IAA FebMar2011

February/March 2011 IndustrialAutomationAsia

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February/March 2011

MICA(P) 026/12/2010 | ISSN 0219/5615 | PPS 1561/06/2011 (028597)

Transportation Fuels:

Transportation Fuels | Camera Vision Systems | Industrial Ethernet

Alternative Technologies

| Lean Management

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Camera Vision Systems:

Keeping Track

Industrial Ethernet For

Harsh Environments

Lean Management:

Raising The Bar

| BS11-02E |

Four components, one system: New Automation Technology.

Motion Servo Drives Servomotors

IPC Industrial PCs Embedded PCs Motherboards

I/O EtherCAT components IP 20 Bus Terminals IP 67 Fieldbus Box

www.beckhoff.com.sg Setting standards worldwide: PC- and EtherCAT-based control solutions from Beckhoff.

As renowned specialists for open automation systems, Beckhoff offers components for IPC, I/O, motion and automation applications that can operate individually or integrated as a precisely adapted control system. New Automation Technology from Beckhoff represents versatile automation solutions that are used in a wide range of applications worldwide. The growing presence of Beckhoff in more than 70 countries ensures consistent support around the globe.

IPC I/O Motion Automation

ENQUIRY NO. 198

Automation Software PLC Software NC/CNC Safety

Enhancing productivity through integrated machine safety Rockwell Automation is committed to help you achieve greater flexibility and productivity through integrated machine solutions, application experience and legislation conformation. With an entire family of reliable products, a higher level of safety and functionality is now possible for you.

Copyright Š2010 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ENQUIRY NO. 201

Discover more at: www.discoverrockwellautomation.com/safety

contents February/March 2011

ISSUES & INSIGHTS

22

Case Study: Raising The Bar With Lean Management

24

Lean Manufacturing: Slicing Off The Fat

Simulation software and process redesign have enabled the National Library of Singapore to reduce waste and human resources, all while increasing productivity. By David Chan, managing consultant, Advent2 Labs; Ben Tang,NLB

Companies are able to eliminate waste and streamline operations with the implementation of a variety of technologies. By Penny Chai, director of marketing, Intermec Asia Pacific

CONTROL POINT

28

Multi-Applications Machining: Being Versatile

Presented in various names like multitasking and integrated machining, they point to one concept: accomplishing more than one task in a machine. By Augustine Quek

SOFTWARE & NETWORKS

32

Industrial Ethernet: Performance In Harsh Environments

Ethernet networks for factory spaces need to be sufficiently rugged to withstand shock, vibration and extreme temperatures. By James Kiley, Advantech Industrial Automation Group

Instrumentation & Measurement

36

Functional Improvement

MIMO smart antenna technology offers a number of performance enhancements for wireless communication systems. By Wilkie Yu, Agilent Technologies

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

40

Case Study: Automating Pharma Production

Valve terminal technology is playing a major role at the heart of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Germany. By Christopher Haug, Festo

41

US Market Report: Pharma Packaging

44

Camera Vision Systems: Keeping Track

Fuelled by favourable market forces and legislation, the packaging market for pharmaceuticals is expected to expand till 2014. By Bill Martineau, analyst, Freedonia

In the face of stricter regulations, pharmaceutical manufacturers need to adopt economically viable solutions to improve the traceability and authentication of products. By Didier Lacroix, senior VP, International Sales & Services, Cognex

2  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Locate electrical problems

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The FLIR i3 can produce snapshots of temperature difference equal to 3,600 (60x60 pixels) readouts from a traditional single spot meter.

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ENQUIRY NO. 217 www.flir.com FLIR offices in Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific Headquarters Hong Kong +852 2792 8955 flir@flir.com.hk | China +86 21 5169 7628 info@flir.cn Australia +61 3 9550 2800 info@flir.com.au | Japan +81 3 6277 5681 info@flir.jp | Korea +82 2565 2714 sales@flirkorea.com India +91 11 4606 7100 flirindia @flir.com.hk | Taiwan +886 2 2757 9662 flir@flir.com.hk

contents

z February/March 2011 IndustrialAutomationAsia February/March 2011

February/March 2011

‘Disruptive’ Technologies In Transportation Fuels

fEATURES

54

www.iaasiaonline.com

Progress has been made with innovative efforts in areas like genetic engineering and other technologies. These initiatives could have a major impact on the hydrocarbon market over the next two decades. By Melissa Stark, Accenture

Transportation Fuels:

Alternative Technologies

| Lean Management

50

MICA(P) 026/12/2010 | ISSN 0219/5615 | PPS 1561/06/2011 (028597)

Transportation Fuels | Camera Vision Systems | Industrial Ethernet

Energy

www.iaasiaonline.com

Camera Vision Systems:

Keeping Track cover feb-mar2011a.indd 1

Industrial Ethernet For

Harsh Environments

Lean Management:

Raising The Bar

Cover: Rockwell

1/25/11 11:30:13 AM

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EDITOR’s PAGE

Fuel For Thought Analysts are predicting oil prices to move beyond US$100 a barrel this year – not surprising, considering the ever-increasing appetite for energy from the growing economies in Asia. As emphasised by S Iswaran, senior minister of state for Trade & Industry and Education in Singapore, China and India alone are expected to consume almost a third of the world’s energy by 2030.

In support of this development, A*STAR is also initiating R&D in Oil and Gas (O&G) equipment. The aim is to position Singapore as an innovation hub for the O&G equipment sector, and the organisation will be collaborating with local universities to carry out R&D programmes.

This is for the development of ruggedised electronics, multiphase flow analysis, and materials for marine and offshore equipment.

Sridhar Sunkad, MD, Eon Reality is investing resources to increase market share and create awareness of how virtual reality technology can be used to help the O&G industry to achieve returns on investment, and for safety training. His target markets include China and India, where he hopes to reinforce the importance of safety, especially in the light of the near-recent oil spill incident in the Gulf of Mexico.

In a two-pronged strategic approach to meet energy demand, Australia has adopted a policy towards improving its energy grids. The goal is to allow the grids to incorporate renewable energy resources while reducing unnecessary capital expenditure at the same time. A number of states have embarked on pilot projects to test the feasibility of various smart grid technologies.

In Inner Mongolia, Invensys has implemented a combustion optimisation control system for two coal-fired 600MW power boiler units. According to the company, the system is helping to save energy costs and reduce emissions. It has also more than doubled the ramp up rate and has improved boiler performance efficiency for the electric power plant units.

With increasing consumption for energy worldwide, Asia appears to present a promising platform for growth in the O&G industry and other related energy sectors. At the same time, there is a need for countries to generate and consume this energy by adopting methods that are efficient, clean and green.

Michael Tham Editor

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6 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Three weeks of design‌ all done in a day?

ENQUIRY NO. 218

Industry News ABB Launches Products In Asia Singapore: The event, held on November 11, 2010 at Raffles City Convention Centre, began with a welcome address by James Foo, president and country manager in Singapore. He gave an over view of the goals that the company’s power and automation technologies have and how the day’s produc t announcements complement their portfolio.

The launch event was attended by approximately 300 representatives including consultant s, par tners, panel builders, distributors, system integrators, contractors and endusers.

One of the key highlights of the day was the introduction of a range of modular motor control and protection devices in Singapore.

Mr Foo states: “This improved technology enhances flexibility as the products are capable of working within a wide voltage range, for

example, from 100 – 250 volts and in both AC and DC. This introduction t o t h e m a r ke t w i l l b r i n g m a ny benefits. Besides maximising your produc tivity, and making design work easier, product users can keep lower stock levels.”

Plate Mill Modernisation In India ABB has won an order valued at US$23 million to provide integrated automation systems and related services to modernise the plate mill at the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in India. The plant produces a range of steel produc ts including flat, tubular and coated steel.

Owned and operated by the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), the Rourkela plant is located on the north-west tip of Orissa. The plant currently has the capacity to produce two million metric tons of hot metal, with 1.7 million metric

tons of saleable steel each year.

RSP’s steel is used in the power sector, for producing high quality pipes for the oil & gas industries and tin plates for the packaging industry.

ABB’s integrated automation solution will improve the energy efficiency and productivity of the finishing section of the plate mill. The company will provide engineering, sys tem design, ins t allation and commissioning, and other related services for the project.

The scope of supply also includes an automation system based on ABB’s extended automation system 800xA integrated with drives that utilise direct torque control, motors, and other electrical equipment.

These help to maximise productivity and equipment reliability in the plate mill, as well as optimise its energy use, to help it to run efficiently and profitably.

Singapore: The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) will be initiating R&D in Oil and gas (O&G) equipment to position Singapore as an innovation hub for the O&G equipment sector and to strengthen the country’s marine and offshore industry.

The announcement, made by S Iswaran, senior minister of state for trade and industry and education, at the 18 th International Oil & Gas Industry Exhibition & Conference (OSEA 2010), highlighted that A*STAR will be collaborating with the local universities to carry out R&D programmes .This is for ruggedised electronics, multiphase flow analysis, and materials for marine and offshore equipment.

These three R&D programmes are designed to provide technological solutions and innovations to the O&G equipment manufacturers for quality products. These products will address the challenges of a harsher operating environment as O&G explorations transit into deeper waters.

Based on preliminary numbers, Singapore’s total marine and offshore industry output in 2009 was S$20.1 billion (US$15.4 billion). The industry contributed 9.4 percent of total manufacturing output and employs close to 92,000 people.

8 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Nadya Yasnogorodskaya, Kiev, Ukraine

A*STAR To Develop R&D Capabilities In Oil & Gas

Industry News

Singapore: The global economic downturn has proven to be more of a challenge than a restraint in the Singapore automation and controls market, as manufacturing companies are now under greater pressure to enhance their productivity at lower costs.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the market earned revenues of US$90 million in 20 09 and es timates this to reach US$136 million in 2016.

“Singapore is not a cost-effective manufacturing hub and is constantly battling competition from low-cost production bases such as China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia,” says research associate Vandhana Venkatesan. “As a result, there is higher emphasis on improving the plant produc tivit y and reducing operational costs using the relevant control systems.”

Both vendor s and end user s prefer direct sales to channel sales for larger systems and products if they have manufacturing assembly facilities in Singapore, as it lowers the price of the product.

The capital expenditure of installing automation systems may seem prohibitive to cost-conscious consumers; hence, manufacturers need to educate them about the long-term cost benefits of these systems.

The Singapore market is also well served by stringent regulations and standards regarding the quality of manufactured goods. The control systems of most plants, especially in the industries of oil and gas, water and wastewater treatment, and chemic als are ex pec ted to reach the end of their lifec ycle

in the nex t few year s, creating a plethora of oppor tunities for market vendors.

“A u t o m a t i o n v e n d o r s h a v e strong system migration programs in place to a s sis t c u s tomer s in replacing their older system with a newer version,” notes Mr Venkatesan. “With the current open system architec ture and system

i n t e r o p e r a b i l i t y, a u t o m a t i o n vendors can target replacement sales at installed bases that t r a di tionall y b elong e d to t heir competitors.”

All these factors contribute to creating a favourable environment for the growth of the automation a n d co n t ro l s y s te m s m a r ke t i n Singapore.

ENQUIRY NO. 216

Automation Market Focuses On Plant Productivity In Singapore

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 9

Industry News

Worldwide Semiconductor Revenue Increases 31.5 Percent

Paolo Ferla, Italy

Singapore: Af ter a worldwide economic recession, the semiconductor market rallied in 2010 with worldwide revenue reaching a landmark US$300.3 billion in 2010, up 31.5 percent from 2009, according to preliminary results by Gartner.

Strong Recovery "In 2010, the semiconductor market was driven by pent-up demand as system makers scrambled against depleted inventories to obtain parts," said Stephan Ohr, semiconductor research director at Gartner.

It rebounded from a 10 percent revenue decline in 2009. Overall, semiconduc tor industr y revenue grew US$71.9 billion in 2010, the largest single dollar increase for the semiconductor industry in any one year. Only three times in its past – in 1988, 1995 and 2000 – has semiconduc tor industr y revenue grown by more than 30 percent in any one year.

In 2010, the industr y topped U S $ 3 0 0 b i l l i o n, r e g a r d e d a s a benchmark achievement for the industry.

Intel held the number one vendor position for the 19 th consecutive year in 2010, albeit with a slightly

smaller share of the market, down to an estimated 13.8 percent from 14.2 percent in 2009. The company saw strong growth in the first half of the year as the PC market stocked up inventory in anticipation of a strong second half of the year, but third quarter growth weakened as consumer sentiment began to flag.

Sale s of mini - note book s – a segment for which Intel is almost the exclusive supplier – were particularly disappointing.

Samsung Elec tronics, Toshiba and Texas Instruments all performed well in 2010 to retain their respective rankings of number two, three and four. Samsung had a strong growth year due to it s exposure to the booming DRAM and NAND flash markets. Memory accounts for over 80 percent of the company's sales.

Toshiba grew its NAND flash memory business for mobile devices, as well as its discrete, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and Application Specific Standard Product (ASSP) device businesses.

Texas Instruments had a banner year with the company's overall semiconductor revenue growing 35.2 percent, and its analogue revenue increasing more than 41 percent.

An entrant to the top 10 was Renesas Elec tronic s, at number five following the merger of NEC Electronics and Renesas Technology on April 1, 2010. Also in the top 10, Micron Technology rose five places to number eight, largely as a result of its acquisition of Numonyx, which allowed it to capture the last three quarters of Numonyx sales in calendar 2010.

Zacobria & Universal Robots Introduce Flexible Robot Concept Singapore: Zacobria has been established in Singapore since December 1, 2010. The company is the Asia Pacific distributor of the 6-axis industrial robot, made by Universal-Robots in Denmark.

The company’s objective is to supply robot and robot solutions that can be implemented rapidly and which can switch tasks quickly. The latter can be achieved via ease of programming and use. The founder and owner of Zacobria is Lars Skovsgaard.

The company will market its robot solutions in Singapore, South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.

10 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Industry News

Connectivity ICS Google And NXP Collaborate For NFC Critical For Growth Software In Handset Singapore: NXP Semiconductors has announced a strategic collaboration with Google to provide a complete open source software stack Semiconductor for Near Field Communications (NFC). The NFC stack will be fully Markets integrated and validated on Gingerbread, the latest version of the Android platform.

The latter has also integrated the former’s NFC controller (PN544) into the Nexus S phone, co-developed by Google and Samsung, offering users access to NFC based services and applications. This will bring NFC to the consumer and developer and device manufacturing communities around the world.

Kulo T, Japan

S i n g a p o r e : T h e t o t a l r eve n u e delivered by handset semiconductor shipments is forecast to increase approximately 5.5 percent, says ABI Research. The trend is expected to continue through the nex t three years, resulting in a total estimated revenue growth of 12 percent in 2013.

Industry analyst Celia Bo notes: “The increasing shipment rates of handset processors and connectivity chips are the major engines driving handset semiconductor market growth.”

Qualcomm, MediaTek, and TI account for approximately 80 percent of all shipments in the handset chipset market.

Qualcomm maintains a leading market position, especially in the high-end smartphone segment.

The majority of MediaTek’s shipments are 2.5G and 2.75G chipsets for the company’s low-cost solution. The company is set to continue gaining a greater share of the low- to mid-priced chipset market.

TI has been gradually stepping out of the 2.5G and 2.75G chipset market since the end of 2008, with shipments declining in 2010 and virtually ceasing in 2012.

“Connectivity chips will play a c ritic al role in driving hand set semiconductor market growth in the next five years,” adds ABI Research principal analyst Peter Cooney.

“The total revenue from handset Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi chipsets is forecast to grow more than 15 percent in 2010, and is estimated to hit US$3.5 billion in 2015.”

Australia Creates Demand For Smart Grids New South Wales, Australia: Government policies and the need for utilities to expedite operational efficiency have unleashed opportunities in the Australian smart grid market. Utilities aspire to reach better operational efficiency as they upgrade their electricity grids to incorporate renewable energy sources, while reducing unnecessary capital expenditure.

According to a smart grid opportunity-utility survey, the cumulative market is expected to be US$383.1 million in 2010 and is estimated to reach US$6.13 billion in 2015.

“The adoption of intelligent power grids help manage multiple new interfaces while ensuring availability and better operational efficiency through data collection, analysis, and alerts,” says Frost & Sullivan consultant Rajat Gupta. “Smart grids integrate different technologies such as energy and infrastructure, automation and control, and information communication technology.”

Smart grid development in Australia had started with the deployment of smart meters in Victoria. New South Wales has a mandate to deploy smart meters by 2017. Utilities in other states have initiated pilot projects to test the feasibility of various smart grid technologies. Currently, the focus in Australia seems to be on smart meters and demand management.

Utilities are watching the outcomes of these pilot projects. Given that the results are positive, the chances of a complete smart grid rollout in Australia are high.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 11

Industry News

Invensys Implements Combustion Optimisation Control System In Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, China: Invensys Operations Management has implemented a combustion optimisation control system for two coal-fired 600MW power boiler units operated by the China Huadian Inner Mongolia Energy Baotou Power Generation Branch.

The Advanced Process Control (APC) project passed technical and acceptance testing administered by the Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute. It helped save energy costs, reduced emissions, more than doubled the ramp up rate and improved boiler performance efficiency for electric power plant units number one and number two in Baotou, Inner Mongolia.

The China Huadian Inner Mongolia Energy Baotou Power Generation Branch, generates seven billion kilowatt hours of power per year and serves more than eight million square metres.

The team from Invensys optimised boiler performance and combustion efficiency by implementing its SimSci-Esscor Connoisseur Multivariable Predictive Control (MPC) software and non-linearity and neural networking technology across the plants’ Distributed Control Systems (DCS).

The DCSs receive input from the M PC sof tw a re t o m a n a g e closed-loop optimisation control over the boiler and steam turbine o p e r a t i o n s , i n c re a s i n g b o i l e r combustion and overall operating efficiency. The solution helps to lower coal consumption, reduce carbon and mono-nitrogen oxides (Nox) emissions in fly ash.

12 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Siemens Introduces Service For Customised HMI Design Nuremberg, Germany: The Siemens industry automation division is offering a process for designing customised Simatic Human-Machine-Interface (HMI) unit fronts quickly. The service i s a i m e d at machine and plant builders as well as end customers who require HMI units for their machines or plant in a special design.

The first units will be available to the customer seven days after

clarification of the design. The industrial-quality operator panels can be customised, eg: with a customer logo, coloured strips, customised text (such as equipment type designations) and displays of photographic quality with a resolution of up to 600 dpi.

H M I u n i t s c a n t h e re f o re b e adapted to the design of the machine or plant more accurately than before. This offer applies to orders of three or more panels.

Panasonic To Set Up Welding System Company In India Haryana, India: Panasonic Corporation has set up a welding system company i n I n d i a t h ro u g h i t s s u b s i d i a r y Panasonic Welding Systems. The company, Panasonic Welding Systems India, was established in December 2010 in Gurgaon, in the northern state of Haryana as an internal divisional company of Panasonic India.

It commences production in August 2012.

India's welding-related market has been growing rapidly in recent years.

Apparent consumption of steel in the country has been growing year after year, and India became the world's third biggest consumer of steel in 2009, after China and the US. The Indian market is expected to grow further as the increased production of transportation vehicles, such as automobiles and railways, is anticipated a g a i n s t t h e b a c k d ro p o f r i s i n g personal disposable income and supply of goods.

Industry News

ExxonMobil Completes Carbon Capture Plant In US

Belden To Acquire Thomas & Betts Missouri, US: Belden has entered into a d e f i n i t i v e a g re e m e n t t o acquire the Thomas & Betts Communications Products Business, for US$78 million in cash.

This acquisition will further strengthen the company's position as an end-to-end solution provider within the broadband/ CATV, security, and audio/video markets.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act and is expected to be completed by calendar yearend 2010.

Belden will fund the purchase price with cash on hand. The company expects that the business will contribute US$0.05 in income from continuing operations per diluted share in fiscal year 2011.

produced from fields in Wyoming.

The gas streams contain significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other components that are removed at the LaBarge processing plant.

With the expansion, the plant has the capacity to capture approximately 365 million cubic feet of carbon dioxide per IAA_FEBMAR11_NTRON:Layout 1 copy

Unmanaged Ethernet

Process Control

Media Converters

day from the gas streams; equivalent to the amount emitted by more than 1.5 million cars.

The captured carbon dioxide is sold to companies for enhanced oil recovery, helping to extend the productive lives of mature oil fields and producing more energy supplies for America.

1/20/11 2:41 PM Page 1

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ENQUIRY NO. 215

Wyoming, US: ExxonMobile announced the completion of an expansion to its largest carbon dioxide capture plant. Located near LaBarge, Wyoming, the expanded plant will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance oil production in the US. “This expansion will result in lower greenhouse gas emissions and help maximise the recovery of Wyoming’s oil resources,” said Randy Broiles, VP, Americas, ExxonMobil Production Company.

The US$86 million expansion includes the installation of compressors to capture 50 percent more carbon dioxide for potential use in enhanced oil recovery and other industrial uses. Enhanced oil recovery involves the injection of carbon dioxide into reservoirs to produce additional oil and gas.

The carbon dioxide for this project is captured from the natural gas streams

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 13

Industry News

Exida Achieves Accreditation For EDSA Certification Program North Carolina, US: The ISA Security Compliance Institute (ISCI) has announced that Exida has earned provisional accreditation for providing ISASecure EDSA Certification services under the former’s cybersecurity conformance scheme.

ANSI/ACLASS assessors evaluated exida’s operational conformance to requirements in ISO/IEC Guide 65 (EN45011), ISO/IEC 17011 and ISO/IEC 17025 guidelines, and the ISASecure EDSA Certification program definition.

Having demonstrated conformance to all elements in these requirements for quality and technical competency, the company is the first certification lab to achieve this designation.

Suppliers seeking to certify embedded devices are directed to contact Exida, who will conduct certifications on behalf of ISCI. Exida is qualified to provide both the device testing and organisational assessments as required in the ISASecure EDSA Certification.

The certification consists of three elements: a device Functional Security Assessment (FSA), a device Communication Robustness Test (CRT), and an organisational Software Development Security Assessment (SDSA).

Dr William Goble, MD of Exida, stated: “The ISCI cybersecurity certification program fits well with our functional safety certification program. Recent events have shown that a strong control system cybersecurity defense is an essential part of control system safety and availability. That defense starts w i t h i n d u s t r i a l c o n t ro l d e v i c e s such as PLC, DCS, SIS, and SCADA controllers that are resilient to rogue communications and unauthorised access and that are developed with a security mindset.”

14 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

ARC Informatique Software Selected For Monitoring Electricity Consumption Paris, France: Systems integrator ETDE has chosen PcVue 9.0 from ARC Informatique to monitor the electricity distribution and air conditioning systems for the entire range of installations at TelecityGroup´s data centre in the Paris region. The software can generate reports on the electricity consumption by each of the servers operated by TelecityGroup´s customers.

PcVue was chosen for two main reasons.

Firstly, to provide TelecityGroup with an open, multi-protocol system that is capable of keeping up with new standards in the market, while being compatible with building management control systems and PLCs. The second reason was that there are only two protocol conversion points with PcVue. Direct LON or MODBUS communication gateways collect the reading data and the PLCs are directly accessible via the IP network. This simple-hierarchy architecture is reliable and offers faster data processing. With the other solutions on the market, there can be up to four different conversion layers before reaching an SQL type database, according to Hélène Gaury from ETDE. On the electrical supply side, PcVue monitors all of the systems, from the transformers to the uninterruptible power supplies, distribution boards and consumption meters for each of the server bays.

Opera Aids In Contactless Distributed Power Supply Development Oxford, UK: A contactless distributed power supply system for modular automation components is being developed by a team led by Professor Hans-Peter Schmidt at The University Of Applied Sciences in Amberg, Germany. This is being achieved with the help of Opera electromagnetic design software.

The system uses magnetic induction to facilitate the transfer of power and data between an input coupling device and a number of physically separate devices distributed along the length of a ‘backbone’. Principally intended for industrial control and instrumentation applications, where it will be used for powering and communicating with remote I/O sensors and actuators, the system is also likely to be popular wherever an easily expandable, low-cost industrial control network is required.

The system is being developed by the university’s faculty of electrical engineering and information technology under a publicly funded research programme. It is about to move from design concept to prototype evaluation.

The system comprises a ferrite backbone with an E-shape cross-sectional geometry and a coil wound around its central pillar, which can be incorporated in an industry-standard DIN rail. This is together with a power input coupling device and a number of pick-up modules, all incorporating wound E-shape ferrite cores, which can be positioned anywhere along the length of the backbone.

ENQUIRY NO. 202

Industry Updates

Automating Processes Both process and discrete manufacturing enterprises have to stay competitive in today’s global marketplace. That means automating as many production p ro c e s s e s a s p o s s i b l e , a n d effectively linking them to IT management systems – so that timely and useful data reaches the right places quickly, allowing managers to make the decisions that lead to ‘results’.

Since 1989, PI (Profibus & Profinet International) has been supporting that vision with the automation technology.

Mission: To deliver maximum business advantage.

The twin networking protocols Profibus and Profinet are technologies that are designed to support demanding manufacturing environments and deliver business benefits.

Profibus is a RS485 based communication standard and Profinet is an industrial ethernet based communication standard.

Besides these standards PI also has profiles which are running on these two protocols.

These profiles include: Profisafe, Profidrive and Profienergy.

The PI logo has three colors:

• Blue represents Profibus • Green represents Profinet • Grey represents the profiles which are running in the Profibus/Profinet standards, such as Profisafe and Profidrive.

16 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Profibus is based on m o d u l a r i t y a n d s t a n d a rd s ; t h e b e n e f i t s a re f l e x i b i l i t y and ease of use. The use of a single communication protocol enables continuous, discrete, and safety-related processes to run on the same bus, thereby eliminating the need for separate systems.

The PA device profile ensures compatible device behavior on the bus: the user is free to choose any ‘profile device’.

Diagnostic data display is sorted according to the NAMUR NE 107 standard: The equipment operator can detect the status reliably and react appropriately.

Profibus is known for its d e g re e o f i n n o v a t i o n : U s e r re q u e s t s a re g a t h e re d a n d i m p l e m e n t e d r a p i d l y.

Profile 3.02 with its NAMURcompliant diagnostics concept is an example of this. Other examples are the high effective redundancy solutions and the proxy technology for connecting Profibus systems to the Ethernet level (Profinet).

At the same time, existing plants can be modernised and expanded at any time with Profibus: Hart technology can be integrated without difficulty, and safety related and drive tasks are resolved with Profisafe and Profidrive.

P ro f i n e t s a t i s f i e s a w i d e range of requirements with its integrated, Ethernet-based communication, ranging from data-intensive parameter assignment up to fast I/O signal transmission. Communication takes place over the same cable in all application levels from simple control tasks to highly d e m a n d i n g m o t i o n c o n t ro l applications. In addition, a direct interface to the IT system is always available.

P ro f i n e t c a n b e a d o p t e d in applications like factor y automation, process automation, or drives (with or without functional safety).

It is found in industries such as automotives, machine building, food and packaging, and logistics. It is also finding its way into newer fields of use, such as marine and rail applications and even day-today operations in a beverage shop. And, highly topical: t h e P ro f i e n e rg y p ro f i l e c a n improve energy management in production processes.

Profisafe is an integrated safety technology for discrete m a n u f a c t u r i n g a n d p ro c e s s automation. The technology i s a p ro f i l e w h i c h r u n s o n Profinet and Profibus. The IEC 61508-compliant technology has international acceptance and has been evaluated positively by

Standard and safety-related applications can be programmed for Profisafe by means of a single tool and certified function blocks.

In addition, the technology enables a high degree of flexibility

when replacing existing relay technology and when retrofitting existing installations. The use of certified devices simplifies system acceptance.

Profienergy uses existing Profinet mechanisms, which ensure fast and simple implementation. The former’s commands can be transferred throughout the latter Network, enabling individual field devices or whole production cells to par ticipate in smar t energy management strategies.

Field devices both with and without Profienergy functionality can be operated on a common Profinet cable. So integration into existing systems

is easy and trouble free. Users can satisfy their requirements for energy management in a targeted manner, with multivendor choice – leading to lower costs and a better environmental balance.

ENQUIRY NO. 1101

ENQUIRY NO. 214

IFA and TÜV. It has also become an international standard (IEC 61784-3-3).

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 17

Newsdesk

CANopen SIG For Service Robots

Application Profile For Law Enforcement Vehicles The CiA 447 CANopen application profile is dedicated for open networks in passenger cars. CiA has organised an information event for the German police, presenting the CANopen profile and its possible applications in police cars and other cars for organisations with security tasks (eg: ambulances and fire fighters).

Carmakers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Opel, and Volkswagen have presented their first gateways that are compliant to the application profile and Human Machine Interface (HMI) concepts. More than 60 participants discussed the future trends of police cars (eg: fleet management) with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) experts.

The exhibited cars were equipped with CiA 447 compliant roof-bars and radio devices. The carmakers presented future trends and migration paths to the CiA 447 open network. All the police cars on exhibit used in-vehicle display and steering wheel switches, as user interfaces for add-on devices.

Version 1.0 of the profile specification has been released and is intended for prototype implementation. It is in the review process and version 2.0 will be released after updating the specification.

ENQUIRY NO. 1102

18 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar May 20092011

CAN in Automation (CiA) has established the CANopen Special Interest Group (SIG) for service robots. Several Japanese research institutes and companies have participated in the inaugural meeting, which took place in Tokyo. It was agreed to standardise the mapping of the Robot Technology Component (RTC) specification to CANopen network technology.

This would allow service robot manufacturers to make easy use of off-the-shelf CANopen devices such as motion controllers and sensors. The robot application software will call RTC functions (middleware). The CANopen details are hidden to the software engineer.

This will simplify software development and will allow the reuse of already existing RTC programs. The specification has been developed by the nonprofit Object Management Group (OMG).

The scope of the SIG also includes the development and maintenance of recommended practices for existing CANopen profiles to be used in service robot applications (eg: CiA 402 motion controllers, 404 sensors, 406 encoders, 418/9 batteries and chargers). If necessary, the SIG will develop and maintain dedicated CANopen profiles for service robot sub-systems such as grippers or multi-axes controllers.

ENQUIRY NO. 1103

CANopen Lift Plug-Fest In the third CANopen Lift plug-fest, members of the CiA users’ and manufacturers’ group performed several communication stress tests with their CANopen Lift devices. The purpose of these tests was to verify that these devices are still capable of providing communication services without errors even at extreme bus conditions (up to full busload, and maximal bus length).

Both control device manufacturers (Boehnke + Partner and Weber Lifttechnik) as well as several suppliers of lift-unit makers (Elgo, Schaefer, Ziehl-Abegg, Control Techniques) connected their products to the CANopen network.

During the one-day event, all busload tests were performed successfully and in time.

The tests demonstrated that the devices are able to maintain error-free communication from half-full up to full busload. The devices were connected during the tests via small to nearly maximal bus length line at the default bitrate (250 kbit/s) as defined in the CiA 417 application profile for lift control systems.

ENQUIRY NO. 1104

ETG Member Meetings Held In Japan & Korea

Japanese Events Many Japanese semiconductor tools makers have selected EtherCAT as their next generation network. In order to support this development, ETG participated again at the Semicon Japan trade show in Chiba, this time with a joint booth with 20 co-exhibitors. The concept of the Techno Frontier booth was adapted to the semicon industry. On each day, there also was an EtherCAT introductory seminar held at the show.

The second Asian EtherCAT Plug Fest was hosted by the ASTEM Research Institute in Kyoto, Japan, and was attended by 21 development engineers representing 13 Japanese and Korean

ETG member companies. The goal of this event was to perform interoperability tests. Master and slave device suppliers gathered to test and improve interoperability, share implementation tips and tricks and to clarify questions regarding the technology.

Seminar Series In China Participants numbering 175, joined the EtherCAT Seminar Series in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

The agenda contained an EtherCAT introduction as well as an overview of Chinese and International EtherCAT applications. Dr Yanqiang Liu from the EtherCAT competence centre at Beihang University, Beijing, pointed out that most new Chinese CNC developments are EtherCAT based.

He also showed Chinese EtherCAT applications in the semiconductor industry, power generation, packaging machinery and building automation.

ENQUIRY NO. 1105

Hitachi Variable Frequency Drives Pursuing the Ideal Compact Inverter

WJ200 Series

WJ200 Series (Dual Rating) • 0.1~2.2kW (1-phase 200V class, CT) • 0.1~15kW (3-phase 200V class, CT) • 0.4~15kW (3-phase 400V class, CT)

User-friendly Compact Inverter

&

Designed for Excellent Peformance

Also available: SJ700 Series (SLV)

X200 Series (V/f)

0.4~55kW (3-phase 200V class) 0.75~400kW (3-phase 400V class)

0.2~2.2kW (1-phase 200V class) 0.2~7.5kW (3-phase 200V class) 0.4~7.5kW (3-phase 400V class)

Hitachi Asia Ltd

L300P Series (V/f) 11~75kW (3-phase 200V class) 1.5~132kW (3-phase 400V class)

24 Jurong Port Road, #03-05 Office Block, CWT Distripark Singapore 619097 Tel: +65 6305 7400 • Fax: +65 6305 7401 • URL: www.hitachi.com.sg • Email: ice@has.hitachi.com.sg

Tel: +81 3 4345 6063

ENQUIRY NO. 079

Many Japanese and Korean member representatives of the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) used the opportunity to get the latest EtherCAT technology updates during their respective local Asian member meetings.

The annual ETG Member Meeting Japan was held in Tokyo and was attended by over 130 representatives of Japanese ETG member companies. Martin Rostan, executive director of the ETG, provided an update on the organisation’s technology and activities.

The ETG Task Force Japan – a group of Japanese member companies which take an active role in EtherCAT promotion in Japan – reported on their activities, which included seminars, joint trade show booths and also a Japanese EtherCAT implementation support pool.

More than 60 representatives of Korean ETG member companies joined the ETG member meeting in Seoul, Korea. In addition to the ETG update, a highlight was the presentation of Professor Yongseon Moon from Suncheon National University. He presented several successful robotic applications which are equipped with EtherCAT. EtherCAT can be found in major automation industries in Korea, such as semiconductor and FPD manufacturing, ship building and robotics.

Consequently, the EtherCAT specification is now also available in Korean and has been submitted to the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), the Korean national standardisation body.

The 480-page document was translated by Key Yoo, Tri-TEK, who is ETG office manager Korea.

Dec 2010/Jan Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 19

Fieldbus Foundation Announces

First Registered Devices Implementing Advanced Field Diagnostics

The first Foundation fieldbus devices incorporating advanced field diagnostics technology have been registered. The registration requirements help to standardise how fieldbus devices communicate their diagnostic data to the host and asset management tools within a plant automation system.

Making It Simple Advancements in field diagnostics support a structured approach to asset management, which simplifies plant operators’ tasks and increases their confidence in utilising equipment diagnostics and asset software. This in turn, will enable improved process performance, greater reliability, increased uptime and lower operating costs.

Yokogawa (field indicator) and FCI-Fluid Components International (thermal mass flowmeter) are the first Foundation fieldbus H1 (31.25 kbit/s) device suppliers to pass the field diagnostics registration process.

After considering the Namur NE107 recommendations, the foundation developed a profiles specification to enhance the organisation and integration of device diagnostics within the foundation’s fieldbus systems.

The diagnostic profile includes a standard and open interface for reporting all device alarm conditions, and provides a means of categorising alert conditions by severity. The technology facilitates the routing of alerts to appropriate 20 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

consoles based on user-selectable severity categories. In addition, it provides recommended corrective actions and detailed help, as well as an indication of the overall health of the device.

T h e D i a g n o s t i c s P ro f i l e Specification (FF-912) was defined to allow any Electronic Device Description (EDD)-based system to access and configure the diagnostics in fieldbus devices. The field diagnostics profile makes no changes to the existing Foundation fieldbus stack specifications. However, the profile does introduce a newer field diagnostic alert type. System updates will provide more extensive integration capabilities (such as wizards for configuration) that will enhance diagnostics performance.

Rather than introduce significant changes to the current Foundation protocol, the diagnostic profile specification builds upon the existing diagnostic capabilities of the foundation’s fieldbus equipment.

At the same time, it adds a greater degree of organisation so that field instruments can represent their diagnostics in a more consistent way.

Put Under Trial Devices that are submitted for field diagnostics registration must pass Interoperability Test Kit (ITK) test cases, which exercise the bit alerts generated for fail alarms, check alarms, off-specification alarms, and maintenance alarms. Devices

also must support multi-bit alert reporting, as well as the Alert Object designed for field diagnostic alarms.

In addition, they must support new field diagnostics parameters in the Resource Block.

Yokogawa’s registered field indicator offers not only the standard functions of a field indicator, but also PID function block, link master, and software download capabilities.

It enables users to switch and display up to 16 indicated values for devices.

No complex operation is needed in the field in order to observe the indicated values. A self-diagnostic function based on the Namur NE107 standard detects failures in the ambient temperature limit, communications, and hardware such as the LCD and amplifier assembly.

Fluid Components International’s registered thermal mass gas flowmeter is industrial process and plant-grade suitable for all air and gas flow measurement applications.

It provides direct gas mass flow measurements, including flow rate, totalised flow and temperature; specialised versions also include pressure measurement.

The meter has no moving parts to clean or maintain, and is offered in a variety of process connections.

The electronics/transmitter can be integrally mounted with the flow sensor or remote mounted up to 1000 feet (300 metres) from the sensor element.

ENQUIRY NO. 1106

ENQUIRY NO. 193

issues & insights

Case Study:

Raising The Bar With Lean Management Simulation software and process redesign have enabled the National Library of Singapore to reduce waste and human resources, all while increasing productivity. By David Chan, managing consultant, Advent2 Labs; Ben Tang, NLB

V

alue is the worth of a product and service that a customer is willing to pay for. Lean is an operation management concept that helps to improve operation productivity by identifying and eliminating those activities or resources that do not add value to the product or service (ie: eliminating waste).

The implementation of Lean helps to reduce the use of limited resources, allowing companies to cut down operation costs, improve the responsiveness of the operation and enhance the value of products and services in the eyes of the customer. The basic wastes in any operation include overproduction, defects, movement, inventory, processes, and waiting times.

National Library Board (NLB) of Singapore is a statutory board that is under the Ministry of Information, Communication and Arts. The organisation ensures that library users have access to information services and resources that are convenient, accessible and relevant.

Process Acceleration Logistics Service is a division of NLB whose responsibility is to manage the supply chain of

22  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

resources that are to be made available for library users. Lean has been implemented by the division to improve on timely delivery and other aspects of the operation.

The resources that are delivered to the division include books, audio-visual resources (such as CDs and DVDs), maps, subscribed magazines and journals and others. As the amount of books processed

by Logistic Services took up about 70 percent of all resources, book processing was the first to be studied. During the initial investigation, the project team identified a few areas where the Lean concept could be implemented.

1. Layout Before the improvement, different processes were organised into groups. Multiple copies of the processed books in storage containers were transferred from one workstation to another by trolleys or short conveyors.

The inherent problem with such a layout is movement, high levels of work-in-progress and long waiting time.

As a solution, the U-shaped Cellulous Manufacturing Line was implemented. The cell contains all the

2. Self-Regulated Production Control Prior to the improvement, the productivity of the operator was measured by the number of processed books.

Such a benchmark inevitably resulted in the operator having to process as many books as possible without considering the capacity of the downstream processes.

This is an example of ‘Push’ production, where work-inprogress builds up whenever the downstream process is not running effectively.

In a ‘Pull’ production concept, the upstream workstation is not allowed to ‘push’ a book downstream if the following workstation is not ready to receive it.

An empty cart is used as a signal for the upstream workstation to start moving the processed books to the next workstation. And if there is no empty cart, the upstream workstation stops. This self-regulated production control system limits ‘overproduction’. With the use of the carts, the amount of work-in-progress between the workstations is regulated.

3. Team Work As mentioned earlier, productivity measurement has ‘tuned’ the operators to focus mainly on their individual output, while placing secondary emphasis on other operational requirements, such as teamwork.

In the new system, management focuses on group output as the measure of productivity. The members of each cell then need to work together as a team, which facilitates problem solving and enhances future productivity. The U-shaped arrangement of the cell also facilitates activities within the cell where members are able to help one another and take over the duties of another member if the latter is unavailable.

Replicating Reality The project spanned almost two and half years from initial investigation, proposal, pilot run and full implementation. During the investigation, due to the lack of data and the level of complexity of the process, the ‘As-is’ condition could not be established. As a result, a simulation software known as the Flexsim Simulation System was used to establish the ‘As-is’ condition.

The software allowed the project team to create a 3D virtual model of the book processing operation, by inputting the actual operation parameters of the operation such as the arrival rate of the different

types of books, processing time, operation hours and workflow.

Performance measurement information was obtained, such as: • Processing time of each workstation for each booktype; • Overall capacity of the operation; • Utilisation of each workstation; • Value added time vs non-value added time for each book type.

Once such information was established, the team designed and proposed the ‘To-be’ operation and layout. The simulation software helped the project team to evaluate a few ‘What-if’ scenarios before the final design was conceptualised and proposed.

T he L e a n concept u si n g t he Ce l lu lou s Manufacturing Cell as a tool has helped Logistic Services to improve the overall productivity of its workers by 25 percent. It has also shortened processing time by at least 92 percent, reduced area usage by 35 percent and cut back human resources by 33 percent.

ENQUIRY NO. 1201 2011_01_07_Ads showing the inner_Layout 1 17.01.11 09:03 Seite 1

: Long life in EnergyChains igus Singapore Pte Ltd asia-sales@igus.com.sg

15 Shaw Road #03-02 Singapore 367953

ENQUIRY NO. 206

required operations according to book type, and the workstation is positioned in close proximity in a form of a ‘U’. Such an arrangement reduces the time needed for a book to move from one workstation to the next.

Books are transferred once they are processed and trolleys are not required for such short distances.

This contributes to shorter waiting times and lower levels of work-in-progress.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 23

issues & insights

Lean Manufacturing:

Slicing Off

Fat

The

T

he modern supply chain is constantly evolving.

The pace of innovation and improvement is growing as more manufacturing operations move out of t heir i nve st me nt ‘e x ile’. T he focus is now mov ing towa rds inve sting in technologies that will automate a number of proce sse s which have been problematic i n t h e p a s t , a n d t h a t co nt r ib u te to L e a n manufacturing. Manufacturers are increasingly leaning towards forward-looking technologies to add to the ‘leanness’ of their operations. They a re approaching their upgrades with a degree of caution that recognises that the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of their ha rdwa re ha s major i mpl ic at ion s on t he i r bottom lines and customers.

24 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Companies are able to eliminate waste and streamline operations with the implementation of a variety of technologies, and by taking an objective view on manufacturing costs. By Penny Chai, director of marketing, Intermec Asia Pacific

Lean manufacturing can be defined as ‘A systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste through continuous improvement by flowing the product at the demand of the customer’.

This has significant implications for manufacturers, who are being pressured to streamline their operations, often through automation. They also need to evaluate their costs with a goal of bringing it down to the minimum. These costs vary from the ‘hard costs’ of manufacturing equipment, t hrough to t he TCO of ha rdwa re, a nd t he downtime that results from having unreliable equipment.

In a broad sense, processes within a distribution operation can be automated with varying degrees of success. Ensuring that the right processes are

Companies that look at TCO, instead of simply the ‘hard costs’ around technology upgrades are likely to be better placed to make the right business decisions.

automated with the right technology and the right implementation is imperative if a significant Return On Investment (ROI) is to be achieved. Among the operations that lead to the highest ROI and ‘leanest processes’ when automated, are maintenance schedules and billing procedures. These can be complemented by effectively upgrading technology within the operation, so that there are minimum ‘soft costs’ to the operation.

Lean Billing The scope of technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) are widening beyond merely collecting data to allow the billing process to be automated, or just revolutionising certain business operations. Consider the revolution that is occurring in electric utilities: It used to be the case where simple meters were used to measure electric power consumption. A technician from the energy company would periodically walk through the neighbourhood to read the meter and manually record power consumption for each house.

While some utilities still operate in this way today, their more forward-looking counterparts have evolved to the next level by collecting power consumption data automatically. Although automated data collection facilitates this business operation by making it significantly leaner, it remains fundamentally unchanged. Today, utilities are revolutionising their operations by using smart meters to collect and transmit the amount of power that is consumed in a household. These meters are an example of a technology

that is fundamentally changing business operations in electric utilities by recording consumption at regular intervals and communicating it back to the utility for monitoring and billing.

This has implications for the manufacturing industry. Imagine an RFID-based system where delivered goods can submit data into an automated system. The latter sends out invoices when the goods arrive at their destinations. This, when coupled with a mobile computing solution for information recording and processing for delivery drivers and warehouse workers, can reduce the amount of worker hours that are put into the billing process. In addition, a significant number of errors that are inherent in a paper-based system can be reduced.

These errors contribute to the inefficiencies within many manufacturing environments. If manufacturers are to be lean, it is important that they ensure that their paper-based systems (much of which centre around billing) are replaced with smarter and more accurate alternatives. By ensuring that their operations are as lean as possible, significant savings can be passed on to customers, or may contribute to the bottom line of a manufacturing operation.

Right Technology, Right Implementation Companies that look at TCO, instead of simply the ‘hard costs’ around technology upgrades are likely to be better placed to make the right business decisions.

Ensuring that TCO is taken into consideration when ‘leaning up’ an operation, ensures that all costs are Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 25

issues & insights

It makes good business sense to invest in the technologies of tomorrow, as it helps to minimise the cost of upgrades.

being minimised, as opposed to simply reducing the ‘hard costs’.

TCO is a comprehensive investigation into device-life spending – encompassing not only the upfront, direct costs but also the hidden, indirect ones. It is a barometer for economical long-term technology solutions. This is especially true for the mobile computer solutions that are used in many manufacturing operations, where devices are categorised by their ruggedness. From the least to most rugged, these categories include consumer grade, durable, smart phone, semi rugged, and fully rugged.

Many enterprises have been faced with a daunting buying decision between devices that are made specifically for their niche tasks, or the inexpensive alternatives that are technically made for consumers.

Going for the cheaper a lternative a lmost always leads to a blowout of costs in the longer term. These costs are often seen as unavoidable detractors from the bottom line, but they do not need to be. Ensuring that all costs are taken into consideration can allow for a more realistic view of what costs can be removed to make the operation leaner.

The costs that are associated with mobile computers that are some of the easiest to identify.

For example, purchase price and maintenance contracts are referred to as ‘hard costs’, and they make up only a small portion of TCO. ‘Soft costs’ such as support time, lost productivity and device maintenance account for a much higher percentage of TCO. 26 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

A study by Venture Development Corporation (VDC) Research has found that productivity loss from hardware failure makes up 49 percent of the total cost of ownership for mobile computer solutions. Addressing this variable presents one of the best opportunities for organisations to make their manufacturing processes leaner.

Because rugged devices last longer, the costs that are due to productivity loss and other ‘soft costs’ are not as high as those that are associated with consumer grade devices. The VDC study, which compared the life cycle of ruggedised and non-rugged mobile computers used for enterprise operations, found that when combining hard costs and soft costs, the annual average TCO for a consumer grade device was US$3,895 per device, compared to an annual average TCO of only US$2,730 per rugged device.

It means that enterprises which implement rugged devices in their operations save an average of US$1,165 per device each year. This discrepancy is due to workers experiencing less reliability with consumer devices, contributing to more downtime when the technology breaks down. This also creates bottlenecks in manufacturing processes which increase the cost of operations (which is often passed on to consumers).

In most cases, the key to a successful Lean technology upgrade in the manufacturing sector focuses on how to best achieve a ROI through choosing the right equipment. Supply chain technologies (such as mobile computers) that provide flexibility to a growing business and reasonable TCO, helps to ensure a degree of futureproofing that is vital to achieving ROI.

Automating Maintenance The manufacturing industry can be a hazardous one at t ime s. S ome A sia n bu si ne sse s may overinvest in safety inspections and the required maintenance for equipment to make them fit for purpose.

Despite the benefits of tracking health and safety equipment, anecdotal evidence tends to indicate that many employers in manufacturing have incomplete, inconsistent, or inaccurate records that are related to workplace safety and asset or equipment history. Asset tracking solutions help build and maintain leaner workplaces by correctly managing and maintaining the organisations’ assets. These include the systematic coordination and tracking of individual risk assessments, scheduled inspections and maintenance, as well as ad-hoc and reactive maintenance tasks. Utilising a paper-based system which is prone to significant margins for error, means that manufacturers are spending unnecessarily on people, paper, and on fixing mistakes.

Following the successful implementation of significant asset tracking solutions, manufacturers are able to have full and accurate visibility on the returns and maintenance processes for all equipment. This leads to increased equipment reliability (which further lowers unnecessary staff costs) and reduces wasted expenditure.

By implementing complimentary asset tracking technologies like handheld computers, the owners a nd ma nagers of ma nufacturing operations across Asia can deliver more accurate and timely information to limit equipment downtime and to expedite repair order applications. When a repair order comes in for instance, equipment repair specialists can get to work by using what is onhand to perform repairs, or to track orders when the equipment is not available.

A handheld computer can give onsite specialist repairers a task detail that shows the exact location of relevant parts and assets among the several thousand that exist in a manufacturing setting. As the specialist picks a replacement item or puts something in to be repaired, he scans its bar code with the integrated scanner on the mobile computer. The program immediately subtracts the

item from its inventory count, eliminating the time that workers waste in looking for an unusable piece of equipment.

Repetitive Gains When a replacement is issued or an item returns from repair, the specialist sends a task update through the mobile computer to the project manager.

This automatically updates the system. These improvements may appear marginal in isolated instances. However, by making the small, frequent processes leaner, significant improvements can be attained. Imagine that it takes 10 minutes each time a worker looks for a piece of equipment that is in for repairs. Multiply that by the number of times that it happens daily, by the number of workers – and there can be significant gains which reduce costs for the operation and the consumer.

Warehousing and manufacturing operations are putting more pressure on technology providers to come up with automated solutions that provide strong ROI, tangible efficiency gains and a noticeable reduction in error rates – all of which promote a leaner manufacturing operation. The impetus has been placed on the technology providers to be innovative with available technology and to pack more features into smaller, more comprehensive units.

ENQUIRY NO. 1202

ENQUIRY NO. 200

Nearly every feature on a mobile computer has implications on how well the device can support changing requirements and remain in service. It makes good business sense to invest in the technologies of tomorrow, as it helps to minimise the cost of upgrades. This bridges the gap between the old and new environments of a growing business and helps to ensure lean operations.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 27

control point

Multi-Applications Machining:

Being Versatile

Presented in various names like multitasking and integrated machining, they point to one concept: accomplishing more than one task in a machine. By Augustine Quek

T

oday’s manufacturing industry operates and thrives in a marketplace where the fabrication and delivery of complex parts must satisfy the bottom line and ensure quality and precision. As supplier relationships shift from country to country and business activities flow through different regions in search of reduced labour costs, being competitive now requires expertise and investment in multi-applications machining.

A s the name suggests, multi-applications machining does more than a single machining task in a single setup. Conventionally, most complex pa r ts required multiple setups on multiple machines, which impose high labour costs for setup, part tra nsfer, a nd inspection for the additional operations. Even moving and storing incomplete parts around the floor represents unnecessary cost.

28  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

The development of multiple operations on one machine has been made possible by the invention of Numerical Control ( NC), or computerised machining. NC has enabled many mechanical motions to be automated with fewer labour and parts.

Over the past few years, machines have evolved from essentially turning centres with some milling capability, or conversely, machining centres with a rotary table for basic turning operations. Offerings now include unique machine configurations that combine processes ranging from turning and milling to grinding, inspection to assembly, among other operations.

Cutting Tools I n t he cut t i n g to ol s se g me nt, i n se r t s w it h different shapes can give a face mill a different dimension, ie: multi-application enabled. The

Steve Jurvetson, USA

Software has also advanced with multitasking capabilities

“Robots made available for everyone” Introducing a 6 axis robot arm that is fast to implement and fast to change to a new task because it is light and easy to program.

The robot arm weighs only 18 Kg and has load capacity of 5 Kg. Delivered with a touch screen control panel.

Programmed by the “teach in mode” and visual program environment.

Working radius of 85 centimetres & Rotation: +/- 360 degrees Graphical user interface. 12 inch touch-sensitive screen with mounting Graphic programming environment or Script programming.

Visit us at exhibitions in Singapore (March 23-26) and in Seoul Korea (March 8-11) or don’t hesitate to contact us directly.

Zacobria Pte. Ltd. Phone: +65 8127 9082 • Email: info@zacobria.com • Web: www.zacobria.com

ENQUIRY NO. 209

abilit y to adapt to ma ny operations re sult from the consolidation of multiple applications within one face mill. In Valenite’s V490 multiapplication face mill, its secure insert retention is designed for precise indexing, making the cutter suited for steels, stainless steels and cast iron.

The octagon insert is effective for low cutting force milling with eight indexes; the square insert is suited for 90-deg shoulder machining with a depth of cut ranging to 12 mm; while the round insert is designed for rough face milling and shallow profile machining, according to the company.

Coromant Capto from Sandvik Coromant, is an open tool system designed for multi-task machining. The tool system makes it possible to have only one system that covers all metal cutting operations. The same coupling from the system can fit all machines.

The adaptors, in long and short versions, make it possible to extend the coupling size of a smaller tool and the total length, as well as reduce the coupling size of a larger tool and/or extend the total length for better accessibility. Its mini turret can hold three standard shank tools in one position in the magazine.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 29

Curtis Palmer, US

control point

The development of multiple operations on one machine has been made possible by the invention of numerical control

Machine Tools Like their cutting tool counterparts, machine tools makers are also looking into avenues to produce machines that are capable of multitasking. For example, Mori Seiki’s line of multitasking machine tools includes the SuperMiller 400, which features a tilt/rotary table that provides five-axis machining capability as well as turning to 1,500 rpm on the A axis. The machine’s tilting B axis moves vertically over a range of -20 to +110 degrees using a roller gear drive. A 12,000 rpm, BT40 spindle and 30-tool ATC are standard, and the machine has primary axis travels of 600, 425, and 450 mm in X, Y, and Z, respectively.

As machine variations have multiplied, machine builders are modifying their marketing pitches to reflect the differences among their products.

For example, multitasking is sometimes used intercha nge ably w it h mu lt i - applicat ions to emphasise flexibility and combined machining functionality.

A few companies prefer the term ‘integrated machining’. This is because while multitasking implies performing multiple operations on a part simultaneously, for example, screw machining or 30 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

multiple spindles, multi-application refers to operating on a part with one process at a time, sequentially, within the same machine.

For example, a grinder with both Outer Diameter (OD) and Inner Diameter (ID) grinding capabilities could multitask by doing both at the same time.

Therefore, some companies are even redefining terms, or coining new ones to describe the technology.

The term ‘multi-tool simultaneous machining’ can be applied to the Cincom M20/32 from Swiss-based Citizen. It is a Windows-based NC multi-applications machine that unites the high-speed performance of a gang tool and the multiple functions of a turret. It has two spindles and three tool posts with a multi-axis/ multi-line control system.

This allows it to control 13 programmable axes, A-axis for robotic arm, and perform front and back work simultaneously. The turret tool post allows multiple tools to be mounted in one tool holder on one turret station, decreasing tool change times.

A term called ‘ültratasking’, is used at Mazak Corp to reflect the integration of a wider variety of processes into a single machine platform. This is because as the concept of multitasking is already being accepted by the majority of manufacturers, they are also looking beyond milling, drilling, and tapping and adding other functions like hobbing, polishing, and grinding to the workpiece while it is in the machine.

This concept can be seen in Mazak’s Integrex, which merged a turning centre with a full-function machining centre to create a machine tool, which is capable of producing complicated finished parts in a single setup. This machine enables the processing of round parts with secondary operations, fully prismatic parts from solid or castings, or sculptured parts.

There are also several configurations for this machine. The single spindle with tailstock and B/Yaxis ATC-style turret configuration allows for turning and complex milling on and off centre line including helical features.

The single spindle with sub spindle instead of the tailstock, enables the automatic transfer of the first operation and completed part to the second spindle for second operation and completion of the part.

L a st ly, adding a se cond dr u m tu r ret to configurations above provides the ability to cut with two tools simultaneously on the same part in the first or second spindle; or working one tool from one tool carrier on the part in the first spindle and a different tool from the second tool carrier on the part in the second spindle.

The Road Ahead Multi-application machines eliminate multiple setups, part transfers and part handling. As a result, they eliminate the human errors and out-of-tolerance error accumulation associated with multiple setups. They also reduce multiple inspections as raw material that enters the machine comes out as finished parts. Therefore, the use of multi-application equipment can support lean manufacturing initiatives as the reductions that define lean occur when setting up a machine once for several operations.

Multitasking machines probably make up the most dynamic segment of the machine-tool industry.

Still a small portion of overall machine sales and multitasking technology is growing in importance as more users realise the benefits of single-setup machining of complex parts.

ENQUIRY NO. 1301

In The Pipeline In the future, multi-applications machining may not just cut or shape workpieces but may also measure their working depths before operations. A pending patent for multi-function CNC cutting/milling machine includes not only a cutting tool for cutting a workpiece, but also two lasers for depth measurement.

A feeder selectively feeds a gas or fluid through a longitudinal passage of the cutting tool to the workpiece to carry away cutting chips from the workpiece. A first laser beam and a second laser beam respectively project through the passage of the cutting tool onto the workpiece.

A detection control device receives the reflective light wave of the second laser beam reflected by the workpiece, for measuring the working depth of the cutting tool.

ENQUIRY NO. 1302

Okuma: Vertical Machining Centre The MU-400VA is a ve r t i c a l m a c h i n i n g centre developed by Okuma with major components based o n t h e c o m p a n y ’s MB-V series. A rotary table is mounted on a trunnion table, for the additional two axes that make this VMC a five-axis machining centre.

The rotary table is 400 mm in diameter, can take workpieces of up to 600 mm diameter, 400 mm high, and which weigh 300 kg. The VMC also comes equipped with the ‘Thermo-Friendly Concept’. It includes thermally symmetric designing, with box-building (building block), thermally balanced structures that control thermal deformation.

‘Machining Navi’ is included in the VMC to improve machining efficiency. It is an optimum cutting condition search function that supports the aggressive use of higher spindle speeds in stable zones.

ENQUIRY NO. 1303 2011_01_07_EasyChain_Layout 1 17.01.11 09:55 Seite 1

EasyChain very easy to fill

igus Singapore Pte Ltd asia-sales@igus.com.sg

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ENQUIRY NO. 207

Software Programs Software has also advanced with multitasking. Pro/ Engineer Prismatic and Multi-Surface Milling is an example, which automates many programming tasks through integration with 2D and 3D CAD/CAM operations.

It features two-axis prismatic part toolpath generation, multi-surface three-axis milling toolpath generation and automatic drilling. Its high speed machining features helical spline approaches and exits and slope-based finishing while its hole making features a variety of cycle types with custom cycles definition and simulation. It is also scalable to include four-axis wire EDM and multi-axis milling (five-axis) and turning.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 31

Alejandro MacĂ­as, Mexico

software & Networks

Industrial Ethernet:

Harsh Environments Performance In

Ethernet networks for factory spaces need to be sufficiently rugged to withstand shock, vibration and extreme temperatures.

By James Kiley, Advantech Industrial Automation Group

A

number of techniques are being used to adapt the Ethernet protocol for industrial applications, which must be reliable and provide real-time behaviour. By using non-proprietary protocols, automation systems from different manufacturers can be interconnected throughout a process plant. Industrial Ethernet helps to reduce cost and to improve the performance of communications between industrial controllers.

The technology has experienced increasing adoption rates in recent years by providing an inexpensive communication and control network, with a low total cost of ownership and virtually

32  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

100 percent uptime. A key to getting things right is through the use of suitable technology, such as industrial managed switches.

These devices are more rugged and intelligent than their consumer counterparts – a difference that enables the former to offer more advanced traffic control, greater redundancy, better security, as well as remote monitoring and management capabilities. A ll of these characteristics are important to successful networking in an industrial environment.

In general, industrial Ethernet is ruggedised for use in harsh environments, with special materials

• is ine x pensive compa red to propr ieta r y communication and control networks; • is well-established, based on open standards, and has good market acceptance; • allows multiple protocols to exist on the same wiring and enables the easy integration of systems and components from multiple vendors; • provides future-proof compatibility, flexible network topologies, and is highly scalable.

Standard vs Industrial Industrial Ethernet looks exactly like its office counterpart, at least pertaining to the signals on the wiring. As for the wiring itself, the two can also look quite similar. Standard Ethernet Category 5 (Cat5) and the later (Cat5e and Cat6) cabling use twistedpair wiring that is transformer coupled, which provides noise immunity and ground fault protection that is required by industrial networks.

In other circumstances, though, the technology demands a different wiring solution. For runs that are longer than 300 feet, or about 100 meters, fibre optics is one of the best choices, as it offers total electrical isolation in electrically noisy environments. Because of vibration, solid wiring should not be used on a factory floor.

For the same reason, special attention must be paid to cable terminations and connectors. For the former, a quality terminated cable or one adhering to the RJ45 standard should be used. For the latter, bulkhead connectors should be used beyond a panel.

When it comes to machine-mount devices, specialised connectors, like the RJ45 with a screw-on cap or the M12 industrial connector, should be used.

Industrial Ethernet has the form and fit that is required for a factory. It is also ruggedised, which means that its protection against Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency Interference (EMI and RFI) is enhanced. Because plant floors can be harsh environments in terms of electrostatics, part of the ruggedisation extends to improved protection against electrostatic discharge.

Similarly, factories can be challenging with regard to temperature and vibration, so industrial Ethernet components must be able to function in these extremes. This is accomplished by shock and vibration protection and an extended temperature rating.

A final difference between industrial and traditional Ethernet lies in the life-cycle of products. Whereas those that are intended for the office may be obsolete in a few months, the availability of industrial Ethernet products is measured in years, with a 5 – 7 year lifecycle being a typical timeframe.

The shared features of industrial and traditional Ethernet extend to the network topologies as well.

Fortunately, Ethernet offers flexibility, which means that there are many possible choices. At least one, and probably more, will most likely be suitable for a given situation.

The Right Fit As for possible network topologies, these vary by application and include the Star, Tree, Mesh and Ring. These configurations can be mixed and matched to provide the best possible arrangement.

A star topology works well for simple and small networks. In it, all nodes connect back to a central switch through a single cable. Because of its simplicity, a star layout is generally the easiest of all to implement. It is suitable for implementation within a single panel or between just a few panels.

No matter what topology or mix of topologies is used, the type of switch selected can make a

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and longer product life cycles than consumer devices. But why has industrial Ethernet, which was not originally developed for industrial applications experienced such success? That is because the technology:

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 33

software & Networks

monitoring. A managed switch can be managed remotely, through a web interface or the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) standard.

As for robustness, a managed switch will often have redundant network connections. The onboard CPU allows it to rapidly recover from a failure because the processor can quickly implement corrective action. In a ring configuration for example, if a link goes down, the switch can reach a device on the other end and heal the breach. Besides self-healing rings, managed switches can implement the Spanning Tree and Rapid Spanning Tree Protocols (RSTP) for recovery.

Industrial Ethernet has experienced increasing adoption rates in recent years by providing an inexpensive communication and control network, with a low total cost of ownership and virtually 100 percent uptime.

difference between success and failure. Switches process the basic Ethernet communication unit, a frame, at the physical and data-link layers – the first two in the seven layer OSI communication model. Switches are agnostic to higher layer protocols and have two basic transmission modes: one-to-one unicast or one-to-many broadcasts.

Like all Ethernet devices, switches are identified by their Media Access Control (MAC) address.

When it comes to switches, the choice is between an unmanaged and a managed one. The former is a plug-and-play device that acts as a network connection point. It receives a frame from a source and sends it to its destination. A managed switch, in contrast, is a more intelligent and robust device. It has its own processor and this intelligence offers a number of benefits: • Manual port settings and advanced traffic control; • Improved security; • Remote monitoring and management; • Greater robustness and media redundancy.

As for security, a managed switch can limit access

by Ethernet MAC addressing, via an allowed list and a blocked list. This method secures the network from unauthorised access. Another means of increased network security is a virtual Local Area Network (LAN), a logical network that runs within a single physical network along with other logical networks.

This restricts users and devices to only certain sections of the network.

A managed switch can mirror traffic from one or more ports to another, enabling remote traffic 34 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Evaluating Options Managed switches are more expensive than unmanaged ones. The expense however, needs to be weighed against the cost of downtime. This will vary for different situations and plant floors, but can be substantial in many cases. That is particularly true for a factory that owns expensive equipment, which may have to sit idle due to a network problem.

Even the best hardware and cables can fail, so there is a need for redundancy in areas where it is most likely to occur. One of these involves power supplies, which are usually the most common point of failure. Therefore, having two or more power supplies in a switch can ensure that downtime is minimised.

Another likely point of failure involves the links between devices. Cables can disconnect or break, which makes media redundancy important. This can be achieved by trunking, which physically duplicates links, or through the use of a self-healing ring using RSTP or a vendor specific implementation for rapid recovery.

Once an afterthought, the security of an automation network is now increasingly important.

This greater emphasis is partly due to the success in networking the factory floor – it is now possible to access devices from around the world, which makes them more vulnerable to casual hacking or outright attacks.

In some ways, security improvement ties into uptime efforts, since a compromised network is more likely to go down when compared to one that has not been infiltrated. Again, managed switches can play an important role. Because they allow for the use of VLANs, managed switches can ensure that maintenance personnel or the Human-MachineInterface (HMI) for operators on the line can only get to those devices that are needed to do the job.

By disabling unused ports, managed switches can decrease the area that is vulnerable to attack, making an assault harder to carry out.

ENQUIRY NO. 1401

ENQUIRY NO. 194

instrumentation & Measurement

Functional Improvement

MIMO smart antenna technology offers a number of performance enhancements for wireless communication systems. By Wilkie Yu, Agilent Technologies

T

he e x plosion in w irele ss communication devices is d r i v i n g t h e a c c e l e r a te d deployment of 3.9/4G networks l i k e L o n g Te r m E v o l u t i o n ( LT E ) a n d Wo rl d w ide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). In Asia Pacific for example, the first deployment of an LTE wireless network is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2011.

Technology Adoption While experts predict that it will occur in India, the LTE deployment 36  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

might also happen in Japan or Korea, depending on the outcome of trials. Additionally, test solutions are being put in place to test Time Domain-Long Term Evolution (TD -LTE) network equipment.

This move is designed to ensure the successful deployment of TD-LTE, which is expected to find widespread adoption in China, India and several other countries in Asia.

Both the LTE a nd WiM A X standards rely on Multiple-Input Multiple - Output ( MIMO) – a smart antenna technology that

can offer higher data rates with increased spectral efficiency and data throughput without additional bandwidth or transmit power. Such capabilities allow t he sta nda rds to match t he data capacity of their wired counterparts.

Since commercial wireless systems operate in high multipath env ironments, the st a nda rd s b e ne f it f rom t he multipath cha racteristics of MIMO antenna systems. In an LTE- or WiMAX-based wireless com mu n ic at ion syste m, t he

The Challenge Because of its ability to deliver higher data rates, MIMO has become a key technolog y of emerging 4G wireless standards.

Despite the array of performance improvements that it offers, these benefits come at a price.

By its nature, MIMO is a complex technology. It will become more complex as R&D engineers migrate to four-channel or higher MIMO. To ensure its optimal operation, the R&D engineer must accurately test the MIMO transmitter/receiver once it is implemented in a wireless system. A primary challenge here lies with multipath fading, which degrades system performance in Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) systems, but has the opposite effect in MIMO systems.

In the latter systems, low correlation between transmit and receive antennas is critical to realising MIMO’s promised system throughput improvement. To take full advantage of this improvement, the engineer must accurately model the system’s wireless channels to better understand the effects of antenna spacing, polarisation, radiation pattern, and angular spread.

These four key phenomena directly affect channel correlation in a MIMO system and therefore i m p a c t s y s te m t h r o u g h p u t (Figure 1). With this information, R&D engineers can accurately characterise how a transmitter/ receiver will behave under realworld conditions and early enough in the design cycle to easily find and fix any problems.

One option is to test the receiver directly in a ‘re a l’ wireless environment, although this solution is neither effective nor practical, due to factors like channel sensitivity and mobility requirements. Other solutions are available, but must be augmented w it h R adio Fre quenc y ( R F ) faders, an approach that leads

to an extensive manual power calibration problem stemming from poor power accuracy.

An Alternative Another approach for quickly and accurately testing a MIMO receiver under real-world conditions is to employ a fully-integrated solution that marries a signal source, noise

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ENQUIRY NO. 145

MIMO antennas transmit and re ceive sig na ls, ma k ing t he optimisation of transmitter and receiver characteristics critical for optimal system performance.

Accurately testing the MIMO transmitter/receiver under realworld conditions is therefore essential.

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Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 37

instrumentation & Measurement

Absolute value of correlation coefficient

1

Omni AS=2 Directive AS=10 Omni AS=10 Omni AS=35 Directive AS=35 Omni AS=5 Directive AS=2 Direction AS=5

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

0

2

4

6

8

10

Normalised spacing (wavelength) Figure 1: This graph illustrates the expected channel correlation based on various antenna properties. High correlation yields poor throughput and vice versa. While radiation pattern does not play a major role in correlation, antenna spacing and the angular spread of the antennas do have a large effect.

source and fader. The solution should be able to: • P rov ide f le x ible c ha n ne l e m u l a t i o n fo r t h e l a te s t LTE and WiMA X standards and the real-time fading of internally generated signals – along with support for the fading of, and noise addition to RF inputs coming from a user device.

• Provide versatile, up-to-date standards compliant signal creation.

• Q u i c k l y r e p l i c a t e r e a l world M IMO conditions and channels, and generate rea listic fading scena rios including path and channel correlations; capabilities that are critical to ma ximising receiver performance, minimising design uncertainty and reducing development cycle time.

• Pl ay b a c k u s e r- g e n e r a te d radiation pattern or accurately model phenomenon like antenna spacing, polarisation, 38 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

radiation pattern, and angular spread, each of which affect c ha n ne l cor re lat io n to a certain extent.

In contrast to solutions that only offer signal generation, such a fully-integrated solution provides a highly versatile platform for testing standards-based MIMO receivers (eg: LTE and WiMAX) that enables the quick and accurate isolation of issues early in the lifecycle.

Situation Assessment It a llows R& D eng ine ers to accurately simulate real-world conditions in the lab that can quickly test corner cases and stress devices beyond standards requirements. They can also test co-existence to ensure design robustness earlier in the design process.

An example is the N5106A PXB baseband generator and channel emulator. It allows R&D engineers to set up correlation properties that are based on standards-based

channel models using drop down pre-defined settings, as per the standard definition. It also provides them with the flexibility to set the correlation between transmit and receive antennas, based on the antenna setup.

In particular, such a solution allows engineers to define the spacing and to define or input the custom radiation pattern of the antennas, in order to calculate the correlation matrix. It also allows coefficients resulting from MatLab simulations of correlation properties to be put directly into the instrument’s correlation matrix. The engineer can then set the correlation between each of the faders’ channels or paths within the channels (eg: channel-to-channel or path-to-path correlation).

For today’s R&D engineers, the benefits of using a fully integrated solution include: • reduced development cycle time; • minimised design uncertainty; • minimised equipment and lab setup time; • maximised equipment investment; • investment longevity; • maximised performance; • scalability Despite the array of performance improvements that are offered by the technology, its complexity makes the accurate testing of MIMO transmitters/receivers challenging. W hile there are solutions that are available to address this, a flexible, fully integrated solution that is designed to handle the complexity and that can adequately simulate realworld conditions, offers a more viable alternative. By replicating real-world MIMO conditions in the lab, R&D engineers can now use this approach to quickly and accurately isolate issues early in the lifecycle.

ENQUIRY NO. 1501

ENQUIRY NO. 195

sector spotlight

B

Braun is a pharmaceutical company that operates more than 50 facilities worldwide and employs nearly 40,000 people. With Leading Infusion Factory Europe (LIFE), the company has expanded its operations for manufacturing infusion solutions in Pfieffewiesen, Germany.

System Ramp Up Efficiency has been the guiding principle for the production of infusion solutions in threechamber-bags. The aim was to also standardise the automation for the LIFE nutrition plant. This means, that as many machines and facilities as possible – starting with the batch system, from the filling, the steriliser and the inspection machines to the packaging – are provided by the same automation solutions. For the first time, the primary and secondary areas of the pharmaceutical production (ie: the complete value chain) were investigated.

“That´s a big advantage for us: our plants are less complex for maintenance, we need fewer spare parts, minimum training effort for the maintenance staff and we also have only one contact for the pneumatics,” explains Cristina Molina, project manager at B Braun. “ I n a dd it io n , i nte g ra te d automation allows us to control and document the entire production process paperlessly. The Distributed Control System (DCS) controls the measured values and reports them to a Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. If you want to be ahead on the world markets and fulfil the legal standards and the requirements of the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), it is essential to validate the processes.”

A project team from Festo together with specialists from B Braun analysed the types of pneumatic components that were already used on site. They

40 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Case Study:

Automating Pharma Production

Valve terminal technology is playing a major role at the heart of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Germany.

By Christopher Haug, Festo

recommended a standard, created a standard component list and coordinated the arrangements with all the companies that were involved in this project. They also considered all requirements in respect to the connectivity to the DCS. Based on this, a customised valve terminal solution was engineered to provide the optimum solution for B Braun.

From Start To Finish The centrepiece of the automation solution is at the sensor-actuator level of the CPX/MPA valve terminal that is mounted in cabinets. With the flexible control and monitoring concept, it is possible to connect all feedback sensors, actuators and process valves to the I/O-modules of the valve terminal, which itself is connected via Profibus to the DCS. The DCS controls 4,000 membrane and other types of process valves in the pharmaceutical production line.

From the process facilities to the packing machines, B Braun now uses a standardised

product technology. In a list of recommended products for the project, the company summarised all pneumatic components and the sub systems – from the valve terminal to air preparation (MSseries), to the flow control sensor MS6 -SFE and finally the preassembled cabinets.

To complete the pneumatic control loop system, the standard cylinders, one-way control valves, fittings, tubes and the proximity switches are also on this list of approved products. This ‘singlesourcing’ reduces costs and raises the efficiency of the purchasing process. In addition, the standardised valve terminal cabinets a llow the pla nt manufacturer, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), consultants and also B Braun to concentrate on their own core competencies. Festo designed, built and delivered 45 pre-finished cabinets with valve terminals for direct mounting at the plant.

ENQUIRY NO. 1601

Caroline Hoos, Germany

sector spotlight

US Market Report:

Pharma Packaging

Fuelled by favourable market forces and legislation, the packaging market for pharmaceuticals is expected to expand till 2014. By Bill Martineau, analyst, Freedonia

D

emand for pharmaceutical packaging in the US (including Puerto Rico) is forecast to increase 5.3 percent annually to US$18.5 billion in 2014. Upgraded regulations and standards that address such issues as barrier protection, infection control, patient drug compliance, drug dispensing errors, and drug diversion and cou nter feit ing w ill u nderlie growth.

Product In Demand An increased focus on these issues will boost demand for high value -added containers and accessories. These include

enhanced barrier plastic bottles, ca lenda r a nd wa llet blister packaging, prefillable syringes and inhalers, track and trace and authentication labels, and unit dose pouches.

Demand for primary pharmaceutical containers will increase 5.2 percent annually to US$11.3 billion in 2014. The fastest growth is anticipated for prefillable syringes, which will expand applications as advances in biotechnolog y lead to the introduction of new therapies that must be injected.

Plastic bottles will remain the most widely used package for oral drugs that are distributed in bulk

and prescription dose volumes to retail and mail order pharmacies.

T hey w il l a l so cont i nue to dominate applications in OverThe-Counter (OTC) medicines that a re sold in tablet a nd capsule quantities of 50 or more.

Pharmaceutical blister packaging will derive growth based on its adaptability to unit dose formats with expanded label content, high visibility, and built-in track and trace features.

Speed Of Change The market for pharmaceutical pouches will expand at a fast pace, spurred by increa sing applications in the unit dose Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia  41

sector spotlight

packaging of transdermal patches, powders for reconstitution, and topical creams and ointments.

Prefillable inhalers will command strong growth opportunities as the number of chronic asthma, allergy and migraine patients who are treated with inhalation drugs rises. Ongoing improvements in aesthetic and barrier properties will keep tubes a leading primary container for topical medication.

Pha r m ace ut ic a l c lo su re s will comprise a US$3 billion US market in 2014, up 5.5 percent annually from 2009. Vial stoppers, syringe tips and plastic flip top vial closures will command strong g row th a s injectable bioengineered drugs broaden emergency care and chronic disease indications.

Push-and-turn child-resistant caps w ill rema in t he top closures for oral and liquid drug containers, but will lose growth momentum as blister packs and pouches penetrate unit dose applications. Plastic dispensing closures will fare much better among drug makers based on ease-of-use and convenience in

the delivery of liquid medicines and lotions.

Due to ma rketing a nd security benefits, paperboard boxes will continue to lead sales of secondary pharmaceutical containers. Demand for prescription vials will increase slowly as ethical medicines are adapted to prescription dose bottles and blister packs for direct dispensing.

Due to trends toward smallersized pharmaceutical shipments, folding cartons will post faster growth in demand among drug makers than corrugated shipping boxes. Overall demand value recorded by pharmaceutical labels will advance rapidly as drug makers change to higher v a lue - adde d t y p e s to me et existing and forthcoming pedigree regulations for combating drug counterfeiting.

Riding The Wave Demand for other packaging accessories, including shrink wrap and bands, tamper-evident seals, desiccants and packaging materia ls, w ill ex pa nd w ith increases in pharmaceutical

sh ip m e nt s. B a s e d o n co s t , versat ilit y a nd adaptabilit y advantages, plastic resins will remain the most widely used materials in US pharmaceutical packaging applications, accounting for 1.5 billion pounds of consumption in 2014.

Ongoing improvements in r a w m a te r i a l s w i l l b e n e f i t pha rmaceutica l packaging pro duc t s by le ad i n g to t he i nt ro du c t io n o f co nt a i ne r s, closures and packaging accessories w ith better aesthetic, barrier protection, s e c u r i t y, e a s e - o f - u s e a n d compliance features.

Additiona lly, adva nce s in material processing techniques w ill prov ide for g re ater pharmaceutical packaging cost efficiencies – an increasingly important consideration to drug makers as they face intensifying generic competition, expanding government regulations and the tightening of public and private price controls.

Following upward trends in the volume a nd mi x of dr ug shipments, tota l dema nd for pha rmaceutica l packaging

Summary Table Pharmaceutical Packaging Demand By Product Group (million dollars)

Item Pharmaceutical Packaging Demand Primary Containers: Plastic Bottles Blister Packaging Parenteral Containers Other Primary Containers Packaging Accessories: Closures Secondary Containers Labels Other Accessories

42  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

% Annual Growth

2004

2009

2014

2019

09/04

14/09

10390 6440 2330 1470 1125 1515

14250 8720 3090 1920 1690 2020

18450 11250 3810 2370 2420 2650

23700 14300 4450 2900 3410 3540

6.5 6.2 5.8 5.5 8.5 5.9

5.3 5.2 4.3 4.3 7.4 5.6

3950 1610 905 665 770

5530 2260 1150 1100 1020

7200 2960 1430 1490 1320

9400 3800 1740 2190 1670

7.0 7.0 4.9 10.6 5.8

5.4 5.5 4.5 6.3 5.3

Reaping The Harvest In addition, increasing demand for high value-added drug packaging, such as blister packs, unit dose pouches and plastic dispensing bottles, will enable the producers of pharmaceutical packaging to generate greater returns from raw materials.

Through 2014 and beyond, plastic resins will remain the leading group of pharmaceutical packaging raw materials that are based on demand value. This top position will reflect broad product applications, improving intrinsic and processing properties, and overall cost effectiveness.

Uses in secondary containers, labels, packaging inserts and unit dose pouches will keep paper and paperboard the second leading pharmaceutical packaging raw material through 2014. However

ENQUIRY NO. 1602

Leonardini, Ukraine

afterwards, foil will overtake paper and paperboard, based on penetration of unit dose application.

Competition from pla stic re si n s w i l l we a ke n g row t h oppor tunitie s for gla ss in standard medication bottles.

However, ba sed on sterilit y assurance benefits, glass will remain the most widely used raw material for small volume parenteral containers. Aluminum foil will record strong growth in pharmaceutical packaging, boosting applications in blister pack and pouch components, as well as in specialty closures and inner and outer container seals.

Combined, all other pharmaceutical packaging raw materials will post demand of US$605 million in 2014. Nonwovens will account for the largest usage, serving as a specialty lidding and backing material for drug blister packs, pouches and trays.

Tinplate steel and other non-foil metals are employed in aerosol cans and medication tins, but based on cost and processing disadvantages, they have lost most applications to plastics and foils.

Ongoing improvements in raw materials will benefit pharmaceutical packaging products by leading to the introduction of containers, closures and packaging accessories with better aesthetic, barrier protection, security, ease-of-use and compliance features.

Leonardini, Ukraine

raw materials is projected to increase 5.0 percent annually to US$2.8 billion in 2014. Growth w ill adva nce slightly slower t ha n t he combined va lue of finished containers, closures and accessories as improvements in materia ls a nd processing technologies contribute to greater cost efficiencies.

Plastic bottles will continue to dominate applications in OTC medicines that are sold in tablet and capsule quantities of 50 or more.

Pharmaceutical Packaging Raw Materials Demand

By Product Group (million dollars) Item

1999

2004

2009

2014

2019

Pharmaceutical Packaging Raw Materials

1200

1640

2180

2780

3500

Plastic Resins

545

832

1180

1550

2000

Paper & Paperboard

207

222

238

250

265

Aluminum Foil

89

122

170

220

280

Glass

88

101

120

155

195

271

363

472

605

760

Other Raw Materials

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia  43

sector spotlight

Camera Vision Systems:

Keeping Track In the face of stricter regulations, pharmaceutical manufacturers need to adopt economically viable solutions to improve the traceability and authentication of products. By Didier Lacroix, senior VP, International Sales & Services, Cognex

I

n response to increasing global reg ulations on hea lthca re pro duct s, pha r maceut ica l manufacturers are preparing to implement serialised packaging in support of full traceability and authentication requirements.

However, the traditional approach of deploying turnkey serialisation solutions that integrate PC-based 44  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

vision can be expensive to install, validate, and maintain.

Due to miniaturisation and the advances in the power of Digital Signal Processors (DSP), imaging sensors and decoding algorithms, traceability applications (such as ID code reading, text verification, mark quality assessment) and label inspection can now be

accomplished more economically – by using smart camera vision systems.

Simple Setup Compared to PC-based systems, smart camera vision systems are generally easier to configure, validate, and maintain. Because they are solid state, the latter may

provide a more stable platform compared to other alternatives.

Being configurable, rather than programmable, smart camera vision systems can also make it easier for manufacturers to accommodate future changes in regulations and standards.

Smart camera vision systems now offer more adva nced net work ing, com mu nicat ion capabilitie s a nd factor y integration tools. And with a standard operator interface for a common look and feel across all packaging lines and inspection points, many pharmaceutical manufacturers now consider such systems an important tool in their efforts to build strategic information architectures that are closely aligned with corporate sustainability goals.

A n incre a sing number of Europe a n count r ie s a re, or will be adopting and ePedigree infrastructures throughout their supply chains. In the near term, Turkey and France will require item-level serialisation, starting in 2011. Other countries with regulatory deadlines include Brazil, US, and South Korea.

Countries having entered into regulatory negotiations to set a deadline include Spain, Germany, Italy, and Bosnia. In US, the state of California has extended its ePedigree deadline to 2015.

For manufacturers that have yet to begin lea rning about serialisation, this could be an appropriate time to initiate a program or resume a stalled pilot project. This is because these requirements will eventually impact pharmaceutical plants worldwide.

A s the pharmaceutical industr y ha s experienced a consolidation, plants a r e b e co m i n g i n c r e a si n g l y specialised, producing fewer pro duc t s for a n i nc re a si n g number of ma rkets. Ma ny

Compared to PC-based systems, smart camera vision systems are generally easier to configure, validate, and maintain.

producers ma nu facture one medication in a few or even a single location and distribute that product globally.

Playing By The Rules Even though not all regions have enacted ePedigree legislation, manufacturers that are exporting into regulated markets must adapt their packaging to conform to specific regulations, even at facilities that are located in countries which have not yet imposed legislative deadlines.

With complia nce come s i m p r o v e d p a t i e n t s a f e t y, product integrity, and supply chain security. However beyond compliance, drug manufacturers have realised the value in being able to stop cou nter feiting, preventing parallel trade through unauthorised channels, and achieving greater visibility into how products are made, distributed, and used.

Implementing traceability for product safety and quality control helps firms to isolate the source and the extent of safety or quality control problems. This

minimises the production and the distribution of unsafe or poor quality products, which reduces the potential for bad publicity, liability, and recalls.

And, in the event of a recall, the more granular the tracing system, the faster a producer can identify and resolve product safety or quality problems.

It is therefore necessary for pharmaceutical producers to actively engage with equipment and software suppliers to map out their traceability requirements.

They also need to start planning to i mple me nt t he sof t wa re infrastructure that is required to support data sharing with trading partners.

For the sake of traceability, manufacturers uniquely code each lot or batch to identify the time and location of production to make recalls more efficient and less costly.

But this is not sufficient to meet the increased regulations of the future that will require f u l l t race a b i l it y to co mpl y with product serialisation and authentication requirements.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia  45

Interfacing Systems Whether applying traceability at the batch level, or implementing serialised packaging to support full traceability for ePedigree, producers must deploy a range of technolog y a nd softwa re platforms, spanning all levels, processes, and systems. At the highest levels, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems typically interface between the supply chain and plant-level systems such as Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), line management, and serialisation databases.

Here, PCs are an essential component of a traceability system, where they are a tool for user access control, database management and enterprise level software applications. PCs are also generally required at the next level down where the line management and Human Machine Interface (HMI) software reside.

Vision systems are generally divided into two groups: PC-based vision systems and smart camera vision systems. Key differentiators between these two types of vision systems include architecture, cost, and development environment.

Smart cameras are defined as self- conta ined systems that include a CPU, image sensor, communications, network connectivity, and do not require a PC or a monitor to run vision tools.

Centralised vs Distributed Processing PC-based vision systems generally multiplex industrial cameras from a single processor in order to distribute vision at multiple points on the production line. This centralised approach typically increases software complexity and integration costs to the point where the resulting system is not as easily scalable as a distributed smart camera architecture. PC-based vision systems also require more 46  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Dariusz Rompa, Poland

sector spotlight

Drug manufacturers have realised the value in being able to stop counterfeiting, preventing parallel trade through unauthorised channels, and achieving greater visibility into how products are made, distributed, and used.

physical space on the machine, and can make centralising the HMI a challenge when multiple stations are deployed.

Smart camera vision systems combine low-cost distributed processing with high - speed networking to provide greater scalability. Such systems generally have one or two processors per camera, and because they can be easily linked together and managed as a system over a network, the overall costs and complexities of implementing distributed vision are reduced.

In terms of cost, PC-based vision systems typically have a much higher cost of ownership because they often require greater oversight and management from the IT department. This is to deal with issues like service pack updates and virus protection.

Because smart cameras function independently of the Windows op erat i n g sy ste m, t hey do not require pha rmaceutica l manufacturers to repeatedly quarantine, test, and deploy patches.

PC performance increases with each boost in processor

speed, which makes newer PCbased vision systems well-suited for complex or mathematically intensive applications. However, because PC technology changes rapidly, it cannot be as easily replicated as standard off-theshelf smart camera vision systems.

In as little as one year after installation, for example, it may be more difficult to source for and configure a new PC with identical specifications than it would be to replicate a smart camera.

Lack Of Uniformity Similarly, replacing failed PCs and/ or expanding the line to include more PCs frequently results in many different models on the line.

The end result is that some of these machine vision systems may offer sophisticated vision tools and provide fast performance (because they use the latest CPU architectures), while others may not because they are based on older technology.

On the other hand, smart camera technology can be more stable over time. As a result, it is easier to find a commercial off-theshelf replacement unit for many

Operating By Standards This can be expensive in today’s regulatory environment because the path to compliance remains unclear with current data formats and marking standards that vary between countries and regions.

In this uncertain environment, producers implementing programmable PC-based systems have limited ability to adapt quickly and efficiently. Every time production changes require code rewrites and costly line revalidations, major costs have to be incurred.

In contrast, the advanced smart camera systems generally require no programming and prov ide more u se r- f r ie nd l y

interfaces. This makes it easy for pharmaceutical manufacturers to cost-effectively bring more machine -level integration for their packaging lines in-house.

Because they do not require p ro g r a m m i n g , t h e s e s m a r t camera vision systems are easier to adapt for compliance with emerging global standards.

Con se que nt ly, pro ducers implementing sma r t ca mera vision systems will have greater flexibility to respond quickly to new production requirements.

Configurable software reduces the need for line revalidations because code rewrites are not required to accommodate production environment changes.

ENQUIRY NO. 213

years after the initial installation.

It is also less costly to stock spares and to maintain consistent vision system performance across multiple production lines and inspection points.

The development environment allows users to ‘build’ (set up and program) vision applications to meet specific needs. While many PC-based systems have a programmable environment, most smart camera vision systems generally provide a configurable environment that is easier to use, integrate, and maintain.

Programmable PC systems are generally more costly and time consuming to integrate b e c au se t hey re qu i re more vision expertise and knowledge of low- level progra mming languages such as C++ or Visual Basic. Consequently, producers without in -house machine vision expertise in these lowlevel programming languages typically incur the extra costs of contracting a specialist, every time production requirements change. Otherwise, they need to pay for costly annual service and support arrangements with equipment suppliers.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 47

In a sprint to comply with product seria lisation a nd aut he nt ic at io n re g u lat io n s, ma ny major pha rmaceutica l ma nufacturers have defined traceability requirements a nd have i n it iate d pack a ge serialisation pilot programs.

Some have sta nda rdised on integrated solution providers that offer turnkey serialisation systems. Others are strategically leveraging multiple partners to d e s i g n a b e s t - o f - b r e e d serialisation system at each level of the enterprise.

Ma ny ma nufacturers that have standardised on a single turnkey vendor in an effort to reduce integration time, a re pausing to reassess best tools and practices. After rethinking their initial strategies, many have found that relying on one vendor to supply all equipment and software needed for serialisation – from the machine and line levels up through the ME S a nd enterprise levels – prov ide s limited choice s in component selection a nd technology.

Making The Right Call Serialisation success depends on not only selecting the right ERP, MES, and packaging line control software, but also in choosing the right hardware for marking, coding, labelling, and especially for identification.

Because companies with integrated serialisation solutions must offer a variety of products a nd ser v ice s beyond v ision hardware and software, they generally have limited machine vision offerings.

In contrast, companies that a re focused on identification a nd machine v ision, of fer a ra nge of sma r t ca mera v ision systems in a va riety of form factors, re solutions, a nd processing speeds. These 48  industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

foxumon, US

sector spotlight

Implementing traceability for product safety and quality control helps firms to isolate the source and the extent of safety or quality control problems.

compa nie s deliver accu rate a nd reliable v ision a nd ID to o l s f o r te x t v e r i f i c a t i o n , label inspection, ba rcode re a d i n g, a n d o t he r g e ne ra l vision applications. In addition, compa nies with core competencies in machine vision and industrial ID genera lly prov ide both sma r t ca mera a nd PC-ba sed v ision system a rchitecture s fo r p e r fo r m a n ce - o p t i m i s e d solutions at each application level.

Low cost, ease of deployment and ease of maintenance remain the key at t r ibute s o f sma r t c a me ra v i s i o n s y s te m s . W h i l e P C s a r e r e qu i r e d a t t h e h i g h e r enterprise and production line levels, sma r t ca mera v ision systems can address ID code re ading, te x t ver i f icat ion, ma rk qua lity a ssessment, label inspection, and general inspection applications, more cost- effectively at the machine level.

With built- in Ethernet, smart camera vision systems provide higher-level c o m p u t i n g s y s te m s a c c e s s

to plant floor data. Ethernet a l s o l i n k s e n te r p r i s e l e v e l network s w ith production control and device networks, and allows intelligent control devices to share information that is required for tasks such a s automat ing product ion line cha ngeovers. It offers highspe ed acce ss to data that is generated by a range of pla nt floor dev ices for statistical process control.

As pharmaceutical ma nufacturers move from their current traceability initiatives toward compliance with future ePedigree requirements, those that choose to add smart camera vision systems at the machine level, can achieve the balance of price a nd performa nce at e ach appl ic at ion level. A nd because smart camera vision system s ca n b e combine d with a variety of third-party products, producers have t he f le x ibi l it y to cu stom i se a nd sca le their seria lisation solut ion s to b e st su it t he i r budgets and needs.

ENQUIRY NO. 1603

ENQUIRY NO. 166

energy

‘Disruptive’ Technologies In

T

here is uncertainty over the future supply and demand for hydrocarbons, particularly in the transportation sector, which accounts for 50 percent of primary oil consumption. Some argue that biofuels and electric vehicles will not have much short or medium term impact, but there is evidence that a range of technologies could be commercialised within just five years. However, it will take further steps by innovators and regulators to make that happen.

Technological Investigation An industry study has been performed to compare key technologies and to evaluate them against criteria. Identified are 12 technologies that could disrupt the hydrocarbon market. The criteria considers whether fuels: • have the potential to influence the demand of the hydrocarbons that they replace by at least 20 percent by 2030; 50 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Progress has been made with innovative efforts in areas like genetic engineering and other technologies. These initiatives could have a major impact on the hydrocarbon market over the next two decades. By Melissa Stark, Accenture • generate greenhouse gas savings of greater than 30 percent over those hydrocarbons and; • can be cost competitive at an oil price of between US$45 and US$90 per barrel.

O n e o f t h e m o s t s u r p r i s i n g ‘d i s r u p t i v e ’ technologies is the nex t generation internal combustion engine. Fuel injection, power train system s a nd lighter mater ia ls w ill a llow it to offer immediate and significant emissions reductions. It is believed that the 100 miles per gallon (42.5 km per litre) car can be achieved by 2030, beating today’s 40 mpg in Europe and Japan or the 35.5 mpg that has been targeted in the US by 2016.

John Evans, UK

Transportation Fuels

A nother exa mple is nex t- generation agriculture, where biotechnology continues to enable significant increases in yield, achieves step changes in process and upgrades co/byproducts.

Next generation biofuels will have an even greater impact on the hydrocarbon market, given the advances in genetic engineering, impacting feedstock, deconstruction, conversion and co/byproduct upgrading (see Figure 1).

Biofuels

<5 Years

5-10 Years

Feedstock

Agricultural waste, corn cobs, forestry waste, wheat straw, Biomass sugar cane, to energy sorghum, market cassava

+ + Miscanthus, switchgrass, More GM across woody crops, municipal all crops solid waste, industrial waste Feedstock All waste Algae market Selected GM streams

Figure 1: Genetic Engineering In Biofuels

Intermediate products

Wood pellets

+ Mixed biomass pellets, torrefied pellets, biochar, pyrolysis oil

Deconstruction

Pretreatment: dilute acid, hot water, AFEX, lime, SAA, steam explosion

Range of enzymes specific to different feedstocks, pretreatments, conversions

Enzymes: one enzyme cocktail amenable to different feedstocks and conversion processes

Microbes/ chemicals/ catalysts capable of combining deconstruction steps

Application

Examples of players

• Genetically modified crops, with improved characteristics: - Drought/disease resistance - Faster, improved yield, more uniform growth - Decreased nutrient requirement - Greater seed durability - “Single harvest only” growth

• Mendel • Ceres • Monsanto • Syngenta

Enzyme • Genetically enhanced microbial enzymes that are: • Genencor

- More efficient: achieve higher sugar yields • Novozymes

- More cost effective: requires lower dosage, • Edenspace

lower temperatures • Zymetis

- More resilient to range of inhibitors produced upstream

• Crop-produced enzymes (hydrolytic enzymes to reduce subsequent pre-treatment) Conversion • Biofermentation/biocatalytic conversion:

microbe-based conversion of either sugar-to-fuel

(diesel, gasoline) or syngas-to-ethanol

• Microbes are cheaper than conventional

catalyts, continually regenerate, can be

tolerant to more impurities and operate at a broader range of temperatures/pressures

• Mascoma • QTEROS • Amyris • LS9, Inc. • Gevo • Solazyme

By/co-product • Engineered organisms produce chemicals, • GlycosBio upgrading and with increased yield and productivity other products • Upgrading of byproducts of biofuel production

(e.g., glycerin) process using modified organisms

for the fermentation process (cheaper than traditional petrochemical route)

In addition to next generation agriculture, genetic engineering is also playing a key role in three other technologies.

• Sugarcane-to-diesel: Synthetic biology can now convert sugarcane to diesel and is expected to be commercialised before 2014. This is helped by sugarcane’s availability and its relatively low cost compared to first generation palm, soy and rapeseed feedstocks.

• Butanol: It has similar energ y content to gasoline, can be transported through existing pipelines, and can be blended with gasoline at higher ratios than ethanol. Synthetic biology has helped overcome some of the yield and toxicity challenges in the traditional AcetoneButanol-Ethanol (ABE) process. Butanol is expected to see commercialisation before 2014.

• Algae: Algae can achieve yields that are up to 25 times greater than soybeans, and introduces a potentially abundant feedstock. The costs are still high (US$8-32/gallon), and it is expected to require 10 years to be commercialised.

Figure 2: Possible Evolution Of Biofuels 10-15 Years

15+ Years

Microbes, chemicals, catalysts

Conversion • Biochemical to + ethanol • Biorefineries

• Sugarcane to diesel • Biocrude

• Iso-butanol • Waste bio-gasification

• By/co-products to chemicals

Production cost, $3-4/gallon $2-3/gallon no subsidies ($0.8-1.1/litre) ($0.5-0.8/litre)

Combined steps

Cumulative/ongoing

Building your Vision System is as EASY as

1

Lighting

+ 2

Lens

+ 3

Filters

18 Boon Lay Way, #08-121, TradeHub 21, Singapore 609966 • Tel: (65) 65159110 • Fax: (65) 65159112 Email: islandos@pacific.net.sg / lief@islandos.com.sg • URL: http://www.islandos.com.sg

ENQUIRY NO. 205

Feedstock

However, genetic modification is helping to produce higher yield strains that are easier to harvest and extract oils from.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 51

energy

material remains a contentious issue, the acceptance of genetic modification for fuel production is slowly growing.

• Feedstock logistics: With har vesting and reprocessing accounting for up to 50 percent of feedstock costs, the infrastructure and processes that are required to effectively harvest and transport these materials to refining plants will be a key focus area.

Implications For Innovators Science ha s made sig nifica nt progress, but innovators now have to turn their attention to business strategies that could make the difference between success and failure.

Nadine Wegner, Germany

Algae can achieve yields that are up to 25 times greater than soybeans, and introduces a potentially abundant feedstock.

Competing With Alternatives Biof uels face a ra nge of cha l le nge s, most prominently, competition from the interna l combustion engine and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). Other barriers include: • Ethanol ‘blending wall’: Today, only Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) are allowed to use blends of more than 10 percent ethanol. The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) however, is pushing to raise the blending wall to 15 percent and to increase the share of allowable corn ethanol in t he Re newable Fuel Sta nda rds ( R F S ) programme. This would buy the industry time to commercialise and to roll out cellulosic ethanol. If the blending wall does not change, the pace of the industry will be constrained by the roll-out of FFVs and the ethanol refuelling infrastructure.

• Acceptance of genetic engineering: Genetic engineering is a key lever in using biomass to produce fuel. Many countries restrict the use of genetic engineering. Approval for commercial production is limited by EU legislation, which includes the ‘Directive on the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Organisms’ (2001) and the ‘Regulation on Genetically Modified Food and Feed’ (2003).

However, while the cloning of human genetic 52 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

• Leading roles for scientists: Placing scientists in leading roles will be key to ensure that innovators communicate effectively with the public and regulators. For instance, this will help to ensure that the fuel categories defined in the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) would be modified to take into account newer technologies such as sugarcane-to-diesel and algae.

• Business model f lexibility: A lthough the vertically integrated model has proven to be resilient to the volatility in feedstock and product prices, it is not available to all companies.

Depending on feedstock, storage or distribution challenges, alternative partnership and contract models will have to be considered.

• E xecut ion a nd r isk ma na gement sk ills: High performers will be those that invest in skills that are needed to optimise their supply chains and to ma ximise operating margins to remain commercially competitive against gasoline and diesel – whose prices remain the benchmark. They will also have to improve their risk mitigation skills to manage the volatility of feedstock and oil prices, which is a test for companies that have been focused on innovation.

Despite the commercial and policy moves towards low carbon fuels, many hurdles stand in the way of these potentially ‘disruptive’ technologies.

The innovative pioneers have to extend their skills from science towards commerce, while governments will have to reinforce their scientific knowledge if they are to regulate effectively.

Above all, they will both have to respond to the unprecedented variety of alternative fuel sources, which will pose as commercial threats as well as opportunities.

ENQUIRY NO. 1701

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features

Robots:

Delivering Reliability For aircraft construction, individual components have to be assembled together with precision to ensure quality and safety in the end product.

By Katrin Stuber, Kuka

S

tork Fokker is a supplier of structures and systems to aircraft manufacturers. It has a global workforce of 12,000 staff.

The company’s second robot – a Kuka KR 150, is used to drill and install fasteners in carbon-fibre or aluminium aircraft components.

The components are typically bonded structures with spars and ribs inside.

Challenges In Manufacturing Adhesive is used as an assembly aid, and additional blind fasteners are installed for added strength. What may seem simple to an outsider is actually a complicated procedure.

For example, the fasteners must be fitted at a precise angle.

If the material to be processed is aluminium, small chips are produced during drilling and these can fall inside the component.

“Getting them back out again is no simple matter,” explains Leo Muys, senior development engineer in the

54 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

R&D department. At the end of the day, they have to be shaken out, which is a waste of time.

The robot has eliminated this problem. Firstly, the holes are drilled in such a way that the chips fall outwards. A different drilling geometry is applied – one that cannot be applied manually with such precision. The rpm and drilling speed can also be precisely set according to the specific material.

Furthermore, any waste material that may fall inside the component is sucked out via vacuum.

Production is carried out in ‘low-volume’ programs. Quality is the number one priority in aircraft production, which is why inspections are continually made.

Test drilling is carried out before an aircraft component is drilled; this is then repeated after the component has been finished. The test following the drilling process is designed to provide information about the quality of the component. “Speed

is not a priority in our production system, and what’s important is quality and safety,” says Mr Muys.

A fault in the component itself would have serious financial repercussions that must be avoided. Although speed is not a top priority at Stork Fokker, Mr Muys is enthusiastic about the efficiency of the robot’s work. “We used to need two or three minutes per rivet on average. Now, the robot can apply between two and five rivets per minute,” he says, comparing the pace of the robot with that of a human worker.

The robot is used to produce components such as those for the NH 90 helicopter, the Dassault Falcon 7X business jet and the Gulfstream G550. Some of these components differ from each other in terms of shape and materials used. The robot is currently used to manufacture about eight different parts.

ENQUIRY NO. 1801

EVENT PREVIEW

RFID World Asia

2011

Co-Hosting Synergy RFID World Asia 2011 is back for the eighth edition this year from April 13 – 15 at Suntec Singapore International Exhibition and Convention Centre. The event will be co-located with seven other trade events namely: Cards Asia, Prepaid Cards Asia, Near Field Communication (NFC), Mobile Money World Asia, Retail World Asia, Digital ID World Asia and Transport Ticketing World Asia. Over 8,000 trade attendees are expected to visit.

Attendees will have opportunities to watch product demos and interactive presentations from exhibitors such as Advanced ID Asia Engineering , Biswin, Daifuku, Europlus, Exax, Free Alliance, GigaTMS, Hong Kong RFID, PPG, Shenzhen HCC Technology, Shenzhen SyncoTech, Silicon Craft Technology, SISS Technology, Smart Displayer, Smartrac, Star RFID, TatWah, UBI France (France Pavilion), and Welking.

Held alongside RFID World Asia is the RFID World Asia Conference incorporating EPCglobal Singapore Summit 2011 from April 13 – 14. This is the key conference for conference delegates to keep abreast of RFID developments, and share in innovative RFID projects in the region. Speakers from 7-Eleven, Charoen Pokphand Food Public Company, GSI Singapore and Japan, Laundry Network, Melbourne Library Service,RFIDba, and Transvert Scaffolding and Engineering, will be featured.

A one-day post-conference masterclass ‘RFID in Motion – Key Principles, Practices & Solutions’ will be conducted on 15 April 2011. Co-organised by the International RFID Business Association (RFIDba) Asia

Pacific and Terrapinn, the masterclass will address the requirements of asset management, inventory management, authenticity management, identity management and process management.

The second RFID World Asia Awards, co-organised

by GS1 Singapore and Terrapinn, aims to honour excellence in RFID implementation and encourage the adoption of the technology by businesses in the region.

Awards for RFID Champion, Best RFID Implementation and Most Innovative RFID Solution will be given away at the awards cocktail.

ENQUIRY NO. 1901

piGRIP™

- taking gripping to new dimensions

A modular suction cup that fits most machines and that can be optimized for gripping almost all materials is now here. Piab’s latest innovation piGRIP™ is modular with independent configurable lips, bellows and fittings, which allows you to optimize the suction cup so that it fits your material and machine perfectly.

Visit www.piab.com for more information.

Piab Asia Pte Ltd • 4008 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #03-16 Techplace I, Singapore 569625 • Phone: +65 6455 0076 Piab AB • Box 4501, Täby SE-18304, Sweden • Phone: +46 8 6302500

ENQUIRY NO. 197

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) market is expected to earn revenues of over US$250 million by 2016 up from over US$80 million in 2008, according to Frost & Sullivan. This growth is further supported by the many RFID initiatives sprouting across the region.

To remain competitive during difficult times, companies must consider more productive options and invest in the right technology when the time is right.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 55

EVENT PREVIEW

MTA

2 0 11 C on f i d e n c e ha s re t u r ne d to the ma nufacturing sector following rebounds in industry and economic performances in 2010. Singapore’s manufacturing activity soared by 58.6 percent ye a r- o n - ye a r i n M ay, wh i le Ma laysia’s indust r ia l sector produced 14.1 percent more goods in Ma rch tha n a yea r earlier, the strongest year-onyear growth since 2004.

Indonesia’s economic growth accelerated in the first three months of the year to the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2008, expanding 5.7 percent in the first quarter from the corresponding period last year.

Strong Recovery W hile the immediate hea lth of the ma nufacturing sector i n t h e r e g i o n l o o k s r o s y, industr y players understa nd that dependence on the mass production of uncomplicated components and standardised products must be reduced.

D e ma nd for such output ca n b e hig hly volat ile, a nd trade regulations, political and economic situations can all affect the health of the manufacturing sector. With the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) in place on 1 January 2010, zerotariff made-in- China products and components will infiltrate previously sheltered markets in Southeast Asia.

MTA2011 will be held from 23 – 26 March 2011, at the Singapore Expo. Industry professionals and 56 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

visitors from South East Asia, India and China are expected to form the majority of the attendees at this industr y networking, sourcing and knowledge sharing platform.

T he event w ill focus on manufacturing clusters such as aerospace, oil & gas, and medical technology. This enables buyers from spe cific indust r ie s to better navigate and explore new applications for their businesses.

Exhibitors of the show have been encouraged to bring machines specifically for these sectors, in addition to those that serve the traditional precision engineering base.

“It is clear that moving up the manufacturing value chain into high value sectors is imperative to long term growth. The time is right for industry players to step up their efforts to grow their manufacturing capabilities,” said William Lim, project director at Singapore Exhibition Services, the organiser of the event.

Ta k i n g S i n ga p ore a s a n example, the year-on-year growth for the general manufacturing

industries was 18.5 percent while the precision engineering cluster experienced 40.5 percent expansion. The biomedical and electronics manufacturing sectors also rose 117.0 percent and 51.8 percent respectively.

The Precision Engineering Business Forum will also return to f a c i l i t a te t h e e x c h a n g e of knowledge and sharing of collaboration strategies a nd partnership opportunities for the industry. The programme is designed to gather senior executives from international manufacturing Original Equipment Ma nufacturers (O E M s) a nd v a r iou s t ie re d suppliers to discu ss how precision engineering will drive manufacturing investments and technologies.

MTA2011 will also incorporate M e t a l A s i a , M e t r o l o g yA s i a , OutSource&SubCon, iAutomation, WeldTech and ToolTec – all specialised events that cater to the individual needs of Asia’s manufacturing industry.

ENQUIRY NO. 1902

ENQUIRY NO. 212

EVENT REVIEW

OSEA 2010 OSE A2010 drew its curtains with a pa rticipation of over 25,0 0 0 attende e s from over 6 0 cou nt r ie s a nd re g ion s – a n increa se of 25 percent compared to 2008.

“The International Energ y Agency reported that global o i l d e m a n d i s e x p e c te d to r e a c h 8 7. 3 m i l l i o n b a r r e l s p e r d a y t h i s y e a r ( 2 010 ) .

That demand will be largely driven by A sia. China a nd India a lone a re expected to co n su m e a l m o s t a t h i rd o f the world’s energ y by 2030.

A s a co ro l l a r y, t he g row t h opportunities for the oil and gas industr y are a nd will continue to be in Asia,” said S Iswaran, senior minister of state for Trade & Industry and Education, while officiating as guest of honour at the opening ceremony.

Growth Trends Global offshore operations and maintenance spend looks set to exceed US$330 billion from 2010 – 2014. Speaking at the inaug u ra l L e aders’ Su m m it, Douglas-Westwood chairman, J o h n We s t w o o d p a i n te d a picture of strong growth for the offshore sector. “Of the major sources of oil remaining to the International Oil Compa nies (IOCs) , deepwater offers the b e s t f u t u r e o p p o r t u n i t y,” h e co n c lu d e d , a d d i n g t h a t deepwater production is 58 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

expected to grow 99 percent.

Capital expenditures will reach US$137 billion over the nex t five years. “ T he show cont inue s to see growth potential as more investments in new oil and gas technolog y and ser vices are anticipated with deeper water development,” said BT Tee, project director of OSEA at Singapore Exhibition Services (SES). “We are already receiving requests from group pavilions for floor space expansion for OSEA2012.”

“This event has grown since the last edition. I believe that the success of a show is dependent on the ability of t he orga n iser to at t rac t major players to pa r ticipate as exhibitors,” says Ang Chiat Lam, sales & technical manager, Intech.

“Our company has operations in countrie s like the UA E , Austra lia, Vietna m a n d T h a i l a n d . We a r e a l s o expanding into the Philippines and India,” adds Mr Lam.

According to Sridhar S u n k ad , M D, E o n Re a l it y, a prov ider of 3 - D simulation software: “We are a subsidiary of a US -based company with a direct mandate in Asia Pacific.

T h i s i s to i n c r e a s e m a r k e t share and create awareness of how virtual reality technology ca n be used to help the indu st r y to achieve retu r ns on investment, and for safety training, especially in the oil and natural gas sectors.”

“Singapore has been a home market for us, in education for both the oil & gas and aerospace sectors. We are also focusing

on markets like South Korea, China and India. We also want to rein force t he me ssa ge of safety training, especially in the light of the oil spill incident in the Gulf of Mex ico,” adds Mr Sunkad.

The show received visitor group delegations from oil and gas players including Acerg y Singapore, Cameron Malaysia, The Ministry of Energy Thailand and VietGazprom.

The next edition of the event will be held from November 27 – 30, 2012 at Marina Bay Sands Singapore.

ENQUIRY NO. 1903

Untitled-1 1

ENQUIRY NO. 199

Frankie Poo, regional sales manager, Energy Chain Systems, ASEAN region

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia AM 59 1/11/2011 9:26:40

EVENT REVIEW

Rockwell Automation Fair 2010 Held in Orlando, US, the event served as a showcase of products and a platform for finding out the latest trends in Asia and beyond. By Michael Tham

More than 10,000 manufacturing business leaders, industry analysts and technology and service providers from around the globe gathered in Orlando, US for the 2010 automation fair. The event showcased solutions that are geared toward smart, safe and sustainable manufacturing, emphasising plant-wide optimisation, sustainable production and machine builder performance.

Solutions For Performance Rockwell Automation announced several offerings, including updates to its Integrated Architecture system, FactoryTalk software suite, PlantPax Process Automation System and safety solutions. Other products were also introduced to help companies to optimise their plants, improve the performance of their machines, and manufacture products in a more sustainable manner.

The event featured more than 100 exhibitors, including participating Encompass product partners, solution providers, machine builders and strategic alliance partners in the PartnerNetwork program.

Demonstration workshops, hands-on labs and technical sessions covered various topics including: intelligent motor control, manufacturing intelligence and power control.

Industr y forums presented examples and concepts that manufacturers in various industries have already applied to increase their productivity and efficiency. The fair included industry forums for energy and environment, global machine builders, life sciences, oil and gas, pulp and paper, and water/ wastewater treatment.

60â&#x20AC;&#x192; industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Oil & Gas For the oil & ga s sector, Rock well’s overa ll strateg y is solutions-ba sed a nd is a imed at helping customers to optimise the latter’s assets.

The solutions include process and safety control, data management and workflow automation.

The strategy for Asia Pacific is supported by a solution provider network in the region. It comprises of companies that have direct access to certain customers, or that possess certain application knowledge that helps to complement Rockwell’s ability to serve the industry.

“We have a presence in all the locations where there is oil and gas activity. These include China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and South Korea.

PlantPax is key to the company’s strategy and all other modules are built around this solution. for example, SCADA, safety control, process control, and information management,” says Eric Fidler, Oil & Gas director; Rockwell sells control and safety systems to all sectors of the oil and gas industry – although the company is having the greatest success in the up-stream, mid-stream and transportation sectors. “While we have the technical capabilities to meet the needs of the industry downstream (ie: refining), there is already a well-developed infrastructure in place, making it is less of a focus for us,” explains Elizabeth Parkinson, Market Development, Oil & Gas Industry.

Mr Fidler’s competitive differentiation strategy lies in lowering the total cost of ownership for the customer. Another selling point is the

‘flatness’ of the technology’s architecture, which allows the interfacing with other control systems without the need for gateways.

There are plans to move further into the refining space in future and the approach is to first target the area of information management. For example, environmental reporting requirements are being implemented across the industr y, especially in the refining sector.

“Companies are being asked to provide more reporting on emissions, and they are looking for solutions to achieve this. Most of them also do not have a ‘legacy’ product. This coupled with the newer emissions reporting requirements, gives us an opportunity to offer our expertise,” says Ms Parkinson.

Machine Manufacturing Rockwell has traditionally been focused on enduser customers – it has been developing product platforms and strategies around global manufacturing companies, rather than for machine builders.

The OEM business in Asia Pacific is responsible for studying the market in Asia to determine where the machine builders are (what industries) and where they are selling their machines (which types of customers).

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ENQUIRY NO. 204

Sector Spotlight

1/18/2011 4:41:12 PM

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 61

EVENT REVIEW

“It involves us ensuring that they understand supply chain and logistics. They need to know how to service existing business and also posses the capability to develop new business around the customers and markets that we want to expand into, says Mr Burch.”

Dana Richard Burch, director OEM Business, Asia Pacific says: “It helps for us to look at the enduser market. Since the machine builders are selling to our traditional customers, it makes it easier for us to work with the former. I tell the machine builders that we know what their customers are looking for and that we understand what applications the latter needs – this helps us to convince them that we can assist in designing a machine and control system to meet those needs.”

“The tyre industry for example, is an area where we are able to help the machine builders to meet the requirements of local and regional tyre companies,” continues Mr Burch.

The OEM business unit has been traditionally serving the higher-end and high-performance markets. It is however refining its product platform and is moving its focus towards the mid-range and lower-end market segments as well. It has launched the K300 servo motion controller and the Micro 800 series of PLCs to serve these markets.

Distribution partners in Asia are particularly important for Mr Burch, as he depends on them for market penetration and development, from a machine builder perspective. He puts technology and promotional packages together to help them to penetrate the market. He also aids them in developing the skill sets of their workforce, so that they can assist in technical support and the development of applications with machine builders.

Distribution partners need to have a long-term view of the market and a long-term understanding of how to grow and develop the market. This can be challenging, as there may not be a well-developed concept of distribution in every country in Asia.

62 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Safety First!

Asia is rather ‘fragmented’ in the area of machine safety, with various countries in different stages of development, according to Richard Galera, marketing manager, Safety Components. Australia is the most advanced while Japan has started to work towards international standards about 3 – 4 years ago.

International companies have set up plants in countries like China, Taiwan, India and South Korea.

These plants typically manufacture machines that offer a higher level of safety, compared to their local counterparts – since many of these machines are designated for both local and western markets like US and Italy, they need to be designed to meet international standards.

Similarly, local OEMs in Asia that want to work with international companies have to adhere to such standards. In addition, there are also government committees in the region that are working on raising their respective countries’ safety standards to reach international requirements, while still maintaining a local ‘flavour’ to it.

“While we do not yet see as much emphasis in many Asian countries today, the focus on safety is growing and we should see it becoming a dominant practice in the machine manufacturing industry in about 5 – 6 years,” says Mr Galera.

OEMs in Asia that want to work with international companies have to adhere to international safety standards

EXECUTIVE INSIGHT Optimistic Outlook

Keith Nosbusch, chairman & CEO

Key decision makers at Rockwell share their views on industry trends and strategies in 2011.

We have experienced recovery globally across various industries sectors this year. At the beginning of 2010, we expected a contraction of 2-9 percent.

But now, we’ve ended the year on the ‘plus’ side. We’ve seen sequential growth throughout the year, which was a pleasant surprise.

Sales for the full fiscal year was US$4.86 billion, up 12 percent compared to US$4.33 billion in 2009.

We believe that the global economic recovery will continue in 2011. We are starting to see signs that large capital project spending will improve, but the timing remains somewhat uncertain. For 2011, we are projecting revenue growth of 8 –12 percent.

In the US, the question is what the rate of recovery will be. With the current level of uncertainty in this market, we are watching how the situation will play out,

so that we can decide on what types of investments to make in the year ahead.

Asia will continue to be one of our fastest growth markets and the region is where we’re putting in significant amounts of resources. Our strategies for different countries are based on the local markets and what the opportunities are. In China for example, the investments are in infrastructure development and automotives manufacturing. The country’s automotive industry is currently the largest in the world. In India, there is less investment in infrastructure but more in manufacturing – such as automotive parts and components.

In most emerging markets, resource-based industries grow faster and earlier than consumer industries. Therefore, our go-to-market strategies are different, depending on whether it is a mature or emerging market, and we then align our resources accordingly.

Also with the rising middle class, China is trying stimulate local consumer demand instead of just depending on its export market. The country is making a transition from building up infrastructure, towards developing the consumer industry.

Model Of Trust Bob Eisenbrown, senior VP In most of our markets today, our sales staff is focused on either the user side or the OEM side. My job is to prepare staff to be able to meet the needs of their customers.

We view distributor partnerships as a team e f fo r t . T h e t y p e o f partners whom we are looking for are those who have ‘market making’ skills instead of just market serving – or just a logistics arm. We expect them to have technical people who can provide the same value that sales people can provide, plus technical depth, in order to educate the customer.

We normally have a single or limited number of

distributors in a geographical location, due to our expectations of their level of expertise. We have developed our distributor capabilities in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. We have about 40-50 distributors in Asia and some of them look after multiple locations.

There are two aspects in terms of the qualities that we look for in a distribution partner. In terms of the business side of things – they need to understand the need to invest in the types of resources to provide the required level of support to the customer. We also look at their culture – our business model is based on trust and collaboration. We openly share with them, the information about our customers. And we offer a seamless cooperative effort – to the extent that the customer sometimes can’t differentiate which representative is from Rockwell and which is from the distributor.

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 63

EVENT REVIEW

Growth In Progress Keiran Coulton, president, Asia Pacific region Our growth in process automation in Asia is as good, if not stronger compared to our other globa l ma rkets. In industries like petrochemical and oil & gas, capital investments are being made by some of our existing customers in US and Europe.

Countries like India and China and those in South East Asia are investing heavily in the energy sector to increase capacity of their power grids.

A number of companies have announced investments in Asia, for example, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Cadbury, and Kraft. We are working on repeat projects for a number of customers such as a concentrates production facility in Singapore. The facility is similar to the one that we built for them in Shanghai, China.

We have also won contracts for building Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients (API) plants in India.

We will be installing our first integrated Pharma suite PlantPAX, FactoryTalk and Batch – all in one package – for one of the major pharmaceutical plants in the country. We are also undertaking projects in the Liquid Crystal Display ( LCD) manufacturing sector, especially in China.

Ready For

I n S o u t h E a s t A si a , o u r co mp a n y h a s experienced double-digit growth in the past year, and we will be increasing the number of technical and commercial staff. We are continuing in our multi-year focus on our market access models, and have appointed distributors in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia in the last 12 months. Developing relationships with systems integrators and systems providers will remain our focus. We’ve also opened our customer briefing and OEM competency centre in Singapore.

We are also launching a safety consulting business for manufacturers in Asia. Our aim is to bring knowledge in safety to the customer as there is a lack of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) expertise in the region.

There are push factors for a greater emphasis on safety issues. Taking a packaging machine manufacturer in Thailand as an example – his local customers may not demand safety. However, if he decides to export his machines, he will need to comply with the safety regulations in the EU or US. Therefore, such companies in Asia are beginning to convert their machines to be globally accepted – a trend that we’re observing in Asia.

As the labour market is generally tight in Asia, the challenge will be for us to bring onboard the right people for our safety initiative. We are likely to have to import expertise from other regions to facilitate this.

Take-Off

In an exclusive interview with IAA, Co Nugyen, VP & GM, and Kurt Rosenberg, business director reveal their plans to launch a series of PLCs in Asia, that are fit-for-purpose and which go easy on the wallet.

IA A: Tell us what’s unique about this product line.

Co Nguyen: The Allen-Bradley Micro800 family of general purpose Programmable Logic Controllers ( PLCs) has applications for discrete control, analogue control, and built-in motion capabilities.

Using the Micro830 as an example, it is a controller with a fixed number of I/O. However, if the customer requires additional I/O, or an extra analogue or serial port, all he needs to do is purchase an extra 64 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

plug-in module. In this manner, the customer can customise the controller to meet his needs, and only pays for what is required.

We have a lso licensed our technology to our partners to build additional plug-ins, which will help us to increase our portfolio and differentiate us in the marketplace.

The product line also comes with software that can perform functions that cannot be typically carried out in the micro/nano space by other controllers in the market.

Kurt Rosenberg: We believe that the software is really what sets us apart – the Connected Components Workbench software. It offers a newer style of programming based on IEC standards.

It is a single software package that can be used to program the PLC, the Human-MachineInterface (HMI) and the variable frequency drives.

Eventually, the software will be able to configure all components from our company that can be configured on a network.

There is also no need for the user to configure each device individually. Simply connect your laptop to the PLC with all the configurable devices connected to the latter. The software will then auto-discover and auto-configure the components.

Above all, the software is free-of-charge and will be available on our website for download.

IAA: Who are your target markets?

KR: While our company is known for our PLCs, we have not actually penetrated the nano/micro segments previously. Since most of the usage (for standalone machines) is in Asia Pacific, we decided to move our business units that are associated with this segment, as well as those pertaining to component style products, into Singapore. We expect this move to help us to become competitive in this region.

The controllers are designed specifically for standalone machine applications and are targeted at discriminatory buyers who are looking for a best-of-breed product in terms of features and price – the controllers have a price tag of under US$100.

CN: We believe that we have a n adva ntage over competitive products. A main concern for standalone machine builders is having ‘just enough control’ – getting a ‘fit-to-function’ product that

meets their needs – without having to pay for unnecessary features.

The higher level mathematical functionality allows the product to be used in applications like wind turbines and solar panel positioning – these are areas where users typically have had to spend more to purchase a higher-level controller to do the job. In such areas, we see a gap between the high and low-complexity applications, whereby if customers cannot find a product to handle a midcomplexity application, they are then ‘forced’ to purchase a higher-level product.

Coming back to our earlier example – solar energy applications – the functions that are built into our PLC make it competitive in this market.

One is the trigonometric computation – not many controllers on the market offer this – which is needed to ensure that the solar panels are repositioned to synchronise with the movement of the sun.

IAA: When is Rockwell launching this product?

KR: The official launch date for the Micro800 PLCs has been scheduled for Q1 2011. We see this product line as the next generation of controllers for both the micro and nano PLC industry segments.

CN: In the micro space, the current market leader is Mitsubishi. This is followed by Siemens and Omron. Between these three, they have 60 percent market share. We rank about sixth or seventh. In the nano segment, Omron is the dominant player, followed by others like Siemens and Mitsubishi.

In the light of this, we have a lot of room to expand. This is a product line where we have spent a lot of time thinking about how we want to enter and differentiate ourselves in the market.

ENQUIRY NO. 1904 Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 65

EVENT REVIEW

JEC Show Asia 2010

2010

Propelled by the fast pace of

growth in the region, the JEC Show Asia 2010 exhibition and con ference took place from October 12 – 14 in Singapore on a note of optimism, evidenced by an increase in exhibition space and a reinforced presence of key composites decision makers at the event.

T he comp osite s i ndu st r y in Asia has been experiencing strong grow th over the past few ye a r s, a nd t he cu r re nt Asian market is estimated at more than US$26 billion, with new application developments remaining a long-term driver for composites to replace other traditional materials and also create new applications.

Highlights Of The Show With a total of 346 exhibitors displaying a range of composites innovations, the show has grown in scale with a 10 percent increase in exhibition space due to bigger booths. The annual event continues to garner the support of various academic institutions and industry associations from across the Asia Pacific region including Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

JEC Show Asia 2010 also featured an extended geographical scope as compared with previous editions, with new participating countries such as UAE making their debut at the event. Another significant feature is the increased number

66 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

of companies showcasing their latest products and technology capabilities for the first time in Asia at this year’s event.

The full lineup of JEC Show Asia 2010 exhibition, conference and business networking programs attracted 7,010 trade visitors, which include a high proportion of key decision makers in the global composites arena.

Introducing Composites Innovations The show marked the launch of t he first ever I n novat ive I nter nat iona l Composite s Summit ( IICS) in Singapore, held concu r re nt ly w it h t he main exhibition. It took place over three days and comprised eight economic and technical semina rs t hat e x plore d t he latest breakthroughs in different appl ic at ion s se c tors i n t he composites industry.

The second IICS conference and forum is scheduled to take place at the JEC Show Paris in March 2011, with the third planned for JEC Show Asia in October 2011.

Higher Demand For Automated Processes One of the key technology trends identified in the 2010 edition of the show is the increased

Crunching The Numbers From The Show • 346 participating companies • 10 sectoral or national pavilions (C h i n a , Fr a n c e, J a p a n, I n d i a , Malaysia, and others) • Suppor t and par ticipation of Singapore institutions (EDB, STB, A*Star, NUS, SUTD, and others) • 7,010 visitors • 8 economic and technical seminars

demand for automation to improve manufacturing processes across different composite s ma rket segments in the Asia Pacific region, especially for high value-added applications in aeronautics and wind energy. Market penetration for automated manufacturing solutions is g row ing rapidly and there is great potential for process automation technologies to be adopted by manufacturers in Asia.

The Automation and Production Forum of the IICS program brought together leading technology firms to share the latest automated processes for cost-effective manufacturing in the entire composites production chain. JEC Show Asia 2011 will be held this year from October 18 to 20 in Singapore.

ENQUIRY NO. 1905

products & Services

products & Services Adlink Technology:

Cognex:

Adlink Technology has developed the aTCA-3150, a 24-port GbE AdvancedTCA (ATCA) Multilayer Base Switch Blade based on Broadcom BC M5 6 312 switch silicon. It supports up to 13 GbE ports for a 14-slot PICMG 3.0 ATCA system, with six degress GbE ports and two 10GbE SFP+ uplink ports via front panel access.

The product incorporates Broadcom’s F a s t p a t h n e t w o r k in g software and is designed for ATCA adopters (NEPs & TEMs) that require AMC modularity, Gigabit layer 3 switching, a scalable control-plane engine and high-availability base interface.

Cognex has developed the OmniView 360° inspection system with colour and f i v e - m e g a p i xe l high resolution cameras. It allows the inspection and verification of unoriented wine and juice bottles, canned goods, pharmaceutical vials and other cylindrical packages on the production line. Using Windows 7, 64-bit PCs, it inspects products at up to 1,200 parts per minute without disrupting bottling and packaging lines.

It uses four cameras positioned around the conveyor to capture views of all sides of a product. These are mapped into a 3D model and then inspected using the company’s VisionPro software library. An additional fifth camera can be used to confirm that the lid or cap matches the label on the front of the package.

Base Switch Blade

Inspection System

Enquiry no. 1906

Enquiry no. 1908

Belden:

Flir:

Belden has extended its Lumberg Automation product range with eight-pole M8 actuator/sensor connectors. These connectors are being offered in two variants with molded cables as well as in three field-attachable installation variants. All variants are designed for a temperature range of between -25° and +80°C, and when screwed together with the appropriate counterparts, meet the requirements of protection type IP67.

Up to eight signals can be transmitted with an external power supply. This makes the eight-pole M8 actuator/sensor connector suitable for connecting optoelectronic sensors or safety switches of the kind used, for example, for monitoring safety doors on machines and systems.

Flir Systems has released the i3 infrared camera. It joins the company’s i5 and i7 models and is the most affordable and cost-effective full function infrared camera in the range.

The i3 measures temperatures up to +250°C and detects temperature differences as small as 0.15°C, displayed on the camera’s 2.8 inch LCD display. Its temperature measurement range suits most applications in electrical, mechanical, and building environments. A long-life battery ensures up to five hours of continuous operation.

Actuator/Sensor Connectors

Enquiry no. 1907

Infrared Camera

Enquiry no. 1909 Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 67

products & Services

Fluke:

Igus:

Fluke has developed the ScopeMeter 190 Series II handheld portable oscilloscopes. These four-channel scopes a r e de signed f or harsh industrial environments.

T he four input channels are isolated from each other to per f o r m di f fer en t ial floating measurements.

The chassis is sealed from the environment with no cooling slots or fans to expose the instrument. It carries the International Protection (IP) -51 dust and drip proof rating.

The sampling rate goes up to 2.5 GS/sec and 400 pico second resolution. The product comes in 100 MHz and 200 MHz bandwidth models.

Igus has expanded its range of ‘Chainflex’ bus cables. The CAT5e / GigE cables CFBUS.PVC.045 for dry environments and CFBUS.PUR.045 for environments with oil or coolants are available ex stock.

The jacket material of the former is a PVC mixture that has been abrasion-optimised for permanent movement in plastic energy chains. The cable is flame-resistant, suitable for temperatures ranging from -5°C to +70°C and has UL approval.

The latter has been designed for energy chain applications with machine oil, coolants and lubricants. This oil-resistant cable has flame-resistance, is halogen free, can be used at temperatures between -35°C to +70°C, and also has UL approval. The abrasion behaviour of the outer jacket material has been optimised for the chain material, to provide a longer service life.

Portable Oscilloscopes

Bus Cables

Enquiry no. 1910

Enquiry no. 1912

GE:

Longwatch:

GE Intelligent Platforms has developed the NETernity GBX460 rugged 6U OpenVPX data plane switch module. This 10 Gigabit Ethernet solution supports high throughput Interprocessor Communication (IPC) between 10 GigE-enabled processing nodes for deployed defense and aerospace applications.

With 20 (optionally 24), 10 GigE data plane ports and 16 GigE control plane ports, the GBX460 supports non-blocking, low latency data transfers across a multiprocessing cluster at up to full wire speed. This enables performance for demanding Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) applications. It is designed to provide a high-speed interface for sensor I/O, IPC and data distribution to the back-end processing clusters typically found in C4I (command, control, communications, computers and intelligence) infrastructures.

Longwatch has developed a video system for pipelines, well sites, pumping stations and other remote applications that hibernates until it is needed, then wakes up instantly to record.

The XLP Low Power Video Surveillance System is powered by solar cells and batteries. The system hibernates in a low-power standby mode until an external sensor, such as a motion detector or intrusion alarm, or a command from the central control room sends it a signal to wake up. The system immediately records a short ‘video alarm clip’, transmits it to a remote operator at a central HMI/SCADA system, and continues to record video on its disk until it is commanded to return to hibernation.

Ethernet Switch

Video Surveillance System

Enquiry no. 1911 68 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Enquiry no. 1913

products & Services

Nord:

Ocean Optics:

Nord Drivesystems provides a technology box for integrating motor-mounted SK 200E inverters into EtherCAT networks a n d t he B e ck h o f f control technology environment. The Ethernet-based fieldbus offers benefits particularly for distributed networks such as conveyor systems.

The technology box cost-efficiently connects a large number of inverters to a single bus line, since there is no need for repeaters or additional bus master interfaces.

The bus module can be mounted either directly on the SK 200E´s interface unit or separately from the inverter by means of an optional wall mounting kit. The EtherCAT bus line is connected to the box via an M12 plug connector. Additionally, the box features eight integrated 24V inputs and two 24V outputs.

The Jaz Scripting Language (Jaz-SPL) from Ocean Optics enables users to customise spectrometer data acquisition, processing and export functions for the Jaz modular sensing system.

Jaz is a family of stackable components that share common electronics and communications. Included in the stack is a CCD-array spectrometer that can be optimised for a variety of measurements, and a microprocessor with display.

Scripting Language

Technology Box

Enquiry no. 1914

Enquiry no. 1915

Advantech Offers Distributed Remote I/O Modules with various Interface

ADAM-4000 Series

￭ RS-485 Serial Interface ￭ Supports Modbus/RTU and ASCII Protocol ￭ Comprehensive I/O Modules (even accept direct Thermocouple and RTD Inputs)

Advantech’s renowned ADAM Remote I/O series delivers complete solutions, featuring a compact size, rich I/O interfaces, reliable operation, and a wide temperature range for any industrial application.

Join us in the Industrial Remote I/O Training.

￭ Analog Input Module capable of performing Digital Output Independently ￭ OPC Server Available ADAM-6000 Series

￭ ￭ ￭ ￭ ￭ ￭

10/100 Mbps Ethernet Interface Supports Modbus/TCP Protocol Supports UDP Protocol for Real-time Application

by Event Triggering/Data Streaming Functions Complete I/O in a Single Module Built-in HTTP Server Modbus/TCP OPC Server Available

ADAM-5000 Series: ADAM-5510EKW/TP

For registration, please log on to www.advantechsg.com.sg

© 2011 Advantech Co. Singapore Pte Ltd

www.advantech.com

PC-based SoftLogic Programmable Controller

16-bit 80188 Processor 40MHz Flash Memory 1.5MB and RAM 640KB DOS Operating System 1 x 10/100Mbps Ethernet Interface 4 x RS-232/485 COM Port 8 x Slot for I/O Modules Built-in Modbus/RTU Master/Slave and Modbus/TPC Server/Client Protocol Supports 5-standard IEC 61131-3

Singapore (South Asia Pacific Headquarters) Tel: 65-6442 1000 Email: asg@advantech.com Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur Toll-free: 00-800-9898 8998 Email: sales@advantech.com.my Penang Tel: 60-4-397 3788 Email: sales@advantech.com.my Thailand: Bangkok Tel: 66-2-248 3140 Email: sales@advantech.co.th Australia: Melbourne Tel: 61-3-9797 0100 Email: info@advantech.net.au Sydney Tel: 61-2-9482 2999 Email: info@advantech.net.au

ENQUIRY NO. 208

Advantech Industrial Remote I/O Training on 25 March 2011

￭ ￭ ￭ ￭ ￭ ￭ ￭ ￭

Feb/Mar 2011 | industrial automation asia 69

products & Services

Piab:

Sidel:

Piab has developed the piGrip modular suction cup. It allows companies to choose the combination of lip and bellow so that packaging lines can handle products at higher speeds while increasing energy savings.

The product is available with a range of independent lips, bellows and fittings in sizes from 25 – 77 mm. It is also available in FDA approved materials. Certificates are available for the food industry, making the suction cup suitable for applications where direct food contact is necessary.

It features 100 percent recyclable and separable materials, which, once the suction cup is recycled, can be reused for the same or a number of other purposes.

The ALS guide for air conveyors is an automatic adjustment system for side guides, improving flexibility during format changeovers.

The guide has no pneumatic cylinder for the automatic adaption of the side guides to any bottle format.

It accepts an unlimited number of formats on a single conveyor. The operator selects the desired format from the control panel. A gearbox transmits the appropriate movement to the side guides through a flexible shaft that follows the conveyor layout: the guides are positioned by translation via a worm gear.

Suction Cup

Air Conveyor Guide System

Enquiry no. 1916

Enquiry no. 1918

Sensortechnics:

STMicroelectronics:

The SSO stainless steel pressure sensors from Sensortechnics, measure gage or absolute pressures in ranges from 200 mbar up to 35 bar. Fully welded, media isolated rugged stainless steel constructions with G 1/8 (BSP) threaded pressure ports allow for media compatibility with corrosive liquids and gases.

The laser-trimmed compensation resistors that are deposited on a ceramic substrate, are protected by a special coating against environmental hazards such as humidity or dirt. As a further packaging option a diaphragm version with weld ring is available.

STMicroelectronics has developed a family of high-g acceleration sensors for airbag systems. These micro-machined devices detect the rapid deceleration of the vehicle during a crash and send instant information to the airbag control unit.

The accelerometers operate within an extended temperature range from -40°C – 125°C. Robust to electromagnetic interference, they are qualified to AEC-Q100, a stress-test qualification for automotive integrated circuits established by the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC).

Pressure Sensors

Enquiry no. 1917 70 industrial automation asia | Feb/Mar 2011

Accelerometer

Enquiry no. 1919

Calendar Of Events January 19 – 21 ELE Trade - International Electronics Component Trade Show Tokyo Big Sight, Japan Reed Exhibitions Japan Email: inw-k@reedexpo.co.jp Web: http://www.eletrade.jp/en/

19 – 21 Internepcon Japan

Tokyo Big Sight, Japan Reed Exhibitions Japan Email: inw@reedexpo.co.jp Web: http://www.nepcon.jp/en/

February 21 – 22 Fundamentals of Power Generation for Non-Technical Professionals Singapore

Poweredge Asia Email: info@poweredgeasia.com Web: http://www.poweredgeasia.com/

21 – 24 Coal Power Generation

Mandarin Orchard, Singapore IBC Asia Conference Email: register@ibcasia.com.sg Web: http://www.coalpowergeneration. com/

28 – 3 Mar LNG Supplies for Asian Markets

Grand Hyatt Singapore, Singapore Conference Connection Email: info@cconnection.org Web: http://www.cconnection.org/ conference/LMF/2011/LNGAHome.html

march 09 – 11 SPS - Industrial Automation Fair Guanzhou (SIAF)

The China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou, China Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Email: sps@china.messefrankfurt.com Web: www.siaf-china.com/english/

23 – 26 MTA 2011

Singapore Expo, Singapore Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd Email: events@sesallworld.com Website: http://www.sesallworld.com/

23 – 26 INAPA

Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Jakarta, Indonesia PT Gem Indonesia Email: info@gem-indonesia.net Web: http://www.inapa-exhibition.net/

April 04 – 08 Hannover Messe

Exhibition Grounds, 30521 Hannover Germany Deutsche Messe AG Web: http://www.hannovermesse.de

13 – 15 RFID World Asia

SUNTEC Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre Singapore Terrapinn Email: enquiry.sg@terrapinn.com Web: http://www.terrapinn.com /2011/rfid/

may 04 – 08 Automex

PWTC (Putra World Trade Centre) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Premier Exhibitions Services Email: info@tradelink.com.my Web: http://www.tradelink.com.my/ automex/

04 – 08 MTA Malaysia

PWTC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia Exhibition Services Email: enquiry@mesallworld.com Website: http://www.mesallworld.com/

05 – 07 Chine ePower

Shanghai New International Expo Pudong, Shanghai China MP International Email: kenneth@zhongmao.com.cn Web: http://www.epower-china.cn/

10 – 13 Gas Turbines

Grand Hyatt Singapore IBC Asia Email: register@ibcasia.com.sg Web: http://www.gasturbinesasia. com/index.php

12 – 15 IA Robotics

BITEC Bangkok, Thailand UBM Asia (Thailand) Email: intermach@intermachshow.com Web: http://www.thai-exhibition.com/ intermach/

12 – 15 Intermach

BITEC Bangkok, Thailand UBM Asia (Thailand) Email: intermach@intermachshow.com Web: http://www.thai-exhibition.com/ intermach/

25 – 28 MTT Indonesia

Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Jakarta, Indonesia ECMI Email: mtt@ecmi.cc Web: http://www.mtt-indonesia.com/

2011

june 01 – 03 Oil & Gas Asia

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Malaysia Malaysia Exhibition Services Email: enquiry@mesallworld.com Web: http://www.oilandgas-asia.com

01 – 04 Pumps and Valves Asia

BITEC Bangkok, Thailand UBM Asia (Thailand) Email: Suchawadee@cmpthailand.com Web: http://www.pumpsandvalvesasia.com/

09 – 12 Electrical Building Technology Guangzhou China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou, China Messe Frankfurt Email: LBguangzhou@hongkong. messe­frank­furt.com Web: http://www.building. messefrankfurt.com.cn/

15 – 18 ProPak Asia

BITEC Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok Exhibition Services Email: propak@besallworld.com Web: http://www.propakasia.com/

21 – 22 Energy Harvesting & Storage and Wireless Sensor Networks & RTLS Europe 2011

Holiday Inn Munich City Centre, Germany IDTechEx Ltd Email: hi.muenchen@whgeu.com Web: http://www.idtechex.com/energyharvesting-and-storage-europe-11/

21 – 24 CommunicAsia

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Singapore Exhibition Services Email: events@sesallworld.com Web: http://www.communicasia.com/

july

20 – 23 Industrial Automation

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Malaysia Malaysia Exhibition Services Email: enquiry@mesallworld.com Web: http://www.asean-ia.com

august 31 – 3 Sep Taipei International Industrial Automation Exhibition

TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall, Taiwan Chan Chao International Email: show@chanchao.com.tw Web: http://www.chanchao.com. tw/show/Automation/en/

september 21 – 24 Oil & Gas Indonesia

Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Indonesia PT Pamerindo Indonesia Web: http://pamerindo.com

october 31 – 4 Nov Singapore International Energy Week Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre Singapore Reed Exhibtitions Email: ask@reedexpo.com.sg Web: http://www.reedexpo.com.sg

november 22 – 25 CIA

Suntec Singapore Singapore Singapore Exhibition Services Email: events@sesallworld.com Web: http://www.cia-asia.com/ index.htm

23 – 26 Assembly Technology

BITEC Bangkok, Thailand Reed Tradex Email: contactcenter@reedtradex.co.th Web: http://www.assemblytechexpo.com

To be considered for inclusion in the Calendar of Events, send details of event (name, date, venue, organiser contact) to: The Editor IAA Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building, #02-05, Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379 2888 • Fax: (65) 6379 2805 • Email: iaa@epl.com.sg

Advertising Index

64

|

IndustrialAutomationAsia

ADVERTISING I N D E X

ADVERTISER

PAGE NO

ENQ NO

Advantech Co. Singapore Pte Ltd

69

208

Advent2Labs Consultation Pte Ltd

27

200

Agilent Technologies Singapore (Sales) Pte Ltd

9

216

Autotronic Enterprise Co. Ltd

47

213

Beckhoff Automation Pte Ltd

IFC

198

Cognex Singapore Inc

37

145

Emerson Process Management Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

IBC

211

Flir Systems Co. Ltd

3

217

Fluke South East Asia Pte Ltd

17

214

Fuji Electric Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

5

070

Hitachi Asia Ltd

19

079

23/31

206/207

Indusoft Inc

59

199

Intermec Optical Systems (S) Pte Ltd

61

204

Island Optical Systems (S) Pte Ltd

51

205

JJ Lapp Cable (S) Pte Ltd

33

203

15/21/35

202/193/194

N-Tron Corporation

13

215

PIAB Asia Pte Ltd

55

197

Premier Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd

39

195

Reed Tradex Company

57

212

Rockwell Automation South East Asia Pte Ltd

1

201

SIEMENS PRODUCT LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE (SG) PTE lTD

7

218

Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd

49

166

OBC

210

Terrapinn Pte Ltd

53

196

Zacobria Pte Ltd

29

209

Igus Singapore Pte Ltd

Malaysian Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd

Singapore Oriental Motor Pte Ltd

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ENQUIRY NO. 210