Mark Proctor unveils his top five emerging environmental technologies to look out for

According to scientists and the internet, the Earth is 4.543 billion years old. In comparison, humans have been around for a modest 200,000 years. The consensus is that we would like to continue our existence for as long as possible and anything that can be done to extend the life of our home planet should be trialled and tested.

1. Bio fuel

There will definitely be oil in the ground in 150 years’ time, but whether humans will be able access it or not is an entirely different matter. That's bad news when you consider that in 2014 the US alone consumed 19.1 million barrels of oil per day. Unsurprisingly, alternatives are being tested all the time. Ingredients range from sugarcane to bacteria and even turkey entrails.

One alternative to fossil fuels is bio-hydrocarbon fuel. These are a biomass of plants with high fatty acid content, mixed with hydrogen using a catalyst, such as cobalt.

In 2009, Japan Airlines became the first commercial airline to complete a flight using a biofuel mix. The biofuel used was made from a plant called Camelina sativa, commonly referred to as wild flax, and used in a 50/50 mix with regular jet engine fuel - kerosene.

With diverse research into the field of biofuels and pressure from governments for automotive and aerospace manufacturers to start incorporating the potential of biofuels into designs, it won't be too long until we see more movement on this front.

In addition, it’s likely that biofuels will start to penetrate a more diverse range of industries. For example, diesel generators were traditionally used as backup and standby power supplies, but we are now seeing the more economical natural gas generators being used in their place. It's only a matter of time before biofuels usurp these as well.

2. Eco Obsolete Technology (EOT)

EOT refers to obsolete industrial automation that still meets current energy efficiency standards, despite not being produced or supported by the manufacturer anymore. Eco obsolete technology is playing a major role keeping industry compliant with energy regulations.

International standards, such as ISO 50001 and programmes like the European Ecodesign Directive and the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), have meant more and more dated technology has fallen by the wayside because it doesn't match up to efficiency standards.

However, the phenomenon of planned obsolescence - a pre-designed lifespan of a product by a manufacturer – also means useful technology is becoming obsolete faster than ever before.

The word obsolete tends to conjure up wrong assumptions. Contrary to popular belief, it does not mean defective, broken or archaic. The term obsolete simply means no longer produced or supported by the manufacturer - who probably has a new product they'd like you to upgrade to.

Using eco obsolete technology has many green benefits for companies. As well as meeting energy efficiency guidelines, the technology ensures less obsolete inverters, human machine interfaces (HMIs) and motors end up in landfills.

3. Regenerative braking

One energy efficient technology that has actually been around for a while, but is yet to fully catch on, is regenerative braking. The technology converts kinetic energy that would have been wasted in a traditional braking system, into electric energy that can be used immediately or stored for later.

Regenerative braking applications are common in heavy engineering, mining, transport, elevators and other applications required to do a lot of braking and restarting. The mechanism is extremely prevalent in electric and hybrid vehicles where the energy is stored in the batteries and there are even plans to introduce it into aircraft landing gear.

A lesser-known fact is that regenerative braking can also be used in industry to save energy and money. For example, by using a regenerative unit in applications that employ continuous braking, such as engine test stands, transmissions and power plants, you can regenerate the braking energy of the driven system, and feed it back into the network.

The units use a feed-in tariff similar to the ones found on domestic and semi-commercial wind turbines, to allow companies to charge the electricity supplier for the excess returned power, should the building not use the energy locally.

When energy efficiency regulations become more stringent - and they will - we believe more and more companies in industry will turn to regenerative units instead of braking resistors. As demand increases, so too will competition, which should result in cheaper regenerative braking units for all.

The end goal is for industry to become as energy efficient as possible. Nobody likes waste, especially when it can be avoided and so it's a positive step forward to know efficient technologies and ideologies are emerging all the time. In truth, we could have mentioned 20 eco technologies in this article, but thought it best to keep it efficient. I hope that with advancements in science and engineering, the human race can at least stick around for another 200,000 years on a healthy planet.

Mark Proctor is managing director of European Automation.

M.A.C. Solutions has added a new powerful software application to the ProcessVue Alarm Management software suite that incorporates a Master Alarm Database, a set of alarm rationalisation tools and comprehensive Management of Change functionality.

The new software, ProcessVue Guardian, is an essential part of the Alarm Rationalisation process for helping companies achieve full compliance with alarm management standards. The software, which is based on SQL with a web-based interface, allows users to create and manage a Master Alarm Database (MADB) and to create specific workflows in order to improve team communication and collaboration across a single or multiple plant networks. The software also provides functionality for producing full audits and change control traceability, as well as full version numbering and ‘roll-back’ to previous revisions. In addition, ProcessVue Guardian can be used to deploy the MADB to plant Distributed Control Systems (DCS) or other similar control systems.

Due to the IEC 62682 alarm management standard and Seveso III European Directive (enacted through the COMAH 2015 regulations, effective from 1st June 2015) there is an increasing need for companies to focus on alarms and alarm management, regardless of the maturity of their alarm management system. With ProcessVue Guardian, M.A.C. Solutions can now provide a single powerful software application for the complete alarm management lifecycle. ProcessVue Guardian will therefore appeal to a wide range of process industry customers, particularly Upper and Lower Tier COMAH-regulated or FDA-regulated sites. Target sectors include power stations, utility, oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food processing.

A MADB can be created within ProcessVue Guardian, including the creation of new projects and team members. Individuals can be assigned to review, approve or reject alarm parameter changes for the alarms within their assigned Project. The software is clean, logical and includes an electronic signature sign-off function. Updated alarm parameters can be exported from the ProcessVue Guardian MADB to plant control systems (DCS).

Schaeffler has taken intelligent machine monitoring to a new level with its FAG SmartCheck monitoring system. This detects early signs of potential damage to rotating machines and instantly alerts the operators and/or control system so that appropriate actions can be taken.

The FAG SmartCheck is able to measure a number of parameters, such as temperature and vibration, and if these go out of predefined tolerance limits a signal is sent periodically to the control system. The signal is transmitted via the CC-Link Partner Association’s (CLPA) Seamless Message Protocol. SLMP is a feature of the CC-Link IE open Ethernet based network that allows users to easily integrate field devices with gigabit CC-Link IE network systems.

SLMP can be used with any Ethernet-compatible device including barcode readers, RFID scanners, sensors, check weighers, etc., and communicates over a standard Ethernet physical layer network.

The key benefit of SLMP is that it provides a way for virtually any Ethernet based device to connect to a CC-Link IE network without the need for hardware development or gigabit performance. It is a simple client/server type protocol and so can be easily implemented into firmware for 100Mbit devices. The devices then easily connect to the CC-Link IE network via an Ethernet adapter. This opens up CC-Link IE to the full range of device manufacturers, regardless of whether or not their devices support its unique industry leading gigabit performance or not. With SLMP every Ethernet device can have the potential to be connected to a CC-Link IE network. This includes HMI, PLCs, drives, printers, timers and sensors – in fact virtually any device that can support Ethernet which could be wanted on a control network. Since CC-Link IE and SLMP are open technologies, the technical specifications of both are freely available to companies who join the CLPA. Basic membership is free of charge.

A further advantage of developing CC-Link IE compatible products using SLMP is that the simplicity means rapid progress and a short development cycle. Traditional new product development programmes require the development of both hardware and software, but SLMP can do away with the hardware development completely, as it allows the simple adaption of existing devices.

Further, in normal development programmes, considerable time has to be allowed for conformance testing, but with SLMP only the software functions need to be tested, reducing the time to market significantly.

CC-Link IE and SLMP are managed by the global office network of the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), which oversees their development and encourages device manufacturers to support them in most key world markets. They have their origins in Japan, where they quickly became a de facto industrial standard. The CC-Link IE network technologies are widely used in Asia and are spreading to the rest of the world.

John Browett, General Manager of the CLPA in Europe, says: “The potential is enormous. Now any product with Ethernet connectivity can be integrated into a CC-Link IE network.

“Device manufacturers can make their whole product range compatible with CC-Link IE at a stroke, while systems integrators and end users can add any device they like to their networks.”

CC-Link IE is the one of the fastest, growing industrial Ethernet protocols in the world. SLMP makes it easy for companies to enter this market and quickly develop fully compatible products.

As a long-standing member of CLPA, Schaeffler quickly realised the potential of SLMP and its FAG SmartCheck is the first product in Europe to be developed using it. Due to the fast and straightforward development, FAG SmartCheck is redefining the price/performance ratio expected of condition monitoring devices in the market. It can make a valuable contribution to optimising processes and reducing Life Cycle Cost (LCC) as well as Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). As such it is proving very popular and it is being used in many areas where cost-effective, condition monitoring was not previously possible.

Just six years ago, you would have been forgiven for thinking all SCADA and PLC systems were safe from software hackers and security risks. But today, the latest advancements in industrial connectivity mean that even the smallest of manufacturing businesses could be in potential danger. Here, Jonathan Wilkins discusses how to protect your production line

Back in June 2010, malware computer programme Stuxnet hit the headlines as the first computer worm to target modern supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and programmable logic controller (PLC) systems. Industrial control system (ICS) users became aware of how software hackers and malware could affect operation. Back then, you'd be forgiven for thinking that as a regular ICS or SCADA user, you had nothing to worry about. Five years on, everything has changed.

With the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming a common way to connect across the manufacturing industry, cyber vigilance is more important than ever. One of the most recent targeted malware attacks, Dragonfly, used at least three attack mechanisms, including taking over the software download sites of trusted ICS and SCADA suppliers. The download packages look legitimate, but when installed onto a control system the malware comes to life.

It's not just individual systems that are falling victim to malware attacks. An attack on a smart grid - an energy distribution network that uses smart meters, appliances and efficient renewable resources - affects more users than one on an individual meter, therefore the potential for damage is much more significant. In the most obvious smart grid attack, an attacker would take control of the grid in order to disrupt the provided services. The attacker could also update the firmware on the devices, making the attack more difficult to mitigate.

Because of the potential for attack, it's important for manufacturers to understand how to protect their software from the different types of malware.

Spear phishing

The latest twist on phishing is another method being used in malware attacks. Spear phishing is an email that appears to be from a person or business that you know. Using information from social media sites, a spear phisher can pose as someone that you trust and ask for confidential information, such as passwords, to gain access to SCADA and PLC systems.

There are a few ways that you can protect your company from this type of attack, including using a different password for each online account, making regular software updates and taking down any online information that you wouldn't want a stranger to know.

Watering hole

A watering hole attack typically works by gathering information on websites that are often visited by employees of the targeted company. Once the trusted websites have been identified, the malware attacker will insert an exploit into the site, compromising its privacy and allowing attackers to gain access to personal data.

Though attackers may incorporate different exploits, the traffic generated by the final malware remains consistent. By detecting these communications, you can quickly implement security measures to prevent the attack from escalating. Technologies such as Trend Micro Deep Discovery can help detect suspicious network traffic.

Spy malware

Last year, a US Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) discovered that Russian malware, BlackEnergy had found its way into the software that controls electrical turbines in the US. While investigators didn't see any attempt to damage or disrupt machines, attackers did have a way to plant destructive code in the future.

In 2014, the Department of Homeland Security investigated 79 hacking incidents at energy companies across the US, meaning that BlackEnergy wasn't an isolated incident. Energy companies have started taking precautions, such as employing cyber-security teams and separating their internet-connected corporate computers from the stations that control critical machines. A simple way to protect the grid is to install anti-virus and anti-spam software onto employee's computers and keep it updated.

Five years after the Stuxnet attack, all SCADA and PLC systems across the manufacturing industry are vulnerable, no matter how small. Malware attackers can gain access to an entire power grid by just one employee clicking a bad link in an email, so now is the time to start taking precaution. After all, no one wants to be responsible for shutting off an entire city's power.

Jonathan Wilkins is with European Automation. 

LG Motion Ltd has added a new miniature rotary stage to its competitively priced LG-Series precision positioning mechanics range.

With a table-top diameter of 45mm and a low profile height of just 35mm, the new LGR-50 joins a modular family of linear and vertical positioners that combine with motion controllers, drives and interfacing components for complete automated positioning solutions.

The LGR-50 is designed for use with NEMA 11 or 17 stepper motors - with servo motors or manual drives also available - and features a preloaded 90:1 worm-wheel gear drive with very low backlash whilst a high specification main bearing arrangement supports a centrally located load of up to 1kg.

With a positioning accuracy of 0.05⁰ and repeatability to better than 0.01⁰, the table‘s micropositioning capability is determined by the drive technology with a maximum resolution in the region of 0.001⁰. A 10 mm diameter aperture provides convenient by-pass for electrical wiring, beamlines, slip rings or optical components.

The LGR 50 follows other models in the range with its lightweight construction and smart black anodised aluminium finish. The design and durable build quality has been well proven across the LG Motion’s LGR rotary stage range which includes standard models with table-top diameters to 250 mm and load ratings to 500kg.

The LGR-50 is also available as a vacuum prepared version and has been successfully used as part of a multi-axis linear and rotary customised 10-6 torr motorised positioning system for an optical test application. Other customisation options include directly mounted servo motors and feedback encoders, hard stops, work holding fixtures, special interfacing brackets and other specialised components.

Jonathan Wilkins takes a look at the growing popularity of Android and the role it plays in industrial applications

When Google bought a small mobile software company in 2005, there was no way of knowing how prosperous the acquisition would be. Although the mammoth technology company has a habit of hoovering up exciting start-ups that tend to go on to become prestigious success, there have been a few not so awe-inspiring purchases - namely Motorola and dMarc Broadcasting. However, that tiny mobile software company has gone on to produce the most popular operating system (OS) in the world, as of 2015. The name? Android, of course.

In a recent global survey about embedded Android carried out by Taiwanese company VIA Technologies, a significant percentage of respondents (28%) answered they were either using or considering using Android for industrial automation.

The top three benefits of Android cited by the survey were its touchscreen functionality, reduced time to market and customisability. The latter of these is intrinsically linked to the final question of the survey: the challenges of using Android for industrial automation.

The top three challenges according to respondents surveyed were lack of input/output (I/O) support, internal expertise and development tools.

Because Android is an open source software, protocols, apps and programmes can be written as required, making it highly customisable. This is undoubtedly a handy benefit, but customisable software is a double-edged sword.

Software is inbuilt in traditional automation devices such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), meaning less flexibility, but easier operability from out of the box. If you experience I/O problems with your PLC, you can always seek support from manufacturing forums. However, with Android applications, you write the code and so help is far more limited if you can't get your devices to talk to one another.

Using Android for embedded devices requires a great deal more internal expertise than using industrial automation with inbuilt software, specially optimised for that device. However, the rewards for manufacturing companies taking the Android leap of faith are increased interconnectedness and greater interoperability, leading to a reduced time to market for products.

For those who perhaps don't have the necessary in-house skills to implement and maintain Android embedded devices in industrial environments, don't panic. You won't be left behind by the Industry 4.0 bandwagon just yet.

Often, by retrofitting an obsolete PLC that uses inbuilt software, you can keep your systems up and running without shelling out for that costly upgrade.

Furthermore, there's obsolete technology out there that still cuts the mustard with regards to meeting current energy efficiency guidelines. So, if you need an automation spare, but don't want to go through a costly upgrade, give us a call and ask about Eco Obsolete Technology (EOT).

I'll leave you with one last interesting Google fact. In 2014, Google purchased a British artificial intelligence company, DeepMind - now officially called Google DeepMind. With Google's financial prowess and DeepMind's research into deep learning, we're predicting another winning acquisition on an Android scale.

Jonathan Wilkins is marketing director of industrial automation parts supplier European Automation.    

Jonathan Wilkins discusses the stages of hot cutover and alternative solutions to minimise downtime

Let me set the scene. As a plant manager, you've set your sights on a full system upgrade. You've broken the news to the rest of the team and you’re pleasantly surprised to see they share your excitement. You might think their happiness is a result of having a brand new system, but in reality it might be the prospect of having a short holiday while the upgrade is completed.

With hot cutover there's no need for a full plant shutdown. Quality assurance machinery can continue to run and the lack of downtime means your customers won't be affected. Hot cutover may sound like the perfect solution, but don't be fooled into thinking it's a simple process.

Hot cutover planning

After making the decision to go for hot cutover upgrades, the first thing to do is plan the logistics.

Cutover logistics should consider the space requirements of the old and new equipment, since both will be in operation as the cutover is performed. Power, communications and other connections must also be part of this planning since operator stations and I/O cabinets may be moved during the process.

Cutover sequence planning looks at the order that units will be converted from the old system to the new. Generally, a back to front order is used, unless factory conditions dictate otherwise. A key consideration is the switchover of PLCs. It's important that time and quality isn't sacrificed as a result of human error, so ensure that operators know which PLCs are in operation.

Safety planning

The logistics of hot cutover isn't the only thing to consider prior to the switch; a safety review should also be conducted. All plant operators should complete the relevant safety training and be provided with the necessary equipment well in advance.

The earlier you recognise any potential risks, the better. By conducting an initial field survey, challenges can be identified and solutions can be engineered. The most successful solutions consider the associated risk, cost and potential schedule changes.

Too much to ask?

If you're unsure whether you have the time and capacity to conduct a full system upgrade, there is another option. Implementing obsolete replacement parts can make your system as good as new. Whilst hot cutover ensures your system stays up and running throughout the upgrade, working hours can be lost on training and shifting machinery. With a vast network of authorised suppliers, European Automation sources and delivers parts anywhere on the planet, in record time, meaning your workforce can continue doing what they do best.

If you are considering an upgrade to tackle energy efficiency standards such as the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) and ISO50001, don’t exclude obsolete industrial automation spares as a solution. Cutting the monthly bills and reducing your carbon footprint doesn't have to mean a costly upgrade. Industries from aerospace to oil and gas are already reaping the efficiency benefits of Eco Obsolete Technology (EOT).

EOT is the name given to products that comply with energy efficiency regulations, even after they become obsolete. Many industries rely on obsolete components to keep them up and running. Today, more and more companies are turning to EOT for their efficiency needs.

Once you have the facts for each option, it's decision time. Either way if you do it right, your workforce won’t be in for a long weekend.

Jonathan Wilkins is marketing director, European Automation. 

Roch Gauthier looks at why executives need to view scheduling as a vital part of the business decision-making process

Production scheduling is one of the most important disciplines within process manufacturing. Crucially, the scheduler is the linchpin to customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Daily decisions made in this vital function influence outcomes, including what to make and when, which ultimately impacts customer orders and bottom-line profitability. When industry leaders look to gain every possible competitive advantage in business, scheduling is a key area that needs to be given greater precedence. With every corrective and timely adjustment to the manufacturing schedule, the scheduler delivers enormous benefits, including high levels of customer service and responsiveness, fulfilling order commitment promises, manufacturing cost savings and optimised inventory management.

Frequently fluctuating production, restrictions in material transport and storage, unforeseen customer demands, changes to plans and complexity are just some of the daily, around the clock challenges for plant schedulers today. The continual management of constant change places tremendous pressure on schedulers to ensure they keep the operation running according to plan and meet internal and external commitments. With the increasing complexity in today's market, executives need to view scheduling as a vital part of the business decision-making process and elevate its status within the organisation. Investment in the discipline and empowering schedulers with specialist cutting-edge software has shown to reap an enormous uplift in production efficiencies and overall profitability whilst simultaneously driving improvements in customer service levels.

What-if?

Many organisations experience late shipments and production problems due to poor scheduling. Detailed schedules can be difficult to create and update when using the wrong tools and in many situations, problems occur at the scheduling level due to an inability to easily visualise the immediate cause-and-effect consequences of schedule changes and their longer term ripple effects into the future.

Schedulers need to be able to react quickly, consider multiple 'what-if' scenarios and adjust their production schedules accordingly in order to keep production aligned to the plan and achieve customer and internal stakeholder commitments. Poor production scheduling can result in huge losses. The majority of schedulers use less powerful solutions, such as Excel spreadsheets, which may have been adequate in the past, but struggle to meet the needs of companies looking to distinguish themselves in the marketplace by being a responsive and reliable supplier to their customers.

Typically, the scheduler spends many unproductive hours creating an initial weekly schedule and expending additional time every day manually modifying and adjusting the schedule in response to actual production and logistical events and changes in demand. With limited time and cumbersome tools, most schedulers' goal is to develop a feasible near term schedule. Additionally, the inability to see the whole production picture results in ambiguity for setting an effective operational strategy. A myopic view of future events prevents the scheduler from identifying medium to longer term potential issues. However, an improved schedule looks out weeks or months into the future and brings enormous benefits, including the ability to identify and resolve issues well in advance before they become critical problems.

Decision support software, such as production scheduling applications, deal with key questions, including "what will happen or what must happen in the future?" Determining these situation variables is accomplished through the use of "what-if" scenario analysis performed by the scheduler. It is the scheduler that then applies their judgement on the findings and selects the best course of action to take. When a disruption occurs, the scheduler is frequently drawn into coping with emergencies and attempting to correct the problem in hand without fully considering the complete economic and operational consequences of the corrective measures. This fire-fighting culture is inefficient and results in unproductive time and efforts, which would be better used to focus on analysing additional scenarios and making better decisions.

Faster and smarter scheduling

The goal of planning is to determine ‘what/where/when /how to supply’ and ‘which demands to meet’ within the constraints of a manufacturer's supply capabilities. Monthly production targets established by planners are handed over to schedulers who work on determining the detailed sequence of production and the synchronisation between production stages to deliver feasible material flow and efficient production within the constraints of a manufacturer's production capabilities.  

Advanced scheduling tools provide an intuitive user interface that bridges the gap in usability and skills to support schedulers who can perform 'what-if' scenarios and easily make use of optimisation methods to create schedules. Optimised schedules help make the most of available production capacity, increasing throughput from the plant facilities whilst ensuring high levels of customer service.

Now companies can navigate supply chain complexity and respond faster to changing market demands and unforeseen events with a powerful and easy to use solution. AspenTech's supply chain management suite comes with process industry templates designed for rapid and low risk deployments. Aspen Plant Scheduler, a product within the unified planning and scheduling suite, is fully configurable to model unique supply chain/manufacturing characteristics and constraints and fully upgradable. Scalable and flexible optimisation technologies can be employed to create optimal plans and schedules.

Aspen Plant Scheduler can be integrated with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and other, possibly in-house, systems to maintain the schedule in alignment with the most up-to-date information on customer orders, forecasts, stock transfer orders, raw material receipts and production activities.

Manufacturers who have deployed Aspen Plant Scheduler experience significant benefits in the areas of increased throughput, reduced transition and setup costs, reduced inventories and the reduction of expediting costs. Schedulers report significant time savings and productivity gains compared to traditional spreadsheet based approaches.

Optimising customer service

Process manufacturers are under tremendous pressure to maximise productivity from their plant assets. Today's volatile market environment and complex production processes require advanced plant scheduling software solutions to react quickly to production upsets and demand changes. An intuitive scheduling tool simplifies the user experience and streamlines workflows to provide easy access to vital plant data, which schedulers need to achieve process manufacturers' plans. Unlike less powerful solutions, such as Excel, advanced scheduling tools open a world of opportunities for schedulers to realise numerous benefits, including reduction in manufacturing costs, reduction of inventory levels, better responsiveness to operational problems and better customer service.

Scheduling is the linchpin to customer satisfaction. This vital function provides process manufacturers with the ability to efficiently manage their production assets. Viewing the role of scheduling with greater importance is the first step in closing the likely gap between the sales and operations planning (S&OP) process and manufacturing execution processes.

Production scheduling is one of the most crucial disciplines within process manufacturing and for industry leaders to stay competitive in business, scheduling is a key area that needs to be given greater precedence. Would you be interested in an article from Roch Gauthier, Senior Director, Product Management, AspenTech, looking at why executives need to view scheduling as a vital part of the business decision-making process?

Roch Gauthier is Senior Director, Product Management, AspenTech.

Robert Holloway examines the importance of ergonomics in industry

Kettles that release red hot steam onto their handles, cupboard drawers that don’t quite slot in and of course, those pesky USB sticks that take three or four attempts to insert before realising you had right the first time. These niggles are part of everyday life and albeit annoying, their poor design is usually pretty easy to ignore. But in industry, the bad design of manufacturing environments and equipment is much more significant than a few seconds wasted twisting a USB stick. 

As part of the modernisation of manufacturing facilities, industrial automation has become invaluable. The undeniable benefits of increased productivity, improved efficiency and reduction in costs have meant that automation has quickly secured its place as a reigning champion of manufacturing operations.

Although such advanced machinery has crept onto the factory floor, human workers still play a vital role in operations. For this man and machine collaboration to succeed, it’s important to design and create an appropriate and effective level of interaction between workers and machinery. This is where industrial ergonomics comes in.

Ergonomics describes the interaction between humans and other elements of a system, in this case, factory employees and their respective industrial machinery. Good ergonomics applies design principles to co-ordinate the devices, systems and working conditions in a factory with the requirements of the workers. By increasing human well-being and easing navigation, good ergonomic design can improve the overall performance of a system and its workers.

Already, manufacturers are opting for automated equipment to speed up and improve their productivity, but implemented into an ergonomically designed environment, this increased productivity can be taken a step further.

For example, adjusting the body and height of workspaces for employees can not only reduce risk of injury, but also improve staff motivation by giving them more freedom to move. What’s more, creating easier reach zones for employees can dramatically speed up production. Even simple changes, such as improving the lighting and temperature for employees are easy ways to minimise potential accidents. That being said, ergonomic design must be uniquely created for each manufacturing environment.

Inevitably, when organisations add industrial automation to the equation, health and safety becomes an even greater concern. Organisations will strategically place dangerous automated machinery outside of the workspaces of employees, but by implementing intelligent equipment, like human machine interfaces (HMIs) workers can gain a greater view the processes performed by machinery, without having to get up close and personal. This set-up will not only allow for improved productivity from human employees, but will also cut the risks of potential accidents.

Despite the increasing number of robotics and industrial machinery on production lines, it remains clear that people are a vital resource for manufacturers. For modern industrial environments that use automated machinery, it’s essential that the ergonomic needs of human workers aren’t forgotten. Let’s face it, without seamless collaboration between these workers and their respective machines, production will be about as seamless as fitting a USB stick into a port on the first go.

Robert Holloway is head of order fulfilment at European Automation. 

Mitsubishi Electric’s popular MELFA range of compact SCARA and articulated arm robots has been effectively extended by the introduction of new Delta style robots from well-known manufacturer Codian Robotics. Employing high precision servo motion technology and easy to use software from Mitsubishi Electric the new range is fast, precise and user friendly. Ideal for lightweight pick-and-place tasks, each robot can work autonomously using servo control or be integrated seamlessly into a Mitsubishi Electric automation environment.

This solution has been developed as a result of the e-F@ctory Alliance partnership, an initiative of Mitsubishi Electric where companies work together to create best in class automation solutions. As members of the alliance, Codian Robotics and Mitsubishi Electric are providing a more extensive combination of robot technology and control options to machine builders and robot integrators within the group and to the market in general.

Manufacturing and packaging industries are incredibly competitive and this translates into demands for higher speeds and high reliability to combat extremely tight margins on machinery and production lines. When low weight items are being assembled, processed and packaged the construction of the production lines is often equally lightweight. When introducing a robot to this environment it is an advantage to be able to save weight in construction and also reduce moving mass in the manipulator.

This is why Codian Robotics’ delta robots are constructed using materials such as carbon fibre, titanium, anodised aluminium, 316 stainless steel and plastics. In combination with advanced servo driven movement this makes them ideal for typical 3-axis top-loading packaging applications and push-fit assembly.

There is also a waterproof model available made of hygienically approved materials which is ideal for wash-down environments such as food & beverage, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. The overhead pick-and-place range complements the well-known articulated arm robots offered by Mitsubishi Electric that can also be used to satisfy more complex manipulation requirements.

Integration flexibility is a key driver in this type of application where customers and integrators both want to save money and achieve higher reliability by making the robot integration faster and easier. In offering a high speed pick-and-place solution built on Mitsubishi Electric servo technology,the robots produced by Codian Robotics will integrate seamlessly with a Mitsubishi Electric PLC for fast integration and reliable operation.

This can be achieved directly with the Mitsubishi Electric Robot Controller or with the motion solution, adding flexibility and convenience. Use of Mitsubishi Electric’s robot controllers extends this concept further. The units are modular and can be used in standalone mode, or mounted directly onto the back plane of a Mitsubishi Electric iQ Platform controller to provide a fully integrated control system with a simple plug and play operation.

Programming is also made more convenient since Delta robots from Codian Robotics can be programmed using Mitsubishi Electric’s easy MELFA Basic Robot programming tool, via the Simple Motion module or System Q motion controller on Mitsubishi Electric PLCs. Mitsubishi Electric servo motors and MR-J4 Servo controllers are used, so compatibility with other products via the fast Mitsubishi Electric network SSCETNETIII/H is effectively built-in.

Titan Enterprises announces the Process Atrato - a new low volume, high performance ultrasonic flow meter packaged to address the challenges of the process and control environment.

The compact Process Atrato flow meter combines all the technological advantages of market-leading Atrato ultrasonic technology (high linearity, high sensitivity, wide flow range linearity, no moving parts, fast response time, can be installed anywhere) with a new durable construction. Built from 316 stainless steel and PEEK – the Process Atrato is supplied sealed to the IP65 standard.  The combination of durable housing and top performance, in a very reliable flow meter, delivers a new tool for engineers at a reduced cost of ownership compared to existing flow measurement technologies serving the process and control market.

Rated for use up to 65°C and 20 Bar the Process Atrato is available in 4 models operating over flow ranges from 2 ml/min to 15 litres per minute, accuracy is ±1% over the whole flow range. Each Process Atrato is calibrated with a pre-set 'K' factor so all meters of the same flow range are fully interchangeable simplifying assembly and set-up procedures for OEM manufacturers looking to integrate the flow meter into their process and control set-up.

As standard the Process Atrato comes with two frequency outputs (PNP and NPN).  Two multicolour LEDs indicate signal strength, power malfunctions and pulse outputs.   Electrical connections are through a standard M12 four pin, sensor connector.

Using patented technology that enables it to operate with excellent accuracy over very wide flow ranges, the Atrato range of inline flow meters is a genuine breakthrough in flow meter technology.  The advanced Atrato signal processing system permits flow measurement across the whole Reynolds number range allowing both viscous and non-viscous products to be metered anywhere.

Harting has extended the Han Ex intrinsically safe connector family with a number of new standard inserts and housings that offer users greater flexibility by providing additional contact numbers.

The Han Ex range, which is deployed chiefly in the mining, chemistry and process automation industries, is designed to conform with the preconditions for the ignition protection intrinsic safety category, and can also be applied in the explosion endangered zones 1 and 2. In intrinsically safe electrical circuits the power is limited so that, even if a spark occurs, it cannot ignite potentially explosive surroundings.

The product portfolio offers new standard inserts and housings in the well-established Harting sizes of 6 to 24B, and includes contact inserts offering a large number of contacts in a compact space. Up to 64 connections are possible in combination with a 24B housing. Crimp, screw and cage clamp connection technologies are all available. The housings offer cable outlets of M20 to M40, while a robust and reliable metal bracket serves as a locking system. 

The housing alloy has been selected to enable applications in methane/coal-dust atmospheres. In addition, the connectors comply with the IP protection class 65 in the plugged state. The blue colouring of the housing is the standard indication for intrinsically safe electrical circuits.

A large chemical facility in Brazil will be the first to use a new control console that has been designed with plant operating personnel in mind, by providing a single visual workplace that allows for more effective responses and less operator fatigue.

ICL Brasil will use Honeywell Process Solutions’ (HPS) Experion Orion Console as well as the firm’s Universal I/O technology to modernise its production facility in Cajati, near Sao Paulo. The upgrades are planned to increase production, improve efficiency and improve the effectiveness of the plant operators.

“This project reflects ICL Brasil’s bold and pioneering vision for its business by better helping its operators perform their jobs, reducing costs and saving time on the overall project,” said Francisco Casulli, HPS business leader for Brazil. 

“Experion Orion changes the concept of ‘plant operations’ by transforming the process operators into profit operators. These operators not only understand how the plant works, but also how to make it run more efficiently and profitably.”

The new console, built on Honeywell’s Experion process knowledge system (PKS) control platform – features an improved ergonomic design, better displays, and stronger capabilities to meet the needs of increasingly mobile plant operators.

“The Cajati plant has been an important part of our company’s success for almost 30 years,” said Arnaldo Dias Jr., industrial manager of ICL Brasil. “For this upgrade, we needed technology that would help us boost our competitiveness and improve our leading position as the premier manufacturer of phosphoric acid. Honeywell’s technology will enable us to do that.”

Although ICL Brasil is the first major facility to install the Experion Orion Console, HPS has similar projects ongoing at chemical plants, refineries, mines and other production sites around the world in countries such as Chile, Mexico, the United States, Korea, Australia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

The console features a large, ultra-high definition display with clear status readings of operations in a single glance for faster and more-informed management. Operators can customise displays to prioritise data that is needed for a given process or operation. The display also can be set to show operating limits and targets. Touchscreen displays help operators quickly and accurately respond to changing conditions. Additionally, the console features adjustable sitting and standing operating positions to reduce fatigue. The console was developed using the Honeywell User Experience, a new approach to the design and development of new products focused on making them easier to use, more intuitive, more efficient, and more productive.

Use of the Universal I/O (input/output) technology will speed project schedules, reduce production downtime, and help plant personnel more efficiently manage operations by reducing the stock of spare parts.

In parallel, the Universal I/O modules play a critical role in helping start operations on time by allowing operators to quickly and remotely configure channels as digital or analogue. This allows the system to become operational as soon as the points are set, and eliminates the need to re-open panels to replace cards or adjust wiring even if there are changes later in the project. Finally, using Universal I/O modules allows plants to reduce the number of spares that are needed, which is important for large projects such as the ICL Brasil upgrade, which can have more than 10,000 I/O points. This translates to considerable savings on inventory and storage costs.

Steve Leech outlines some key areas that can have a big impact on releasing a process plant’s productivity potential

Recent headlines have concerned the taxing issue of national productivity. The government wants, in the words of the Chancellor George Osborne, to “crack the UK’s productivity puzzle” as a key factor for future prosperity, and as a response to the recent challenging economic conditions.

Although a slowly improving fiscal outlook and higher levels of employment are welcome steps in the right direction, nonetheless figures show that UK plc productivity has languished since the dark days of the financial crisis. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK lags behind every G7 advanced economy bar one. Indeed, estimates indicate that output per hour and output per worker is 20% lower in the UK than that achieved by the USA, Germany, France, Italy and Canada.

The Government’s productivity plan, published in 2015, demonstrates a desire to focus on technology investment, skills development, infrastructure spending and driving innovation to support general productivity improvements and fuel economic growth. But what does this mean for those charged with optimising process plants so that increases in productivity can help ensure a brighter future?

There are many areas that can support productivity objectives and true optimisation across a process plant. The following are indicative - though not exhaustive - of some of the key aspects to consider on the road to improved process plant productivity performance.

Transparent process operation

The distributed control system (DCS) is the ‘window to the process’ - the human-machine interface. Any action in the process plant can be operated and controlled via the DCS. Clearly structured user interfaces offer an excellent overview of the entire production process and provide safe and comfortable process operation. Considering the overall supply chain of a production plant from raw material supply via production to product delivery, the production itself is the central step, and the DCS is the central data source for information on production. The integration of the DCS into the IT processes of supply chain management is the foundation of cost transparency in production, such that the financial effect of specific operation sequences can be accounted or predicted.

Advanced process control (APC)

APC methods can be an essential tool to help improve the productivity of a process plant with regards to product quality, operability and availability, agility, safety and environmental issues. APC solutions can be realised much more cost effectively due to a DCS embedded implementation with standard function blocks and pre-defined wizards and templates for implementing basic APC principles.

Batch scheduling

The transformation of production orders to a detailed schedule of batches on certain plant units at given starting times contains optimisation potential in the sense of efficient plant operation. Several optimisation targets have to be pursued at the same time while considering limited production resources. These can include: compliance with delivery dates and specifications of product quality; maximising capacity throughput; minimising cleaning efforts when different products are run in the same tank reactor and avoiding peak loads in energy consumption. Again, process optimisation tools such as Simatic Batch can help with batch planning and automatic execution of planned batches.

Virtual commissioning and simulation tools

If the process sector is to match the automotive and aerospace examples with regards to productivity levels, then the use of agile, flexible and proven automation technology solutions such as virtual commissioning and simulation tools to aid engineering projects, automation system design and even new plant delivery, holds the key.

The requirement for ever shorter commissioning and start-up timescales for new production lines, plant migrations or new plant facilities, is a reality for many. This is where the added value advantages of virtual commissioning through a simulation framework can offer tangible and proven time, resource and cost benefits.

Virtual commissioning enables real-time simulation of extensive engineering projects to design, engineer and test automation projects without the risks of working within a ‘live’ environment. Consequently, automation system design testing and the delivery of higher quality code can, for example, shorten overall commissioning times, reduce project risk, eliminate human error, support operator training goals and, ultimately, allow automation projects to move from a test to live environment seamlessly and speedily.

Safety and industrial security

Increasingly safety and industrial security are being seen as two major potential factors that impact on productivity. The use of safety instrumented systems (SIS) that comply with the international standard IEC 61511 has been the process industry norm for many years.  There are distinct economic benefits that can be achieved through taking a ‘safety integrated’ approach to SIS. The goal of safety engineering is to avoid accidents and consequential damages after occurrence of errors to achieve maximum safety for humans, process and the environment.  Operation and construction of process plants with risk potential have to comply with the international standard IEC 615 11 for functional safety of safety instrumented systems. The connection between SIS and industrial security is a focus for the process industry. The threat of a cyber security attack in relation to SIS can have long-term damaging effects on a business in terms of impact to human life, ability to produce and brand image. Increasingly, the need to consider and develop an industrial security strategy is becoming day-to-day life for the process industry, a defence-in-depth based approach provides the best opportunity to overcome this issue and ensure that safe production can carry on.

Lifecycle services

The costs arising in the operational phase of a process plant constitute a significant share of the overall life cycle cost over the typical 15-20 year asset life of a plant control system. The baseline for profitable life cycle costs is high plant availability, achieved by a robust DCS with solid application software based on standards and by preventative plant maintenance. Service costs for engineering support, maintenance and upgrades play an important role as well. Consequently, plant management should be aware that the main requirements for a comprehensive service package include: investment protection through service products; system availability by ensuring serviceability; serviceability using suitable migration concepts and clear obsolescence management linked to the market withdrawal of technical components or software versions.

Obsolescence has typically proved a cyclic problem that has culminated in the large amount of legacy control systems we see on UK plant infrastructure. The conclusion that plant owners/operators quite rightly draw is that a large part of the decision-making process to migrate to a modern process control system is its ability to be modernised and innovated without reproducing the same legacy issues that have gone before. A modern DCS platform such as Simatic PCS 7 comes with those lifecycle guarantees built in, so process manufacturers no longer need to feel that this is a cross they have to bear.

Steve Leech is business manager ­Process Control Systems, Siemens UK & Ireland. 

Electric control valve actuation passes the glass-making test, says Katie Wilson

Following extensive testing, leading glass container manufacturers are specifying electric actuators for a critical valve control function in the glass making process.

The valves are used to control the temperature and pressure in the furnaces by regulating the air and gas mixture with extreme precision. Maintaining a constant temperature and pressure is essential for energy efficient glass making. Traditionally, the industry uses various pneumatic and electric actuators for the modulating and isolating valves involved, but has recognised the need for a more reliable and energy efficient universal solution for this application.

Tests have demonstrated that the Rotork CMA electric actuator out-performs existing equipment. Its makers says that it provides improved precision, reliability and energy savings in a compact and easy to set product that is available in a range of sizes that suit all the various valve types encountered. In addition, the CMA’s versatile ability to interface with industry-standard 4-20mA or RIRO (Remote In Remote Out) control signals enables plants in different countries to standardise on the same product.

Suitable for a variety of applications

The actuators are designed for quarter-turn, multi-turn or linear process valve applications demanding precise positional control and continuous modulation. Single-phase or DC electrical power is all that is required for simplified installation and control valve actuation. Explosion-proof certification to international standards is available for hazardous area applications.

Local controls provide manual operation at the valve, combined with an LCD display of valve position that also incorporates critical and non-critical fault symbols. Control selection knobs enable selection of Local, Stop or Remote operation and Open or Close input commands in the Local control mode. Each mode can be locked in place to prevent unauthorised operation. The LCD display shows the valve position as a precise percentage of total valve travel.

The maintenance-free CMA drivetrain, environmentally protected to IP67 and permanently lubricated for operation in sub-zero temperatures as standard, can be mounted in any orientation. Accepting an industry-standard control signal, the CMA provides accurate, repeatable and backlash-free positional control. Resolution is 0.2% on linear and quarter-turn applications, 2 degrees on the multi-turn models. All CMA actuators have output speeds that are adjustable down to 50% of full speed in 10% increments and manual operation is provided as standard.

Ideal solution for revamps

Glass-making furnace revamps, usually taking place after a period of 10 years operation, provide the opportunity to introduce the upgrade, which typically involves up to 40 valves on each furnace. Following the success of the tests, several hundred ATEX certified explosion-proof CMA actuators have been installed during revamps around the world.

Katie Wilson is with Rotork Controls USA.

For more information, visit www.engineerlive.com/process

Glenn Wedgbrow on optimising the measurement performance of infrared thermal imaging cameras

Infrared thermal imaging cameras measure the temperature of an object without touching it. It is therefore possible to perform fast, reliable temperature measurements of moving or rotating objects, or components that cannot be touched. Not only are thermal imaging cameras now relatively inexpensive, they also offer numerous features and options, including software tools to simplify integration, alarm and limit functions for process control and high-speed recording for RD&T environments. It is now also possible to select thermal imagers that operate at specific wavelengths for particular materials, such as metals, ceramics and glass. For accurate temperature measurement using thermal imaging cameras, users must carefully consider two key parameters: emissivity and wavelength.

Emissivity

All bodies above absolute Kelvin (-273°C) emit infrared radiation in three ways, via a combination of emitted radiation, radiation reflected from the surroundings, and by transmitting the radiation through itself. How these factors interact depends on the material of the object to be measured. However, for non-contact infrared temperature measurements, only the emitted radiation element is important.

The relationship of the emission types to each other is best described in the following way. If at any given temperature, the sum of the radiation of the three emission types is equal to one, and it is assumed that solid bodies transmit negligible radiation, the transmitted element can be treated as zero. Therefore, the heat energy coming from an object only comprises emitted and reflected radiation. This is why objects such as polished and shiny metals can only have a low emission, or emissivity, as radiation from the surrounding environment is strongly reflected (and so proportionally high) from these surfaces.

Wavelength

The emissivity of an object, however, will be greater or lower when monitoring the radiated heat energy at different wavelengths. Therefore, developing cameras that measure temperature at specific wavelengths that match the high emissivity of specific materials can considerably increase measurement accuracy and stability.

For example, metals have their highest emissivity at wavelengths of 0.8 to 2.3µm, glass 5µm, textiles and most matt surfaces 8-14µm. Today, around 80% of thermal imaging cameras on the market operate over the wavelength band of 8-14µm, which means these cameras are only giving accurate and stable measurement on objects with high emissivity in this wavelength band. These are generally objects with matte surfaces. Metal or shiny surfaces cannot be measured accurately using thermal imagers that operate at the 8-14µm wavelength band.

When selecting a suitable camera, it is therefore vital that the wavelength band over which it measures is known and is best suited to the object to be measured. The object emissivity values over this wavelength and the temperature range to be measured must also be known or calculated. If the camera supplier doesn’t have a specific wavelength camera for the material you need to measure, find one that does. Objects at higher temperatures emit more infrared energy, i.e. have a higher emissivity at shorter wavelengths.

Micro-Epsilon has developed a complete range of cameras that cater for almost every conceivable target material. Specific wavelength cameras for measuring the temperature of hot metal surfaces, or the temperature of glass and glass products (including very thin solar panel glass) and silicon, as well as cameras that operate at 8-14µm for low temperature matt surfaces, are now available – all at affordable prices.

The metal processing industry, for example, has traditionally believed that short wavelength thermal imaging cameras were very expensive, i.e. greater than £10-15,000 per unit, which made the implementation of these in multiple locations prohibitive. However, the reality is that specific wavelength cameras for metals are available from Micro-Epsilon at prices in the region of £3,000.

Although this price is similar to current shortwave pyrometers (single spot temperature sensors) from other suppliers, the ThermoImager TIM series from Micro-Epsilon has more functionality than a pyrometer and provides temperature measurement images or video of a larger area. In addition, the license-free, fully featured TIMConnect software is supplied as standard with the camera, providing quick and easy set up together with a range of software tools and a developer kit. An integral process interface is provided on the cameras for input and output of analogue and digital signals (alarms, temperature values, etc.). Open connectivity drivers are also provided for software integration via Dynamic-link Library (DLL), ComPort and LabVIEW.

Unlike a handheld thermal imaging camera, the ThermoImager is fixed into position in a production process or R&D laboratory to monitor the temperature profile of target materials or objects. The camera is well suited to process control, quality and RD&T applications across virtually all industries. Thermal imaging cameras from Micro Epsilon are designed for high speed, high accuracy measurements. The ThermoImager series of thermal imaging cameras is extremely compact at 45mm x 45mm x 62mm and weighing 250g, yet are rugged. The cameras are high speed, up to 128Hz frame rate, and offer very high accuracy, with thermal resolutions of 80mK and 40mK available.

Software integration capabilities

SPI Lasers, a UK-based manufacturer of fibre lasers, is using a thermal imaging camera from Micro-Epsilon in its quality control system on a variety of existing and new fibre laser products. SPI Lasers selected the ThermoImager TIM400 because it required a thermal imaging camera that provided good software integration capabilities. The company has interfaced the camera to a variety of R&D and new product introduction (NPI) applications, where the company needs to log the temperature profiles of diverse laser components. The camera is able to log the temperature profile of laser components and output this data to other software programs.

Glenn Wedgbrow is with Micro-Epsilon UK.  

Chase Shih describes how simple network management protocol I/O is an enabling technology for intelligent process engineering

With the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) placing new demands on the automation world as traditional factories are transformed into smart factories, being able to quickly and easily monitor massive numbers of I/Os is a big concern. One of the most crucial demands is collecting real-time production information, which is an essential aspect of smart factory process operation.

Whereas Modbus/TCP is a simple and well-known protocol used in the factory automation industry, security is a concern, and IT engineers are generally not familiar with Modbus/TCP. Simple network management protocol (SNMP) is a viable alternative. SNMP has a proven track record, and has been used widely as a network device management tool for many years, making the integration of SNMP I/O into an existing network management system a relatively straightforward exercise.

Compared with Modbus/TCP, SNMP’s authentication mechanism provides a higher level of security. In addition, SNMP trap can reduce network traffic by sending alarm signals to the user’s control centre only when needed. SNMP trap reduces the loading on a network server, and is simply a more efficient way of handling exceptions compared to the traditional Modbus protocol. With SNMP, IT engineers can get facility information with only a few mouse clicks.

Since most IT engineers are not familiar with industrial automation-based protocols, IT professionals are turning to SNMP, which has a proven track record for IT applications. SNMP I/O can use SNMP trap to send alarms to a control centre in essentially real time, thereby allowing you to handle exceptions as they occur.

SNMP monitors smart factory network management systems

The fact that smart factories use large numbers of I/O devices means that a smart factory network will need to handle lots and lots of data. However, since IT engineers are usually not experienced at installing I/O wiring, dealing with such a large number of I/O devices is always a big challenge. To complicate matters, traditional factories are monitored by SCADA systems, which display factory data graphically to make it easier to understand. However, since IT engineers are not accustomed to monitoring entire networks in this way, SNMP I/O provides a comfortable workaround. With SNMP I/O, a facility condition monitoring system can be configured and up and running with a few simple mouse clicks.

SNMP I/O is also good for remote site monitoring. After field engineers complete the down-and-dirty wiring tasks, IT engineers just need to implement an SNMP I/O management information base (MIB) file through the network management system to get device information, without needing to understand the factory’s full network structure. As is the case with other SNMP devices, every SNMP I/O will be updated in the network management system – this is the best and easiest way for IT engineers to collect data.

Moxa supports smart process automation with I/O products for a variety of SNMP I/O applications that offer easy integration with existing network management software. Their user-defined SNMP trap messages can send alarms actively and data can easily be received with coding-free SNMP I/O. Smart SNMP I/Os with Moxa´s Click&Go control logic are available for smart factory applications, and expandable SNMP I/Os reduce the demand for IP addresses.

Chase Shih is with Moxa.

For more information, visit www.engineerlive.com/process

Paul Hurst explains how vacuum brazing control technology is successfully transferring to other sectors

A SCADA/HMI control system originally intended only for vacuum brazing furnaces used in the aerospace industry has in fact found much broader application. The company that developed it quickly realised that it could also control furnaces used in many sectors, and that it was also suitable for equipment such as electron beam welding systems.

The company behind the system, Specnow, has built a pair of identical vacuum furnaces for an aerospace client, one to be installed in the UK and the other destined for a sister plant in Mexico. They are used for brazing stainless steel assemblies that form the main bodies of linear sensors used in aircraft for monitoring undercarriages. Knowing that the user operates to NADCAP (the National Aerospace and Defence Contractors Accreditation Program) standards, Specnow fitted Movicon, a high functioning but cost effective SCADA/HMI control system.

Produced by independent industry experts Progea and available in the UK through Products4Automation (P4A), Movicon is a visualisation and automation software package that is designed to improve productivity, reduce integration times and manage operating costs by optimising asset utilisation.

Robert Brown of Specnow recalls: "We looked at several alternative control options but often found that behind their smart user interfaces the underlying technology was not so good. We were worried that they would be unable to provide the sort of long term reliability we were looking for. Movicon offered a good platform and plenty of functionality, so suited the original application very well."

The technologies incorporated into Movicon are based on a modern coding platform offering users a SCADA/HMI platform that is reliable, powerful, easy to use and proven through applications around the world. Combining power with simplicity, the system offers features such as an intelligent editor, vector-based graphics and touchscreen operation. It has an all-in-one software platform from Windows CE to Windows 8, meaning that it can be used on small applications yet is equally at home running entire manufacturing plants. It has a high functioning database and connectivity capabilities, making it ideal for automatically compiling traceability records. It also offers alarm management, report writing and high levels of security.

Furnaces fitted with a Movicon SCADA/HMI control system can log operating data whilst also recording batch information and generating a number of different detailed reports. The Movicon system logs all data directly to an SQL database for quick access without the requirement for an intermediate historian system. In fact, Specnow was so impressed with the performance of Movicon that the team there is using it in over 25 systems on both new build and re-engineering projects.

Brown comments: "Vacuum furnaces and electron beam welders are mainstream products for us. They are customised for each application and delivered as a turnkey solution. We also design and supply special plant such as induction vacuum rigs and miniature jigged assembly processors for precision heat treatments. Many of our clients operate several furnaces and our Movicon SCADA solutions allow them to be operated from a single control station."

Specnow supplies equipment and services to high-tech industries around the world, with major markets including aerospace, instrumentation, medical equipment, contract heat treatment, 3D print and R&D. "These industries all have a very high regard for safety and reliability and have developed systems and standards to ensure these," says Paul Hurst, founder and MD of Products4Automation (P4A). "Of course, this attention to detail has cost implications, but Movicon is helping redefine production costs while also making record keeping and data analysis easier. The user experience, in concert with the integration process, is proving extremely successful in the UK market due to its ease of use, openness and connectivity, compliance with multiple standards, reliability, security and reusability."

Movicon SCADA is based on XML and web services technologies, so provides rich graphical content that displays quickly and works extremely well with today's hardware, mobile and network communication platforms. It is modular, so bespoke systems can easily be built for each application. Expanding or altering the system at a later date is also straightforward.

Robert Brown provides a final illustration of the Movicon's combined power and simplicity. "Our systems are used around the world, including Europe, Central America and Asia, so they have to be usable in many languages. When we first started exporting to China I thought getting the controls to work in the local language would be a major effort, but in fact everything was sorted out with less than a day's programming."

Paul Hurst is with Products4Automation. 

Tony Young discusses the changing attitude towards purchasing industrial components online

Automation and control engineers aren't renowned for buying components online. Despite being able to interface a PLC with a control system on another continent, using nothing more than a secure connection and a Web browser, we have always distrusted the idea of choosing and purchasing a drive, motor, resistor or encoder online and having it delivered without first being able to physically ensure that it meets our requirements.

However, this attitude is changing. It will inevitably become an industry relic, alongside Thomas Watson's claim that there will never be a global need for more than five computers and the 1876 Western Union internal memo that read, “This telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication”.

At CP Automation we can appreciate that in the 21st century everyone wants to buy solutions to their problems and not just components. We also know that solutions engineering requires site visits, design engineering skills and an in depth understanding of the technologies involved.

But sometimes, just sometimes, people don't want to buy a solution. They might want to buy a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) that is identical to the one that has just gone down or an inverter with exactly the same footprint as the one that has just died and they want the product delivered as soon as possible. This is where online buying fits into the automation industry. The rest of CP Automation’s business is about solution engineering but the online shop provides a quick answer to a quick and fully understood problem.

This proof that online buying is now becoming an important issue in automation and the wider engineering industry is borne out by the number of online engineering shops that have been launched in the last few years. These businesses are not just outlets for existing engineering companies but complete operations in their own right that sell only online. We are moving rapidly towards a situation where simple components, which can't be bought online, are losing visibility in the marketplace.

The question is when did this trend begin? Some of the largest players in industry have had online shops for several years now, but privately they will admit that those shops have been producing minimal sales until recently.

Clearly there is a new wave of younger engineers joining the workplace every year and this is a factor. For some time now our apprentices and graduate engineers have been born on the Internet and this has a fundamental effect on their buying habits.

I think we can trace the origins of the phenomenon further back though. For some time, automation businesses have been reporting that enquiries have been arriving fully formed and ready to convert. The customer now knows what they need to buy, what the part number is and all of the crucial specifications. Most customers will be familiar with the tedious task of calling multiple companies in a desperate attempt to find the right product. However, for organisations with high costs for production downtime, this time-consuming task isn’t a viable option. Online purchasing provides the ideal solution for a faster turnaround.

Today, customers are able to compare the product to key competitors without ever picking up a telephone because all the necessary information is available online. Having stock on the shelf is not enough to truly support urgent customer demands, you have to actively market the products in all buying mediums to succeed. If the supplier’s website isn't up to scratch, the information is available from a news site, a partner site, a directory, an online catalogue or exhibition or a social media profile or blog.

In fact, when CP Automation was sourcing a product that would allow electric motor users to return braking energy to the grid, thereby taking advantage of feed in tariffs, we started our search online. By the time we met our ultimate supplier, we knew all about RevCon, our regenerative braking product. We were a great example of the changing buying pattern in our own industry.

It's in this changing buying pattern that I believe we can find the routes of genuine e-commerce taking place in automation. The widespread availability of information means that we do not always need a salesman promising to send a data sheet that never arrives. It's a small step from having all the information at your fingertips to clicking 'buy now' and providing your delivery address.

Personally, I don't believe that the truly significant, solutions-based orders will be placed via e-commerce in the short or medium term. There needs to be a quantum shift in online technology before that happens. But for quick and easy component level sales, e-commerce is now taking place in our industry. 

Tony Young is director at repair and replace specialist, CP Automation.

Now available from Variohm EuroSensor, Novotechnik’s recently announced TF1 linear position sensor utilises an inductive measuring principle that is impervious to strong magnetic fields and has dynamic and environmental characteristics that suits arduous high precision and high speed positioning tasks on automated machinery.

With its touchless and wear-free non-contacting design the TF1 provides a measurement range up to 1000 mm with a resolution down to 1 micron. Its 10kHz refresh rate allows high speed position measurement and feedback, and a choice of current/voltage output as well as SSI, IO-Link and CANopen provides maximum interfacing flexibility. An Ethernet interface is also planned for release in the near future.

The sensor electronics are sealed in an aluminium housing with a separate position marker. The TF1’s well proven NOVOPAD touchless principle comprises transmission and receiver coils mounted within the sensor with their sine/cosine structures divided into a coarse and fine tracks that correspond to the measurement precision. The active position marker is supplied by a high-frequency alternating field and the phase relationship of the voltage that is induced in the coils is converted into a linear position signal by the electronics. This extremely robust measurement principle can be used even where strong magnetic fields from large motors, hydraulic valves and frequency inverters are present. The position marker is available in a guided configuration for mounting on actuating rods, or ‘floating’ for installation without mechanical couplings. Sensor to marker offsets of up to 4mm are tolerable, which greatly simplifies the sensor’s installation.

The complete package has an IP67 protection rating and temperature range of -40 to +85°C. Being totally non-contacting the sensor’s insensitivity to shock and vibration and working life capability is exceptional.

Typical uses for the TF1 include packaging and textile machines, sheet metal processing equipment, woodworking machinery and other automation technology  tasks that require high throughput, high precision linear position measurement in harsh industrial environments.