EXHIBITION REVIEW
Rockwell Automatiion
In Rockwell Automation’s network centric view of the world, boundaries do not exist as information is shared seamlessly across networks and disparate data is converted into actionable information. Goh Tz’en Long reports from Orlando, Florida where Automation Fair 2004 was recently held.
Automation Fair 2004:
Integration Everywhere
ne can sense the palpable excitement and electrifying atmosphere in the air. Indeed, there was a certain ‘buzz’ as more than 10,000 enthusiasts, industry professionals, analysts and solution partners and 60 journalists converged upon the sprawling grounds of the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in sunny Orlando, Florida for the annual learning and automation industry extravaganza that is known as the Allen-Bradley Automation Fair. The annual event hosted by Rockwell Automation has been eagerly anticipated by automation enthusiasts and industry professionals yearly since its inauguration 13 years ago. Apart from being a trade event for manufacturers, Automation Fair has evolved to become the world’s largest free educational forum where manufacturers, enthusiasts and
industry professionals hungry for learning can congregate to exchange ideas, gather market information on the latest trends and developments and view the latest innovations and products of Rockwell Automation and its solution partners. Adding to the massive appeal of the event are the free tutorials and technical sessions, demos, hands-on labs and industry tracks where techies can experience first hand the various technologies that Rockwell Automation is evangelising. “Our customers tell us we know their business and help solve their challenges better than anyone. Education – sharing our 100 years of experience and ongoing innovation – is key to how we help customers be more productive and use the latest advancements in technology to make their manufacturing operations a global competitive advantage,” said
Manufacturing Perspectives 2004 ended with the Epcot IllumiNations fireworks display.
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Keith Nosbusch, Rockwell Automation President and CEO.
A Perspective On Manufacturing A day before the main event, journalists from around the world had been invited to attend the Manufacturing Perspectives 2004 forum organised by Rockwell at the Rosen Plaza hotel. The forum addressed global manufacturing trends and the underlying technology drivers for increasing productivity.
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In his keynote speech titled ‘The Economics of Manufacturing in a Global Environment’, Dr Robert McGuckin, Director of Economic Research, The Conference Board, singled out the role of technological advancement in areas such as automation in driving productivity increases. Dr McGuckin anticipates that the trend of manufacturers worldwide to outsource production to developing nations will continue and explains that it is important to ease the transitions that manufacturers face, not prevent them. “What we’re seeing in emerging economies like India and China is that resources and jobs are steadily moving from agriculture to manufacturing,” noted Dr McGuckin. “Meanwhile in more developed economies like the United States, manufacturing resources are shifting to service-related capabilities required to support technology advancements.” At the Regional Perspectives forum, a panel comprising Rockwell’s leadership from Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific shared their views and experiences on trends in their respective geographical areas. Scott Summerville, President, Asia Pacific Region identified the increasingly important role suppliers like Rockwell Automation play in helping manufacturers in Asia automate and in providing turnkey solutions to staff that are less familiar with automation technology and processes. “Additionally, we’re seeing many companies in China assemble machines intended for use in other countries in order to be more competitive,” he noted.
Integration Made Simple Throughout the Rockwell Automation Fair stands, the zest, knowledge and evangelistic zeal of Rockwell’s employees was clearly evident as they enthusiastically explained the underlying automation technologies and intricacies to newbies and industry professionals alike in terms so simple and conceptually illuminating, almost everyone came away with a better understanding and were impressed. If there is a single recurring theme or catchphrase that is often repeated
Through the common Logix platform, Rockwell provides a scalable universal control architecture.
Brian R. Oulton, Manager, Product Marketing Manager for the Logix/ NetLinx Business spent some time with IAA to explain Rockwell’s Integrated Architecture offerings and the common industrial protocol (CIP).
throughout the event from Rockwell employees, it must be ‘Integrated Architecture’. Through the common Logix platform, Rockwell provides a scalable universal control architecture which combines discrete control with highly integrated motion, drive and process capabilities all within a single platform. Flexibility in controllers allows applications from individual machines to large process plants to share common software and hardware saving time and improving performance. The NetLinx Open Network Architecture provides a seamless link from the plant floor to the Internet by bringing together DeviceNet, ControlNet and EtherNet/IP and allowing data to be shared between different applications. Control, configuration and data collection can be carried out easily within a single architecture. Integrated Architecture allows seamless and transparent networking from basic I/O devices such as sensors to e-business applications on the Internet. Through the NetLinx Open Network Architecture, devices on DeviceNet, ControlNet, and EtherNet/IP networks can communicate using the same protocol and architecture without
translation or special programming. The common industrial protocol (CIP) is a major component within the NetLinx Open Network Architecture, which provides the following common features: • Common control services – provides a standard set of messaging services for all three networks within the NetLinx architecture. • Common communication services – allows data to be collected and configured from any network using common routing capabilities. Time and effort is saved during system configuration because no routing tables or added logic are necessary to move data between networks. • Common base knowledge – reduces the amount of training needed when moving to different networks within the NetLinx architecture by providing similar configuration tools and features. Rockwell’s ViewAnyWare strategy combines expertise in electronic operator interface (EOI), industrial PC hardware and control software, to span machine-level control solutions, supervisory applications and business systems. ViewAnyWare gives access INDUSTRIALAUTOMATIONASIA // 39
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to mission-critical information, on the platform that best suits each individual user’s application needs.
Talking About FactoryTalk In traditional manufacturing systems, getting disparate information and data to be integrated across the production, management execution systems (MES) and ERP layers can be challenging as needs vary from the plant floor to the ERP level.
FactoryTalk is a scalable manufacturing information platform that integrates plant-wide control systems and connects the enterprise with the production facility. FactoryTalk provides common services such as security, diagnostics, and access to realtime data, and allows plant resources such as tags, displays, and alarms to be shared throughout a production facility. Plant-floor resources need only be defined once, and FactoryTalk allows simultaneous access to those resources across system boundaries. Using this enabling technology, companies can build complex distributed systems in any location and later deploy the systems elsewhere by simply modifying computer names. Resources associated with the system are then available to every participating FactoryTalkenabled product across the entire automation system, and any changes update immediately. FactoryTalk technologies underlie many of Rockwell Software’s products such as RSView Machine and Supervisory Editions, RSAutomation Desktop, RS MACC (Maintenance Automation Control Center), RSBizWare and RSSql. Existing components consist of FactoryTalk Directory, Live Data, 40 // INDUSTRIALAUTOMATIONASIA
Diagnostics, Audit, Data Model and Portal.
Real-Time Manufacturing Information A Reality A new series of software and service offerings from Rockwell Automation collectively called Performance Solutions for Manufacturing provide manufacturers with software, engineering services and industryspecific technical expertise to solve specific performance challenges and facilitate profitable decision-making by transforming production data into actionable information. Performance Solutions for Manufacturing pairs pre-integrated software components with expert consulting and engineering services.
FactoryTalk is a scalable manufacturing information platform that integrates plant-wide control systems and connects the enterprise with the production facility.
Its unique infrastructure supports both focused applications and easy extensibility, enabling manufacturers to deploy plant-based information systems using a phased approach. The embedded FactoryTalk data model pairs a flexible architecture with a common set of services and software modules to create a seamless and consistent enterprise information flow. Performance Solutions for Manufacturing
is applied in a wide range of discrete, process and hybrid industries. Each of the Performance Solutions for Manufacturing offerings addresses progressively larger footprints for plant-wide information systems: • Machine Performance Solutions increase asset utilisation by monitoring equipment throughput and performance. • Line Performance Solutions analyse production line operational efficiency to help management eliminate process bottlenecks. • Plant Performance Solutions increase visibility, tracking, and control across manufacturing processes by automating the production planning, execution and analysis functions. • Supply Chain Performance Solutions synchronise multi-facility production information to optimise internal-toexternal supply chain operations.
Thinking Outside The Box Traditionally, controls and devices such as photoelectric and proximity sensors, push buttons, tower lights and connections have been located on machines. Rockwell’s ‘On-Machine’ control design philosophy attempts to do even more. It embraces the concept of moving controls and devices which are traditionally found within the confines of an enclosure, such as motor starters and digital I/O modules out of the control panel and closer to the machine. The OnMachine approach requires a radical re-think on how devices are wired and connected. Rockwell has designed the entire infrastructure to support the On-Machine philosophy with products such as the Armorpoint I/O, ArmorStart motor starters, PanelConnect modules and round and flat DeviceNet physical media such as the KwikLink Flat Media systems.
Performance Solutions for Manufacturing pairs pre-integrated software components with expert consulting and engineering services.
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Integrated Safety Architecture Integration between safety and standard control systems is now possible with a series of products and services by Rockwell Automation.
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he common industrial protocol (CIP) is a common application layer shared by open networks such as DeviceNet, ControlNet and EtherNet/IP, which integrates I/O control, device configuration and data collection. CIP Safety, jointly developed by automation leaders such as Rockwell Automation with the Open DeviceNet Vendor Association (ODVA) is the safety extension to the CIP which allows safety and standard networks to be seamless integrated. The CIP Safety architecture gives great flexibility to OEMs in building automation systems as designers can now have a choice of using standard or mixed architectures depending on the requirements of the application. The CIP Safety extension allows standard PLCs and I/O devices to share the same network with safety PLCs and I/O devices without compromising the integrity of the safety control loop. DeviceNet Safety is the first implementation of CIP Safety on a CAN (Controller Area Network). A demostration of Rockwell Automation’s FlexCell Architecture and perimeter access control using safety light curtains.
The advantages of the CIP Safety extension include allowing safety and standard networks to be combined without any further investment in safety-specific gateways and bridges, additional programming languages and the associated training and maintenance needs. The builtin messaging, routing and diagnostics capabilities of the protocol allow safety faults and errors to be isolated without cutting power to the entire machine or system, resulting in higher productivity and reduced maintenance time.
Multi-Zone SafeZone Safety Laser Scanner The multi-zone SafeZone is the newest generation of safety laser scanner technology. It offers two separately configurable zones, each with a safety and warning field set easily created using SafeZone software. Dual zones
The SafeZone Safety Laser Scanner offers two separately configurable zones.
improve productivity by allowing independent control of portions of the equipment, providing the ability to shut down only the necessary sections of the machine when a zone is breached. This new laser scanner features sevensegment display for enhanced diagnostics. In addition, on-board RS422 communication protocol allows external device connectivity to a DeviceNet Safety network. The GuardShield remote teach system allows the user to reduce changeover time by remotely changing a fixed-blanking configuration.
GuardShield Remote Teach System For machine set-up changes that require modification to a fixed blanking field configuration, the new GuardShield remote teach system is the ideal solution. This timesaving system features a metal, NEMA-style keyswitch box that eliminates the need to open the GuardShield receiver door and manually perform the teach function. Put simply, the GuardShield remote teach system allows engineers to reduce changeover time by remotely changing a fixed-blanking configuration within the GuardShield safety light curtain. INDUSTRIALAUTOMATIONASIA // 41
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As On-Machine components live their lives outside the enclosure, they are typically designed to IP67 enclosure standards to withstand the rigors of plant floor environments. Modular and compact in design, they can be installed and set up with plug-and-play simplicity. On-Machine components can also be used as part of a flexible communication network which includes both standard and intelligent devices. A significant advantage of On-
Machine solutions is the reduced panel space required as components are moved out of the enclosures and placed on the machines. System wiring is also simplified with less wiring running to and from the enclosures. While the cost of individual components may be slightly higher, reduced wiring complexity, conduit installation costs and wiring time result in savings make the On-Machine solution an economical and viable alternative.
A recent study by a consortium of European manufacturers and machine tool technology groups showed that On-Machine assembly costs can be as much as 30 percent less than conventional methods. The plug-and-play and quickconnect and disconnect features of On-Machine components make them simple to install and set up even with less technically inclined personnel giving greater mobility and flexibility in deploying the workforce. On-Machine solutions offer additional benefits such as higher system reliability as the use of pre-manufactured cables with quickconnect features result in less wiring errors owing to the reduced manual wiring involved and fewer wiring points.
Something For Everyone
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om O’Reilly, Business Manager, Plant Services, John Broderick, Director, Commercial Marketing – CSM Services, Global Manufacturing Solutions, and Ralph M. DeLisio, General Manager, Integrated Condition Monitoring Solutions, Entek, spent some time explaining to IAA about strategic maintenance and Rockwell’s engineering and maintenance solutions. Reactive maintenance or ‘breakdown’ maintenance adopts the strategy of carrying out repairs or servicing only when an equipment failure or problem surfaces. This appears to be the least expensive approach as expenses are not incurred until a breakdown has happened. However such methods can incur higher costs due to the shorter mean time between failures (MTBF) and more frequent replacements. Preventive maintenance is maintenance strategy where servicing is carried out periodically according to a predetermined schedule to prevent equipment deterioration, breakdown or failure. This can be a labour intensive process as maintenance is carried out periodically regardless of the actual condition of the machine. Predictive maintenance seeks to monitor the operating conditions of plant equipment in order to assess the possibility of failure in the near future. Unlike preventive maintenance which is based on a predetermined schedule, predictive maintenance is carried out based on the actual condition of the assets. Strategic maintenance involves carefully considering maintenance requirements throughout the lifespan of the equipment, beginning with the original design stage of the equipment or system. An effective maintenance strategy maximises asset performance by applying the right activities to the right asset at the right stage in its life. Rockwell Automation works with manufacturers to achieve optimum plant performance using a portfolio of engineering and maintenance support services including on-site, telephone and electronic technical support, parts management and performance assessment services and standard and customised training programs. 42 // INDUSTRIALAUTOMATIONASIA
At Automation Fair 2004, a wide range of technologies was presented which will help transform and revolutionise the industrial automation landscape from the way data is configured, accessed and shared to a broad range of network architectures and hardware which seamlessly integrate the plant floor with the enterprise. Performance solutions for manufacturing make real-time manufacturing information a reality and revolutionise the decision-making processes. On-Machine architectures change the way OEMs design machines by bringing components out of the control panel and closer to the machines for simpler wiring and troubleshooting. Professionals from the automotive, food and beverage, life sciences, packaging and material handling, water/wastewater and oil and gas industries benefited from the industry tracks where trends and best practices as well as solutions and case studies were presented. With the wide array of solutions and technologies on display, attendees left the 2004 event with their quest for knowledge at least partially sated and hungry for more. Automation Fair 2005 returns from November 1617 2005 at the America’s Center in St Louis, Missouri, USA, where over 100 exhibitors will participate.