appropriate to the DO sensor’s measurement parameters. The analyzer measures dissolved oxygen levels from 0 to 20 ppm (mg/L) at 250 percent saturation. They operate over a pressure range of 0 to 50 psig and at temperatures from -5° to 80°C. The universal T80 transmitters are available as either single channel or dual channel instruments. All versions are available with the optional HART output. Electro-Chemical Devices www.ecdi.com
PROCESS SOLENOID VALVE FOR GAS AND LIQUID APPLICATIONS
GEMÜ has announced that its M75 pressure-compensated process solenoid valve is now available in a design for gas applications, as well as a design for liquid applications. Water hammers can therefore be clearly reduced, which increases product service life as well as plant reliability, the company says. In the unit, dynamic and static pressure forces are compensated for by the innovative double bellows principle. As a result, the new valve with the very compact coil can be used for processes with an
operating pressure of up to 6 bar, the company says. The fast-operating times make the valve particularly suitable for dosing steps in mixing technology, it adds, whether in the chemical industry, water treatment, washing and cleaning installations or electroplating. With body materials of PP, PVC, and PVDF, and hermetic separation between the medium and the actuator using O-rings in various designs, the new process solenoid valve is said to guarantee a reliable process sequence — including for corrosive media. The solenoid valve is suitable for nominal sizes DN 8 to 15 (and can be extended to DN 20 with an adapter) for open/close applications.
GEMÜ
www.gemu-group.com
LIQUID ANALYZER PROVIDES TURBIDITY AND CHLORINE MEASUREMENT
The FLXA402T liquid analyzer for turbidity and chlorine from Yokogawa offers multiple connection possibilities. The four-wire unit includes a colour HMI and touchscreen operation with a menu structure in 8 languages. The analyzer offers measurement choices with the respective sensor module, including turbidity, chlorine, pH, Conductivity, and 4 to 20 mA input. Dual sensor measurements offer additional functionalities, such as pH compensation for the chlorine analyzer. The unit is also a component of the company’s Smart sensor Sencom4.0 Platform. Yokogawa www.yokogawa.com
Berryhill Foods finds sweet success with metal detectors
Founded in 1994 in the heart of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada, Berryhill Foods specializes in the processing, freezing, marketing and distribution of cultivated blueberries and red raspberries. Long-standing customers use berries from the company’s annual crop harvest of 22 million pounds for their popular lines of jams and jellies.
While Berryhill’s customers vary, their exacting standards do not. These customers demand stringent adherence to safe quality assurance measures, particularly when it comes to detecting and eliminating metal particles in the raw berries prior to shipment. To meet Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Safe Quality Food (SQF) and other food safety guidelines, Berryhill relies on nine Eriez® metal detectors in its various plant operations. Management says plans are underway for installation of additional Eriez metal detectors.
“The Eriez metal detectors are required on all of our lines because they are considered critical control points by our food safety systems, including SQF and HAACP,” says Berryhill Foods maintenance manager Tom McTaggart. He explains, “Our pre-pack processing lines have two metal detectors each because we want to have one detector as the last step before the boxes are stacked for storage.”
While there are many factors that contribute to the volume of berries going through the metal detectors, McTaggart says the average is 10,000 pounds per hour during the harvesting season.
Berryhill Foods has been an Eriez customer for more than two decades.
“We have been using Eriez metal detectors since the mid-90s,” explains McTaggart.
“In an effort to achieve an even higher level of sensitivity,” he adds, “we are in the process of converting several of our long-standing units into
the newer Eriez Xtreme models.”
Eriez says the Xtreme models which will be used at Berryhill are offered in 6-, 12- and 18-inch belt sizes.
These state-of-the-art units offer new options, including push arm or air blast rejects, lockbox, reject confirmation, stainless steel motor/reducer, improved guarding, emergency stop and side guides.
According to the company, the Eriez Xtreme metal detector interface is icon-driven and patterned after advanced smartphones. Plant operators receive instantaneous visual feedback from the screen in real-time to make decisions regarding the equipment’s set-up and performance.
Meeting customers’ product purity specs
This ability to monitor and report on the precise level of metal detection in the harvested fruit crop is vital to Berryhill’s customers, which are in the U.S., Europe, Asia and throughout Canada and each have their own specific set of food safety criteria. Regardless of the customer or their location, Berryhill says it strives to meet the same standards for quality, integrity, and excellence.
McTaggart explains, “We have customers who send us test pieces — like 3 mm stainless steel or 2.5 mm nonferrous, for example--to determine how well the metal detectors are performing before they receive shipment. Every year, I receive a detailed report from Eriez verifying that their metal detectors are meeting our sensitivity requirements and I pass that along to our customers.”
McTaggart says this is important because some of Berryhill’s customers produce fruit blends containing four to five different types of fruit from various suppliers. “Sometimes,” he explains, “they will discover contamination in that blend and look for which provider sent the contaminated fruit. We can tell the customer that our Eriez metal detector can monitor a fragment up to 1.5 millimeters, so
Eriez Xtreme metal detector models used at Berryhill are offered in 6-, 12- and 18-inch belt sizes. The units offer options such as push arm or air blast rejects, lockbox, reject confirmation, emergency stop and side guides.
there is no way that the metal detector would miss the 3-millimeter lead shot sample size they sent.”
McTaggart continues, “We then tell the customer that our Eriez metal detectors will always detect the size of test metal sample they send, so they will continue to look for another supplier to determine where that stray metal is originating.”
The Eriez metal detectors in use at Berryhill Farms combine a precision mechanical design with state-of-the-art electronics, multiple frequency range, vibration immunity and complex algorithms to detect the smallest metals in food products. The upgraded Xtreme units have the ability to find smaller metal contaminants than previous metal detectors, even in difficult applications like harvested berries.
Producing a rich berry harvest
Premium berries from Berryhill Foods are grown on the company’s own family farms and by carefully chosen independent regional growers, which are third-party certified for good agricultural practices (GAP). The rich, fertile soil conditions and temperate climate of southern British Columbia produces more cultivated blueberries and red raspberries than any other region in Canada.
The company has three separate locations throughout the region, two of which have cold storage while the third is a single processing line. Its newest facility, which opened in 2017 in the heart of Chilliwack’s British Columbia’s Agricultural Food Processing zone, contains 50,000 square feet of cold storage space.
“The main bulk of product is sent through three Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) lines that run 9,000-15,000 pounds an hour and freeze the berries in six to 20 minutes,” McTaggart says. “We have other processing lines that will ‘puree’ raspberries or run them up an inspection belt to be packed into large drums then shipped out to be turned into jam.”
McTaggart explains that once the berries are processed and conveyed through the Eriez metal detectors, they are packed into either 30-pound boxes, 28-pound pails 55-gallon drums or 1,500-pound totes.
“Not only do we sell to our long-time major customers, but we also sell to companies that will put our fruit into either a poly bag fruit blend or a poly bag of just blueberries. Others use our fruit for pie fillings,” he notes.
As an industry leader, Berryhill Foods continues to invest in the most up-to-date equipment and staff training programs, according to McTaggart. The company’s strict SQF certified food safety system and its advanced processing equipment—coupled with the integration of the various Eriez metal detectors—allows Berryhill Foods to offer customers a ready-to-use premium product of consistent high quality.
“We strive to keep all our growing, cultivation and processing the same so we can sell to numerous customers around the world,” McTaggart explains. “Our goal is to consistently earn a high grade on the SQF audits because that’s what our customers look for and it gives us a higher standing with them. The Eriez metal detectors we have throughout our facilities are critical to helping us meet those stringent guidelines.”
This article was contributed by Eriez, a manufacturer of magnetic lift and separation, metal detection, fluid recycling, flotation, materials feeding, screening, conveying, and controlling equipment. The equipment has applications in the process, metalworking, packaging, plastics, rubber, recycling, food, mining, aggregate and textile industries. Eriez www.eriez.com
The main bulk of product is sent through three Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) lines that run 9,000 to 15,000 pounds an hour and freeze the berries in six to 20 minutes.
Berryhill has three different locations for its blueberry and raspberry production throughout southern B.C., two of which have cold storage while a third is a single processing line.
Simplify and optimize plant efficiency with modernized DCS technology
By Chris King
Whether they’re operating in pharmaceutical, consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, or mining and chemical industries, producers and manufacturers are adept at navigating the complexities and challenges of staying competitive.
The savvy producer strives to protect the bottom line and optimize production by expanding throughput, decreasing downtime, improving consistency, delivering quality and keeping employees safe. They also must consider the lifecycle costs associated with engineering, inventory, and system maintenance and support. And with the world still navigating the impact of a global pandemic, it becomes clear just how important it is to be as productive and profitable as possible while reducing operational risk.
productivity or manage system complexity.
If you’re considering improvements to plant operations in the near future, make sure you’re aware of the primary ways that modern DCS technology can address challenges throughout the lifecycle of your system.
1. Purpose-built, robust controllers can minimize complexity.
By their nature, processing plants are multifaceted and continuously changing. As applications expand and become more sophisticated, many older controllers and I/O platforms simply can’t keep up.
For many plants, adding controllers to the existing automation infrastructure to meet new demands has been the only practical response.
So how can process industry producers and manufacturers move beyond the status quo to keep up with competitors and technological trends? How can they take their operations to the next level of sophistication and innovation to achieve success and growth in both the short and long term?
A one-size-fits-all solution just won’t cut it anymore. In order to optimize plant production and find success in today’s industrial environment, it’s essential to invest in a flexible, modern solution.
Modernized DCS platforms address modern challenges
The latest distributed control system (DCS) platforms have kept pace with technological developments. More DCS users are now considering upgrading and modernizing their systems for optimal performance. But if you’re like many process engineers, you may be wondering just how a DCS modernization can improve plant
But introducing more and sometimes disparate systems makes an inherently complex legacy DCS even more complex — and more costly to integrate and maintain.
New process controller types provide a better option. Significant gains in processing power and capacity in modern DCS platforms mean you can manage more strategies with fewer controllers — and reduce architecture complexity and related lifecycle costs.
Select modern systems can also find opportunities to significantly reduce architecture stress caused by alarm and event polling. For many systems, less polling can mean fewer data servers.
2. Embedded process objects keep applications – and user experience – consistent.
Everyone has their own ideas about how a system should function. And while we all appreciate the skills of a good developer, one person’s undocumented “tweaks” become
another’s significant challenge when maintaining or updating a system.
Additionally, once a vendor-provided object library is modified, you can no longer rely on the vendor to maintain, migrate and document it. That becomes the job of your staff or system integrator, increasing costs and risks over the lifecycle of the system.
As part of a DCS modernization, new controller types feature process objects embedded in the firmware to drive more design consistency. Embedded process objects support a modern approach to system development by locking down core controller functionality, which allows developers to focus on configuration for higher-level applications.
Because core functionality aligns with industry standards and cannot be edited, embedded objects help maintain system integrity – and speed replication plant to plant. Embedded objects can also automatically migrate when new firmware revisions become available to make future upgrades simpler.
3. Automatic diagnostics save time.
Your existing DCS tag database includes diagnostic information regarding your controller, I/O and field devices. Making that information accessible to operators may require significant development work on the back end. In fact, identifying diagnostic tags in the control system and then configuring links to those tags in the HMI platform could account for up to 30% of the coding required to design and maintain a system. DCS modernization streamlines this process. Using the expanded capacity of the new process controller, preconfigured alarms can automatically deploy directly to the HMI with a single click. This capability saves significant time during initial development – and, as process requirements evolve, throughout the life of your system.
4. Alignment with latest standards helps minimize cybersecurity risk.
To take advantage of the latest IIoT technologies, your DCS must integrate with enterprise-level systems. But connecting more information across your enterprise could inadvertently expose your process operations to risk.
A modern DCS recognizes the need to both take advantage of advanced analytics and other digital technologies – and help protect your critical data. Adhering to cybersecurity standards and certifications for standards such as ISA99/IEC 62443 should be the expectation for any producer.
Don’t be left behind with an obsolete legacy DCS platform
If you think your DCS has run its course, you’re not alone. Recently, the global DCS installed base nearing end of life was reported to total nearly $65 billion. And many of these systems are more than 25 years old and in dire need of updating.
Significant gains in processing power and capacity in modern DCS platforms mean you can manage more strategies with fewer controllers — and reduce architecture complexity and related lifecycle costs.
Why is there such a backlog of outdated systems? The simple truth is that many are still keeping a plant running, albeit not running as well as they could. Oftentimes, organizations would rather live with the significant pain an obsolete system inflicts than be subjected to the perceived risks of migrating to a modern system.
There are many reasons that can lead to replacing a DCS, including accelerating maintenance costs, an increased failure rate, higher incidence of off-spec product, lack of legacy DCS expertise, inability to interface with contemporary systems, capacity limitations and more. But ultimately, for many companies, making the change comes down to recognizing that DCS modernization is a rare opportunity for significant process improvements –and innovation.
At its highest level, digital transformation is a foundational and potentially radical evolution for producers in the industrial space. Embracing new technologies can fundamentally change how you do business for the better. Digital transformation is a trend that isn’t going away – at some point, every manufacturer and producer will have to start their journey. For many, it’s considered the new normal.
If you’re at the stage of evaluating modern DCS platforms, be sure to look specifically at the following attributes:
Data, analytics and insights that enable real-time decision-making. Modern DCS system platforms may offer visualization and dashboards for operations that provide production and operator KPIs, offering sightlines to abnormal situations like alarm logs and unexpected downtime events.
Workforce solutions. From remote access and mobile devices to training for the shift from specialist to generalist, a modern DCS platform can help address common workforce issues. It should offer an enterprise-wide view so staff isn’t needed on-site, and its implementation should encourage the shift from reading and memorizing manuals to being able to access expert help as its needed.
Support for a system over its lifecycle. Beyond the initial purchase and commissioning, find a dependable partner who will provide flexible support for years to come. That includes access to subject matter experts, field services, support contracts and long-term product availability.
Invest in solutions that position your system for sustained success
Automation projects can be difficult to manage – and difficult to justify financially. Plantwide system changes rely on significant investment and commitment from principal stakeholders. Still, every day, we work with companies who have successfully made the case for plant optimization.
Evaluate your legacy DCS to see if the latest DCS platform can help in your digital transformation journey. This decision can allow flexibility so you can better meet customer needs and provide data and insights to help you improve performance, decision-making and profitability. It doesn’t have to be difficult or disruptive. With the right solutions in place, you can embrace tomorrow’s challenges with confidence.
the DCS into reporting and analytical tools. To explore your DCS modernization optimization options, talk with a trusted partner to learn how a modern DCS can help or visit rockwellautomation.com for more information.
Chris King is PlantPAx Migration Business Development Manager at Rockwell Automation.
Rockwell Automation
www.rockwellautomation.com
Ralston Quick-test™ Connection System
Universal pressure fitting system compatible with all standard connections
Our team at Rockwell Automation works to provide best-in-class process solutions for our customers. Our latest modern DCS release is TÜV-certified for system cybersecurity and has purpose-built frameworks that easily connect live and historical data from
To take advantage of the latest IIoT technologies, your DCS must integrate with enterprise-level systems. But connecting more information across your enterprise could inadvertently expose your process operations to risk.
• Low volume, high pressure hoses for pressure testing, calibration, and leak testing
• Leak-free instant connections with no wrench or thread tape
• Connect to NPT, BSPT, BSPP, Tube fitting, metric and many other standard process connections
• Stable, high-pressure connections up to 5000 psi (35 MPa)
Plantwide system changes rely on significant investment and commitment from principal stakeholders. Evaluating legacy DCS helps to see if the latest DCS platform can help in your company's digital transformation journey.
WAGO has announced the expansion of its IP67 rated I/O System Field modules, said to offer more flexibility to meet the requirements of decentralized production facilities. There are two options to help provide maximum performance and high-level connectivity: fully encapsulated metal housings for harsh environments and non-encapsulated plastic housings with low mass for mobile applications such as robots. The fully encapsulated metal housing fieldbus modules now include components that support EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT protocols and offer configurable I/O as well as IO-Link master ports. With a built-in Bluetooth interface, users can configure these modules for commissioning and maintenance procedures while in the line of site of their plant floor equipment. For IIoT and SCADA applications, users can leverage OPC UA protocol for data monitoring and control. Non-encapsulated lightweight modules are IO-Link hubs for versatile connection to an IO-Link Master. The hubs come in either 8 or 16 configurable DIO ports and each channel is configurable for a 24 VDC digital input or output rated at 2 amps per channel.
WAGO
www.wago.us
ONLINE AND PORTABLE INSTRUMENTATION
Multi Parameter Single – Dual – Multi-Channel-Wireless Optical Fluorescence Dissolved Oxygen
Near Infra Red Total Suspended Solids
pH, ORP
Microwave Density
Ultrasonic Interface Level
Spectrophotometric Online
FLOWMETERING
Ultrasonic Doppler – Transit Time
Insertion/Immersion/Clamp-On
SinnovaTek
www.sinnovatek.com
Solutions For WAS TEWATER TREATMENT
Venture/Flume Partially Filled Conduit
Non Contact Radar
WASTEWATER SAMPLERS
Indoor or Outdoor
Refrigerated or Non-Refrigerated
Portable or Stationary
SEPTAGE RECEIVING SYSTEMS
Integrated Billing System
ADDITIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR:
Fully Automated Control and Data Collection
SinnovaTek has announced aseptic processing and filling capabilities at its new FirstWave copacking facility suitable to fit a range of unique food production needs. With no minimum order quantities required, the company is said to provide an easy entry point into the aseptic market for rapid prototyping and new product launches. The facility is powered by the company’s microwave processing technology which produces products with improved nutrient, flavour, and colour retention. The aseptic processing and filling platform can run low acid and high acid products to shelf stability in a pouch format ready for retail. It is also suitable for a wide range of pumpable products, including fruit and vegetable products, coffee, smooth soups, and smoothies. Processed products are available for filling into 3.2 oz, 4 oz and 8 oz spouted pouches. Contact the company to schedule a trial.
HAZARDOUS LOCATION ATEX ACTUATORS
Hayward Flow Control has expanded its HRS line of quarter-turn electric actuators. Designed for use in hazardous locations, the HXB/C series actuators are ATEX/IECEx certified and cover a wide range of torques outputs from 35 to 2300 Nm. Voltages offered are 24 Vac/Vdc, 120 Vac and 230 Vac, and three-phase 220, 380 and 480 V. All units are available with ON/OFF or proportional control (2 to 10 Vdc/4 to 20 mA inputs and outputs). Three phase is also available with standard control for use with existing motor control centre installations. All series actuators have full certification by DNV (Det Norske Veritas) and carry the CE mark. The mechanical and electronic components are common with HRS line, with the external housings cast and machined for compliance with the ATEX requirements. Hayward Flow Control www.haywardflowcontrol.com
VIBRATORY TABLES IN FLAT DECK OR GRID DECK ASEPTIC PROCESSING AND FILLING CAPABILITIES FOR
Flow – Level – System Integration – Field Service
Vibratory tables manufactured by Best Process Solutions are available in a broad line of air- or electric-powered models with load capacities to 10 tons. The versatile vibratory tables are used for settling product contents in drums, bulk bags, portable bins, bulk boxes, gaylords, lever packs, concrete, foundries, and moulds. The vibratory tables are available in jogger tables, light duty, flat deck, grid deck, grid deck with rollers, flat deck with scale, and grid deck with scale. They are used in bulk process industries including scrap metal, food, chemical, ceramics, glass, packaging, metal, mineral processing and pharmaceutical. Best Process Solutions
www.bpsvibes.com
ENDRESS+HAUSER CANADA RECEIVES EXPANDED ISO ACCREDITATION TO COVER MORE CALIBRATION NEEDS
Burlington, ON-based Endress+Hauser Canada has been granted expanded ISO:17025 accreditation for its calibration services to now cover the entire spectrum of flow, temperature, pressure and liquid analysis instrumentation, whether performed onsite at the customer’s facility or in the Endress+Hauser laboratories.
The specific additions to the company’s ISO-accredited coverage of calibration needs are: conductivity from 100 µS/cm to 200,000 µS/cm; pH calibrations from 1 pH to 14 pH; pressure calibration range increased to 1,500 psig; and flow capabilities increased to 1,000 L/min; 1,000 Kg/min.
Further enhancements to Endress+ Hauser’s calibration offerings are planned. For one, its new 47,000 sq. ft. Customer Experience Centre in Burlington, scheduled to open later this year, will feature a calibration laboratory with tooling and equipment second to none in Canada. Earlier in 2021 the company has also added a new flow calibration laboratory in Edmonton. The company has technicians accredited across Canada with mobile flow calibration capabilities served from Edmonton, Burlington and Montreal. Endress+Hauser Canada www.ca.endress.com
CENTRE FOR INNOVATION & CLEAN ENERGY ESTABLISHED
The British Columbia Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is now operational with the appointment of an executive team and board of directors.
The Vancouver-based CICE was founded by the B.C. and Canadian governments and Shell Canada and will bring together innovators, industry, governments, and academics to accelerate the commercialization and scale-up of B.C.-based clean energy technologies. It is also intended to be a catalyst for new partnerships and world-leading innovation to deliver nearand longer-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions.
The centre’s initial focus is on preparing to solicit, evaluate and support opportunities in areas prioritized for funding and project delivery: carbon capture, utilization, and storage; the production, use and distribution of low-carbon hydrogen; bio-
fuels and synthetic fuels (including marine and aviation fuels); renewable natural gas; and battery technology, storage, and energy management systems.
A physical office location will be established in the coming months.
CICE info@cice.ca
AESI ANNOUNCES C02 EXTRACTION SERVICES
Advanced Extraction Systems Inc. of Charlottetown has announced the launch of AESI’s Natural Product Extraction Division, with R&D and pilot scale facilities located in both Canada and Europe. This division of AESI brings over 75 years of process and product development experience in Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE), the company says. SFE uses carbon dioxide (CO2) to streamline the commercialization of solvent free, high value products from various biological materials such as agricultural and aquatic species, microbes, yeast, bacteria, and algae. AESI’s facilities are equipped with specialized ultra-high pressure (1000 Bar) bench and pilot scale CO2 extraction systems. Advanced Extraction Systems www.advancedextractionsystems.com
FESTO NAMES NEW CANADA SALES DIRECTOR
Kryton International has completed the construction of a manufacturing facility in Calgary. The plant is operated by Cementec Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kryton acquired in 2017.
Cementec manufactures and distributes award-winning Hard-Cem, a hardening admixture that increases concrete resistance to abrasion and erosion. Cementec is also the only manufacturer of silica fume products in Western North America. Con-Fume is widely used to add durability to concrete construction, and XL-Fume is used in mining, oil, and gas infrastructure.
Built on 4.5 acres, the facility is designed to accommodate at least 10 times the output of the previous plant to ensure a stable supply chain for customers locally and as a specialty export to Kryton’s worldwide distribution network.
Not only is the space bigger, but it also boasts several significant technological upgrades to increase energy efficiency and operate with a lower carbon footprint. Process automation will accommodate the need to scale up production, and state-of-the-art quality control processes ensure compliance with nationally recognized specifications.
Kryton International www.kryton.com
Mississauga, ON-based Festo promoted Jean-Francois Paquette to Canada sales director. In his new position, the Montreal-based Paquette will focus on leading the sales objectives and planning strategy for the Canadian sales organization, setting and meeting revenue and profitability targets for Canada as part of the North American region goals. Paquette has been the district sales manager for Festo’s Eastern Canada district the past four years and will continue to fulfill those duties along with his new responsibilities until a successor for his old role is appointed, said John Holmes, VP sales North America. Paquette will report directly to Holmes as well as locally to Roy Pietila, CFO for Canada. Festo www.festo.ca
Endress+Hauser's ISO accreditation is just one of several calibration initiatives across Canada.
Supercritical Fluid Extraction processes employ the use of carbon dioxide.
Jean-Francois Paquette
Appointed: CICE executive director Dr. Ged McLean (left) and deputy executive director Yemi Adefulu.
KRYTON BUILDS CONCRETE ADMIXTURE FACILITY
Human-centered design drives latest generation of high-performance HMIs
For decades, operators in manufacturing facilities have relied on Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) for a visual overview of their process systems to monitor critical status and control information. A properly designed graphical user interface improves situational awareness, reduces workload, and enables the operator to view the entire process at-a-glance so they can focus on mitigating abnormal situations.
At stake is more than just operations efficiency, but also product quality, manufacturing throughput, operations profitability and foremost, overall safety.
Poor HMI designs have been identified as factors contributing to abnormal situations, lost production and even accidents. In response, today’s more advanced HMIs are designed to help people optimize operational performance, improve situational awareness, and recognize issues before alarms occur. These high-performance HMIs are helping operators make better, faster, and more informed decisions.
“Issues with HMI design began when we first moved from physical switches and controls to a keyboard and mouse,” said Michael Simmers, lead field engineer at NovaTech Automation, a provider of process control and optimization solutions.
“The industry got excited that suddenly we could show a lot more information than we were able to before because everything was now digital.
“As a result, a lot of data landed on an operator’s screen just because it was possible. But too much information makes it hard for an operator to focus on the right information in real-time.”
The user interface issues with early HMIs persisted for many years. Operators had to work with very dense displays and were often limited to a single monitor. Process drawing displays of the physical layout of a plant were difficult to read,
and graphic user interfaces (GUI) typically used bright lines, text, and a myriad of bright colors on dark backgrounds that caused viewing fatigue.
Pictures, motion, and items such as dynamic flames, rotating agitators and twisting screws were even incorporated into backgrounds. But while these graphical capabilities are great for showcasing and selling graphics packages, they offer very little benefit to controlling a plant from a human factor and operator usability standpoint.
Over-alarming and the lack of a big-picture view further impeded the work of operators causing them to respond to alarms without understanding the root cause of the alarm conditions.
“Plants don’t want to be blindly run by alarms,” said Simmers. “What you need most from your HMI is overall situational awareness to mitigate abnormal situations and to have context when an alarm does occur. Maintaining situational awareness requires a process of deprioritizing all non-critical information. Then we ensure the key information is where an operator can easily see it so they can act upon it.”
He added, “Consider that an operator may be working for 12 hours at a time. The better you can present the information, the easier it is for that operator to focus on their work and prevent safety issues from occurring.”
Human centered design
HMIs have made significant advancements in usability based on an improved understanding of how people use and process information. For example, high-performance HMIs now use muted backgrounds with normal or non-critical data presented in varying shades of gray (or other neutral colours) for ease of viewing over extended periods. Alarms stand out in colour in contrast to the muted background with bright saturated colour reserved
only for abnormal situations.
Displaying historical trend data has also required a more user-centric design focus. To show something like a percent level in a tank, early HMIs relied on text and numbers that would fluctuate over time. Today, high-performance HMIs can embed graphical trends so operators can identify how the current value compares to relevant past time intervals (hours, minutes), providing valuable context.
Even the presentation of the information and speed of comprehension is considered in high-performance HMI layouts. For example, a simple list of numbers or results does not provide enough context for an operator to use. Showing numbers inside an expected range helps, but this still requires an operator to take time to understand and evaluate the information. Sliders bars are useful for displaying values within the context of their normal operating ranges. But ideally, the graphic shows all the above: trend, slider bar and alarm indication.
“Trend data is not new,” said Mike Davis, director of Process Offering at NovaTech Automation. “What is different now is that rather than having to navigate to a separate screen to view a trend, the information is on the main screen next to the associated process variable enabling the operator to analyze data much easier, always depicting where they are and how they are doing versus target performance levels.”
Configurable high-performance graphics
NovaTech’s TotalVision HMI integrates with its
Watching the status of a cooking process, with flash vessel, slurry tank, and straining stages. Muted backgrounds with normal or non-critical data presented in varying shades of gray ease of viewing over extended periods.
High-performance HMI layouts provide all the need-to-know process status information and controls at a glance. Above: a mixture tank is being monitored for temperature and other criteria.
Real-time process intelligence offers vast new opportunities to improve product quality and make systems
D/3 distribution control system (DCS) — an open connectivity platform which controls key variables such as flow, applied temperatures, pressure, level and material conveying/handling for
to build high-performance graphics for an operator to control a process, enter information, and interact with sequence programs. A client has multiple ways to customize their HMI, including selecting the choice of colours.
“It’s an entire system for the HMI to display information from our D/3 control system,” said Davis. “It’s about more than just graphics; we work with the client to optimize the interaction between the operator and the control system. Each plant has different needs, so we customize accordingly.”
HMI Integration with DCS
managing batch, continuous and hybrid processes.
Based on the interface to the D/3 system, this HMI can also connect to OSIsoft PI and other data sources to provide process and analytical information to operations and management. Historical and live data are presented graphically to support real-time decision making. TotalVision supports multiple windows and monitors in almost any configuration, making it easy to set up a hierarchy of displays so that operators always have a complete view and control of the process.
The company uses Sequence and Batch Language (SABL) to allow operators to interact with control applications through the HMI.
“SABL is a strong key to our platform,” said Simmers. “We chose SABL because it is a flexible platform that is built around ISAS88 batch management and ISAS106 procedural automation standards. Because all of our software developers’ program in SABL, anyone on the team can help a client customize their HMI.”
Engineers typically work with clients to identify the setpoints and measurements that are needed on the main screen. NovaTech provides a library of pre-made dynamic objects that is part of the standard product and helps customers
The advanced capabilities of today’s HMIs enable managers and supervisors to do much more than control processes. Real-time process intelligence offers vast new opportunities to improve product quality and make systems more eficient.
One of the high-perormance features NovaTech introduced is a tandard configurable header area that displays everything that he D/3 DCS program does via text and mesaging at the top of the main screen.
“With the DCS controlling the process, the
header in the HMI is telling the operator the story as it is happening,” said Simmers. “Should something fail or be interrupted, the operator has all the information needed at the top of the graphic. Perhaps a certain valve failed to open or close, a process went to hold as a result, and there is a failure notification. But instead of just acknowledging the alarm, the operator can immediately see what went wrong and why.
“It’s all about making it easy for the operator to control the plant. With a customized information-driven interface that is thoughtfully designed around the needs of the operator, high-performance HMIs are bringing a new level of process control and management to manufacturing.”
This article was contributed by NovaTech Automation. Find out more by contacting Mark Racinsky, staff applications engineer, NovaTech, LLC in London, ON, at mark.racinsky@ novatechautomation.com.
NovaTech Automation www.novatechautomation.com
ZERO-SPEED CONTROL FOR ROTARY EQUIPMENT
TwinCAT Analytics software from Beckhoff Canada is said to offer a complete workflow from acquisition of data through to its storage and analysis to dashboards for continuous machine monitoring. Traditional condition monitoring algorithms are now also available in TwinCAT Analytics using simple configuration with no programming requirements, the company says. This addition optimizes both the standard workflow and spontaneous measurements, such as during machine commissioning or service. The TwinCAT Condition Monitoring library includes
algorithms that support Moment Coefficients, Discrete Classification and Vibration Assessment according to the ISO standard, in addition to functions such as Magnitude Spectrum, Envelope Spectrum, Zoom FFT, Power Cepstrum and multiple RMS calculations. All functions are available as standard PLC function blocks, which means that condition monitoring functions, for example, for permanent monitoring of bearings or gearboxes, integrate directly and easily into the machine controller. Beckhoff Canada www.beckhoff.com
wastewater 1c ad 4/5/05 2:53 PM Page 1
Corrosion Resistant
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Solutions for Tough Water/Wastewater Applications!
• Manual, automatic and actuated (pneumatic & electric) valves; relief, check, diaphragm, ball, solenoid, and shut-off. Also pressure regulators, metering pumps, basket strainers, sight glasses, and gauge guards.
• 100% inspection and individual testing of each product, to ensure dependable performance and long-life.
• PVC, CPVC, Polypropylene, PTFE and PVDF. Valves from 1/8'' to 3'',Sight glasses to 8'' and Basket Strainers to 14''.
GROVE, NJ 07009 (973) 256-3000 • Fax: (973) 256-4745 info@plastomatic.com•www.plastomatic.com VALVES AND CONTROLS
The model CMS (Compact Motion Switch) by Conveyor Components Company is said to be a rugged and dependable loss of motion device for use on most rotating equipment including overland conveyors, rotary valves, fans, crushers, delumpers, blenders, packaging equipment and other machinery. The CMS is available in a weatherproof or explosion-proof cast aluminum enclosure, with either 120 Vac, 240 Vac or 24V AC/DC input power. The zero-speed control has a dry, unpowered 5 A DPDT relay to control 2 separate output functions, such as equipment shutdown and external indication to a warning light or horn. The unit is bi-directional so it can operate in either direction and is a direct-coupled device. Epoxy coating is also available for corrosive environments. The units are UL and cULus Listed. Conveyor Components Company www.conveyorcomponents.com
MINIATURE SHOCK ABSORBERS PROVIDE
DAMPING IN TIGHT SPACES
ACE Controls has announced a line of MC75 miniature shock absorbers. The units feature an energy capacity of 75 inch-pounds per cycle and 250,000 in.-lb per hour. Available in weight ranges from 0.5 to 2.5 lb through 55 to 160 lb, units have a length of 2.77 in. They also feature a 0.40-in. stroke length and deliver low return forces. The miniature shock absorbers include a robust construction and one-piece outer body filled with temperature-stable oil, the company says. The units are also self-compensating — able to react to changing energy conditions without adjustment. Additional features include a continuous outer body thread with lock nut, an integrated positive stop, being maintenance-free, and ready to install. Users can access an online Calculation Tool to ensure they receive the right shock absorber for their application, as well as a Configurator Tool to select the appropriate accessories for the shock absorbers.
Ace Controls
www.acecontrols.com
Torrey Pines Scientific has announced the EchoTherm HPLC column oven model CO20. The temperature range is from room temperature to 90.0°C readable and settable to 0.1°C. The PID temperature control software regulates temperatures to ±0.1°C. Temperature accuracy and stability are ±0.1ºC with a stable temperature indicator lamp on the front panel that lights when the target temperature is stable to within ±0.2ºC. The unit holds columns up to 30 cm long by ¼ in. or 3/8 in. diameter in mounting clips provided with room for guard columns and fittings. Larger diameter columns may be used by removing the column clips that hold the smaller columns. The column oven features simple controls, the company says, digital display of target and actual chamber temperatures, an injection counter, and 30-day timer with alarm and user settable Auto-Off. The unit operates from 12 Vdc and comes with a bench top universal power supply, 3-wire AC line cord and is UL, CSA, and CE compliant.
The Quick‐test Connection Platform from Ralston Instruments is a universal pressure hose sys‐tem engineered to facilitate fast, leak‐free connections for pressure testing, calibration, and leak testing. The unique design of its hoses and adapters offers secure, time‐saving connections, the company says — without the need for a wrench or thread tape — for low volume, high pressure connections to virtually any device being tested. The Quick‐test hoses are said to have a smaller inner diameter than most hoses, which makes them suit‐able for transmitting high pressure without wasting large amounts of compressed gas or fluid. Quick‐test adapters complement the hoses by allowing direct connection to male or female NPT, BSPP, tube fittings, metric, AN 37° Flare and CGA 580 fillings without any additional tools or thread sealant. They can also vent pressure while still connected.
Ralston Instruments www.ralstoninst.com/cpn-qts
CONNECTORS DESIGNED FOR CORROSION RESISTANCE
Ham‐Let Group has extended its range of Let‐Lok Alloy 400/R‐405 connectors. Available through Brennan Industries, new units include 6‐, 10‐ and 12‐mm sizes. Alloy 400/R‐405 is a nickel‐copper, that possesses excellent cor‐rosion resistance, particularly to sea water, steam, salt, and caustic solutions at high tem‐peratures, the company says. The connectors are commonly used in industries and applica‐tions such as: chemical processing; marine; industrial heat exchangers; oil well recovery pumps and crude oil distillation towers. Main properties include: high strength over a wide of temperatures, including sub‐zero; high re‐sistance to alkalies, salt waters, food products, and organic substances; and resistance to hy‐drofluoric acid. Brennan Industries www.brennanind.com
Swagelok, a provider of fluid system products, assemblies, and related services, has made numerous upgrades to its website to improve visitors’ product browsing, researching, and buying experience. Powered by SAP Commerce, the update makes it more intuitive for visitors to navigate the website, find products that meet their application needs,
determine accurate pricing and availability from local au‐thorized Swagelok sales and service centers, and efficiently place orders. Site visitors can now more easily find detailed product information and related resources such as cata‐logs, CAD files, blog articles, videos, and selection tools. They can also take advantage of the website’s improved filtering capabilities, updated search technology, and sim‐ilar product suggestions to discover additional components that suit their requirements.
Swagelok
www.swagelok.com
Build it, See it, Price it, Order it.
Point and click or tap to specify valve type, end connections, actuator, and accessories.
Model number, price, description, and photo all update instantly!
Dynatrol CL‐10GH liquid level detector is the latest addition to the Dynatrol line of high, in‐termediate, and low point level detectors for liquids or slurries. It has no moving parts, floats, diaphragms or packing glands to deteriorate. The detector provides rugged construction with a sensitive transmission of vibration ener‐gy, the company says. The detector does not require field adjustments and mounts in any position in a vessel or piping. The liquid level switch is explosion proof per CSA NRTL/C approved for Class 1, Group D, Division 1 Class 2, Groups E, F and G. The pressure rating is 3000 psig at 100°F and temperature rating is 300°F (high tem‐perature construction available). Pressure connection is ¾ in. NPT and conduit con‐nection is ½ in. NPT. Dynatrol www.dynatrolusa.com
All-Test Pro has announced the On-Line III energized electrical signature analysis (ESA) motor testing instrument. Test your motor quickly and easily with the most complete energized motor and power diagnostic instrument, the company says, all in a handheld, lightweight package. The electrical signature analysis tool provides AC diagnostics for the evaluation of motor health, including electrical and mechanical rotor health, stator health, air gap, and the entire driven load, whether geared, bladed, or belted. The power quality and electric motor analyzer is said to be the most complete electrical signature and power analysis instrument for AC/DC motors, generators, and transformers. The ATPOL III software analyzes and reports on the electrical and mechanical conditions of the entire motor or generator system. ESA uses the motor as a transducer to identify faults in the entire motor system including incoming power, motor, driven machine and final process. Using advanced analysis techniques such as Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) of both voltage and current, the instrument identifies faults in the entire motor system and easily separates these faults between incoming power and motor system.
All-Test Pro
www.alltestpro.com
AIR QUALITY KITS FOR INDOOR, OUTDOOR TESTING
Aeroqual is a manufacturer of integrated sensors and software for real-time air quality monitoring. Available from Cameron Instruments, its air monitoring systems are said to make it easy to measure air quality, without the hassle, cost and risk associated with traditional air monitoring projects. Aeroqual has introduced specialized kits that contain everything required to measure air quality for a specific application. The kits include indoor and outdoor versions, designed to measure the gases most associated with indoor or outdoor air pollution. A total of 29 different gas sensors are available.
Cameron Instruments
www.cameroninstruments.com
INTERFACE MODULES PROVIDE UNIVERSAL CONNECTIVITY
COMING SOON IN
February Issue
Focus on...
Instrumentation
Supplement: Straining & Filtering
Editorial deadline: January 7
April Issue
Focus on... Plant Communications
Supplement: Bulk Powders & Solids
Editorial deadline: March 4
CONTACT: MIKE EDWARDS, EDITOR EDITOR@CPECN.COM
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SUBMISSIONS, TOO
Dinkle International announces availability of its broad line of interface modules, used to simplify and improve reliability of automation connections and signal conversions, in a compact form factor. Signal interface modules accommodate automation systems using major PLC brands like Allen-Bradley, Keyence, Mitsubishi, Omron, and Siemens. Instead of being constrained to standard factory wiring arms and bulkier terminal blocks, the company says, users can gain flexibility selecting from a range of universal interface modules and associated cables, which are available with popular industry-standard connectors like: IDC (14-pin, 20-pin, 26-pin, 30-pin, 34-pin, 40-pin); D-Sub (37-pin, 44-pin); MDR (50-pin, 68-pin, 100-pin); and terminal blocks. Some interface modules are
available with traditional screw-cage terminal blocks, but most versions use newer push-in design (PID) terminations. The universal interface modules are said
to provide up to 30% space savings over traditional methods, reduce inventory needs, and provide up to 70% labour savings due to PID terminations.
Dinkle International www.dinkle.com
SYSTEM TRANSFORMS PIPE INTO A CONVEYOR FOR ABRASIVE & HEAVY MATERIALS
The NPT Heavy Duty Threaded Line Vac system from Exair is an in-line conveyor that transports high volumes of material through ordinary pipe. Designed for rugged, industrial applications, the company says, it is made of a hardened alloy to prevent premature wear when transporting abrasive or heavy materials like garnet, glass, sand, shot blast, tumbling media or metal fittings. The units feature large throat diameters that make it possible to convey more material over long vertical and horizontal lengths. The conveying rate is typically twice that of ordinary air powered conveyors. The conveyors eject a small amount of compressed air through directed nozzles to produce a vacuum on one end and high output flows on the other with instantaneous response, it adds. Utilizing a pressure regulator, conveyance rate can be finely tuned to suit application needs. There are no moving parts to wear out and no electricity is required. Seven sizes from 3/4 NPT to 3 NPT fit standard pipe and coupling sizes.
Exair Corporation
https://exair.com/3hdtlv
Busting the myths about customized food inspection/conveying systems
By Eric Garr MYTH #1 —
Customized metal detection and conveyor systems are over-engineered and complicated.
TRUTH — North American food producers rightly demand extremely high levels of performance from their metal detector as it is essential that their products reach consumers free from contamination; both from a safety and brand integrity perspective. However, metal detectors are highly sensitive so their performance and can be affected by various outside influences, especially if the potential influences are not addressed in the design phase of the system.
Purchasing a customized inspection with an integrated conveyor system, fully assembled and quality checked by a reputable metal detector manufacturer, is a failsafe way of ensuring that the metal detector will function at the required performance levels and meet food producers’ stringent sensitivity requirements.
MYTH #2 — Customized metal detector and conveyor systems are only required for very unusual applications.
TRUTH — At (my company) Fortress Technology, ‘customized’ refers to any combined system that does not fit within the framework of the company’s standardized Vector conveyor design. Demand for customized solutions is far more common than people realize, accounting for around 20% of Fortress conveyor orders. Even the Vector conveyors are somewhat customized to specifications that meet the end users’ needs.
Although extremely effective, the Vector conveyor has certain design limitations. If a customer’s specification is outside its capabilities, Fortress will create a fully customized system to ensure the metal detector operates to its peak performance. Any number of reasons may apply — most of which are not considered particularly ‘unusual’.
MYTH #3 — Customized metal detector and conveyor systems are expensive.
Vector system and a fully customized system: 8 to 10 weeks versus 10 to 12. Most of this is due to the extra design work required to ensure that any customized system meets the exact application requirements.
Fortress always starts with a thorough application survey, complete with photos and videos, to enable us to fully understand the product handling requirement and any dimensional restrictions around the planned installation location. The engineering team, then creates a concept design to meet all the requirements and considers all complications. This is reviewed with the customer to ensure they are happy with the proposal, or determine what changes are required, before we create the final approved design that then goes into production.
TRUTH — Contrary to popular belief, our custom-designed systems are only marginally more expensive than a standard Vector design. It’s the Fortress philosophy to always support the optimal operation of our metal detectors, not upsell bespoke systems. If a metal detection system is poorly designed or installed, the risk of a contaminated product entering the food chain greatly increases. As well as the impact to human health, the long-term cost implications for a food business dealing with a contamination scandal are stratospheric.
The average cost of a recall according to a joint industry study by the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association is $10 million in direct costs, in addition to brand damage and lost sales. Cutting corners here can be a false economy.
MYTH #4 – Customized metal detector and conveyor systems require a long lead time.
TRUTH — There is not a huge amount of difference between the average lead time for a
MYTH #5 — Customized metal detector and conveyor systems are difficult to operate.
TRUTH — One of our fundamental principals at Fortress is to design machines that are easy to use but employ advanced processing power –simple on the surface but sophisticated under the hood. For example, several our metal detectors, including our Interceptor and Stealth ranges, use an advanced algorithm and powerful ARM processor which allow for multi-channel digital signal processing to collate real-time data from transmission and reception in both inspection fields. For the Interceptor, the result is 100% increased stainless steel detection sensitivity.
Yet as digitally ‘smart’ as they are, all our systems – including those that are customized –remain extremely simple to operate, featuring user-friendly controls, automated single-pass learning, and speedy calibration to deliver accurate system set-up within seconds. In general, our customers aren’t concerned with how many megabytes per second the processor inside is capable of handling – they want a detection system that will consistently run as intended, accurately rejecting contaminated product without incurring high levels of false rejects.
MYTH #6 — Customized metal detector and conveyor systems are at greater risk of obsolescence.
TRUTH — While it’s true that most of today’s electronics and industrial machines are not designed to last forever, this is not the case at Fortress – all our inspection systems, including customized, have a “Never Obsolete” Guarantee.
If clients require simple additions, such as buzzers and alarms, or want to equip their systems with the latest smart digital technology, almost anything is possible. Our standard data capture and
reporting technologies – Contact and Contact Manager – provide traceable and auditable QA information, ensuring compliance with food safety standards.
For even more sophisticated operations, Fortress offers Industry 4.0 options, including OPCUA Adapter and Ethernet/IP Adapter. These facilitate smart information exchange between systems on a line, yet also offer a seamless, automated method of collecting traceable and auditable QA information as well as real-time process and performance improvement data.
As a result of its stable technology platforms, Fortress customized systems can be retrofitted to incorporate smart solutions. A robust build quality coupled with a modular approach and the use of interchangeable parts provides the added future proofing value.
This article was excerpted from a white paper by Eric Garr, Regional Sales Manager at Toronto-based Fortress Technology. Fortress Technology www.fortresstechnology.com
Dual Output Isolated Signal Conditioner or Loop Extender
The ITC-XXX-XX-DC is a signal isolator with dual outputs providing high isolation from Input to Output1, to Output2, and to Power in a small easy to install package. It’s universal DIN rail mount makes it possible to install right next to the instrument that is to be isolated. The many different input and output configurations allow it to be used in a great variety of applications ranging from PLC front end conditioning to adding an extra loop with lots of drive to an existing, almost fully loaded loop. Contact us for more information
Fortress’ customized systems can be retrofitted to incorporate smart solutions.
Eric Garr
Hello valued readers, I hope everyone is staying healthy now that most of us have been jabbed twice and some a third time. Let’s hope we’ve made the turn toward normalcy and can re-start our Process & Automation Shows across Canada. We will keep you posted as to when we will be in your area with our traveling road show in 2022.
This will be your last print issue of 2021 but keep your eyes open in your inbox for our Wednesday biweekly electronic newsletter. Thank you for signing up with us, we really do value your commitment
to our various offerings. We’d like to hear from you as well. If you have an interesting story or product, you’d like to share please send it to Mike Edwards at editor@ cpecn.com.
Advertisers let me know if you need any help in your planning for next year.
Finally, as we quickly approach the holiday season, I’m looking forward to spending even more time with family than we were able to last year.
The team at CPE&CN would like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and good health in 2022.
Rob Sommerville
PED-COMPLIANT CAST PIPELINE BASKET STRAINERS MEET WATER MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS
The Filtration Division of energy management company Eaton has introduced the Simplex 72X pipeline strainer range where temporary shutdown for cleaning or replacement is possible. The pipeline basket strainer range complies with the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED), is available in six standard sizes from 1 to 6 in. and is said to have good sealing and surface quality characteristics. The stainless steel or cast
iron models are suitable for chemical, petrochemical and water pipeline applications. The strainer basket filter range is CEmarked to PED and complies with EN13445 and AD 2000 regulations for pressure vessels. The strainers provide full bypass-free filtration of solids as small as 40 microns, protecting process equipment, the company says. Eaton www.eaton.com/filtration
EMULSION MIXERS BLEND CBD, CANNABIS PRODUCTS
Tri-Clamp Mount Mixers from Indco are said to produce ample shear to form emulsions when mixing lipophilic compounds like CBD and other cannabis products. Designed for sealed applications, the sanitary design provides quick and easy, no-tools access to the vessel, the company says. The Model TCM-3-050V electric variable speed unit plugs directly into a standard 120 V outlet. Features include a 3-in. diameter flange, internally mounted mechanical seal rated full vacuum to 125 psi, and a flexible shaft coupler. A ½ hp epoxy coated washdown motor is driven by a Leeson Washguard NEMA 4X control and provides output speed from 35 to 1750 rpm to put cannabis compounds in emulsion. The 5/8 in. diameter by 35 in. long shaft attaches to the coupler and two 4-in., 3-blade square pitch propellers with set screws. All wetted parts are 316 stainless steel. Indco
www.indco.com
AutomationDirect safety product offering now includes IDEM hazardous area safety devices. These safety devices provide similar functionality to their general-purpose counterparts but offer explosion-proof switching in hazardous locations. All these devices are manufactured with ATEX Exd IIC T6 certified explosion-proof contact blocks, which are encapsulated to contain explosions and prevent the ignition of hazardous materials. The explosion-proof safety devices include tongue interlock safety switches, safety limit switches, and safety cable-pull switches. The devices are said to be an excellent choice for use in the oil, chemical, pharmaceutical, and other hazardous industries. The company has also extended its existing line of general-purpose safety cable-pull switches. This new line extension allows for emergency cable lengths of up to 250 m.
www.automationdirect.com EXPLOSION PROOF
MINIATURE ROCKER ISOLATION VALVE FOR CLINICAL LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS
Emerson has introduced the ASCO series 062 rocker isolation valve designed for fluid control manifolds in the clinical laboratory such as hematology and immunoassay analyzers, sample preparation and pre-analytical, as well as DNA sequencing instruments. The valves designed with 16 mm size are said to allow for easy integration into complex fluid-handling manifolds, resulting in a reduction in footprint, weight and power. It also offers two-way and three-way functionality, which maximizes flexibility and versatility. The rocker isolation valves are said to control neutral and highly aggressive liquids used in nearly any type of analytical instrumentation.
Emerson www.emerson.com
EVENT HORIZON: Door is opening for Process & Automation Shows in 2022.
Q.E.D. Environmental Systems has announced upgrades to its ORP215M-R orifice plate wellhead. The wellhead is said
to combine easy plate exchanges for more accurate flow measurement with precise adjustment of gas flow, especially at very low rates (below 10 standard cubic feet per minute). The new design includes a
kit of six orifice plates securely attached to the wellhead for quick access, the company says. A permanent stainless-steel S-type orifice plate retainer keeps the plates close at hand and helps prevent loss of the orifice plates. Changing to the correct orifice plate takes only seconds, it adds, with no time wasted shutting down the control valve or retuning the well. The precision fine tune control valve is said to provide exact gas flow control, while unlike traditional valves, the unique design achieves near linear flow adjustment across its entire range. The serviceable control valve includes a stainless-steel rod for long service life. QED Environmental Systems www.qedenv.com
RF LEVEL SENSORS MEASURE VARIETY OF SUBSTANCES
The TrueCap series of RF capacitance level sensors from Monitor Technologies are designed for versatility, stability, and reliability. The sensors are said to be suitable for most powders and bulk solids, as well as many liquids and slurries. Units are fully electronic with no moving parts and offer hazardous location protection with intrinsically safe probes. A variety of probe variations and process connections, including cable extension and quick-connect versions are available. MK-2 and MK-2e models provide 0.5 pF sensitivity and enhanced temperature compensation, the company says. Hazardous location approvals for gases and dust are also available. Monitor Technologies www.monitortech.com
CONTROL UNIT COMPLETES VACUUM SYSTEMS
The new OmniControl universal control unit for pumps and measurement instruments from Pfeiffer Vacuum is said to allow the comprehensive control of a complete vacuum system using just one device. It combines the control of the total pressure with the control of the pumps. The unit communicates with products that support the company’s RS-485 protocol (e.g. HiPace, HiScroll, HiLobe, MVP and DigiLine).
Pfeiffer Vacuum
https://group.pfeiffer-vacuum.com
IR WINDOW SYSTEM HELPS AVOID ARC FLASH INCIDENTS INSIDE CABINETS
The Fluke ClirVu series of IR Windows available from Alpha Controls & Instrumentation provides a panel monitoring method that avoids arc flash incidents. Since there is no need to open the cabinet panel door after the infrared window is installed, the company says, there’s also no longer need to power down or remove panels. Inspections are conducted quickly, easily, and of course, safely, it adds. Decreasing risks of arc flash may also result in lower insurance costs. Installation with AutoGround design, which eliminates the need to separately ground each metal component of the window, is less than 5 minutes. Arc blast test ratings are IEEE C37.20.7: 63 kA Arc tested at KEMA. Other ratings include UL 50/50E/50V, UL1558, IEC60529-1: IP67, IEC 60068, NEMA 4/12, CSA C22.2 NO. 1413:2012, and CE.
Alpha Controls & Instrumentation
www.alphacontrols.com
FIBRE OPTIC PYROMETER DESIGNED FOR LOWER TEMPERATURE INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION APPLICATIONS
Process Sensors, the IR Temperature division of KPM Analytics, has introduced the fibre optic two-colour pyrometer, model PSC-GRF11N. The digital ratio pyrometer series is designed for lower starting temperature measurements beginning at 300°C. Four temperature ranges are offered: 300° to 1100°C, 350° to 1300°C, 400° to 1600°C,
and 500° to 2300°C. The model operates in ambient temperatures up to 250°C and is said to be immune to high magnetic frequencies encountered in manufacturing facilities. The pyrometer has a 5 ms response time and a selection of variable focus fibre optical lenses to provide spot sizes from 0.7 mm in diameter. An integrated sensor laser provides for precision aiming onto the centre of the target. The linear temperature output signal of 4 to 20 mA is said to simplify installation of the unit into existing measurement and control systems. Each device is equipped with a galvanically isolated RS-485 Modbus RTU interface, allowing the setting of parameters and software evaluation in bus systems as well.
Process Sensors www.processsensorsir.com
ISOLATED BI-POLAR SIGNAL CONDITIONER PROVIDES HIGH ISOLATION AND SURGE WITHSTAND CAPABILITY
The ITC-XX-BIO isolated bi-polar signal conditioner from Pribusin is said to provide high isolation and surge withstand capability from Input to Output to Power in a small, easy to install package. The universal DIN rail mount often makes it possible to install the signal conditioner next to the instrument that is to be isolated. The many different input and output configurations allow it to be used in a great variety of applications ranging from PLC front end conditioning to adding an extra loop with lots of drive to an existing, almost fully loaded, loop, the company says. Uni-polar and Bi-po-
lar input and output ranges are available for voltages from as low as ±100 mV to ±10 Vdc. Uni-polar input and output ranges are available for currents from 0 to 20 mA. The surge withstand capability (SWC) complies with the IEEE C37.90.1.1989 standard. Isolation rating is 1500 VAC Input to Output to Power (Test), SWC is 3 KV Peak, with 1.5 MHz damped oscillation@60Hz. Input impedance (4 to 20 mA only) is 50 Ω. Loop resistance change effects are -0.03% per 100 Ω change.
Pribusin
www.pribusin.com/itc-xx-bio.htm
COATINGS PRODUCT PORTFOLIO AIMED AT WASTEWATER OPERATIONS
BYPASS LEVEL INDICATOR PROVIDES SAFE MEASUREMENTS
The SZM type glass tube level indicator from Kobold is applicable for the indication of liquid level in small and middle-sized, standing or lying round containers used in food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
PPG has announced an expansion of its coatings offering for wastewater facilities. The expanded portfolio includes solutions for a range of wastewater management processes, including collections, primary and secondary treatment, sludge handling and disinfection. Customers can choose from a comprehensive range of coatings, the company says, that provide optimum corrosion and chemical resistance based on the environment (immersive or atmospheric), the substrate being protected (concrete or steel) and specific performance requirements. The expanded portfolio combines PPG Raven and PPG Aquataflex coating systems for aggressive underwater concrete applications with a variety of coating solutions for exterior and interior steel tanks, basins and facility infrastructure, it adds. PPG www.ppgpmc.com
The loads occurring at the installation are absorbed by the outer armature, the company says, thus the glass tube is protected against breaking. The outer armature also protects the glass tube against the mechanical impacts that may occur following the installation. It is recommended that the normal design level indicators be fitted on vessels containing pure liquids, while the indicators mounted with cleaning stubs (a bottom, or bottom-top stub) be fitted on containers filled with con-
NOISE KIT DESIGNED FOR SOUND LEVEL FIELD CALIBRATION
The REED R8085-KIT noise dosimeter kit available from ITM Instruments comes equipped with two R8085 noise dosim -
eters, R8085-PC software, R8085-USB USB cable, R8090 sound level calibrator, and R8888 hard carrying case with laser etched custom foam interior (spe -
cifically notch designed for the included instruments) to simplify calibrations in the field. The R8085 records sound levels (dB) and sound exposure (dose %) to determine an individual’s sound exposure over a period of 8-hours. This 3-in-1 noise dosimeter, sound level meter and data logger has an accuracy of ±1.0 dB that meets Type 2 standards. The lightweight and compact form is designed to meet noise survey requirements established by the CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety).
taminated liquid. Installation length means the distance between the horizontal centre lines of the two flanges, that is minimum 370 mm, and maximum 3080 mm. The glass tubes longer than 1 500 mm are welded. The bottom, and top sealing of the glass tube is by two O-rings each, the material of which is to be chosen to be chemically compatible with the liquid measured. Standard sealing material is FPM, whereas EPDM or NBR are available on request. The scale can be engraved on the aluminum rule or the glass tube or can be printed on a foil and to be attached to the glass tube or aluminum rule.
Kobold Canada www.kobold.ca
ERGONOMIC FOOT SWITCHES FIT VARIETY OF WIRE CHANNEL OPTIONS
Linemaster has introduced new single, twin, and triple AERO Channel foot switches. The units are said bring a modern design to the foot switch market, offering a compact design with curved edges that are fluid shedding. Made from high impact polymer, the switches can withstand the abuse seen in most applications, the company says. A molded handle feature comes standard with each channel for ease of picking the foot pedal off the floor and as a bonus for the twin and triple models the handle also serves as a cord wrapping aid. Each version is equipped to accommodate the company’s Aquiline series pedals or new Flip-Up Pedal design. Linemaster Switch Corporation www.linemaster.com
With the new kytero, GEA has introduced a biopharmaceutical single-use separator apparatus. The single-use separator is designed for obtaining fermentation solutions and cell cultures and is equipped with the proven the company’s Westfalia Separator disk stack technology for what is said to be maximum yield, high separation efficiency and gentle product handling. This type of equipment provides centrifugation to significantly reduce filtration dependency. In centrifugation, unlike filtration, separation of the medium is not achieved by filter media (filter plates and filter cloths), but by utilizing the centrifugal force that occurs in conjunction with the disc pack for increased clarification efficiency. The mobile plug and produce unit fits into environments such as pilot plants, university laboratories, in R&D and small-scale production, as well as clean rooms.
GEA
www.gea.com/kytero
2022MediaKit NOWAVAILABLE OUR50thANNIVERSARY!
Be
Softing Inc., has introduced its NetXpert XG2 Ethernet tester. The series offers many of the same benefits and capabilities as the flagship NetXpert XG with the addition of several new hardware features, including 5 GHz wireless local-area network (WLAN) support. Like the XG, the XG2 performs Bit Error Rate Tests (BERT) from 100 MB to 10 GB regardless of cable category, patch panels or outlets. Both series also perform signal-tonoise ratio (SNR) and Delay Skew tests, which the units combine into an overall pass/fail result. As an all-in-one Ethernet tester, the XG2 supports 10 Gb Ethernet testing over copper and fiber wiring, Power over Ethernet (PoE) testing and active network (copper, fibre or WiFi) troubleshooting. The platform also offers simple firmware upgrades and a licensing system that supports additional upgrades after the initial purchase.
Softing
https://itnetworks.softing.com/us
Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the MagMAX Wastewater Ultra Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit. The isolation kit is said to offer a flexible, easy-to-implement solution for labs setting up new surveillance programs or incorporating SARS-CoV-2 testing into existing ones. Unlike other testing methods, which require nasal swabs or saliva samples, wastewater testing can assess infection rates among a general population up to two weeks earlier than individual or pooled testing. The kit is compatible with a range of input volumes ranging from 200 µl to 500 mL, and works with various upfront concentration methods, including ultracentrifugation, precipitation, and filtration. For labs in need of an automated viral enrichment method, the kit with virus enrichment uses Dynabeads technology to automate and streamline sample concentration.
Position and motion sensor specialist POSITAL has announced new models of its IXARC rotary encoders with housings that are 27 mm long. This reduced length, combined with a diameter of only 36 mm, the company says, means that these devices are suitable for tight spaces. The radial cable entry and shaft seal have protection ratings of IP65, while a wide variety of flange and shaft configurations are available, reducing the need for costly adapters or workarounds. Incremental variants are programmable: resolution can be set anywhere from one to 16,384 pulses-per-turn in software without requiring any changes to the mechanical properties of the devices. Similarly, pulse direction and the output driver — either Push-Pull (HTL) or RS422 (TTL) — can be reset through software updates. Changes can be made quickly in the shop or in the field using the company’s UBIFAST programming tool.
POSITAL www.posital.com
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