The NEW C-more CM5 HMI series offers low-cost, high-performance HMIs in sizes from 4 inches (only $340.00) to an impressive 22 inches (only $2,299.00). With an amazing 1.6 GHz processor in the larger units (10” and above) and 43 Mbytes of memory, these HMIs provide better trending, extra data storage, faster communication, improved file types, and 16.7 million screen/object color options.
All CM5 panels have serial and Ethernet ports (dual Ethernet ports on 10” or larger models) that support many of the most popular industry protocols, including EtherNet/IP, MQTT, and Modbus. The included USB ports provide in-an-instant connections for keyboards, barcode scanners, memory storage, etc. and the embedded SD-card slot provides easy project transfers or up to an additional 2TB of data storage (depending on model) for important log files.
Plus, all C-more HMIs come with FREE, powerful, easy-to-use programming software and FREE technical support!
No matter how many “ings” your process has, Productivity PLCs can handle them all while providing substantial cost savings. Whether you’d prefer a single controller for complete end-to-end control or a segmented control system with multiple controllers, the scalable Productivity PLC family has what you need for less.
This family o ers three series of PLCs each with di erent I/O capacities but all using the same FREE advanced programming software, so you can easily scale your control hardware up or down depending on the application.
NEW! The P2-622 next generation, lower-cost CPU ($299.00) for the Productivity2000 series has all the features of the original P2-550 CPU plus some great extras:
• 50MB ladder memory
• Embedded OLED status display
• Remote I/O and multipurpose Ethernet 10/100Base-T (RJ45) ports
• Dual software-configurable serial ports (RJ12 and 4-pin) that support both RS232 and RS485
• USB C programming port
• New system architecture which allows for many future enhancements
WRAPPING
LABELING
PACKING
TRACKING
SORTING
PALLETIZING
INSIGHTS ANSWERS
20 | Automation upgrades reduce sortation system wiring and lower costs
| Are you prepared for the future of manufacturing? 26 | Advancing motion control applications with the right drives, technology
| Edge controllers lower costs, risks for water pipeline, pumping, storage
| The convergence of edge computing and 5G 35 | Best of Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse: How the modest Bowman Avenue Dam became the target of Iranian hackers
From the digital edition, click headlines of each article or search at www.controleng.com
HOW TO AUTOMATE:
Three automation areas of focus are highlighted in the cover image.
1. Top, vision systems measure the dimensions/orientation of each parcel passing below, matching the address on the packages.
2. Lower right: E-stop pushbutton and an emergency stop pull cord ensure the line can be stopped over its length. Black servo drives and motors vary speed as needed.
60 | New Products for Engineers –See products in this issue.
See more products online on the Control Engineering website. www.controleng.com/products
Recent online products include: Position sensor; Stepper drive with integrated EtherCAT communications; Pump cycle counter; Advanced PLCs; Overvoltage protection for integrated circuits; pH sensor.
See more products in the New Products for Engineers Database. www.controleng.com/products
63 | Back to Basics: Safety, productivity for machine control
Explore options for safely optimizing material flows in access protection applications without affecting productivity.
NEWSLETTERS ONLINE
CE
Control Systems
• PLC programming, mergers, database and SCADA integration
Motion Control
• Learn about the benefits of program optimization and how users can integrate and reuse code
New Products for Engineers
AUGUST 2023
u Control Engineering eBook series, now available: Summer Edition
SCADA & HMI
Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are a mainstay for engineers and allow them to better perform tasks in a variety of industries. See articles on three tools to help with rapid HMI/SCADA development and how SCADAs and industrial PCs can turn pollution into gold.
IT/OT
Convergence
• Get the latest products from our database sent to your inbox, with images and links to more information.
For the next editions, deadlines are Sept. 8 for System Integrator of the Year, Sept. 1 for System Integrator Giants. Contact: kparker@cfemedia.com; cvavra@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com/GSIR
IT and OT must work together to secure systems, protect information and ensure safety. This eBook includes nine reasons why ICS/OT infrastructure is insecure, requiring SBOMs and their impact on OT and taking IT/OT convergence from theory into practice.
Learn more at: www.controleng.com/ebooks
u Control Engineering digital edition
Useful links to more info, photos: In the digital edition, click on headlines to see online version with more text and often more images and graphics. Download a PDF version.
www.controleng.com/ magazine
Inside the cabinet? Outside?
You choose with our powerful, ultra-compact IPCs
Small enclosures. Harsh environments. Evolving requirements. As engineers, we know these factors must be addressed constantly. Every new machine presents unique challenges and opportunities to innovate. So our ultra-compact Industrial PC series gives you freedom to choose the perfect controller for every machine. Maybe it’s the C6015 with dimensions of just 82 x 82 x 40 mm and outstanding installation flexibility. Or maybe your machine calls for the IP65/67-rated C7015 for cabinet-free installation. All IPCs in this series deliver powerful control to simultaneously run automation, HMI, edge computing/IoT and other communication – all on one controller. They make ideal gateways to the cloud and support flexible I/O system expansions – inside or outside of the cabinet. The choice is yours.
Online Highlights
Teaching robots to perform tasks faster
u IMAGINE purchasing a robot built and trained in a factory on a certain set of tasks and has never seen the items in your application. When asked to pick up an object, the robot does not recognize it. As a result, the robot fails.
“Right now, the way we train these robots, when they fail, we don’t really know why. So you would just throw up your hands and say, ‘OK, I guess we have to start over.’ A critical component that is missing from this system is enabling the robot to demonstrate why it is failing so the user can give it feedback,” said Andi Peng, an electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) graduate student at MIT. Peng and her collaborators at MIT, New York University and the University of California at Berkeley created a framework for humans to quickly teach a robot with less effort. When a robot fails, the system uses an algorithm to generate counterfactual explanations that needed changes for the robot to succeed. Maybe the robot would have been able to pick up an object of a different color. It shows these counterfactuals to the human and asks for feedback on why the robot failed. The system uses feedback and counterfactual explanations to generate new data to fine-tune the robot. Fine-tuning tweaks a machine-learning (ML) model to perform a second, similar task. Tested simulations show the technique could teach a robot more efficiently than other methods. ce
–
Quantum computing development made with magnetic twist
Adam
Zewe,
MIT News Office; Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
Digital twin group publishes platform stack architectural framework
u THE DIGITAL TWIN CONSORTIUM (DTC) announced the Platform Stack Architectural Framework: An Introductory Guide. The guide, designed for C-Suite and business leaders, provides a digital twin system’s foundational building blocks and central concepts. System architects can use it to enable technology selection through development.
“Digital twins and enabling technologies are revolutionizing how we approach even the simplest of tasks, from managing the stock flow in a warehouse to designing, deploying and maintaining a fleet of aircraft,” said Dan Isaacs, GM & CTO, DTC. “Digital twin systems accelerate digitization as they provide organizations the means to operate more efficiently, effectively and adhere to best practices and guidelines.”
The guide discusses the IT/OT infrastructure, virtual representation, service interfaces, applications, and mechanisms for synchronizing real-world data. The guide reviews commonly adopted technological approaches and standards and emphasizes the importance of security, trustworthiness, and governance.
– Edited from a Digital Twin Consortium press release by CFE Media and Technology. Original content can be found at DT Consortium, https://www.digitaltwinconsortium.org.
u QUANTUM COMPUTING could revolutionize our world. For specific and crucial tasks, it promises to be exponentially faster than the zero-or-one binary technology that underlies today’s machines, from supercomputers in laboratories to smartphones in our pockets. But developing quantum computers hinges on building a stable network of qubits — or quantum bits — to store information, access it and perform computations. The qubit platforms unveiled to date have a common problem: They tend to be delicate and vulnerable to outside disturbances. Even a stray photon can cause trouble. Developing fault-tolerant qubits immune to external perturbations resolve the challenge. A team led by scientists and engineers at the University of Washington has announced a significant advancement in this quest. In a pair of papers published June 14 in Nature and June 22 in Science, they report that, in experiments with flakes of semiconductor materials — each one layer of atoms thick — they detected signatures of “fractional quantum anomalous Hall” (FQAH) states. This is a promising step in constructing a type of fault-tolerant qubit because FQAH states can host anyons — strange “quasiparticles” that have only a fraction of an electron’s charge. Some types of anyons can be used to make what are called “topologically protected” qubits, which are stable against any small, local disturbances.
THIS ARTISTIC depiction shows electron fractionalization — in which strongly interacting charges can “fractionalize” into three parts — in the fractional quantum anomalous Hall phase. Courtesy: Eric Anderson, University of Washington
“This really establishes a new paradigm for studying quantum physics with fractional excitations in the future,” said Xiaodong Xu, lead researcher and a professor of materials science and engineering at the UW. UW physics doctoral student Eric Anderson, lead author of the Science paper and co-lead author of the Nature paper, said: “The strange behavior of non-Abelian anyons would make them much more robust as a quantum computing platform.” ce
– Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
Motion control market showing steady growth in 2023
uRESEARCH by Interact Analysis shows the motion controls market will return to steady growth following a period of high demand for consumer products in 2021/2022 which boosted investment in automation. In 2022, the market was worth $17.7 billion. Although the APAC region is the largest market for motion controls, the Americas will show the highest growth rate in 2023 of 7.4%. Global growth will fall in 2024 but is expected to bounce back in the mid- to long-term.
In 2022, Asia-Pacific (APAC), especially China, remained the largest market for motion controls accounting for 37% of global revenues. EMEA was responsible for 33% of the world market, followed by Japan and Americas, which accounted for 16% and 14% of the market respectively. In 2023, the global motion controls market will be worth $18.9 billion. However, Interact Analysis’ research found that while some vendors were optimistic about the pace of growth, anticipating rates as high as 20%, others were more cautious, anticipating a flat year compared to 2022. Globally, the Americas is expected to suffer last from the impending market slowdown, with some of the largest industries for motion controls, such as semiconductors and electronics machinery, performing well due to the uplift from the CHIPS and Science Act.
In 2023, the global motion controls market will be worth $18.9 billion and reach $22 billion by 2027. Courtesy: Interact Analysis
‘ Some of the largest industries for motion controls, such as semiconductors and electronics machinery, are performing well due to the uplift from the CHIPS and Science Act.’
Long-term motion controls market growth will remain steady, but it is expect-
ed to decline in 2024 in line with the next economic downward trend, as predicted by ITR Economics. Interest rates and high inflation will to continue to impact the demand for industrial automation and Japan is set to see the sharpest drop in growth. Between 2022 and 2027 the global motion controls market will grow with a CAGR of 4.6%, increasing from $17.7 to $22.2 billion. Japan will have the strongest recovery overall, with an average growth rate of 6.9% out to 2027.
Alexander Jones, research analyst at
Interact Analysis, said on the market, “Siemens continues to dominate the motion controls market with its market share increasing by almost 1% in 2022. Interestingly, Inovance’s market share increased by 0.6% in the same year – making it now the fifth largest global motion control vendor in the world – in 2018 the company did not even feature in the top 10.” ce
– Interact Analysis is a CFE Media and Technology content partner.
controleng.com
For more from Control Engineering about motion control topics, see page 26 in this issue and the motion control page, online at: https://www.controleng.com/ mechatronics-motion-control/
Global semiconductor equipment sales expected to drop in 2023 with 2024 rebound
uSEMI REPORTED the global semiconductor equipment is expected to drop from 2022's record highs, but a rebound in 2024 is likely, according to SEMI.
Global sales of total semiconductor manufacturing equipment by original equipment manufacturers next year are forecast to bounce back from a projected contraction of 18.6% to $87.4 billion in 2023 following the industry record of $107.4 billion in 2022, SEMI announced in its Mid-Year Total Semiconductor Equipment Forecast – OEM Perspective at SEMICON West 2023. The expected 2024 recovery, to $100 billion, will be driven by both the front-end and back-end segments.
“Despite current headwinds, the semiconductor equipment market is set to see a strong rebound in 2024 after an adjustment in 2023 following a historic multi-year run,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO. “Projections for robust long-term growth driven by high-performance computing and ubiquitous connectivity remain intact.” ce
https://www.semi.org/
Smart motor market growth due to increased automation, IoT technology
THE SMART MOTORS market is expected to generate $3.2 billion in sales by 2033, up from $1.9 billion in 2023, growing at a 5.2% annual rate from 2023 to 2033. The smart motors market has grown significantly in recent years, owing to increased industrial automation and the incorporation of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Smart motors with advanced control systems and communication capabilities provide increased efficiency, higher performance, and seamless integration into automated systems. The fast rise of industrial automation across several industries has increased demand for smart motors.
Smart motors have become vital in current industrial processes due to their capacity to optimize energy use, offer precision control, and increase overall system efficiency. Emerging market industrialization and infrastructural development present attractive potential for smart motor producers. Demand for smart motors is likely to rise as more areas adopt automation and seek energy-efficient solutions, creating a profitable market for industry participants.
– Future Market Insights is a CFE Media and Technology content partner.
The Bundy Group reported 15 automation transactions in the month of June. Thus far, the group has reported 76 transactions during 2023. Courtesy: Bundy Group
Automation mergers, acquisitions, capital markets analysis: July 2023
THE BUNDY GROUP reported 13 automation transactions in the month of July. Analysis on the acquisitions and reports are highlighted by clicking on the headline above in the digital edition or searching on that head using the search box, top right, at www.controleng.com.
2023 is continuing to show strength and consistency in terms of mergers & acquisitions and capital placement activity in the automation market. Transactions included ATS, Automation & Control Concepts, GrayMatter, and Hexagon. ce
- Clint Bundy is managing director, Bundy Group, which helps with mergers, acquisitions and raising capital.
Ultra low-voltage motor and drive architectures are gaining traction
THE ULTRA LOW-VOLTAGE (ULV) market is gaining traction due to safety and installation concerns and the rise of AMRs and AGVs, according to Blake Griffin at Interact Analysis. The emerging skills gap within the field of manufacturing technicians has been commonly cited as a driver for many trends within the industrial automation sector. As older, more experienced technicians exit the workforce, fewer younger engineers are entering as replacements. Manufacturers are struggling to find labor skilled enough to efficiently perform the necessary maintenance on crucial equipment. For example, predictive maintenance and condition monitoring technology have seen a rapid increase in adoption as
a mechanism to reduce this skills gap. The adoption of safer <60V architectures can be viewed through a similar lens.
The second major driver towards <60V architectures stems from the increasing prevalence of battery-driven applications within industry. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), most notably, have seen sales increase significantly in recent years. The market for these vehicles is anticipated to continue to grow at a steep rate. The majority of these vehicles operate with a 24 or 48V battery. The motors and drives used are in the ultra-low voltage threshold.
https://interactanalysis.com/
Sept 25-28, Sept 25-28, 2023 2023
MESA International presents Smart Manufacturing Now!, a worldwide virtual event scheduled for September 25-28. The event will highlight Smart Manufacturing through the years, where we are at NOW and some predictions on what the future looks like. The inaugural event will also celebrate MESA’s 30th year showcasing excellence around Smart Manufacturing.
This event is FREE for MESA members! Not a member? Join today!
MESA (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) International is a global nonprofit providing education, networking and best practice sharing around Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Reach MESA’s community of manufacturers, producers, industry leaders and solution providers as a sponsor of our 2023 event, Smart Manufacturing Now! Learn More & Sign Up
Contact MESA Commercial Leader Dom Weyker at domw@mesa.org for more information or visit mesa.org/smart-manufacturing-now.
Cable to digital transformation
A wire and cable company transforms to signal transmission solutions to help customers with digital transformation, with innovation centers.
As a provider of signal transmission solutions, Belden, once primarily a provider of wire and cable, now provides interconnection, automation and network security products and services for industry users. On March 28, Belden's third Customer Innovation Center (CIC) opened in Shanghai, following CIC openings in Stuttgart in Germany and Santa Clara in the United States, facilitating greater industrial integration of people, machinery and factories. After the opening ceremony, Pavan Mahajan, managing director, solutions delivery of Belden Asia Pacific, answered questions about innovation, industrial networking and digital transformation.
Collaborative innovation
Belden’s expansion of products, services, sales, and ecosystem of distributions partners and system integration have delivered strong growth. Belden’s CIC in Stuttgart laid the foundation for Belden's strong technology tradition, while the CIC in Santa Clara provided a source of new technologies for the company’s development and transformation. The first two CICs maintain three to five customer visits per week, Mahajan said, to “communicate with digital automation consultants, application engineers and solution consultants of customers and partners” and “create as much value as possible for each design by forming an efficient team.” After two years of preparation, the Shanghai CIC is the third of the five planned Belden customer innovation centers, and an important development for Belden Asia Pacific.
“As Belden's first CIC in Asia Pacific, Shanghai CIC is not only a showcase for Belden's latest technologies and products, but also a platform for designing, testing, validating and deploying endto-end solutions, which will surely become a bond between Belden’s partners and customers in Asia Pacific to innovate together,” said Mahajan.
He said the new CIC will gather “senior technical experts from various sectors to target customers in vertical fields such as transportation, energy, process
Belden can help with designing, testing, validating and deploying end-to-end industrial communications solutions, explained Pavan Mahajan, managing director, solutions delivery of Belden Asia Pacific, during the opening of Belden's third Customer Innovation Center (CIC) in Shanghai this spring, following CIC openings in Stuttgart in Germany and Santa Clara in the United States. Courtesy: Control Engineering China
automation (water treatment, coal, oil and gas), and so forth.” Shanghai CIC also uses an innovation discovery wall, proof of concept (PoC) lab and has capabilities to help with networking and cybersecurity.
With the size and rate of growth, China has many opportunities. Belden's Suzhou factory is one of its largest factories and the only manufacturing base with cable, connector and switch production capacity, helping to drive growth in China. Belden aims to meet customer needs for connectivity, reliability and realtime insights, Mahajan said. The newly opened CIC in Shanghai is closely related to frontier technologies such as robotics, 5G wireless communications and artificial intelligence. Belden expects to use its talents in engineering, technology and design, to promote technological innovation and more effectively support customers. ce
Stone Shi is executive editor-in-chief, Control Engineering China. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
Understand the need for industry-specific help for designing, testing, validating and deploying end-to-end networking solutions. Learn how to enable a more digital world.
CONSIDER THIS
Have you widened from thinking only about components?
ONLINE www.controleng.com/ international
Who should enter?
If you’re a system integrator with demonstrable industry success, Control Engineering and Plant Engineering urge you to enter the 2024 System Integrator of the Year competition. Past System Integrator of the Year winners—Class of 2023, Class of 2022, and Class of 2021—are not eligible to enter the 2024 System Integrator of the Year program.
What’s in it for the winners?
The chosen System Integrator of the Year winners will receive worldwide recognition from Control Engineering and Plant Engineering. The winners also will be featured as the cover story of the Global System Integrator Report, distributed in December 2023.
How will the competition be judged?
Control Engineering and Plant Engineering’s panel of judges will conscientiously evaluate all entries. Three general criteria will be considered for the selection of the System Integrator of the Year:
• Business skills
• Technical competence
• Customer satisfaction
Stop postponing Industry 4.0 transformation
Small and medium-sized manufacturers should embrace three major Industry 4.0 trends.
The digital technologies of Industry 4.0 have given American manufacturing a golden opportunity to level the playing field and re-shore much of the production that went to areas of the world where low-cost labor was available. Manufacturers that embrace new software, additive manufacturing, distributed manufacturing and other Industry 4.0 concepts will have a better chance at rising above the competition. More than a decade after the term Industry 4.0 was born, far too many manufacturers are still reluctant to embrace the digital transformation of manufacturing. The excuses are as easy as they are plentiful:
• It costs too much
• Our business is doing fine so we don’t need to embrace it
• Yes, it’s important for some industries, but not ours
• Additive just doesn’t work for what we do.
To keep up, companies must prioritize digital transformation, explore 3D printing and be willing to embrace a software-driven business model.
1. Software (or digital) transformation
At the heart of the Industry 4.0 is transitioning to a software-first mindset, which means replacing standard (or non-digital) manufacturing processes and operations with digital solutions to enhance how a business operates. No matter the industry, this transition is one of the critical components to staying competitive in today’s market.
2.
Additive manufacturing
3D printers can be used to make parts that
range in size from tools for manufacturing processes all the way up to rockets that can be launched into space. Additive manufacturing allows manufacturers to produce low volumes of products at a fraction of the cost it would take using a traditional manufacturing process. 3D printers also provide manufacturers with far greater production flexibility because the printers can produce products in any shape, size and form and can be easily changed by reprogramming the software.
3. Distributed manufacturing
Distributed manufacturing is a concept in which manufacturing facilities form a network to organize production spread across numerous locations. Distributed manufacturing provides an opportunity for small manufacturers to work together to make products in a volume or scale that would have been impossible in the past. Distributed manufacturing provides networks of smaller businesses an opportunity to compete with much larger corporations.
Analyze the three key Industry 4.0 trends (digital transformation, additive manufacturing and distributed manufacturing) and implement them to enable flexibility, resiliency and sustainability while empowering companies and people to achieve success in the digital world. ce
Tom Kelly is executive director and CEO, Automation Alley; Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
TOM KELLY, executive director and CEO, Automation Alley, advocates for increased competitiveness for U.S. manufacturers, especially near Detroit. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering at Manufacturing in America 2023
KEYWORDS: Industry 4.0, digital transformation, additive manufacturing
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand threats and lost opportunities associated with not embracing Industry 4.0 technologies.
Implement three key Industry 4.0 technologies: Benefits of software (or digital) transformation, additive manufacturing and distributed manufacturing.
CONSIDER THIS
How are you helping your organization with software transformation, additive manufacturing and distributed manufacturing?
Industrial organizations rank legacy assets, upfront costs and cultural barriers as the biggest impediments to successfully implementing corporate sustainability initiatives.
NInsightsu
u29% of manufacturing leaders consider legacy assets and infrastructure to be a major challenge to meeting their sustainability goals.
u27% of industrial companies claim that upfront cost or budget is a roadblock to becoming more sustainable.
uOne in five organizations ranks culture change as a major challenge to sustainability initiatives.
early six in ten of the world’s top industrial organizations have set carbon-neutrality targets to offset their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Almost half (47%) have embraced RE100 pledges to draw 100% of their energy from renewable sources, while more than one-third (36%) have established science-backed targets to help limit global warming to 1.5-2°C above pre-industrial temperatures.
Goal setting is a worthy first step toward decarbonization. However, implementing programs that deliver upon established goals will be the needed catalyst for change. Unfortunately, research shows that barriers including from infrastructure and culture, stand in the way of deployment and success for industrial companies’ environmental sustainability projects. How organizations navigate those roadblocks will determine if the sector can help protect our planet.
Digitally retrofit legacy assets
Learn how strategic retrofits can allow manufacturers to sidestep the high upfront costs of ripping and replacing legacy assets and infrastructure.
Understand how incrementalism can make retrofitting large numbers of assets manageable.
See about strategies for effectively persuading an organization's finance department to invest in sustainability retrofits.
ONLINE
Digital edition: Click the headline to read a longer article online.
CONSIDER THIS
What incremental changes can you make at your organization to begin moving it in a more sustainable direction?
29% of manufacturing leaders consider legacy assets and infrastructure to be a major challenge. This is unsurprising given many buildings, power supplies and processes are decades old and predate the latest sustainability technology and climate science. Industrial companies often measure infrastructure replacement rates in decades. The IEA considers investment cycles in 25-year spans. The primary reasons for lengthy replacement cycles are cost, inherent asset longevity and the fact that replacing assets is disruptive to operations. While installed systems may not be well-suited to achieving sustainability goals and can be strategically upgraded, ripping and replacing them with new infrastructure will likely cost more, be operationally implausible and leave an even greater carbon footprint than retrofitting. Consider a more-than-60-year-old manufacturing plant in Lexington, Ky. The plant’s 1960s-era energy infrastructure was wildly inefficient relative to mod-
ern standards. However, replacing the plant would have been expensive, required vast volumes of new raw materials and would have required operations to altogether stop. Digitally retrofitting the plant with connected products and predictive analytics to optimize energy costs instead carried the building into the 21st century with less disruption, lower costs and a smaller carbon footprint. Digitizing the older building has led to a 26% energy reduction (GWh), 30% net CO 2 reduction, 20% water use reduction and certification by the U.S. Department of Energy as Platinum Superior Energy Performance 50001. This effort has led the World Economic Forum to award this factory its Lighthouse status for efficiency and sustainability. Other industrial organizations can follow the Lexington plant owner’s lead and digitally retrofit their operations to maximize efficiency while minimizing impact. One way to digitize industrial operations is through implementing intelligent energy management systems (EMS) to monitor and manage energy use. EMS offer real-time insights into energy performance while tracking variables like weather reports and building and site occupancy to automatically regulate the required levels of consumption. In this manner, digital retrofitting ensures organizations only ever use the energy they need. Given the efficacy and lower-cost footprint of digital energy management and renewable energy systems, it is no wonder that more than half of industrial organizations are predicted to harness these tools within the next three years.
Though retrofitting existing assets is more cost effective than replacing them, upgrading installed systems doesn’t come cheaply. In fact, 27% of industrial companies claim that upfront cost or budget is a key roadblock to becoming more sustainable. ce
Gregory Tink, digital transformation consulting director, Schneider Electric. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
Are you applying edge computing technologies properly?
In a webcast on edge computing applications, the benefits of using an edge device to manage communication between ERP and SCADA systems was discussed.
Edge computing is increasingly proving itself to be a powerful asset in enabling mission-critical, high-reliability automation and control applications. By allowing data to be processed as close as possible to where it is generated, edge computing enables faster processing, empowering operators to respond to changing production conditions in real-time. Moreover, it allows sensitive data to remain onsite, rather than being sent to the cloud for further analysis, thus increasing security while saving on wide area network (WAN) costs. These topics and others were discussed in a July 19 Control Engineering webcast, “Edge series: Edge computing applications.” The webcast featured Jeffrey Allen, applications engineering manager at E Tech Group, and Nate Kay, control systems engineer at MartinCSI, as speakers. A preview of some of the information covered is provided below.
Edge computing: ERP to SCADA applications
A common scenario in industrial facilities is for plant level operators to be required to input data from a business level Enterprise resource planning (ERP) into a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)system that is directly connected to production assets. Traditionally, this is done via paper printouts, which change hands several times before being manually transcribed into a human machine interface (HMI) or other operator interface. While this process is highly secure due to the lack of digital data transfer from outside a plant’s local area network (LAN), it is labor-intensive and prone to human error. By contrast, via an edge computing device such as a local server, the information can be routed directly from an ERP to a local SCADA system in a controlled manner. “You
PRESENTERS
can use the edge device as a traffic cop on these data connections to and from the ERP system or the cloud,” Allen said.
Edge computing: Chemical plant use-case
In one scenario shared by Kay, a chemical plant used a SCADA system to run its batching operation and recipe management processes. However, that information resided in a business-level ERP system, and had to be manually input to the SCADA from printed batch tickets. Because each system had its own proprietary crew managing and maintaining its software, allowing the systems to exchange data on their own would have required major modifications to each. To solve this issue, an edge device capable of translating the data was introduced to mediate between the two.
Edge computing:
Challenges and other considerations
While the chemical plant use-case elaborated on by Kay had a marked return on investment due to the comparatively high expense that would have been incurred by modifying both the ERP and SCADA systems separately, Allen cautioned against using edge computing as a catch-all solution. For instance, in applications wherein an end-user or plant floor has many different systems, each of which would require an independent edge-device, implementation could become cost prohibitive. Therefore, it is important to carry out a full cost-benefit analysis before choosing to integrate an edge device. ce
– David Miller is content manager and webcast moderator, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
In the Control Engineering webcast, “Edge series: Edge computing applications,” Jeffrey Allen, applications engineering manager at E Tech Group, and Nate Kay, control systems engineer at MartinCSI, explained how edge computing applications can be used for mission-critical, high-reliability automation and control applications. The webcast is archived for a year from the July 19, 2023, broadcast date.
controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Industrial edge computing
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand how edge computing can benefits ERP, SCADA applications.
Learn from how edge computing was applied in a chemical plant.
Review the challenges and some other considerations related to edge computing. CONSIDER THIS How can edge computing help your automation architecture?
ONLINE
Learn more about the webcast and view via link here: https://www.controleng.com/ webcasts/edge-series-edgecomputing-applications/
AI in manufacturing: Past, future
uUnderstanding the history of artificial intelligence (AI) can show where its future may be in manufacturing and what role it will play. Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. From Alexa (speech recognition) to Face ID (computer vision) to the chatbot you interacted with to troubleshoot an Internet issue (generative AI), AI is integrated in the lives of consumers and through industries. In discrete manufacturing, AI is valuable asset at nearly every stage of the production process. What may surprise most (especially younger generations) is that the concept of AI has been around since the 1950s and was used by the 1970s.
like the industrial internet of things (IIoT), robotics and the integration of AI into nearly every part of discrete manufacturing. Machines on the factory floor can communicate with one another and operate with an impressive degree of autonomy.
‘ AI in manufacturing will complement and enhance worker roles.’
The most important role of AI in manufacturing is its ability to help people and machines work synergistically. For discrete manufacturing organizations, this is a win-win; technology-enabled people and processes lead to greater efficiency, productivity and safety, among other benefits. As AI evolves, we can expect to see significant advancements in discrete manufacturing.
AI: Discrete manufacturing
Manufacturing is in the midst of what experts call Industry 4.0 — a period marked by rapid advancements in technologies
Predictive maintenance: Today, many manufacturers still rely on reactive maintenance approaches that result in costly periods of downtime. With the use of AI and ML algorithms, manufacturers can employ
predictive maintenance methods to monitor equipment performance in real time, predicting when maintenance is required before a failure occurs. This can help reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and extend equipment lifecycles. As AI advances, these benefits will be amplified even further.
Quality control: With the evolution and standardization of AI will come faster, more accurate quality control. Instead of manually inspecting machines and products for damage, wear, and other problems, manufacturers can use AI to automatically detect and report defects. AI can identify patterns in production data and from external sources like customer feedback, production schedules, and inventory levels. This helps manufacturing leaders find inefficiencies and opportunities for process improvements.
Product development: AI will have a significant impact in product design and development. Many manufacturers rely on trial and error to develop new products. But with the use of AI and simu-
SURVEY: How to use AI to identify, improve manufacturing production goals
MANUFACTURERS’ top production goals in terms of AI usage are improving quality, yield and throughput (33%) and managing cost of materials/energy (31%), according to the 33-page Augury study, “The State of Production Health, 2023,” which had 500 responses.
The study looks at how manufacturers are leveraging machine, process, and operational data to address production challenges, roadblocks to 2023 goals, sustainability efforts, workforce trends and technology implementation issues, among other areas.
The next four manufacturing production goals for AI use were closely grouped:
Leading manufacturing production goals for using AI software are improving quality, yield and throughput (33%) and managing cost of materials/energy (31%), said the 33-page Augury study, “The State of Production Health, 2023.” Courtesy: Augury
Other responses, see bar chart, were: Streamlining supply chain visibility (25%), meeting production targets (23%), improving capacity (22%), breaking down department silos (21%) and meeting sustainability/ESG/regulatory targets (21%). Online, see more results and links to the study and related webcast. ce
Mark T. Hoske is content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
lation software, manufacturers can test and refine product designs before they are built, reducing development time and costs while improving product performance and user-friendliness.
Worker experience: Despite some fears, AI is not expected to displace human workers. AI in manufacturing will complement and enhance worker roles. AI can take over repetitive tasks, such as packaging or documentation, freeing workers to spend time on more complex or creative work. AI can help workers complete tasks, such as machine repairs, by suggesting next-best actions. Integrated with IIoT sensors and wearable technology, AI can improve worker safety. Predictive analytics can alert workers to potential safety hazards on the factory floor.
AI: Empowering workers
These are a few near-future changes AI will bring. With smart factory platforms, a company’s workforce can reap the benefits of more streamlined, less frustrating processes while increasing productivity, efficiency and profits. ce
– L2L is a CFE Media and Technology content partner.
ONLINE
uWith this article online, see more on: A brief history of AI in manufacturing.
uRead a Control Engineering September 2003 cover story: https://www.controleng.com/articles/ artificial-intelligence-within
uBrowse the AI and machine learning page: https://www.controleng.com/ ai-machine-learning/
Insightsu
Manufacturing AI insights
uThe integration of AI into discrete manufacturing aligns with the concept of Industry 4.0, which is characterized by advancements in technologies like the industrial internet of things (IIoT) and robotics.
uThe future of AI in manufacturing will be able to help with machine learning algorithms to reduce downtime, improve efficiency and extend equipment lifecycles.
Hot Control Engineering industrial networking articles in 2023 (12 mo. through mid-July)
Control Engineering top 5 articles online for 12 months through mid-July 2023 are about digital twin simulations, digital twins and the cloud, sustainable 5G and more. See more industrial networking stories: https://www.controleng.com/ industrial-networking/.
• How digital twin simulations advance digital transformation in manufacturing
• A look at digital transformation using the cloud
• How AI and machine learning can drive sustainable 5G
• Plan for the future with 5G, mobile edge computing
• Profinet benefits for digital transformation and Industry 4.0
– Chris Vavra is web content manager for CFE Media and Technology.
Improving digital chip security: semiconductors
Microelectronic chips play a key role in many devices that are crucial for national security and intelligence. Those concerns were a catalyst for the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which provided $50 billion to ramp up US research and manufacturing of semiconductors. While the CHIPS and Science Act received plenty of coverage when it passed, there isn’t as much awareness around how reliant semiconductor production is on just a few companies, most of which are not in the United States. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has approximately 60% market share of the semiconductor foundry industry, and the top four manufacturers combined hold more than 80 percent of the market. Most advanced chips are produced by TSMC, Samsung and Intel. New research from Northwestern Engineering’s Pedram Khalili could help alleviate some of consolidation problems with a method that could allow for design and production of more secure semiconductor chips.
Khalili, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering and collaborators, by using their voltage-controlled magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) technology, demonstrated special electronic features that provide a unique fingerprint for each device and can be dynamically changed or adjusted to enhance security and protect against unauthorized cloning or copying. These reconfigurable, physically unclonable functions (PUFs) promise to be valuable in the coming years, as within the next decade the number of worldwide interconnected electronic devices is expected to surpass one trillion. This presents unprecedented security challenges in terms of device-level authentication and manufacturing supply chains. The transformative advances in classical, unconventional, and quantum computing are expected to make conventional software-based encryption methods increasingly vulnerable to attack.
Having a PUF that can be reconfigured by the chip’s end-user is beneficial because it allows the user to generate a new set of unclonable challenge-response pairs (CRPs) even if the initial CRPs have been fully or partially discovered. Khalili and colleagues showed that the reconfiguration of their MRAM-based PUF can be realized quickly by very brief voltage pulses, a breakthrough for MRAM that could make it more suitable to fill the need “with applications in virtually all areas where hardware authentication matters, including automotive, aerospace, and financial infrastructure, among many others.” ce
– Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
Industrial connectivity lab: 5G, RTLS testing
uSiemens opened a test laboratory for industrial connectivity technologies at the Siemens Technology Center on the Erlangen campus, the Industrial Connectivity
Lab offers extensive testing of any industrial connectivity: Industrial WLAN, 5G, realtime localization systems (RTLS) and radio frequency identification (RFID).
Industrial Connectivity Lab in Erlangen showing a test use-case. Courtesy: Siemens
“The increasing convergence of OT and IT in industrial plants is creating an enormous demand for custom communication solutions,” said Axel Lorenz, CEO of process automation at Siemens. “Many users find it difficult to assess the benefits and framework conditions of wireless technologies in their own operations.” The lab also serves as a training and education environment and for Siemens’ internal technology tests. ce
-Edited by CFE Media and Technology from a Siemens Industry Inc. press release
controleng.com
Click headlines in digital edition to see more online, including those below.
David Bishop, chairman and a founder Matrix Technologies, www.matrixti.com
Daniel E. Capano, senior project manager, Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, www.gannettfleming.com
Frank Lamb, founder and owner Automation Consulting LLC, www.automationllc.com
Joe Martin, president and founder Martin Control Systems, www.martincsi.com
Rick Pierro, president and co-founder Superior Controls, www.superiorcontrols.com Mark Voigtmann, partner, automation practice lead Faegre Baker Daniels, www.FaegreBD.com
CFE Media and Technology Contributor Guidelines Overview
Content For Engineers. That’s what CFE Media stands for, and what CFE Media is all about – engineers sharing with their peers. We welcome content submissions for all interested parties in engineering. We will use those materials online, on our website, in print and in newsletters to keep engineers informed about the products, solutions and industry trends.
www.controleng.com/contribute explains how to submit press releases, products, images, feature articles, case studies, white papers, and other media.
* Content should focus on helping engineers solve problems. Articles that are commercial or are critical of other products or organizations will be rejected. (Technology discussions and comparative tables may be accepted if non-promotional and if contributor corroborates information with sources cited.)
* If the content meets criteria noted in guidelines, expect to see it first on our Websites. Content for our e-newsletters comes from content already available on our Websites. All content for print also will be online. All content that appears in our print magazines will appear as space permits, and we will indicate in print if more content from that article is available online.
* Deadlines for feature articles for the print magazines are at least two months in advance of the publication date. It is best to discuss all feature articles with the appropriate content manager prior to submission.
Learn more at: www.controleng.com/contribute
Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering
How to automate: Best Control Engineering advice, August 2023
Tempting as it is, I won’t repeat the table of contents. See favorite advice on industrial controls, motion, networking, and automation troubleshooting.
Three 2023 issues on “How to automate” has provided great advice, though every issue of Control Engineering covers that. My favorite guidance from this issue includes industrial PCs, motion control, industrial networks, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), edge computing and troubleshooting. Automation will continue to revolutionize industries, offering immense opportunities for improved efficiency, quality control and operational performance, said Raymond Berning, automation manager, Interstates. Key trends include more attention to cybersecurity, analytics, integrating manufacturing execution systems and enterprise resource planning systems and using robotics to help with labor shortages.
Faster, flexible, easier control
An application describes control system options include real-time operating system and multi-core processors, options for terabytes of removable media, ability to spread tasks across multiple cores and running third-party software alongside the PLC, said James Figy, marketing content leader, Beckhoff Automation LLC. The engineering and runtime environment for PLCs, motion control, and IoT applications empowers engineers to program in the languages they know best or best fit the application.
Smarter, faster motion control
The smart factory of the future is built on advanced autonomous systems that perform key tasks with extreme accuracy at high speed, said Tom Burke, global strategic advisor at the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) Americas. Industrial automation, including state-ofthe-art motion controllers, need to effectively share data. Time-sensitive networking (TSN) can deliver high-speed network benefits, such as energy efficient vibration suppression capa-
bilities with predictive maintenance functionality; mechanical component deterioration and optimized uptime.
5G-enabled edge computing
With 5G, edge computing generates opportunities for new platforms, experiences and products in every industry, said Aditya Agrawal, 5G and telecom solutions head at L&T Technology Services, USA. With the computational power of edge devices, networks and gateways, take advantage of continuous delivery and robust resource allocation of cloud computing. Workloads generated in the cloud, including modern versions of artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics, can be migrated toward the edge. Edge computing supports improved data control and lower costs, swifter actions, and uninterrupted operations.
Troubleshoot automation 7 ways
Consider seven techniques for troubleshooting automated systems and equipment, said Frank Lamb, the founder and owner of Automation Consulting LLC (see more on each in the article and online): 1) Start with the simple. 2) Begin from a known good state. 3) Substitute components. 4) Use checklists and flowcharts. 5) Reproduce symptoms. 6) Split the system. 7) Do root-cause analysis.
Even master-level automation experts are still learning: Control Engineering knowledge flows in many forms with the print/digital edition. With global diversity and rapid innovation, let’s think again about how to automate at www.controleng.com/contribute. ce
Automation upgrades reduce sortation system wiring and lower costs
NPI’s singulation and sortation solutions, which leveraged PC-based controls and EtherCAT, helped a California distribution center reduce difficult-to-fill labor requirements while increasing throughput and decreasing turnaround times.
Business continues to boom in the intralogistics industry. However, for large postal and parcel providers, e-commerce retailers and third-party logistics (3PL) companies, capital investments still need to make good business sense. NPI, a mail sorting design company, understands this and has concentrated on customer ROI when designing parcel sortation solutions. The NPI GenIII Xstream linear
shoe sorter and standalone Singulator are two examples.
“Our customers typically process at least 40,000 packages per day, so they need to maximize uptime and throughput, reduce costs and offset labor shortages. By keeping their goals in mind, we continue to shorten the time to ROI as much as possible,” said CTO Joshua Owens. “To accomplish this, we spend about 60% of in-house engineering efforts on R&D and continue to add key engineering resources as our products evolve.”
NPI was founded in 1977 and released the first fully-automated mail sorting machine the following year. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company focused on letter and flat sortation until 2007 when it began operating an e-commerce facility that processed polypacks for mailing pharmaceuticals. Owens and NPI COO Brent Daboub found the floppy packages difficult for standard machines to handle, so they developed the NPI Xstream system.
The NPI Singulator is designed to handle up to 7,500 packages per hour with two operators. The Singulator offers a modular, cost-effective induct for an Xstream or equipment from other intralogistics OEMs.
“Compared to the large, complex and expensive automated induct systems on the market,” the NPI Singulator has reduced footprint, cost and labor requirements, Daboub said.
To meet current demands and assure innovation into the future, NPI expanded its 100,000-sq-
‘Standardized hardware offered room to grow without having to redesign boards, find new processors or add memory.’
ft facility with an additional 18,000 sq ft for storage and 25,000 sq ft of manufacturing space. Standardizing automation technology, EtherCAT networking, scalable controllers and alternative operating system programming environment has helped the company’s long-term plans.
While NPI’s solutions keep evolving to meet today’s demands, legacy networking and control technologies have not. By nature, sortation systems are, expansive and teeming with nodes, which exacerbates performance limitations in switch-based protocols. Also, the company wanted its machines to be modular and extensible. Discrete input/output (I/O) and Ethernet, which NPI previously used, added unnecessary complexity, costs and installation effort.
The GenI and GenII Xstream machines used an ARM-based microcontroller with a proprietary board NPI developed in house. However, the microcontroller did not offer the necessary flexibility for customer requirements.
The engineers began evaluating vendors of scalable commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions in 2017 ahead of the GenIII Xstream redesign. NPI standardized on Beckhoff, working with the vendor’s Dallas-based team, including sales engineer Jeff Kuzniar and applications engineer Isaac Spear.
“Standardized hardware offered us room to grow without having to redesign boards, find new processors or add memory,” Owens said. Selections were made after “comparing system availability, scalability and I/O capabilities with EtherCAT.”
Extreme controller performance boosts Xstream system
NPI found scalable industrial control options. For standalone Singulator units used with other sorters, NPI used an ultra-compact Industrial PC
(IPC). For combined Singulator and Xstream setups, a DIN-rail mounted embedded PC – or programmable logic controller (PLC) – has served as the main controller for most applications. NPI recently switched to an embedded PC with a quadcore AMD Ryzen processor with a clock speed of 3.35 GHz, to gain more processing power for future expansion capabilities.
New NPI machinery uses a modern UNIXbased OS instead of Microsoft Windows 10 IoT. The OS alternative combines in-house controls development, scalable hardware and real-time capabilities with the enhanced security and performance of a modern UNIX-based OS. Today’s PLCs all use real-time operating system (RTOS) options rather than proprietary firmware. The controllers enhance the architecture with a real-time kernel, higher RAM and options for terabytes of removable media, as well as extended functions, such as spreading tasks across multiple cores and running third-party software alongside the PLC. Engineers also can select from a wide range of processors from single and multi-core microprocessors up to very high-performance multi-core processors. A virtual machine supervisory architecture enables simultaneous execution of virtual machines running Microsoft Windows or Linux distributions.
Beyond performance gains, the smaller image size of reduces compact flash requirements, which lowers costs and allows NPI to deploy the image 70% faster. But those were not the main motivators for NPI.
FIGURE 2, COVER IMAGE:
A combination of GigE cameras and scanners to measure size ensure parcels end up in the correct bin. See more about this image and application on page 3.
controleng.com
KEYWORDS: industrial PCs, PC-based control
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand how a sorting company upgraded its automation systems to improve operations.
Learn how PC-based control and other automation reduced wiring and costs.
Learn how EtherCAT communication protocols can help companies improve operations.
ONLINE
More text, images https://www.controleng. com/edge-cloud-computing/ industrial-pcs/
CONSIDER THIS
How have industrial PCs improved your facility’s operations?
“We’re always looking for the most robust and secure automation system for our customers.”
Migrating to the new architecture “further hardens our systems,” Owens said. “Most importantly, the platform based on FreeBSD makes PC-based control a viable option to our more OS-sensitive customers by removing the [Microsoft] Windows association.”
Software development environment and EtherCAT exceed requirements
NPI appreciates the power of automation software and the EtherCAT industrial Ethernet system. The end-to-end engineering and runtime environment for PLCs, motion control, and IoT applications. It empowers engineers to program in the languages they know best or that best fit the application using IEC 61131-3 programming languages and object-oriented extensions, function blocks and computer science standards. Migrating to the new platform from the homegrown C++ code on NPI’s legacy microcontrollers was crucial, according to Owens: “The Visual Studio-based integrated development environment (IDE) has really helped us to continue on our path forward.”
Using the ADS protocol, the new automation software speeds up commissioning by scanning in devices on an EtherCAT network. NPI uses a variety of EtherCAT I/O terminals and modules. The IP67-rated, remote I/O solutions with M8 and M12 connectors mount on the Singulator and
each 11-ft middle module of the Xstream. The open protocol also has simplified use of third-party devices, since the EtherCAT Technology Group ensures device interoperability.
EtherCAT supports real-time communication, up to 65,535 nodes on one network and free selection of topology – line, star, tree, mixed, etc. –without affecting performance.
“We were looking for something that could eliminate the degraded performance you often see in I/O-intensive systems. EtherNet/IP (ODVA), for example, and other platforms see performance start to degrade the more nodes you put on them, resulting in the need for more networks, hardware and engineering effort,” Owens said.
Doug Schuchart, global material handling and intralogistics manager at Beckhoff, said: “The reduced cost and complexity is only part of the benefit our customers are seeing from a simplified architecture as a result of EtherCAT. The reduced architecture also provides considerable diagnostic and system life-cycle advantages as well as simplified digitization for industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 initiatives.”
Throughput skyrockets at 3PL provider
The Singulator and GenIII Xstream systems’ power was illustrated at a 3PL facility in Greater Los Angeles, according to NPI sales support manager Shane Potter. At two induct points, workers move gaylords (i.e. large cardboard bins containing unsorted parcels), using pallet jacks onto lifts. Each lift dumps the packages into the Singulator’s accumulation conveyor. Sensors limit the flow of packages to operators who place them on the main conveyor. NPI’s dynamic high-speed gapping conveyors are driven by servomotors operated over EtherCAT, which allows for precise separation of packages required by downstream peripherals. Tracking information is communicated over EtherCAT to the controller, then via TCP/ IP to NPI’s warehouse control system (WCS) software to determine the sort point.
“When parcels reach the correct output, NPI’s patented stepper-driven diverter routes the appropriate number of shoes onto the divert rail. Parcels are directed into sacks or bulk containers to be delivered to post offices across the U.S.,” Potter said. “Using large-diameter Urethane coated
‘ Owens sees increasing automation capabilities, with a firm foundation built, as key to shortening customer ROIs. ’
bearings on slat ends and a patented independent chain tensioning system, our engineering team made the Xstream system’s operation as safe, smooth and quiet as possible.”
By implementing NPI solutions, the 3PL more than doubled throughput. The company now provides same-day turnaround, meaning packages leave within 24 hours of arrival at its dock. The company also reduced intense labor requirements, which is critical during peak times, especially with ongoing labor shortages. Before the technology upgrades, this site needed three shifts working six days per week to keep up. Now just one shift five days per week handles more products and packages than the company previously thought.
An Xstream success
While these outcomes are impressive, NPI has implemented even bigger systems and plans to keep developing automated solutions. A new dual 22-inch chute that uses a pneumatic actuator to divert parcels, doubling the number of sacks for more granular sorting. The company created an AWS dashboard to visualize WCS data and let management compare performance at sites with robust analytics. Owens and Daboub also are working on custom robotics to fill the Singulator’s operator stations. These robots will supplement labor during peak times or overnight for 24/7 productivity. Owens sees increasing automation capabilities, with a firm foundation built, as key to shortening customer ROIs.
In the largest Xstream applications, EtherCAT allowed for systems of up to 481 nodes on one network without performance issues. The EtherCAT modules ensure extension of the middle sortation modules, which reassures NPI and its customers they can scale up to meet future demand. In addition, the IP67 I/O modules have provided impressive savings, including a 50% reduction in cabling.
4: Experts in parcel sortation: (from left) regional service technician Noah Cisneros, sales support manager Shane Potter and CTO Joshua
of NPI examine the GenIII Xstream with Doug Schuchart, global material handling and intralogistics manager for Beckhoff.
This approach saved $4,700 per Xstream system for overall wiring effort, Owens said. “That saves five days in the field for our technicians, which is a huge reduction.”
Their first embedded PC offered much higher CPU power and more RAM compared to their microcontroller. Kuzniar said using COTS hardware helped NPI escape the continuous cycle of redesigning the microcontroller.
“NPI’s experience is a great example of how we protect customers from control system obsolescence. When our next-generation IPC came out, they were able to use the same” PLC programming “project without replacing any I/O, and that will continue to be the case as we release even more powerful hardware.”
Migrating away from the microcontroller meant NPI needed to adapt a decade of development in mere months. Assistance from the local automation company team during the process, with no-cost technical support over the phone for standard troubleshooting, has been critical, said Owens.
“We were not a PLC company when we started evaluating controls vendors, and the strong support structure” from the automation company “was key to our success,” he said. The support and control platform “provides all the room we need to keep growing at a rapid pace.” ce
James Figy, marketing content leader, Beckhoff Automation LLC. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
Insightsu
Automation insights
uNPI, a Texas-based mail sorting design company, worked on emphasizing and shortening the time to a return on investment (ROI) by upgrading its automation systems.
uEngineers there worked with an automation vendor to improve their equipment, computing power and communication protocols to provide better insights and reduce potential automation bottlenecks.
FIGURE
Owens
ANSWERS
MANUFACTURING WITH AUTOMATION
Raymond Berning, Interstates
Are you prepared for the future of manufacturing?
To avoid falling behind, manufacturers need to familiarize themselves with automation trends such as cybersecurity, analytics, MES/ERP integration and robotics.
Mu
Online controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Cybersecurity, Analytics
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learn about new cybersecurity concerns that emerge when connecting manufacturing systems such as SCADA to enterprise IT networks.
Learn how data analytics can help operators to identify production bottlenecks and optimize resource allocation.
Learn how robotics technologies can help navigate the labor shortage.
ONLINE
https://www.controleng.com/ articles/why-companies-needto-stop-postponing-theirindustry-4-0-transformation/ Why companies need to stop postponing their Industry 4.0 transformation
anufacturing’s rapid transformation through automation is no longer surprising, but the speed with which owners and operators need to move to adopt the latest technologies to avoid falling behind can be overwhelming. The need for increased efficiency, improved quality control and enhanced product and worker safety drives the adoption of automation technologies.
To stay competitive, operators must understand current automation trends, why they matter and how they can be leveraged through technology to allow them to thrive in the ever-changing manufacturing environment.
Implementing cybersecurity protection
Cybersecurity will only increase in importance as hackers and bad actors develop more sophisticated methods. With the increasing frequency and complexity of cyber threats, plant operators are realizing the importance of protecting their facilities and ensuring the integrity of their products. The consequences of a cybersecurity breach can be devastating, leading to facility shutdowns, contaminated products and reputational damage. Investing in robust cybersecurity measures is essential for safeguarding critical operations and maintaining consumer trust.
The rise of automation and connectivity in food processing plants, for example, has increased their vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Manufacturing systems, including industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA) systems, are now interconnected with information technology (IT) networks, making them potential targets for hackers. Cybersecurity technologies are designed to protect these systems from unauthorized access, data breaches and operational disruptions. Implementing firewalls, intrusion detection systems, network segmentation and thorough employee training on cybersecurity best practices can help mitigate cyber risks.
Using advanced analytics
Harnessing data through advanced analytics gives manufacturers real-time visibility into their plant floor operations. With this rich data, operators can make smarter decisions to benefit production processes and improve overall efficiency. Data analytics will also provide a repository of information for long-term strategic decision-making, helping manufacturers identify problems before they lead to shutdowns, optimize their plant flow and enhance productivity.
The availability of data from various sources, such as sensors, devices and other integrated equipment provides valuable insights into production performance, quality control and supply chain management.
Analyzing this data allows plant operators to identify bottlenecks and optimize resource allocation. It can also save money by reducing waste. Predictive analytics can help anticipate equipment failures, which helps unplanned downtime through timely maintenance.
To effectively leverage, manufacturers need to invest in a solid data infrastructure, including data collection systems, storage and analysis tools. They should establish a data-driven culture and train their teams to interpret and utilize analytics insights. Embracing data analytics helps manufacturers optimize their operations and quickly respond to market demands.
MES/ERP integration
Integrating manufacturing execution systems (MES) with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is gaining traction in the manufacturing world. This integration allows for seamless connectivity between a business or IT network and an operational technology (OT) network. By integrating these systems, you gain valuable insights into supply chain issues, optimize inventory management and align production with customer demand. MES/ERP integration provides helpful analysis that can allow operators to make more informed decisions.
MES focuses on real-time control and monitoring of plant floor activities, such as recipe management, production scheduling and quality control. On the other hand, ERP systems manage business processes, including finance, procurement and customer relationship management. Integrating MES with ERP enables data exchange between these systems, eliminating manual data entry, reducing errors and ensuring data consistency.
With MES/ERP integration, manufacturers can gain end-to-end visibility into their operations. They can track and trace ingredients, monitor production progress, manage inventory levels and optimize resource allocation. This integration also enhances collaboration between different departments.
Implementing robotics to combat workforce shortages
The shortage of skilled labor is a significant challenge across numerous industries. As more and more retirement-age workers leave their manufacturing positions, the knowledge gap poses many challenges for plant owners and operators. The potential adverse effects of this labor transition include increased downtime, incorrectly diagnosed issues, increased time trying to solve problems and a lack of understanding of how everything should operate.
Automation offers a solution to the labor problem by automating repetitive and physically demanding tasks, allowing workers to focus on more complex, skilled activities. Robotic systems are being adopted to handle tasks such as packaging, palletizing and assembly, reducing reliance on manual labor and increasing operational efficiency.
Collaborative robots, or cobots, are designed to work alongside humans, enhancing productivity and safety. These robots can handle tasks that
require precision and consistency, such as ingredient mixing and quality inspection.
By integrating cobots into production lines, plant operators can improve throughput, reduce errors and even enhance worker safety. It also may be necessary sooner rather than later for manufacturers that want to remain competitive amid the labor shortage crisis.
Automation also addresses the challenge of ensuring consistent product quality. By implementing automated quality control systems, manufacturers can minimize variations, detect defects and improve overall product consistency. Automated inspection systems use machine vision and AI algorithms to analyze product attributes such as color, shape and size, which helps ensure adherence to stringent quality standards.
Automation will continue to revolutionize the industry, offering immense opportunities for improved efficiency, quality control and operational performance. Cybersecurity, analytics, MES/ERP integration and robotics implementation are among the key trends shaping the industry’s future.
A systems integrator can help companies see the potential in data and devices and implement these technologies. Operators that embrace these technologies will gain a competitive edge, enhance their product offerings and have an easier time meeting evolving consumer demands. ce
Raymond Berning, automation manager, Interstates. Interstates is a CFE Media and Technology content partner. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
Automation will continue to revolutionize the industry, explained Raymond Berning, automation manager, Interstates, and cybersecurity, analytics, integration of manufacturing execution systems and enterprise resource planning systems, and robotics to combat the labor shortage are ways automation will help shape industry’s future.
Courtesy: Control Engineering with Interstates information
ANSWERS
Tom Burke, CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) Americas
Advancing motion control applications with the right drives, technology
Industrial automation today depends on performing key tasks accurately and effectively, and engineers should know what to seek out in industrial automation devices to deliver high-quality motion applications.
See additional industrial networking stories at https:// www.controleng.com/ industrial-networking/
CONSIDER THIS
How can TSN help motion control applications in your factory of the future?
he smart factory of the future is built on advanced autonomous systems that perform key tasks with extreme accuracy at high speed. To realize these capabilities, the industrial automation components being used, including state-of-the-art motion controllers, need to be able to effectively share data. Selecting devices that incorporate network technologies capable of sharing large volumes of data at high speed is essential for machine builders and system integrators committed to delivering value-adding machines to industry players.
Time-sensitive networking (TSN) can deliver the high-speed requirements machine builders and system integrators need to have reliable high-performance networks.
Machine builders and system integrators are facing a growing demand for autonomous setups that leverage rotatory equipment or linear actuators to interact with the surrounding environment and perform key tasks. These solutions typically need to offer speed, high encoder resolutions and low tolerances while combining complex, multiaxis systems, where all parts run in sync with extreme repeatability.
Driving advanced data sharing for demanding manufacturing cycle times
To accommodate increasingly demanding cycle times while offering exacting performance and maximum uptime, engineers should look for
drives and controls that use a network technology that ensures determinism. The recent advances in TSN technology enables all nodes in a network to be synchronized with high accuracy and can schedule and prioritize traffic.
Deterministic performance needs to be guaranteed even when large volumes of control data are shared. This makes the network’s available bandwidth another important parameter to include in the evaluation. 100 Mbit/s is a good starting point, but 1 Gbit/s is optimal for a manufacturing facility.
Furthermore, when it comes to sharing data, maximum interconnectivity is beneficial to generate and share valuable insights with other machine components as well as across the entire plant and enterprise. Drives need to be able to communicate with all relevant motion components within a system.
The ability for machine developers and system integrator to leverage the automation products best suited to meet project specifications without having to consider interoperability issues represents a key asset during development. This can be achieved by using drives that are compatible with multi-vendor open protocols.
Devices that can communicate to other elements of an organization across the operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) domains can enable the transition toward smarter machines, shop floors and fully-fledged smart
factories. A network technology that enables convergence also can help to facilitate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to further improve predictive control and maintenance, driving profitability. Besides, this capability can simplify network architectures and reduce wiring and maintenance, lowering costs.
‘ Vibration or resonance suppression reduces settling times and can support faster cycle times. ’
CONVENIENCE AND VERSATILITY
WAGO’S COMPACT CONTROLLER 100
• Small-scale PLC with a wide variety of built-in I/O
• Dual Ethernet ports and a serial port for connection with numerous devices
• Programmed with industry leading CODESYS 3.5 software
• Program in one or more of the IEC 61131-3 compatible languages
• Develop HTML 5 visualizations with the CC100’s built-in Web Server
FIGURE: Mitsubishi Electric’s Melservo MR-J5 series of servos is compatible with CC-Link IE TSN network technology, the first open industrial Ethernet that combines gigabit bandwidth with TSN functions. With TSN, the MR-J5 drives offer communication cycle times of 31.25µs, a frequency response of 3.5kHz and reach a maximum motor speed of 6,700 r/min. Courtesy: Mitsubishi Electric, CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) www.wago.com/us/cc100-ad
Ensuring optimal performance for motion applications
When looking at the mechanical performance of drives in motion applications, minimizing vibrations is fundamental to delivering efficient oper-
ations and quality end products. In addition to improving the service life of the equipment, vibration or resonance suppression reduces settling times and can support faster cycle times while improving overall performance. The most
Next level hydraulic control
advanced servo amplifiers are can detect vibrations and suppress them. By selecting devices with these features, engineers can deliver robust and accurate setups.
Finally, to create advanced, value-adding solutions, it is important to identify highly efficient components that can minimize the energy requirements of the resulting machine. This is essential to lowering costs and the environmental footprint of industrial operations.
Leveraging the right technologies for motion control applications
Some of today’s advanced drive technologies can address the complex communication and performance requirements mentioned above. Machine builders and systems integrators should look for devices that ensure enhanced motion control performance.
With TSN and large bandwidth, drives can provide precise communication cycle times and synchronization with axes. This means motion control can perform at the optimum level for manufacturing.
Use Delta Motion’s RMC motion controllers and graphical RMCTools software to simplify and improve complex motion.1-50 axes of synchronized position, velocity, and pressure/force control.
Visit our website for videos, case studies, and specifications. Find a case study of your industry and application.
Discover simple, fast, and precise electro-hydraulic motion at deltamotion.com
TSN ensures servos can connect with many devices from the OT and IT level. The inclusion of simple network management protocol (SNMP), asset monitoring and management from IT applications allows data to be accessed from these drives.
The benefits are energy efficient vibration suppression capabilities with predictive maintenance functionality. Mechanical component deterioration can be identified long before service requirements arise. Uptime is optimized and maintenance can be scheduled and potential issues are avoided. ce
Tom Burke is global strategic advisor at the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) Americas, a CFE Media and Technology content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
Manish Sharma, Emerson
Edge controllers lower costs, risks for water pipeline, pumping, storage
Automation and control of greenfield water distribution system in the world’s largest new city presents challenges and opportunities: Designed-in advantages can be achieved in retrofit automation projects, too.
In automation and control of water distribution, the opportunity to work on greenfield projects versus existing brownfield installations presents an opportunity to provide a digitally transformed solution “designed in” rather than “retrofitted in.”
For an engineering company charged with the system integration of such a project, “greenfield” represents, within the limitations of budget and time, an opportunity to employ new technologies that can optimize performance, reduce footprint and accommodate current and future system requirements and provide enhanced mechanism for field services and operations. These benefits are enough to make any systems integrator take another look at advanced automation and control.
A greenfield challenge and opportunity is Neom, the largest new urban development project in the world, under construction in Saudi Arabia. The project is a metropolitan area incorporating a large city center, plus island, beach and mountain developments. Drakken, an engineering and systems integration company based in Dubai, UAE, was selected as the main automation contractor (MAC) to provide the automation solution for the Neom water distribution system.
System integration, automation for pipelines, pumping stations, storage tanks
An exceptional challenge, the Neom system extends over approximately 65 km (40.4 miles) of coastal terrain and 75 km (46.6 miles) of mountains, providing a wide range of environmental stresses. A water desalination plant is the fresh
water source and the system includes pipelines, pumping stations and storage tanks. With the city under construction, the water system delivers more than 50,600 m3/day (1.787 million ft2) of bulk desalinated water to the core development area for construction and human consumption.
To supply the water needed during development as well as to prepare for expanded future demands, Drakken required a control and supervision system for the water network to ensure minimal water loss due to leakage and evaporation. It had to provide a scalable solution in complex, rough terrain, that could expand with the extensive new development. The criticality of the project required the control and supervisory system be cybersecure and offer high availability without disruption. It had to connect disparate third-party systems deployed in the overall architecture to provide unified monitoring and control.
FIGURE 1: An “outer loop” and an “advise layer” on top of the typical “seethink-do” control loop are part of the Emerson PACSystems CPL410 edge controller technology. Images courtesy: Emerson
ANSWERS
2: Emerson PACSystems native communications overview shows interactions with human-machine interface (HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, intelligent instruments, devices using serial communications and devices enabled by Ethernet-based input-output capabilities.
Edge controllers with PLC capabilities for water projects
Because the project was new, without legacy hardware to integrate, Drakken used edge controllers for the water distribution system. This configuration combines deterministic and non-deterministic real-time control in one hypervised platform, providing the capabilities of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an edge computer system in one device, saving costs, space and integration time and complexity.
Edge controller technology incorporates an “outer loop” and an “advise layer” on top of the “see-thinkdo” control loop. If the outer loop is disrupted, the real-time deterministic control remains unaffected. This capability allows users to connect to any preferred cloud service and to develop and run data processing Linux-based applications next to the control system to optimize processes and improve outcomes. Combining edge-enabled data analytics and real-time control, provided real-time insights, builtin flexibility, operational efficiency and achieve higher asset performance. The controller technology has a base scan rate as low as 200 μS, switchover as fast as one scan, with deterministic control.
The control technology software is pre-installed, allowing Drakken the flexibility to use the controller for a number of use cases such as Linux co-processer, local web-based human-machine interface
(HMI), black box recorder and data logger and for remote alerts.
Drakken implemented efficient project-wide integrated asset management software capabilities to reduce failure modes, and for overall digital health and preventive and predictive maintenance. Drakken employed control systems at more than 20 pumping stations and at the water distribution center to control the pump and valve operations. To meet availability demands, control solutions included built-in redundancy. Redundant power inputs allow higher availability, reliability and productivity. Fast network recovery technology helps protect mission-critical applications from network interruptions or temporary malfunctions.
Data collection, analysis, filtering at each location
The edge controllers installed at each location collect, analyze and filter operational data on a Linux engine and are ready to connect and send data to the cloud via the message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) protocol. The need to interface with a wide range of third-party devices, such as flowmeters, radio frequency identification (RFID) systems at each trickling filter system (TFS) station, and many others required the control systems and software be flexible and able to communicate with plant floor devices and supervisory systems using standard communication protocols for maximum interoperability and ease of use. Protocol options include: DNP3, IEC 61850, IEC 104, HART passthrough, EGD, SRTP, Modbus-TCP/RTU, Profinet and OPC UA. The controllers perform high-speed data acquisition and control in a complex architecture with multiple fiber optic rings using the various industrial protocols to connect to more than 500 external devices.
Drakken selected an advanced supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)-based software platform to interface with the controllers based in part on its scalability to support unlimited tags on redundant servers. The software collects and analyzes data for leak detection and leak location across the pipeline every 10 m. Tag data is historized with a five-year storage capacity, failure prediction and proactive redressal, leading to better capital utilization, reduced operating expenses and faster return on investment.
FIGURE
The platform automatically imports programmable logic controller (PLC) tags, preventing errors and saving commissioning time. The web client configuration of the software allows remote access through any mobile device. Remote access capability will continue to increase in value as the water system increases in size and complexity.
Edge controllers with industrial environmental specifications
To meet the widely varying environmental demands, Drakken used control systems that operate from -40 to 70°C from startup and with a humidity range from 5 to 95% non-condensing. The modern control technology handles extreme environments without requiring fans, which can be prone to failure. Unlike standard controllers that require a throttle down to accommodate high heat, the newer technology enables applications to run consistently at very high temperatures without impacting control performance.
The control hardware is based on vibrationresistant components and connections to help minimize failure points and ensure reliable operation in fast moving, agitating or high-impact applications. Non-conductive conformal coating provides electrical components with a protective barrier against contamination, moisture and corrosion caused by harsh or extreme conditions.
Cybersecurity uses secure-by-design capabilities
In addition to physical security, Neom required strong cybersecurity protection. The system imple-
mented by Drakken uses a secure-by-design philosophy, including trusted platform module (TPM), secure boot and secure firmware updates. The cohesive security strategy is built into all layers, from the hardware and software to communications and the development process.
The system is secure by design, allowing verification and validation of the integrity of vital system components. Secure communications help prevent attackers from gaining unauthorized access to the controller. Achilles 2 certification assures against denial-of-service (DoS) or human-in-themiddle cyberattacks or any unauthorized firmware changes.
Ritesh Contractor, business development manager, Drakken, said, “The advanced control solutions fully connect the water distribution network for Neom through an advanced internet of water infrastructure to ensure minimum water loss, putting Neom at the forefront of water technology and assuring high sustainability.”
While few system integrators will be faced with a new city to automate and control, the Neom application shows steps any system integrator can use. Employing new technologies in brownfield systems may provide potential savings in space and complexity that save money while reducing risk and increasing the level of security. ce
Manish Sharma leads the industry marketing segment for energy and process industries at Emerson Controls & Software. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
Learn about system integration, automation Neom pipelines, pumping stations, storage tanks.
Understand uses for edge controllers with PLC capabilities for water projects. Explore how data collection, analysis and filtering will help at multiple locations.
CONSIDER THIS
By treating parts of an automation retrofit as a new project, what advantages could you realize?
ONLINE
Article, video: See a Control Engineering interview with Manish Sharma:
Sustainability in semiconductor manufacturing with digital transformation https://www.plantengineering. com/articles/sustainabilityin-semiconductormanufacturing-with-digitaltransformation-expertinterview-series-manishsharma/
FIGURE 3: Emerson PAC Security Center enables secure messaging.
ANSWERS
Aditya Agrawal, L&T Technology Services
The convergence of edge computing and 5G
As interest and investment in edge computing and 5G pick up pace, an assortment of applications stand to benefit from their convergence.
It is impossible to exaggerate the role that edge computing is poised to play in creating and processing data. In fact, by 2025, 50% of enterprise data will be created and processed at the edge, compared to the present 10%.
Online controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Edge Computing, 5G
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learn how many technologies including 5G, Multi-Access-Edge Compute (MEC), miniaturization and virtualization of network infrastructure and reservable spectrum for industrial use are coming together to enable breakthrough new applications.
Learn the difference between network and application latency, and the technologies that reduce them.
Learn about edge computing use cases in health care, automotive, manufacturing, asset management and retail.
At the same time, investments in 5G infrastructure are accelerating rapidly as deployments pick up pace. McKinsey predicts that by 2025, telcos will devote over $600 billion toward 5G infrastructure. It is clear that edge computing and 5G are changing the way we utilize and harness data, be it across manufacturing operations, asset management, omnichannel operations, smart grids, freight monitoring, intelligent transportation systems, public safety or emergency response systems. However, since they focus on different areas of data activity, their advancement begs the question: “What happens if they are combined?” The short answer is that this convergence enables exciting new applications for industries that so far weren’t possible.
Convergence of edge computing and 5G enables accessibility to data and applications by reducing latency and optimizing service delivery at the network edge. This is vital to emerging new-age applications including autonomous vehicles, automated robotics, enhanced safety and augmented/virtual reality.
The power of convergence
Edge computing, combined with 5G, can elevate digital experiences, enhance performance, promote data security and enable uninterrupted operations in multiple industries. It empowers an unprecedented level of data accessibility along with reliable and secure access to two-way communications. Connectivity combined with advanced computation delivers immense potential to many industrial stakeholders.
Edge computing brings data storage and computation nearer to where data is created by places, things and people. Edge data centers create localized processing areas that collect and analyze data locally, lowering the latency that typically occurs if centralized cloud application were to be used. This latency reduction has two components: Network latency and application-level latency. Network latency is the round-trip time taken by packets to traverse the network and back minus the compute time that an application may take. The 5G standard enables lower network latency especially as Release 16 with Ultra Low Latency Connectivity (URLLC) networks get deployed. Application latency is the time taken by the compute itself. Through tight coupling of the network and compute using Multi-Access-Edge Compute (MEC) software platforms running on the edge servers that communicate seamlessly with the 5G network elements, application latency can be reduced. For latency critical applications, both of these elements working together are required to deliver low enough latency for computer vision processing and immersive applications. It has taken technology advances in many different areas to arrive at these capabilities. As mentioned above, the 3GPP 5G standard and MEC are two of these advances. Other key advances include the miniaturization and virtualization of network infrastructure, increases in edge computing capability, reservable spectrum availability for industrial use and, in the case of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications like computer vision, the progress in speed and accuracy now possible in object detection and classification. It used to be that cellular base-stations were large and expensive, significantly more so than Wi-Fi network infrastructure. Device side cellular modem chips
were also much more expensive than Wi-Fi client chips and devices. With 5G, this gap has narrowed considerably, to the point where 5G small cells are the size of a pizza box and total cost of ownership (TCO) of the network is lower for private 5G TCO than Wi-Fi in many large area industrial environments. Moreover, much of the 5G network functionality is now implemented in software as opposed to needing dedicated chips and hardware thus making it possible to update the capabilities of the network and apply security patches remotely.
Edge compute servers have undergone a similar transformation. Whereas in the past compute racks were large and bulky, a server the size of a briefcase can now run powerful enterprise applications.
Spectrum is another major leap forward. In a few countries including the U.S., UK and Germany, spectrum is reservable for use easily and directly by industries for exclusive use in their locations without the need to go through the complexities of reserving mobile operator spectrum. As opposed to using unlicensed Wi-Fi spectrum for mission critical connectivity, using reserved spectrum allows industries to avoid production line stops, safety incidents and the like, thus reducing the risk to the business.
Leaps and bounds in AI/ML advancements over the last few years have also opened up immense business opportunities to improve operational efficiency, safety, quality and cost. 5G cameras can capture video streams to monitor product quality coming through production lines. 5G connected drones can inspect solar, wind, oil refinery, train or power lines for defects. Warehouse robots can zip past each other and past people working in close proximity safely by using real-time computer vision
applications that run on AI and ML. However, a high throughput, low latency 5G network and edge computing is a requirement for these AI/ML applications to deliver results in real time. Moreover, all this video data can be made secure by being confined within the industrial location and geographical area of operation, thus reducing security vulnerability for the enterprise.
Immersive experiences
Edge enables enterprises to enhance and improve the ways they use and manage physical assets, allowing them to develop unique interactive experiences for their customers. Today, brands are leveraging edge computing to process and respond to customer engagements at unparalleled speeds, ushering in unparalleled innovation in CX. Also, as edge computing does not depend on internet connectivity, enterprises can support uninterrupted CX, regardless of unstable connections or server outages. The requirements for open radio access networks (ORANs) will also see a huge boost if the speed and low latency of 5G comes to fruition via robust implementations.
FIGURE: By 2025, 50% of enterprise data will be created and processed at the edge, compared to the present 10%.
Courtesy: L&T Technology Services
‘ 5G cameras can capture video streams to monitor product quality coming through production lines.’
With edge computing, brands can deliver hyper-personalized and omnichannel CX by giving access to services that work in parallel with edge devices. As edge brings down data latency related to cloud computing, it opens newer avenues to deliver better customer service. It provides customers with abundant opportunities to interact with brands in real time, across multiple channels, allowing them to control their own narratives.
ANSWERS
‘ Decentralized edge computing
architecture elevates reliability, enabling vehicles to operate even during network disruptions.
’
Use cases for
5G
5G use can improve edge applications.
Automotive: Edge computing empowers autonomous vehicles with increased safety, faster decision-making, improved reliability, optimized bandwidth utilization and enhanced privacy. Edge accelerates safety in these vehicles through rapid sensor data analysis and identifying obstacles, if any. Its decentralized architecture elevates reliability, enabling vehicles to operate even during network disruptions. Local data processing elevates data privacy and security by preventing transmission to remote servers. Edge computing also optimizes bandwidth usage by limiting the volume of data sent to the cloud.
Edge computing supports:
• Improved data control and reduced costs by minimizing vulnerabilities and reducing data transport to central hubs
• Swifter insights and actions by leveraging increased sources of data and processing the data at the edge
• Uninterrupted operations by supporting systems that run on their own even without an internet connection to reduce costs and disruptions
u
Online controleng.com
Archived edge series:
More answers about edge computing architectures, advantages
https://www.controleng.com/ articles/archived-edge-seriesmore-answers-about-edgecomputing-architecturesadvantages/ Five edge technology trends that can improve operational insight
https://www.controleng.com/ articles/five-edge-technologytrends-that-can-improveoperational-insight/ 7 pieces of advice from automation experts on AI, edge computing
https://www.controleng.com/ articles/7-pieces-of-advicefrom-automation-experts-onai-edge-computing/ CONSIDER THIS
What edge computing use cases can you most benefit from?
Manufacturing: Edge computing allows manufacturers to introduce automation in their supply chain and factory floor through machine-to-machine communication and advanced robotics, all of which are nearer to the data source. Instead of transferring data to a server for analysis and response, edge computing enables tasks like pipe flow monitoring, machine cycle tracking and fatigue detection in sheet metal to be performed locally. This approach reduces latency, enabling speedy analysis and corrective actions.
Asset management: Edge computing can enable remote asset management by supporting real-time monitoring and decision-making nearer to the assets. With edge computing, organizations can collect and process data locally, thereby improving response times, maintenance, uptime and asset utilization. Edge computing also minimizes enterprises’ reliance on constant network connectivity and empowers them to optimize operations and maximize productivity.
Benefits of edge computing
With 5G, edge computing generates opportunities for new platforms, experiences and products in every industry. By using the computational power of edge devices, networks and gateways, enterprises can take advantage of continuous delivery and the principles of robust resource allocation that are intrinsic to cloud computing. Modern-day businesses can also virtualize the cloud beyond the data center. Workloads generated in the cloud, including modern versions of AI and analytics, can be migrated toward the edge.
Welcome to the future: multi-access edge computing
Edge computing as the next phase of cloud computing helps to localize data for users, thereby cutting down on network load. Multi-access edge computing or MEC represents a major step ahead that shows how cloud computing can be used for faster communication and networking. MEC provides unparalleled processing and network speed when used in conjunction with 5G, with high bandwidth data transfers and low latency connections. The convergence of 5G and edge computing will boost business in all industries and transform the way businesses operate and how people work. It will empower brands to perform real-time marketing and deliver hyper-personalization, recommendations, walkout shopping and various other advanced practices to enhance customer experience while optimizing the costs of transferring data. On the shop floor and at an enterprise level, it will impact all areas of industrial grade connectivity from mechanization to the assembly line and automation, leading to hyper personalization as well as real time corrective actions.
Adopting an open, hybrid, multi-cloud architecture will ensure that enterprises can deliver innovative connected experiences using data, no matter whether it operates in a public or private cloud, or on a centralized or on-premises data center. ce
Aditya Agrawal, 5G and Telecom Solutions Head, L&T Technology Services. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
BEST OF INDUSTRIAL CYBERSECURITY
Gary Cohen, CFE Media and Technology
Throwback Attack: How the modest Bowman Avenue Dam became the target of Iranian hackers
In 2013, Iranian hackers broke into the command and control center of the Bowman Avenue Dam in New York, in a brazen attack on U.S. critical infrastructure. Why they attacked this modest dam is harder to explain.
When people think of Rye Brook, New York, an idyllic hamlet in Westchester Country sometimes known as Tree City USA, they don’t generally picture international intrigue. That’s best left to its more cosmopolitan neighbor, Manhattan, located about 30 miles to the south. In 2013, however, the modest Bowman Avenue Dam in Rye Brook was targeted by seven Iranian hackers on behalf of the country’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in a far-reaching cyberattack on U.S. infrastructure targets.
That’s the what and where of the attack; the why is a little harder to figure. Here is what’s on the record: In 2013, Iranian hackers broke into the dam’s command and control center, theoretically giving them remote access, in a minor but frightening-in-its-implications attack on national critical infrastructure.
The U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment in 2016 that spoke to the breadth of the plan. The indictment charged seven Iranian nationals with cyberattacks on 46 companies between 2011 and 2013. The hackers, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, mainly targeted financial institutions and companies like the New York Stock Exchange and AT&T, using barrages of incoming emails designed to slow or shut down some of their computers. As a result,
many major banks were hampered and countless customers were unable to access their online accounts.
According to the indictment, Hamid Firoozi is the man who infiltrated the Bowman Avenue Dam, accessing its supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system via a cellular modem that connected the dam to the internet. Through this intrusion, Firoozi was able to gain remote access to information on “the status and operation of the dam, including information about the water levels and temperature, and the status of the sluice gate, which is responsible for controlling water levels and flow rates,” according to a Justice Department press release.
This could have been a major headache for local residents if not for a bit of serendipitous timing. During the cyberattack, the dam’s sluice gate had been manually taken offline for routine maintenance.
Still, the hackers were able to gain access, and the control system for this dam is likely similar to those used in other critical infrastructure sectors, ranging from power plants to oil refineries. This attack, even on so minor a target, was an example of the vulnerability of the U.S. infrastructure and a signal that foreign actors could operate critical systems remotely and potentially wreak havoc on the nation.
ANSWERS
‘ An OT attack on critical infrastructure could sow chaos and destabilize the nation. It’s the difference between criminal activity and terrorism.’
“The infiltration of the Bowman Avenue Dam represents a frightening new frontier in cybercrime,” then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. “We now live in a world where devastating attacks on our financial system, our infrastructure and our way of life can be launched from anywhere in the world, with a click of a mouse.”
Why the Bowman Avenue Dam?
The Bowman Avenue Dam isn’t much to look at. With critical infrastructure increasingly under attack by criminal gangs and nation states alike, an attack on a major water and wastewater target could be extremely costly. The Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, for example, holds back Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S. when full, and is a major hydroelectric power generator. If a massive piece of national infrastructure like that were targeted, it could lead to property damage, injuries and loss of life.
and two and a half feet high — for reference, the Hoover Dam has four steel drum gates, each 100 feet long and 16 feet high. It’s primarily designed to keep the Blind Brook from flooding nearby homes and businesses. While an overflow could cause serious damage to the area, it would be far from a national incident.
“It’s ridiculous how little that dam is, how insignificant in the grand scheme of things,” said Paul Rosenberg, the village’s mayor in the New York Times. “We’re not talking about something vital to the infrastructure of the country.”
The Bowman Avenue Dam, which can be found in a scrappy thicket of brush and trees not far from Interstate 287, dates back to the early 1900s, when it was used to make ice for area residents. It collapsed in 1941 but was quickly rebuilt and has served the area ever since.
So the big question here is obvious: Why would a nation-state with significant resources bother going after a small, insignificant dam in suburban New York? There are several theories, none of which are settled.
It’s possible that hackers went after the Bowman Avenue Dam as a sort of practice run for a more impactful strike. If they could take down this minor government target, they might be able to learn what they need to know to set their sights on a more essential piece of critical infrastructure.
Online controleng.com
The Bowman Avenue Dam is not one of those targets. Rye Brook is a village of just 9,500 residents and its dam’s flood gate is about 15 feet long
KEYWORDS: Water/wastewater, critical infrastructure, OT cybersecurity, SCADA LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand the cybersecurity risks posed to critical infrastructure
Learn how SCADA systems can be compromised
See examples about the evolving nature of cyber warfare. ONLINE
Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse, a CFE Media and Technology online publication, publishes Throwback attacks like these on Thursdays.
https://www.industrialcybersecuritypulse.com/facilities/throwback-attack-how-themodest-bowman-avenue-dam-became-the-target-of-iranian-hackers/ https://www.industrialcybersecuritypulse.com/facilities/ how-security-by-design-might-have-stopped-oldsmar-hmi-attack/ CONSIDER THIS
Logical intent may not factor into who’s next for a cybersecurity breach.
But the more compelling — and definitely more comical — theory is that this was a simple case of mistaken identity. The Bowman Avenue Dam in Purchase, New York, is 2,805 miles from the much more significant Arthur R. Bowman Dam in Prineville, Oregon. Aside from sharing the Bowman name, these two structures have very little in common.
The Arthur R. Bowman Dam, built in 1961 on the Crooked River, is 245 feet high, 800 feet long and holds 233,150 acre-feet of water. It’s possible the Iranians meant to target this dam as retaliation for the massive U.S.-Israeli Stuxnet cyberattack, which sidelined Iran’s nuclear centrifuges, but mistakenly hit Rye Brook instead.
The big picture: Cyber warfare on critical infrastructure
The main concern from the Bowman Avenue Dam attack had very little to do with the dam
itself; it was more about what the attack meant for the world of cyber warfare. Cyberattacks on operational technology (OT) systems are much more complicated, and less prevalent, than attacks on information technology (IT). Lately, ransomware has been top of mind, with high-profile hits on everyone from Colonial Pipeline to global meat processor JBS. But most IT-based ransomware attacks are about encrypting files to extract money from the victim. They can certainly be damaging, and can even cause OT systems to be taken offline, as in the Colonial incident, but an OT attack on critical infrastructure could sow chaos and destabilize the nation. It’s the difference between criminal activity and terrorism.
A perfect example is the cyberattack on a water treatment plant in Oldsmar, Florida, in 2021. An unknown hacker was able to access the computer controlling the chemicals used to treat drinking water for Oldsmar, home to around 15,000 people. This hacker was able to significantly raise the levels of sodium hydroxide, or lye, in the water. Luckily, the attack was detected and neutralized quickly, and little actual damage was done. A savvier actor, however, could have caused tremendous harm and loss of life.
“A real sophisticated attack on the OT systems is actually more difficult to orchestrate because the cyberattacks — for instance, ransomware attacks that are IT based — those are cyber criminals, and they’re really after your money,” said Albert Rooyakkers, CEO and CTO of Bedrock Automation. “They come from the IT environment. To do a sophisticated attack on an OT system, you have to have an understanding of the process. Like this attack in Florida, this operator or this person that was guilty of it, they understood what valve to tweak and what thing to do to the process to upset it. You see a lot of cyber vulnerabilities and cyberattacks, so many of them are IT-centric because so many of them are basically criminal actors.
“If it transitions, as a lot of people fear and concern for, from criminals to terrorists, where their intents are different, the damage will be far more severe because they’re not after the money, and they’re not going to get any money, either. If you create an OT attack or an OT event, virtually without exception, these processes, these infra-
‘ [The cyber-attacker] understood what valve to tweak and what thing to do to the process to upset it.’
structures, whether it’s a chemical plant, water, wastewater treatment plant, you will damage infrastructure. You will damage the process. People could get hurt, and the damages and downtime and other things will be far in excess of what they typically get in a ransomware attack.”
For many years, the U.S. government has issued warnings about the country’s vulnerability to cyberattacks. Since assuming office, the Biden administration has urged private industry, which controls much of the national infrastructure, to harden its cyber defenses, and taken steps to strengthen the national cybersecurity posture.
This attack on Rye Brook, which occurred in 2013 but was not publicly reported until 2016, was one of the first of its kind on U.S. soil. While it did not inflict any real damage, it was a harbinger of the kind of cyber warfare nation-states will likely wage in the future and an indicator of just how vulnerable critical infrastructure is to a motivated opponent. ce
Gary Cohen is senior editor, Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse, CFE Media and Technology, gcohen@cfemedia.com.
FastFacts
What industries comprise “critical infrastructure”?
u As defined by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), critical infrastructure has 16 sectors: Chemical; commercial facilities; communications; critical manufacturing (primary metals manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, electrical equipment, appliance and component manufacturing; dams; defense industrial base; emergency services; energy; financial services; food and agriculture; government facilities; healthcare and public health; information technology; nuclear reactors, materials, and waste; transportation systems; and water and wastewater).
ANSWERS
Frank Lamb, Automation LLC
The fundamentals of troubleshooting in industrial automation
Maintaining and troubleshooting industrial equipment requires mechanical, electrical and automation knowledge.
To maintain and troubleshoot industrial equipment, several disciplines or fields of study are required. While it is not necessary to have an engineering level of understanding, there is a level of mechanical and electrical knowledge that is required.
ways to learn how it works. How does the product enter and exit the machine, and what is done to it as it is processed? How fast does the machine or system run in parts or volume of material per minute?
Does a machine operator have to load or unload parts or material, and does their speed affect machinery operation? Do they have to fill hoppers, part feeders or dispensing equipment? Does the machinery stop operating because of machine faults? If so, what must be done to get the machinery operating again? Is there a human-machine interface (HMI) or display to help diagnose problems?
Online controleng.com
KEYWORDS: industrial automation, troubleshooting
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learn about the importance of troubleshooting in industrial automation.
Understand the seven troubelshooting fundamentals.
CONSIDER THIS What skills and fundamentals do you use to diagnose a troubleshooting problem?
Mechanical powertrains, pneumatics and hydraulics are some of the most basic building blocks of industrial machinery. More complex systems include servomechanisms, robotics, and machine vision. Understanding programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and computers are important in the control of machines, along with the operation of sensors and different types of actuators. Different types of software are used to access programs and different data types used in presenting numerical and text information.
There also are classifications of machinery that can be useful to know about. There are many different types of packaging machines, robots, pumps, conveyors, and material handling machines that have similar concepts behind them. Vibratory bowls, escapements, dial tables and indexers are other general classifications of equipment. Learning about these general categories as they apply to equipment and assets in use can be helpful.
Observation and analysis
Most machinery has certain things in common. It is usually used to move, process or change a product. There is usually a place or places where material enters the machine, and a place where product exits. Watching a machine in operation is one of the best
Consider taking notes while observing the machinery in operation. It is best to learn about the machinery and process while it is in operation, before something goes wrong and repair is required. The time to learn machinery is before a problem emerges.
Use senses to detect a problem
Visual signs of problems may be the easiest to find. Leaking fluids, metal shavings or black sooty powder are signs that machinery needs attention. Burnt and blackened components on circuit boards, warped or melted plastic and wear points on tooling and components can all be indicators. Look for anything that out of the “ordinary” or normal condition.
Machines can be video recorded to analyze operations; motion can be slowed to examine functionality in detail. Cameras can be strategically placed around and even inside a machine for full-time monitoring.
Thermal imaging can be used to identify hot spots in an electrical cabinet, such as determining if connections or terminations are tight. Follow proper safety procedures when working with exposed electrical devices.
Listen to the sounds a machine makes as it operates. Sounds will change as problems appear, grinding or high-pitched squealing can be a sign that something is wearing or misaligned. Knowing the sound of machinery when it is operating correctly can help
identify problems when the sound changes. You could record the sound so that you have a reference.
The sense of touch can be helpful in identifying warmth or vibration in equipment. Of course, this can be dangerous. If you suspect something is hot, approach it with your hand slowly, you can often sense heat without actually touching the object.
Many components vibrate even when they are operating correctly, knowing how much vibration is normal can be helpful for comparison. Sensors also can be used to monitor vibration or temperature; trends are useful to identify wear.
Smells can indicate problems. Burning or melting rubber has a distinctive smell, as does hot lubricants or metal. Knowing the smells of machinery when it is operating correctly can be helpful for comparison.
Read the provided documentation
Equipment ideally will have documentation accompanying it. Usually, it will be provided by the manufacturer and may even have a troubleshooting guide. Recommended maintenance instructions will often help identify areas where problems can occur in the machinery. Lubrication, belt tensioning and replacement of worn tooling are examples of maintenance procedures supposed to be performed on a periodic basis.
Where recommended maintenance is to be performed also can help to identify problem spots on a machine. Since these are items that move or wear out, they also are areas where things can go wrong.
Replacement parts lists or a bill of materials also often list components such as sensors or other electrical components that may need to be replaced.
Exploded parts views can show the internal workings of elements of machinery. Sometimes these are included as part of the maintenance or component replacement instructions. These can be very educational in the examination of machine operation and help to identify potential failure points.
Electrical schematics show the detailed wiring of the machine or system, and often have a bill of material attached. The first few pages can be scanned to identify the major sections and components of the machine. Power distribution identifies larger subassemblies by name; variable frequency drives, robots, controllers, servos and auxiliary equipment can be seen as an overview.
Piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) also may be a part of available documentation, especially if it’s a process control application.
The PLC program can be examined as a guide to the system layout. Looking at the hardware configuration can show where communication-based remote input/output (I/O) nodes are located, and programs are often written with subroutines that correspond to different operational parts of the machine or system.
7 troubleshooting tips
What is meant by troubleshooting?
Troubleshooting is a systematic approach to problem solving that is used to find and correct issues with complex machines, electronics and software. It is often applied to machinery that has stopped working or is not operating as expected.
Determining how a machine is supposed to operate involves the observation and documentation-reading skills mentioned earlier but may also require talking to the person who spends the most time with the machine, the operator.
There are some important concepts to understand when trying to determine the cause of a problem. An important relationship is between correlation and causation, just because one event occurred after another event does not mean the first event caused the second. It could be a coincidence, or some other unseen event could have caused both. This is often stated as “correlation does not imply causation.”
There are three elements to solving problems.
a. Identify and document what the problem is.
b. Determine why it happened.
c. Determine a solution to prevent it from happening again.
Consider these seven techniques when it comes to troubleshooting systems and equipment:
1. Start with the simple: It is often useful to examine the simplest or most obvious explanations first. People often complain when technical support people or manuals first ask the user if the receptacle has power or if the device is plugged in. It can save a lot of time to check for simple explanations like power, circuit breakers or fuses before moving on to more difficult or less obvious causes. Look the machinery over and see if there are lights showing or obvious jammed parts. Keep in mind the jam could have
FIGURE 1: Example of a troubleshooting flowchart. Images courtesy: Automation LLC
‘ Exploded parts views can be very educational in the examination of machine operation and help to identify potential failure points.’
ANSWERS
FIGURE 2: Example of a half-split for troubleshooting.
‘ Make sure tooling, sensors and actuators are all positioned correctly and their speeds are correct.’
been caused by something else and there may be other sources of power that power the devices. Ask what has changed since the last time the machine worked properly?
2. Begin from a known good state: Starting a machine from a known good state, such as a home position with no parts, can help identify problems. A well-known example of this is rebooting a computer; this clears the current RAM memory of the processor and re-starts the operating system. This is especially important with assembly machinery. Ensuring a good part runs all the way through all of the steps of the process makes sure the tooling, sensors and actuators are all positioned correctly and their speeds are correct.
dencies can be used to create these lists or charts also, often a component depends on another system to operate correctly. Identifying these can help when creating flowcharts (Figure 1).
5. Reproduce symptoms: If the error can be recreated, it becomes easier to isolate and resolve its cause. If the problem can be reproduced consistently, this works well. Many problems can be intermittent in nature, making them difficult to reproduce. Identifying environmental causes such as heat or humidity at the time of the occurrence can be useful here.
u
Insights
Industrial automation insights
uMaintaining industrial equipment can seem like a complex process — and it sometimes is. However, many people can resolve simple tasks if they know the fundamentals of automation and use their senses.
uOperators also can help themselves by reading the provided documentation and start from a basic level of understanding. From there, engineers can understand and diagnose the problem with industrial automation so they can take the appropriate action.
3. Substitute components: Sometimes called “shotgunning,” troubleshooters could check each component one by one, substituting known good components for each suspected bad part. This is certainly not the most efficient way of solving the problem, and there is a risk the thing that originally caused the failure also can make the new good component fail. While it can be effective, substitution should be a last resort because you could end up destroying multiple expensive components.
4. Checklists and flowcharts: Creating a checklist, flowchart or table of procedures in advance can help. This creates an organized sequence that technicians or operators can follow when troubleshooting equipment. These lists can be kept on a computer or even on the machine HMI so they can be easily accessed. Keeping records of previous problems and their solutions can help in creating these lists. The lists should be updated as new events occur. Depen-
6. Split the system: A technique called “half-splitting” can be helpful in limiting the choices for bad components. Dividing a series of connections or nodes in half can identify where a voltage or communication signal is lost. It also works well on systems that are made of a series of sequential functions.
7. Root-cause analysis: Root-cause analysis (RCA) is the process of discovering the origin of problems in a system. The purpose is to identify solutions for the base problem, rather than just treating symptoms and putting out fires. To this end there are templates and techniques that can be used for this.
Learning from the experience of others who have worked with the same or similar machinery is one of the most important ways to get a head start on your troubleshooting journey. ce
- This has been edited from the "Maintenance and Troubleshooting in Industrial Automation" book by Frank Lamb, the founder and owner of Automation Consulting LLC and a member of the Control Engineering editorial advisory board.
INSIDE MACHINES: DISCRETE SENSORS
Logan Welch, Balluff Inc.
Benefits of choosing simplified sensing in a manufacturing facility
Discrete sensor technology has come a long way and advanced technology offers many benefits, but there are applications where simpler solutions can provide the same benefits during a project.
The constant need for more data and increased accuracy has pushed sensing technologies to the extreme. Advancements in factory automation have converged innovation with new capabilities. For some applications, the influx of data-gathering devices offers a strong payoff. For others, it may not be necessary.
Factory automation in the late 1990s was a time of technology transitions. Many technologies were new and exciting and becoming more affordable, too. Controls engineers imagined these advanced technologies and systems as a way of future-proofing all projects. Sometimes they made things more complicated. For some applications, tried and true (and affordable) sensors could have made the projects more reliable and future-proof from the start.
A project required tracking, counting and ensuring several washing machine cabinet bases were orientated correctly on a conveyor. I wanted to use an industrial camera due to its improving technology. The camera and accessories cost $7,000. After several days and iterations, the camera system worked perfectly. It continued working for about a week then a worker leaned on a post and knocked it out of alignment. Realigning the camera system took a whole day.
Affordable sensors may win
Despite its technical advancements and “cool” factor, the camera system wasn’t the best solution for the simple application. The solution that won out involved strategically placing seven basic photo eyes underneath the conveyor to identify what base it was looking at and if certain characteristics were present for quality tracking. The investment was roughly
$400, and the sensors were well protected from failure. As an additional benefit, if a sensor failed, rather than calling an engineer in the middle of the night, a maintenance electrician could replace it with a new one.
Another huge benefit of using standard sensors is avoiding buyer’s remorse. Camera technology has its place in more advanced image processing and continues evolving. As cameras add capabilities they also may require proprietary communications or software. It’s easy to swap out basic photoelectric sensors with a PNP or NPN output of almost any brand.
FIGURE: In a factory automation project, sometimes the best solutions are simple ones that use technology that has consistently proven itself.
Courtesy: Balluff
It can be easy to be lured into using more complex technologies, even when simpler options can accomplish the same tasks effectively. Photoelectric sensors have consistently proven reliable for presence detection.
Keep the sensor solution simple
Sometimes it is best to keep the solution simple and clean using the tried-and-true technologies in factory automation. Before starting a project, consider if the task can be completed with a straight-forward, simple solution. Boil down the solution to the lowest common denominator and build up the complexity from there. The project might save money and a few headaches along the way. ce
Logan Welch is a product marketing manager at Balluff Inc. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
controleng.com
KEYWORDS : discrete sensors, factory automation
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand the role discrete sensors play in a manufacturing facility.
Determine when the simple solution is sometimes better in an automation project.
ONLINE
See other discrete sensor stories at https:// www.controleng.com/ mechatronics-motion-control/ vision-discrete-sensors/
CONSIDER THIS
When has the simple solution paid off for you during a project?
Education and personal development are vital to the advancement of the engineering community.
We invite our readers to explore and utilize the educational efforts of this year’s participants in our annual Educating Engineers program.
Advanced Micro Controls Inc.
AutomationDirect
Beckhoff Automation LLC
Contemporary Controls
Delta Computer Systems Inc.
Digi-Key Electronics
Endress + Hauser Inc.
Inductive Automation
Maverick
Mesa Associates, Inc.
Motion
Moxa Americas Inc.
Profibus Trade Organization
Seeq
SEW-Eurodrive
Skkynet Cloud Systems
Trihedral Engineering
Yokogawa USA
Delta Motion offers unrivaled motion control for even the most difficult-to-control applications.
Delta Motion is a manufacturer of industrial automation products with a focus on high-performance hydraulic motion control. Delta’s RMC Motion Controllers deliver high-performance, closed-loop position, and pressure/force control, boosting productivity in a wide range of applications around the globe.
With the ability to control systems with up to 50 axes, Delta’s controllers can connect to nearly any PLC or HMI and they are highly configurable with a variety of I/O modules that support a broad range of transducers and actuators.
Delta Motion’s RMC’s are designed to optimize challenging applications with an analog resolution of up to 18 bits for both inputs and outputs and control loop times down to 125 μsec. For nearly 40 years, Delta has been known for best-in-class products, continuous improvement, and responsive, knowledgeable support for both legacy and new products.
Scan QR code and learn how Delta Motion supports engineers.
Sharing
our expertise and knowledge base with Tech Tutorials
Advanced Micro Controls, Inc. (AMCI) is a leading U.S. based manufacturer with a global presence. AMCI industrial control products improve PLC-based automation systems with specialized position sensing and motion control technology that simplifies automation and adds reliability to manufacturing processes. AMCI designs and manufactures all of their products, enabling superior quality and innovation. The company provides 24/7 technical support staff, ready to answer questions about installation, configuration and operation of all AMCI products. SCAN
Tech Tutorials - HOW DO INDUSTRIAL CONTROLS WORK?
AMCI has been leading the design, manufacturing, and sales of industrial automation controls for over two decades. Our engineering expertise covers products ranging from specialized PLC modules to integrated stepper motor controls to rotary position sensors.
Customers recognize AMCI’s experience in these fields of industrial automation control and routinely ask our sales technicians for help with understanding the technology. Common questions about a technology involve principles of operation, typical applications, and sometimes evolution of design. In an effort to share our knowledge base with all customers, even the ones who don’t think to ask, we’ve compiled the AMCI “Tech Tutorials” section. View the tutorials here.
And, to further improve your understanding of AMCI products at work, we invite you to subscribe to our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AMCIcontrols
sales@amci.com • 860-585-1254 • www.amci.com
A
utomationDirect provides free online PLC training to anyone and everyone with no purchase necessary.
As the world around us becomes more and more automated, an understanding of electrical control systems becomes more and more vital. Because of this, the demand for training in industrial controls has grown exponentially over the years.
Luckily, AutomationDirect has decided to meet this demand head-on by offering absolutely FREE online PLC training –no purchase necessary!
This online video training course encompasses various levels of training from entry level programming to advanced PLC functions, and is available 24/7/365 so you can learn at your pace and at your convenience.
Some of the general topics covered include:
• Logic circuits
• Basic switches
• Sinking and sourcing
• PLC scan time
• I/O fundamentals
• PLC memory addressing
Scan the QR to view video about training opportunities.
A wide variety of free training videos can be found at automationdirect.com.
Also available are over 200 videos specifically covering AutomationDirect PLCs and include topics on how to use their rung editors, logic instructions, internal control relays, subroutines, communication, data view windows and many other functions.
• CLICK PLC Family Video Library
• Do-more\BRX PLC Family Video Library
• Productivity PLC Family Video Library
This training is provided by AutomationDirect’s education and training partner Interconnecting Automation who has been training automation professionals for more than 20 years. Interconnecting Automation’s instructors pride themselves on providing a “no hype”, “no sales pitch” type of instruction and aim to thoroughly help others learn about PLC products so they are ready to use these products to their fullest potential.
To get unlimited access to the FREE online PLC training or to see more about what is provided, head on over to www.automationdirect.com/plc-training.
Technical resources you need from an automation vendor you can depend on
The Beckhoff team works hard to design and deliver the most advanced automation and controls technologies available. Of course, that is only half the battle as offering best-in-class education and training is also crucially important. A wide range of online resources are available 24/7/365 from Beckhoff for engineers:
Free E-Learning Portal
Beckhoff USA offers an extensive e-learning portal with a range of presentations on topics related to industrial automation — and you’re invited to join! These useful educational resources are free and open to the readers of Control Engineering magazine. Multiple classes are available, including topics from all Beckhoff product families: automation software, industrial PCs, I/O, drive technology and advanced mechatronics.
Each presentation is followed by a quiz to reinforce the topics covered and gauge what you’ve learned. No Beckhoff hardware is required to participate, but there are modules that permit students to use their own Beckhoff equipment during the training.
Start learning today! Register for an account at learn.beckhoffus.com
Educational Webinars
Pressed for time? Beckhoff offers many webinars throughout the year on a wide range of interesting topics, particularly automation and controls programming, industrial Ethernet applications, tips for designing world-class motion control architectures and much more.
Visit www.beckhoff.com/webinar to learn more. Don’t forget to visit the webinar archive to view the complete history of Beckhoff webinars anytime.
Free TwinCAT Engineering Environment
Programmers and engineers can download the base engineering module of TwinCAT 3, the leading PC-based automation software at no charge from Beckhoff (TE1000).
Visit www.beckhoff.com/twincat3 to quickly download and install TwinCAT 3 on your programming and development PC today!
For more information: www.beckhoff.com
Keep Office Grade Ethernet Switches
Away from the Job Site
When interconnecting Ethernet equipment within a control panel, there is always a temptation to select cheaper off the shelf, office grade Ethernet switches from a mass retailer but they are not good enough for control applications.
Office grade equipment has no provisions for redundant power, leaving the possibility of a serious power disruption to your customer’s business operations. Industrial Ethernet switches are 24VAC (or DC) powered with redundant power options and can operate from the same 24VAC power source as all your other components.
There is no need to find a place to plug in a wall-wart power cube or install a receptacle. Positive locking screw terminal strip connections are vibration and tug proof, securely locking the power supply to the switch and eliminating power disruptions.
Using retail switches with ineffective mounting can make explaining the unsecured, clumsy looking installation to the customer or a code inspector a difficult task. Industrial switches have a DIN-rail clip and proper UL ratings for mounting inside a control panel. LED indicators and RJ-45 connectors are designed to be easily viewable and handle demanding EMC environments.
Temperature is another consideration, and you don’t want your customer’s application to fail as a result of overstress from heat from switch failure. The 0 to 60°C
temperature range is consistent with the ratings of controllers, security, and fire equipment. The -40 to 75°C wide-temp range meets more demanding outdoor conditions. Retail and office grade switches are rated from 5 to 40°C (or worse, not rated at all).
Keep your office grade Ethernet switches at home and use industrial Ethernet switches on the job site.
Scan QR code to learn more.
sales@ccontrols.com www.ccontrols.com/switch
Easily viewable LED indicators and RJ-45 connectors can handle demanding EMC environments.
Navigating Issues That Can Stall a Design
One of the best avenues of education for engineers and designers is DigiKey’s TechForum, a collaboration space where they can search for answers previously asked by other industry members or answers generated by our team of technical staff based on direct interactions. Together with other TechForum participants, we do our best to answer any technical question posted on our Forum.
Additionally, scalable approaches to value-added learning like DigiKey webinars have gained traction because they are focused and targeted vehicles that are presented by subject matter experts for a very specific topic that enable participants to interact, ask questions and get answers in an extremely timely format.
DigiKey publishes hundreds of articles and blogs on our website and makes engaging video content to help people understand how to use technology to turn their ideas
into products. We are also seeing the adoption of new tools that enable collaboration across various platforms and we continue to push communication across a variety of social channels. Today’s younger engineers want easily digestible nuggets and information. Shorter form videos like YouTube shorts or Instagram reels have enabled key topics and messages to be absorbed in these newer formats.
Combining the elements of our training and experience is critical to offering content that can get engineers past design hurdles. We tend to hear from engineers at the most common crossroads
in a design — the initial selection, hardware design, software design, integration, testing or certifications.
To be able to deliver in all these areas requires a combination of not only supporting the technical elements but also having the right products in stock, the right relationships in place and the experience to navigate issues that can stall a design.
Scan the QR code to learn more.
Gain Expertise with Instrumentation Training and Development
At Endress+Hauser, we provide a host of unique training opportunities to help companies prepare their employees for instrumentation and measurement challenges operators and technicians will face in the field. These trainings are customizable to fit the employees experience, knowledge level, and any needs that works best for the each team. We pride ourselves on being up to date with the latest technology to ensure that you and your employees are receiving the best training.
Within our training portfolio, there are six different training opportunities to choose from to accommodate to any company’s needs. Our free online learning videos are taught by Endress+Hauser experts that include animations, how-to-videos and answering commonly asked questions.
Also offered is a process training portal, that features a mixture of free and paid content, packed with fundamental modules covering different topics on the basics of instrumentation to advanced HART or Fieldbus technology trainings.
For those who may learn better with in-person opportunities, we offer on-site training, where all the training and knowledge comes to employees, conveniently at their site. Additionally, our PTU® (Process Training Unit) gives employees real life simulations and hands-on experience of various communication protocols. This PTU training mimics the real-world environment and provides a full-scale, functioning process skid that includes a variety of instrumentation and controls. These skids are located at 11 different offices across the United States and are accessible by any team.
For more customized options, the customer-directed training allows your company to create a training program
based on what your needs are. And lastly, virtual instructor-led training brings the best of the PTU training to you with professionals leading it.
Endress+Hauser’s Process Training University is totally customizable to company’s needs. It allows you to create what training would best benefit employees and to utilize the continually evolving industry. Endress+Hauser has 60 years of instrumentation experience across a wide range of industries and can give companies the best training that is and where it is needed.
Scan the QR to learn more about the Process Training University.
Learn
How to Build Any Kind of Industrial Application With Ignition
Ignition® by Inductive Automation provides industrial organizations everywhere with an unrivaled platform for unlimited digital transformation. To help users get the most out of the Ignition platform, Inductive Automation offers many flexible learning options:
Ignition® brings affordable Digital Transformation to your industrial operations.
• Inductive University has hundreds of free videos about Ignition to get you trained or help you find quick answers.
• Our comprehensive Online User Manual is closely tied with Inductive University so you can get a conceptual understanding and a visual walk-through of Ignition’s features by using them together.
• Our Training Courses offer in-person or virtual instruction taught by Ignition experts.
• Through our Educational Engagement Program, we partner with qualifying educational institutions to provide free Ignition licenses to students anywhere in the world.
• Our collection of Webinars provide insights about best practices and industry trends.
• Gather with the world’s most innovative group of industrial professionals at the 2023 Ignition Community Conference (in-person in Folsom, CA, or livestream anywhere).
the QR code to learn more about Ignition®
Valuable Technical Expertise and Resources to Help You Run Better Every Day!
MAVERICK Technologies is a platform-agnostic automation solutions provider who helps you design, build, sustain and improve your operations enterprise-wide. Since our founding in 1999, we’ve completed more than 17,500 projects in 46 countries, providing a full range of best-in-class technologies, solutions and services in multiple industries.
We leverage our people, processes and technical capabilities to deliver the right solution for your specific requirements. Our work ranges from initial assessments and operational consulting engagements to comprehensive, multimillion-dollar projects. Talk to us about your next automation and control project!
Enjoy these white papers where we share our real-world insight on technology, tools and techniques.
How to Strategically Improve Operational Efficiency through Digitalization
Many enterprises want to advance their operations into the digital age but often require outside consulting to help them navigate the uncertain waters of digital transformation. This white paper identifies some recurring themes encountered during those digitalization consulting engagements and provides strategic guidance.
Industrial Modernization: The Smart Track to Success
Industrial modernization plays a significant role in how businesses move forward in what many are calling the 4th Industrial Revolution.
The widespread adoption and integration of intelligent, innovative technologies in the manufacturing and process industries is driving this modern era.
Visit our Resources section on our website to read Inside Automation and many other published articles, case studies, blogs, videos/ webinars, and white papers.
MESA’s Inaugural Virtual Event, Smart Manufacturing Now!, Showcasing Smart Manufacturing, MESA Model, and MESA’s 30th Year – Registration Now Open, Free for Members
MESA (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) is a global nonprofit providing education, networking and best practice sharing around Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0. MESA’s community includes manufacturers, producers, industry leaders and solution providers who are focused on driving business results from manufacturing technology. MESA works to actively driving business improvement through the effective application of technology and best practices. We’re focused on Smart Manufacturing and the business value of converging Information Technology, Operations Technology, and emerging technology to improve industrial operations.
Registration is now open for MESA’s inaugural virtual event, Smart Manufacturing Now! We’re bringing together over 20 subject matter experts from all over the world to talk about the latest breakthroughs in Smart Manufacturing. This virtual event is your chance to gain valuable insights from our MESA subject matter experts and see the MESA Model and Smart Manufacturing at work! MESA will also celebrate our 30th year and the great accomplishments over the years!
We have people from virtually every industry sector all coming together to talk about the effective application of Smart Manufacturing and Smart Manufacturing technologies. We have people who are going to talk about subjects on the top of everyone’s list like cybersecurity, sustainability, business justification, artificial intelligence, and change management, just to name a few.
The event is a virtual conference and will be held Monday through Thursday, September 25 – 28, 2023. It is free to all MESA members. If you’re not a MESA member, there are membership specials running right now for new members. It is only $100 for non-members. Registration is open. All attendees get to see all the sessions live and all attendees can view the recordings any time after the event.
3 Ways to Keep Skills Sharp
Maintaining engineers’ critical skills should be a top priority for any company. Engineers are often involved with various activities, such as plant layouts, productivity enhancements to existing equipment, determining if new equipment costs are warranted, implementations and product designs. To obtain the best results, your engineers must be up to date on the latest industry innovations. Fortunately, keeping your engineers current on their skills is not daunting if you keep these simple suggestions in mind:
1. Encourage your engineers to belong to and participate in engineering-related professional organizations. Many of these organizations offer training and development and provide resource materials to members. In addition, these organzations provide networking opportunities for your employees to exchange best practices with others in their field. Lastly, train your engineers to look out for good talent when attending networking events, and you just may find yourself landing some great new team members for your company.
2. Develop a relationship with a local university with an engineering school. Most universities have ongoing development opportunities, and many are more than willing to customize training for your employees. Like professional organizations, this route also gives your engineers a good chance to network.
3. Collaborate with your key suppliers to discover learning and development opportunities they can provide or coordinate for you. Well-established suppliers either have their own content or work closely with manufacturers to offer training for end users.
Remember, if you take care of your engineers, they will take care of you!
For more information, visit Motion.com/plantengineering and Motion.com/learning-development.
This article was written by Billy Hamilton, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Motion. He has over 30 years
experience in human resources with companies such as Overhead Door Corporation and Lockheed Martin. He is passionate about talent management
Choose the Right Switch for Every Application with Moxa’s Help
All industrial networks have specialized requirements, so selecting the right equipment is paramount for optimizing your automation and control systems. A networking backbone forms the core of all connectivity, but not all networks should be created equal. There is an increasing need for OT digital systems to connect with each other, and with more traditional corporate IT infrastructure.
For the most critical applications, managed ethernet switches and routers are the preferred devices because of their intrinsic advanced capabilities, customized safeguards, and access control methodologies, along with possessing the Security Level 2 (SL-2) IEC-62443 cybersecurity certification. While these types of devices provide the greatest feature set, they require knowledgeable effort to set up and maintain them. However, that can be minimized by utilizing our MXview One Series software. When it is necessary to broker multiple remote connections and cloud data pathways, it is recommended to utilize a tailored solution like Moxa Remote Connect Suite (MRC)
For many new small- to medium-size localized machine automation applications, or for port expansion on the edge of existing networks, unmanaged ethernet switches might be selected because of their relative configuration simplicity and favorable price/performance ratio. More than ever before, today’s leading unmanaged switches provide flexibility for end users and machine builders, with compact size, rugged housing, support for multiple power inputs, and fiber optic connections.
Another option that is gaining traction for these types of industrial applications are smart ethernet switches, which provides advantages from both managed and unmanaged switches. Smart switches provide basic security features, performance, diagnostics with statistics and network redundancy, among other capabilities.
PI North America Provides Extensive Online Training Opportunities
The PI North America team is here to support you by answering questions, offering training, and connecting you with the right industry experts.
Since last year, we have increased our production of free online materials, including webinars, white papers, documentation, books, courses, and much more. You can access all of these resources at us.profinet.com.
Find out more about our latest educational offerings:
Live and On-demand Webinars
Register for upcoming sessions or browse through our wide selection of on-demand webinars at us.profinet.com/training/webinars/.
Live webinars include a Q&A block and demos. The recordings of all live webinars are archived for your convenience. These are some of our latest sessions:
• How PROFINET Works?
A Beginner’s Guide
• 7 Steps to Develop a PROFINET Device
• An Introduction to IO-Link
PROFIBUS Online Training Course
“A complete PROFIBUS introduction in one structured course”
The PROFIBUS Online Training Course is a self-paced training specifically designed for remote learning. It includes technical details of the technology and a complete overview of network design, configuration, installation, commissioning, and maintenance for PROFIBUS DP and PROFIBUS PA.
Course highlights:
• Earn a certificate for 5 PDH (Professional Development Hours)
• Obtain dozens of free resources
• Connect with industry experts
Get more information and register at us.profinet.com/profibusonline.
White Papers
Are you looking for comprehensive technical documents? Download free white papers and documentation from our website. Here are some of our latest additions:
• PROFINET vs Ethernet: Overview, Roles, and Implementation
• PROFINET Product Testing & Certification Guide
• PROFINET Optional Features: Overview and Use Cases
YouTube: MinutePROFINET Channel
Learn by watching short and didactic whiteboard videos about PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and the latest industry trends, such as IoT and Industry 4.0.
A global leader in advanced analytics for process manufacturing
Seeq is a global leader in advanced analytics for the process manufacturing industries. Seeq helps companies address key initiatives in digital transformation, sustainability, and workforce empowerment with self-service, enterprise SaaS solutions that access and leverage their vast amounts of previously unused data. Oil and gas, pharmaceutical, specialty chemical, utility, renewable energy, and other vertical industries rely on Seeq to optimize business and production outcomes, including yield, margins, quality, and sustainability.
Dustin Johnson, Chief Technology Officer at Seeq, understands why horizontal scalability is driving modern software companies like Seeq to fully embrace cloud technologies.
“To provide every user with a consistent, responsive, and easy-to-use experience, cloud technologies are required to scale performance
and compute capacity to manage fluctuations in users and data volume capacity,” says Johnson.
“At Seeq, our SaaS deployment model leverages cutting-edge clustering technologies, such as Kubernetes, and a scalable microservices architecture to support customers with employees and data sources located around the world.
We make data from disparate sources securely accessible in one place and enable collaboration and knowledge-sharing across continents.”
Seeq cloud-native solutions can be deployed on Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) or Microsoft Azure, ensuring engineers, operators, managers, and data scientists at locations around the world have global access to Seeq.
Click here or scan the QR code at right to request a DEMO.
Want to learn about engineering topics pertaining to gearmotors? We have the information at your fingertips!
Tired of looking up multiple sources for answers to common engineering questions about gear units or gearmotors? We have the solution.
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Technical Notes can be a real life-saver when you need answers. Technical Notes provide quick access to many engineering topics such as how to properly mount a torque arm, how to determine and design for inertia, or how to properly design your machine to use a hollow shaft gear unit.
Need answers on how the speed, mounting position, environment, and duty cycle can affect the thermal rating of a gear unit and how to protect against too much heat? That’s one of many in-depth documents you can find by visiting www.seweurodrive.com and clicking Technical Notes
Scan QR code to access Technical Notes on your smartphone.
Whitepaper
Our technical white paper, Maximizing Gearmotor Speed Range shows you how to operate VFDs above 60Hz to widen speed range, improve stability and reduce cost.
In this white paper, you’ll learn why it can be a good idea to operate gearmotors above 60Hz. Through a common example, we will show you how to select the proper gearmotor that will significantly enhance performance in the following ways:
• Increase stability by reducing inertia mismatch
• Widen the available speed range
• Eliminate a costly ventilator fan at low speed
• Eliminate motor overheating at low speed
• Enable the use of a smaller motor
Visit www.sewwhitepapers.com/vfd to download the PDF.
Two webinars cover vital areas of industrial data connectivity: MQTT brokers and secure networking for OPC
MQTT brokers: What you need to know
Take a closer look at MQTT Brokers and learn more about the role they play with MQTT JSON and Sparkplug B clients. Find out how a smart MQTT broker can solve some of the challenges associated with MQTT like integrating multiple JSON formats, connecting across a DMZ, and ensuring consistency of data. An implementation example followed by a demo bring the concepts to life.
Visit: https://youtu.be/t64FAtUPBNY
Secure networking for OPC – Prevent cyber attacks in your control network
Whether you are networking OPC inside a plant network, moving OPC data to IT or a DMZ, or connecting remote plants, isolating the data source from the endpoint is critical in preventing cyber attacks. The NIS 2 Directive and ISA-95 standard for industrial cybersecurity mandate taking the necessary steps to completely isolate OT data from IT networks using DMZs.
In this webinar you will see how tunnel/mirroring can keep your data moving across isolated networks and keep firewalls closed, without using any VPNs. A brief explanation is followed by a live demo, an overview of best practices, case studies, and a Q&A session.
Visit: https://youtu.be/CfkVOJaW5DQ
• 888-702-7851 • www.skkynet.com
Bi-directionalsynchronization: the critical component missing from Historical Databases not designed for SCADA.
If you think a SCADA Historian is just another database, think again. Historians are designed to handle the massive amounts of process data generated by industrial systems every second. They need to make that data useful across the organization, from operators to managers. They also need to protect this history by synchronizing it across multiple locations in real time. This is where most Historians fall short. They only offer limited and complex options for distributed synchronization, which are often only feasible for large-scale applications. Even then, they can’t guarantee more than two levels of backup, sometimes within the same site. That’s not good enough for today’s SCADA needs.
The native VTScada Historian was designed specifically for SCADA. Thanks to its ability to perform
automatic bi-directional synchronisation across a LAN or WAN, it provides Enterprise-level resiliency for even the smallest applications and greatly reduces complexity and risk for massive, distributed systems. No coding required. Sharing data with other business systems is easy.
Bi-directional synchronisation means that all backup servers, wherever they’re located, automatically synchronize time-stamped data logged by the primary server. Any number of servers can take over in sequence should the primary become unavailable. If any or all servers are disconnected, they will log local I/O and distribute it to one another when their connections are restored.
Some SCADA products include a limited Historian that you will need to replace or upgrade in an expensive and involved process. Every VTScada license, even our free VTScadaLIGHT, includes the same powerful Historian that has been running multi-million tag applications for decades.
Learn more: www.vtscada.com
Toll-free: 1-800-463-2783 (North America)
Worldwide: 1-902-835-1575
info@trihedral • www.vtscada.com
Open up Control. Open up Results. Open
up Experiences.
What is an OPA System
An Open Process Automation System (OPA) is a software-defined control system. It is an open system with all the benefits of a traditional Distributed Control System (DCS) and more, but without the limitations of vendor hardware or software locking. You can design, operate and expand your functions with a wide range of interoperable software and hardware capabilities from the multiple vendors and technologies.
In an OPA system, most applications and workloads are containerized to run flexibly and inter-operably utilizing the Open Process Automation Communication Framework or OPC for short.
The OPC provides a secure, standardized interconnection between OPA compliant software functions. Based on OPC Unified Architecture (UA), the Open Connectivity Framework (OCF) provides protected, standards based, reliable data transport.
OPA creates a standards-based, open, secure, and interoperable process control architecture to achieve the following:
• Allows integration of best-in-class components
• Preserves asset owners’ application software; Significantly lowering the cost of future migrations
• Promotes and Encourages innovation and value creation
• Applies across multiple process industries
• Is commercially available
The development of Open Process Automation Standard (O-PAS) is a collaboration between users and
suppliers. The O-PAS covers the physically connected world of Inputs/Outputs (Distributed Control Nodes – DCN) to the core compute and user interface functions (The Advanced Compute Platform – ACP). These standards focus on the communications and interfaces for all of these components.
Additionally, The standards allow for selecting, adding, and upgrading critical components based on “best of breed” criteria rather than a single supplier. In addition, they help to open up options and decrease costs.
The OPC provides a secure, standardized interconnection between OPA compliant software functions.
Innovations
Advanced PLCs for motion, other automated systems
AutomationDirect has added XGB PLCs designed and manufactured by LS Electric, a well-established global PLC manufacturer with more than 40 years of experience. The PLC family offers advanced controllers geared for motion applications but with high-level features, such as IEC programming, that can be beneficial in any automated system. The stackable PLCs have numerous hardware options. Each super compact PLC comes with integrated 2- or 6-axis pulse/direction motion inputs/outputs (up to 200kHz) and includes Ethernet, serial and USB ports.
AutomationDirect, www.automationdirect.com
Entry-level IIoT gateways
The AIG-100 Series gateways from Moxa are entry-level IIoT gateways that connect Modbus RTU/ASCII/TCP devices to cloud platforms and Azure, AWS and MQTT. It has a Modbus master can integrate existing Modbus devices with cloud platforms, collecting and transmitting data to the Azure and AWS clouds. Gateways support the Modbus TCP slave mode, for simultaneous transmission of data to a cloud platform and local SCADA. Moxa, www.moxa.com/en
Pneumatic pump cycle counter
Q.E.D. Environmental Systems Inc., a manufacturer of environmental products and subsidiary of Graco Inc., highlights the Xact Count pneumatic pump cycle counter for reliably monitoring pump performance, maintenance cycles and estimating liquid volumes being pumped. The unique design monitors water discharge rather than airflow, eliminating all doubt about if pumps are working correctly. With most current cycle counters on the market, personnel can see the counter advancing and hear the pump cycling and mistakenly assume that everything is functioning properly. It is not obvious, whether the discharge line is disconnected, or the ball in the discharge check valve is missing. There is no real way to know if the fluid inlet check is stuck open or if fluid is being pumped to the surface.
Q.E.D. Environmental Systems Inc., www.qedenv.com/en-us
Open-source microcontroller has wireless communications
The UNO R4 is the latest update of Arduino’s next-generation UNO board, a significant revision of its 8-bit technology. Powered by a 32-bit microcontroller, the new UNO R4 comes in two versions: the basic UNO R4 Minima and comprehensive UNO R4 WiFi, meeting the budgetary and creative needs of the open-source maker community. Preserving the standard form factor, shield compatibility and 5 V power supply of the popular UNO R3, the UNO R4 adds a 32-bit microcontroller with up to 16x the clock speed, memory and flash storage with the integration of the RA4M1 processor from Renesas. Based on an Arm Cortex-M4 core, the RA4M1 microcontroller has clock speed of 48 MHz for higher processing power and floating point unit (FPU), bringing a huge performance boost for more complex projects. The microcontroller is fitted with 32 kB of SRAM and 256 kB of flash memory.
Arduino, www.arduino.cc
Stepper drive integrates EtherCAT communications
AMCI’s SD31045E-K Integrated Stepper Indexer / Driver for the EtherCAT network reduces stepper control system costs by eliminating the need for a separate stepper controller in a programmable logic controller (PLC). The indexer is built into the driver. Programming and configuration over the network uses the PLC’s native software (such as Beckhoff Automation’s TwinCAT). No extra software is required, so you don’t need to learn another programming language. The drive interfaces with EtherCAT-compatible PLCs (from Beckhoff, B&R Automation and others). The drive makes it easy to add stepper axes where needed. AMCI, www.amci.com
Integrated protection IC for Type-C ports
This new eFuse protective integrated circuit’s (IC) innovative design protects USB Type-C ports against short circuits, overvoltage and electrostatic discharge (ESD). The LS05006VPQ33 is a highly integrated protection IC for Type-C PD Vbus short to CC/SBU with 28 V max and 8 KV IEC-61000-4-2 ESD capability. The eFuse LS05006VPQ33 protection ICs are ideal for use in a wide range of USB Type-C applications. It is the first eFuse to support 20 V short, overvoltage, and system ESD protection for signal pins. The design solves the critical problem of protecting low-voltage silicon circuits in USB Type-C controllers from overvoltage, short circuits, and ESD strikes.
Littelfuse, www.littelfuse.com
Wireless multi-instrument synchronization module
The WCMI-8 Wireless Multi Instrument Synchronization Module from TiePie Engineering is designed to wirelessly synchronize multiple oscilloscopes over a long distance of up to 400 meters and combine them to one instrument. The WiFiScope and Handyscope series 5 and 6 instruments can be used with the module. The module is placed on the extension connector at the rear of each oscilloscope and the Multi Channel oscilloscope software automatically detects how many instruments are equipped with the module. All detected oscilloscopes, connected via WiFi, LAN or USB, are combined to one oscilloscope with a total number of channels that equals the sum of the number of channels of the detected oscilloscopes.
TiePie Engineering, www.tiepie.com/en
Custom position sensor detects part errors in automotive resistance welding machines
NewTek Sensor Solutions has designed a custom linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) position sensor for resistance spot welding machines used in automotive plants to detect missing or misaligned parts in nut and stud welding. The LVDT detects and reports different conditions including: weld pin extended position, double part, misloaded part, incomplete weld, weld pin retraction, upside down nut, wrong or missing part.
Sequence of events recorder has 1 millisec time stamps
The CyTime Sequence of Events Recorder (SER) from Cyber Sciences provides 1 millisecond time-stamped event reporting for 32 channels to enable root-cause analysis and advanced system diagnostics. It provides time synchronization to downstream devices with support for several time protocols such as precision time protocol (PTP) and IRIG-B. It has a 4.3-inch color touchscreen for easier menu navigation, device setup, diagnostics and input status. Time synchronization supports precision time protocol (PTP), IRIG-B, DCF77, network time protocol (NTP), Modbus TCP/IP, 1 per 10 and ASCII RS-485. Cyber Sciences, www.cyber-sciences.com
Ultrasonic gas flowmeter has custody-transfer accuracy
Krohne, a manufacturer and supplier of solutions in industrial process instrumentation, highlights its Altosonic V12 ultrasonic gas flowmeter. It offers high accuracy, making it ideal for custody transfer applications. The flowmeter has 12 measuring chords, two of which are solely dedicated to diagnostic functions. Once commissioned, it continuously checks the operating status. The positioning of the chords in five horizontal parallel planes compensates for swirl and provides reliable measurements, even with highly distorted flow profiles.
Krohne, https://us.krohne.com/en
Gauge safety monitoring services for infrastructure
An automated inspection service called LiLz Gauge is available for daily visual inspections for infrastructure. It is a cost-effective, automated inspection service for the sake of stable U.S. infrastructure operations. Substituting daily on-site inspections with sensors or normal IoT cameras for large plants or rural bridges requires installation work and construction, often resulting in big initial investments. LiLz Gauge requires no power supply because the camera’s battery life lasts for 3 years, so wiring and installation work on-site are unnecessary.
Lilz Gauge, https://lilz-nbk.co.jp/en
See more New Products for Engineers www.controleng.com/NPE
Heavy duty electric servo cylinder, 50,000kg payload
The EHR series electric servo actuator offers thrust force up to 82,000N, 2,000mm stroke and a maximum payload can reach 50,000kg. The heavy-duty ball screw electric cylinders provide high capacity and precise accuracy control. Repeat positioning accuracy can reach ±0.02mm, enabling controllable and precise positioning in heavy-duty automated industrial applications. The electric servo actuator cylinders can be matched with various installation configurations and connectors. TPA Robot, www.tparobot.com
pH sensor enhances stability, accuracy
MIK-PH5011 pH sensor from Meacon Automation increases the silver ion at the reference sensor part, to enhance the stability and accuracy. This also makes it suitable for general industrial waste water and discharge solutions. The sensor adopts international advanced solid dielectric and large-area Teflon liquid contact, which has no blockage and convenient maintenance. It has long-distance reference diffusion path to prolong the service life of the electrode in harsh environment.
Meacon Automation, www.meacon.cn
MEDIA SHOWCASE FOR ENGINEERS
Back to Basics
CONTROL ENGINEERING EUROPE
Safe, productive machine controls
Explore safety options in applications without affecting productivity.
Highly productive and dynamic automation depends on optimizing the flow of materials between individual processes. Achieving close to a continuous flow is the ultimate aim, including at the end of a production line where goods need to be packed, palletized and transferred for onward distribution.
As the automation of materials handling increases, such as with use of mobile transportation systems, conveyors or articulated robots, so does the risk of injury to personnel. At the same time, production teams may well be under pressure to introduce greater manufacturing flexibility, minimize machine set-up time and to improve space utilization on shop floors.
protective system is briefly bypassed. Muting sensors need extra space, take more time and effort to set up and maintain, and they are at risk of getting dislodged or damaged.
Highly productive and dynamic automation depends on optimizing a flow of materials between individual processes. Achieving close to a continuous flow is the ultimate aim. Sick’s Safe Portal is a pre-certified solution, originally developed for material transfer stations in automotive assembly. Courtesy: Sick, Control Engineering Europe
In such circumstances, safety systems can unjustifiably become characterized as necessary but counterproductive to achieving the most fast-moving and uninterrupted processes. The nuisance of physical guards, or manual stops and restarts, can be perceived as a barrier to productivity. They could even cause irritation that could tempt impatient operators to override systems and indulge in unsafe practices.
Intelligent sensing systems offer more opportunities to optimize the onward flow of goods in high-speed production environments by using robust safety systems. They avoid unnecessary stoppages and downtime, and protect people.
Muting, a protective field
To ensure a continuous flow of materials, an electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPE), like safety light curtains and safety laser scanners, must allow objects through the protective field without triggering a safety response that stops the machinery, but must still react if a person breaks the field by reaching into the area. The most common implementation is to temporarily “mute” the ESPE while the material is passing, by using additional sensors to detect either a recognized object or a person. Muting systems still have a residual risk while the
The development in intelligent sensing systems has also enabled safety light curtain solutions to be marketed as pre-certified alternatives to classic muting. Any Type 4 ESPE can be configured to use the Safe Entry Exit, using one safety controller to evaluate several material gates simultaneously. Plug-and-play safety light curtain solutions have become available that use intelligent pattern recognition to detect pre-determined objects without muting sensors. People are often surprised to learn that manufacturers with the best safety records are often those with the highest productivity. Machinery safety regulations and standards are there to protect employees, but a well-designed safety system will also be one that enables operating efficiency, rather than hinders it. Choosing the right safety solution is, therefore, paramount to achieving optimum material flows.
Intelligent sensing systems and software are now being developed for machinery safety that can enable operators to progress quickly to installed and fully-certified systems that can avoid unnecessary machinery downtime, while continuing to safeguard their workforce. ce
Dr. Martin Kidman is safety solutions market product manager at Sick. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com. This appeared on the Control Engineering Europe website on July 13, 2023.
controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Machine safety, safety sensors
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand various options for modern machine safety. CONSIDER THIS Safety and productivity are complementary, not contradictory. ONLINE
More information is available in the original Control Engineering Europe post: Safety and productivity can be compatible.
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We kick acid.
Stainless steel servos motors from SEW-EURODRIVE keep things moving wherever machines and systems are subject to particularly intensive cleaning. Whether used for material handling, intralogistics or sanitary applications, their hygienic properties, long operating life, and maintenance friendliness make them optimally suited in permanently wet environments like food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries.
