PACE - Process & Control Engineering - April 2015

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APRIL 2015 | VOL.68 NO.3

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APRIL 2015 | VOL.68 NO.3

INSIDE PACE

Networks

Innovation

Control System

Make the most from the Internet of Things

Tap into the electronic power steering market

Adaptive Process Control delivers solutions

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Is our water infrastructure failing?

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CONTENTS

Publisher: Martin Sinclair Email: martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au Editor: Kevin Gomez Tel: (02) 8484 0976 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 Email: kevin.gomez@cirrusmedia.com.au

IN THIS ISSUE

Group Sales Manager: Tim Richards Tel: (02) 8484 0829 Mobile: 0420 550 799 Email: tim.richards@cirrusmedia.com.au

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QLD Sales Manager: Sharon R. Amos PO Box 3136, Bracken Ridge, QLD 4017 Tel: (07) 3261 8857 Fax: (07) 3261 8347 Mobile: 0417 072 625 Email: sharon.amos@cirrusmedia.com.au Graphic Designer: Louis Santos Email: louis.santos@cirrusmedia.com.au Production Co-ordinator: Tracy Engle Tel: (02) 8484 0707 Fax: (02) 8484 0722 Email: tracy.engle@cirrusmedia.com.au

22 News 7

NMW Preview Consultants promote lean. NMW show preview.

Insight 10

Ethernet Network architecture with Ethernet backbone increases enterprise agility SUBSCRIPTION: $99 pa incl GST OVERSEAS SUBSCRIPTIONS: NZ: $A109 pa & OS: $A119 pa CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1300 360 126

Analysis 14

Infrastructure The effects on water distribution pipework impacts many areas of the economy Technology 18

Manufacturing Automatic nesting algorithms can quickly run through countless parts arrangement scenarios Business 22 Cirrus Media Tower 2, Level 3, 475 Victoria Ave, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia Locked Bag 4700, Chatswood Delivery Centre, NSW 2067, Australia Phone: 02 8484 0888 Fax: 02 8484 0633 ABN 80 132 719 861 ISSN 1329-6221 www.cirrusmedia.com.au © Copyright Cirrus Media, 2014

Alliance Delta Energy Systems partners with I S Systems and Marubeni Australia Innovation 24

Design Other opportunities arise with the approaching closure of the car manufacturing industry in Australia

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Operations 26

Oil & Gas Qenos Olefins recently optimised its control system using an intelligent and reliable solution Engineer’s Corner 28

Energy Methane is an environmentally attractive alternative to fossil fuels New Products 32

7 of the Best Pluggable terminals for fast starts. ibaPDA-PLC-Xplorer.

DIN-rail mount power supplies.

Multi-node multiplexer.

Rugged design for mobile equipment.

Digital panel meter.

RTU and HART configuration suite.

The Last Word 34

Systems ARC envisions a set of hardware hosting multiple real-time control instances

ON THE COVER

Cost of urban water infrastructure failure

APRIL 2015 | VOL.68 NO.3

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF:

INSIDE PACE

Networks

Innovation

Control System

Make the most from the Internet of Things

Tap into the electronic power steering market

Adaptive Process Control delivers solutions

Post Print Approved PP100008186

Is our water infrastructure failing?

Average Net Distribution Period ending Sept ’14 5,725

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The economic impact of corrosion and it’s degradation of infrastructure and assets is estimated to be 3 to 5 percent of GDP each year. The cost of corrosion to the water industry is one area that has been quantified.

The effects on water distribution and sewerage collection pipework and infrastructure impacts many areas of the economy and covers a wide ranging list of assets owned and operated by urban and rural water utilities, industry, agricultural and domestic environments.

The water industry utilises the skills of a wide range of staff to manage, operate and design water and sewerage systems but there are very few training courses available to teach corrosion and its impact on the water industry. The Australasian Corrosion Association disseminates information on corrosion and its prevention or control, by providing training, seminars, conferences, publications and other activities.

(See page 14) APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 5

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COMMENT

WHAT’S ON

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

How good is your security?

Hazards Australasia 2015 26-27 May 2015, Brisbane www.icheme.org/hazardsaus2015 National Manufacturing Week 2015 26-29 May 2015, Melbourne www.nationalmanufacturingweek. com.au Fundamentals of Process Safety 13-17 July 2015, Brisbane www.icheme.org/fpsbris APCChE 2015 Congress incorporating Chemeca 2015 27 September-1 October 2015, Melbourne www.apcche2015.org

For daily updates visit www.pacetoday.com.au

Kevin Gomez Editor

Next Issue

• Safety Systems • Networking • NMW Preview • Fieldbus • PACE Awards Finalists

A SECURITY company headquartered in Delft, The Netherlands, with over 150 security experts, recently comissioned a study on security.

The study by Fox-IT indicated that 90 percent of oil and gas companies believe it is important they respond quickly (in hours) to a security incident.

But 60 percent do not actually have a solid incident response plan in place.

The publicity surrounding Stuxnet has drawn attention to the potential vulnerabilities of SCADA/ICS products. Prior to Stuxnet, the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team in the US

had reported a total of five vulnerabilities.

Stuxnet was “discovered” in June 2010. The following year, 39 different vendors released 104 security advisories for their SCADA/ICS products.

Creating an air gap or a completely isolated automation system is no longer feasible.

Experts recommend setting up choke points and zone-based defence. But a lot comes down to improving the culture of security among technical and management teams as well as plant operators.

“The results of this survey are a cause for concern. One cannot help but wonder if

stakeholders at oil and gas companies are aware of the urgency of the situation,” says Ronald Prins, director and co-founder at Fox-IT. “It is essential that they address the need to seriously secure their industrial control system networks as soon as possible.

If they don’t, an attack might become a disastrous reality.”

We are interested to hear your opinion.

Email us, follow us on twitter and sound off on Facebook. kevin.gomez@cirrusmedia.com.au

Like us on Facebook and join the conversation facebook.com/PACEtoday

EXCELLENCE

PACE Zenith Awards 2015: Nominations closing soon NOMINATIONS for the 12th Annual PACE Zenith Awards will be closing soon so send in your entries before the April 27 deadline.

This is a unique opportunity to showcase your project in the company of your peers.

All finalists get two free tickets to the gala dinner which be in Sydney in June 2015.

It is a entertaining and fun night and a fantastic opportunity to network with other professionals in the industry.

The awards offer an opportunity

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for engineers, suppliers, integrators and industrial business-owners to be recognised publicly in front of their peers and potential customers.

The sponsors include: Honeywell, Phoenix Contact, SICK, Delta, Siemens, Beckhoff, Daanet and ifm efector.

We encourage you to nominate colleagues and peers for the two people-based awards. The Project of the Year Award is given out to the most innovative project overall.

Entering the PACE Awards is free. This is the only awards program

specific to process, control and automation in Australia and New Zealand.

Participating in the awards is a great way to boost your team’s morale by celebrating their work and exposing it to a large audience. Finalists are profiled in PACE magazine, on www. pacetoday.com.au as well through as our social media channels.

Check out our new Awards site (www.paceawards.com.au). It’s now easier to nominate and find related information. www.paceawards.com.au

CATEGORIES FOR THE 2015 PACE AWARDS ARE: • Manufacturing • Food & Beverage • Oil & Gas • Machine Builder • Mining & Minerals Processing • Power and Energy Management • Transport, Power and Infrastructure • Water & Wastewater • Young Achiever • Best Fieldbus Implementation • Lifetime Achievement • Project of the Year

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NEWS

AUSTECH

Consultants are keen for lean TXM Lean Consultants will bring to this year’s Austech Exhibition a fresh perspective on improving manufacturing efficiencies with the release of a book and business network.

Grow Your Factory, Grow Your Profits: Lean for small and mediumsized manufacturing enterprises, by Tim McLean, MD of TXM Lean Consultants takes a new approach to advising small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on the benefits that Lean methodologies can deliver.

Many manufacturing businesses believe that Lean is for ‘big business’ and In his book Tim McLean explains how to identify and fix the root causes of not relevant to them, but McLean shows manufacturing bottlenecks. with case studies and practical solutions that all SMEs can overcome obstacles small and medium manufacturing customers; optimise factory space and and grow. enterprises. production flow; improve margins and McLean’s experience as a manager In his book, McLean explains how decrease expenditure. and Lean consultant for 25 years has to identify and fix the root causes of McLean believes that by adopting given owners and senior P Ahim 0 4extensive 1 5 _ 0insight 0 0 _into WEwhat I 1 manufacturing 2 0 1 5 - 0bottlenecks; 3 - 1 7 Tdevelop 1 1 : 5 5 : 1 Lean 1 + 1methodologies, 1 : 0 0 Lean methodologies can achieve for your team, reduce lead times and delight management can release themselves from

day-to-day ‘crisis management’ in order to lead the growth of the business.

“This is not a book about Lean manufacturing, it’s about what happens when SMEs grow and the problems they run into and how Lean can help overcome them.

“This is not a tools and techniques book, but real examples of how it works,” said McLean.

To further showcase how Lean manufacturing can benefit manufacturing enterprises, TXM have launched Best Practice Network.

Best Practice Network brings together like-minded organisations to share learning, expertise, experience and resources.

The Austech Exhibition, which will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 26 – 29 May, 2015. www.amtil.com.au/Austech

APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 7

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NEWS

NMW 2015

Technology on show in Melbourne National Manufacturing Week (NMW) showcases the latest products and constantly evolving technologies in the expanding manufacturing market. NMW 2015 takes place in Melbourne from 26-29 May. Here is a selection of what visitors can expect to see this year.

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ENSITECH Stand 4523 The TIG Brush Stainless Steel Weld Cleaning System creates a unique combination of electricity, heat and chemistry to deliver results in weld cleaning and metal surface finishing.

Its proprietary, conductive brush applies cleaning fluid to the work surface, producing an electro-chemical cleaning action with astoundingly fast and effective results. Driving the TIG Brush is Ensitech’s Dynamic Power Transfer. This patented technology maximizes the efficiency of heat transfer to the work surface and ensures optimum performance in demanding operating conditions.

At the same time, Ensitech’s low-toxicity fluids are custom-designed to maximise user safety and protect the environment. This powerful combination is the result of many years of product development, based on industry requirements. Ensitech’s research and development division invests continuously in innovation as well as independent testing and validation of the company’s products.

MELBOURNE CENTRE FOR NANOFABRICATION Stand 5410 MCN is a world-class nanofabrication Centre, combining cutting-edge technologies with the skills and expertise of our staff and associates.

This year at NMW, MCN will

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feature a range of exciting devices and samples demonstrating its unique combination of capabilities.

Included in these exhibits are working microfluidic devices, DRIE patterned wafers, sensors, synthetic diamond structures, 3D printed parts and 3D profilometer samples, amongst other items.

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NITTO KOHKI AUSTRALIA Stand 4315 Nitto Kohki Australia, maker of quick release couplings, magnetic based drills and annular cutters will be showcasing the CLA-2720, a ‘World First’ 7kg Cordless Magnetic Based Drill at NMW. According to the company, the unit’s compact size, lightweight body, high performance and comprehensive safety systems will impress the most experienced steel fabricator or engineering specialist.

Nitto Kohki Australia is the Australian Importer and Distributor of Nitto Kohki, Kuken and Cembre Railway products. The company also operates Nitto Kohki Australia’s Manufacturing Division which produces the OZBROACH HSS Annular cutters.

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RENZ AUSTRALIA Stand 5118 Renz Australia is featuring the HSM Profipack which converts and recycles unwanted waste cardboard and cartons into practical, useable packaging material which, for example, can replace foam beads and bubble wrap.

Apart from the obvious environmental advantages, significant savings are possible due to a reduction in waste collection costs and the diminishing requirement to purchase additional packaging material.

The packaging produced is extremely durable and feedback has shown that cardboard processed through the Profipack can be reused up to six times before requiring final recycling.

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TECHWEIGH Stand 5813 Tecweigh, specialists in continuous weighing will have working examples of their latest products on show at NMW. These include the S5A volumetric auger feeder, WF10 weigh belt feeder, and WY15 conveyer belt scale.

The company will also be introducing the new GRC3000 loss in weight gravimetric feeder system.

Visitors to the stand can talk to a continuous weighing specialist about weigh belt feeders, conveyer belt scales, volumetric feeders and loss in weight feeders.

They can also test out the company’s ruggedly constructed products which can be found in diverse areas, such as mining, quarries, dairy, food, chemical, pharmaceutical and the plastics industries. www.nationalmanufacturingweek.com.au

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OPINION

NETWORKING

Make the most of IoT

A network architecture with an Ethernet backbone increases the agility of an enterprise’s operations writes Daniel Hancock.

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T HAS been talked about for over a decade and it has long been touted as a game changer for the manufacturing industry due to its potential to drive efficiencies and increase productivity of operations, but researchers are predicting that this is the year the Internet of Things (IoT) will finally take flight.

Deloitte forecasts that in this year alone, one billion wireless IoT devices will be shipped, up 60 per cent from last year , leading to an installed base of 2.8 billion devices across the globe.

IoT-specific hardware is likely to be worth $10 billion by the end of 2015

and the associated services enabled by the devices worth about $70 billion .

The opportunities presented by the IoT are said to far outweigh any challenges that it may present such as cyber security and network issues.

• Increased employee productivity – by making the best use of employee skills and availability, • Reduced waste and improved process efficiency – by maximising the Supply Chain and Logistics,

There is still much ambiguity within various industries as to how organisations can effectively utilise the IoT so that they can drive business efficiencies These opportunities include: • Asset utilisation – by improving business process execution and capital efficiency,

• Reduced time to market for innovations, • Increased customers and customer lifetime value – as the customer

experience is also raised and overall; • The ability to effectively utilise Big Data to drive informed and efficient business decisions.

However despite widespread awareness of the benefits the IoT can bring, there is still much ambiguity within various industries as to how organisations can effectively utilise the IoT so that they can drive business efficiencies, increase business performance and improve overall business successes.

Understanding the IoT

Loosely defined, the IoT is a network connection of process, data and devices.

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OPINION

The IoT goes beyond machine-tomachine communication and offers advanced connectivity of devices, systems and services, through a variety of protocols, domains and applications. The interconnection of these devices is then expected to improve the automation across a plant, operation or organisation.

The benefits of the IoT come into play when the data that is derived from the connected devices network, is able to be utilised as valuable insights that could ultimately serve to make decisions affecting people, processes and operations.

The rise of the IoT and awareness of it benefits has meant that industrial plants are working towards a connected architecture by adopting intelligent devices that can communicate with each other. This process is often referred to as building the hard infrastructure or architecture of an IoT enabled operation.

However, the adoption of smart devices is where many are halting in the process of developing IoT operability.

In order for the IoT to result in benefits of efficiencies and process improvements, the IoT must go beyond the architecture of connected devices to be underpinned by a strong, capable and connected network backbone.

Building the foundation of the IoT

The Open Device Net Vendor Association (ODVA), or the global, vendor neutral organisation of the world’s leading automation companies explains that the standard that allows the IoT is Internet Protocol or IP. In order to maximise the potential of the IoT all intelligent devices within an organisation need to be interoperable.

The importance of interoperability is realised when considering the network backbone of the IoT. There are two prominent industrial communication protocols. These are non-standard Ethernet network variants and Ethernet/IP. Non-standard Ethernet network variants use non-standard technology and are modified for specific applications.

This means they are not able to speak to architectures compliant with Ethernet and Internet standards and can only communicate with a single domain or cell. This means they are severely limited in the context of the IoT. Ethernet IP is however, fully compliant with the Internet protocol

suite. Ethernet/IP is recommended by the ODVA as the only true, proven, and complete industrial Ethernet network that is ready for the IoT. The key is the adoption of open protocols into the Ethernet architecture

The benefits of Ethernet/IP

There are many benefits of using Ethernet/IP as an industrial communication protocol. Among these benefits are those that make it the most applicable network for organisations leveraging the IoT. These include: • Openness • Transparency and; • Flexibility

Exploring openness with Ethernet/IP

Ethernet openness is the ability to mix different application protocols on the

The rise of the IoT and awareness of it benefits has meant that industrial plants are working towards a connected architecture same network media. These different application protocols provide different services to best fit with a business’s operational needs.

When it comes to industrial communication, the ODVA specifies Ethernet industrial protocols to enable communication between controllers or between controllers and operational visualisation where determinism is a must.

However, during operations there are other needs such as diagnostics, time synchronisation or IT connection. Using Ethernet allows businesses to use existing standards such as web based diagnostics over HTTP, time synchronisation with

NTP and IT connections over web services.

Further to this, from a business standpoint this openness means that a more cost effective solution is created allowing organisations the freedom to select a manufacturer of choice.

Exploring transparency with Ethernet/IP

Ethernet transparency is also a key point and a great technology benefit to the Ethernet/IP network.

The drawback of this transparency is the administrative requirement to ensure security of the network to avoid intrusions. This being said, being able to APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 11

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OPINION

The ring topology is a typical architecture in automation, as most of the time network availability is a requirement and designed to allow at least with one fault tolerance.

The ability to mix those topologies within a plant helps operations managers to adapt network layouts within physical and availability requirements.

Using Ethernet to leverage the IoT

securely access data from everywhere on an intranet has lots of advantages.

These include: • Cost – Process automation has a huge impact on the energy consumption costs for a company. Having Ethernet on process units at a lower plant level will help to access data straight away, without the need of middleware.

• Energy management – Data consolidation will also enable businesses to manage and forecast their energy consumption, and at the same time decrease it without infrastructure evolution.

• Agility – The transparency of Ethernet will help businesses to have agile operations by directly connecting manufacturing execution systems with no additional development costs.

There are also other advantages to accessing data from control systems from higher levels of the enterprise such 12 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

A more cost effective solution is created allowing organisations the freedom to select a manufacturer of choice as asset management, production data, remote maintenance, and evolution.

There is however, an administration cost to manage the security of Ethernet installation and to maintain it. But Ethernet will avoid the need to develop specialised middleware for energy management or MES connections.

The maintenance will only occur at the network level and does not need to be dedicated to specific areas by specialised teams which saves costs in the long run.

Exploring the flexibility of Ethernet

Ethernet also allows different topologies (bus, ring, star etc.) over a mix of different media’s depending on the

speed and noise immunity requirements.

This flexibility helps to complement plant topology at the right cost.

The bus topology will provide low cost connection, with a daisy chain feature, where availability is not mandatory. The use of fibre optic cable will enable a long distance network whilst retaining a high bandwidth.

When designing the network topology, it can help to have distributed devices from a single part of the plant.

Star topology can be used to secure network devices with critical data, thereby avoiding “man in the middle” attack (where a cyber-attack is aimed at the communication between the endpoints on a network).

Many manufacturing plants have already started to prepare to utilise the IoT by adopting smart and intelligent devices across their operations with the aim of communicating and connecting devices to share data. It is predicted that between 80 and 100 per cent of manufacturers will be using IoT applications by 2025.

However, connected devices cannot work in silos. In order to gain the most benefit from the IoT technology, the physical architecture of the manufacturing plant must be underpinned by a solid industry communications protocol or network.

There are many benefits to using Ethernet/IP as the network protocol for the IoT. Not only is Ethernet/IP the only protocol designed with the application of the Internet of Thing at its heart, but a network architecture with an Ethernet backbone increases the agility of an enterprise’s operations.

It is flexible, transparent and open and therefore enables evolution within an organisation without any change to the infrastructure itself.

If manufacturing is to take full advantage of the suite of benefits allowable by the IoT, such as increased asset utilisation, enhanced employee productivity, reduced waste, improved process efficiency and the overall ability to effectively utilise Big Data to drive business decisions, it must first consider the need for a strong network protocol – something the likes of organisations like ODVA are fully encouraging.

The most suitable industrial communications network is undeniably Ethernet/IP. [Daniel Hancock is Systems Technical Expert/Industrial Communications Specialist at Schneider Electric.] www.schneider-electric.com

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IN FOCUS

Corrosion in a settlement tank of a water treatment plant.

Failure of water infrastructure

The effects on water distribution and sewerage collection pipework and infrastructure impacts many areas of the economy and covers a wide ranging list of assets.

T

HE economic impact of corrosion and it’s degradation of infrastructure and assets is estimated to be 3 to 5 per cent of GDP each year. This represents an annual cost of many billions of dollars to the Australian and New Zealand economies.

The cost of corrosion to the water industry is one area that has been quantified. The effects on water 14 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

distribution and sewerage collection pipework and infrastructure impacts many areas of the economy and covers a wide ranging list of assets owned and operated by urban and rural water utilities, industry, agricultural and domestic environments.

During a pipeline failure event, there are also intangible costs that can have a significant effect upon the wider community. These can include

disruptions due to flooding, road closures and loss of trade. These costs have been estimated at $91 million per annum to the Australian urban water industry.

The total estimated annual cost of corrosion to the industry and the wider community in Australia is $982 million which equates to an approximate annual cost of $60 for every adult in the country.

The water industry corrosion

cost figures are contained in a report entitled Corrosion Challenges - Urban Water Industry by Greg Moore and commissioned by the Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA). The report estimated the corrosion failure costs and identified which might be attributable to industry practices, industry skilling and regulatory frameworks. The report also looked at some potential cost reduction strategies

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IN FOCUS

that could be implemented.

The main infrastructure assets owned and operated by water authorities are the pipelines and treatment plants. Moore’s report showed that the Australian water industry faces many challenges, particularly in the areas of asset management of ageing infrastructure and the required training to support the prevention and remediation of corrosion. The cost attributable to the maintenance and repair of sewage treatment plants is also considerable.

Catastrophic impacts

The failure of a major pipeline or reservoir could have far reaching consequences. Not only could such an event have immediate catastrophic impacts to the surrounding area, there would also be long term economic impact on water, and possibly power, supplies to cities and towns. Repair and rebuilding costs would also be high.

As most pipelines are buried “out of sight and mind,” the water industry has had a reactive approach to

maintenance whereby the pipes are run to failure, with individual pipe failures repaired until the failure rate reaches a predetermined level, at which point the entire section of pipeline is replaced.

For smaller pipes this is still considered “best practice” for the industry, but for larger critical pipelines a more proactive approach is being adopted.

One recommendation of the report was for water authorities to increase pipeline condition assessment to predict when failures might occur.

Pipe materials such as grey cast iron and asbestos cement make up a large proportion of reticulation pipes in Australia and many of these are reaching a time where replacement will be required. In some cases, where the consequence of failure is very high, condition assessment is used to evaluate replacing the pipeline before any failures occur.

However, there will always be difficulties in any proactive approach to manage buried assets where there is limited technology to carry out

Sewage treatment plants are considered to be exposed to a more corrosive environment than water treatment plants condition assessments. Most water utilities have active CCTV inspection programs where internal corrosion of non-pressure sewer pipes can be assessed and repairs, renovations or replacements of these sewers implemented before major collapses occur.

Almost immediately after the establishment of European colonies in Australia during the mid-1800s, a water industry started to evolve.

Construction of the infrastructure to deliver fresh water for domestic and commercial consumption, and to remove and treat waste water and sewage, slowly developed up to the end of World War 1. In the years following both World Wars there were periods

of rapid development, but the greatest expansion occurred during the 1970s, when approximately 5000 kilometres of pipeline were installed.

Pressure pipes

Pipelines are the largest group of assets and consist of pressure pipes used for the conveyance of water and sewage, and non-pressure pipes for the conveyance of sewage. Pipelines are made of a variety of materials. Plastic pipes are not subjected to corrosion but the other pressure pipe materials such as cast iron, ductile iron, steel, concrete and asbestos cement, are all susceptible to both internal and external corrosion to varying degrees.

The performance of all pressure pipes is reported in the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) National Performance report as the number of water main breaks per 100km per year. The average reported number of 19 per 100 km, which, over the more than 139,000 km of water mains in Australia, is approximately 26,700 breaks per year. This is an

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IN FOCUS

The water industry has had a reactive approach to maintenance whereby the pipes are run to failure not as serious as a pipeline failure, but the facilities still require ongoing maintenance and repair.

Aggressive environments

Water outfall pipes from a reservoir. enormous problem for the water companies, even though a reported ‘break’ might be a major pipe failure or a minor leak.

The WSAA is the peak body representing the Australian urban water industry which provides innovative, sustainable and cost effective delivery of water services.

Some activities undertaken are the facilitation of strategic standardisation, industry performance monitoring for 73 water utilities across Australia serving approximately 75 per cent of population. The water utilities are required to report costs and performance to the WSAA each year.

Major urban water utilities also

operate 260 water treatment plants and 442 sewage treatment plants. While some water supplies are only disinfected, the majority of supplies are also filtered and treated to remove impurities so to ensure the water quality meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG). The consequences of failure of a water treatment plant are usually

Sewage treatment plants deal with raw sewage and are subjected in most cases to more aggressive environments than water treatment plants, primarily due to the presence and corrosive effects of hydrogen sulphide.

In addition to the pipelines and treatment facilities, there are many other assets such as manholes, sewer vents, tanks, reservoirs, and pumping stations associated with water and sewerage systems which also have costs associated with corrosion. These costs can be high, especially where repairs and recoating of steel water tanks and other complex steel structures are required.

Civil assets comprised approximately 87 per cent of the reported depreciation costs for the water treatment plants discussed in Moore’s study. Using this data and the premise that all of the civil depreciation was due to corrosion, an average annual depreciation figure of $600,000 per plant was estimated.

In all treatment facilities there is an ongoing programme of replacement and repair to the infrastructure of the plant.

It can be assumed, therefore, that this figure, or a proportion of it, could be used as a representative annual cost of corrosion.

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16 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

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Highly corroded water pipeline.

Sewage treatment plants are considered to be exposed to a more corrosive environment than water treatment plants due to the presence of hydrogen sulphide gas. Many sewage treatment plants are also coastal, or close to the coast, so the marine environment adds to the increased corrosiveness of the sewage treatment plant environment. Both these factors are aggressive to concrete structures.

Studies conducted in the US show similar percentages but the actual amounts are higher due to the fact the much larger population lives in a wider range of geographies and infrastructure has been built to suit the climatic conditions. Many pipelines are buried much deeper to minimise the impact of freezing and other extremes.

Few training courses

The water industry utilises the skills of a wide range of staff to manage, operate and design water and sewerage systems but there are very few training courses available to teach corrosion and its impact on the water industry.

The remit of the ACA includes educational activities such as seminars and training courses to inform and guide organisations and practitioners about topics including the latest protective technologies and processes.

A recommendation in Moore’s report was to implement accredited training courses designed for water industry personnel.

Such courses would cover topics such

as corrosion basics for the water industry; materials and corrosion control for use in conjunction with the Water Supply Code of Australia and the Sewerage Code of Australia; and identification and assessment of pipeline failures in the water industry.

In particular, there should also be increased training in cathodic protection technologies, especially as applied to aging steel water mains, tanks and other structures.

Pipe materials such as grey cast iron and asbestos cement make up a large proportion of reticulation pipes in Australia The ACA is a not-for-profit, membership Association which disseminates information on corrosion and its prevention or control, by providing training, seminars, conferences, publications and other activities.

The industry association was formed in 1955 and represents companies, organisations and individuals involved in the fight against corrosion and promotes cooperation between academic, industrial, commercial and governmental organisations.

Australasian Corrosion Association 03 9890 483 www.corrosion.com.au APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 17

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IN FOCUS

CAD/CAM nesting software Sophisticated automatic nesting algorithms can quickly run through countless parts arrangement scenarios in order to achieve the tightest possible part yield, writes John Salsbury.

I

N MANUFACTURING terms “nesting� is the process of arranging parts on a sheet as to minimise material waste.

Fabricators who cut sheet metal, plate, aluminium, composites, wood, and even fabric typically employ some sort of nesting – either manually or through automatic nesting software. It stands to reason that the tighter parts can be arranged the more parts that can be placed on a sheet.

In the example pictured on this page, one can see that, with the help of nesting software, parts may even be placed inside other parts. SigmaNEST employs sophisticated automatic nesting algorithms to quickly run through countless parts

arrangement scenarios in order to achieve the tightest possible part yield.

What are the key benefits fabricators can achieve with nesting software?

Fabricators benefit from nesting software in many ways. Manual nesting can slow production down to a crawl. By

path optimisation, which determines the best path by minimizing or eliminating redundant, extended, or additional tool movement.

Nesting software can also extend tool life by reducing pierce points or directing cut paths away from potentially dangerous situations, like collisions.

Fabricators should research and choose software that focuses on efficiency as well as motion automating the process fabricators can achieve significant and sustained productivity gains and cost savings.

Material optimisation alone can reduce waste by 5 percent or more.

Faster machine cycles are created by tool

Common-line nesting contributes to tool life as well; cutting edges shared by multiple parts with a single cut. Time savings can be especially significant when cutting thicker material. Other benefits include fuel savings, an ability

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18 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

to integrate with MRP/ERP, along with inventory and remnant management.

What type of productivity gains can a fabricator expect using nesting software?

Advanced nesting software is all about increasing productivity. Fabricators can expect faster machine cycles because of reduced cutting time and a reduced number of pierce points.

Engineers who are at or exceeding capacity, unable to keep up with demands, and facing overtime costs will benefit from reduced programming time.

Nesting software is needed for manufacturing strategies with faster programming speed, the ability to

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IN FOCUS

manage various due dates and priorities, and the ability to integrate with MRP/ERP system software.

Sometimes overlooked but nonetheless critically important is the fact that fabricators achieve productivity gains by employing a single nesting software package to drive multiple cutting machines regardless of type or manufacturer, rather than purchasing, learning, and maintaining multiple software packages.

What are the top five factors fabricators should consider when deciding on the nesting software to meet their needs?

• Robust features deliver tighter nesting and maximised cutting machine performance • Integration with MRP • CAD Import • Automation • Flexibility to run multiple machines regardless of type or brand Additionally fabricators should choose software on the forefront of technology and a company that continues to aggressively improve its products.

If nesting software if a part of the machine tool vendor package, what should fabricators consider to ensure it’s a quality nesting software program?

Quality nesting software should support advanced

Sophisticated nesting software can quickly run through a number of nesting scenarios to determine optimum material yield. Cutting paths are applied allowing the machine to effectively move from one part to another increasing cutting speed and saving both time and consumables (gas, waterjet abrasives, extend cutting torch life).

IT'S A GOOD FEELING TO ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU CAN RELY ON.

Sensors. Systems. Network technology.

www.balluff.com APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 19

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IN FOCUS

A typical punching machine.

An advantage of nesting software is the ability to mix jobs from different orders. This saves time and reduces scrap. A Colour Offload allows the machine operator to quickly see which parts belong to which jobs.

machine functions, as well as a variety of machine types, different brands, and multi-process machines. Most software that comes bundled with a machine is focused mainly on machine motion; it will run, but not the most efficiently.

Machine software is generally a “lite� nesting package with basic capabilities and hardly ever selected by the consumer.

Quality software should always be chosen, not accepted by default. Fabricators should research and choose software that fits their short- and longer-term needs and focuses on efficiency as well as motion.

How does the software differ from others on the market?

There are many varieties of software on the market today

running the full gamut in terms of functionality, performance and capabilities. Some only nest, and some have better nesting varieties than others.

Some systems are designed to work solely with one particular machine. OEM-provided software often only runs their respective brand, but versatile software, such as SigmaNEST, drives virtually any cutting, punching, or bending machine.

What kind of issues can a fabricator face with nesting software and how can they avoid or overcome these issues?

Fabricators whose operation includes a variety of cutting

Parts can be arranged for common-line cutting. This allows the machine to cut multiple parts with a single cut... again saving time, material, consumables, and extending tool life.

20 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

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Helping to put you in Control IP65 IR Temp. Sensor Non-contact infrared temperature sensor, which makes use of thermal radiation released from an object’s surface to determine temperature. 0 to 5 VDC output with measuring temperature range of 0 to 500°C. 24 VDC powered.

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Signal Line Surge Arrester These surge arresters are designed for low power DC lines up to 1 A, especially analog signals such as 0 to 10 VDC. They provide longitudinal and transverse protection. Up to 15 VDC continuous voltage.

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DigiRail Transducer

This image shows how various parts can be “nested� in order to get the most parts on a sheet. This saves both material and cutting time. machines may have a unique nesting program for each. If this is the case training will be needed in each machine’s software system. Sometimes manufacturers are forced to assign a unique programmer to dedicate himself to a specific machine’s software package.

It’s the same with software upgrades. Fabricators who have multiple software licenses will need training for every license. Another issue that stems from machine variety is that certain parts can only be cut on certain types of machines, which can contribute to a limited machine throughput. Part-specific nesting software can create a bottleneck of work orders, whereas general nesting software creates an even

In a lights-out environment, fabricators will be the most prepared for work orders if they have MRP integration, inventory tracking, and good organization.

In addition, software must support automation control, such as load towers and unloading robotics.

Fabricators with several laser cutting machines need nesting software with the ability to post to multiple machines at once.

What top three changes have occurred in nesting software and what top change or improvements can the market expect to see in nesting software?

Fabricators with several laser cutting machines need nesting software with the ability to post to multiple machines at once spread of work with multiple programmers running the same software package on multiple machines.

Fabricators with software that nests poorly will create an increase in the scrap rate, wasting money and material. Better performance nesting will decrease scrap and waste.

Again, a robust yet flexible nesting software allows multiple and dissimilar cutting machines to be programmed with a single system. This provides a number of advantages including the ability to make future machine purchases without being tied to a specific OEM for nesting. In addition a single programmer can now work with any and all machines allowing resources to be reallocated as needed.

The top three changes that have occurred in nesting software are: • Ability to effectively perform common-line cutting • Automatic NC features such as auto tabbing, auto bridge cut, auto chain cut • MRP integration and Remnant tracking Changes the market can expect to see in the future include: • Router optimisation for maximum multiple sheet efficiency • Integration with press brake software • Improvements in multi-sheet partial depth routing – for multiple stacked sheets – where parts near the upper sheets are different than parts near lower sheets

How does the nesting software operate in a multiple machine environment where a fabricator might have several laser cutting machines or a lights-out environment? What should fabricators keep in mind?

[John Salisbury (johns@sigmanest.com) is Sales Manager/ Director at SigmaTEK.] SigmaTEK Australia 07 3246 5213 www.sigmanest.com

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APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 21

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CONVERSATION

BUSINESS

Delta Energy Systems in new system integration alliance launch

Delta MVDs are designed to make industrial processing plants more efficient and reduce downtime.

Delta Energy Systems, the Australian subsidiary of Delta Electronics – the world’s largest power electronics company, recently entered an alliance partnership agreement with I S Systems, an Australian-based company specialising in automation systems and variable speed drives, and Marubeni Australia for capital support.

Hartley Henderson spoke to Delta’s Business Development Manager Industrial Automation – Australia & New Zealand, David Bolt, about the strategy behind the new arrangement and the benefits that it is designed to deliver.

David Bolt, Business Development Manager Industrial Automation – Australia & New Zealand, Delta Energy Systems.

22 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

What is the significance of the new alliance and what advantages will it bring for the market?

Under the new arrangement, I S Systems is Delta’s primary system integration partner for Medium Voltage Drives (MVD) in Australia, with capital support for large infrastructure projects in a variety of industrial automation applications from Marubeni Australia.

The new alliance will bring about differentiation in the market through delivery of expertise to clients by a highly respected and experienced 100 percent Australian owned company in I S Systems

as system integrator, compared to the current situation where equipment suppliers often carry out all the work. This provides a higher performance-to-cost ratio of both services: integration and Delta MV support.

The main point of difference is the provision of a ‘total solution’ for the industry whereby customers will benefit from our offering of local competence combined with global presence.

Which industry sectors will benefit most from the new alliance?

We are targeting heavy industry

sectors such as mining, oil and gas, water, power generation, and metal and cement processing. In particular, there will be a strong focus on constant, variable and regenerative torque applications where MVDs (3.3kV to 11kV) are used to drive equipment such as pumps, conveyors, crushers, blowers, and compressors.

What influence are current economic conditions likely to have on the planned operations of the alliance?

The Australian economy is going through substantial change,

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CONVERSATION

two power cells to balance line voltage.

In a non-redundancy system, reduced power rating operation is necessary.

With the bypass cabinet, the auto bypass function can switch from MVD to power grid without power interruption.

including in the primary mining sector and we believe that the alliance MVD focus is likely to generate significant interest and uptake.

In the mining industry, and in all other heavy industrial processes, customers are seeking to do more with less operating expenditure (OPEX), and this is a key focus for maintenance and reliability engineers. They are seeking high system availability with strong and fast local service response, combined with a product (MVD) that can deliver improved application productivity at a reduced cost.

For heavy processes, MVDs produce much greater power output than low voltage drives (LVDs) due to operating at higher supply voltages and providing lower current flow for a given power output. MVDs also use smaller cables than LVDs which can contribute to lower system cost and, for larger projects, significant economies of scale.

What makes Delta an industry leader in MVD systems technology?

Importantly, Delta’s MVD systems feature N+1 redundancy topography for increased system availability using modular power cell architecture. This technology is oriented for use in high capital infrastructure applications, especially in the mining sector, offering increased system availability with optional power cell and cabinet bypass features.

Modular power cell architecture enables one more power cell in each phase to be implemented, and when the power cell bypass function is on, the MVD can still output 100 percent power without power de-rating. The output voltage is equally distributed to each power cell before and after power cell bypass.

When one power cell fails, the system will bypass the power cell automatically while at the same time bypassing another

What are the typical applications of Delta’s best-selling MVDs? Our range of MVD variable frequency drives is designed to deliver substantial energy savings, meet special control requirements, raise equipment efficiency and reduce mechanical stress in pipes and air ducts. These drives are designed to give proportional response to what the motor demands.

The Delta MVD1000 Variable Torque product is particularly suitable for use with power plant boiler-feed pumps, mine blowers, blast furnace blowers, cement dusting fans, water plant pumps, and compressors in the chemical industry, while applications for the Delta MVD2000 Constant Torque unit include sugar mills, crushers, mixers, conveyors, ball mills and extruders.

The soon to be released Delta MVD3000 Regenerative Torque unit is designed to deal with inclinations and loads, including in relation to conveyor and excavator operations for example.

These MVDs enable energy to be put back into the grid or used on a remote mine site, thereby reducing energy costs for client companies. Suitable applications include down-hill conveyors, cranes, excavators and hoists.

What do you see as the likely market impact of the new alliance?

The cost of equipment failure and

maintenance is very high in Australia, so ensuring reliability is a critical factor, which is why Delta has a primary focus on reliability and redundancy in its technology offerings while providing competent local service and support.

MVDs are used in high value applications where reliability is critical - for example where a city could lose power or water supply. Delta can build redundancy into these systems and provide piece of mind to the client.

Australia needs to automate to improve safety and reduce costs, including energy costs which have more than doubled in Australia in the last 2.5 years. Delta MVDs are designed to make processes more efficient and reduce downtime, thereby assisting to deliver major cost reductions for customers.

Drive and power quality is a big focus area for us, so we look to replace linear on/off drives with variable speed drives that alter power in proportion to the load being powered.

The new alliance brings Delta together with I S Systems which is a technology integrator with a strong history of delivering successful medium to large automation systems. With over 50 years of experience investing in and supplying to Australian power, infrastructure, resources, and energy, Marubeni Australia is a crucial partner in this alliance structured to deliver a highly competitive ‘total solution’ to the market.

Delta Energy Systems 03 9543 3720 www.delta-es.com.au

Delta’s MVD systems feature N+1 redundancy topography for increased system availability using modular power cell architecture.

APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 23

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Innovation in power steering The first power steering VBM for use on automotive production lines was designed in a Sydney suburb, writes Hartley Henderson.

W

ITH the approaching closure of the car manufacturing industry in Australia, opportunities are emerging to develop technology in this country aimed at assisting automotive manufacturing in other countries around the world and thereby expand our export markets.

The first power steering Valve Balance Machine (VBM) for use on automotive production lines was designed and manufactured in the Sydney suburb of Milperra by Kirby Engineering in the mid 80s.

At that time steering systems on the market were all based on hydraulic power steering and the basic objective of the machine was to provide a fast, flexible, easy to maintain, accurate and reliable system for balancing and testing of power steering components.

The primary functions of the VBM were to precisely locate and dimensionally set axial positions as well

component’s results and analyse data for conformity to part print. Detailed information about all aspects of the machine cycle was then provided for each cycled component, both visually on a VDU and electronically for traceability.

In 2003, Broens Industries acquired the assets and intellectual property of Kirby Engineering. By this time the automotive market was moving away from hydraulic power steering due largely to environmental issues associated with it, and an electric power steering system had been developed which did not require hydraulic fluid and did not take horsepower from the engine.

Emerging market

Electrical Engineering Manager at Broens, Darren Woods, says this meant that a new machine was needed to accommodate the emerging electronic power steering market.

“Broens proceeded to develop the T-Series machine which was made

HPS systems are gradually phasing out in favour of EPS due primarily to environmental and efficiency considerations as accurately find the hydraulic centre (balance) by precisely rotating the valve while measuring oil flow, pressure and temperature, and constantly monitoring applied torque.

Once the hydraulic centre was found, with the valve being held under strict alignment conditions, the machine drilled and reamed a hole through the input shaft and torsion bar, and then pressed a pin into the hole while monitoring insertion force and pin position, locking the valve in its hydraulic centre.

The machine was then required to apply a pre-set force in the opposite direction to pin insertion to test the pin for final position and security.

One or more optional torque tests could then be performed by the machine to accurately analyse the pinned 24 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

available in electronic or hydraulic configuration to cater for both existing markets,” Woods told PACE magazine.

“The T-Series machine was a totally new design that incorporated a rotary turret housing a drill spindle, ream spindle, and pin press tooling, and the machine had a greatly reduced footprint.

“Around 20 of these machines were sold throughout the world, and by 2008 the industry was demanding a low cost balance machine for use only in the production of electronic power steering systems.

“Broens took up the challenge and developed the V-Series machine, which was born from a blank sheet of paper and featured the development of new principles of valve processing. The result was an even smaller footprint and a greatly reduced cycle time which

The V-Series machine featured the development of new principles of valve processing. meant that an electronic power steering assembly was able to be balanced and tested in around 25 seconds.”

Machines in the Broens power steering range relating to the production of hydraulic power steering (HPS) systems include the Sleeve Slot Machine (SSM), Input Shaft Slot Machine (ISSM), Audit Test Stand (ATS), and

the Final Assembly Test Machine (FATM).

“The SSM is a 4-axis CNC controlled high speed internal sleeve slotting machine and will typically cut six or eight 4mm wide internal 36mm radius curved slots in a 22mm ID steel valve sleeve in 25 to 30 seconds, with automatic load and unload of the sleeve.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

“The ISSM is a 3-axis CNC controlled high speed external shaft slotting machine designed to cut slots to match the valve sleeve,” explained Woods.

“Our VBM is a highly specialised and sophisticated computer controlled production testing machine that performs a number of tasks to a critical tolerance level. These tasks include establishing the hydraulic middle point, locking the valve at this point, testing the oil flow and pressure at the valve rotation end points, and recording the rotational angle at the mechanical end points. The machine also tests the torque (effort) required to achieve power steering assist from zero to maximum in both rotational directions, and records all data for traceability criteria.

“The ATS machine has a similar function to the VBM but without the valve locking function. Its main use is in the customer’s quality control laboratory to audit the accuracy of the power steering valve after it has been balanced on the VBM.

“Once the power steering valve has been installed in the power steering rack assembly that goes into a vehicle, the amount of assistance generated (output) for the amount of torque (input) is confirmed by the computer controlled FATM which records all test data for traceability purposes.”

In relation to electronic power steering (EPS) and use of the Electronic Valve Balance Machine (V-Series), Woods points out that the assist is generated by a brushless motor rather than by a hydraulic pump as in hydraulic power steering systems. However, the same tests need to be performed and the resulting data recorded, less the hydraulic test function.

EPS benefits

According to Woods, HPS systems are gradually phasing out in favour of EPS due primarily to environmental and efficiency considerations. “EPS systems offer fuel savings of up to 0.33L/100km, with a corresponding reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of

Darren Woods - Electrical Engineering Manager at Broens. approximately 8g/km. EPS steering provides a dynamic response compared with hydraulic,” he said.

“EPS also provides productivity benefits as there are not as many processes that the EPS valve has to go through and by removing hydraulic fluid an entire component of a steering system becomes obsolete. In addition, with EPS

it is easier to offset the steering to get a perfect result compared with HPS. “Currently, approximately 70 percent of Broens HPS equipment is used in passenger vehicles with the remaining 30 percent used in light to medium commercial vehicles. For our EPS equipment, 100 percent is currently used in passenger vehicles. This is initially in the small car market, but belt drive systems can now cater for rack loads of up to 15KN, so we see significant future growth in EPS across a wide range of vehicle types.

“Our volume of exports is rising significantly and now accounts for around 40 percent of the company’s revenue. We see substantial future growth in exports, particularly to comparatively low labour cost countries such as China, Poland and India where automotive manufacturing facilities are increasingly being established.”

Broens 02 9829 1111 www.broens.com.au

APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 25

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BEHIND THE SCENES

System exceeds expectations Qenos Olefins recently optimised its control system using an intelligent and reliable solution, writes John Immelman.

T

HE challenge for the Qenos Olefins site operators has been to ensure a constant supply of high consistency ethylene to their customers whilst managing a fluctuating ethane feed.

Also, as the plant ages, the technical personnel need to continuously update the control system model (the heart of model based control) without activating a plant retest and incurring unnecessary costs.

It follows that optimising the control system models requires an intelligent and reliable solution. The Qenos Olefins ethane to ethylene conversion plant at Altona recently upgraded their Advanced Process Control (APC) system to Adaptive Process Control. The decision has had a positive impact, beyond their expectations, on efficiency, throughput and operator engagement.

According to Process Engineering and Control Team Leader, Richard Wawrzon, “Our Senior Control Engineer has used “calibrate� mode on a couple of occasions to tune up problem models with great success.

Most interestingly, it ran in “calibrate� for a number of days on a large fractionator without operators noticing any operational differences, during a time when the Engineer was only able

to supervise the test remotely. In our specialised world, this does feel like a game changer as a similar exercise prior to this would have been very intrusive to our operations department and costly to all the stakeholders.�

Consistent output, fluctuating input

Jenny Clemow, Senior Process Controls Engineer at Qenos, added, “The ethane to ethylene conversion process can be simplified into four steps – crack it, compress it, chill it, separate it – with product ‘cleaning’ taking place at each step.�

Ethane enters the furnaces where the gas is ‘cracked’ into simpler molecules, the by-products are then quenched and compressed, chilled by the refrigeration circuit, separated in the fractionators, and finally distributed to the customers as ethylene.

Qenos sources ethane from natural gas suppliers operating in the Bass Strait.

The primary interest of these suppliers is to feed natural gas into the national gas grid, based on consumer demand and price offered. Both demand and price vary significantly during the seasons - hot weather reduces usage, crude oil price impacts gas prices. The knock-on effect is that the ethane supply fluctuates

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Adaptive Process Control with DMC On. dramatically week to week, month to month and season to season.

Ensuring a reliable supply of ethylene to their clients, with a varying ethane feed, has been the biggest challenge since inception.

The need for Advanced Control

To help manage this complex supply and demand situation, Qenos implemented AspenTech’s DMCplus Advanced Control Systems (APC), with subsequent updates and revisions, some

not address changes to the operating environment and process unit, and as time passes, the APC model becomes less and less reflective of the current plant dynamics.

The consequence is that the control system becomes progressively less effective, and with the Service Factor dropping as operators turn off the APC, the process tends to operate outside the tested region, resulting in sub-optimal control.

As the plant ages and undergoes wear-and-tear and fouling, problems

The primary interest of these suppliers is to feed natural gas into the national gas grid based on consumer demand and price offered 20 years ago. Since that time, they have fine-tuned their APC control models as far as is possible and they consistently perform at a Service Factor (time spent with APC as a percentage of total time) better than 90 percent.

Why the upgrade to Adaptive Process Control?

But, what was recognised fairly early on was that conventional APC does

such as fouling exchangers, rewheeling of compressors, valve replacement, measurement instrumentation recalibration, etc., can cause the plant to run outside the constraints of the model.

Over time the plant-model mismatch can increase significantly.

Another factor that can result in the plant-model mismatch is the fact that the process is non-linear, and the need to change the operating conditions

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Unbeatable Control, Precision, and Flexibility

Jenny Clemow monitors AspenTech DMC3 Adaptive Control.

Richard Wawrzon at the base of a refrigeration circuit.

to meet new production specifications, as dictated by management, can move the plant to an operating position where the process dynamics are noticeably different from the model.

To overcome the limitations of traditional APC, Qenos implemented AspenTech’s DMC3 Adaptive Process Control solution in 2014. In the background, Adaptive Control continuously runs small step changes to critical process variables, monitoring the impact on other dependant variables, and then suggests a revised model when the results have converged. Simultaneously DMC3 actively controls the unit and drives it towards an optimal operating point.

Effectively, Adaptive Process Control can continuously fine-tune the model as the plant ages, allowing the Service factor to head towards 100%, and ensuring that the plant is running at its optimum performance. The Adaptive functionality can very easily be de-activated by the operators when they anticipate major process changes.

super-closely, they would not have detected the steptests the Adaptive Process Control was running in the background. Clemow did spend some time with them at the operator panels, and then she monitored the test remotely.

One of the metrics Jenny Clemow tracks is an ‘accumulated prediction error’ which records the prediction errors of what the model anticipates is going to happen, compared to what actually does happen.

Implementation of Adaptive Process Control

According to Jenny Clemow, “Adaptive Control has allowed us to optimise the plant performance holistically, but a major benefit has been the ease of upgrading parts of the model as areas of the plant age, or we make our own changes to certain processes.”

Before the upgrade the team had identified a target application on the plant that they wanted to remodel, in this case a de-methaniser.

“The implementation was similar in scope and complexity to a normal APC version upgrade and was seamless and trouble-free,” commented Jenny.

The engineers had received a couple of days of training with an AspenTech specialist, but were not able to use the data that was collected during the training because the plant was not in a regime that was ideal.

Due to their supply inconsistency, it is not always possible to schedule training when the plant conditions are perfect. Clemow personally ran the test a month later and experienced no difficulties or surprises.

The Qenos operators did not require a lot of training because the system and display panels appeared the same as before the upgrade. Unless they had looked

The DMC3 Adaptive Process Control upgrade has reduced much of the tedious workflow by automating the mundane control tasks If her team observes a trend or a shift in one or more predicted errors, this is an indication that something is wrong with the model.

“Historically, I recorded these errors in a data historian and tracked the trend until it became necessary to alter the model,” states Jenny.

“Adaptive control is doing the same thing - but in a far more elegant way.”

NI LabVIEW system design software and reconfigurable I/O (RIO) hardware lower cost and shorten design time by integrating motion, vision, and I/O within a single

Where to next?

The DMC3 Adaptive Process Control upgrade has reduced much of the tedious workflow by automating the mundane control tasks, and that frees up the engineers and operators to manage the higher level challenges. Traditional plant testing is very disruptive and Adaptive Control has significantly reduced the need for plant re-testing, which is beneficial for everyone.

Richard Wawrzon concluded, “Today, Adaptive Process Control identifies the model changes that need to be made, but it is still up to the engineers to implement them when the plant is in a suitable operating condition. Going forward, I anticipate that Adaptive will be able to select the ideal operating period to make the changes and then do it. What we have today has benefitted all aspects of the plant – efficiency, throughput, Service Factor, operators – and is exceeding our expectations”.

software development environment.

Accelerate your productivity at ni.com/ industrial-control-platform Australia: 1800 300 800 New Zealand: 0800 553 322

©2013 National Instruments. All rights reserved. LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. xxxxx

www.qenos.com APRIL 2015 www.pacetoday.com.au 27

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BEHIND THE SCENES

“Free”

green energy As part of a renewable energy mix electricity generated with biogas is highly reliable and consistent. As the major component of natural gas, methane is an environmentally attractive alternative to fossil fuels.

S

OME of the world’s most environmentally efficient and profitable green energy technologies are being specifically tailored to the needs of the beef, poultry, pork, rendering and stockfeed industries.

The high-temperature thermophilic anaerobic digestion technologies, typically operating at 55 deg C, are part of a proven combination of processes that digest waste water’s organic content to produce green energy while achieving outstanding waste water effluent discharge qualities.

Included in the rapid digestion thermophilic processes is the GWE RAPTOR™ system, which has just won one of the world’s major chemical engineering awards for innovation in renewable energy, the IChemE 2014 Energy Award.

The RAPTOR system, from wastewater treatment and green energy authority Global Water Engineering (GWE), combines thermophilic high-rate anaerobic processes with complementary technologies including dissolved air flotation (DAF), screening and aerobic treatments.

This efficient combination of processes rapidly transforms food processing sludge waste and waste water from an environmental problem into profitable green energy (methane) to replace fossil fuels.

Thermophilic digestion also destroys pathogens quickly, unlike lower temperature mesophilic digestion, so effluent can be used as a soil conditioner or fertilizer.

Thermophilic anaerobic/anaerobic systems have been proven internationally on slaughterhouse wastes, including digestion of wastes such as manure, stomach contents, blood and excess biosludge, which are transformed into biogas (methane), fertilizer and environmentally outstanding waste water effluent.

At one plant in Europe handling 6000 pigs and 2000 sows a week, the technology paid for itself within one year from biogas savings alone.

With 20-50 tons a day of waste submitted to digestion, the GWE plant achieved the equivalent of

28 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

6300Nm3 of biogas a day, which was converted to boiler process water and 625kW of electricity (or 300 to 750 kWh per ton of waste).

Effluent quality was increased substantially, with a chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of 200mg/l achieved as specified, at which level the treated waste water was suitable for discharge.

Anaerobic technologies

Another plant successfully deploying anaerobic technologies for green energy and high quality waste water treatment is the COHRAL (Covered High Rate

Anaerobic Lagoon) being installed by CST Wastewater Solutions at Oakey Beef Exports on Queensland’s Darling Downs, which is owned by NH Foods Australia, (formerly Nippon Meat Packers). CST Wastewater Solutions represents GWE technology in Australasia To be commissioned this year, the plant will extract green energy biogas (methane) from its waste water streams to replace millions of dollars’ worth of natural gas currently consumed at the abattoir The COHRAL plant is expected to repay its cost of construction inside five years through gas purchase

PA0415_000_SEW

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Gearmotors \ Heavy Industrial Solutions \ Electronics \ Decentralised Systems \ Services

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BEHIND THE SCENES

savings amounting to many millions of dollars – then continue to deliver benefits and profitability virtually in perpetuity, says Oakey Beef Exports General Manager Pat Gleeson.

“The Asia-Pacific one of the many regions in the world that is only just beginning to realise the potential of green energy from waste water,” says CST Wastewater Solutions managing director Michael Bambridge. “Instead of waste water being an environmental problem and as expense – a huge consumer of energy through mixers and aerators in smelly settling ponds - it becomes an asset. Instead of companies having to figure out some expensive way to dispose of it, waste water becomes a profit item.

“Biogas from waste water is an outstanding source of base load power. As part of a renewable energy mix – complementing wind and solar generation, for example – electricity generated with biogas is highly reliable and consistent. As the major component of natural gas, methane is an environmentally attractive alternative to fossil fuels.”

GWE anaerobic technologies have been successfully deployed on diverse organic and agribusiness waste streams produced by industries including food and beverage processing, livestock, crops and primary product processing.

Their success was recognised by GWE’s successful entry in the 2014 IChemE award for the best project or process to demonstrate innovation in renewable energy, alternative energy sources, efficient energy use or the development of energy production methods that reduce energy and water intensity.

“This was a landmark award because it was independent confirmation by a

Green energy generators powered by methane from waste water can transform a problem to a profit. engineers, IChemE has grown to its current status of over 40,000 members across 120 countries, with offices in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK.]

RAPTOR system provides green power

Early last year, it was announced that an organic waste-to-energy project in a Canadian city is using a proven technology from Global Water Engineering (GWE) to produce green power and bio fertiliser.

The COHRAL plant is expected to repay its cost of construction inside five years through gas purchase savings world respected body of the scientific and practical value of the process,” says Bambridge. “By judging the process by results achieved in service, it gave the food and beverage industry a true yardstick for comparisons applicable in Australasia and globally.”

[The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) is the global professional membership organisation founded in 1922 as a professional institution for chemical and process 30 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

GWE, represented in Australia by CST Wastewater Solutions, has been a world leader in anaerobic digestion of industrial effluents and green energy solutions for more than 35 years.

About the size of Canberra, the Sunshine Coast or Newcastle, the city of London in Ontario, Canada with a population of about 366,000, is set to demonstrate benefits achievable worldwide by converting more than 65,000 tons of mixed organic waste a

year into environmentally harmonious green energy and dry fertiliser.

The privately owned Harvest Power Mustang Generation Limited plant will process more than 15 different waste streams into biogas to generate electricity as well as dry bio fertilisers.

Incorporating a GWE RAPTOR system, the 4.5-hectare plant converts waste such as grocery store rejects, kitchen and market waste, food processing residues, leachate, manure, and slaughterhouse residues into enough biogas to generate 2.85 MW of electricity and 8.7 tons a day of dry bio fertiliser.

GWE’s RAPTOR (Rapid Transformation of Organic Residues) is a liquid-state anaerobic digestion process that consists of enhanced pre-treatment followed by multi-step biological fermentation.

Waste Reception

In the Harvest Power application, it is integrated into a process that begins with waste reception and storage, depackaging and conditioning, and the removal of contamination such as plastics, metals, and glass.

It then undergoes thermophilic acidification, anaerobic digestion by

the RAPTOR process, post digestion, aerobic treatment of the liquid part of the digestate, sludge conditioning and drying.

This is followed by biogas sweetening (removal of hydrogen sulfide), drying and then use in combined heat and power (CHP) systems and engine generator sets of 2.85 MWe feeding back into the local electricity grid.

The RAPTOR process consumes about 76 per cent of the potentially environmentally harmful COD (chemical oxygen demand) content of the waste, which comprises content of natural origin that can be broken down into biogas by anaerobic bacteria.

While the biogas is conditioned and utilised to produce energy, solids and liquid residuals provide valuable fertiliser products. The odour-free, rapid throughput design also attracted the strong community backing essential to its success.

CST Wastewater Solutions 02 9417 3611 www.cstwastewater.com Global Water Engineering www.globalwaterengineering.com

PA0415_000_NORD

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AU_Pace_235x297.indd 1

DRIVESYSTEMS 05.02.15 22:30

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SPOTLIGHT

7best of the

Digital panel meter London Electronics have just released a compact, low cost panel meter which can be configured with a USB connection. Being graphical, it allows users to create a digital and bar graph representation of your measurement. The front panel is a sealed IP65 making it suitable for installation in wet areas. All configuration settings can be saved to a file, which also stores the meters serial number, which is ideal for QA traceability. The Model N21 accepts 24V DC, 24V AC, 110V AC or 230V AC power as standard and has the capability to give a 24V DC output at up to 30mA to power your 4-20mA loop. A configurable alarm relay is also provided and the N21 can customise the units of measure to suit your requirements. The Model N21 is suitable for the following applications: temperature measurement; tank contents measurement; pressure measurement; DC Current measurement via shunt; weight indication; tidal height indication; borehole water table indication; humidity measurement and alarm.

PACE showcase of the best engineering technology releases of the month.

AMS Instrumentation & Calibration 03 9017 8225 www.ams-ic.com.au

Rugged design for mobile equipment To reduce installation time and increase reliability of Deutsch connectors, TURCK developed its Deutsch DT series of overmolded connectors for the mobile equipment industry.

The connectors ensure longevity in demanding environments where shock, vibration, cold temperature, moisture and oils can affect performance. Deutsch connectors are used in the heavy equipment sector, and TURCK developed its two-wire, pin and socket DT connectors to address the environmental needs of the industry. The overmolded design, TPE jacketing and IP67 rating provide additional reinforcement, abrasion and oil resistance, and superior performance in a ready-to-use solution. The connectors are suitable for wiring harness assemblies in vehicles, agricultural and construction equipment, or any application which requires a cost effect quick disconnect solution.

TURCK’s Deutsch DT series connectors feature a fully encapsulated rugged overmold which is IP67 rated. The cable performs well in low temperatures with a -40 degrees Celsius cold bend rating, is sunlight resistant and Oil Res II rated.

TURCK 1300 132 566 turckaustralia@turck.com 32 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

Multi-node multiplexer Ethernet Australia has released the EOTec 2000 Multi-Node MX Multiplexer from Ultra Electronics. Designed to transmit up to 16 input channels, it has unlimited output channels from 2 nodes up to 256 nodes over a pair of fibre optic cables with input/output module selections that include 4-20mA, 0-10Vdc and contact closure. It supports multiple nodes, so users can build daisy chain or self-healing ring topologies, which provide fault tolerance and greater network reliability. The base unit connects directly to the fibre optic cable via Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) transceivers and provides visual indicators for power, global alarm, and module status as well as the fibre link status. Input/output configuration is derived via a one-time dip-switch configuration with power supplied through redundant external 24VDC power supply terminals. No specialist expertise to commission or maintain beyond setting a few DIP switches.

Ethernet Australia sales@ethernetaustralia.com.au www.ethernetaustralia.com.au

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Email your product news to editor@pacetoday.com.au

RTU and HART configuration suite

Pluggable terminals for fast starts Phoenix Contact’s Combi product range now includes PT 2.5-HEXA multi-conductor terminals with up to six contact points. For example, these can be configured as three push-in contacts for internal wiring and three PIN contacts for pluggable external wiring. This flexible concept facilitates fast starting up of modular system sections, as well as fast replacement of system components during servicing. The high count of contact points makes the terminals particularly suitable as compact, pluggable marshalling distributors. Large, identically contoured labeling surfaces with end mounting facilitate easy-toread matrix labeling. The components are very safe, thanks to the touch-proof design of both the terminal and the plug connectors. A double pluggable bridge shaft additionally facilitates simple voltage distribution and marshalling. Thanks to the universal Combi plug zone, a range of different types of plug connectors can be used. Individual coding increases the wiring safety and reliability as it helps to avoid erroneous plugging. An extensive range of optional snap-on accessories, such as connector catch mechanisms, strain relief elements, and shield connections ensure the wiring process is fully versatile.

Emerson Process Management has introduced OpenEnterprise Field Tools, a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) and HART configuration suite that enables local and remote configuration and real-time HART device monitoring in remote oil and gas applications such as wellhead automation, flow measurement, and tank overflow protection. The software suite streamlines servicing and maintenance of multiple RTU platforms and HART transmitters across remote sites, helping improve operations and field personnel safety. The single software toolkit enables the configuration of Emerson’s family of Remote Terminal Units, flow computers and presets including products under the ROC, FloBoss, and ControlWave brands. Additionally, OpenEnterprise Field Tools is a fully-functional HART communicator that supports configuration, troubleshooting, and maintenance of all wired HART and WirelessHART transmitters. Field Tools enables the seamless commissioning of HART devices by leveraging HART pass-through via Emerson RTUs and flow computers. HART pass-through enables tunneling over complex SCADA infrastructures using native Emerson RTU communication protocols.

Emerson Process Management 03 9721 0200 www.emersonprocess.com.au

DIN-rail mount power supplies The PULS CP10-series of compact power supplies have a width of 39mm and are available in 12, 24 and 48 volt versions. The power is available over a temperature range from -25°C to +60°C. Additionally, there are power reserves of 20 percent included, which may even be used continuously at temperatures up to +45°C. For short-term peak loads with a maximum length of 12ms, the units can deliver three times the nominal output current. The units are equipped with a wide-range input circuit from AC 100V and AC 240V and have a 95.2 percent full-load efficiency and good partial-load efficiencies. Other features include Active Power Factor correction, DC okay LED indication and the highest lifetime expectancy of any 10 amp DIN rail mount power supply on the market. All models in the CP10 range have IECEx approval and there are also dedicated DC input versions that can take voltages between 88 and 360Vdc.

Phoenix Contact 1300 786 411 www.phoenixcontact.com.au

Control Logic 1800 557 705 www.control-logic.com.au

ibaPDA-PLC-Xplorer ibaPDA-PLC-Xplorer is a suitable entry-level solution for PC based data acquisition, recording and analysis. It caters for Ethernet based signal acquisition without the need to program the PLC and connects to an ever growing range of control systems (e.g. SIMATIC S7, Codesys, Allen-Bradley etc.). It is a troubleshooting and commissioning tool and is equally well suited for long term analysis and process optimization. It provides the complete functionality of ibaPDA and is able to record 64 signals from up to 16 independent PLCs. Different recording profiles can be defined for different applications and used simultaneously. Continuous data recording is necessary for long term analyses

or process optimizations, but event based triggered recordings are useful when errors have to be located. High speed real time trends for analogue as well as digital signals can be complemented by multimeter displays as well as oscilloscope and FFT views. Additionally, different layouts and views can easily be created for different users. The generated historical data is analysed flexibly according to different criteria using the free of charge included ibaAnalyzer software. The system can be converted to a complete ibaPDA system with an upgrade license if 64 signals are no longer sufficient. iba@iba-oceania.com www.iba-oceania.com APRIL 2015 www www.pacetoday.com.au pacetoday com au 333

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THE LAST WORD

SYSTEMS

Modular control architecture ARC envisions a set of hardware hosting multiple real-time control instances or hosting a single control entity that grows with the application, writes Mark Sen Gupta.

W

ITH few exceptions, control architecture has changed little over the past 40 years. However, advances in processing power, network technologies, and software will enable greater value for end users in the near future by changing the way controllers are implemented and interface to the field. ARC Advisory Group believes that these new controller architectures, which support our evolving collaborative process automation system (CPAS) vision, will improve simplicity, flexibility, and efficiency.

With few exceptions, the basic architecture of a process (DCS) or discrete (PLC) control system consists of a set of I/O cards logically connected or assigned to a single control processor housed in dedicated hardware. This has been the general state of affairs since the first digital controllers were introduced over 40 years ago. Initial control system incarnations consisted of a card rack in which a local real-time control processor communicated to a set of I/O directly coupled to the same backplane.

As network technologies advanced, systems began to employ architectures in which a single control processor might support several card racks of I/O connected via proprietary, deterministic protocols. While still widely employed today, this predominant architectural approach is effective, but potentially wasteful.

Generally speaking, every control processor is limited by three main parameters: the ability of the controller to handle I/O scans, diagnostics, and program execution in a timely fashion; the capacity to store code, I/O maps, and program variables; and the ability to handle the data transfer with the I/O and the level 2 network. This often results in wasted potential.

An application may reach the limit of the number of supported I/O for a single controller, but the controller may be able to support much more logic processing than the application requires. This 34 www.pacetoday.com.au APRIL 2015

means that the user has probably paid for processing that is either not required or unable to be properly used. Alternatively, logic-intensive applications, like some batch applications, reduce the amount of I/O the control processor can support. If the application requires high availability, the extra hardware and software required amplifies the waste.

For remote I/O applications, the user may be required to have multiple racks of co-located I/O assigned to different control processors. Alternatively, the user might choose to have all the field data pass through one processor and pass those values (or other relevant field data) to another controller with available processing capability.

Unlike most current architectures, a new approach would have a common I/O network shared by all controllers and all field devices. This network would support a deterministic communication standard and allow any controller to address any field device. It would even allow multiple controllers and/or other applications to access the same data without intermediaries and permit peer-

to-peer communications between field devices. The I/O network would support both traditional (analog) and intelligent (digital) field devices. Because such a network would support peer-to-peer communications, some applications would be implemented at the field level.

Through this decoupling of previously dedicated I/O and controllers, end users would be able to buy the appropriate amount of I/O for each physical area without the constraints of the controllers. Controllers would less likely have unused processing and/or unused I/O connectivity. Details that would need to be worked out include the number of network connections an I/O device or a controller could handle, network efficiencies, speed impediments, and how to migrate existing users.

However, ARC does not believe that these are insurmountable challenges.

The “Cloud,” as used in the IT world, isn’t deterministic enough, available enough, or fast enough for most level 2 control applications; though it may be in the future. However, the decoupled architecture would enable a “local cloud” or virtualized control platform much like today’s virtualized IT environments. This architecture could meet the requirements of determinism, availability, and speed of response.

In this scenario, ARC envisions a set of hardware hosting multiple realtime control instances or hosting a single control entity that grows with the application.

The hardware would run a real-time virtualization platform similar to the corresponding IT equivalent, and could be dispersed throughout the facility.

This platform would ensure real-time communications between the virtualized controller instance(s), and between the controller instance(s) and the I/O. In a manner similar to IT virtualization, the platform would also handle load balancing and failure mode recovery.

The hosted controller instance(s) would run in a real-time manner similar to current controller implementations, with each instance running similar execution environments to today’s equivalents. From a user standpoint, the interface to these controller interfaces could be nearly identical. Because of the purely software nature of the controllers, they could be licensed just like any other virtualized software platform, “spun up” nearly as quickly, and the virtualized instances could be managed with tools similar the current IT virtualization tools.

[Mark Sen Gupta, Senior Consultant, ARC Advisory Group.] www.arcweb.com

HURRY, TIME’S RUNNING OUT!

NOMINATIONS CLOSE 27 APRIL 2015 Be quick and send in your nominations for the 12th annual PACE Zenith Awards.

This is the industry’s night of nights, where we recognise and reward companies and individuals who have contributed to Australia’s process control and automation Industry.

The 2015 PACE Zenith Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 11th June in Sydney, so what are you waiting for? Enter today!

Categories for the 2015 PACE Zenith Awards include: • • • • • •

Manufacturing Best fieldbus implementation Food and beverage Lifetime achievement Machine builder Mining and minerals processing

• • • • • •

Oil and gas Power and energy management Water and wastewater Young achiever Project of the year Transport, power and infrastructure

All finalists will receive free publicity in PACE magazine and website. They will also be given two free tickets to the gala awards dinner where the winners will be announced.

For more information visit www.paceawards.com.au PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

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2 0 1 5 - 0 3 - 1 8 T 1 1 : 4 7 : 3 8 + 1 1 : 0 0

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