CEE_21_10

The speed of digitalisation: The Covid effect

Ethernet: moving to field level

How do variable speed drives save energy?

Switching to noninvasive measurement

DRIVING SAFETY, WEG’S CFW500 WITH EMBEDDED SAFETY FUNCTIONS

A very important fact to be considered by designers and users of machinery is the high degree of reliability and robustness of the CFW500. Its safety functions have SIL 3 and PLe rating according to EN/IEC61508 and EN ISO13849-1, achieving the highest levels of reliability as certified by Germany’s TUV Rhineland notifying body.

• Proof test interval of 20 years eliminating high “re-testing” costs.

• Fewer components, no need for additional wiring, saving space and installation costs.

• Easier installation, commissioning and maintenance.

• No mechanical components allowing for faster response for higher productivity,

• 24 Vdc available to power external circuits.

• Available with IP20 or IP66 protection rating.

Will you be attending trade fairs this year?

As we move rapidly into Autumn (where did the Summer go?) my thoughts have turned to the SPS – smart production systems exhibition in Nuremberg in November. I am wondering whether it will resemble the normal, bustling event that we are all used to. Although Bavaria is open for trade fairs again, will visitors be willing to travel? And will organisations let their employees visit? I am interested to get your views, so please do contact me.

We will be covering the event in next month’s issue. In the meantime, in this issue we have put a spotlight on the digital transformation – looking at recent advances and trends (starting on pg 10) and we also look at developments in industrial communication technologies, finding out how Ethernet is quickly moving to field level.

Suzanne Gill Editor – Control Engineering Europe suzanne.gill@imlgroup.co.uk

INDUSTRY REPORT

4 Reality augmented with remote support technologies

EDITOR’S CHOICE

6 Extension to cloud-based condition monitoring system; Level measurement with non-contact radar

THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

10 Industry 4.0: how concept has become a reality

12 Industry 4.0 comes out of its shell

14 The Pandemic effect on the speed of digitalisation

SCADA & HMIs

16 SCADA helps speed up the digital transformation journey

TEMPERATURE & PRESSURE CONTROL

18 Is it time to switch to non-invasive temperature measurement?

INDUSTRIAL COMMUNICATIONS

21 Mobility technology secures open automation

24 Ethernet moves to field level

CONDITION MONITORING

26 We take a look at the benefits of vibration monitoring and analysis

DRIVES & MOTORS

28 Find out how variable speed drives can help save energy

SUSTAINABILITY

29 Now is the right time to put more emphasis on cutting our carbon footprints

PG 26

PG 12

SPE INDUSTRIAL PARTNER NETWORK DRIVES DEVELOPMENT OF THE IEC 63171-7 STANDARD

The SPE Industrial Partner Network is driving the development of IEC 63171-7 for hybrid SPE + power interfaces in M12 format. M12 is the logical and natural progression of the hybrid SPE + power interface in M8 format, as already specified in IEC 63171-6.

The M12 interface is one of the most common sizes at the field level of automation and, to establish SPE as the new physical layer for the IIoT at the field level, the right infrastructure is needed.

As well as higher data rates, the SPE infrastructure should also ensure greater ranges and increased power supply to devices. To guarantee this, even in the case of high-power ap-plications, it is necessary to seek alternatives to Power over Data Line (PoDL) via data contacts, which are limited to 50W at the device and a pure point-to-point star topology. If higher power is required or if more variable network structures are to be realised as a line or tree, hybrid cabling is needed, with separate wire pairs for

SPE and power supply. To fulfil these requirements, IEC 63171-6 defines suitable PoDL and hybrid M8 interfaces with one SPE contact pair and two additional power contacts for 60V DC/8A. Building on this solution, the hybrid concept was further developed, adding more contacts, and integrated into the M12 size.

Following consultations with the members of the SPE Industrial Partner Network and with customers, up to five power contacts plus the SPE contact pair are integrated into the proven M12 format. Different versions from 60V DC / 50V AC to 630V AC 3-phase can be realised with fool-proof coding. This makes these new M12 hybrid interfaces suitable for a wide range of applications.

The hybrid system combines the advantages of a direct supply of data and power with the lower cost and compactness of cabling using only one cable and one interface at the device. In this context, M12 interfaces offer excellent EMC properties through having

separate data and power contacts. Together with IEC 63171-6, as the new standard for hybrid M12 SPE + power solutions IEC 63171-7 gives companies the confidence to invest in the successful establishment of Single Pair Ethernet at the field level.

Cloud-based learning solution helps upskill workforces

AVEVA has launched Unified Learning as part of the portfolio available on AVEVA Connect, common cloud platform. The cloud-based employee development solution helps AVEVA customers advance industrial workers from novice to expert by using blended custom and generic experiential training modules.

Harpreet Gulati, senior vice president, Planning, Simulation and Optimization Business, AVEVA, said: “Effective training programs are essential to help prevent industrial accidents and ensure safety, especially when the workforce is inexperienced

or unaccustomed to new plant technologies. As the name suggests, AVEVA Unified Learning combines a set of development elements within one cloud-based platform so training managers can customise learning development to each member of their workforce wherever they are.

Experiential learning can now be delivered in safe, simulation-based environments while workforce competence and operational excellence can be tracked at the same time.”

AVEVA Unified Learning drives competency and consistency through

experiential learning on a single platform. By eliminating deployment hurdles and simplifying program management, the solution empowers customers to improve the learning experience and extract greater value from their training investments.

Because the Unified Learning simulators are entirely cloud-based and offered as Software-as-a-Service, organisations benefit from global accessibility and scalability. With training delivered directly to each worker’s device, cost, time and energy outlays are reduced along-side the organisation’s carbon footprint.

Reality augmented with remote support technologies

ABB Electrification’s Service business has launched a range of solutions to provide interactive remote support using immersive extended reality.

Adapting to today’s rapidly changing world, augmented reality (AR) technology is at the heart of the latest global solutions – ‘CLOSER’ and ‘RAISE’ – from ABB Electrification’s Service offering.

CLOSER enables interactive troubleshooting using step-bystep guides, while RAISE facilitates remotely guided repairs or maintenance support for ABB solutions. Available as downloadable applications from Google and Apple stores, both platforms use augmented reality and overlay the instructions on real equipment to expertly assist customers quickly and efficiently.

CLOSER and RAISE aim to simplify maintenance, reduce downtime, and increase equipment effectiveness by improving the quality of repairs and speed of resolution. RAISE is expected to cut the time – typically between 24 to 72 hours –and cost involved in visiting a site. Using RAISE will also save approximately 332 tons of CO2 emissions per year by reducing up to one-third of customer site visits by field service engineers. If further assistance is needed, or in the case of replacing

critical components, the customer can connect directly with an ABB technical expert through RAISE (Remote Assistance for electrical systems). A live video sharing service solution, RAISE reduces time to repair and maintain electrical equipment by allowing ABB experts to use extended reality to remotely guide field operators on their Android or iOS smartphone, tablet, or via smart glasses and other supported wearables.

Commenting on the new services, David Barragan from SAICA, a European leader in the development and production of recycled paper for corrugated cardboard, said: “We contacted ABB when an Emax breaker was tripping at our site in Zaragoza. Using RAISE, we resolved the issue safely and eliminated travel time by removing the need for a site visit. The speed, agility and functionality of this innovative technology is really impressive.”

The Mitsubishi Electric FR-E800 variable speed drive series is designed to support the complex needs of smart factories. On-board Artificial Intelligence and multiple network capabilities, including Time-Sensitive Networking, are enhanced with predictive maintenance functions and corrosive gas detectors. OEM machine builders and users in automotive, food, life sciences, manufacturing, water treatment and many other industries will benefit from the E800’s flexible control capabilities. The E800 guarantees high performance control of induction and permanent magnet motors and can be incorporated into Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 systems. If you’d like to find out more contact us on automation@meuk.mee.com, call 01707 276100 or visit gb3a.mitsubishielectric.com.

n Corrosive gas environment detection

n TSN and multi-network capability on-board

n Built-in AI

n Advanced safety functions

n Scalable power for application diversity

n Designed to meet the needs of Industry 4.0

Smart enough ...to see the future... ...and to change it...

Configure and monitor IO-Link via smart devices

The new IO-Link Bluetooth adaptor from ifm electronic enables IO-Link devices to be readily accessed using a standard smartphone, providing a fast and convenient way of parameterising the devices, as well as making it easy to monitor their operation.

The adaptor is compatible with all ifm IO-Link masters from firmware version 2.1 onward and is complemented by the ifm moneo|blue software package, which is available in free-to-download versions for iOS and Android devices.

When linked to an IO-Link master, the Bluetooth adaptor gives access

to all the sensors and other devices connected to that master and to the master itself. For many types of device, the software provides an intuitive graphical representation of data and settings, which makes parameterisation straightforward as well as minimising the risk of error. In addition, the software can record process data from the sensors and email it as a zip file so that it can be further analysed.

To guard against unauthorised access to devices and alterations to existing parameter settings, the software incorporates a robust password-based security system.

Level measurement with non-contact radar

The LCR radar sensor from Pepperl+Fuchs is suitable for continuous, non-contact level and flow measurement especially in storage tanks, containers, open basins and pump lift stations.

The hermetically sealed housing allows the sensor to be used in rough process conditions. Commissioning is possible via HART wireless with the Pepperl+Fuchs Level App and Bluetooth.

The signal curve can be displayed

with the Level app on any Bluetoothenabled smartphone or tablet (iOS, Android). Thanks to innovative chip design and compact sensor design, the device is well suited to applications with limited space.

The sensor features a measuring range of up to 20m with accuracies of ± 2mm. it is suitable for continuous level measurement and flow measurements at temperatures of between -40 and +80°C.

Unmanaged switches with IP67 protection

A new range of unmanaged switches for field installation expand the product Ethernet switch range from Phoenix Contact.

The 1608 and 1708 variants of the FL SWITCH 1000 product family feature the IP65/IP66/IP67 degrees of protection and make it easier to integrate distributed sensors, actuators, cameras, and I/O stations into the network.

The rugged housing design is said to provide almost unlimited options for choosing a mounting position. The M12 connection technology lets the user choose between the use of classic M12 connectors with screw connection and the M12 PUSH-PULL fast locking system from Phoenix Contact.

The unmanaged switches support the Quality of Service (QoS) functionalities of the FL Switch 1000 product series for customary use of automation protocol prioritisation.

Extension to cloud-based condition monitoring system

Machine Sentry has enhanced its cloudbased condition monitoring offering with the launch of Machine Sentry 2.5.

The latest developments deliver enhancements to Androi applications of the system, including integration with Bluetooth low energy (LE) sensors from any manufacturer; support for new, advanced oil quality and vibration sensors; and a simplified measurement import application programme interface (API).

In addition to the option of employing MSF-1, a Machine Sentry sensor, companies using the Machine Sentry Android application can now add any brand of sensor to the system by simply copying the sensor definition to the Android device’s internal storage and opening it. Once loaded, the new sensor will be able to collect measurements in the same way as MS-F1.

Machine Sentry 2.5 also enables enhanced oil quality and vibration monitoring capabilities with the addition of two new compatible sensors. The Tandelta oil quality sensor, connected via the Tandelta OQD Express display, allows the condition of oil to be monitored

in situ without the need to extract a sample and send it to an oil lab. Wear or contamination is measured in real time to an accuracy of 0.001%.

The CTC WA102-1A transmitter, for AC312 and AC314 accelerators, has a higher maximum temperature range than MSF-1, with the potential to reach 125°C, and is capable of a higher sample rate, delivering a maximum F-Max value of just over 15kHz.

The simplified measurement API has been developed to make it easy to import devices, channels and measurements from other systems to Machine Sentry. Data uploaded via the IPA is automatically added to the database.

Reliable through-process temperature surveys from hostile environments

Fluke Process Instruments has introduced the latest Datapaq Furnace Tracker System –complete with the TP6 data logger, thermal barriers and software.

The Datapaq Furnace Tracker System is designed to be used repeatedly, in-process in hostile manufacturing environments, to provide accurate and reliable through-process temperature surveys. The system is said to help improve process performance, decrease downtime, reduce temperature uniformity survey (TUS) reporting times and more.

The first component of the system is the Datapaq TP6 Data Logger which features a 316-grade, stainless-steel case and a IP67 rating, making it water resistant. This datalogger is available with either 10 or 20 thermocouple inputs.

On target.

The latest thermal barrier models are suited to high-temperature heat treat processes and have been designed to provide maximum thermal protection –including applications such as vacuum and controlled atmosphere, slab reheat and solution aging, among others.

Completing the system is the Datapaq Insight Software which transforms raw data into actionable analytics, clear user interface, context sensitive help screens and assistance options for infrequent users. Three software options are available and the complimentary Datapaq Insight for mobile is offered for free. This mobile application allows users to reset, download and analyse right on the factory floor and check thermocouple operation before a thermal profile run.

IR Cameras. Pyrometers. Accessories. Software. We measure temperature non-contact from –50 °C to +3000 °C. Visit: www.optris.gobal

Features: Automatic spot finder, Fast Ethernet, autonomous operation, incl. software

Our new compact and cost-effictive IR camera Xi 410 is ideal for condition monitoring of machines and plants.

when temperature matters

APPLYING COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS IN THREE PHASES

Collaborative robots, often referred to as cobots, are robotic devices designed to physically interact with humans in a workspace. Consider three phases in the successful application of collaborative robots: Education, assessment and design.

Collaborative robot education

The first phase with any new type of technology is education. How does this device work? What are its capabilities and limitations? How does this impact our understanding of safety?

The unique position of cobots in the robotic field is due to internal designs with force-sensing technology. The robot is designed to stop when external forces beyond thresholds are detected to prevent injury. The speed and torque allowed during robot motion are restricted to eliminate unsafe contact with human operators. Many cobot models allow programmable control for these settings so that the level of restriction can be tuned to the needs of the system. Those implementing cobots must be educated on proper safety requirements for automated systems and cobots.

A great deal of safety strategy for conventional robots is centred on separation between the robotic automation and human, such as safeguards like fences to restrict human access to robotic operating areas. In robot and human shared workspaces, it is typical to employ monitoring devices like light screens and floor scanners. Standards set operating distances between automation and humans in different scenarios.

Among important implementation steps is designating a safety authority. It requires a shift in how safety is approached when the intent is for

humans and robots to work together. Guidelines continue to develop and it is critical to have a designated champion who is up to date on industry standards and best practices. These regulations include ANSI/RIA R15.062012 for general robotic system safety

and RIA R15.806-2016, which more specifically addresses collaborative robot technology. Technical report RIA TR15.806-2018 provides additional guidance on testing that may be required when designing a collaborative workspace.

Collaborative robots offer lots of potential, but companies must be diligent in education, assessment and overall design, argues Kelly Chalmers.

The assessment phase will rely upon knowledge of collaborative devices and standards. Task assignment will be impacted by the capabilities of the robot itself.

Collaborative robot assessment

A common misconception of collaborative robots is that the system is safe for humans. The power and force limiting features only apply to the robot itself. They do not account for other potential hazards including other components mounted to the primary robot body like end-of-arm-tooling (EOAT).

The second phase of implementing collaborative technology is to assess the system safety. A safety risk assessment is a task-based review of potential hazards in the system. Hazards are rated by characteristics such as severity and frequency and then reviewed for the ability to mitigate the risk through design. This ongoing process should begin in system pre-design and continue through build. This type of iterative procedure will ensure safety considerations are met during design and not as an afterthought.

Consider what tasks automation will do. Let humans do what humans do best, such as critical decision-making, high dexterity/perception, technical know-how, and non-routine operations. Robots are best suited for work that is repetitive and routine. Programming can be taught to include decisionmaking processes, but it is an efficient trade-off when the decision outputs are limited. With collaborative robots, this task assignment decision is expanded to consider how it will impact the risk assessment.

The assessment phase will rely upon knowledge of collaborative devices and standards. Task assignment will be impacted by the capabilities of the robot. Power and force limiting devices work with restrictions on payload and speed to control force. Cobot devices from one robotic manufacturer vary in maximum payload capacity from 4 to 35kg. This is a relatively light range in comparison with industrial robots, which can have payload capacities of more than 2000kg. Arm speed is limited significantly compared with conventional robot models, which

can affect cycle time targets. Each cobot task will need to be evaluated against these parameters for feasibility.

Collaborative robot design

Collaborative robot implementation design includes human contact analysis, not just the cobot. Tooling and devices need to be considered in a risk assessment. Tasks must be reviewed for potential crush and impact contact hazards because humans can be in proximity to equipment. Safety standards clarify what forces are acceptable for hazards to areas of the human body. Considerations for contact differ for a leg than a human eye. Flexibility of cobot programming and setup makes it necessary to understand how specifications can be tested to ensure proper limits for operator safety. Simulation helps identify hazards and design parameters.

Most cobot devices have adopted rounded contours to increase surface areas and decrease forces in contact situations. Similar types of deliberate design choices need to be reflected in other tooling and devices that will be part of the workspace. This may involve the use of special covers to prevent unnecessary access to components that could pose a hazard for a nearby worker. When maintenance tasks are required, the cover can be removed for access.

Some tasks can pose a hazard that cannot be resolved due to the process. A force that is required to fasten a part to an assembly may be beyond

the specification limitation. Another option is to use auxiliary equipment to control human access to a controlled space during that operation. This could involve components like light screens to monitor for human access to the area around the device. The design of the system should provide safety control during the hazard of the insert task and allow for a cooperative process between the human and robot.

Treating cobots like standard robots will limit their value. Ignoring safety from the start will create unnecessary design challenges. Design the collaborative workspace from the beginning. plus-circle

This article originally appeared on www.controleng.com

Kelly Chalmers is senior project manager at Applied Manufacturing Technologies.

Most cobot devices have adopted rounded contours to increase surface areas and decrease forces in contact situations.

INDUSTRY 4.0: HOW THE CONCEPT BECAME A REALITY

Industry 4.0 was a term coined by the German government in a report in 2011 exploring the increase in the use of technology in manufacturing settings and the roll-out of digital transformation. Over the last decade it has revolutionised multiple sectors and is now at the core of production advances and updates.

Initially, the idea of moving an entire production process ‘online’ and using technology throughout was perceived as a daunting, time consuming and expensive task and in the early days, it was mostly the large-scale innovators who took the leap to reap the benefits of productivity, cost and quality improvements.

Exponential growth

With market-leaders implementing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and software in their manufacturing processes and demonstrating the benefits to their business, digital transformation has grown

exponentially in the last decade and is revolutionising methods of production.

Integrating software at each stage of a production line enables benefits such as improved diagnostic capabilities, real-time data, reporting and the ability to predict upcoming issues.The ability to log – and digest – data and information from a production line in a fixed way; rather than jotted notes on pieces of paper, or free-typed and logged where patterns may not be immediately spotted, gives managers insight into faults and quality control issues, but also information on profitability and productivity.

Digital twinning – the concept of building a virtual version of a product or process – allows insight into the machinations, can predict outcomes and can even pre-empt any faults or failures.

While the perception can often be that technology, automation and software is expensive, return on investment can be swift. Statistics

show the top benefits of digital transformation are improved operational efficiency (40%), faster time to market (36%) and the ability to meet customer expectations (35%).

In addition, the reduction in downtime, rework and products waiting to be reviewed can be massively reduced, if not eliminated, through the implementation of automation and use of software.

Skilled job growth

The last 40 years has seen manufacturing being transferred to emerging economies where wages tend to be a lot lower than in the more advanced markets. However, with the upsurge in the use of technology in the last decade, the view is that more repetitive, unskilled tasks will be undertaken by robotics and automated, while more technical and skilled jobs will be created in order to operate automated processes or assess data produced.

Nick Elkin discusses how the idea of implementing technology into manufacturing processes has revolutionised production across the globe.

Covid-19

A totally unpredicted benefit of the shift towards digitisation is how this would assist manufacturers when it came to the impact of Covid-19. Having remote access to reporting, data and production outcomes enabled huge numbers of staff to work from home, while maintaining all functions of their role.

Quality control could be reviewed, reports produced for health and safety, finance, external accreditations such as ISO 14001 and annual reports for the board could all be created and presented remotely thanks to digitisation which minimised the impact on business’ bottom lines while allowing a large proportion of staff to work remotely; keeping them safe and reducing the number of staff on-site, thus helping with social distancing for those who needed to be on-site.

The implementation of new technologies, as well as the digitisation

of records, data, reporting and product logs can seem like a mammoth task, however working with a specialist partner who understands your business objectives, as well as potential pain points, can streamline the digitisation process and bring almost immediate results and benefits.

One FLAGS Software customer, a luxury vehicle manufacturer wanted real-time knowledge of any potential issues on the production line that would result in rework and potential delays to finished vehicles. Working as their strategic partner, FLAGS Software was able to create a digital twin of the vehicles in production and a digital shopfloor workbook for managers to log and gather data on faults, quality control issues and any third-party components that may be faulty.

This insight and data can then be used to produce board reports and provide insight into productivity and profitability. The software captures

safety critical data that can be used for safety checks to ensure safety of the vehicle, compliance with government regulations and ensuring the product meets the brand’s high standards. Information for health and safety audits and accreditations such as ISO 9001 and 14001 can also be captured and processed, reducing the workload of those responsible for quality assurance and guaranteeing standardised logs.

Using software creates a smart factory that can ensure standards from suppliers throughout manufacturing to the end customer. Bringing all information together in one place gives the whole business a holistic overview and the insight into how elements can impact the business as a whole; whether positive or negative. plus-circle

Nick Elkin is managing director of FLAGS Software.

INDUSTRY 4.0 COMES OUT OF ITS SHELL

Behind the scenes there is a lot of work required to turn the theory of Industry 4.0 into reality. The name ‘Asset Administration Shell’ (AAS) may not be instantly memorable, but every engineer does need to know what it is.

The AAS is the ‘digital shell’ that wraps around each smart element of a machine, enabling it to explain to the complete machine architecture its function, identity and a whole host of additional information. While the cloud, networking and automation devices with Internet access can deliver a form of connectivity, the AAS is truly universal. It enables information to be exchanged between value chain partners, and uses neutral and common standards for communication, services and semantics across companies and across sectors.

The digitalisation process encompassed by the AAS is evolving quickly. The vision and the benefits are so compelling that many potentially rival organisations have collaborated to create a working, albeit evolving, solution. This multi-organisational collaboration has achieved a lot already. Examples of incorporated standards include OPC-UA for the communication of data. Automation ML is evolving to be a global standard for transferring the description of a physical item containing the information usually found in 2D or 3D CAD drawings and complete electrical circuit diagrams, programming information, kinematics and behavioural description.

Design time

The AAS is a crucial enabler in speeding up the design of complex machines and enhancing their whole life operating effectiveness. This can be demonstrated

by taking a situation where a designer is looking for a particular component –say an electro-mechanical axis that can move a part of their machine with a defined mass, at the required velocity and acceleration.

Picking the component from an intuitive, online selection and configuration package, the designer needs to match the axis to a motor and gearbox combination to deliver the required torque and performance characteristics. The matching servo drive is then selected. As each selected part is configured in the virtual world, its digital descriptor is created in parallel, providing its identification (what it is), technical data (how it works) and documentation.

As the design process progresses from a single asset to a sub-system, the digital descriptor grows and integrates the sum of all the parts. The virtual model is accessed throughout the machine lifecycle – for example for CAD design, CAE simulation, virtual programming,

documentation – from the machine inception through build, operation, maintenance and even re-purposing. It upscales in a modular way as the solution grows. The AAS includes a further digital model that captures the operation data. Under each of these headline modules are submodels that semantically enable the transfer of data – independent of the supplier or manufacturer. Common standards allow the seamless transfer of machinereadable data.

As one of the collaborating companies, Festo already offers a simple to use, free of charge software tool called Quick Search Plus – a powerful extension to its digital catalogue. This tool eliminates the manual transfer and re-entering of data to reduce time and the possibility of errors. All product data within the bill of materials is captured and seamlessly transferable. A designer can then pick a part from the BoM, such as a pneumatic cylinder, and immediately use it within the Festo 3D

Steve Sands explains the role of the Asset Administration Shell in delivering the Industry 4.0 vision.

The Asset Administration Shell is an essential tool in realising the Industry 4.0 vision.

CAD design tool. The correctly matched accessories – such as piston rod and rear mounting clevis – are added to the drawing in seconds. Identifying perhaps six additional components in the past could have taken an experienced designer many minutes: but now the task is completed, right-first-time, in seconds. The complete assembly can be offered up in the machine general assembly drawing and simply dropped into place.

Engineering benefits

The AAS contains a complete description of the properties and capabilities of the system. In other words, it is the means by which Digital Twins become possible. Having a Digital Twin allows a machine to be built, programmed, commissioned and operated from virtually anywhere in the world, saving time and cost. This principle can be extended to troubleshooting. For example, once a machine is built and shipped to the customer, it is very costly (if not impossible under current restrictions) to conduct maintenance or investigate a problem.

A Digital Twin can replicate its physical counterpart, enabling corrective actions to be tested without the costs or delays of long-distance support visits.

The AAS also supports predictive maintenance by enabling machine learning. An Edge or Cloud-based processor running a combination of algorithms is tuned to an application (such as the Festo AX Scraitec package), monitoring vast data tranches. The system observes and identifies patterns within the data lake. During the set-up period, a human-in-the-loop trains the system by categorising the anomalies it detects. The human operator teaches the system; rewarding and labelling predictions of failures and ‘punishing’ unhelpful observations. In this way, the system is trained and improves its useful predictions whilst tuning out unhelpful noise.

Festo has several use cases – one of which comes from the automotive industry, where a body-in-white assembly line is equipped with hundreds of pneumatic clamps. While these are relatively low-cost products, if one fails, it can cost £100,000s in lost production:

or, even worse, undetected, poor-quality welds. The ability to foresee pneumatic clamp failure, identify the individual clamp and categorise the failure (solenoid valve, pneumatic seals or clamp pivot bearings) enables planned maintenance interventions up to 14 days before a breakdown situation. End-users rightfully need to see the evidence of improved lifetime efficiency and payback before specifying Industry 4.0 technologies to their line and machine builders. The Industrie 4.0 workgroup developing the AAS has done a fantastic job within a short space of time and use cases are emerging that will make the argument for automation digitalisation irresistible. The importance of the AAS in the implementation of Industry 4.0 cannot be underestimated. plus-circle

A free webinar on the Asset Administration Shell within the concept of Industry 4.0 is available at www.festo.co.uk/webinars

Steve Sands is head of product management at Festo in the UK.

The digital transformation in action

Benedikt Rauscher, head of Global IoT / Industry 4.0 projects at Pepperl+Fuchs, comments on the ongoing digital transformation in industrial automation.

There is no doubt that a digital transformation is taking place in industrial automation. Looking at the shop floor, most of today’s field devices already offer bidirectional connectivity, being enabled for communication from field to cloud level. One of the enabling technologies is IO-Link. For the ‘last centimetres’ to a sensor or actuator IO-Link has become the main standard in the factory automation sector. Infrastructure components like IO-Link master modules, switches and gateways support IT-driven protocols like OPC UA, MQTT or REST APIs for connecting to all major cloud systems and make data from sensors and actuators available at the cloud level.

In process automation an important upcoming technology is Ethernet-APL which brings Ethernet connectivity to field devices all over the shop floor. All Ethernet-based protocols can be used for communication from field up to cloud level, even in hazardous areas

where explosion protection is mandatory. Power and data is transmitted over a 2-wire cable with a length of up to 1000m with a speed of 10 Mbit/sec.

Another important step is the concept of the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) which defines data structures, semantics and communication formats for the Implementation of Digital Twins.

One of the first applications of the AAS is the Digital Nameplate. Devices are marked with a 2D-barcode on their surface. This code contains a URI which is designed as a world-wide unique identifier of the device. By scanning the code with a smartphone or tablet computer the Digital Twin of the device can be accessed and all data related to that specific product can be deployed digitally.

Updated information like data sheets or operating manuals are provided immediately when they are needed – directly at the product – because they are in its application.

Even for miniaturised devices with a very limited surface all necessary markings, logos and textural information can be shown.

THE PANDEMIC EFFECT

As the world begins to recalibrate itself following the pandemic, businesses have undergone a radical and irreversible shake up. The crisis, while challenging, has offered radical insights into running and optimising organisations in unpredictable times. Put simply, it has showed how industrial operations can be upended almost overnight. Workforce routines, supply chains, essential maintenance and parts movement were disrupted, while border closures and an unprecedented drop in demand squeezed already tight economic operations. To thrive, there has been a need to respond with transformative action. As such, the crisis has fast-forwarded the digital transition of the industrial sector by around five years. Several developing technologies are set to underpin a sustainable, optimised and streamlined future.

Cloud computing

The industrial sector is rapidly digitising. Companies that were hesitant to migrate to the cloud were compelled to make their move amid the pandemic, and now they are seeing transformational benefits. Cloud adoption is rapidly accelerating – industrial data volumes are set to treble in the next four years, topping 159 Zettabytes by 2024, according to IDC data.

By leveraging Cloud, companies can integrate standalone products, linking AI modules together into a broader intelligence for more efficient performance. With integrated systems comes integrated analysis.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

As AI becomes more sophisticated, with wider use cases, it allows organisations to improve productivity and make better decisions. With unified smart

analytics that bridge complete data stacks, teams can leverage mathematical thought processes across all their activities. A recent IDC report predicts that in accelerating digitisation efforts, worldwide spending on AI systems will reach $98 billion by 2023.

Machine learning (ML)

By leveraging the power of machine learning, it is also possible to transform asset performance. Using a knowledge graph – a data map of the entire asset that uses AI and machine learning to build connections – over time the software comes to understand the critical processes and components needed for optimum asset management. The knowledge graph uses this information to help define the asset’s safe operating envelope, and to automatically notify the owner that key thresholds for safety, performance or other metrics are being met or exceeded.

Connected workforce

The impact of pandemic-driven worker lockdowns has forced industrial organisations across the globe to rapidly accelerate their migration to digital. With the help of technologies like cloud, the industrial internet of things (IIoT), digital twins, and AI, companies are overcoming supply

chain, production, and distribution complexity obstacles by linking core processes into a unified remote digital environment.

These innovative technologies allow companies to visualise a single operating view in 1D, 2D, 3D, real time, or fully immersive virtual reality environment.

Companies are leveraging technology to optimise everything – from flares and construction to operating procedures and decision-making.

As the industry begins to adapt and adopt technology at an unprecedented speed, what people now need above all is trust and partnership. Amid the pandemic, we saw a resurgence around giving the right people the tools to do their job, harvesting data, and predicting when facilities will fail.

I predict there will be growing crossindustry collaboration across horizontal data and the development of standards. Even in times of rapid change, the two most valuable assets for any organisation remains its people and its data. By integrating human insight and operational information, the way that we design, build, and run assets can evolve to be more efficient, intelligent, and sustainable. plus-circle

Ravi Gopinath is chief cloud officer and chief product officer at AVEVA.

Ravi Gopinath discusses the effects that the past 18 months have had on the speed of digitalisation across the industrial sector.

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Local Decision Making

ARGEE Field Logic Controller

Multiprotocol block I/O devices that act as simple I/O devices or as stand-alone logic controllers. Field Logic Controllers can be used without a PLC in standalone applications, perform arithmetic, timing and counting functions and share data with a PLC. ARGEE challenges what an I/O device can do by creating a hybrid between simple block I/O and higher level PLCs, keeping intelligence and control local to the machine.

SCADA SPEEDS UP THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY

Q: What is the current state of the SCADA market?

SCADA systems have proved invaluable for many industrial organisations, as they monitor and control assets and processes, and help to increase the efficiency of plants through the collection and processing of real-time operational data. These systems are already well-proven in manufacturing plants and throughout the oil and gas industry, and more recently have also been increasingly applied in sectors such as water and wastewater treatment, power generation and transmission, food production and mass transit. So, their use is becoming increasingly varied and their market size is increasing fast.

Q: What are the challenges facing integrators when implementing SCADA systems?

The main challenges are increasing complexity, the need to seamlessly integrate a broader range of systems and data, the growing threat of cyberattacks, and a much larger number of assets being spread over a bigger geographic area. First and foremost, SCADA systems must help the customer to improve operations by optimising the plant, identifying issues and areas of potential improvement, and helping it run more smoothly. To achieve those goals, end users are demanding greater functionality and the opportunity to maximise use of the available data.

From a project implementation standpoint, new systems are usually required as soon as possible, with delivery times often squeezed as companies target rapid improvements to boost profitability. It is essential that

existing systems and equipment can be integrated into the SCADA system, which requires communication with legacy hardware, usually with OPC UA connectivity and native drivers that support older equipment. The OPC UA communication protocol is used widely to enable different systems to connect with each other without the need to covert data, use gateways or translate from one language to another.

Implementing new solutions quickly can be especially challenging when there is a loss of in-house control system expertise at the customer organisation. It also means that any solution needs to be very easy to use and maintain.

End users also require greater flexibility from SCADA systems, with the ability to implement projects in phases and expand and add equipment, systems and functions in the future. This requires the SCADA system to be modular and able to grow over time, while also having long-term support and backwards compatibility

for upgrades that extend its lifecycle. Customers also want to minimise investment risk, which means looking beyond the initial software price and considering the longer term. This requires systems to offer large graphic libraries, customisable reports and a familiar programming language to enable easier updates over the life of the system.

Q: What developments are helping to meet these challenges?

For many years, scalable SCADA systems have been helping end users, especially in remote oil and gas applications, to improve productivity, enterprise integration, reliability and profitability. It is, however, becoming increasingly necessary to be able to integrate hardware with software, to provide customers with quick access to vital data. In 2020, Emerson completed the acquisition of the Progea Group – an industry-leading provider of

Richard Carpenter, general manager product management for automation and control products at Emerson, answered a series of questions as part of a discussion to explain how the latest SCADA solutions can deliver a range of benefits for users.

machine and plant-level visualisation and analytics technologies – thereby expanding its capabilities in terms of SCADA solutions. Through this acquisition, Emerson has added the scalable Movicon industrial automation software platform to its existing embedded software and control portfolio. Movicon software can be run on both Windows and Linux, and provides organisations with business oversight, supervisory control, and connection across their industrial equipment.

Q: How will this acquisition benefit end users?

The acquisition strengthens Emerson’s ability to provide an integrated package of control, analytics, visualisation and industrial internet of things (IIoT) technologies. These technologies will provide customers with flexible, scalable solutions for their programmable logic controller (PLC) applications in discrete and hybrid markets. This will help to improve operational efficiency and accelerate the journey towards digital transformation. A significant benefit for customers is that the acquisition enables them to streamline their solutions to a single partner, rather than having to work with multiple vendors, thereby reducing complexity and costs.

Q: What does the software enable end users to achieve?

Movicon.NExT is our newest industrial software architecture designed for modern automation systems, offering openness and integration in manufacturing. Movicon.NExT provides automation engineers with easier access to modular solutions for supervision, HMI and industrial analysis. It helps operators to visualise operations, identify trends, and analyse and interpret data simply and quickly.

Movicon.NExT is based on XML file type, which allows editing and enables customisation for the project. Knowing every customer application has unique challenges and demands that need to be met, Emerson can provide the

support needed to streamline design engineering and ensure projects remain on track and the solution is fit for purpose. This ensures legacy fieldbus and Ethernet-based equipment can all be seamlessly integrated into the SCADA solution.

In energy management systems, Emerson’s Pro.Energy software allows users to connect to different types of instruments to measure and monitor energy consumption in real time and historicise energy usage data for analysis. For organisations looking to reduce waste and increase the efficiency of their plants, Pro.Lean software uses key performance indicators and overall equipment effectiveness to identify and measure production downtime.

Q: What are the workforce benefits provided by this software?

Many of our customers are having to retool to suit the needs of the next generation of engineers. Our software is well accepted by this new generation of digital workers, who are just as much at ease analysing and resolving production challenges via their mobile devices as more experienced workers are close to the machines. We envision a transition into an insight-driven workforce, where employees will be driven less by what they know and more by what the data and associated analytics tell them. The next generation of automation software will be able to learn through data and analytics, recognise patterns automatically, and provide insights with confidence levels to this increasingly digital workforce.

Q: Do you have an example of how this software has helped system integrators and end users?

A good example can be found at a European oil lubricant manufacturing facility. The company needed a new SCADA system to supervise its production and to improve productivity and efficiency. Software development company, Softec Srl, was tasked with

implementing the SCADA software. The production line consists of a number of different machines, each managed by a separate PLC. These were all connected to Movicon.NExT software, which was designed to display the real-time operating status of each machine, durations of various states on histograms and productivity flow trends using charts.

The status and levels of silos in the product supply department are also displayed and logged. The SCADA is in continuous communication with the PLC data concentrator and historically logs a major part of the data on a SQL database using data loggers. The recorded data includes produced container count, machine status (stockpile, rejects, downtimes, etc.), and alarms causing machine downtime. All this information is processed in real time and displayed in reports created on request by the operator using predefined filters. Data collected is then used by Movicon.NExT to calculate availability, performance and quality indexes (OEE, KPI and downtime). A data analysis feature allows managers to quickly identify critical areas of the productivity process that need improving to obtain better system efficiency and productivity. The fact that the software system is centralised and connected to all machines has made it easy to control the whole production process from one workstation.

Within a few months of using Movicon.NExT, the manufacturer was able to pinpoint the major problems causing production losses on the line, and the production phases during which downtime occurred most frequently. Satisfied with the results, the company decided to expand the project, enabled by the modularity and scalability of the software. From a development perspective, Softec found Movicon.NExT to be easy to configure and use. Furthermore, the VB.net scripts allowed it to save a lot of time by being able to recover and use parts of previously written code for other applications. plus-circle

IS IT TIME TO SWITCH TO NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT?

The importance of temperature as an indicator of the efficiency and safety of industrial processes makes it important to measure it as widely as possible. In many cases, thermowells have been the preferred solution. Essentially they are metal sheaths which protect the measurement sensor against the process being measured, and are widely used in temperature measurement applications.

Despite being the go-to solution for many process operators, thermowells can be problematic. Constant exposure to process mediums, especially those moving at high speeds and/or containing high levels of abrasive particulate matter, can lead to wear that can cause a sensor to fail or break. If the failure is detected, the process will need to be shut down to maintain or replace the device. Although specialised options are available offering higher resistance, the exotic nature of the materials used can substantially increase the total purchase price. Disruption is also an issue when installing a thermowell. The need for the thermowell to be in direct contact with the process medium requires a hole to be drilled into the pipeline, requiring the process to be shut down.

Complications can also arise when it comes to specification and installation, with the wrong choice of insets, incorrect insertion lengths, or poor contact all increasing the risk of measurement errors. If a second thermowell is not installed in the same location to compare and validate readings, these errors can go

undetected, potentially causing issues and consequent damage elsewhere in the process.

To address these and other issues, there has been a tightening of standards such as ASME PTC 19.3 TW2016, which govern the stability of thermowells, increasing engineering costs and restricting the application of conventional thermowells in some situations.

Non-invasive solutions

A new type of measurement device has emerged that can be used to reduce the complexity, time and cost of setting up new temperature measurement points. ABB’s noninvasive temperature solution, for example, eliminates the need for a temperature sensor to be inserted into a pipeline, instead using the pipe itself as the temperature sensor to produce a reading of the process temperature.

This is achieved in two steps. The first step involves predicting the temperature difference between the process and the pipe surface temperature. Using pipe geometrical and material parameters coupled with fluid flow rate, viscosity and density, the thermal field within the pipe can be accurately modelled. These models show that, for turbulent flowing media in a metal pipe, there is a negligible but calculable temperature difference between the bulk temperature of the process and the skin temperature of the piping. This condition accounts for the majority of process conditions in the industry.

The potential suitability of non-

invasive temperature measurement for temperature applications can be assessed using an engineering tool within ABB’s My Measurement Assistant suite. Data on the pipeline and flow characteristics can be used to assess the likely performance of a non-invasive sensor against a thermowell, enabling engineers to make an informed decision about which technology will offer the best performance for their application.

The second step is to get a simple, repeatable, and reliable surface measurement of the pipe surface temperature. Traditional ‘skin temperature’ sensors, which measure the temperature at the pipe wall, have been one way of achieving this. However, the performance of these devices can be hampered by a variety of factors, including potential inaccuracies caused by ambient conditions.

Non-invasive sensors can eliminate these drawbacks by using a double sensor architecture, where one sensor is in contact with the surface of the pipe and the other measures the ambient temperature conditions in the immediate vicinity.

The data produced is then used by software which compensates for contact resistances and ambient effects to calculate an accurate temperature measurement for the process medium in real time. By combining data on the ambient conditions with models that predict the behaviour of liquid or liquid-like mediums flowing in turbulent regimes in metal pipes, the accuracy and responsiveness of the surface measurement is improved,

Dr. Guruprasad Sosale explains how developments in non-invasive temperature measurement are offering new solutions - cutting the time, cost and disruption associated with setting up new measurement points.

enabling comparable performance with a traditional invasive device to be achieved.

The similarity in performance of this technique compared to a traditional invasive device, is demonstrated in Figure 1, which shows the result of tests to compare measurements derived by the two technologies. As can be seen by a comparison of the two traces, there is little difference in performance, with the non-invasive device closely matching its invasive counterpart.

Save time and cost

A key advantage of this new approach to non-invasive temperature measurement is its reduced cost, with potential CAPEX savings of up to 75% achievable compared to a classic thermowell installation.

Much of these savings are due to the easy-fit nature of the sensor. The use of two clamp collars allows the sensors to be attached without penetrating the pipeline. The amount of insulation required is also reduced, with just the foot of the device needing to be covered. As a result, the sensor can typically be installed in under an hour, enabling operators to quickly get up and running.

There is also little work required for specification. One major area that is eliminated is the need to carry out wake frequency calculations, which are needed for invasive installations

to assess criteria such as sensor size and the material of construction that needs to be used. The need for such calculations, together with the associated process adjustments, can typically increase the total price tag of thermowells by two to three times over their material cost.

Cost savings can also be achieved when it comes to checking thermowell performance and accuracy. The inherent installation and cost benefits of non-invasive temperature sensors make them ideal for validating measurements from both thermowells and other non-invasive sensors. If the non-invasive sensor is delivering substantially different readings to the installed devices, this may indicate a problem that requires investigation.

Previously, the only way of achieving this would have involved installing additional thermowells, with all the attendant drawbacks this entails.

As the idea of non-invasive temperature measurement takes hold, companies will be able to transform the way they measure an expanding range of flow regimes and fluids with more complex heat transfer behaviour with the same levels of accuracy, reliability and responsiveness as thermowells. So, if you are considering a thermowell, now may be the right time to consider making a switch to non-invasive measurement. plus-circle

Dr. Guruprasad Sosale is global noninvasive and wireless product manager for ABB Measurement & Analytics.

Good Practice Guidance for Electrical, Control and Cyber Security in Industrial Engineering – Improving efficiency and safety

• Practical guidance for everyday and irregular situations and tasks

• Verified and developed from contributions by the industry, for the industry

• Readily accessible for all in the industry – wherever they are, whatever time they have

• FREE task and procedure checklists

• E-learning for professional development

Figure 1: Temperature trend of outlet temperature of a heat exchanger in a large chemical processing facility comparing an invasive thermowell with ABB non-invasive temperature sensor mounted at the same location. Difference (Non-Invasive – Invasive): Accuracy (Mean) = +0,14°C, Repeatability (Stdev) = 0,13°C. Pipe: DN300 (sch10), Steel, Process: Water like mixture, 1-2 ms-1 flow speed Thermowell: 3G tapered 2mm tip.

DESIGN TIPS FOR IIoT NETWORKS

Focus on one word for a current or upcoming Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) project: Scalability. Intelligent input/output (I/O) modules can help with scalable, flexible and secure IIoT designs. Follow my four tips to maximise scalability when building an IIoT network.

Open technologies

The controls industry has taken years to accept open standards like Ethernet on the plant floor. Proprietary communications media and protocols have created complex networks of point-to-point connections between data consumers and data producers that are expensive to scale up.

Openness can benefit IIoT scalability. Open standards promote interoperability, which is fundamental to the concept of IIoT. Open system architectures reduce vendor compatibility as a design constraint, allowing engineers to optimise for performance instead. Open technologies can reduce licensing costs, providing more funding for system expansion. Message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) is one open IoT standard that is scalable and interoperable, especially when paired with Sparkplug B payloads. Sparkplug B helps data integration among sensors, devices, gateways and applications in an MQTT infrastructure.

Integrate cybersecurity

A network cannot expand if it cannot be done safely. The lack of integrated security in traditional automation is another factor that has limited its scalability. It tends to either push IT groups toward draconian security policies that inhibit basic IIoT goals, like collecting data from separate automation networks, or increase the complexity of the network

further through the use of additional cybersecurity devices and software. Like communications, cybersecurity benefits from the use of standard technologies and techniques, rather than proprietary solutions added to automation products as an afterthought. User authentication, SSL/TLS encryption, and VPN have been common in IT devices and are appearing on newer OT devices.

Security is fundamental to IIoT and should be given high priority when selecting network components. MQTT leverages TLS encryption and allows IIoT devices to communicate bidirectionally and be closed to outside connections.

Edge processing of data

After designing a network, it can be tempting to focus the system on transporting data to cloud services for processing and analysis. Raw data streams are expensive to transport, store, and process, and may result in a project’s demise due to budget overruns. A more scalable approach uses edge-oriented processing to streamline the quantity and improve data quality sent to central processing services. Processing power can be embedded at the site or area levels and can be distributed to the line, cell

or device level due to newer industrial edge I/O and controls.

Edge computing power can filter noise from raw signal data, aggregate data from multiple sensors, add contextual metadata, or package timeseries data into interoperable exchange formats like JSON. Effort at the edge provides clean system data and reduces later communication and numbercrunching costs.

Manage device lifecycle

Anything limiting the ability of the system to grow in response to demand should be considered in the system’s design, and the physical layer of an IIoT network is full of potential bottlenecks. For scalability, ensure and maintain:

Device selection or specification; Physical installation (with environmental protections); Connections to power, communications, and I/O or data sources; Configuration of devices, data, and network security; and Integration with other systems.

Josh Eastburn is director of technical marketing, Opto 22.

This article originally appeared on www.controleng.com

Intelligent controllers and I/O modules, such as Opto 22 groov RIO, bring scalability in linking to new or existing manufacturing plant, factory processes, and warehouse logistics. Edge-oriented services embedded down to the I/O level can help integrate legacy devices, bridge disparate automation networks, create segmented security zones within the IIoT network, and provide efficient processing and transport to shared systems. Image Courtesy Opto 22.

Josh Eastburn discusses some essential I/O system design principles.

MOBILITY TECHNOLOGY SECURES OPEN AUTOMATION

Find out how FDT 3.0-based solutions can help industrial personnel work smarter, faster, safer and more effectively.

Mobility technologies, along with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 initiatives, are together transforming today’s smart manufacturing environment, empowering an intelligent enterprise through a smart, connected automation ecosystem.

Flexibility is critical on the modern manufacturing factory floor, and mobile platforms are able to provide the support that is needed by industrial organisations and their customers.

Experience has shown that mobility enhances the ability to:

• Improve service efficiency

• Reduce maintenance costs

• Increase equipment uptime

• Extend asset life

• Enhance the bottom line

Continuing to evolve its open standard for enterprise-wide networks and asset integration as a data-centric platform, the FDT Group is dedicated to meeting the requirements for mobile device connectivity on the industrial shop floor and in the field. Its goal is to enable automation end users to employ the functionality they appreciate in the FDT integration standard on all of the leading mobile platforms. This mobility integration will provide access to additional data – at anytime and anywhere – with flexible deployment options.

The FDT 3.0 standard, including the FDT IIoT Server (FITS) platform, was developed to provide a bridge between the current FDT installed base and next generation solutions.

At the core of FDT Group’s digitalisation approach is the new FDT

Server, which natively integrates an OPC UA Server for enterprise-wide IT/OT data access and a web server mobilising remote operations. This solution transforms asset management practices and business system integration for both automation suppliers and end users in the process, hybrid and discrete manufacturing markets.

The FDT Server provides a standardised mobility environment for FDT 3.0. This modular, flexible and scalable architecture is now web server-based, and the clients are web browsers, which enables plant or factory workers to employ a standard web browser to perform a variety of duties in the field using smart devices.

The big difference

A big difference between the earlier FDT 1.2 standard and FDT > p22

3.0 is separation of the graphical user interface (GUI) and business logic, because the current technology platform is Web User Interface (UI)-based.

The FDT IIoT architecture works with any major web browser and requires no changes to installed devices, the programmable logic control (PLC) or distributed control system (DCS) to access real-time plant floor data. However, the use of web browsers for mobile functions does come with a number of security issues which mean that the FDT architecture needed to be secure by design. It achieves this through the use of robust multi-layered security and industry standards such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) enabling Web Sockets Secure (WSS) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS). This security strategy encompasses encrypted communications using TLS, role-based user security, X.509v3 certificates for device authentication, and on-thewire-security for enabled industrial control protocols.

The key driver of FDT’s support for mobility functionality starts with its DTMs which are essential for the visualisation of smart devices across the enterprise. They contain the business logic software that defines online and offline parameters, the device model, and bus mapping for each automation device.

FDT 3.0 DTMs follow a common style guide and employ stylised, responsive touch screen features, which are mandatory for use with tablets and smart phones.

With the FDT 3.0 standard and its updated style guide, the approach to

the DTM interface includes a design focused on mobilising secure remote access independent of the device, system, browser, phone, operating system, etc. The style guide describes elements of the automation interface in the HTML5 JavaScript world.

FDT 3.0 enables a device vendor to support simple to complex devices with custom parameters to meet the engineering needs of their customer base. The vendor has complete control of parameterisation while the style guide provides a consistent and uniformed approach to represent relevant data at a glance. The user experience is the same, whatever the DTM.

The new generation DTMs automatically make device data and health information available via an OPC UA Server embedded on the FDT Server used in the FDT 3.0 architecture. As such, asset management is now deployable as a cloud service as part of an IIoT or Industry 4.0 initiative. This architecture ‘flattens’ the automation pyramid so that any application requiring data from devices can retrieve it directly from OPC UA through the DTM.

All FDT 3.0 DTMs comply with the NAMUR NE-107 recommendation, which stipulates that operators need a view of the process including the status of the instrumentation in a simple and uniform way, regardless of source device, to support predictive maintenance strategies.

The Web UI with FDT 3.0 allows DTMs to be opened in any browser, including mobile devices. It also provides a standardised mobile

access approach utilising apps, standalone applications, or anything else capable of interfacing via web sockets. Manufacturers can utilise the technology’s standardised mobility platform as part of their service functionality, helping site engineers solve problems with remote assistance.

Flexible communications

The FDT 3.0 standard and the FDT Server is a distributive architecture that offers the option to utilise either an OPC UA Client/Server environment or the OPC UA Publish-Subscribe (PubSub) communication model depending on the application and the needs of the end user. The FDT 3.0 OPC UA Server supports a Client-Server-based requestresponse communication mechanism between the OPC UA Client and generic client applications, which makes the full range of information model access available via services. It follows the design paradigm of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), in which a service provider receives requests, processes them and sends the results back with the response.

Going forward, the PubSub communication model will provide an alternative mechanism for data and event notification with FDT 3.0. While in Client-Server communication each notification is for a single client with guaranteed delivery, PubSub has been optimised for on changeonly, one-to-many configuration. This approach is essential for secure multicasting, one-to-many publishing, machine-to-machine communication, dynamic network relations, and several additional scenarios.

Enabling the FDT OPC UA Server with OPC PubSub communication will significantly reduce communication traffic between asset health monitoring applications and the server application, improving performance and making the solution scalable to IIoT requirements. Remote monitoring applications will be able to monitor asset health on a different network in real-time, using bridging protocols like AMQP and MQTT.

Remote access with Web Services will enable 24/7 observation of devices. Any mobile device authenticated by the FDT Server and operated by an authenticated user will have full access to the topology with a tunneling capability to manage assets on any network. These features will result in the development of new apps to optimise asset management, preventive maintenance and other critical functions at modern process plants.

Thanks to the FDT standard, the

ability to integrate diverse plant and factory information enables personnel to mitigate process upsets and instrument malfunctions. The combination of measured values, valve openings and device diagnostics helps identify specific deviations in operation and instrument performance. This level of interoperability and true advanced diagnostics is optimising modern plant and factory operations.

Industrial end users can also create mobile apps to meet their operational requirements and access specific information from individual DTMs. This might include an operational-type app showing any devices with a ‘Needs Attention’ status, or a managementtype app providing hourly production results from a given line or facility. These tools can be developed independent of the DCS or PLC application. FDT’s open interface makes it possible to extract data from devices and report it in the app without the need for any additional coding.

The latest advancements to FDT technology are mobilising the monitoring of industrial facilities and processes, as well as specific networks and devices, as part of modern asset management strategies. Lifecycle monitoring and maintenance can now be done with FDT’s new standardised mobile interface or via web browsers through smart devices in a way that’s fully integrated with DCSs, PLCs and other control assets.

From the simplest to the most complex operations, FDT-enabled mobile applications will empower plant personnel to work smarter, faster and more effectively to keep assets in top operating condition. They will gain the ability to complete tasks and record notes directly at the instruments they are maintaining and repairing. In fact, field workers who use mobile devices to access equipment maintenance data will report more frequently and with higher accuracy. plus-circle

ETHERNET: MOVING TO FIELD LEVEL

Control applications in industrial segments were traditionally enabled by pneumatic signals created using varied air pressure resulting in communication and motion. This was followed by analogue electrical signals where levels of current on a continuum, such as 4-20 milliamps, were interpreted as different process values or control actions.

The next major evolution – fieldbus communication – provided halfduplex serial transmission via a digital data signal that is transmitted one bit at a time in sequence, allowing for much greater breadth of control, process variable communication, and diagnostics.

The most recent advance in automation is Ethernet communication, allowing for full-duplex communication with complex data packets, enabling more information to be transmitted more quickly than ever before. The higher complexity and cost of early Ethernet iterations initially kept this technology limited to functioning as a higher network level communication backbone. Today, however, new standards such as Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) and Ethernet-APL are making it possible for Ethernet to traverse the last mile to field devices in a cost-effective manner in order to create a more seamless and powerful automation network.

This next step in the use of Ethernet will bring valuable benefits end users have long awaited that will help power the Industry 4.0 revolution.

Technology availability

Ethernet-APL is a new two-wire, intrinsically-safe physical layer that is suitable for use in demanding process

automation applications. Ethernet-APL is made up of SPE (IEEE 802.3cg-2019, 10BASE-T1L), engineered power, Intrinsic Safety (IEC 60079, 2-WISE), and Type A fieldbus cable (IEC 61158-2, for intrinsic safety). Ethernet-APL enables up to 1,000m per trunk length and dramatically increased speed at 10 Mbit/ sec. As it is just a physical layer, EthernetAPL allows end users to access standard safety and security services built on IEC 61508 and ISA/IEC 62443 from the leading industrial automation standards bodies. Additionally, Ethernet-APL is able to support EtherNet/IP, HART-IP, OPC UA, PROFINET, or any other higherlevel network protocol.

Ethernet-APL technology is now available including the release of specifications, engineering guideline, and conformance test plans. Port profiles have also been defined that create the Ethernet-APL concept for multiple power levels with and without Instrinsic Safety hazardous area protections.

In-cabinet resourceconstrained devices

EtherNet/IP in-cabinet resourceconstrained device support is a significant technological advancement

that utilises SPE to bring Ethernet to low-level in-cabinet devices such as contactors and push buttons. Limitations including cost, available space, and power consumption have resulted in many edge devices remaining hardwired. However, this lack of network connectivity results in time consuming installation, challenging troubleshooting, and a lack of diagnostic information. The steady decline in the cost and size of semiconductor chips, combined with the availability of SPE has enabled an EtherNet/IP in-cabinet bus solution which uses a multidrop network and control power cable that spans a single cabinet with one interface per device and one switch port across multiple devices to reduce both commissioning and hardware cost.

EtherNet/IP for in-cabinet resourceconstrained devices will enable the benefits of additional diagnostics, asset information and parameterisation capability, automatic node topology discovery, and plug and play device replacement compared to existing hard-wired devices. SPE will enable the use of one seamless EtherNet/IP network for both constrained and nonconstrained devices.

We find out how Ethernet is cost-effectively traversing the last mile to field devices in industrial applications.

EtherNet/IP In-Cabinet Resource-Constrained Multidrop Flat Cable Illustration

CIP Security

In addition to the expansion of EtherNet/IP for in-cabinet solutions, CIP Security can now provide protections for resource-constrained devices including device authentication, a broad trust domain, device identity via Pre-Shared Keys (PSKs), and device integrity. Additionally, a narrow trust domain, user authentication, and policy enforcement are available options via a gateway or a proxy. Adding simpler devices to EtherNet/IP allows for the benefits of remote diagnostics, asset information, and parameterisation capability. The addition of more nodes to the network within the context of IT/OT convergence makes device level security critical to protect from physical harm and monetary loss.

New network opportunities

SPE and Ethernet-APL driven enhancements broaden the range of Ethernet applications at the field level and provide a seamless experience for users. Building on this, expanded use

of Ethernet in field devices will allow for a dramatic increase in both the amount of data as well as the speed with which it is transported, enabling a host of new possibilities and benefits in existing automation applications. Faster commissioning can turn tasks that used to take minutes into seconds. Complex diagnostics access that enables easier and quicker device and system troubleshooting is another highly valuable benefit. Furthermore, additional processing power can elevate simple issue identification diagnostics to problem warning prognostics by analysing degradation of metrics such as pressure or signal quality relative to known proper operational boundaries. Movement of large amounts of data can allow for processing either in an onsite edge computing appliance or via a remote cloud server to identify trends in order to increase operational output or to identify cost reduction opportunities. Further advances in Ethernet technology such as IEC/IEEE 60802 Time Sensitive Networking standards are enabling

automation networks to simply and fairly share the wire both with each other as well as other communication traffic such as video that can be used for defect identification with machine learning or for security. In addition, all of the same safety and security benefits from previous technologies are possible, albeit in different and oftentimes improved ways. In summary, Ethernet offers new possibilities including enhanced remote commissioning, asset management, control, analytics, and diagnostics/prognostics, which will help continue to drive adoption at the field level. plus-circle

Time-Sensitive Networking: Development options

John Browett, general manager at CLPA Europe, discusses developments and trends in TSN-compatible industrial communications.

Connected industries are turning into a reality thanks to Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). After being incorporated into industrial Ethernet technologies this solution can now be applied to a variety of automation devices by utilising a broad development ecosystem.

TSN enhances the capabilities of standard industrial Ethernet, guaranteeing deterministic communications, even for ultra-high-speed applications, thus enabling network convergence both on the shop floor and between information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT). This can deliver a variety of benefits, such as simpler network architectures, increased process transparency and hence better productivity.

Since the release of industrial Ethernet with TSN functions, such as CC-Link IE TSN, a broad range of development options have been created. Such a framework plays a key role in facilitating the transition towards this technology while supporting different applications. Automation vendors interested in rapidly upgrading their existing products can utilise software development kits (SDKs) and their TSN software protocol stacks. These

can offer a fast method to provide TSN capabilities to ‘brownfield’ devices. Examples of this include stacks from port industrial automation GmbH and SILA Embedded Solutions GmbH/Embedded Experts GmbH, which support CC-Link IE TSN compliance while reducing in-house development time and costs for component manufacturers.

For more demanding TSN-compatible applications, several hardware development methods can be adopted. While these may require more development effort, they can deliver competitive products and longer lifecycles. Key solutions include a variety of semiconductor devices, as well as embedded/built-in module solutions. These feature different capabilities and advantages to address the specific needs of a broad range of applications.

An increasing number of development solutions are now being offered to help vendors develop innovative solutions with this next-generation industrial Ethernet technology. Forward-looking automation suppliers are making use of the opportunities available now to futureproof their products. This means selecting the most suitable development method for their needs. By selecting CC-Link IE TSN and its development ecosystem, companies can succeed in this task and quickly deliver highly competitive automation components.

EtherNet/IP In-Cabinet Profile Network Segment with Actual Topology Object in Router

WHY ANALYSE MACHINERY VIBRATION?

In the 1970s and 80s condition monitoring was largely restricted to audible monitoring with technology playing little part. You literally listened to the equipment! There is a lot to be said for this, as an experienced pair of ears can pick up useful information. Similarly, a visual inspection can also provide some information such as discolouration on bearings’ raceways, cages and balls which can often be the result of increased vibration leading to wear.

Of course, it’s not always possible to see all parts on a machine or hear every nuance and there is not always a person on site who has worked with that specific machinery for years and

can tell when something isn’t quite right. Plus, by the time you can hear or see something isn’t right, the damage has often already been done.

So, new forms of technology-reliant condition monitoring have been introduced over the years which are more effective and require less labour and experience. The human ear has been replaced by ultrasonic devices and the eye by thermography that looks for heat which can be caused by friction. Either of these are good identifiers of potential issues and which is used depends on the process and machinery being monitored. In the case of rotational equipment, and bearings in particular, ultrasonic is ideal

as these parts often produce ultra-high frequency sounds when vibrating. Where access is an issue, thermography is the better solution.

Vibration Analysis

Analysing machinery for vibration is becoming increasingly popular. We are increasingly finding that maintenance related tenders have Vibration Analysis stipulated within them.

There is a good reason for this: Vibration Analysis allows early detection of wear, fatigue and failure in rotating machinery because vibration occurs in all rotational assets, but generally highlights an issue discovered by higher readings and

Jason Tweedy discusses the benefits of vibration monitoring and analysis.

particular frequencies, mostly as the result of wear and tear but also as a consequence of poor maintenance practices. Vibration builds and leads to equipment failure.

Vibration Analysis identifies potential problems and a predicted time to failure (in some cases up to one year in advance of equipment failure) to enable replacement parts to be ordered in a timely way and helping to reduce unexpected downtimes.

Vibration Analysis also saves money on repairs and maintenance. This can be clearly demonstrated by one of our customers who was replacing all the bearings on a particular machine every month as they couldn’t afford to have that machine fail. We implemented a Vibration Analysis service which has stopped this practice. Instead, we are able to identify which bearings need to be replaced.

In-house or outsource?

Technology has not replaced human knowledge and experience altogether. The data presented by the Vibration Analysis equipment needs to be read, understood and interpreted into meaningful action. So, while organisations can buy relatively inexpensive monitoring equipment, they also need the expertise to understand the data. This is why many companies now outsource Vibration Analysis to specialist companies.

If you do decide to outsource this service, you can expect a typical analysis visit to take around two days to complete; one day to data collect from the machinery, and a further day to interpret the data and produce a report. Larger routines sometimes need a days’ setup to create a database. Obviously, this depends on the size of the site and the number of points to be analysed.

The engineers will measure the absolute and relative vibration on machinery. The level of vibration can be compared with historical baseline data to assess the severity. The report supplied should detail the findings for

each of the assets, along with clear photographs, and a remedial list of actions required to remedy any faults.

The frequency of the analysis will depend on the nature of the process and machinery to be measured. Monthly in-depth analysis is recommended for sites where you can’t easily stop a line. Other processes, where the components are low cost and easily replaced, would require less.

Delivering results

While the market for Vibration Analysis is growing, the reality is that the majority of businesses remain either unaware or unconvinced of the benefits. For many, it’s the cost of the service which puts them off and a lack of awareness of the ROI.

My advice is to ask the prospective company for samples of the reports they have produced for customers and read them to see if your engineers would be able to take appropriate action based on those reports. Ask to speak to other customers to find out if the analysis has really delivered a good ROI; whilst many companies may not want to put cost savings in writing, they are often happy to speak to a fellow colleague on a one-to-one basis.

For one such customer, our Vibration Analysis service certainly made a good first impression. On the first day of setting up a Vibration Analysis programme at their site, we made an unexpected discovery. Day one involves identifying what and where to analyse and taking sample readings, with the actual analysis to start the following day. However, even within that brief time frame the sample analysis clearly showed that one of the motors had serious issues. We mentioned it to the customer as we left for the day and just half an hour later the motor blew up. Although it was too late for this motor, the customer was impressed that we had been able to identify an issue in such a short time frame. From that moment on he clearly understood how Vibration Analysis would benefit his business going forward.

But it’s not just ageing or worn parts that can be identified by Vibration Analysis. One customer uses our Vibration Analysis service to firstly identify potential issue during the biannual shutdowns for repair and major maintenance. Then we return after the repair work has been done to ensure it has been carried out correctly. We have been able to identify some poor repair work, which would have reduced the life of the component part and led to unnecessary downtime, enabling it to be remedied, all before the site returned to production.

Similarly, we were asked recently by a customer - a manufacturer of bricks - to look at a repair done on a critical fan used to regulate the kiln temperature. The Vibration Analysis showed the repaired fan, that had originally been out of balance and at risk of breaking, was actually worse than when initially removed. The company who had conducted the repair work was unable to fix it. We found a catalogue of mistakes, including poor alignment of pulleys and motor, broken anti-vibration feet and inadequate fan balancing causing vibrations which were reverberating through the structure. Ultimately the customer decided to buy a new fan, but this was on a long lead time so, in the meantime, we helped to make the existing fan work until the new one arrived. We also installed a temporary wireless Vibration Analysis unit to monitor severe fluctuations in the fan, so they could be caught before breaking the fan beyond repair.

Condition monitoring has seen a significant uptake over the past decade, with vibration monitoring and analysis gaining greater traction. Manufacturing, engineering and processing sites are seeing genuine benefits and in many instances Vibration Analysis is becoming business critical. plus-circle

Jason Tweedy is head of condition monitoring at Brammer Buck & Hickman.

HOW DO VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES SAVE ENERGY?

Marek Lukaszczyk explains why using a VSD can help save money and the environment.

Energy savings are a standout benefit of variable speed drives (VSDs), and the explanation for this characteristic lies with their ability to control speed. In applications where traditional belts or gear boxes are used to lower speed, the motor still runs at full speed, resulting in unnecessary energy loss.

Arguably the most notable energy savings from VSDs will be experienced in applications such as fans, pumps and compressors, as loads increase with speed when running such devices. Using a VSD to adjust the flow rate of fans and pumps has a significant impact on the flow curve, which has the knock-on effect of lowering the required power.

To give a tangible idea of savings, lowering the running speed of a fan or pump by a modest 10% could reduce power consumption by a worthwhile 25%. The good news is that the savings continue to multiply in proportion. Let’s take a closer look at three applications where opting for a VSD really pays dividends.

Fans and air-handling equipment

The energy efficiency of VSDs is a common benefit across many motor applications, not least fans. It is well documented that air-handling equipment is capable of consuming large amounts of energy. Therefore, any discerning production or plant manager will want to give careful thought to energy management.

Such are the energy savings that can be accrued from the adoption of a VSD in fan applications that the reduction in electricity consumption alone can often justify the purchase. However, there are additional savings that can be achieved

through reduced mechanical wear and associated maintenance. The gradual acceleration of the motor from standstill promotes extended service life, but in comparison, if not using a VSD, the motor will start instantly with a large current, which can be highly detrimental to motor longevity. In addition, the power ‘demand charge’ is reduced as the motor can be started without any surge in current.

Pump applications

Most pump users opt for either a VSD or a soft starter. While the latter can reduce known effects such as water hammering due to pressure surge, a drive can deliver the same outcome, but with the added advantage of providing complete pump speed control during run mode.

A VSD is able to offer far more efficient flow control simply by altering the pump motor speed in line with requirements. Rather than changing the system resistance to modulate flow, as is the case with a throttling valve, the use of a VSD sees the pump speed change.

Compressor systems

A VSD in a compressor system can stabilise the up and down pressure in the pipe network, potentially even eliminating pressure fluctuations altogether. The upshot of this capability is that all compressors operating in the system can run at the lowest pressure needed to meet production requirements and reduce the power loss caused by the fluctuation of upward pressure. Additionally, the potential for system leaks is minimised thanks to the lower system pressure.

The major benefit of using a VSD in compressor applications is that it automatically adjusts its motor speed

to the air demand. Estimates vary, but in terms of energy savings, using a VSD compressor in comparison to a fixed speed, idling or load/unload compressor, could comfortably produce energy savings of 35-50%.

Modern VSDs also offer numerous safety features, such as protection against power surges and short circuits, as well as safety torque off (STO) functionality. By adopting a drive offering such features, compressor original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can avoid the requirement for certain electrical components that include motor circuit breakers and contactors, thus reducing costs. This strategy also boosts system reliability for the end-user and, in turn, reduces the risk of system downtime.

While many different applications can benefit from installing a VSD — for fan, pump and compressor systems the energy saving potential speaks for itself. To learn more about how VSDs save money and protect the environment in industrial applications download the new whitepaper – Guide to variable speed drive applications – from www.weg-automation.com. plus-circle

Marek Lukaszczyk is Europe and Middle East marketing manager at WEG.

IT’S TIME TO GET ON WITH IT

The UK’s commitment to the Paris Agreement means that we have to play our part in limiting the global temperature rise. To do this, emissions must be halved by 2030, with net zero being achieved no later than 2050.

This goal is beginning to slip from our fingers – with the UK set to miss its fourth and fifth carbon budgets. To achieve the sixth, the country needs to cut emissions by a staggering 78%.

Action from the business world is key to achieving this.

Despite the growing urgency of reaching net zero by 2050, many organisations have yet to accept the reality of the threat. QMS International’s latest research of business attitudes found that environmental sustainability was only listed as a top or second priority by 1.9% and 11.2% of businesses respectively. The majority (23.4%) put it as the seventh business priority – out of eight.

By being proactive now, organisations can dodge future headaches, especially where legislation or seeking new business is concerned.

Acting now will ensure that organisations stay in step with other clients and customers. For example, 69% of respondents to the QMS survey said that good green credentials were either very important or quite important to their clients.

Becoming more carbon-friendly can save money and create new jobs too. The report ‘Manufacturing resilience: driving recovery towards net zero’, by the All-Party Parliamentary Manufacturing Group and Policy Connect, stated that matching the most efficient operator in the manufacturing sector would, on average, enable a company to become 24% more profitable, create 30% more jobs and cut greenhouse gas emissions by a sizable 9%.

Short-term actions

Simple actions, such as implementing wider recycling efforts, are easy wins that can help a business towards greater sustainability and feed into a wider circular economy.

Other actions, such as enforcing a paperless policy, can also be useful. This has recently been made easier by the shift towards home or hybrid working, which naturally limits employees’ access to printing facilities.

Energy efficiency in general can be rewarding too, with consistent monitoring being an easy but often overlooked first step. Manufacturers can keep tabs on their usage with halfhour meters, for example. However, a recent survey by Make UK revealed that more than 95% of manufacturers do not use them.

Medium-term actions

A key medium-term action is developing a system designed to monitor, measure and improve an organisation’s environmental management. Systems such as ISO 14001, the international Standard for environmental management, can help to put this structure in place. ISO 14001 helps organisation to consider all aspects, risks and impacts of their environmental performance and to plan strategically. Ultimately, it can lead to cost savings as well as a demonstrable commitment to managing environmental risk. With

greater monitoring and measurement processes, it can be easier to spot opportunities to reduce waste, for instance.

Other medium-term shifts could include building up a new supply chain of more local suppliers or replacing equipment and vehicles with greener alternatives.

Long-term actions

Longer-term actions require an organisation to build up a detailed strategy that integrates environmental management into their business objectives. By doing so, businesses can build success and ensure sustainability is part of every decision-making process.

An organisation can, for example, investigate new, greener products and services, tying together the search for profits and new commercial opportunities with environmental concerns.

Although medium and longterm actions require more time and investment, they are key to long-term success. By using them, organisations can avoid the implementation of piecemeal solutions that fail to drive continual improvement, something that is absolutely necessary when it comes to winning the race to net zero. plus-circle

With net zero deadlines getting closer, more emphasis is being put on the need to cut carbon footprints. Claire Price explains why companies need to act now.

Claire Price is content marketing executive at QMS International.

Physical Event

Exhibition Visitor & Conference Delegate places still available, visit website to book

The conference papers have now been released and delegates are booking their places to attend, visit www.hazardex-event.co.uk to join them!

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Supporting Organisations

Alarm systems management

Complex industrial systems require complex control systems – but carefully thought out alarms systems

EEMUA is the acknowledged leader in the field, with EEMUA 191, ‘Alarm systems - a guide to design, management and procurement’, being regarded as the benchmark in alarm systems management.

The EEMUA Alarm Systems e-learning module provides an introduction to EEMUA 191 and is positioned at the awareness level. It offers simple and practical guidance to managers, designers, supervisors and operators on how to recognise and deal with typical human-factor problems involving alarm systems. Its

scope covers many sectors, including the energy, process and utilities industries.

The e-learning is recommended

Creating a successful control environment

Know what you want, plan what you’ll get, check that you’ve got it!

The EEMUA Control Rooms e-learning module provides guidance to engineers and the wider teams involved in the design of control rooms, control desks and consoles. It will help during newbuild and modification projects, as well as evaluating existing set ups where people operate industrial processes and activities on facilities such as chemical plants, power stations and oil refineries.

The e-learning will benefit anyone with an interest in process plant control rooms and control desks using Human Machine Interfaces.

It is especially relevant to control

engineers, control room console (and HMI) designers and vendors, control room operators, engineering consultants, engineering contractors,

for both discipline and projectfocused engineers from a variety of backgrounds who want to gain an introduction to the fundamental principles for design, management and procurement of alarm systems. The course is also relevant to engineers and managers from operating companies as well as specialist contractors and equipment suppliers.

Visit the EEMUA website for further details.

www.eemua.org

engineering managers, facilities managers, graduate engineers, plant operations managers, process safety managers, SCADA engineers and systems support managers.

The e-learning is positioned at the awareness/introductory level and is an optional precursor to working through EEMUA 201, ‘Control rooms: A guide to their specification, design, commissioning and operation’.

Visit the EEMUA website for further details.

www.eemua.org

: Levitating, contactless, intelligent!

Free 2D product movement with up to 6 degrees of freedom

www.beckhoff.com/xplanar

XPlanar enables new degrees of freedom in product handling: Levitating planar movers float over individually arranged planar tiles on freely programmable tracks.

Individual 2D transport at up to 2 m/s

Processing with up to 6 degrees of freedom

Transport and processing in one system

Wear-free, hygienic and easy to clean

Free arrangement of planar tiles enabling customized machine layout

Multi-mover control allowing parallel and individual product handling

Fully integrated into the powerful PC-based Beckhoff control system

(TwinCAT, PLC IEC 61131, Motion, Measurement, Machine Learning, Vision, Communication, HMI)

For use across all industries: assembly, food, pharma, laboratory, entertainment, …