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• Three-phase 208- 230/460 VAC from 1/3 to 20 hp
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Marathon SYMAX PMAC Motors
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WEG CFW500 Drives
WEG CFW500 High-Performance AC Drives
WEG CFW500 series drives support closed-loop flux vector speed control as well as torque control modes and can operate both AC Induction motors and permanent magnet AC motors such as those used in conveyors, fans, pumps, HVAC and material handling.
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• Speed and torque control down to 0 (zero) rpm & precision of 0.01% for speed control are attainable with closed-loop encoder feedback using vector control
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• Linear and “S” ramp acceleration and deceleration
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• PID regulator & PID sleep mode
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• Plenty of built-in I/O, expandable with option modules
• STO - Safe Torque Off (TUV certified) with option module
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INNOVATIONS
44 | Digitalization, open automation cuts commissioning time 30%, creates services
45 | New Products for Engineers
Differential measurement system, Automated gear tooth grinder, Controller for indoor units, Industrial EtherNet/IP switch, 10Gpbs Cat6A Ethernet cables, 4 to 20 mA conductivity sensor, Compact fanless embedded computer, M8 Connector for SPE applications, Connected components workbench software.
See more products in every issue. www.controleng.com/NPE.
47 | Back to Basics: Taking a dynamic approach to safety
For the 2023 Control Engineering Product of the Year awards program (formerly known as Engineers' Choice Awards), 74 nominees cover 14 categories. Subscriber voting opened on Feb. 1 and closes on March 14. The ballot will be accessible via www.controleng.com/eventsand-awards/product-of-the-year and hosted in Alchemer (formerly SurveyGizmo). Winners will be featured in the next version of the Product of the Year eBook on Thursday, June 1, 2023.
NEWSLETTER: Motors and Drives
• How to optimize industrial motor communications, Part 1, data types
• Eight frequently-neglected VFD parameters to optimize
• Integrated stepper motors trim accurate metal forming costs
• WEBCAST: Data-as-a-service: The Trends and Technologies Powering the Future
Keep up with emerging trends: subscribe. www.controleng.com/newsletters.
Do you market to engineers or know someone who does?
Marketing to Engineers, May 3, in Chicago. Learn more at http://tiny.cc/M2E2023
MARCH 2023
u Control Engineering eBook series: Robotics Winter Edition
Robotics are one of the fastest-growing industries and their impact can be felt on many manufacturing floors. There’s more to the robot, however, than what you see on the plant floor. Featured articles include:
• Assembler robot groups have potential for making larger structures
• Soft robots grip with the right amount of force
• Robots deployed to improve on-the-job safety for retail workers
• Robot integration ease of use a priority Learn more at www.controleng.com/ebooks
u Global System Integrator Report
Supplement to November/
December Control Engineering and Plant Engineering includes System Integrator of the Year, System Integrator Giants, application stories. www.controleng.com/ magazine
u Control Engineering digital edition
The tablet and digital editions provide links to additional article images and text online and links to other related, useful resources.
www.controleng.com/ magazine
Online Highlights
Engineers to advance nanomedicine manufacturing using AI
u A NOVEL COMBINATION of artificial intelligence and production techniques could change the future of nanomedicine, according to Cornell researchers using a new $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to revolutionize how polymer nanoparticles are manufactured.
Polymer nanoparticles have emerged as a powerful tool for delivering medicine to precisely the right place, at the right time, inside the human body, but their use has been limited by the complexity of manufacturing.
“It can take decades for a company to design a molecular recipe and make it consistently reproducible at a large scale,” said Rong Yang, assistant professor in the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and lead investigator on the grant. “There’s a bottleneck going from bench-scale synthesis to industry-scale manufacturing, and that’s what we’re trying to address.”
Yang and collaborators will be utilizing AI to analyze and guide the production of polymer nanoparticles in real time. As nanoparticles are being synthesized with an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) system, the researchers will incorporate liquid crystals that leave an “optical fingerprint” to be read by computer vision. The resulting data will be employed to train a convolutional neural network to identify information about the polymer nanoparticles, and then used for real-time, automated decision-making during the assembly process. ce
Syl Kacapyr is associate director of marketing and communications for the College of Engineering at Cornell University.
Improving PLC version control, device backup using modern Git workflows
u PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER (PLC) programmers explained Git-based source control and the benefits it can provide users in a Control Engineering Feb. 7 webcast that will be archived for a year. Git is the standard source control system for software development – and for good reason. It tracks all changes, displays the differences among code versions, and enables greater collaboration. These tools are now applied to industrial automation, driving greater productivity, code quality and machine uptime. Webcast presenters Darren Henry, vice president of marketing, and Vaughn Varma, technical marketing manager, both with Copia Automation, explain most PLC programmers use the archive folder workflow to manage PLC code, which might be okay as a short-term solution, but it does lead to problems because it provides limited context. On top of that, changes made at the factory floor are difficult to track and companies can lose visibility into the latest working code. Programmers also duplicate code, and this has a negative effect on recovery speed. ce
Chris Vavra, CFE Media and Technology.
Control Engineering hot topics, February 2023
u HOT TOPICS in Control Engineering, for February 2023, for stories posted in the last three months included VFD parameters, Microsoft DCOM, superconductivity, control systems and more. Link to each article below.
1. Eight frequently-neglected VFD parameters to optimize
2. Analysis: Ability to delay Microsoft DCOM hardening patch ends as of March 2023
3. Superconductivity switches on and off in magic-angle graphene
4. Taking control of your control system
5. Hot Control Engineering controllers articles in 2022
6. Six industrial robotics trends for 2023
7. Leading edge machine safety controls solutions
8. HMI/SCADA systems: Upgrade your migration
9. Gaining actionable insight with SCADA systems
10. Leveraging MQTT, industrial edge devices in automation projects
On Mondays, see the top 5 articles of the prior week.
Chris Vavra is web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
Protecting oil and gas infrastructure with fiber-optic cable sensing
u DISTRIBUTED ACOUSTIC SENSING (DAS) can help prevent asset damage by continuously monitoring activity across thousands of miles of oil and gas infrastructure. Five threats to oil and gas infrastructure are:
1. Unplanned activities. When excavation or construction work is performed with no dig ticket filed, asset owners have no awareness of the situation.
2. Communication issues around planned work. There may be locating or marking errors, faded or washed away markers, or lack of notification to asset owners.
3. Operator errors during planned work.
4. Unauthorized access.
5. Environmental conditions. O&G assets may be at risk from fires, falling trees, falling rocks, landslides and earthquakes.
Trent Peugh is chief executive officer of Terra Sound.
2023: The year ahead for automation market M&A, capital markets
The automation industry remains strong and robust, but there are questions ahead.
See 7 automation insights for the M&A and capital placement markets.
Looking ahead for automation market insights through 2023 requires looking back for economic and merger and acquisition (M&A) context. From 2014 to 2021, the U.S. mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market experienced a tremendous amount of activity relative to the years immediately following the Great Recession. In 2022, the M&A market experienced a pullback relative to 2021’s performance by historical standards, but M&A activity held strong and remained on solid footing. The automation M&A market maintained a robust pace, reflecting the industry’s resiliency and growth.
Over the past 12 months, the global economy has experienced new challenges, including supply chain bottlenecks, torrid inflation, rising interest rates and a recession threat. Clients continued to perform well in 2022, especially in the automation sector, and are aware of these headwinds. Questions continue from owners and executives regarding the future for the
economy and M&A markets.
Questions are 1) If there is a recession in 2023, then what will the impact be on my industry and company? 2) What does the next year look like for the mergers and acquisitions, capital placement markets and the value of my business?
Automation market insights follow:
1. If a recession, impacts differ
A recession could happen, but not all companies will be significantly affected. No one knows for certain if a recession will happen in 2023. We often advise clients to plan for the worst and hope for the best; therefore, we recommend companies to prepare for a recession in 2023.
During down periods, the market fleshes out which services and solutions are of greatest importance to businesses and consumers. Industries and companies that provide mission-critical offerings, such as automation solutions, are expected to maintain quality momentum over the next 12
months. Companies in the discretionary offerings category, or that are embedded in more cyclical industries, could be more negatively impacted in a recession.
2. Value in automation
Buyers and investors will hunt for value acquisitions. Even in strong economies, buyers are focused on finding quality companies to buy at lower valuations. A recessionary environment gives strategic buyers and financial sponsors a more powerful excuse to extend due diligence, create doubt about the selling company and try to acquire the business at a lower valuation.
For organizations seeking to sell or raise capital in 2023, the owners and executives should focus on developing and maintaining an optimal position of strength to protect and drive value. For an in-demand market such as automation, company owners should use the power of buyer competition to exit at a premium value.
3. Adding automation acquisitions
Add-on acquisitions for existing automation platform investments will be common in 2023 because:
• A company can realize synergies by buying complementary add-on firms.
• On average, add-on acquisitions require a relatively lower capital outlay than a platform acquisition, which results in a lower risk transaction for the buyer.
• The automation sector has a robust number of existing platforms. The market has an equally broad range of add-on acquisition opportunities due to the fragmented nature of the automation sector.
FIGURE 1: Mergers and acquisitions fell off from the record of 2021 with 600 fewer deals in 2022 and the total deal value was $600 million less, as well. Courtesy: PitchBook/Bundy Group
2: The automation sector has shown double-digit growth in annual robotics orders and the mobile robot market is expected to grow from $3 billion in 2021 to $19 billion by 2027. Courtesy: Bundy Group
4. Valuation direction
Which direction will business valuations go in 2023? A potential recessionary environment, coupled with higher costs of capital, can negatively impact valuations. A company can retain value by:
• Operating in a non-cyclical industry, such as the automation market.
• Providing critical offerings.
• Managing by such fundamentals as stability, profitability, and growth.
• Using the power of buyer and investor competition to maximize value.
The automation market has continued to demonstrate an increasing valuation trend over the past five years. While macroeconomic trends could place pressure on valuations for automation firms, the extreme demand of buyers for automation firms should serve as a counterbalance.
5. Available capital
There continues to be an enormous pool of capital in the market available to invest in the private markets; Approximately $3.3 trillion in cumulative global overhang, or capital committed by investors for private company investments, has not been invested. Financial sponsors managing this pool of capital would much prefer putting these funds to work instead of giving them back to investors. Debt capital providers are numerous, but 2023 will see lenders be selective in deals they pursue and will likely require higher equity contributions by strategic and financial sponsor buyers for transactions.
6. Targeted processes
In 2023, it will be more critical for a seller
or firm raising capital to select the right parties for conversations. Instead of running a broad competitive process, it could be more advantageous to start with a highly targeted group of strategic buyers and financial sponsors that understand the seller’s industry, have a track record of closing transactions in the segment, be well capitalized and demonstrate an aggressive acquisition focus.
7. Options to full ownership
Options are available for sale beyond full or majority ownership. Companies may not be interested in a full or majority equity liquidity event today, but the owners may require capital for funding growth, partner buyout, refinancing debt or paying the owners a dividend. Organizations may desire a capital provider that can offer additional resources.
• Senior debt: Using commercial bank debt or debt from private lenders at commercial banking-like terms.
• Debt and minority equity: Using a combination of senior and/or junior debt, in coordination with selling minority equity or offering equity warrants. Over the past decade, the market has seen the evolution of these groups, offering a wider range of flexible capital options for companies.
• Minority equity: Companies that want to avoid leverage and don’t want to give up equity control can pursue a sale of minority equity to capital groups that provide this solution.
FIGURE 3: In a survey, almost a third of respondents expected add-on acquisitions to be the most common kind of deal made by companies in 2023. Distressed/restructurings and platform acquisitions rounded out the top 3. Courtesy: Middle Market Growth Magazine/Bundy Group
As 2023 continues, it is certain to be an interesting and dynamic year. The macroeconomic environment could create a wider gulf between companies in business performance, value retention and ability to sell or raise capital. Bundy Group is optimistic about the automation market and continued momentum in mergers and acquisitions. ce
Clint Bundy is managing director, Bundy Group, which helps with mergers, acquisitions and raising capital. Bundy Group is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering and CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
FIGURE
INSIGHTS
When dealing with obsolescence becomes a challenge
A system integrator upgraded a decades-old obsolete system to a current high-speed system over a weekend.
EOnline controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Case study, obsolescence
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
It takes careful planning to ensure that PLC upgrades to obsolete hardware can be completed without disrupting production deadlines.
Open communications with onsite operations teams make it easier to identify systems in need of audit and document the existing setup.
When performing an upgrade rapidly, more testing and calibration is necessary than in a simple, incremental upgrade done over time.
How can rapid overhauls of existing control systems be performed more efficiently?
ngineers were contracted to update and replace obsolete hardware in a pickle plant. They knew that if the one centralized legacy programmable logic controller (PLC) that controlled five systems responsible for over 50% of pickle production failed, they would be shutting down the entire plant to identify and fix the issue, leading the company to lose valuable time and revenue during peak production periods. To upgrade and separate the equipment, the five systems controlled by the central PLC would need to be migrated and have all communication transitioned to Ethernet.
Three identified challenges
Because there were a number of hurdles to take into consideration when beginning this upgrade, it took careful planning to ensure this project could be completed without disrupting production or extending the deadline.
First, the team needed to map the three decades
of piecemeal undocumented upgrades that were currently keeping systems operational.
Second, understanding the facility used only fresh produce, and at certain times ran at close to 110% production capacity. This meant upgrades had to be completed over the weekend and often tested early Monday before they began production, requiring our team to pivot quickly and mitigate any potential hiccups that might occur.
Finally, the plant itself was located in Michigan, and some of the panels in need of upgrade were outside. If shut down in winter, it could potentially damage the pumps responsible for moving hundreds of gallons of water and pickles from frigid conditions into the plant.
There was a small window between cold conditions and production ramp up to execute, test and ensure operation of the modernized systems. At this point, clear communication and setting realistic expectations with the site was now critical.
Solution: Identify 5 systems, document
Open communication with the onsite operations team was invaluable as it made it much easier to directly identify those five systems in need of audit and document the existing setup. This allowed the team to lay out the best solution for an install required over a very truncated timetable.
The decision was made to tackle the conversion of the largest system first. It consisted of a 17 slot PLC-5 rack (Rockwell Automation) and 12 hardwired drives, with a mix of 120 V digital inputs/ outputs (I/Os) and analog inputs. All of this was converted to over an Ethernet connection. NAT modules were then used to connect the PLCs to the network. This would allow the new ethernet control system to remain isolated while still enabling
FIGURE 1: The original data highway network prior to upgrade. Images courtesy: E Tech Group
FIGURE 2: The first system consisted of 17 slot PLC-5 (Rockwell Automation) rack and 12 hardwired drives, with a mix of 120 V digital inputs/outputs (I/Os) and analog inputs. Before/after photos show upgrades.
the controller to communicate with the network.
While the hardware installation was simple, programming proved to be a bit more challenging. Since the original PLC-5 had to stay in place, code for the newly independent system had to be disabled in the PLC-5 once the new controller came online. Numerous messages between the PLCs had to be mapped and tested, including some with other controllers. All the IO was then remapped and as much of the process functionality as possible was tested and confirmed operational.
While systems 2 and 3 were smaller, they were no less complicated. Communication with the original PLC-5 still had to be set up and tested, while messaging between the PLC-5 and each of the new controllers had to be configured.
Control was then disabled in the original PLC so the new ones could be tested. From here, they were able to remove the disabled logic in the original PLC-5 for system 1, as it had been running for several weeks with no issue and established confidence in the controller.
The conversion for systems 4 and 5 was similar to system 1. PLC-5 IO racks used hard-wired drives, and both were converted to drives over Ethernet.
As in system 1, NAT modules were used to keep the systems on the plant network but remain isolated. The same cutover approach was repeated as with the first three systems where logic was disabled in the original PLC as systems 4 and 5 came online. Messaging between the original PLC-5 and the new controllers was configured, along with communication to several other
controllers. Disabled logic in the original controller for systems 2 and 3 was removed at this point. The team was then able to remotely remove disabled logic for systems 4 and 5.
Project results
As with any large installation to be completed quickly, the need for troubleshooting issues can increase. Because a decades-old and obsolete system was upgraded to a current high-speed system (ControlLogix or CompactLogix from Rockwell Automation) and over a weekend, there was more testing and calibrating necessary than if it were a more simple, incremental upgrade done over time.
Learning the client wanted to walk in Monday morning and resume production at 100%, the team had to manage those expectations by communicating the need to ensure functionality at all stages of production.
Instead, they would need to begin at 50% and increase gradually to 100%. This would allow for an easier shut down to solve any potential bugs or hiccups that may arise before reaching full production.
The team’s clear communication and ability to manage the client’s expectations, coupled with the expert work of our engineers, has opened the door to a multi-year project with the potential for future work.
ce
George Bruce is group engineering manager at E Tech Group. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
FIGURE 3: Communication with the original PLC-5 still had to be set up and tested, while messaging between the PLC-5 and each of the new controllers had to be configured.
FIGURE 4: The conversion for systems 4 and 5 was similar to system 1. As in system 1, NAT modules were used to keep the systems on the plant network but remain isolated.
Insightsu
Obsolescence
u To upgrade and separate the equipment, five systems controlled by a central PLC needed to be migrated with all communications transitioned to Ethernet.
uThe team needed to map three decades of piecemeal undocumented upgrades.
uThe largest system consisted of a 17 slot PLC rack, 12 hard-wired drives and 120V digital inputs/outputs and analog inputs.
New version control, backup strategies for industrial automation
Webcast on industrial automation and PLC programming tools demonstrates how efficiency and quality can increase. Includes software demo.
Also see the Feb. 7 webcast on PLC version control and device backup: https://www.controleng. com/webcasts/improvingplc-version-control-anddevice-backup-usingmodern-git-workflows/
evOps workflows (workflow practices adopted for software development and IT operations) have transformed software development and are now being applied to industrial automation, including for version control and backups for code development in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), programmable automation controllers (PACs) and industrial PCs (IPCs), among others. Control teams can now collaborate, reuse code, and review program changes more effectively using browser-based tools.
Streamline programming workflows
A Control Engineering webcast on Dec. 7, 2022, (archived for a year) is designed to help viewers better understand how to take control and streamline industrial automation programming workflows, increase productivity, efficiency and quality across an organization. This can help with PLCs and other industrial controller versioning and backups from Rockwell Automation, Siemens and Beckhoff along with other vendor PLCs that use the CODESYS programming platform.
Information below previews some of the information in the webcast, “New Version Control and Backup Strategies for Industrial Automation.”
An audience poll question, for those listening live, asks “How are you currently managing version of your PLC files?”
Removing painful manual steps in automation, PLC programming
The webcast explains most software development teams use DevOps practices to remove painful manual steps, develop code quickly, reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency. Such practices help developers understand the current state of code and its evolution. Code review, reuse
A Control Engineering webcast on Dec. 7, 2022, discussed ways for viewers to better understand how to take control and streamline industrial automation programming. Courtesy: Copia Automation
and collaboration are faster and more efficient. Productivity increases with team size. If that doesn’t sound like how things happen at your company, there’s a reason.
Many industrial automation tools haven’t kept pace with traditional software development. Archive folder workflow has disadvantages, such as limited context. Plant floor operational actions also can add complexity and result in lost visibility.
The webcast also explains more about how gitbased strategies improve PLC code development. A demonstration provides examples showing the power of git when it comes to automation and PLC programming. ce
Darren Henry is vice president of marketing; Vaughn Varma is technical marketing manager, Copia. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
More on next-gen automation
Experts provide more answers on how next generation automation will help in 2023, part of the “How to automate series” of webcasts.
Control system integrators provided more answers about how they anticipate next-generation technologies will help in 2023, after the Control Engineering Jan. 18 webcast, archived for a year. Presenters for the webcast, from the firms named 2023 System Integrator of the Year, are:
- Tyler Graham, director business development-digital transformation, and Randy Rausch, director of technologydigital transformation, Eosys.
-Mike Howard, vice president of system integration at George T. Hall.
How can I leverage new technologies with legacy equipment?
Rausch: Some items, like the asset administration shell, can be implemented on top of legacy equipment. Other technologies may need a middleware layer to translate into the new ecosystems.
Howard: We've had great results in a phased approach with programmable logic controller systems using modernization tools to start with replacing the central processing unit and associated software applications to prove the system. From there, the legacy systems, network and input and output modules can be phased out over time.
Q: What is a GEMBA walk?
Graham: Gemba is a Japanese lean term that means “the actual place.” In the case of a digital transformation workshop, it is
MEDIA SHOWCASE FOR ENGINEERS
In a Control Engineering webcast, Jan. 18, 2022, award winning control system integrators explain what technologies are helping their clients automate more effectively in 2023. Courtesy: Control Engineering
important to go to the location to see the process and plant floor systems in person.
With this article online, see more on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, Universal Automation (IEC 61499) and ontology.
Mark T. Hoske is content manager, Control Engineering, and webcast moderator.
May3, 2023
Industrial enclosure tips
Electronic, computing components health
Without industrial enclosures, sensitive automation components wouldn’t stand a chance in the field, exposed to moisture, heat, dust and other hazardous environmental conditions. In “How to choose an industrial enclosure,” an exclusive video interview from Control Engineering , Jody Kinney, product manager at AutomationDirect, discusses how to select an enclosure. Advice from the video follows.
“WE’RE SEEING a lot more growth in smaller, more specialized enclosures… With [manufacturers requiring] this, we’re seeing a lot of demand for non-metallic or plastic enclosures to ease customization and drive down costs,” said Jody Kinney, product manager at AutomationDirect.
Increasingly, enclosures designs are becoming smaller and more decentralized to accommodate the proliferation of automated devices, as well as circuit boards, electrical components and panels. These smaller enclosures are often produced in plastic or cast aluminum to reduce costs and ease the process of customization.
Common types include: Wall, floor-mounted, free
standing, rack-based (for servers) and sanitary or hygienic enclosures. Operator-interface type enclosures that protect screens, pushbuttons and keyboards in simple or swing-mounted designs are becoming more popular. Other growing trends include power systems that have exterior power-off safety requirements and designs that accommodate electronic cooling options and various other openings for devices and communications. ce
David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com, conducted the interview.
Automation trends and applications such as need for interoperability and determinism have shaped industrial Ethernet use. EtherCAT structure has advantages.
Industrial networking can help automation applications be more efficient, productive and safer, as explained by Bob Trask, PE, North American Representative EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) in a Control Engineering interview.
As for applications, EtherCAT is very popular in high end motion systems, synchronized processes and robotics. EtherCAT has advantages because of a very accurate system time through the concept of distributed clocks. Distributed clock capability is built into every EtherCAT device; it only has to be enabled.
A common mistake is to assume EtherCAT is only used for high end systems, which is not the case. EtherCAT is more often used because of the flexible topology possibilities and not having to use switches, which results in much less cabling. EtherCAT has a reputation with original equipment manufacturers and end users for being significantly easier to implement systems especially regarding installation.
Three areas of application domination include huge telescopes, entertainment and semiconductor manufacturing. Three areas of increased use include space hardware manufacturing, medical robotics and humanoid robotics.
EtherCAT and ETG are known for consistency, openness, interoperability, device
controleng.com
ONLINE
https://www.controleng.com/videos
https://www.ethercat.org/en/technology.html
https://www.ethercat.org/en/downloads.html
ETHERCAT STRUCTURE, advantages, communications, functional safety, diagnostics and other attributes provide advantages to those using the protocol, explained Bob Trask, North American Representative EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG), in three videos with Control Engineering and this article summary. Courtesy: EtherCAT Technology Group and Control Engineering
conformance and one-member-one-vote governance. Network planning and implementation is straightforward, without switches or addressing, using the topology best for the application. Machine and process modules can be repeated with the same components, safety setup and device addresses without IP conflict. Drop it in and go. ETG works closely with the OPC Foundation and OPC UA and has advantages for functional safety communications, diagnostics and interoperability. At http://ethercat. org, “ETG.2200 Implementation Guide.” is the most popular public document. ce
Edited from video interview and Bob Trask notes by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com. EtherCAT Technology Group is a CFE Media and Technology content partner.
Boosting quantum computing signals while reducing noise
uA certain amount of noise is inherent in any quantum system. When researchers want to read information from a quantum computer, which harnesses quantum mechanical phenomena to solve certain problems too complex for classical computers, the same quantum mechanics also imparts a minimum level of unavoidable error that limits measurement accuracy. Scientists can get around the limitation by using “parametric” amplification to “squeeze” the noise, a quantum phenomenon that decreases the noise affecting one variable while increasing the noise that affects its conjugate partner. While the total noise remains the same, it is redistributed. Researchers can then make more accurate measurements by looking at the lower-noise variable.
Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have developed a new superconducting parametric amplifier that operates with the gain of previous narrowband squeezers to achieve quantum squeezing over larger bandwidths. The work is the first to demonstrate squeezing over a broad frequency bandwidth of up to 1.75 GHz while maintaining a high degree of squeezing (selective noise reduction). Previous microwave parametric amplifiers usually achieved 100 MHz or less. It may enable scientists to read quantum information more efficiently, leading to faster, more accurate quantum systems. ce
Adam Zewe is with the MIT News Office.
Hot Control Engineering controllers articles in 2022
CONTROL ENGINEERING top 5 articles online about controllers posted over the last year covered PLC programming advice, tips and picking the best controller. Also see additional controller stories with this article online. (Click the headline if reading the digital edition).
1. PLC programming: What you need to know, July 7: While the programmable logic controller (PLC) is very important, the programming inside the controller is just as critical and can be overlooked.
2. PLC programming dos and don’ts to consider, Oct. 26: Programmable logic controller (PLC) programming is often done to resolve an immediate problem, but this can lead to long-term issues, particularly if the original programmer isn’t around.
3. 7 tips every PLC programmer should know, May 16: A good programmable logic controller (PLC) programmer should keep the end user in mind when writing code and implement it that is best for the situation.
4. Tutorial: How to find the best controller, Sept. 6: Control system designers consistently seek the best control method for an application. See examples, equations and graphics.
5. Understanding the critical role of metrics for advanced process controls, March 1: Advanced process controls (APC) requires appropriate metrics, or key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure safe, efficient operations. Alarms, relief valves, safety systems and APC need monitoring. Learn five good APC metrics, the missing metric and four recommended practices for APC metrics. ce
Chris Vavra is the web content manager for CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
THIS IMAGE SHOWS many Josephson traveling-wave parametric amplifiers on a silicon wafer. Chaining more than 3,000 of these devices together enabled the researchers to achieve broadband amplification and high levels of quantum squeezing. Courtesy: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Online controleng.com
Top 5 Control Engineering content: February 20-26, 2023
The top 5 articles from the past week include cybersecurity news, mergers and acquisitions, and neural networks.
Automation mergers, acquisitions, capital markets analysis: February 2023
The Bundy Group reported six automation transactions in the month of February. Analysis on the acquisitions and reports are highlighted below.
Taking a dynamic approach to safety
There is great importance of taking a dynamic approach to safety in smart manufacturing facilities in order to avoid risk.
North American robot sales reach record high in 2022
More than 44,000 robots were ordered in 2022, up 11% over 2021, as automotive companies are turning to robots to help boost electric vehicle (EV) production, said A3.
MQTT’s benefits for digital transformation Message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) addresses many of the challenges involved in today’s increasingly complex industrial networks and can boost digital transformation initiatives.
SHOWS, CONFERENCES
March 20-23 ProMat, https://www.promatshow.com
April 12, 13, Manufacturing in America, https://www.attendmia.com
April 17-21, Hannover Messe, https://www.hannovermesse.de/en/ May 3, Marketing to Engineers, https://www.cfemedia.com/m2e May 15-19, CSIA 2320 Executive Conference, https://www.controlsys.org/events/ conference2023
May 22-25, Automate, https://www.automateshow.com
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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
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TM Technology and
How the control engineering profession helps sustainability
Control loop visibility delivers sustainability goals.
Industrial and other sectors have created targets to adjust emissions believed to be causing climate warming. Those familiar with controls, automation and instrumentation are helping. Knowledge of measurements, controls and actuation (the control loop) can be applied to climate change goals, widely referred to as sustainability.
The 2023 ARC Industry Forum, in Orlando, Feb. 6-9, included discussions about digitalization, optimization of operations, energy efficiency and sustainability, among other topics. Shell in the petrochemical industry and ZF Group in the automotive energy explained how digitalization efforts are helping meet sustainability goals.
Sustainability goals, progress
As industry looks at energy use transitions, petrochemical company Shell is shifting attention to digitalization, optimization and sustainability. The energy industry is in transition, and Allen Pertuit, Shell vice president of downstream projects, said digitalization, automation and instrumentation investments are helping. Shell’s diversifying portfolio includes chemical, biofuels, renewables, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen facilities and other. Shell committed to reduce emissions and is targeting net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A renewable natural gas plant extracts gas from the waste from 30,000 cows, with digesters the size of mid-sized stadiums, giving leftovers back to farmers for fertilizer. A converted refinery creates diesel fuel from waste vegetable oil. CCS technologies also are being pursued, he said.
Technologies applied to measure and optimize facilities help sustainability efforts also can improve safety and improve revenue by predicting failures. Shell has remote video communications to connect to 345 oil platforms.
Intrinsically safe tablet computers help with remote operations. Interoperability standards help especially for new upgrade projects. New energy plants are smaller facilities with greater need to leverage profits more quickly.
Digital manufacturing and smart manufacturing enable sustainability efforts for ZF Group, an automotive manufacturer, which provides motion controls for automotive, industrial and wind power. ZF Group is using digital transformation for faster smart factory implementations to meet sustainability requirements.
ZF Group hopes to be free of carbon emissions by 2040, and, by 2030, realize an 80% reduction from its plants’ CO2 emissions versus 2019 levels and 40% less CO2 emissions from supply chain and product use versus 2019 levels, said Gabriel Gonzalez-Alanso, ZF Group senior vice president, corporate production management. Doing so requires measurement, controls and faster smart factory implementations. Using agile methodologies leads to better outcomes. It is not cheap nor fast, he said, noting ZF has been working at digitalization for 4 years. Gonzalez-Alanso expects 5 to 7% improvements at each plant with enhanced productivity, increased efficiency and transparency, flexibility, quicker value and reduced complexity for the workforce.
Think again about how automation, controls and instrumentation expertise can help lead sustainability efforts. ce
Mark T. Hoske is content manager, Control Engineering.
Controllers, interfaces provide advanced edge computing capabilities
Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are used for real-time control, but now they can do much more to ease implementation of analytics and other needs with edge computing technologies.
FIGURE 1: Significant and valuable data is available from PLCs and IIoT devices at the operational edge, and there are now many options for communicating this data via edge controllers to on-site or cloud-based resources for monitoring and analysis. Images courtesy: AutomationDirect
More than ever, consumers want to have it their way with many different types of products, and manufacturers need advanced automation and controls to install at the edge and support consumer demands. Manufacturing flexibility presents a problem because mass production and standardization are typically the best formula for efficiency and cost reduction, yet these concepts do not mesh well with consumer demand for more customized products. Many industries are turning to data-driven solutions to improve the responsiveness and quality of products, services and manufacturing. This in turn has led to deeper integration of operational technology (OT) production systems with information technology (IT) enterprise systems, and edge computing can help. Such integration is necessary not only for mass customization, but also to collect and process data for continuous improvement, quality control and trackand-trace efforts. This data also has been foundational for predictive, prescriptive and descriptive analytics. Data is the key to enabling dynamic changes for agile production, and for optimizing operation and energy consumption. That's why industrial companies seek the most effective ways to connect with the valuable data contained within their manufacturing systems and put it to good use. How can industrial automation designers, especially original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), adapt to the growing need for data and deep integration with enterprise systems?
Manufacturing products, data
Manufacturing systems clearly produce products, and they increasingly are producing data also. More data is being created today than at any point in history. According to the Domo, creators of “Data Never Sleeps” infographics, over the past decade the total
amount of data predicted to be created, captured, copied and consumed globally in 2022 is 97 zettabytes (ZB). Manufacturing leads the way, with more data stored than any other sector, including government.
To generate and handle these data volumes, there has been a massive expansion of digital transformation, smart devices and industrial internet of things (IIoT) technologies implemented throughout industry. Most manufacturers and OEMs are recognizing the data generated by their control and monitoring systems on the plant floor is digital gold, but only if it can be easily accessed and quickly acted upon.
More technology options exist for connecting with data. Connecting with, contextualizing, transmitting and processing large data sets can be complex and costly because of required infrastructure and security.
Data collection, analytics
For users attempting to access and act upon industrial data sources, the challenge has been connecting with a variety of edge-located target devices, and then transporting and storing the data to where computing and analytics can be performed (Figure 1).
Traditionally, industrial automation systems have been designed with programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) to provide basic control and monitoring functionality. In a typical scenario, data might then be collected via an OPC data server and contextualized in a data historian or supervisory con-
trol and data acquisition (SCADA) system.
The PLCs, HMI/SCADA, and historian were generally segregated from the IT infrastructure. As these OT devices improved, along with the associated networking and communication protocol technology, it became simpler to collect data, even to the extent OT devices could interact more directly with IT systems.
OT and IT convergence has led to a newer class of industrial control and computing device, often called an edge controller. An edge controller generally combines real-time PLC control with general-purpose PLC/ SCADA computing and communications capabilities. Edge controllers communicate well with OT and IT assets and can enable storage and computing resources to shift from a central data center or the cloud, to an edge location where data is generated (Figure 1).
An edge controller can be attractive for some applications, but one consequence of this device is the technology stack becomes much deeper, so the overall cost and required development time may not be practical for many OEM machine builders or smaller end user applications.
A practical data access approach
Machine builders will always preserve a primary focus on robust real-time control and convenient visualization, even as secure remote connectivity, data access and agile production are becoming more important. In some specialized cases, such as machines with annual production runs in the tens
FIGURE 2: Instead of developing custom platforms or over-specifying edge controllers, OEMs and designers can use today’s PLCs to automate their equipment and provide easy connectivity.
Online
controleng.com
KEYWORDS: edge controllers, PLCs, edge computing
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learn about the role controllers and edge devices play in helping manufacturers gather data to improve production and efficiency.
Understand how modern programmable logic controllers (PLCs) differ compared to legacy PLCs and how data is gathered.
ONLINE
With this article online, see more on how PLCs go beyond basic automation.
Also see: https://www.controleng. com/control-systems/ plcs-pacs/
CONSIDER THIS
What role do edge controllers play in enhancing your facility?
ANSWERS
of thousands, it might make sense to develop custom control, computing and connectivity solutions. And in other cases, a project might support the cost of an edge controller and associated development.
A large portion of machine, and even small- to mid-sized general automation applications, are readily served by modern PLCs and HMIs, even where data access is a priority (Figure 2).
This is because modern versions of these devices have incorporated networking, data handling, and processing features to fulfill many IT accessibility
FIGURE 3, COVER: Edge computing capabilities require integration on multiple levels. The AutomationDirect BRX PLC can communicate with a wide variety of OT devices using popular fieldbuses, and it can interact with higher level IT systems using many different methods.
requirements, at a reasonable cost, with straightforward implementation. They support edge computing needs, such as remote connectivity and advanced monitoring and analytical integration. This is evident in modern PLC:
• Networking and communication: Modbus, EtherNet/IP, and Profinet are some of the most popular OT-based communications protocols, or fieldbuses, that many modern, and even some legacy, PLCs support. Until recently, it has been rare for PLCs to include protocols allowing them to seamlessly integrate with enterprise systems. Encryption, data privacy, and other cybersecurity concerns were either not addressed or added later. Some modern PLCs incorporate IT functionality natively in the communication stack by supporting OPC UA, secure integration with local and enterprise email services, Microsoft certified Azure integration, secure REST API, and secure message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) with Sparkplug B and fieldbus protocols (Figure 3).
• Data contextualization: Legacy PLCs often contained unstructured data that required significant supervisory layer rework to prepare it for consumption by enterprise systems. Modern PLC software allows automation designers to create this structure and definition once at the data source, and the PLC firmware can expose the data model for consumption, a “single source of truth” for data-consuming systems.
• Low-latency data processing: Aggregating data locally at the edge typically wasn’t possible with legacy PLCs because of memory and other computing resource constraints, or it was considered a low priority compared with executing control code. Modern PLCs balance memory and processing to allow basic data collection and aggregation locally, while prioritizing execution of real-time control code. This pre-processing is most effective when performed on low-latency data at the source, and it reduces the amount of upstream network traffic and processing required for data intake and transformation.
With modern PLCs, designers have scalable options to develop reliable future-ready automation to integrate with enterprise systems, providing edge computing functionality. ce
Damon Purvis is the PLC product manager at AutomationDirect.com. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
August (Gus) Gremillion, Siemens; Mark Hoske, Control Engineering
Industrial edge helps turn big data into smart data
Industrial edge computing and cloud computing can help motion control, CNC and other applications with analytics.
Using an industrial edge architecture helps manufacturers keep pace with digitalization to help create the digital factory of the future, according to a Control Engineering video interview with August (Gus) Gremillion, Siemens digitalization solutions consultant, who discussed advantages of implementing edge computing, especially for machine tool applications. Information below from Siemens explains more edge architectures, edge computing, and applications for motion control and computer numerical control (CNC).
Edge, cloud computing
The term “edge computing” means shifting computing power to the edge of a network. With traditional local computing, devices are installed and set up once. Data transmission is mostly performed through local networks or external storage media. Updating devices often requires information technology infrastructure and involvement, which is why it is rarely done. For cloud computing, data is transferred to a central data center, processed, and the result re-imported. While the cloud’s data center is powerful, the potential volume of data is restricted by the connection’s bandwidth, meaning it is impossible to use the cloud to all process all generated data. Edge computing technology is an interface between local and global data processing. A powerful industrial computer is located at the machine, helping to process data streams. It functions as an interface with the cloud, which will now be supplied with processed data, decreasing data traffic. Machine-oriented processing effectively uses highfrequency data that permits only a short checkback indication time (latency).
An industrial edge digitalization platform has highly-refined analytics software that expand existing automation capabilities to include machineoriented data processing for manufacturers. Applications are managed and installed via the cloud. This gives the industrial edge an advantage over local networks because applications can be updated at any time without intervening in production. Direct cloud connection allows an industrial edge architecture to upload processed data.
Machine tools generate up to 2 MB of process data per second. Uploading data to the cloud from several machines is impossible. Intelligent algorithms can reduce the volume of data, turning big data into smart data. An industrial edge architecture combines local, efficient data processing in automation with the advantages of the cloud.
Such an architecture combines hardware and software to integrate production and manufacturing data by using edge computers.
While a CNC has a very powerful processing unit, the core competency of CNC design is path and speed control. Using the CNC for edge functions would be impossible because CNC have already been customized by the machine builders and do not offer a uniform platform.
Industrial edge architectures allow technology providers and tool and work-holding manufacturers to develop applications, providing easy, fault-free application programming. Runtime software ensures connectivity with connected automation devices, the edge management system and cloud. ce
Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com,
using information from Siemens.
AUGUST (GUS) GREMILLION, Siemens digitalization solutions consultant, explains how edge computing can add smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 analytics and other functionality to motion, CNC and other applications in a Control Engineering interview posted on YouTube.
Understand how edge computing helps industrial implementations.
Learn how industrial edge implementations can apply analytics and other functionality to motion and CNC applications so the CNC can focus on what it’s designed to do.
CONSIDER THIS
Are you using industrial edge architectures to expand application capabilities?
ONLINE
https://www.controleng.com/ edge-cloud-computing/
ANSWERS
Alan Raveling, Interstates
Five things to know before diving into edge technologies
Edge computing can help companies gather and process data more quickly, but those getting started need to understand how much data they’re processing and how their systems work. Five tips for integrating edge computing are highlighted.
Oownership (TCO) in years one, two and five, and spend time with the operations team to calculate the real savings or value resulting from the proposed solution. Not meeting expectations on the first few edge projects can sour an organization’s willingness to continue bringing in new technologies and solutions which can help them meet business objectives.
2. Data availability for edge computing
ne of the cornerstones of the Smart Manufacturing or Industry 4.0 paradigms is the application of edge technologies. The “edge” refers to the location within the controls process at or near the machinery or equipment. Edge computing located at the edge of the process can quickly process data with less communication latency.
Understand how edge computing can help companies realize Smart Manufacturing goals.
Learn where companies can start in their edge journey and understand potential challenges such as data storage, physical limitations and system integration.
ONLINE
See additional edge computing stories at https://www.controleng.com/ edge-cloud-computing
CONSIDER THIS
What are the biggest challenges or obstacles in integrating edge computing? Online controleng.com
It may be impossible for machine events that occur every second to be sent to the cloud, analyzed, and a response sent back in time for the system to act upon the data before the next event occurs. Placing the technology at the edge enables rapid data processing. However, it also requires proper implementation and integration.
Companies preparing to take the next step with edge technologies should look at these five ways to prepare for and integrate edge computing.
1. Operational challenges or opportunities for edge computing
Before jumping into an edge solution, an organization should define the objectives and results they expect from introducing it to the controls environment. Don’t be afraid to challenge perspective vendors to provide successful case studies and examples of their solutions working for clients in a similar environment. Understand the total cost of
With a specific use case in mind, it’s essential to take the time to determine where the platform receives data and how that data makes its way to the edge solution. In instances where programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensors and other equipment is Ethernet-based, it may be straightforward to have the equipment interact with the edge technologies. In locations where data resides in non-Ethernet networks such as RS485 or ControlNet (from ODVA), additional equipment such as input/output (I/O) gateways may need to be integrated with edge computing to enable access to the data. The polling speed of edge technology also must be assessed to ensure the process equipment can tolerate the additional load and the frequency of the information generated or collected by the equipment aligns to prevent unnecessary polling.
3. Data storage for edge computing
When creating a solution that leverages edge computing, application developers must determine how much controls data must persist and where the data can exist. In applications such as machine learning (ML), where large volumes of data are necessary for training, edge technologies may not be able to hold the data. It would need to be held upstream, such as in a data center or a cloud solution. Large data files such as images or videos fill up storage and create a larger strain on networks for data transportation if there’s a need to archive
or send it to an alternative location. Determining each piece of data’s lifespan and where it resides at each lifecycle stage helps aid in the design of edge solutions to help mandate which technology to use.
4. Physical considerations for edge computing
One often overlooked area when discussing edge solutions is the real-world issues with installing equipment. Will the equipment be installed within machine control panels or in a new or dedicated panel? Is there a standard receptacle free for the power cord, or will the edge device need to operate on 24 V power? Is networking accessible to the edge devices, or will new networking cables or equipment be required? Project plans can be thrown off schedule without evaluating the physical locations where edge solutions are slated to be installed. Once installed, those supporting the applications and solutions should understand the access to the edge technologies. They may not have the appropriate certifications or safety training to access the panels or locations of these platforms.
5. Developing technical skills for edge computing
Many edge solutions use standard operating systems and programs underneath impressive-looking web-based management portals and dashboards. Organizations should seek to understand from vendors what skillsets and activities are involved in the ongoing maintenance and support of edge-computing technology. For example, the use of Linux instead of Microsoft Windows on many of the newer edge computing solutions has resulted in a skills gap in areas where most applications have operated on Windows-based operating systems.
Now, edge technologies are more frequently using microservices such as those from Docker or Kubernetes, which operate on concepts and architectures very different from the applications and platforms that operate process control solutions. Understanding who and how any support, maintenance, or changes to edge devices can be carried out is critical to ensuring the sustainability of any implemented solutions.
Controls engineers, edge computing collaboration
Edge technologies offer various capabilities and possibilities for organizations bring-
5 FAST THINGS about edge computing
Those involved in automation and controls can prepare for edge computing integration by considering:
u Operational challenges or opportunities for edge computing
u Data availability for edge computing
u Data storage for edge computing
u Physical considerations for edge computing
u Developing technical skills for edge computing.
ing excitement and concern. Without proper research, planning, and a solid implementation strategy, the first project could also become the last. It’s crucial for controls engineers, data analysts, business leadership and the vendor to work together to understand the best set of technologies for the specific environment and the require-
‘ Edge computing enables rapid data processing and requires proper implementation and integration.
ments and prerequisites needed for success. Be wary, but remain curious, of those who promise drop-in solutions with minimal effort required for implementation. This landscape rapidly changes, and it is important to stay informed of the new capabilities and functionality available in edge solutions. What was considered impracticable a few years ago is now a commodity. For organizations wanting to integrate edge solutions into their environments, start small with challenges that can bring quick wins, then apply those learnings to larger and more complex challenges. The possibilities these technologies bring are exciting and will transform how engineers think about machine and process control. ce
Alan Raveling is OT architect at Interstates and an Engineering Leader Under 40 winner. Interstates is a CFE Media and Technology content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
Edge computing technology
uEdge technologies help manufacturers get the most out of a Smart Manufacturing initiative.
uCompanies using edge computing still need to integrate the right technologies and systems to gather and process the data so the people responsible can make the right decisions.
Nishita Palkar, Emerson
Evaluating edge opportunities
For a rapid and reliable edge approach, see 9 elements of edge automation platforms. An implementation saved 30% water use.
It is no secret technological advances applied within manufacturing and processing industries have long been perceived as behind compared to those developed for consumer products. This pattern was largely by design because the mission-critical proven automation and controls performance required by industrial applications trumps the convenience and capability prioritized by typical consumers. Edge computing and other advanced automation capabilities applied at the edge are adding capabilities to manufacturers’ digital transformation.
In recent years, users are more aware of the expanding variety of automation hardware and software available. While evolving technologies and more flexible architectures are generally mak-
ing it easier for designers to apply digital transformation to existing and new operational technology (OT) control and monitoring systems, the multitude of choices can fog up the path regarding the best options to adopt, sometimes leading to oneoff, non-repeatable implementations.
End users, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and systems integrators (SIs) are exploring edge opportunities for manufacturing sites and equipment, and generating questions such as:
• How do edge technologies and the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) translate into benefits?
• How can companies begin updating legacy systems and rolling out new projects, while ensuring the preservation of investments and the future-readiness of the work?
• Considering the amount of information technology (IT) connectivity necessary, what is the best way to address cybersecurity concerns?
Understanding what one can accomplish with edge automation and developing sensible approaches to digital transformation are the first steps.
9 elements of edge automation platforms
Users seek to accelerate efforts by finding comprehensive automation and edge platforms with the following nine features:
• Hardware that is integrated and coordinated closely with software.
• Scalability and flexibility across levels of control and computing functionality.
• Availability of bundled hardware/software solutions for common use cases.
• Convenient software modules for essential tasks such as lean manufacturing and energy monitoring.
• Consistent development environments that do not require rework during expansion.
• Support for a wide variety of protocols and
FIGURE 1: Emerson provides users with flexible ways to connect with all types of edge data sources, deliver on-premises IIoT and analytics, and provide local or remote visualization, while also enabling future connectivity between the edge and the cloud. Images courtesy: Emerson
programming languages, with strong library functionality.
• Scalability from a single machine to an entire manufacturing plant.
• Built-in cybersecurity.
• Products that are industrial grade at the software and hardware levels, and not just adaptations of commercial technology.
With widely varying applications and needs, product portfolios proven to provide these capabilities greatly benefit industrial automation designers and developers. Consider the following project.
CIP/SIP skid monitoring
Clean-in-place (CIP) and sanitize-in-place (SIP) processes are used throughout food and beverage, life sciences and other manufacturing and production applications. CIP/SIP uses water (often at high temperatures) and chemicals, including caustic and acid, to wash out fixed installations of piping, valves, vessels and equipment to ensure the system is cleaned, sanitized and sterilized. Proper CIP/SIP operations eliminate batch-to-batch cross contamination and maintain regulatory hygiene to uphold product quality and reduce consumer risks.
Even a properly functioning CIP/SIP system can consume large amounts of plant resources. In some cases, almost 30% of the total resources (water, steam, electricity and chemicals) are used. Improperly-handled CIP/SIP operations can run too long, and create waste. Inefficient designs can increase labor needs and create production downtime during changeovers.
In other cases, copious manual steps in these procedures can lead to system and human errors. For these reasons and more, many companies are moving away from manual CIP/SIP systems, and toward fullyautomated operations taking advantage of industrial rated sensors, analyzers, valves, motor controls, PLCs and HMIs to help ensure smooth operations.
There are even greater benefits from building CIP/ SIP automation systems with edge technologies for full optimization. These include automatic operational reporting, verification of consistent hygienic standards, deviation flagging and pursuing best-case “golden cycles” by analyzing and acting on insights to minimize operating time and utilities use.
While some CIP/SIP integrators have created edge solutions from scratch, they can now save time and money by choosing a complete solution from a supplier. These types of solutions are built
FIGURE 2: Emerson’s automation and edge portfolio consists of a carefully coordinated range of hardware and software, helping developers focus on their applications instead of the integration, so they can rapidly and reliably create all types of solutions.
on portfolios of coordinated edge-ready products that accommodate industry needs.
Edge application cuts water use 30%
A CIP analytics solution can be retrofitted to existing CIP/SIP skids or built into new designs. The solution works with traditional or smart instrumentation such as pressure/flow/temperature transmitters and conductivity analyzers. It also integrates with smart valves and solenoid manifolds to monitor operations and performance. This solution uses a platform of edge-enabled software. It can run on an edge controller or an industrial PC (IPC) and takes advantage of IT and OT communications standards and protocols. By using a proven and interoperable platform, users benefit from rapid deployment and extensive functionality. Based on modeling data, it was determined the solution, on average, can enable reduced water consumption by more than 30%, while saving up to 20% of the time formerly spent managing manual and semi-automated systems, optimizing operational performance and efficiency. ce
Nishita Palkar is director of the PACSystems industrial computing portfolio for Emerson. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
controleng.com
MORE ANSWERS
Keywords: edge computing, edge controllers, process safety
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learn how edge designs improve automation systems. Understand how edge devices gather information and transmit it efficiently to users.
ONLINE
With this article online, see: Benefits from industrial edge computing to cloud computing
Industrial edge device types extend past edge computing
Industrial automation: Fit for purpose, future-ready Edge can improve automation, data analysis
Figure 3: data creates information
CONSIDER THIS
How is your company embracing the edge, and what have the benefits been so far?
ANSWERS
Darrell Halterman, Emerson; Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering
Advantages of edge computing
Expert interview series: Edge computing use for industrial automation and controls, projects and lessons learned were among interview topics.
Edge computing use with automation and controls was the topic of a Control Engineering discussion with Darrell Halterman, director PACSystems products, Emerson. Halterman provided an edge computing definition for industrial automation and controls implementations, looks at differences from other computing options, examines when to use edge computing, and covers software and programming, projects and lessons learned.
Integration
with automation, controls
EDGE COMPUTING use for industrial automation and controls implementations, projects and lessons learned were among topics of a Control Engineering interview with Emerson’s Darrell Halterman. Courtesy: Control Engineering, Emerson
learn the software in the interface once and deploy in many different ways, with access to third-party tools and software. Most industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and machine learning applications today are written for a Linux-based environment.
Are you integrating edge computing with automation to better apply analytics to applications?
ONLINE
See the full video interview on the Control Engineering YouTube channel.
This article online has more details on OPC UA, IIoT. Online controleng.com
Below are excerpts from Halterman’s answers. Edge computing differs from the traditional deterministic control system in that it’s not necessarily tightly coupled to the overall process so you know you may need to control it a hundred times a second or something like that. Edge computing may not be that tightly aligned to the process, but, at the same time, it really is providing that real time advice without being limited to the same performance requirements or environments that you would have for true deterministic control. Edge computing bridges that divide to provide better insights into that high-speed world for consumers of that data. Using a digital twin or a cloud-based environment, an application may collect data from a fleet to learn observational points or insights about how the overall fleet is performing.
An edge platform can combine a legacy controller, an edge controller and operator interfaces or HMI for visualization as well as analytics in one system. It’s a flexible portfolio for many use cases, performance points and the processing capability necessary for many applications. It still has a consistent user interface and experience among different products and software across a variety of applications. OPC UA helps with connectivity.
If you have a variety of applications that may need different compute and control capabilities, you can
Two edge computing applications
A remote Midwest agriculture plant was having difficulty getting operators to come to the plant. They set up a system where they could remotely monitor and diagnose the system. They were taking maintenance information from the edge and publishing it to a secure web page for maintenance operators, allowing fewer maintenance people to serve more sites, knowing what the problem is to maximize the productivity and increase uptime.
A Midwest municipality has a flood control pond in a downtown area with a park and balances the desirability of water in the pond with the need to control flooding. A downtown hydrological model, weather forecasts, controllers and the pumping system optimize competing goals of aesthetics with keeping the downtown from flooding.
Implementations could include a 3x savings in worker productivity or 10% energy-use reduction. ce
Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
COVER TOPIC: VIDEO ON EDGE COMPUTING
Tyler Wall, Chris Vavra, CFE Media and Technology
Edge computing, digitization on display
At Automation Fair 2022, Mike Wurster of Stratus discussed company goals at Automation Fair and product releases on edge computing and digitization. See video.
Mike Wurster, director of strategic alliances at Stratus, discussed the Stratus-Rockwell Automation partnership and the products displayed at Automation Fair at McCormick Place in Chicago.
“One of the reasons Rockwell Automation partners with Stratus Technologies is to deliver a continuous availability for zero-touch compute platforms that are easy to deploy and have unmatched reliability for those business-critical applications where data loss isn’t an option,” said Wurster. Stratus making its products easy to use, minimizing the need for information technology (IT) support.
Earlier in 2022, Stratus won Rockwell Automation’s Partner Network Ecosystem award. Because of the Stratus focus on edge computing, Rockwell Automation has been able to integrate solutions onto the hardware. Three major products that were highlighted by Stratus at Rockwell’s Automation Fair was the ztC Edge, PlantPAx in a box, and the Edge Compute Experience (ECX) solution for greater IT and operational technology (OT) cooperation and ease of edge-computing implementation.
“A lot of customers have interest in the word ‘digitization’ and plant floor information and are going on that journey,” Wurster said.
Video excerpts: zero-touch computing
The following was edited from the interview.
Stratus makes computing devices purpose-built for the OT environment. Many use cases and remote environments don't have a lot of IT personnel responsible for taking care of that equipment. Many industries have needs for edge computing, data close to the smart devices for digital transformation. The edge
CFE MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY’S
Chris Vavra interviewed Mike Wurster, director of strategic alliances at Stratus, to discuss the Stratus partnership with Rockwell Automation and the products at Automation Fair at McCormick Place in Chicago. Courtesy: CFE Media and Technology
is close to the smart devices and the process, where data is collected, where analytics need to happen, often with a cloud connection. The world needs to be easier for an OT person. Many applications benefit from server-room compute horsepower on the factory floor. The next-generation Stratus ztC Edge platform [200i and 250i, up to 10,000 input/output (I/O) connections] is the industry’s first compute platform that combines application virtualization with fault tolerance in a very easy to use and deploy application, using a ruggedized platform.
PlantPAx [modern distributed control system] in a box is an innovative offering jointly developed between Rockwell Automation and Stratus. It addresses the small- and medium-scale process industry application to protect the customer from unplanned downtime. Integrating such software might take 40 hours; this takes fewer than eight hours. ce
Tyler Wall is an associate editor at CFE Media and Technology, twall@cfemedia.com; Chris Vavra is web content manager at CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com, and conducted the interview.
controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Edge computing, process control
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Review Stratus Automation Fair products: ztC Edge upgrades, PlantPAx and ECX. Edge computing video excerpts include more about purpose-build, zero-touch compute platforms.
CONSIDER THIS
What can server-class processing near the process add to your processes?
ONLINE
A webcast expands more on these topics. https://www.controleng. com/articles/systemintegration-edge-computingtips-for-automation/
ANSWERS
Morgan Bowling, Seeq
Improving sustainability with advanced analytics applications
Three case studies demonstrate the ways process manufacturers are leveraging their advanced analytics applications to promote sustainable operations and business practices.
In the expanding realm of digital technologies for process control systems, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), distributed control, laboratory information management (LIMS) and other systems have been monitoring, gathering, and processing data in real time for decades. Using these seemingly-endless streams of process data, facility subject matter experts (SMEs) can identify situations requiring responsive action, in addition to opportunities for operational optimization, helping teams progress toward organizational initiatives, including those related to sustainability.
the next is creating sustainability-related key performance indicators. Benchmarking is invaluable when identifying performance targets, which are often derived from plant models, simulators and optimizers. This is best-accomplished with near-real-time plant data in a common enterprise-wide platform. Advanced analytics software provides process manufacturing organizations with the power of one platform to enable company-wide learning, best practice dissemination and collaboration. Built for live connectivity to SCADA systems, LIMS, historians and other databases, these solutions provide simplified data-cleansing and contextualization tools, empowering SMEs to derive plantwide insights quickly.
Justifying an idle boiler
KEYWORDS : Sustainability, data analysis
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learn how advanced analytics can help manufacturers get better insights and results.
Understand how several industries improve sustainability initiatives.
ONLINE
With this article online, see additional sections on:
Reducing carbon emissions
Achieving sustainability initiatives
CONSIDER THIS
How can you use data to make your operation more sustainable?
Sustainability is an area of significant importance in the process industries; many organizations face challenges accessing and connecting data from the systems, which are often siloed, by analyzing the data and operationalizing insights. Addressing these challenges, today’s advanced analytics solutions empower process manufacturers to find, share and act on insights derived from time-series data, helping operations and engineering teams shift toward proactive approaches that drive sustainable practices.
Case studies demonstrate how advanced analytics solutions enabled organizations in different process industries to achieve key sustainability milestones across top initiatives in efficiency and impact, reporting and net zero pledge.
Data visibility provides opportunities
Identifying opportunities for environmental improvement is the first step toward change, and
To reduce the amount of wasted energy and carbon emissions, process manufacturers require methods to identify time periods of wasteful operation, such as excessive electricity consumption or vented steam. This waste can be quantified as either a financial loss or CO2 emissions equivalent, providing common benchmarks for comparing alternative operating strategies.
A major refining company leveraged advanced analytics application to justify idling one of the boilers in a dual-boiler operation during the warm months of the year. The company’s SMEs configured the platform to identify times when the dual boiler system was operating at minimum firing rates while venting steam. The team aggregated potential annualized steam savings by examining the periods (Figure 1).
The SMEs analyzed historical data to understand the probability of a boiler trip, which could have a significant financial impact and weighed the potential steam cost and energy savings against the risk (defined as failure probability multiplied by financial consequence) of running one boiler.
This analysis provided necessary data to justify idling one of the boilers during prolonged periods of
FIGURE 1: A refiner aggregated the monthly amount of steam vented from a dual-boiler operation to justify operating changes.
Images courtesy: Seeq
warm ambient weather, saving the refinery an average of $500,000 per year in vented steam costs. This operational change reduced the company’s carbon footprint by decreasing energy to run the boiler system.
Automated data conditioning, reporting
The day-to-day workload for most data analysts and process engineers is full of manual data prep and cleansing. It often requires using spreadsheets for analysis, which is time-consuming, cumbersome and filled with contextual barriers, preventing deep analysis of broad business processes necessary to increase efficiency and profitability. By leveraging advanced analytics applications to automate data conditioning and subsequent reporting, companies can free up large periods of their SMEs’ valuable time, which can instead be spent optimizing operations and improving plant efficiency. This typically reduces operating expenditures and emissions.
Workflow automation
A major oil and gas company sought to automate regulatory compliance reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from refineries throughout its enterprise. To automate the workflow, the company’s SMEs leveraged advanced analytics to access data from refinery historians and apply calculations and contextualization for quarterly regulatory emissions reporting. Extensibility features within the application enabled the SMEs to build a custom solution for extracting final emissions data, formatting it for direct ingestion into its corporate greenhouse gas reporting software. Leveraging automatic calculations and incorporating real-time data updates, the company cut the time required to conduct analysis time from two or three days down to just a few hours. This up-to-date and readily-available emissions performance information enabled the company to take a proactive approach to emissions identification, sometimes resulting in prevention, rather than reporting after the fact.
Enabling teams to communicate
Without visibility into their environmental data, process manufacturers have a hard time understanding emissions quantity, as well as defining scope performance when limited to standard emissions data from their suppliers. Advanced analyt-
2: A super major oil and gas company used Seeq to monitor and automatically report on key performance indicators for emissions across its fleet of refineries.
ics applications significantly ease connecting to and visualizing data from multiple sources, resulting in richer and more accurate performance metrics in a timely manner.
More process manufacturers are leveraging data and analytics in their quest for operational excellence, but relatively few are using it for sustainability initiatives. This cannot be overlooked because environmental impact and recognition play just as big a role on the bottom line as high throughput in the global landscape. By applying advanced analytics to data enterprise-wide, companies can position themselves well to meet illustrious carbon neutrality and similar goals for the future. ce
Morgan Bowling, industry principal, Seeq. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
Insightsu
Analytics insights
uSustainability has been recognized as an area of significant importance in the process industries, but many organizations face challenges accessing and connecting data from siloed systems.
uAdvanced analytics software provides process manufacturing organizations with the power of a single platform to enable company-wide learning, best practice dissemination, and collaboration.
FIGURE
ANSWERS
Brian Bolton, Maverick Technologies
Best practices to capture and store system-critical data
Collecting critical data is a challenge, but there are several ways companies can overcome them and achieve gains.
Manufacturers have continued to take on projects to automate processes, collect and historize data and report on results using key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics that add significant value to businesses. In the process, they encountered many ways to collect and store data and had to choose from a huge list of software and hardware vendors. Each third-party vendor specializes in specific application areas, making their services appealing to the companies that require them. Collecting system critical boiler data differs from collecting data from tire-tread process.
Choosing from multiple third-party vendor data collection systems has created challenges for manufacturers. Personnel must deal with multiple historians and multiple procedures to access company data for analysis and reporting.
To overcome these data acquisition challenges, it’s important to review the various data sources, types and formats. It’s also important to look at best practices to capture and store system critical data into a central location for ease of access.
Data Insights
uSoftware and hardware for collecting and story data can be purchased from a multitude of different thirdparty vendors, creating challenges for integration.
uInterface nodes and connectors can be used to aggregate data from diverse sources into a single historian.
uChoosing the proper data format for your use case is also important. Common data formats include: CSV, JSON, AVRO, and Parquet.
Data sources from assets or elements
Data is generated at various locations and sources within a process. The data indicates what is happening with the equipment and process. Sources can also be referred to as assets or elements, which often present digital or analog data via a programmable logic controller (PLC), a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, a distributed control system (DCS), a relational database, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) or even a manual logger. The data is then stored in a database or a historian.
A best practice would be to collect required or
desired system data and use a historian to store it in one location. To accomplish this task, an interface node is installed and configured. The interface node is often set up on the network where the data source is located and uses interfaces or connectors to obtain the data and write it to the historian. Here are examples of interfaces and connectors.
Interfaces:
OLE for process control – data access (OPC DA) OPC Historical Data Access (OPC HDA)
Relational database management system (RDBMS) via open database connectivity (ODBC)
Universal File and Stream Loading.
AVEVA PI System to PI
Connectors (for Aveva PI Systems):
OPC UA
Wonderware Historian
PI SQL Connector UFL.
Most of today’s technology allows data from the source to be processed and presented in real time. While real-time data may not be necessary in all cases, having the option to react to the data somewhere other than at the asset or element level could reduce reaction time when things start heading in the wrong direction. Real-time data with notifications in place can help prevent a wide range of incidents, such as:
• Product being pumped to a storage tank when there isn’t enough room in the tank
• Product in a storage tank failing to cool to temperature
• Thermal oxidizer temperature dropping out of permit range
• Hot spot detection in catalytic converters
• Loss of process air pressure.
Having data from multiple sources collected, stored and analyzed from one database eases data processing and communication and adds consistency.
Common types of data
When deciding what data to capture and store, it is important to know the data types coming from the assets or elements, what it is going to take to capture and store the data in the database and if there are any limitations. Data types to consider include:
• Integer – Numeric data type for numbers without fractions
• Floating Point – Numeric data type for numbers with fractions
• Character – Single letter, digit, punctuation mark, symbol or blank space
• String – Sequence of characters, digits or symbols – always treated as text
• Boolean – True or false values
• Enumerated – Small set of predefined unique values (elements or enumerators) that can be text based or numerical.
• Array – List with a number of elements in a specific order – typically of the same type
• Date – Date in the YYYY-MM-DD format (ISO 8601 syntax)
• Time – Time in the hh:mm:ss format for the time of day, time since an event or time interval between events
• Datetime – Date and time together in the YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss format
• Timestamp – Number of seconds that have elapsed since midnight (00:00:00 UTC), 1st January 1970 (Unix time).
Different data formats
Data formats (or file formats) are often stored in deep storage systems as data files and in different file formats with compression algorithms that provide benefits for specific uses. How data is stored in a data lake is critical. Format, partitions and compression drive success. Some data file formats include:
• CSV – This type of data file is a great option when compatibility, spreadsheet processing and readable data is needed. The drawback is the data
must be flat. A flat database is a basic column/row database where historians are relational, meaning the data can come from multiple places in the database based on a timestamp or other “key” criteria.
• JSON – When a nested format is required (special data sets that stay in sync with the current row of their parent data set), JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a great way to go and is used in several application programming interfaces (APIs). In some cases, JSON is a bit harder for people to read, especially if they are not familiar with structured query language (SQL) or other programming languages.
‘ Understanding data sources, types and formats and using best practices can help manufacturers more easily access and analyze critical system data in a central data repository. ’
• Avro is used for storing row data in a binary format, making it compact and extremely efficient. It stores the schema in JSON format, making it easier to read and interpret by any program.
• Parquet is a columnar storage file format with schema support; it works well with a Hive plugin. It is used to efficiently store large data sets. The file format greatly depends on the system being used. Consider the file format:
• Data structure
• Performance
• Readability
• Compression
• Schema
• Compatibility.
Understanding the various data sources, types and formats and using best practices can help manufacturers more easily access and analyze critical system data in a central data repository. In doing so, they can achieve the desired business gains and stay ahead of their competition. ce
Brian Bolton, consultant, Maverick technologies. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com
controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Data acquisition, data historians LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand how an interface node is set up on a network where a data source is located. Know the data types coming from the assets or elements. Understood how data formats are often stored.
ONLINE
With this article online, see more about developing a strategic data acquisition approach. Also read: https://www.controleng.com/ articles/data-as-the-basis-fordigitalization/
CONSIDER THIS
What new insights could your facility attain if data were better integrated?
ANSWERS
Thomas Burke, CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA)
Fundamental concepts to maximize data acquisition
Industrial communication protocols are improving, opening up access to new sources of data acquisition for users.
Access to devices is one of the last challenges to interrogating them for data. Industrial automation systems often isolate devices to control networks to help maximize performance and reliability. However, these isolated networks limit the ability to access data, requiring that the controller become a proxy for the limited data from a control device. Control devices such as motors and drives are becoming more powerful and are generating more data. Operational data is valuable for asset management; cycle data is valuable for lifecycle monitoring.
With all devices on one network, the real benefit is direct data access from the elements already under control.
Two TSN core benefits help with data acquisition, controls
Online controleng.com
KEYWORDS: time-sensitive networking, Ethernet
Understand how operational data valuable for asset management and the cycle data is valuable for lifecycle monitoring.
Understand the basis of time-sensitive networking (TSN) and TSN-based Ethernet and how it can improve data collection.
ONLINE
See more on Ethernet at https://www.controleng. com/industrial-networking/ ethernet
CONSIDER THIS
How can TSN’s Ethernet convergence help data acquisition needs?
While some of this data can be available when programming and commissioning a system, industrial communication protocols are improving, opening up access to new sources of data, available while systems are operating and not just through configuration software.
TSN benefits data acquisition for controls
In 2018, Ethernet was enhanced with a time-sensitive networking (TSN) specification. TSN delivers functionality for device clock synchronization, traffic prioritization and traffic shaping. These enable devices to coordinate their communication schedules, preempt traffic and break up large transmissions to intersperse higher-priority messages. This combination of features enables Ethernet to be applied to one of the most demanding areas of communication, that between controllers and components required for motion control, among other devices.
Ethernet's initial benefits include low-cost cabling, ease of use and flexible architectures.
The core benefits offered by TSN are determinism and convergence. Determinism is fundamental to supporting time-critical communications on the factory floor and helps ensure data delivery by minimizing latency and jitter. Convergence enables companies to merge different traffic types onto one network without affecting the performance of shop-floor communications. This is fundamental to sharing operational insights and hence increasing process transparency across an enterprise. This data access can be used to derive insights to optimize manufacturing equipment, facilities and entire organizations.
Since TSN is an extension of standard Ethernet, it also is interoperable with existing network technologies and devices. Hence it can be used alongside existing devices, reducing system investments. TSN-capable switches from a number of vendors enable high performance traffic to be segmented to control networks, while continuing to allow background “merged” traffic for data acquisition purposes.
Four TSN benefits to converged networks to help data acquisition
Merged traffic means the combination of protocols that weren’t able to co-exist, for example simple network management protocol (SNMP) and other non-deterministic communications like that
needed for data or video traffic. We can see the co-existence of many protocols such as OPC UA, EtherNet/IP, Profinet, SLMP and any form of standard Ethernet traffic.
There are four benefits to a converged network.
1. Control devices that have previously been isolated to control networks, required to ensure deterministic performance, can now be addressable and accessible to other applications for use in advanced analytics and digital twins.
2. Devices are becoming smarter and more complex. These require management and can be accomplished over one connection.
3. Architectures are simplified through the use of a common network, improving deployment.
4. Troubleshooting and costs are reduced, through the simplification of architectures.
Benefits of TSN-based Ethernet
TSN-based Ethernet enables the development and use of smarter machines, delivering far more operational data. Adding new data acquisition capabilities that will deliver a competitive advantage.
Improved data accessibility with TSN
TSN is an enhancement to Ethernet at a fundamental level. As such, Ethernet input/output (I/O) chip sets are required. Leading technology providers have already delivered silicon and firmware to enable the development of new TSN-based devices and infrastructure components. Automation suppliers are already leveraging those components in their offerings including programmable logic controllers (PLCs), I/O and motion controls. Proof of concepts have been on display for several years now, demonstrating new levels of motion control determinism that directly leads to higher quality products. Users can now combine video and deterministic control communications on the same wire.
This technology trend offers many commercial opportunities for machine designers and builders. By selecting products with TSN capabilities,
machine designers can increase their market coverage and gain a competitive advantage.
Machine designers also are selecting products from leading suppliers to produce TSN-based solutions. Thanks to software and straightforward hardware modifications, it is often possible to update existing industrial controls to support these next-generation benefits.
Industrial communications can be futureproofed and achieve next-level performance. Machine designers and builders should think outside the box and embrace this new technology, ahead of the competition, to achieve a clear and measurable competitive edge.
They need to act now to deliver TSN-compatible products or upgrade existing machines with TSN capabilities. By doing so, they can help customers to create the factories of the future while enhancing their own competitiveness in a fast-growing market.
Companies do not need to convert the entire enterprise to TSN. It has its place, islands of functionality where performance and data accessibility is a requirement. These islands of TSN can be bridged to enterprise networks through switches, combining the two worlds cleanly and effectively. ce
Thomas Burke is global strategic advisor at CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), a CFE Media and Technology content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
‘ TSN adds new data acquisition capabilities that will deliver a competitive advantage.’
Insightsu
Data acquisition
uIndustrial communication protocols are improving and giving users more leverage and access to data.
uThe core benefits offered by time-sensitive networking (TSN) are determinism and convergence, which can help manufacturers gain better control and insight of their data.
Michael Bowne, PI North America; Bob Trask, EtherCAT Technology Group, Paul Brooks, ODVA distributed motion and time synchronization, SIG Member
Industrial motor design tips
Improving industrial motor design and communications with the drive and other systems can help engineers with industrial machines and applications, as shown in excerpts from an August 2022 webcast.
Designing and implementing a motordrive system helps with automation efficiency and contributes information to other critical parts of industrial processes. Industrial communications between motors and drives and among other devices and systems are offered by standard-based protocols, EtherCAT from EtherCAT Technology Group, EtherNet/IP from ODVA and Profinet from PI North America, among others.
Michael Bowne, executive director from PI North America; Bob Trask, the North American representative of EtherCAT Technology Group and Paul Brooks, ODVA distributed motion and time synchroniza-
tion, SIG Member, explain how engineers can optimize motor-drive systems, improve industrial motor communications, operations and safety. The Aug. 4, 2022, Control Engineering webcast, "How to Optimize Industrial Motor Communications," is archived for a year. Online, a 4-part edited transcript includes industrial motor communication data types, strategies, smart manufacturing and cybersecurity.
Motor selection criteria
Trask: Motor communications helps with drive set up. I need to select motor type, encoder, and what kind of load, current, power, max speed, reference speed and other relationships. The next level up is mode. Am I using a position mode? Am I controlling by position? Am I doing something that’s speed-based, or am I doing a torque-based motion or current-based? Am I heading towards centralized or distributed motion control? Centralized motion control eliminates a lot of complexities.
I’m seeing greater use of a concept called cyclic synchronous velocity, which is a CANopen term. The CiA DS402 device profile for drives and motion
FIGURE 1: Information types communicated to and from motors and drives include process data, safety, configuration, diagnostics, analytics, time synchronization, vendor-specific capabilities and control model/mode, said Paul Brooks, ODVA distributed motion and time synchronization, SIG Member.
Courtesy: ODVA, Control Engineering
control is a protocol that EtherCAT uses. CiA DS402 provides smoother positioning through every cycle. You can choose other values to monitor cyclically.
Motor-drive safety is huge and of increased interest. Integrated safety is the largest consumer of data, and it’s now being more widely integrated with drives. Communications of predictive maintenance information is increasing, where you try to anticipate an issue before it is an issue.
Motors and drives: Analyze, optimize
Brooks: The cornerstone of motion control is the real time exchange of process data between controller and drive, including information about velocity mode, position mode, command position, command velocity, command-torque, feedback position, velocity-torque, and status.
The motor-drive combination is what physically moves things. Workforce safety goes beyond stopping motors; it’s also about operating motors and motion systems in a safe way, at a safe speed, safe torque, etc. Configurations, diagnostics and analytics are key. Information is available about the drive, motor and the effect they’re having on the load. Operators can use this analyzed information, often through artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve short-term real-time control and the long-term process optimization of the system. That includes identifying deteriorating conditions in the drive-motor pair and deteriorating conditions in the mechanical load that is attached to them. I think analytics is the greatest increase in flow of data. Time synchronization is a key network service that allows for coordinated motion control to ensure that the drive and motor have a common understanding of time and what the time is. Vendor-specific or protocol-specific information is another important data set.
Communication interoperability
ODVA motion has two separate modes of operation, a simple I/O data block, standardized to provide interoperability among vendors, and a simplified interface in which, typically, the velocity command is transmitted from the drive. A much higher capability motion interface is available between controller and drive called CIP Motion. This application profile provides a cooperative view of a distributed model with the best of a centralized model.
Profinet: Motor-drive communications
Bowne: Generally, a drive has many parameters
FIGURE 2: Information types communicated to and from motors and drives include process data, safety, configuration, diagnostics, analytics, time synchronization, vendor-specific capabilities and control model/mode, said Paul Brooks, ODVA distributed motion and time synchronization, SIG Member. Courtesy: ODVA, Control Engineering
to configure and parametrize. You send setpoints from the controller to the drive. A controller could be programmable logic controller (PLC), could be an industrial PC (IPC), and it could be a dedicated controller for the drives.
And then the drive is sending back actual values, such as torques, currents, speeds, positions, set slopes and units and other parameters. In Profinet, these interfaces are defined by application classes.
Actual values and setpoints, particularly the actual values, can be sent back from a drive to the central controller, or drives can communicate with drives.
Use Profinet (based on Ethernet) for centralized control. Application classes are used because drives control more than one thing. It could be something as simple as a pump or a fan for a process control application, with a simple drive, typically open loop.
There's no feedback or if there is, it’s from an encoder or a servo. There's no need for clock synchronous application operation, because it's a very simple application. The cycle times, roughly, are tens of millisecond. Other applications may need something more complicated, such as single-axis positioning where you're sending positioning from the PLC to the drive.
Are your motions systems benefiting from the latest motor-drive technologies?
ANSWERS
FIGURE 3: Ease of use attributes for EtherCAT include easy motordrive discovery, integrators motors, one cable, integrated safety and a consistent interface, among others, said Bob Trask, the North American representative of EtherCAT Technology Group. Courtesy: EtherCAT Technology Group, Control Engineering
Insightsu
Smart manufacturing benefits
uThe ability to benchmark different aspects of production, across a wide fleet of components and equipment.
u To identify and understand weakest and strongest link.
u To reapply best practices to bring the weak link up to average and find and improve the next weak link.
closed-loop control from the drive to the control. This also is not synchronized via a clock because it's single axis and may not be required, but the cycle times are roughly 1 to 10 milliseconds. In the high-performance realm, with multi-access positioning, a clock is synchronizing multiple axes.
Feedback is required, for sub-millisecond cycle times. That’s exchanging setpoints and actual values, with time synchronization. What works in one application may not be needed in another highperformance application or vice versa.
Helping smart manufacturing
Brooks: In smart manufacturing, there’s self-organizing production with reuse of modular machines, where a machine may have multiple different functions and can be placed in multiple different places in the production unit. The machine works out where it is, and from where it is understands the recipes it needs to do. Lighter factories [fewer workers] are something that all manufacturers are working toward to keep safety of the workforce [especially as fewer workers are available].
Batch size of one is starting to move into the consumer package goods industry and is driven by things like additive manufacturing, 3D printing, etc. In smart manufacturing, digital twins predict operations we expect. Digital twins bring new disciplines to engineering. Data scientists work with subject matter experts to convert anomalies into normal operation, better reporting, better system monitoring and better system monitoring across a fleet. Remote workers can take the expertise to the machine without having to relocate.
Growth of the motor-drive communication interface contributes to productivity, safety and sustainability. It helps run motors more efficiently to reduce energy costs and helps identify why motors fail.
Predicting failures can decrease costs and unplanned downtime, the worst type of downtime. Advanced diagnostics gives maintenance person-
nel more information before they intervene in a system so that the intervention time is reduced, which contributes to increased productivity and increased operational effectiveness. The core of sustainability is increased productivity because that is going to reduce overall manufacturing costs to the environment.
Easier drive configuration, analytics
Bowne: Smart manufacturing also has to do with ease of use: Making it easy for people to get stuff done, freeing up time to get use analytics and help predictive maintenance, beyond only optimization. The Tool-calling Interface is a Profinet feature similar to the Profidrive idea of making drive setup as possible to get running. The Tool-calling Interface integrates the commissioning tool from the drive vendor directly into the engineering of the PLC, for example, or the IBC or what is controlling the network. End users can apply the familiar interface of the engineering tool for the PLC and can access all the features that come from the vendor’s commissioning tool, in the PLC setup. This makes drives easier to set up and easy to store all configuration data in one place (in the PLC project). There's no need to go back and forth between the commissioning tool and the PLC project. That’s handled via standardized application program interfaces (APIs). Many drive vendor manufacturers that have commissioning tools have written code that matches this API so tools can be used in the PLC project. Information models help get drives running more quickly and easily, particularly OPC UA companion specifications. OPC UA takes an application profile like Profidrive a step further. Profidrive is standardizing all parameters in one way so they always look the same when sent among a driver, a motor and a controller. Once a plant is running well, how can save time preparing and sanitizing data for analysis?
OPC UA plays a great role in providing powerful information models to make that as easy as possible. With IT/OT convergence, we want to get drive data at the edge. A companion specification for Profidrive maps drive parameters into OPC UA information models. Smaller manufacturers without IT/OT convergence may need multiple protocols on the same wire or need some basic analysis. OPC UA helps. ce
Edited
by Chris Vavra, web editor, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com; Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
John Clemons, Garrett Clemons, Rockwell Automation
Smart manufacturing, MES, automation make good business sense
Understand how automation and MES can be the foundation and first step in smart manufacturing and digital transformation.
When talking about smart manufacturing or industry 4.0, industry news tends to center on technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins and digital threads, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cobots and additive manufacturing. But where do automation and control systems fit? Where do manufacturing execution systems (MES) fit? What key roles do these systems play in the smart manufacturing world? Can automation and MES be the foundation and first step in smart manufacturing and digital transformation?
To answer these questions, let’s look at smart manufacturing and how automation and MES can be the first step. Doing so provides a practical understanding of how smart manufacturing operates and why it makes good business sense. The following examples apply to a wide range of process, discrete and hybrid industries, and are a great way to begin with smart manufacturing and digital transformation using automation and MES as the foundation.
BOMs, recipes, work instructions
Bills of materials (BOMs) define the materials and quantities that are required to make a product. Recipes define the specific steps and setpoints to be used. Work instructions provide specifications, drawings, methods, procedures and the like to be used in manufacturing processes. This is a lot of information, and if it’s on paper, it’s on a lot of paper.
Getting this information off paper and into an MES makes a lot of sense. Tightly integrating MES and automation makes even more sense. Together these systems make the management, dissemination, usage and execution of BOMs, recipes and work instructions so much easier and faster, making the
information available to the right people when and where they need it, while eliminating the manual errors common with using paper documents. MES provides the BOM and recipe to automation, which uses that information to execute the recipe and consume the specified materials and quantities. Algorithms in MES and automation allow for material adjustments, substitute materials and even manual addition of materials, as needed. MES and automation eliminate paper-based documents and the potential for manual errors.
With MES and automation as the foundation, the tie-in to the next generation of smart manufacturing technologies is the next step. The IIoT is used to disseminate and collect information from devices throughout the plant. AR/VR tools are used to provide augmented reality-based interactive work instructions to the operators. AI is used to analyze the data collection, drill down to the root causes and optimize the operations and materials. It starts with MES and automation grows with the new technologies of smart manufacturing.
Error proofing, MES, controls
In addition to eliminating the paper and executing the BOMs, recipes and work instructions automatically, MES and automation allow the manufacturing process to be error-proofed. Errors occur via paper-based and any manually executed processes. Recipes typically involve multiple steps, most of which must be executed in order, and which can only be started when the previous steps have been successfully completed. MES and automation and control systems work together to ensure the steps are executed properly and
Continued on page 39
USING AN MES offers a first step toward digitizing data that can be used to drive many efficiency improvements and automation processes. Images courtesy: Rockwell Automation
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KEYWORDS: MES, BOM
LEARNING OBJECTIVES MES and automation and control systems work together to ensure step are executed.
Using MES as a foundation, AI and advanced analytics can be used to build predictive and prescriptive analytics.
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How can you use an MES to automate and improve the efficiency of manual tracking procedures in your plant?
• Gateway between OT fieldbus & IT cloud networks
• High speed processing
• High computing power with scalable storage
• Compact and low maintenance
To learn more visit www.wago.com/ us/edge-devices
Continued from page 37
before moving to the next step.
Errors arise when steps are skipped, executed out of sequence or simply not completed. It is especially easy for errors to creep in when steps are completed by different people at different places in manufacturing operations. One person at a weighing location performs the weighing processes for the materials, while another person at a batch tank performs the addition and mixing processes, while yet another person at a quality assurance (QA) lab performs the quality analyses. Getting these steps executed properly and in sequence, ensuring that one step is complete before the next one starts, is extremely difficult. This synchronous execution is what MES is all about and is why MES and automation working together makes so much sense. The IIoT is the key technology used to collect data in real time, so that the status and results of each step is available to everyone immediately. Digital threads connect the various steps from the many locations throughout the plant. Digital twins collect detailed information on the operation of the equipment. AI and advanced analytics are used to build predictive and prescriptive analytics, used to orchestrate and optimize the manufacturing operation.
Component optimization, analytics
Component optimization combines the ideas described above into a very advanced and very integrated capability. Material adjustments need to be made to products or batches based on the QA testing results. The idea isn’t simply to start adding more materials until a specific level is reached, but to optimize the materials so that the least amount of materials is added, and the least cost, to achieve the desired results. Optimization gets even more complicated when multiple levels of testing and multiple levels of material additions are required at different points in the manufacturing process.
The only way to achieve real optimization is through some advanced capabilities of MES and automation in conjunction with smart manufacturing tools like AI and advanced analytics. AI algorithms, tied into MES, can perform least-cost calculations, used to recommend the specific materials to be added. MES must have the required QA test results from every step in the process, and automation must be set up to accurately measure specific material additions to very tight tolerances. And these AI algorithms and integrated MES and
GARRETT CLEMONS is an MES Consultant for pharmaceuticals and life sciences at Rockwell Automation.
JOHN CLEMONS is an MES solutions consultant for Rockwell Automation.
automation processes must converge quickly to a least-cost solution; most processes have a limited number of additions available in the master recipe.
Advanced analytics must be used to analyze these very large data sets and their interrelationships to understand the underlying trends, see the root causes, and get insights into potential problems long before they become problems. But the payoff is tremendous, knowing that each product or each batch is made with the lowest cost materials possible while still meeting the defined product specifications.
The benefits of MES and automation working together as the foundation, with smart manufacturing technologies tightly integrated, are tremendous. Using MES, automation, and smart manufacturing to provide capabilities for BOMs and recipes, error proofing, QA testing and component optimization provides significant benefits not possible any other way. Material costs are reduced, labor costs are reduced, productivity is increased, batch yield is increased, material waste is reduced, scrap and rework are reduced and first-pass quality is increased.
Significant, immediate payback
New smart manufacturing industry 4.0 technologies are extremely cool and do some wonderful things. AI, the IIoT, AR/VR, and many other technologies all have their place in modern manufacturing operations. But they need a foundation. MES and automation are that foundation. MES and automation are the starting points for smart manufacturing. Using them to focus on the basics like BOMs and recipes, error proofing, QA testing and component optimization makes business sense and has significant and immediate payback, creating new capabilities and providing significant impact in manufacturing. ce
John Clemons, Rockwell Automation, MES solution consultant. Garrett Clemons, Rockwell Automation, MES consultant. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
‘Synchronous execution is why MES and automation working together makes so much sense.
Insightsu
uUsing MES to provide capabilities for Bills of materials (BOMs), error proofing, QA testing and component optimization provides significant benefits not possible any other way.
uBOMs define the materials and quantities that are required to make a product. Getting this information off paper and into an MES can vastly improve efficiency.
u In addition to eliminating the paper and executing the BOMs, recipes and work instructions automatically, MES and automation allow for the entire manufacturing process to be error-proofed.
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Looking to have your remote wireless device complete a 40-year marathon? Then team up with Tadiran batteries that last a lifetime.
Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering
LoRa Alliance LoRaWAN, 6G
LoRa Alliance discussed LoRaWAN; 6G gets attention on bands, technologies.
An expansion of the LoRaWAN standard for the Internet of Things (IoT) low-power wide-area networks (LPWANS) was among highlights in the LoRa Alliance 2022 annual report. In separate news, 6G technology research and development continues, as summarized by IDTechEx.
LoRa Alliance LoRaWAN standard
LoRa Alliance’s annual report, released in February, highlights LoRa Alliance achievements, LoRaWAN adoption, technology and certification progress. The organization, describing LoRaWAN as a mature technology, attributed growth in part to approval by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as an open international standard.
LoRa Alliance members have the most deployed solutions, the largest at-scale deployments and the most deployed multi-technology options (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID, 5G, DLMS, OMS, BACnet and others). It has the most certified LPWAN devices, most device vendors and widest device diversity on the market and the “the largest number of end-to-end solutions, making deployments easier for customers.” The LoRaWAN standard has been deployed by more than 170 major mobile network operators globally. The organization added 93 members, increased certified products by 19% and added 131 LoRaWAN certification test tool licenses.
Technology advancements include support for IPv6 over LoRaWAN to accelerate onboarding internet protocol (IP)-based applications; the new relay feature to extend LoRaWAN coverage beyond current physical limits; the payload codec application programming interface (API) to ease integration of application platforms with LoRaWAN networks; expansion of self-testing and ease of use of the LoRaWAN Certification Test Tool and the LoRaWAN certification program added support for devices for IPv6 over LoRaWAN.
The LoRa Alliance LoRaWAN live event, March 15 and 16, 2023, is in Orlando.
6G technologies, challenges
In other wireless news, work on 6G wireless technologies continues. IDTechEx discusses 6G frequencies, technological development and applications in the research report, “6G Market 2023-2043: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players.” A summary follows.
In 5G, sub-6 GHz (3.5 - 6 GHz) and millimeter wave (mmWave, 24 to 100 GHz) bands are two new bands. 6G frequency ranges under consideration include 7 to 20 GHz frequency band, W-band (above 75 to 110 GHz), D-band (110 to 175 GHz), bands between 275 and 300 GHz and in THz range (0.3 to 10 THz). The bands between 7 and 20 GHz are considered because of the need for coverage to enable mobile and “on the go” applications for many 6G use cases. The W and D bands are of interest for fronthaul and backhaul networks; both should be considered.
“By exploiting the large bandwidth in the THz frequency band, 6G is expected to enable 1 Tbps data rate,” IDTechEx noted. “This rate is very challenging to achieve as a large continuous bandwidth is required, but in reality, the bandwidths that are available for use are limited and split over different bands."
To improve range and data rate, 6G radio designs need to select appropriate semiconductors, low-loss materials with a small dielectric constant, IDTechEx said. ce
Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
LORA ALLIANCE’S
LoRaWAN 2022 technical specifications include LoRaWAN firmware management, IPv6 adaptation layer for end devices and relay capabilities.
Review 6G technologies, bands, possible solutions to 6G challenges.
CONSIDER THIS Implement wireless technologies to get benefits now, while learning about new technologies.
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https://lora-alliance.org/
ANSWERS
Dr. Laura Haupert, Ecosorb
Odor measurement, control at industrial plants
By using instrumentation to measure and control, suppliers of natural plant-based odor removers can prescribe tailormade formulas to help processors optimize odor control techniques.
The topic of odor abatement has always taken its place in the shadow of primary process control loops within industrial facilities, and it especially does not surface for discussion among family and friends at the dinner table. However, in the age of viral social media posts and heightened public expectations of companies, it cannot be overlooked.
malodors do not touch, including chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, oil and gas, asphalt, metalcasting, food processing, water and wastewater, cannabis cultivation and composting, to name a few. These odors can be offensive at best, or harmful at worst, to plant personnel within and the public outside a facility.
While there are many odor control methodologies available, conventional solutions each have shortcomings in various forms. These methods include masking agents, chemical scrubbers, adsorption and carbon filters, ozone, biological filters and others (Figure 1).
KEYWORDS: Odor control, atomization
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The issue of odors is complex because they are difficult to quantify, so the success or failure of a mitigation project is typically judged subjectively.
Through atomization, concentrated odor eliminators are mixed with water and pumped through pipes to affected areas. Droplets are sprayed into the air, neutralizing odor molecules on contact.
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Odor control at pet food manufacturing and asphalt plants
How eco-products empower business growth.
CONSIDER THIS
Do your facility’s malodors require instrumentation and controls?
Odor measurement and control are complex and difficult to quantify, so the success or failure of a mitigation project is typically judged subjectively. In decades past, limited information on malodors and the chemistry that causes them was little known, leading to meager masking solutions, such as concealing bad odors with another unsatisfactory coverup in its place. But in recent years, a few companies have invested significant resources into researching the components that produce unpleasant olfactory sensations to determine molecular means of neutralizing the offending constituents.
Effective odor neutralization requires analysis because there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and accurately determining the offending constituents is challenging. However, processors can enlist the help of suppliers with knowledge and access to advanced laboratory technologies—such as gas chromatographs—to identify molecular chemistry and mitigate odors. The experts at these suppliers can prescribe and provide products designed to neutralize unpleasant scents.
Conventional process odor control
There is hardly a process industry the effects of
Each of these conventional methods is hazardous, ineffective on organic or inorganic odors, unsuccessful at neutralizing odors or a combination. Additionally, many of these strategies require expensive equipment, materials, setup and maintenance from multiple vendors, rendering systems unwieldy and costly to operate. In contrast, modern plant-based odor removers require relatively little equipment to deploy, and they safely span all odor removal applications by using research-based formulations, each specific to the odor being targeted for removal.
Measurement for odor control
Where conventional methods fall short, modern plant-based odor eliminators get the job done safely and effectively. These formulations are research-based, optimized to chemically react with and neutralize odor-causing components at the molecular level. To develop effective neutralization products, scientists collect gaseous samples from facilities and analyze them using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine the precise molecular makeup of odors, even those present in minute amounts.
Each compound detected appears as a one peak on the graph, with the corresponding retention time value used for identification. Once the odor-
FIGURE 1: While conventional odor control methodologies perform well in certain applications, all have shortcomings. Modern plantbased odor removers occupy the sweet spot of safe and effective odor neutralization. Images courtesy: Ecosorb
causing compounds are identified, scientists concoct a formulation using plant oils to molecularly neutralize the odors when the compound is combined with the odors in the atmosphere.
This results in versatile and cost-efficient solutions, each specially crafted for maximum effectiveness in a specific application by leveraging customized concentrations of plant oils, biobased surfactants and water to neutralize odors. Dispersal of these agents is conducted via atomization or vaporization, depending on the application.
Actuation for odor control
Through atomization, concentrated odor eliminators are mixed with water and pumped through pipes to affected areas. Droplets are sprayed into the air, neutralizing odor molecules on contact. Atomization nozzle systems provide a significant level of control, with the ability to vary product volume, surface area and spray method.
Atomization can occur via hydraulic high-pressure or pneumatic low-pressure systems. Highpressure systems treat odors by dispersing a fine mist into the air to treat escaping gas emissions and surface odors, while low-pressure fan systems are effective in confined spaces and environments for containing multiple odors released in a small area.
These portable systems spray a mixture of odor eliminator and water through a fan’s jet stream, creating a fine mist throughout the area. Because atomization delivery systems are generally compact, they are flexible and customizable, and they are easily transitioned from one process area to another. Additionally, the use of concentrated odor eliminators eases shipping and storage because water, which makes up most of the bulk and weight, is added at the site.
Unlike atomization, no additional water is added in vaporization systems, which pump undiluted odor eliminators through perforated pipe distribution systems, creating a dry vapor to neutralize airborne odors. Vaporization uses less water compared to atomization, providing cost savings and a more eco-friendly delivery method, but it is limited to use in less humid locations.
Vapor phase systems deliver dry odor eliminator at rates as low as 130 cubic feet per minute (CFM)
to as high as 2,400 CFM, making them adaptable to many locations and applications. These flexible and efficient delivery systems:
• Provide smaller droplets and higher absorption for better odor control.
• Require no additional water to operate.
• Eliminate the need for mixing and diluting.
• Reduce maintenance requirements because no nozzles are required. ce
Laura Haupert is chief scientific officer, Ecosorb. Edited by David Miller, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, dmiller@cfemedia.com.
FIGURE 2: An Ecosorb high-pressure atomization system neutralizes odors in a primary clarifier outside a food manufacturing facility.
Digitalization, open automation cuts commissioning time 30%, creates services
Using digitalization and open automation provides faster technology iteration and customer value.
u Stone Shi, Control Engineering China
Online
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KEYWORDS: OEM digital transformation, open automation, interoperability standards
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Examine how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can add value.
See examples of digital transformation benefits.
CONSIDER THIS
How can specifying open, interoperability automation standard help you accelerate past competitors?
ONLINE
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Manufacturing, OEM value.
Five areas of OEM digitalization.
Faster technology iteration. Digital twins, machine lifecycle.
Open automation, controls.
Flexible conveying system.
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In today’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) market, where industry growth is slowing down and profitability of stand-alone equipment is decreasing, technology iteration and value reconstruction are an inevitable requirement for OEMs. For a more competitive future, it’s key to understand how to use the current new digital technology to go beyond the low-end product competition of winning by volume; move to higher value-added mid-range and high-end products, service business, and even full production line and workshop integration business: and create more value for customers through digitalization and use of open automation.
Shorten commissioning 30%
The Schneider Electric EcoStruxure open automation platform based on IEC 61499 has promoted the application of open automation technology in OEM machines and equipment. A refrigeration equipment company using such an open automation platform shortened commissioning time by 30%, improved system management while also locking access to OEM’s function block source code and encapsulate and reuse automation objects to enhance service capabilities while protecting existing assets.
Digital cloud platforms, predictive maintenance
Predictive maintenance is one of the core values of OEMs in services. Although predictive maintenance was proposed more than a decade ago, practical applications have been slow. A key inhibitor has been a lack of economical and convenient technology implementation. Today, cloud-based digital service platforms are creating tremendous new opportunities for predictive machine maintenance. Through cloud-based service platforms, OEMs can equip machines with advanced remote testing, monitoring and repair capabilities. With big data analy-
FIGURE: The EcoStruxure open industrial automation platform by Schneider Electric has been proven in the Chinese market for two years and is now successfully used in OEM equipment in the food and beverage, logistics, water and environmental protection industries. Courtesy: Schneider Electric, Control Engineering China
sis and machine learning, OEMs can build machine predictive maintenance models that use remote data collection to automatically trigger maintenance tasks when equipment operation shows abnormal indicators. This allows OEMs to track the full lifecycle of equipment from purchase, use, maintenance to endof-life, adding value to the equipment lifecycle and bringing economic value to customers.
For OEM machines, the key to applying a digital cloud service platform is convenience and security. Convenience refers to the simplicity and ease of installation and use, while the required data acquisition, transmission, processing, visualization, analysis and other functions should be complete, and can be achieved with low code and drag and drop. Cybersecurity means the data flowing to the outside of the machine should be secured. Cybersecurity also secures remote-control operation of the machine with sufficient encryption and security measures, key customers accepting machine to cloud connections. ce
Stone Shi is executive editor-in-chief, Control Engineering China. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.
Innovations
Automated gear tooth grinder
See more New Products for Engineers www.controleng.com/NPE
The automated gear tooth grinder offers a range of benefits that improve product quality and increase production capacity. It is designed to free up capacity on four other machines, improves the quality of gear geometry, improves the cycle time and grinds spur and helical gears. At a time when product demand outpaces production capacity, adding this piece of equipment will help make available nearly 40% more production time on four separate hobbing machines, which helps it increasestotal gear-cutting capabilities.
Bison Gear and Engineering Corp., www.bisongear.com
Controller for indoor units
The Kagami controller offers touchscreen control of Airstage H, J and V-Series systems. The nearly 5-in.sq. controller’s display is a half-mirrored, anti-fingerprint LCD. The Kagami Controller switches between custom auto, cool, dry, fan and heat modes. A multi-color LED indicates the current operating mode of the indoor unit. Scrolling through setting options simply requires a left or right swipe. A weekly operation schedule can be set, and a human sensor setting is available on select models. Select sensor values, including the connected heat pump’s EEV pulse value, can be monitored from within the new controller, and room temperature offset can be modified. Both individual and group control is available. Fujitsu General, www.fujitsugeneral.com
Industrial Ethernet/IP switch
The PROmesh P10+ is a fully managed Industrial Profinet EtherNet/ IP switch for industrial automation systems. It can be configured via its integrated web interface. It features continuous diagnostics of the connected lines during operation; increased network security through an integrated firewall function; the ability to connect machines and production network using NAT; and extensive diagnostic functions. The P10+ integrates online cable diagnostics, cable quality testing, EMC monitoring, network performance statistics and 24 V monitoring. It is time-sensitive networking (TSN)-ready, is Profinet specification V2.4 compliant and is optimized for EtherNet/IP networks.
Differential measurement system
The KD-5100+ is ideal for laser communications satellites and ground stations, image stabilization systems, and directed energy systems for ground, shipboard and airborne applications. The KD-5100+ is an upgraded, higher reliability version of the KD-5100 measuring system and utilizes the identical proprietary hybrid microcircuit. The KD-5100+ incorporates upgrades to the circuit layout, ground connections, and sensor connectors, and adds higher reliability diodes and capacitors. Featuring a small package size the KD-5100+ is an ideal solution for meeting SWaP-C requirements. It is manufactured to Mil-PRF-38534 Class H, with mil-spec components used. The KD-5100+ features a mean time between failures exceeding 238,000 hours in a space flight environment and 55,000 hours in a tactical environment. The DIT-5200 is a commercial version of the KD-5100+ for applications where mil-spec requirements, size, weight and power consumption are less critical.
InduSol America, LLC, www.indusolamerica.com
Kaman Corp., www.kaman.com
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INNOVATIONS
See more New Products for Engineers
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10Gpbs Cat6A Ethernet cables
Murrelektronik’s Cat6a industrial Ethernet cables include an M12 X-coded connection on one end and an RJ45 connection on the other. The X-coded designation is commonly used with industrial vision systems. These high-flex industrial Ethernet cables are available in lengths up to 5m with transmission speed capability up to 10 Gbps. These cables have a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) jacket that is flame-retardant and chemical resistant. Th M12 Q/D connector is suitable for a variety of termination styles, including pigtail, RJ45, and M12. It has cable lengths ranging from 0.6 to 15 and and operating temperature range of -40° to 80°C. Murrelektronik, www.murrelektronik.com
4 to 20 mA conductivity sensor
The pHionics STs Series Conductivity is a water quality sensor (sonde) designed to pair with a datalogger or RTU for real-time data capture. A narrow diameter allows the STs Series to go places others can’t while the chemical-resistant housing ensures the sensor can stay there for many years. Proprietary electrode technology provides stable measurements to reduce calibration frequency. All parts, including the cable, are easily replaceable without tools using the pHiConn system. In addition, isolation, differential amplification, and shielding ensure a strong signal with high signal-noise ratios, all while remaining low-power. These features make this conductivity sensor well-suited for applications such as groundwater monitoring, wastewater treatment, aquaculture, pollution monitoring and others. pHionics Inc. www.phionics.com
Connected components workbench software
Connected components workbench software and its builtin Micro800 Simulator allow users to simplify standalone machine development and accelerate time to market. The software provides controller programming and simulation, device configuration and visualization with human-machine interface (HMI) editor while reducing initial machine development time and cost. The software also provides flexibility to switch the programming environment between the default IEC and Logix Themes. Using the enhanced capabilities in Connected Components Workbench software version 20.01 can provide users with improved performance, better connectivity and increased security. Rockwell Automation, www.rockwellautomation.com
M8 connector for SPE applications
Compact fanless embedded computer
Nuvo-9531 is one of the most compact fanless embedded computers based on the Intel 12th -Gen Alder Lake platform. Measuring just 212 x 165 x 63 mm, it can fit into restricted spaces, such as in robotic arm and AMR applications. Despite its compact size, Nuvo-9531 does not compromise on performance. Built on Intel's 7nm process, Intel 12th Gen processors have up to 16 cores/ 24 threads to deliver up to 1.8x the performance when compared to previous Intel 10th or 11th Gen platforms. Nuvo-9531 is a compact fanless embedded computer that can provide the ultimate computing for various industrial applications.
Neousys Technology America, www.neousys-tech.com
Binder USA’s 808 M8 connector series are designed for single-pair Ethernet (SPE) applications and provide data and power transmission in factory processes and building applications. These miniaturized industrial connectors can be integrated into standard sensor technology housings. They meet IEC 63171-5 and 63171-6 standards for mechanical, electrical, test specification, and mating faces, as well as the ruggedness, reliability, and signal integrity. The connectors also offer flexible termination in the field. Chemline Plastics Ltd., www.chemline.com
Back to Basics
MACHINE SAFETY
Taking a dynamic approach to safety
Smart manufacturing is lowering machine safety risk, within Industry 4.0 needs.
The convergence of enterprise information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) is enabling systems and devices to exchange and interpret shared data on a global scale. By combining the strengths of the physical and virtual worlds, cyberphysical systems have the potential to significantly enhance industry performance, facilitate new products and spark innovative business models. Real systems can be modeled using digital twins in multiple ways.
Asset administration shell (AAS) is a term coined by Plattform Industrie 4.0 (Industry 4.0, I.40) in Germany. Every I.40 asset is allocated an AAS, which exchanges asset-related data between assets and production orchestration systems or engineering tools. As the AAS contains all information and functionalities of an asset, it acts as a link between I4.0 objects, allowing for use of many different communication channels and applications. Trustworthiness in the collaborative infrastructure of the value chain is a prerequisite for stable operations.
Risk management and machine safety
Adaptive safety
‘ A new event-triggered, dynamic risk assessment and automated validation of safety measures approach is required.’
While I4.0 sees reduced risk in several areas, the range and flexibility of connected interfaces introduce a new set of risk issues. As production facilities become more complex, operators must manage a rapidly evolving system that incorporates multiple interdependencies, while minimizing downtime. It is vital to consider the shifting landscape of risk, which is why I4.0 requires a new risk management approach that is customized to each individual actual use case.
As the increased flexibility created by these interdependent and dynamically changing I4.0 systems introduces new complexities and challenges, there is a shift from static risk assessment to one of dynamic risk. Analyzing and assessing the underlying physical and cyber risks to humans, property, and the environment is therefore a challenging task.
Machinery safety standards define a set of general physical hazards used during type certification. Current standards, such as ISO 12100 - Safety of machinery – General principles for design – Risk assessment and risk reduction, have not been designed around the concept of machine connectivity and interoperability. Conventional safety concepts do not consider how cyber threats could create new hazards.
To meet the new needs of I4.0, a new event-triggered, dynamic risk assessment and automated validation of safety measures approach is required. This would assist system designers and operators to navigate complex risk landscapes, in virtual simulations and real-world applications. It requires a continuous and holistic risk assessment to ensure stable operations, increased productivity and less downtime in a smart manufacturing environment. It requires a digital or virtual representation of the physical manufacturing system using digital twins and asset administration shells. Such cyberphysical systems combine strengths of the physical and virtual worlds and have the potential to enhance industrial performance as the systems can be modeled using the digital twin. While digital twins and AAS help manufacturers optimize performance and accurately predict business obstacles, they are faced with the challenge of navigating new, complex risks. Effective safety and security are key challenges. It is becoming increasingly impossible to apply existing risk assessment criteria to a dynamic I4.0 operating environment that is characterized by multiple interactions and data flows. It is vital digital twins have customized safety and security profiles. A safety profile should be modeled to describe asset safety from a general and an application-specific perspective. Profiles should then be processed by an inference engine against actual application constraints to define limits and risk-mitigation capabilities in a realworld application, providing automated risk evaluations at runtime. ce
Darren Hugheston-Roberts is head of machinery safety at TÜV SÜD. This originally appeared on Control Engineering Europe ’s website. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
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