MA 2017janfeb

MACHINE SAFETY: Breaking down eight workplace safety motivation tips for employees. p.10

SUSTAINABILITY:

Ontario manufacturer to save tens of thousands of dollars a year by reducing water usage. p.21

Your resource for Canada’s industrial automation news

MACHINE VISION: Exploring the benefits of improved read rates in logistics scanning. p.19

AutomationMag.com

TOP 5 IN 2017 Key trends and technologies that could be hitting your plant floor this year. p.16

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January/February 2017 Vol. 32, No. 1

DEPARTMENTS 4 From the editor 5 Automation upfront

16

The latest industry news, deal makers, and movers and shakers

13 Centre stage

Dorothy Byers, chair of FIRST Robotics Canada

COLUMNS 10 Machine safety

CONTENTS

Breaking down eight workplace safety motivation tips for employees

COVER STORY

16 Top 5 in 2017

11 Going digital

Making the case for IIoT

12 Industry watch

The start of a new year is a great time to look back at our companies’ origins

13

26 Backstory

Leveraging mobile devices in the manufacturing industry

IIoT requires IT/OT talent convergence

By Paul Brooks and Brian Fortney

15 House call Diagnosing a manufacturer’s under-performing website

By Joe Sullivan

19 When 99% just isn’t enough

Benefits of improved read rates in logistics scanning

By Matthew D. Engle

21 Waste not, want not

19

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017 MA_Murrelektronik_JanFeb.indd 1

14 Preparing your workforce

NEW PRODUCTS 23 Connectivity 23 Wire & cable 23 Machine safety 24 Motion control 24 Machine tools 24 Test & measurement 25 Power supplies

Key trends and technologies coming to your plant floor Compiled by Alyssa Dalton

Ontario manufacturer to save tens of thousands of dollars a year by reducing water usage

By Treena Hein

AutomationMag.com

3

2017-01-05 9:06 AM

FROM THE EDITOR

BY ALYSSA DALTON

NOTABLE TWEETS

Your resource for Canada’s industrial automation news

@GlassCanadaMag Trulite’s Andrew Dolphin takes Centre Stage shar.es/18q74L @BMirrilees Our friends @skillscout & @ AROmetalstamp are in @AutomationMag: #NewRosie campaign honours women in manufacturing shar.es/1I9Gqr INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS: Selecting components that make the grade. p.24

INTERNET OF THINGS: Manufacturers who embrace IoT are leading the digital transformation. p.23

MACHINE SAFETY: Ensuring safe operations with collaborative robots. p.14

AutomationMag.com

Your resource for Canada’s industrial automation news

THE SLOW

CLIMB The 2016 Canadian Manufacturing Study finds the industry is strengthening, slowly but surely p.19

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

PM 40065710

Think Allied for Industrial Automation.

More Brands. More Products. More Solutions.

See it all at thinkallied.com/industrialautomation

AlliedCover_MA_Jan.indd 1

2015-12-23 1:58 PM

@s7_io $12M donation to #makers kids @FIRSTweets for #STEM education from @ ROKAutomation.

Amazing new generation of #Electronics #NERDS! @PengSangCau Tremendous #gift to build our #MFG future. #Haas donates $1M to SAIT. shar.es/18kIXS via @AutomationMag @FedDevOntario Congrats @E_Craftsmen on 60 years in the #Waterloo region. Proud to fund via #CAF

4

EDITOR

Our new neighbour

PUBLISHER

A

fter months of cross-country campaigns, yo-yoing poll results and controversial political analysis, Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th president of the United States. But Trump’s bold claims to kill NAFTA have sparked growing concern that Canada’s relationship with its largest trading partner could be significantly impacted under this new leadership. Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) addressed these concerns and more last fall in a public letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with suggestions for how Canada should move forward and protect its manufacturing sector.

“As a starting point, we must work together to educate and inform administrations on both sides of the border about the critical importance of the Canada-U.S. economic relationship, both today and moving forward,” writes CME national board of directors chair Rhonda Barnet and senior vice president Mathew Wilson. “It is important to emphasize the difference between Canada’s trade with the U.S. compared to their trade with other nations.”

According to CME, more than 75 per cent of Canada’s trade is with the U.S. and Canada is the top export destination for nearly 40 U.S. states.

The “vast majority” of this trade, adds CME, is in production inputs and machinery equipment to support the manufacturing of finished goods.

“But unlike trade with other countries, we do not simply trade finished goods with each other. We build goods together. We sell those goods to each other. And we compete together

CONNECT @AutomationMag

Alyssa Dalton adalton@annexweb.com

against the rest the world. If creating more high-paying jobs in manufacturing is a top priority for the new U.S. administration, then integrated trade with the Canadian market is critical to that growth agenda. This two-way flow of goods, services and people similarly supports both Canada and the U.S.’s agenda for innovation and economic growth,” continue Barnet and Wilson. Their recommendations include partnering with the U.S. on key areas of growth (energy independence, fair trade, and job creation); and aligning on bi-lateral and multi-lateral trade agreements.

Last October, CME shared its Industrie 2030 Action Plan, a national strategy that aims to double output and exports from Canada’s manufacturing sector through several approaches, including “developing a skilled workforce, supporting innovation and commercialization, increasing investment in, and leveraging, new technologies, opening new markets globally, and ensuring a competitive environment in which to manufacture, innovate and grow.”

“Canada directly competes for business investment with the U.S. Without our own advanced manufacturing strategy and without taking significant steps to ensuring our business environment is at least as competitive as that of the U.S., we have great concern that Canada will fall completely out of the picture as a location of choice for global manufacturing investment,” they continue. Poignant words indeed. | MA

adalton@annexweb.com

VICE PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

Tim Dimopoulos tdimopoulos@annexbizmedia.com ART DIRECTOR

Graham Jeffrey gjeffrey@annexweb.com ACCOUNT CO-ORDINATOR

Kathryn Nyenhuis knyenhuis@annexweb.com CIRCULATION MANAGER

Urszula Grzyb ugrzyb@annexbizmedia.com DIRECTOR OF SOUL/COO

Sue Fredericks CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mitch Black, Paul Brooks, Julie Copeland, Matthew D. Engle, Brian Fortney, Treena Hein, Paul Hogendoorn, Andrew Hughes, Rick Huijbregts, Sivakumar Narayanaswamy, Craig Resnick, Joe Sullivan, William Surphlis Manufacturing Automation is published seven times a year by: Annex Business Media 222 Edward Street, Aurora, Ontario L4G 1W6 Tel 905-727-0077 Fax 905-727-0017 Printed in Canada ISSN 1480-2996 Publication Mail Agreement #40065710

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD AL DIGGINS, President and General Manager, Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, and Chairman and CEO, Canadian Manufacturing Network DAVID GREEN, Technology and Business-to-Business Consultant KARIN LINDNER, founder and owner of Karico Performance Solutions DON MCCRUDDEN, Vice-President, Business Development, Festo DAVID MCPHAIL, President and CEO, Memex Automation NIGEL SOUTHWAY, Business Productivity Consultant and Author on Lean Thinking BILL VALEDIS, Vice-President, Precision Training, Products and Services Inc.

@AutomationMag

Klaus B. Pirker kpirker@annexweb.com

Occasionally, Manufacturing Automation will mail information on behalf of industry related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

The contents of Manufacturing Automation are copyright © 2017 by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.

Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication.

We acknowledge the [financial] support of the Government of Canada.

AUTOMATION UPFRONT

EDUCATION

Gene Haas chooses SAIT for its largest donation to a Canadian post-secondary institution

PHOTO: SAIT

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) received a US$1 million contribution from the Gene Haas Foundation in support of applied education in Alberta.

The funds will be used to expand and enhance SAIT’s machining labs at the Thomas Riley building through the School of Manufacturing and Automation.

Renovations are scheduled to begin in early 2017.

“The long-term partnerships we foster with industry are vital in setting our students up for success,” said Dr. David Ross, SAIT president and CEO. “This generous gift from the Gene Haas Foundation inspires industry confidence and is testament to SAIT’s global leadership in applied education. The relationship we are building with the foundation will be transformative, enabling cross-industry diversification for our students for years to come.”

This is the U.S.-based foundation’s largest gift to any Canadian post-secondary institution to date.

“Gene Haas believes a manufacturing base is fundamental to a strong economy,” said Kathy Looman, Gene Haas Foundation administrator. “This passionate view led him to grow his personal foundation and focus on manufacturing education throughout North America. Our foundation now provides millions of dollars in scholarships annually, as well as funds for the growth of selected capital projects, for outstanding programs delivered by respected educational institutions such as SAIT.”

$12-million, four-year commitment to FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a non-for-profit organization that works to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.

Based in Manchester, N.H., the organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST Tech

L to R: Dr. David Ross, SAIT president and CEO; Kathy Looman, Gene Haas Foundation administrator; and David Roberge, dean, SAIT School of Manufacturing & Automation.

Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST LEGO League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST LEGO League Jr. for

Grades K-4.

Rockwell is recognized as a FIRST Strategic Partner, which

Rockwell announces $12-million commitment to FIRST At Automation Fair 2016, Rockwell Automation announced a MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017 MA_Beckhoff_JanFeb.indd 1

AutomationMag.com

5

2017-01-02 10:45 AM

AUTOMATION UPFRONT

signifies the highest levels of sponsorship available at FIRST. It is also a FIRST Robotics Competition Crown Supplier. The company also donates products integral to FIRST program games and scoring, particularly for the FIRST Robotics Competition playing fields and scoring systems, and within the parts kits the teams

use to build their robots.

“Through our technology and people, we are helping to inspire the next generation of innovators to fill the talent pipeline for our customers and for our company,” said Blake Moret, president and CEO of Rockwell Automation.

“Our strategic partnership with FIRST helps us increase our reach

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SAFETY

Moosehead Breweries picks up WorkSafeNB award Moosehead Breweries has received the Safety Star Award for “demonstrating safety leadership and outstanding achievements in occupational health and safety” at the WorkSafeNB 2016 Health and Safety Conference in Moncton.

Located in Saint John, N.B., Moosehead Breweries is Canada’s oldest and largest independent brewery, and is currently led by president Andrew Oland, the sixth-generation member of his family to run the brewing business.

“Through its focus on health and safety, Moosehead has experienced positive, sustainable improvements,” according to a statement from WorkSafeNB. “In recent years, its accident frequency has declined and claims costs have improved. Through its efforts, Moosehead now sees significantly fewer team members injured in the workplace.”

“We’re proud to recognize Moosehead among the top health and safety leaders in New Brunswick,” said Gerard Adams, WorkSafeNB’s president and CEO. “Moosehead is a company that demonstrates, daily, that everyday little things make a huge

PRODUCTION

Gay Lea Foods announces “unprecedented” investment Gay Lea Foods is investing $140 million over four years to establish what it says will be an innovative nutrition and nutraceutical-grade dairy ingredients hub in Canada.

Describing it as an “unprecedented” investment in dairy processing in Canada, Gay Lea Foods said the commitment delivers on its mission to “transform more Canadian milk by building an innovative and market-driven ingredients business that caters to our customers’ needs.”

Phase one will commence in early 2017, with a $60-million expansion plan in the village of Teeswater in Bruce County, Ont., and a $3-million investment to build a Research & Development Centre of Excellence in Hamilton, Ont. “This working laboratory and innovation incubator will be the nexus between R&D and commercialization throughout Gay Lea Foods’ operations, and also service our partners in the dairy, food and health sectors,” according to a company statement.

The first phase also includes upgrades and expansion at the Toronto, Ont., area food manufacturing facilities to increase capabilities and competitiveness, improve cost efficiencies, and reduce the environmental footprint.

“As a dairy farmer and co-operative member owner, I am excited that Gay Lea Foods is driving growth through innovation and the development of new markets that will increase demand for milk from Canadian dairy farms,” said Steve Dolson, chair of Gay Lea Foods. “I am also proud that Gay Lea Foods is once again leading

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

@AutomationMag

MA_Encoder_JanFeb.indd 1

difference. Through its own golden rules of diligence, responsibility and collaboration, Moosehead shows us that small steps matter – they lead to positive, healthy and safe environments for everyone in a workplace.”

2016-12-22 1:58 PM

PHOTO: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION

STEM commitment: The organization said the investment will help expose students to a range of products and applications.

and visibility to STEM students around the world.”

“This generous, multiyear commitment from Rockwell Automation will allow us to focus on the strategic aspects of our partnership while continuing to help scale our programs and expose students to a broader range of industry-leading products and applications,” said Donald E. Bossi, FIRST president. “The company has a long, rich history of supporting FIRST.” In addition to this latest donation, Rockwell Automation has provided more than $15 million of broad-based support over the past decade to address the skills shortage in STEM careers.

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AUTOMATION UPFRONT

the way by demonstrating that rural Ontario is capable of world class innovation and food manufacturing.”

Headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., Gay Lea Foods is a key player in the Canadian dairy industry and the co-operative sector, with more than 950 employees working in production facilities across the province. Last October, Gay Lea Foods announced a joint venture with Vitalus Nutrition to build a new dairy ingredient and butter processing facility in Winnipeg, Man. INVESTMENT

Kingston selected for formula producer Feihe’s first Canadian venture Kingston, Ont., has been chosen as the home of Feihe International’s new Canadian infant formula manufacturing operation.

“When the plant is completed, it will be one of the most technologically advanced infant formula manufacturing facilities in the world, utilizing a wet blending process to produce high quality infant formula for the North American and Chinese markets.

Kingston will be home to this world-class intelligent manufacturing plant that utilizes industry 4.0 integrated information technology, cloud computing, big data and emerging technologies to manage the complex production process,” said the China-based 8

@AutomationMag

company in a statement.

Feihe has secured about 40 acres of development land in the Cataraqui Estates Business Park in the city’s west end. The project represents a $225-million investment, with the 300,000-squarefoot processing plant slated to break ground this spring.

Approximately 200 new full-time employees will be hired when the plant begins operations.

Along with cow-milk-based infant formula, Feihe plans to manufacture goat-milk-based products at the Kingston facility.

“Our project is a first for both China and Canada. We are excited to build Canada’s first and only wet infant formula facility and North America’s first and only goat milk infant formula facility. The project will be one of the major projects of the China-Canada economic and trade cooperation, particularly in its innovation,” said Roger Hua Liu, vice chairman, CFO, Feihe.

INTERNATIONAL ARGENTINA

Siemens to supply nine gas turbines to Argentina Siemens has received orders from Argentina for a total of seven SGT-800 industrial gas turbines and two Industrial Trent 60 gas turbines.

This order marks the 300th SGT-800 machine that the company has sold worldwide.

CHINA

New Edge Computing Consortium aims to deepen digital transformation In November, The Edge Computing Consortium (ECC) was officially established in Beijing, China — a joint initiative from Huawei Technologies, Shenyang Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), Intel, ARM and iSoftStone.

The ECC aims to build a cooperative platform for the edge computing industry that will give impetus to openness and collaboration in the Operational Technology (OT) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industries, nurtures industrial best practices, and stimulates the healthy and sustainable development of edge computing.

Yu Haibin, chairman of the ECC and director of Shenyang Institute of Automation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, “In the 13th Five Year Plan, China launched two national strategies, integration of digitization and industrialization, as well as ‘Made in China 2025.’ This requires much on ICT and OT convergence. Edge Computing is key to supporting and enabling this convergence.”

Through the digital transformation of industries, products are incorporated into intelligent interconnection. In-depth coordination and convergence of OT and ICT help improve industrial automation, meet the customized requirements of products and services, promote full-lifecycle transformation from products to service operations, and trigger the innovation of products, services, and business models.

DEAL MAKERS

TM Robotics partners with A-Tech to sell Toshiba Machine robots in Canada TM Robotics and Toshiba Machine have partnered with A-Tech Instruments Ltd., which supplies measurement and control instrumentation for research and industry, to sell and support Toshiba Machine robots in Canada.

With this new relationship, A-Tech says it will now be able to offer its “large variety” of customers a “solution for any of their automation challenges,” including Toshiba Machine’s full line of Cartesian, six-axis and SCARA robot systems for automation and materials handling needs.

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

PHOTO: GAY LEA FOODS

L to R: Gay Lea Foods president and CEO Michael Barrett, Gay Lea Foods chair Steve Dolson, Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, and Dairy Farmers of Ontario chair Ralph Dietrich.

The turbines will provide a combined electrical capacity of approximately 500 MW and help fighting the electricity shortfall in Argentina. The SGT-800 turbines were ordered by the independent Argentine energy producer Albanesi S.A., and the aeroderivative Industrial Trent 60 machines were ordered by the international energy group SoEnergy.

Siemens will supply two SGT800 to each of the power plants in Rio Cuarto and San Miguel de Tucuman in Argentina. Three of the turbines will be installed in the Argentine city of Ezeiza. The two aeroderivative turbines will generate electricity in the gasfired power plants in El Salto and Rio Tercero. Siemens will produce all seven SGT-800 turbines in its factory in Finspong, Sweden, and the two Industrial Trent 60 turbines in Mount Vernon, Va., and Montreal, Que. All machines could meet a fast delivery schedule, which makes it possible to quickly provide new generation capacities for private homes and industry in Argentina.

“These orders represent an enormous success for us,” said José Aparicio, vice-president for the sales region Latin America at Siemens Power and Gas. “Not only do we gain access to the Argentine market with our Industrial Trent 60 machine, but the order will also open up additional sales opportunities in an important growth market.”

MOVERS & SHAKERS B & D Industrial’s Linda Miller has been named the 2016 recipient of the Wendy B. McDonald Award by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) Foundation.

Her first job in the industry was at what was then Bearings & Drives in 1975, where she was “simply looking for a job.” From her first job as a clerk/typist, she took on roles of increasing responsibility, including manager of information technologies, manager of human resources and vice president. Meanwhile, Keith Nowak, president of MPT Drives, was named the 26th recipient of the PTDA’s Warren Pike Award for lifetime achievement in the power transmission/motion control industry. Nowak has been an active PTDA and PTDA Foundation volunteer for more than 15 years. He was a member of the PTDA Board of Directors from 2007-2013, serving in officer positions including a term as president in 2010. Currently, he serves as a Trustee for the PTDA Foundation.

Claude Goulet has joined KSB Pumps as the new sales manager for installed base and aftermarket sales. The 30-year veteran of pump and seals sales will be based in Ottawa, Ont., and will also be responsible for aftermarket sales in Quebec. “We have been very successful at providing our customers technical services to both KSB Pumps and other manufacturers,” said Mike Blundell, president and CEO of KSB Pumps. “We are pleased to have Claude join our team and are looking forward to having him grow this important part of our business.”

Joe Vorih has been announced as the new president of Omega

Engineering. Describing him as a manufacturing and technology industry visionary, Omega said Vorih’s priority will be to transform the company from “the best-known direct provider of process sensors into a web-based global partner for complete process measurement and control solutions, including innovative wireless and IIoTready offerings.”

PI North America, a non-profit trade organization for Profibus and Profinet technologies in North America, has appointed Richard Carpenter to its board of directors. He will take over the seat vacated by Barry Lynch, now with GE Digital, who retired from the board. Carpenter is currently the product general manager for GE Energy Connections’ Automation and Controls product platforms.

Prior to this position, he served as the chief of product strategy for GE Intelligent Platforms’ Software and Services business.

.

Lars Rasmussen is the new vice president of Danfoss’ heat exchanger business, where he will focus on growing and developing the company’s heat exchanger product portfolio, research and development efforts, and contribute to the growth of heat exchangers for refrigeration and air-conditioning applications worldwide.

ERP software provider SYSPRO has appointed James Weir as vice-president of sales, where he will work to accelerate revenue growth and short- and longterm sales operational strategy execution for the company. He will be based out of SYSPRO Canada’s central office location in Mississauga, Ont. | MA

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017

AutomationMag.com Hiwin_MA_Jan.indd 1

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2015-12-10 12:54 PM

MACHINE SAFETY

As Arbill CEO (www.arbill.com/arbill-safety-blog), Julie Copeland provides strategic direction, builds its global manufacturing platform, evaluates emerging market opportunities and oversees daily operations.

She is also a board member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and the National Association of Manufacturers.

BY JULIE COPELAND

Eight workplace safety motivation tips for employees

W

orkplace safety initiatives are essential when it comes to maintaining a work environment that is both safe and productive.

However, the safety programs you put into place don’t mean much if employees aren’t inspired to change old behaviours. So, how do you get your workers motivated? The first step is taking a close look at what not to do: • Disciplinary action: Not only does this require constant supervision, but it’s ineffective. In fact, this could incite hostility and defiance.

• Slogans and posters: If safety isn’t your #1 priority, a sign saying otherwise doesn’t belong in your workplace. Safety signage is only effective if what it’s saying is true and lived up to. If not, it becomes a joke.

• Incentives: Focusing on the number of accidents as a way to reward employees sends the wrong message. They may be afraid to come to you with an issue, which results in an unsafe work environment.

The fact is, there’s no one answer. Real and lasting change requires doing many things the right way. The following tips are designed to engage employees in developing workplace health and safety.

1) Intention, strategy,

3) Learning and development What is your company’s current approach to developing a safe work environment?

Opportunities to learn should not be used as a privilege or punishment. Workplace safety requires more than just giving your employees some information and leaving it at that. You have to create a safety learning culture.

• Training programs: Teach your employees how to apply and practice what they’ve learned about workplace safety and apply it to their daily decision-making.

• On-the-job coaching: Treat every incident or mistake as a learning opportunity rather than finger pointing and punishing employees. This sort of support fosters continual improvement among your team members.

When you When you create a learning create a culture around safety, your emlearning ployees feel cared for rather than culture scolded. This approach encourages around commitment, accountability and safety, your responsibility and creates a much employees more motivating environment than feel cared for being forced to comply with safety rather than rules out of obligation or fear of scolded. reprimand.

structure Before any environmental health and safety program takes effect, it’s important to first establish the right goals and message. Motivation begins by engaging your employees’ hearts and minds. Learn what is important to them and take their feedback/sentiments and turn it into a company slogan with real value.

By establishing a clear company vision, your strategic plan has a foundation. That’s where the big picture goals begin to build and take shape. Once long-term strategies have been developed, short-term tactics can be formulated. This kind of planning paves the way to certainty about what is expected from every employee. When everyone is on the same page, there’s an understanding about how processes should be carried out.

2) Integration

A confused employee is an ineffective and uninspired employee. If your company is held to any number of accredited national or 10

@AutomationMag

international safety standards, the expectation is your business must operate under a variety of procedures and practices. When different people manage these compliance areas, it creates dangerous compatibility gaps.

By aligning the common elements of all safety standards, it’s possible to set up a compliance process to work from one system.

By having as little bureaucracy as possible in your management system, employees gain a better understanding of what is expected and conduct themselves accordingly.

4) Engagement and ownership You might remember what it was like to be in their shoes — always being told what to do.

This course of action, while necessary in many cases, may be met with resistance or outright defiance. To inspire employee involvement in workplace safety initiatives, gather input from your workers. Ask them how they want to create their own safety system and account for the results and search for opportunities to bring them into the fold. You must also pay attention to the issues they bring forth.

At the end of the day, your employees care

about their own personal safety, health and well-being. Providing them with a means of engagement and ownership of your company’s safety initiatives shows them a level of respect they respond to.

5) Recognition

Incentive programs designed to reward a worker with the least number of safety infractions can send the wrong message. A better way is to reward someone when you see them carrying out a safety measure, right then and there. Your sincerity goes a long way. A face-toface “thanks” has more power than you might think. Of course, more tangible incentives of some kind can also help spark some motivation. Following up your heartfelt thanks with a little letter, bonus or gift is the most effective way to use incentives as motivation.

6) Meet-ups and results With specific departments, you should periodically round everyone up to revisit the safety initiatives you’re putting into practice. This is a time to update your team with any new information regarding workplace safety and a great chance for employees to give their vital feedback so you understand what is and isn’t working. In addition to getting employees involved, you can demonstrate how and why the safety process is working.

7) Protect employee voices

Fear of fault finding and the subsequent retribution is what keeps a lot of employees from speaking up about safety issues. When employees aren’t reporting safety infractions, it prevents you from knowing exactly how safe or unsafe your workplace really is. You have to encourage an environment where those who bear the risks are respected for bringing safety issues to your attention. To give this some structure, set aside one day a week for any employee to bring issues to the table without fear of negative consequence. Review each item, find a resolution and document its completion.

8) Enjoyment

Let’s face it: The reason for all the intense focus on workplace safety is because your employees’ health and well-being are at stake. Although workplace safety is very serious business, it’s that very seriousness that also creates an obstacle for getting people to engage with it. Lighten things up a little by adding some creativity or variety to get people involved. An example of making things more fun is a “safety wheel.” If an employee makes a suggestion for safety that you use, they get to spin the wheel and win a prize. Games like these breathe life to an otherwise somber topic. | MA January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

GOING DIGITAL

BY RICK HUIJBREGTS

Rick Huijbregts is the vice president of digital transformation and innovation at Cisco Canada. He leads a team responsible for fueling the digitization of customers across the country. He can be contacted at rhuijbre@cisco.com.

Making the case for IIoT

T

he Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) — or the Internet of Things (IoT) — is on the minds of most Canadian manufacturers as we begin 2017. But the question I get asked most is: what is the IIoT? The IIoT brings together the machines, processes, people and data on your plant floor through a secure IT network. This network is similar to the one that connects your office computers, printers and other devices to each other, except it connects the equipment, sensors and assets on your factory floor. The IIoT is an essential component of the fourth industrial revolution, Industrie 4.0, and Lean manufacturing.

But Canadian manufacturers have yet to realize the value of the IIoT. According to KPMG’s 2016 Canadian Manufacturing Outlook report, manufacturers don’t consider technology key to growth. And the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) Industrie2030 Action Plan showed 39 per cent are uncertain of the economic ROI of new technologies — so they simply don’t adopt them.

This misunderstanding of what the IIoT is, its value and what purpose its technologies serve for manufacturers must end. The truth is that leveraging the IIoT to connect your plant floor operations — a transition we call digital transformation — has a significant impact on your bottom line because processes are completed faster, more accurately and with less waste than ever before.

Improved manufacturing performance One manufacturer estimated that unscheduled downtime costs them more than $20,000/minute in lost profits and productivity. With an IIoT digital network, this downtime can be reduced dramatically, if not altogether. How? Data is collected from sensors and devices throughout your plant floor and analyzed immediately. This analysis, depending on how many machines and devices are connected and sharing

What would your annual cost savings be if you could eliminate unplanned production downtime?

18%

The percentage manufacturers can reduce their energy costs through asset and equipment optimization, according to Cisco research

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017

data, allows manufacturers to make real-time maintenance and equipment decisions to avoid unplanned outages.

For example, a machine sensor detects that volume is low for a particular part on your assembly line. Data analysis determines, based on production speed and previous output totals, that the part needs to be re-stocked in one hour. With this information, a plant manager can arrange for the part to be refilled before it runs out and can avoid a production stoppage.

Unscheduled downtime due to equipment failure can also be almost completely eliminated through the IIoT. Analytics can estimate maintenance requirements based on equipment usage and wear characteristics, so repairs can be scheduled during planned outages.

Ask yourself: what would your annual cost savings be if you could eliminate unplanned production downtime?

Additional performance benefits of a digital, or connected, factory include a reduction in cabling and engineering costs, higher Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) scores and the agility necessary to meet the mass customization demands of today’s consumers.

Improved product quality The average cost of a recall for a food company is US$10 million, not including costs associated with lost sales or damage to the company’s brand. Recent recalls in the auto industry cost automakers billions of dollars.

By comparison, the required investment to digitize your plant floor is minute — and yet it can dramatically impact whether unsafe goods leave your facility, or are present in your supply chain.

With a secure IIoT network, connected equipment can safely transmit data in real-time to your data centre for analysis. Every time that equipment is used, for example to tighten the bolt on a car door or check the temperature of a frozen food product, that data is recorded and tracked against quality controls. If those controls are not satisfied, the worker is alerted so that corrective action can be taken. Because the data is recorded and tracked, if a quality issue does arise, you can localize and contain the affected products quickly, accurately and for less cost.

Increased sustainability Many manufacturers are not aware that adopting IIoT technologies can help them achieve their sustainability goals by monitoring asset and capacity utilization, as well as energy consumption, over time. By optimizing how and when assets and equipment are used to eliminate waste, our research has shown manufacturers can reduce energy costs by up to 18 per cent. For a manufacturer with several production facilities, this decrease could equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings annually.

I encourage you to start your journey to the IIoT today, if you haven’t already.

Select an element of your production process that could be more efficient, productive or sustainable, and track the output, if possible. Then learn how much better it could be with IIoT technologies providing the intelligence you need to operate a leaner, more efficient facility. It’s time that leaders from the top floor to the shop floor realized that the IIoT is not just about technology. | MA AutomationMag.com

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INDUSTRY WATCH

BY PAUL HOGENDOORN

Paul Hogendoorn (paulh@getfreepoint.com) is co-founder of FreePoint Technologies, “Measure. Analyze. Share.” (Don’t forget to share!) Visit www.getfreepoint.com for more information.

What’s in your company’s DNA?

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he start of a new year is not just a great time to look ahead with some clarity to the next year and somewhat speculatively to the distant future, it is also a good time to look back at the past year and further back to our companies’ origins.

Businesses evolve over time because they have to — because times change.

Economic situations change, as does the marketplace and the business environment. The rate of change has been accelerated by technology, and now also by the significant political and societal changes underway as well.

These changes may cause us to alter our visions and re-evaluate our values frequently, but what they don’t alter is our DNA. Our DNA is what our companies were born with, and unless they are sold or die, it’s what they take with them into the future.

I was recently asked to describe my company’s DNA by a respected colleague. The company is only four years old and competing in the new Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) space, so it wasn’t too difficult to talk about its vision, the opportunity and value proposition. He then asked me two thought-provoking questions: why are you, and, who are you? This made me think about our DNA, and how we can’t really describe it, but how it should be evident in everything we do. Just like it is in our real DNA — it dictates how we walk, how we talk, how we think, and how we grow.

The best way to answer his question was to describe what I believe (and hope!) are four key characteristics that are evident in our company every day.

1. “We give credit and take blame” In many other corporations (both large and small), people feel the need to take credit and give blame.

This happens when internal competition becomes the only way people move up in the organization, or when they need the need to protect their position as they see others seeking to advance up the ladder.

In our company, credit is earned, given and shared genuinely.

2. “A rising tide raises all the ships in the harbour” This is a quote one customer often 12

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uses to describe businesses working together, but it also applies to our organization, where we aim for other people’s success rather than our individual success. As we help our co-workers get better, our ability to compete with other companies improves dramatically. To quote my co-founder and a pretty good musician, Randy Hess, “I’d rather be the weakest player in a rock band than the best player.” If you are the best player in that band, it may not be such a great band!

3. “Aim for our customer’s success first, and they will help us achieve ours” We ultimately succeed only when our customers succeed with our product.

This phrase places the onus on us to make sure we deliver a well-designed and well-developed product, and stay involved and committed until they achieve their success.

4. “Think. Plan. Do.” (Because tactile outcomes speak for themselves) Because we are still a small company, no one has a role that is limited to just thinking, just planning, or even just doing. At this stage in our development, we realize we all must be “doing” and everyone has a responsibility to get tactile things done ourselves. Thinking is required before planning, and planning before doing, but what we get done is what we measure. Our preferred measurement for progress

Our DNA is what our companies were born with, and unless they are sold or die, it’s what they take with them into the future.

is “outcomes” — the things we have gotten done. Tactile outcomes need few words because they speak for themselves. In our current organization, everyone thinks, everyone plans, and everyone does. As we get bigger and more ‘mature’, I hope this characteristic remains true.

A company’s initial DNA comes from its founders. As it takes on shareholders and appoints new leaders, the DNA gets altered with each generation, but a significant part of it is passed on and carried forward. The characteristics a company exhibits strongly and consistently is what attracts certain kinds of people to apply for key positions and naturally disqualifies others; it attracts certain kinds of customers and even investors as well. If you consistently exhibit and live out your positive DNA characteristics, you will likely end up with a great group of people and a great roster of customers.

If you want a snapshot to gauge what your DNA is really like, take a look at your people and how they treat each other, your customers, and even your suppliers. It can be argued that it is the people that make the company, but at the same time, it’s the company’s DNA that attracts and even shapes its people.

So, here’s a question for you at the start of the new year: what is in your company DNA, and, what three or four characteristics make it clearly evident? | MA

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

CENTRE STAGE

PHOTO: D. BYERS

Manufacturing AUTOMATION chats with Dorothy Byers, chair of FIRST Robotics Canada, to learn how the global competition reinforces the importance of STEM education and careers.

MA: How did you first involved with FIRST Robotics?

DB: It started when I was the vice-president of innovation and implementation at St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School in Oakville, Ont. In 2000, two students came to me and said they wanted to build a robot. Well, my degrees are in English, drama and geography and I didn’t have the foggiest [idea], so I did a lot of research to [determine] what would be the best program for us to get involved with and found FIRST Robotics, and back then, FIRST was working towards having its first competition event in Canada.

In 2002, we became the first all-female team in Canada, SWAT 771. The girls built a robot and off we went to the competition, and the girls just had a remarkable time. Going to the World Championships in Houston, Texas, several years later really opened our failure is good and really is learning, project eyes to the opportunities this [experience] management, and that having a sense of would provide our students. humour is key to facing challenSomething I believe in profoundly ges. One student said to me she is that we need to present students thought she was building a robot, with the greatest menu of opporwhat she didn’t realize was that “There’s tunity we can and gender shouldn’t nothing like the robot was building her! interfere with that.

The neat thing about FIRST is a personal The [whole experience] was very story to that it gives the kids an opportunity grassroots, which is cool. Instead of help you to work on entrepreneurship skills someone asking us “Why don’t you because they develop a business understand guys think of creating a robotics plan for their team. There’s an the power of team?,” the girls explored and outreach element as well, particuFIRST or any larly for the girls on these teams, nurtured [an interest] they have. other hands- because [most of them] consider Our first FIRST team was 16 years on, science ago and we have tracked what the themselves to be marginalized program.” grads have done and where their so they reach out to other similar careers are going. To date, they are groups like First Nations, visually the most successful all-girl team and hearing-impaired kids. They in the world and even won the have also worked via Skype with Engineering Inspiration Award at the World students nationally in remote areas like Fort Championship. They’re the only Canadian McMurray, Alta., and internationally, with and only all-girl team to have won that several rookie teams in China. award, which is truly incredible. By following up on our students, we discovered between MA: In your opinion, what can we — the 85 to 90 per cent of students on girls teams industry, educators, parents — do to get continued on in STEM fields. more women in STEM careers?

DB: We need to make sure there are women MA: Other than the obvious math and in STEM careers who are in role-model robotics skills, what do students on these positions for the girls, which frankly is one of teams learn? the reasons I said yes to being chair of the DB: The students learn soft skills such as: FIRST Robotics Canada board of directors. I team work, confidence, communication, firmly believe that if you see it, you can be it. creative and critical thinking, resiliency, For me, it’s about understanding how we persistence, problem solving, learning that can promote and instill a passion for STEM MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017

in kids while they still have it — it’s not really about introducing it but maintaining it. I recently participated in the 2016 Canadian Science Policy Centre’s Conference which, for the first time, had a K-12 focus on creating diversity in innovation in STEM. A panel I organized included three students — two female and one male — who were all students on FIRST teams at one point and are now team mentors themselves. The two women are at the University of Ottawa, one is in journalism and the other in engineering, and the young man [currently] works in the cybersecurity industry. All three of them spoke about the fact that if they hadn’t been involved with FIRST, they probably would not have pursued the careers they did. The kids tell it best. There’s nothing like a personal story to help you understand the power of FIRST or any other hands-on, science program.

I think there are a lot of things that will happen with almost-implicit stereotyping.

I can give you a concrete example of one of my former students talking about her university professor. He said to her, “Now from the woman’s perspective...” and for her, she was a student in the class, not a woman in the class. He was absolutely well-intentioned but it’s just the way people use words that can change the gender piece for women. Girls don’t need to feel pretty — they’re intelligent and they need to be respected for that [in the workplace].

MA: Promoting STEM careers to young people has been a major goal in manufacturing for the past decade or so. How do you think Canada fares in this conversation? Do we still have a lot way to go?

DB: I’ve heard more on this topic in the last two years, I would say. I think the conversation is becoming a little louder and with the changing government and a science minister and a minister of innovation and technology, it has definitely helped to put more of a focus on it. The conversation is great, but now we have to bring it to action.

I believe as a country, we would be much stronger in our innovation if we are able to get everybody to the table. The best innovation you’re going to get is [through] a diverse group of people [because] it helps you look at problems and challenges differently. | MA AutomationMag.com 13

FUTURE PLANNING

PREPARING YOUR

WORKFORCE The Industrial Internet of Things requires IT/OT talent convergence

BY PAUL BROOKS AND BRIAN FORTNEY

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he adoption of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has manufacturers buzzing over improved connectivity and information sharing. But when a network issue arises, the last thing you want is to have your information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) departments confused about where the responsibility lies to fix the problem.

Historically, OT and IT maintained separate network architectures in industrial operations.

When an enterprise system went down or systems on the plant floor erred, it was easy to identify who to call to get you back up and running. IT personnel worked on the business side and were focused on keeping networks safe and secure; OT personnel worked in industrial environments and were focused on plant or jobsite productivity.

Today, the IIoT has blurred the lines of these traditional job roles. As organizations converge their once disparate enterprise and plant-floor systems into a common, secure network infrastructure, strong collaboration is needed between the two job roles. For example, an IT department’s preference for centralized routing may not make sense in a manufacturing environment where a distributed routing approach can have performance and maintenance benefits.

The IT and OT personnel who previously designed and maintained separate systems now face important questions about who will

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be responsible for building and maintaining plant-based networks and information-enabled production assets. Acknowledging and addressing IT/OT alignment through workforce talent convergence early in the IIoT implementation process can help avoid or minimize any confusion.

One key solution Organizations must ensure IT and OT teams have the skills and knowledge needed to design, implement and sustain the newly converged enterprise and plant-floor infrastructures. This requires collaboration, and more importantly, workforce training to help employees understand each other’s goals, and how they overlap as their traditional, siloed technologies come together.

Many organizations are responding to this knowledge evolution and adjusting their training programs to meet the needs of both groups, as their functions become increasingly intertwined. Manufacturers and industrial producers can expect to see more blended and consumable training options to help create a continuous culture of learning across the plant floor and enterprise-level roles.

Collaboration is also critical for the long term as manufacturers struggle to replace experienced workers who are ready to retire with less experienced workers. It is estimated an anticipated 220,000 new IT and OT engineers will be required to enter the workforce every year to help solidify the IIoT.

Training and certifications — a foundation for success As more new employees enter the workforce and technology continues to evolve, training is a crucial way to get IT and OT professionals working together. Various training courses and opportunities are available today that cover key IIoT technologies — everything from basic, foundational knowledge to more specific product and technology training.

In addition, traditional IT-focused companies are partnering with automation vendors like Rockwell Automation to support IIoT. These partnerships provide more advanced training courses and certifications focused on equipping IT and OT workers with a shared skillset needed to manage, administer and troubleshoot industrial network systems. In addition to training programs and certifications, companies can offer employees resources to accompany formal training.

Getting started With the growing number of connected devices, IT and OT need to develop and hone new skills to design and maintain a structured, converged industrial network with optimum security. The IIoT will continue to evolve as best practices, technologies and security requirements change, and manufacturing workforces will need to evolve with them through ongoing collaboration and education. | MA Paul Brooks is the business development manager at Rockwell Automation on behalf of Industrial IP Advantage. Brian Fortney is the global business lead, workforce and training services at Rockwell Automation. Visit www.industrial-ip.org/en/training/courses to learn more about the e-learning courses offered by Industrial IP Advantage.

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

BEST PRACTICES

HOUSE CALL Diagnosing a manufacturer’s under-performing website

BY JOE SULLIVAN

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’ve had many conversations with business owners and marketers who know their companies need new websites because they are not producing business opportunities. The primary causes of underperforming manufacturing websites usually stem from two problems: the website is not attracting enough of the “right” visitors; or the website is not generating real contacts.

Before embarking on the journey to a new or redesigned website, it’s important to know the source of your current website’s core problems.

Diagnosing the targeted traffic

generation problem This is if you’re not driving enough good prospects to your website to significantly impact lead generation. Here are three likely causes: Cause #1: Google doesn’t know what your website is about If search engines don’t know what your website is about or who it’s intended to serve, they can’t list you in search results for keywords related to the products or services you sell, solutions you offer, or problems you solve.

The first things a search engine will look at are the page title, the URL and the H1 headline.

When the keywords used are general, rather than descriptive, the search engine struggles to understand what the page is about, and your prospects will struggle to find it in searches.

Solution: Start with one page on your website.

Choose a consistent keyword or phrase to use in the page title, the URL, the H1 headline, and a couple times in the body copy. Then move on to the next page on your site and do the same.

Cause #2: Your content is promotional rather than helpful Your audience is trying to solve a problem by asking questions and seeking solutions. Your website needs to be a problem solver, not a promotional digital brochure about you.

Solution: Think about your audience — what are their pain points? What questions do they ask in their buying processes? Now address MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017

them in the form of how-to and comparison articles, white papers that take a stance, instructional videos and other informative content. You’ll attract a targeted, qualified, captive audience by demonstrating your expertise.

Cause #3: You lack a promotion strategy Once you’ve naturally established some visibility in the search engines, you’ve begun creating a lasting asset out of your website that can drive targeted traffic well into the future.

And unlike the assets on your balance sheet, this one will actually appreciate in time.

Solution: Email provides a venue to deliver valuable content to your existing contacts, bring them back to your website and re-engage them. Pay-per-click ads guarantee visibility in front of prospects in the search engines, even if you’ll have to pay for every resulting visit.

Retargeting ads let you follow your website visitors around the Internet, placing ads in front of them to prompt repeat visits.

Diagnosing the qualified lead

generation problem Once your traffic is strong, or at least getting stronger, you can shift your focus to converting those visitors into leads for your sales team to pursue. Here are three common causes of ineffective lead generation.

Cause #1: You rely on a Contact Us button Most companies rely entirely on little tiny, Contact Us buttons in the top right corners of their websites to generate leads. The industrial buyer’s journey is complex. Unless you’re selling a commodity product that requires no consultation whatsoever, your website visitors are most likely gathering information long before they want to be sold to.

Solution: While website content should exist

primarily to attract targeted visitors, other non-promotional content should exist to convert your visitors into leads. When this content is perceived as valuable enough to your visitors, they’ll be willing to trade you their contact information so gate them behind forms.

Cause #2: Not asking visitors to take action I’m amazed by how many manufacturing websites are filled with page after page of content without a clear “next step” for their visitors.

How often do you think your best salesman spends an hour with a prospect, shakes his hand, says “thanks for talking” and walks out the door without suggesting a next step?

Solution: Contextual calls-to-action can make all the difference. Pick a page on your website.

Think about who will likely read it. What do you want them to do next? Call you? Fill out a submission form? Your visitors want to know what they should do next.

Cause #3: Your calls-to-action are ineffective Now that you have equipped your website with smart calls-to-action, you can start to look at how effective they are. Conversion optimization software helps you understand how visitors are engaging with your content.

Solution: Install an engagement software platform and gather real insights on how your visitors are actually using your website. When you have this kind of data at your fingertips, you can learn why calls-to-action might not be working and adjust accordingly.

Hopefully by now, your reasons for a website revamp are more insightful than “it’s old, it’s outdated and it’s ugly” and you know how to begin that diagnosis. | MA Joe Sullivan is a partner at Gorilla 76.

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COVER STORY

TOP 5 IN 2017 Key trends and technologies that could be hitting your plant floor this year COMPILED BY ALYSSA DALTON

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s your plant floor ready for what’s coming? Manufacturing AUTOMATION asked a handful of industry experts to name the top five trends and technologies Canadian manufacturers should keep an eye out for in the next 12 months and beyond. A number of this year’s predictions are based on analytics, with big data, data collection and visualization, and predictive analytics noted as top gamechangers. Read on to learn the role these technologies and more will play in the manufacturing industry this year.

William Surphlis is the managing partner for Grant Thornton, Productivity Improvement, a dynamic team that leads the charge in business analytics and management consulting.

The future of manufacturing, as many other industries, lies in business intelligence and data analytics. Never before have we had so much information at our disposal, and the ability to effectively decipher it to make our businesses better. That’s why, I believe in 2017, the most essential manufacturing technologies will be those which allow manufacturers to harness data and leverage it to improve processes from all angles — driving new efficiencies and record results in such areas as quality control, employee morale, customer delivery and production, to name just a few.

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1. Data collection All manufacturers should have a reliable and cohesive way to collect data in real-time if they hope to thrive in 2017 and beyond. With a host of data collection and monitoring solutions on the market, there’s definitely no shortage of options. The key is to find the one that works best with your existing environment and systems — and make sure your time and resources are spent on collecting data that is relevant to the improvement of your operations. While challenges still remain in collecting information from legacy systems, many software companies are starting to lean towards more open tools, networks and communication protocols to make the dream of a fully-connected plant floor a little more plausible.

2. Machine learning Machine learning — a type of artificial intelligence (AI) — is expected to be a big business

in 2017 and beyond, and it has enormous potential in the manufacturing sector. Whether you’re using machine-learning algorithms to improve quality control or keep the supply chain running efficiently, there are plenty of opportunities to be had. These algorithms learn continually and are capable of finding optimized outcomes quickly. This allows smart machines to go beyond basic inspection tasks and identify difficult-to-detect defects — or mitigate supply chain issues (such as a parts delay) thus avoiding line shutdowns.

3. Big data analytics While the collection and visibility of data is one thing, transforming it into usable information that can improve operational capabilities is quite another. That’s why it is essential to centralize data gleaned from machine learning solutions — as well as production reporting tools, supply chain analytics, distributed storage and distributed processing — so all information is readily available in one place. It also may help to invest in the services of a business analyst to transform the numbers into information that can be easily utilized by management.

4. Data visualization With meaningful business information in hand, forward-thinking manufacturers are finding more innovative ways to share that information with the rest of the company as a means of improving productivity, and this trend will likely continue in 2017. Taking data visualization to the next level by enhancing digital dashboards and displaying televisions or video screens throughout the plant floor is one way to do this. By presenting real-time metrics in a prominent position for all to see, January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

organizations have the potential to improve such things as productivity, employee morale and engagement, on-time delivery, customer service and plant safety.

5. Data storage Regardless of how much data you have, and how well it’s collected and analyzed, it won’t be worth much if you can’t access it and use it in a timely manner. That’s why the Cloud works. Not only does it make it easier (and faster) to share information company-wide, but unlike brick-and-mortar data centres, the Cloud is flexible, allowing you to increase your storage as your needs change.

Craig Resnick is the vice president of ARC Advisory Group. He covers automation supplier and financial clients, with 30 years of experience in marketing, business development, and strategic planning. He graduated Northeastern University with an MBA and BS in Electrical Engineering.

1. Advanced analytics, AI and machine learning become IIoT enablers

sensor-to-Cloud integration to further industrial Internet-based strategies designed to improve business performance. The edge is where the assets and the associated data to be analyzed by enterprise applications reside, ranging from protocol conversion gateways for interfacing disparate networks to sensorto-Cloud integration and edge computing.

3. Your assets have a digital twin A digital twin is the asset’s virtual representation, an archive of historical and real-time data, drawings, models, bills of material, engineering and dimensional analysis, manufacturing data, and operational history that can be used as a baseline when benchmarking performance. Similarly, real-time data acquired via integrated sensors or external sources is used for analytic tasks, including condition monitoring, failure diagnostics, prescriptive and predictive analytics. Knowledge gained adds value to asset life, improving efficiency, reducing downtime, anticipating failures, and for continuous improvement at the design and manufacturing levels. With a digital twin, closed-loop design now extends through the entire product lifecycle.

4. Using simulators for training, leveraging augmented and The use of analytics tools has been the business virtual reality (AR/VR) intelligence (BI) platform, supplemented by enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI).

These tools excelled at helping users discover and understand the underlying reasons and details about what happened and why. Now, with the industrial space becoming much more dynamic, manufacturers are turning to advanced analytics, AI and machine learning to support predictive and prescriptive analytic solutions. By connecting previously stranded data from smart sensors, equipment and other assets with advanced applications and predictive analytics in the Cloud, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is becoming a strategic enabler to improve manufacturing performance.

2. More industrial network devices are living on the “edge”

As manufacturers hire new employees, they are implementing training that uses simulators to convey plant knowledge, leveraging technologies such as gaming, augmented/virtual reality, and 3D immersive, with wearable devices, such as the Microsoft HoloLens. This enables being able to replicate real plant and job functions, controls and assets, providing a high-fidelity experience. Simulation improves learning and is effective in developing skills to deal with unanticipated plant situations, thus increasing workers’ confidence in performing their job functions and ability to deal with an emergency. Other applications of simulation include testing and validate new software, performing system migrations, and program testing and validation.

5. Acceptance of disruptive technologies: SaaS, The industrial network “edge” is being popuvirtualization, big data, lated today by devices such as: Ethernet, convergence, and BYOD wireless and cellular gateways; Ethernet switches and routers; and wireless access points (WAPs). Traditionally relied upon to bridge information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) environments or bring legacy sensors, devices and assets into automation or enterprise architectures, today’s network edge products target

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017

Manufacturing functions, such as material and energy procurement, product quality, and production management, are performed through software-as-a service (SaaS) provided by a third-party. Virtualization technologies reduce computing hardware, software and IT support costs along with energy consumption.

Manufacturing leverages big data to convert

data into actionable business intelligence. IT/ OT convergence enables integrated families of business applications that utilize both real-time and transactional data. “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) enables operators, supervisors and managers monitoring plant and factory performance to use their own mobile devices. Social networks create virtual user groups within and between plants, as well as to the technology suppliers.

Andrew Hughes is a principal analyst at LNS Research with his primary focus being research and analysis in the Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) practice. He has 30 years of experience in manufacturing IT, software research, sales and management across a broad spectrum of manufacturing industries.

This year, we have taken a broad look at what is happening in manufacturing and present here our top five predictions. There is a sixth that is impossible to predict but something we think is likely in the coming 12 to 18 months — an IT/OT mega-merger. We expect the acquisition spree for smaller analytics companies to continue and there might also be a big takeover of an IT company by one of the operationally focused giants. We shall see.

1. Predictive analytics specialists flourish We predict non-traditional vendors displace traditional domain specific applications in predictive analytics with 40 per cent of new deployments coming from the emerging solutions providers by year-end 2017. When we look at the rise of the IIoT over the last two years, most of the application focus has been on Asset Performance Management (APM), which can be continuously improved through better predictive analytics. It is therefore no surprise to see many specialist start-ups developing analytics solutions for APM. Other traditional areas where new analytics can already deliver valuable results include process optimization and proactive quality. New analytics capabilities are being applied to help process engineers find new answers to questions like “How do I avoid process degradation?”

2. Big commitments to IIoT platforms IIoT platforms are being offered (or promised) by an ever-increasing band of large automation and software vendors. We predict that, before the end of 2017, at least 2 to 3 Fortune 500 AutomationMag.com 17

COVER STORY

manufacturing companies will make a corporate commitment to a specific IIoT platform. It is this type of commitment that IIoT vendors have been waiting for. Today, there are few applications running on these platforms; once the platform is sold, the opportunities to develop applications for, and port them to, the platform will accelerate quickly.

3. Multimarket monolithic MOM is dead Last year we predicted the demise of monolithic MOM and the rise of modular solutions that can run on IIoT platforms as well as stand-alone on premise. We have been pleasantly surprised at the speed of change to more modular solutions, even from the bigger and more traditional players. As manufacturers move towards IIoT platforms delivered by the big OT players, MOM solutions will inexorably shift to a set of apps that provide flexible and easy to implement solutions. However, the MOM suppliers who focus on a few specialized markets undoubtedly have longer to make the transition because their selling points are configurability and focus on special requirements. Today, their fitness for purpose is still more important than their flexibility.

4. Traditional automation companies self-disrupt The ISA-95 model describing the control hierarchy has defined the scope of delivery of automation suppliers for years. From ‘sensor to controller through MOM to ERP’ has been a great way of defining the business and products delivered by the large automation suppliers. In 2017, this comfort will change and automation suppliers will launch products and deliver solutions that will disrupt the status quo. We have already discussed a new MOM model and can expect to see more integration of devices directly to IIoT gateways developed by the control companies. These will bypass levels 3 and 4 of the ISA-95 model. In addition, Cloudbased analytics will interact with, and directly control, plant-level devices. The breakdown of the ISA-95 hierarchy will offer opportunities to third-party software vendors but the real wins will come when the automation suppliers choose to self-disrupt — that way they will avoid self-destruction.

5. IIoT platforms will attract developers, fast As industrial analytics started to move from traditional to IoT-focused, there was an early warning from the industry that there would be a critical shortage of data scientists. To date this has not occurred. However, with the interest in IIoT platforms and the number of offerings 18

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being marketed, we predict 2017 will be the year of the IIoT coder and data scientist — developers will hit critical mass in more than one platform and in multiple analytics packages.

The IIoT platform companies that have not set up the infrastructure for the modern young coder to have access to their platform will be also run by the end of 2017. On top of that, we expect several high-end value-added resellers of traditional control solutions to make big moves into IIoT delivery.

Sivakumar Narayanaswamy is the research manager, Industrial Automation & Process Control, at Frost & Sullivan.

1. Data-driven manufacturing Data is the new currency, as data and analytics form an integral part of decision making in the manufacturing sector. Adoption of data-driven manufacturing (big data) delivers significant value as it improves asset performance by decreasing unscheduled downtime, leading to increased productivity and cost reduction. The influx of large volumes of structured and unstructured data, owing to the increase in connected assets, will push the establishment of a scalable framework, such as the Hadoop cluster, to manage, integrate and process big data. In 2017, the industrial data analytics market is expected to witness a spike in demand for predictive and prescriptive analytical platforms.

2. Industrial robotics Coupled with big data and analytics, use of robots on the shop floor is enabling exploitation of machine data in order to deliver data-driven insights and decisions that aid in mapping productivity and assessing asset maintenance.

Our research finds industrial robots are undergoing a phase of favourable transformation characterized by new players, as well as mergers and acquisitions spearheaded by IIoT opportunities that are expected to yield revenue of $46.19 billion in 2017. Articulated robots and collaborative robots will drive robotics in 2017. New business models include collaboration-as-a-service, plug-and-play models and robotics-as-a-service.

3. Industrial Cloud With the Cloud emerging as an innovation platform for manufacturing, Frost & Sullivan predicts Cloud-based technology will transform from being offered as a product to being offered as a manufacturing service, though this will be a long-term transition.

Besides enabling seamless interactions between devices and services connected to the Internet, the industrial Cloud will evolve into

a technology that enables device connectivity that paves the way for edge data analytics.

Security concerns, insularity, knowledge of Cloud complexities and uninterrupted interwork availability are some of the challenges that must be overcome for higher adoption of Cloud services. We expect more automation as IT vendors venture into this market, either directly or by forging partnerships with niche Cloud service providers.

4. 3D printing As the manufacturing world moves from mass production to mass customization, 3D printing is expected to enable the development of an agile manufacturing environment, resulting in the reduction of lead times — from conception to the production — by 70 per cent or more. Wide-scale adoption of polymer 3D printing in the consumer electronics and metal prototyping automotive industries are major drivers in the growth of 3D printing.

As products are made-to-order in real time, there will be a reduction in logistics costs or a decrease in warehouse space, resulting in a complete overhaul of the conventional supply chain. While automotive, aerospace and medical are the top three industry adopters, process industries are likely to start gradually adopting this technology as well. 3D printing as a service is poised to replace traditional manufacturing business models with the emergence of integrators providing services across the value chain driving the mainstream adoption of 3D printers.

5. Industrial mobility Several industrial verticals, like automotive manufacturing and food and beverage, have been demanding access to critical manufacturing information, anytime and anywhere.

Acceleration of BYOD can be related to the growing acceptance of wireless technology on the plant floor. The need for remotely operated assets is also driving the need for building a tablet application instead of a conventional control panel or HMI device.

Being able to view multiple assets’ health, production schedules and reports from a smart phone or tablet has been enabled by the superior computing power now available and the communication networks that provide real-time access to information.

However, higher adoption of industrial mobility in the manufacturing floor is impeded by the vulnerability faced to “secure” the critical production information. Progress in securing the communication channel by employing newer versatile technologies is likely to bolster the adoption of industrial mobility in 2017 and beyond. | MA January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

MACHINE VISION

WHEN 99% JUST ISN’T ENOUGH Benefits of improved read rates in logistics scanning

BY MATTHEW D. ENGLE

T

he pressure for distribution centres to increase productivity and reduce labour cost has never been greater. One way distribution centres are helping to meet this goal is by upgrading from mature laser-based scanner technologies to newer digital reader technology that provide increased read rates.

By increasing read rates — even by a small percentage — a smaller number of packages will need to be handled manually and fewer workers will be required for relabelling or rerouting rejects.

A revolution in barcode reading technology Bill Silver, Cognex senior vice president and

senior fellow, has surmised: “If contemporary technology has a grand theme, it is that eventually digital will replace analogue, and solid state will replace mechanical. Whether it be music or video, publishing or photography, telecommunications or engine control, the story is similar. Mechanical, analogue machines have been around for decades, sometimes centuries. They are mature technologies — the kinks have been worked out, the costs have been squeezed as much as possible, the strengths and weaknesses are well understood.

The newer solid state, digital challengers at first offer more promise than performance, but with continued innovation and development they come to dominate the market. So it will

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AutomationMag.com 19 2017-01-05 8:57 AM

be with linear barcode readers.”

The limitations of laser scanners are also well known. Laser scanners only capture a single scan line at a time which means they have a much more limited ability to obtain a “read,” especially on barcodes that may be poorly printed or damaged.

Laser scanners also do not capture an image of the barcode, which is essential for distribution centres that want to conduct root cause analysis on “no-reads” for process improvement. In addition, laser scanners have moving parts that are subject to wear and often require repair or replacement.

The digital challenger to laser scanners uses an imager similar to one found in a digital camera and a microprocessor to analyze the images. Image-based barcode readers deliver increased read rates on poorly printed or damaged codes, provide the ability to save “no-read” images for performance feedback, and are designed with no moving parts which provides longer usable product life.

Why read rates matter In order to quantify the cost impact of read rates, it’s first important to understand what happens when a barcode scanner cannot “read” a barcode. When a “no-read” condition occurs, packages must be diverted to a station where an operator can manually key in the information or replace the defective barcode with a new barcode and resend the package back through the sorting system. This type of failed condition results in increased labour costs and reduced efficiency of automated sorting equipment.

As you might expect, low read rates cause greater potential losses as the volume of throughput increases. For example, a high-volume distribution centre that processes 126,760 packages per day and averages 99-per-cent read rates has the option to invest US$100,000 into new barcode reading systems. These new barcode readers will improve overall read rates by 0.9 per cent. What will this investment equate to in real value for the distribution centre?

Before we analyze the value, some assumptions

Table 1: High-volume distribution centre assumptions* Sorter speed (feet/minute)

400

Average box size (inches)

20

Distance between boxes (inches)

30

Operation (hours/day)

22

Utilization (days/year)

350

Boxes/second

1.60

Boxes/hour

5,760

Maximum boxes/day

126,720

Maximum boxes/year

44,352,000 *Based on a high-volume shipping sorter typical of a large retailer.

must be made.

Table 1 details the assumptions made for the purpose of this example.

When a 0.9-per-cent improvement in read rates equals $100,000s in profits By making a $100,000 investment into new barcode reading systems, this improvement reduces the number of packages that must be manually reworked and fed back through the sorting machine by 1,141 packages per day or 399,350 packages per year. If we assume a typical operator making $15 per hour requires 1.5 minutes to rework a “no-read” package, then this investment saves $149,756 per year, allowing the centre to achieve full ROI for its $100,000 in just eight months, and after two years, adds $199,512 in profits. With long life cycles, the new image-based barcode readers can add hundreds of thousands to the bottom line year after year with just a 0.9-per-cent improvement in read rates.

Table 2 illustrates the financial impact improving just 1.99 per cent can have in this example.

A four-month ROI for a $30,000 investment In a low-volume distribution centre, the sample numbers are smaller but no less

Table 2: High-volume distribution centre read rate/labour cost analysis Read rate

No-reads

Maximum

Total

Number of

Cost of

number of

rework

operators

operators (USD/

packages/

Time (man

required to

year)

day

hours/day)

handle rework

97%

3,802

122,918

95.05

11.9

$499,012.50

98%

2,535

124,185

63.38

7.9

$332,718.75

99%

1,268

125,452

31.70

4.0

$166,425.00

99.5%

634

126,086

15.85

2.0

$83,212.50

99.9%

127

126,593

3.18

0.4

$16,668.75

Four Sigma

89

126,631

2.23

0.3

$11,681.25

Five Sigma

26

126,694

0.65

0.1

$3,412.50

Six Sigma

1

126,719

0.03

0.003

$131.25

20

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important to their operations. In this example, the centre processes 82,368 packages per day. However, if barcode scanners fail to automatically read just 2 per cent of the packages passing through the sort machine, that equals 1,647 packages per day or 494,100 packages per year requiring manual rework.

As a result, daily throughput drops from 82,368 to 80,721 packages, reducing annual throughput from 24.7 million packages to 24.2 million.

Using the same 1.5 minutes for a $15-perhour operator to rework a package, and an overall read rate failure of 2 per cent of packages equates to more than 41 hours per day in additional labour at a cost of $185,175 per year. If the fulfillment centre invests $30,000 in new image-based barcode readers that will improve read rates by 1 per cent, it will save $92,587 in labour each year, realizing 100 per cent ROI in just four months while increasing line throughput by 823 packages per day.

If the line was running at 99 per cent, and achieved 99.5 per cent as a result of the upgrade, the savings is still more than $46,000 per year, allowing the centre to achieve full ROI for its $30,000 in less than eight months, while increasing throughput to 81,874 packages per day.

Read rates drive savings

and efficiency As the numbers in Figures 1 and 2 show, capital equipment improvement programs that increase read rates are solid investments that have short ROI schedules and have positive impact on profits over time.

As distribution centres look to improve profit and throughput and position themselves for expected higher demands in years to come, new image-based barcode readers can help to achieve these goals. | MA

Matthew D. Engle, is the director of ID product marketing—Logistics at Cognex Corporation. He joined the company in 2005 as a product marketing manager for DataMan barcode readers. He previously worked as a sales engineer and new business development manager—Logistics before being promoted to his current position in 2014.

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

SUSTAINABILITY

Why are your wastes generated?

Where should you invest?

Who are your champions?

When should you invest?

What are your primary wastes?

I

f you’re interested in saving costs through reducing your water usage, just ask Dextran Products how to do it. In late 2015 and early 2016, this Scarborough, Ont.-based manufacturer of organic chemical products began retrofitting various aspects of the company’s process water and wastewater systems with the goal of substantially reducing its water footprint — and saving big money.

First, a bit about Dextran Products.

The firm is a global exporter, offering a wide array of dextran-based items to markets in Europe, the United States, the Pacific Rim and beyond.

Dextran (a complex molecule of glucose chains) and its derivatives can be used in food products to prevent crystallization, improve moisture retention, and maintain flavour and appearance. Dextran is also used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biological and biochemical research applications and in other arenas. For example, in veterinary medicine, the company’s 5-per-cent and 10-per-cent ‘Iron Dextran’ complex is used to prevent and treat anemia in very young pigs.

The idea of saving water at Dextran

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Ontario manufacturer to save tens of thousands of dollars a year by reducing water usage

BY TREENA HEIN

Products was not new. Company leadership had been investigating how to accomplish this for more than a decade, but had struggled with exactly how to get things off the ground. The turning point came in 2015, when George Usher, Dextran Products technical director, attended a Partners in Project Green seminar where he says he “gained a great deal of insight on how to start.”

Partners in Project Green works to create the biggest eco-business zone in the world, focusing on energy, waste management and wastewater improvements. It is a collaboration between businesses, government bodies, institutions and utilities, initiated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). Dextran Products got on board and meetings with consultants were arranged.

The primary goal of the project was to slash water use and reap those cost savings, but Dextran Products also wanted to boost its compliance with municipal programs and promote itself as a greener, more socially-responsible company. It decided to work with Enviro-Stewards, a consulting firm based

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017

$115,800 Dextran’s annual cost savings as a result of the retrofit

in Elmira, Ont., which specializes in water and waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

The project to identify savings started in November 2015 and was completed in April 2016, the first project to be completed under Partners in Project Green’s Innovative Water Technologies program. The capital expenses were initially projected at about $80,000, with initial estimated annual water savings coming in at about 21,500m3 and cost savings at almost $53,000. The project plan was comprehensive, encompassing strategic market research, input from the vendor community, alignment with regulations and municipal programs, and more.

Enviro-Stewards has a standard five-question approach that it uses to pinpoint the best opportunities for firms such as Dextran. “In general, very few folks use a systematic multi-faceted approach to identify savings,” explains Bruce Taylor, Enviro-Stewards president. “For example, another consultant recommended that Dextran switch from an air-cooled air compressor to a water-cooled air compressor. Yes, this would save a small amount of electricity.

AutomationMag.com 21

SUSTAINABILITY

However, it would shift costs towards water consumption. Enviro-Stewards uses a multifaceted prevention-based approach that incorporates water, energy, and ingredient conservation/ pollution prevention.” Enviro-Stewards also offered Dextran Products a shared savings-based payment model, wherein its compensation is based on implemented cost savings — so the more savings that are realized, the more both firms benefit.

Figure 2

The five-question approach

What are your primary wastes?

Enviro-Stewards uses a series of clamp-on data loggers to measure flow, amps, temperature and more. This quantifies key processes and procedures that consume various inputs such as water and electricity, and also generate waste. This data is used to quantify projected savings of recommended conservation measures, says Taylor, and it also serves as a baseline to measure new data against once the conservation measures are implemented.

Where should you invest?

“The aforementioned in-plant data logging allows us to identify and quantify the key processes and procedures that consume the majority of a facility’s utilities,” Taylor says. “This in turn allows time and financial investment to be directed towards opportunities that provide the greatest economic and environmental returns.”

Why are your wastes generated?

On the waste end, root cause analysis is to determine the root problem that facilities are trying to address through the use of a particular resource and then to identify practical opportunities to address those issues with less resources. “For example, Southbrook Winery is an organic, biodynamic winery in a LEED Gold building,” Taylor notes. “A previous assessment found that reducing electricity consumption by a further 5 per cent would have a 20-year ROI. However, a multifaceted assessment found the winery could further reduce electricity consumption by 33 per cent with an payback of under one year.”

22

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Figure 1 Figure 1: The silver-wrapped pipes coming out of the end wall traveling on the right side of the large white pipe are for the cooling water supply from the cooling tower to the reactors.

Figure 2: This set-up which uses a blue drum to collect water, feed it to the circular white tank on top of the rectangular white tank underneath cost about $500 to implement. This cut the water consumption from 3.8 lpm to about 1.2 lpm.

When should you invest?

After vetting each of the conservation measures with key facility staff, Enviro-Stewards creates a business case for each of the options that remain. This financial information is then used by the facility to plan when each measure will be implemented, says Taylor. In Dextran’s case, projected paybacks for recommended measures ranged from 0.1 years to 1.4 years, with an average of 0.3 years.

Through the five-question approach, eight water-saving measures were identified for the project, all of which were “relatively easy to implement,” says Taylor. He notes the main challenge of a project like this typically comes beforehand, in “the assessment work needed to identify what the eight most practical and economically-viable conservation measures [are in the first place].”

The course of action The water-saving measures implemented at Dextran are: 1) Install a temperature regulator valve and vacuum pump 2) Connect a cooling tower to four remaining reactors 3) Install a reverse osmosis system 4) Install condensate recovery pumps 5) Install automatic blowdown on two boilers 6) Stop overflow from cooling tower sump to drain 7) Switch water softener and increase set blowdown conductivity 8) Send reject water to scrubber and cooling tower (included diverting the clean portions of the water used in different stages of resin regeneration, reusing pump seal water, and reusing the extra cooling water used for cooling reactors during part of the cooling stage that requires colder water

than the cooling tower can provide).

After closer analysis, the estimated total annual water savings of about 21,500m3 and cost savings of about $53,000 were revised to 45,450m3 and $115,800 — more than double.

“We were astonished as we investigated and learned of the payback as a result of work

by Enviro-Stewards,” says Usher, noting that ROI will possibly be achieved in “a matter of months.”

On the subject of challenges, Alicia Wind, Enviro-Stewards’ resource conservation specialist, says Dextran was a bit short on staffpower to implement the opportunities. “They were able to hire a co-op student to help with implementation and we’ve followed up with and supported them throughout the process to keep momentum going,” she says. “If I can speak on Dextran’s behalf, I would also say that the biggest lesson learned was the fact that a surprising volume of water was going to processes/procedures unnecessarily and that a few simple changes could save so much water.”

In terms of best advice for companies contemplating the process, Usher advises “You cannot do it alone. You need to connect with people who have the expertise. I think this applies to SMEs more than anyone else because they probably don’t have the infrastructure or people who can focus on such projects to ensure they are carried through to completion.”

He says he would “most certainly” recommend other companies participate in a similar initiative. “You have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” he says. “Even if your payback is a year or two, we have to remember the cost of water will only go up and so as you undertake these projects, your ROI will increase.” | MA Treena Hein (treenahein.wordpress.com) is an award-winning Ontario freelance science and tech writer.

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

PHOTOS: DEXTRAN PRODUCTS

Who are your champions?

“What we are really selling [when we begin bringing a project to realization] is change from the status quo,” Taylor explains. “To facilitate change, we engage key facility staff throughout the process so that they ‘buy in’ to the recommendations before the report is even written. A study of 26 small and medium-sized facilities that we completed under an onsite technical assistance program found that 90 per cent of the facilities intended to implement all or most of our recommendations.”

NEW PRODUCTS CONNECTIVITY Solid state relays

WIRE & CABLE paralleling and N+1 operation or back-up battery connection. An output fail alarm (Form C) is also available on request. www.absopulse.com

Liquid-tight flexible conduit

DC-DC converter series Carlo Gavazzi says its RK series of two-pole solid state relays gives the option of having the two poles controlled independently or simultaneously.

Boasting a smaller size without compromising performance, the series is suitable for reliable switching of resistive loads.

According to the company, the series extends the current ratings of two-pole solid state relays to 75 AAC per pole with a heat sink and provides output screw terminals for “secure connectivity” of cables with ferrules, ring or fork terminals. www.gavazzionline.com

Available now, the MicroPower Direct MPV5080LS series is a family of 15W DC/DC converters designed to meet the needs of utility scale photovoltaic applications. The series features a 200-1500 VDC input, which it says allows the use of longer solar panel strings, adding that this in turn reduces the number of combiner boxes required. All models of the MPV1580LS family are packaged in a 4.3 in. x 2.3 in. x 1.18 in. encapsulated case. www.micropowerdirect.com

MACHINE SAFETY Safety light curtains

Railway DC-DC converters for on-board train applications The LTH-65R-F3TH series of heavy-duty, railway quality DC-DC converters with pure convection cooling from Absopulse Electronics delivers

up to 200W output power.

Designed to float charge hold-up batteries for on-train electrical equipment, the units are also suitable for a range of other transportation and industrial applications. The converters operate from a 12Vdc (10.5-16V) input and deliver 12Vdc, 24Vdc, 48Vdc or the corresponding float voltages.

Other input values and output voltages up to 125Vdc are available. An optional built-in redundancy diode allows for

AutomationDirect is offering liquid-tight flexible electrical conduit in steel and non-metallic styles and in 3/8-in. to 2-in. sizes. The Liquatite conduit

by Electri-flex is designed for various uses, including motors and enclosure connections.

Available in 25, 50, and 100-ft rolls, type LA flexible steel conduit promises “outstanding”

protection against wet, oily conditions and is designed for exposed or concealed locations.

The flexible inner core is made from a spiral-wound strip of corrosion-resistant, hot-dipped galvanized steel. Type LA conduit is suited for temperatures of -22 F to 176 F, wet applications of -22 F to 140 F and in oily conditions of -22 F to 158 F. Type ATLA flexible steel conduit is suitable for extreme hot/cold environments. Type SLA flexible shielded liquid-tight conduit is designed for applications requiring protection of sensitive electronic circuits. Type NM is a general purpose, non-metallic liquid-tight conduit that boasts “excellent” protection. www.automationdirect.com

Wieland Electric says its SLC series safety light curtains provide trusted protection for machine operators and against unauthorized access. Boasting slim, rigid housings for easy adjustment and stable operation, the series’ integrated double-scan technology promises to avoid unwanted downtime in harsh operating conditions. They can be made as Type 2 or Type 4 devices, and are available in five beam resolutions (14, 20, 30, 40, and 90 mm), protection field heights spanning 150 mm – 1800 mm, and a range of accessories. Configuration of the light curtains is done through wiring and therefore does not require a connection to a PC or setting of DIP switches. The series is available in two models: the SLC Standard, which features an LED display, double-scan technology, automatic start, and selectable transmission

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017

channels and range reduction to prevent mutual interference.

Meanwhile, the SLC Select offers the additional benefits of manual start/restart interlock, external device monitoring (EDM), and a seven-segment display that provides diagnostic and status messages. www.wieland-electric.ca

Non-contact safety switches The Omega LPC/LMC, CPC/ CMC, SPC/SMC series of coded non-contact safety switches promise to deliver top quality construction, universal designs, coded magnetic actuation, and

16-mm emergency stop APEM has introduced its 16-mm diameter A01ES-D emergency stop, describing it as compact, stylish and ergonomically designed with four actuator styles and a single or double pole switch block. The emergency stop is suited for devices used in environments requiring a “robust, compact and aesthetic” emergency stop, says the company, such as remote controls, medical imagery and transportation. Other features of the e-stop include: AC15, 1.5A 250VAC, 6A 250VAC current/voltage rating; IP65 front panel sealing; green locked/ unlocked status indicator; and EN60947-5-5 approval. www.apem.com

a NEMA PW12 (IP69K) rating to fit various factory automation applications. The switches are designed to interlock hinged, sliding or removable machine guard doors and can provide an input to a safety PLC to initiate machine shutdown in an emergency situation. According to Omega, the switches are “specifically advantageous” in factory automation when poor guard alignment exists, anti-tamper sensing is required, and long life is required. www.omega.com AutomationMag.com 23

NEW PRODUCTS MOTION CONTROL Quarter-turn actuators for process automation

Festo describes its DFPD quarter-turn actuator series as modular and built for “maximum” flexibility for a variety of applications and operating conditions in process automation. DFPD actuators come in single and double acting versions. They can be paired with ball valves, butterfly and shutoff valves. The DFPD is made for a range of industries including chemical, biotech/pharma, water/wastewater and beverage with all models boasting “excellent” corrosion resistance.

The basic DFPD is suitable for operating in temperatures between -20 C and 80 C, but the many variants in the series also include a low-temperature model (for operating conditions -50 C to 60 C) and a high temperature one (0 C to 150 C). Other variants also include epoxy coated as well as NPT thread and 180-degree swivel angle versions. According to the company, what distinguishes the DFPD series is its small size and versatility, adding that the single acting version is “particularly compact.” Both versions feature a rack and pinion combination with a constant torque characteristic across the entire swivel range. www.festo.com

Servo terminals with Safe Torque Off functionality Aiming to increase safety technology in motion control applications, the Beckhoff Automation EL72x1-9014 EtherCAT servo terminals implement STO (Safe Torque 24

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MACHINE TOOLS Off) functionality. The integrated features correspond to safety level Cat 3/PL d, according to EN ISO 13849-1:2015. The I/O terminal form-factor of the EL72x1-9014 promotes space-saving, cost-effective motion solutions via advanced servo drive technology with built-in safety functionality and One Cable Technology, which combines power and feedback signals to servomotors into one standard cable, says the company. In addition, two-channel shut-off with corresponding contactors in the motor cable provides a “considerable reduction in cabling effort, space requirements and cost” — a single cable connects the TwinSAFE safety output terminal (e.g. EL2904) and the STO input of the servo terminal. As well, the OCT solution promises to minimize cable costs and space needed for motor connections.

The EL7201-9014 variant comes in a 12-mm terminal housing

and supplies an output current of up to 2.8 ARMS, while the 24 mm EL7211-9014 version can supply a maximum of 4.5 ARMS. www.beckhoff.com

Laser system

Gearbox boasts high speed and torque Stober Drives has introduced its PS two-speed gearbox, boasting high speed and high torque. It offers two different options, from a direct drive to customer ratio choice. The 1:1 ratio direct drive can be used for high-speed cutting up to 10,000

RPM. The customer can choose from two ratios, 4:1 or 5.5:1, that are capable of turning at 7,000 RPM. This allows the customer to use a 1:1 ratio for low torque high speed cuts and the 4 or 5.5:1 ratio for high torque lower speed cuts. Users can also choose between two different output types (shafted and flanged) with three versions of each utilizing a short, medium, or long output. www.stober.com

Preco has introduced its Lightning Bolt 2000 laser system for processing of highly accurate micro features on metallic, ceramic and polymer materials. The system utilizes a PC controller based on the Windows operating system.

It offers a full graphical CAD interface with the ability to import common file types such as AutoCAD DWG and DXF format. Processing files can also be generated inside Preco’s AcuBeam software. The system utilizes galvo motion, boasting high speed, high accurate laser processing. The galvo is fixed on a z-axis above a precision XY table. The processing area can be tiled together to allow processing over the full range of the 150 x 150 mm XY motion.

Other options include a range of XY stages, galvo processing

TEST & MEASUREMENT Inspection instrument for inhouse calibration Mitutoyo has introduced the next generation i-Checker, model IC-2000, boasting efficient in-house calibration the following indicating gauges: dial indicator, dial test indicator, dial comparator (hicator), bore gauge, cylinder gauge, digimatic indicator, linear gauge, electrical comparator (electronic micrometer, Mu-checker). The IC-2000 features: a measuring range of 100 mm; full-automatic inspection of digital indicators;

semi-automatic inspection of analogue indicators; “ultra-reliable” inspection results; and an operation box that collects functions necessary for inspection. According to the company, inspection can be performed 2.5 times faster compared to previous models. www.mitutoyo.ca

Non-contact vision probe Renishaw says its RVP vision measurement probe, for use with the REVO 5-axis measurement system on CMMs, increases multi-sensor capability by

adding non-contact inspection to the system’s “touch-trigger, high-speed tactile scanning and surface finish measurement capability.” Thin sheet metal parts or components with large numbers of holes as small as 0.5 mm and parts not suited to tactile measurement can be inspected.

The RVP consists of a probe and modules that are interchangable with other probe options available for REVO. Sensor data is automatically referenced to a common datum, it says, adding that this flexibility means the tool can inspect various features on one platform. www.renishaw.com

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

POWER SUPPLIES areas, rotary stages, vision registration, inspection and robotics. According to Preco, typical processes include ablation, via drilling, surface texturing, and cutting. www.precoinc.com

Vertical conveyor oven

unload position. The oven features an aluminized steel exterior and interior, 4-in. thick insulated walls, two independent doors for workspace/heat chamber access, safety light curtain, and a viewing window. www.grievecorp.com

Modular honing machine for precision metal components Gehring has released the Lifehone L630 modular honing machines for precision metal components, boasting a systematic approach to “help ensure an efficient manufacturing process.”

The Gehring honing control promises precision controlled stroke speeds and reversal precision. An optional feature allows the stroke to be executed via a ball screw or a linear motor.

The L630 machine is a honing centre that can be equipped with one or two honing spindles. www.gehring.de

Grieve says its 906 electricallyheated vertical conveyor oven offers a maximum operating temperature of 250 F. 20 kW total are installed in Incoloy sheathed tubular heating elements, while a 4,200 CFM, 3-HP recirculating blower provides vertical upward airflow to the load. Meanwhile, 11 trays ride vertically on a chain drive, individually indexed to the load/

“High efficiency, high power density” power supplies Saelig has introduced the PSU-series of single output programmable switching DC power supplies that can provide up to 200A current and cover a power range up to 1520W. Described as “high efficiency, high power density,” the series includes five models from 6V to 60V rated voltages. The models can be connected in a series for increased power capacity: up to two units in series or up to four in parallel to cover a broad range of applications. The PSUSeries of 19 in. rackmount (1U) single channel power supplies from GWInstek provide constant voltage/constant current selection, a useful safety feature for protecting a Device Under Test (DUT). The power supplies normally operate in constant voltage (CV) mode when turned on, but, if connected to a capacitive load, this could cause a high inrush current or current-intensive load at the power output stage, says Saelig, adding that running in constant current mode limits current spikes, protecting the DUT from inrush current damage.

The Over-voltage (OVP) and

Over-current (OCP) protection levels can be selected from 10 per cent to 110 per cent, with the default level set at 110 per cent of the power supply’s rated voltage/current.

The series provides USB Host, USB Device, LAN, RS-232 with RS-485, and isolated analogue control interfaces as standard. A LabView driver is also available for rear-panel external control of Power On/Off and external monitoring of the power output voltage and current. www.saelig.com

ADVERTISER INDEX llied Electronics Inc. 1,27 A AutomationDirect 2 Beckhoff Canada 5 Encoder Products Company 6 Fluke Electronics 7 Hiwin Corporation 9 Murrelektronik Canada 3 Pilz Automation 19 Safety Siemens Canada Ltd. 28 TO ADVERTISE Contact Klaus B. Pirker kpirker@annexweb.com

MA’s Technology Handbooks are a series of digital magazines that focus on a single product category within Canada’s manufacturing industry. Posted on MA’s website as an interactive flip-style magazine, our Technology Handbooks provide specific market and product information, as well as trends within that specific product category, to machine builders, component manufacturers, end-users and system integrators.

For more information, contact Klaus Pirker at kpirker@annexweb.com or (905) 726-4670.

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION · January/February 2017 MA_HandbookAd_1.4_2017_GWJ.indd 1

AutomationMag.com 25 2017-01-03 10:05 AM

BACKSTORY WHAT MA PUBLISHED IN...

2001 “People are the on/off switch to technology adoption.”

2008 “Don’t be afraid to look at something a little differently.

Just because you’ve used a technology for one application, that doesn’t mean it won’t help solve a different problem in your plant.”

2011

Leveraging mobile devices in the manufacturing industry

D

espite initial hesitation and slower adoption, the use of mobile devices in the manufacturing industry is picking up speed. With a growing need to make tighter deadlines and hit quicker turnaround times, manufacturing companies are turning towards mobile technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) to help increase efficiencies and reduce downtime.

Manufacturing is experiencing an increasing mobile-first client base and growing workforce demands. To keep up with customer deliverables and “always on, always available” attitudes, manufacturers are integrating programs to encourage the use of mobile devices at work. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs allow employees to use the device of their choice when accessing company data, applications and networks. Corporate Owned, Personally Enabled (COPE) programs provide employees with 26

@AutomationMag

company-approved devices that already have management solutions.

IoT incorporation is also improving manufacturing workplace efficiencies.

By offering better insight into specific lines of business and applications, IoT allows manufacturers to transform real-time information into actionable intelligence.

These innovations allow for greater visibility and information access.

However, manufacturing companies need to ensure new device models or operating systems are supported.

Without support, software may never be updated or patched after installation, resulting in downtime or worse.

Security is also a primary concern; major losses can be incurred if mobile devices are poorly managed/maintained, or if employees are unaware of what they should and shouldn’t be accessing. According to Deloitte, 40 per cent of manufacturing companies were affected by cybersecurity

“HMI software and services market driven by new mobile devices and server deployment.”

2013 “Manufacturers are harnessing mobile apps like never before.”

2014 “Bluetooth is one reason that mobile devices are increasing in popularity on the plant floor. They’re also relatively inexpensive, easy to use and incredibly popular in the commercial world as well.”

2013 “Progressive manufacturers can create app ‘stores’ with application capabilities that can be easily configured to match employee, business partner and customer roles.”

2016 “Today’s pervasive smartphone has more power than a super-computer of just a couple decades ago.”

incidents within the past year, and 38 per cent of those impacted suffered damages in excess of $1 million.

While companies are more willing to implement IoT today, AT&T found 90 per cent of organizations lack full confidence in their IoT security.

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM), when combined with Managed Mobility Services (MMS), offers companies the ability to push security/ system updates to devices, as well as real-time remote device wiping, tracking, and geofencing. As mobile devices and IoT become more popular within manufacturing, so will EMM and MMS. Benefits will continue to grow as manufacturing becomes more comfortable incorporating mobility into the workplace. In the meantime, EMM and MMS will make sure current devices protect company data while giving employees the access they need. | MA As president of MOBI, Mitch Black leads the company’s go-to market strategy and organization, contributing to the overall growth and operations. He has 20 years of experience in other executive positions in the mobility industry.

January/February 2017 · MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

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