CE_Feb_13.pdf

www.controleng.com

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CTL1302_Cover_Print_V2msFINAL.indd 2 2/5/13 5:54 PM

http://bit.ly/P3vids-scan

Watch the bar code scanner tutorial and other informativevideos to learn why ...

Performance+ Value

=www.productivity3000.com

We make it easier to communicateCommunicating to ASCII devices can be a hassle withsome control systems, but the Productivity3000controller’s user-friendly design makes that job easier.Follow along in this example to set up communicationswith a bar code scanner:

• Connect the scanner to one of the Productivity3000CPU’s embedded serial ports

• Configure the port through the FREE Productivity Suiteprogramming software. Intuitive dialog boxes let you setparameters such as baud rate, stop bits, and the protocol -in this case, ASCII/Custom - using selection menus.

• Configure the ladder logic instruction “ASCII IN” - definenumber of characters, assign the destination memory,and update the program in the controller.

• You’re ready to read data from the scanner. It’s that easy!

1302-ControlEngineering-P3000-Communications-MAG:p3000 1/23/2013 3:04 PM Page 1

input #1 at www.controleng.com/information

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2 ● FEBRUARY 2013 CONTROL ENGINEERING ● www.controleng.com

30

CONTROL ENGINEERING (ISSN 0010-8049, Vol. 60, No. 2, GST #123397457) is published 12x per year, Monthly by CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. CONTROL ENGINEERING copyright 2013 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. CONTROL ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Peri-odicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL 60523 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Telephone: 630/571-4070 x2220. E-mail: [email protected]. Postmaster: send address changes to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Email: [email protected]. Rates for nonqualified subscriptions, including all issues: USA, $ 145/yr; Canada, $ 180/yr (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); Mexico, $ 172/yr; International air delivery $318/yr. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $20.00 US and $25.00 foreign. Please address all subscription mail to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Printed in the USA. CFE Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.

26

®

Vol. 60Number 2

COVERING CONTROL, INSTRUMENTATION, AND AUTOMATION SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE

26 Servodrive control Smaller, faster, higher accuracy, and easier to use are among servodrive control advances.

30 PLC vs. PAC These technologies continue to evolve, making differences harder to distinguish. Here are some thoughts on what does what, and how to choose between a PLC and a PAC for your next application.

34 Virtualization on the plant � oor While IT networks already use virtualization extensively, its bene� ts are moving into industrial networks.

38 2013 Engineers’ Choice Awards: Spotlight on innovation Best automation, control, and instrumentation products in 29 categories.

EN1 Energy management: Greater ef� ciently in 2013 and beyond EN2 Applying new strategies for higher ef� ciency. EN4 The right system components are critical to maximizing the energy-saving potential of VFDs. EN10 World’s largest of� ce furniture supplier celebrates 100 years by reducing its energy consumption and carbon footprint. EN13 Taking the complexity out of designing smart-grid devices.

Features

FEBRUARY 2013

Courtesy: CFE Media

CTL1302_TOC_V6msFINAL.indd 2 2/5/13 5:57 PM

The Era of Scalable 10GbE Infrastructures is HereScalable: High performance full Gigabit core backbone

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Industrial Core SwitchesICS-G7848/G7850/G7852 Series48G/48G+2 10GbE/48G+4 10GbE-port Layer 3 Full Gigabit Modular Managed Ethernet Switches • Up to 4 10GbE ports• Up to 52 optical fiber connections (SFP slots)• Layer 3 routing to interconnect multiple LAN segments• Turbo Ring and Turbo Chain, and RSTP/STP for Ethernet redundancy• Fanless design, 0 to 60°C operating temperature range• Isolated redundant power inputs with universal 110/220 VAC power supply range• Modular design for maximum flexibility and hassle-free future expansion• Hot swap interface and power modules for continuous operation

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You have new sensors, transmitters and valves; old sensors, transmitters and valves; and everything in between. You have these PLC’s or that DCS. Then, in came the PC’s with this or that automation software. To top it off...everything is scattered everywhere, indoors and out.

Wireless Network Modulefor More Remote Locations

Remote I/O Has Never Been More Rugged and ReliableWhen it’s time to clean up your real mess, the NET Concentrator® System is your real solution.

Our exible remote I/O lets you use powerful new advances (like Ethernet, the web and wireless) to interface something old with something new, or something new with something old.

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www.controleng.com ● CONTROL ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013 ● 5

8 Think Again Robots vs. jobs: Jobs win

10 Product Exclusive Fanless industrial PC

14 IT & Engineering Insight Making the virtualized manufacturing environment visible

16 International In� nite wireless

18 Machine Safety Is prevention through design enough?

80 Back to Basics Software moles in your systems

departments 20 ROS Industrial aims to open, unify advanced robotic programming

24 Data integration is key for overall equipment effectiveness ratings

news

78 Industrial wireless hotspot; earth-leakage relay

products

Inside MachinesStarts after p. 52. If not, see www.controleng.com/archive for February.

M1 Motion control: Product handling, re-feeder challenge Integrator update: Controlling the product � ow in adjacent machines can be challenging. Polytron and Finesse Manufacturing address product handling and re-feeder interruptions, turning a three-legged race into a winning relay.

M6 Integrating advanced power management Integrating advanced power management with control system architecture enables continuous power to mission critical facilities.

PRODUCT EXCLUSIVE

PRODUCTS

COVERING CONTROL, INSTRUMENTATION, AND AUTOMATION SYSTEMS WORLDWIDEOVERING CONTROL, INSTRUMENTATION, AND AUTOMATION ®

FEBRUARY 2013



More Learning, Less Sur� ngExclusive blogs at www.controleng.com/blogs� Real World Engineering: Making power more ef� ciently� Machine Safety: Does sustainability matter?� Pillar to Post: The problem of extra software� Ask Control Engineering: Do I need Java or not? How do I tell?

Join the discussions at www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1967039 � Engineer’s workload borders on abuse. Time to move on?� Do the things that drew you to engineering still apply today?

Topic-Speci� c NewslettersStart your subscriptions at www.controleng.com/newsletters� Weekly News: ROS Industrial aims to open, unify advanced robotic programming� Process & Advanced Control: Decentralizing control and information management� System Integration: Ethernet for sensor networks? Why it makes sense today � Safety & Security: Methods to map displays to operator decisions� Machine Control: Encapsulated data in automation programming

� Videos and Webcasts on demand

� Online training center

� Engineering education center

� Case studies—130+ all in one place on dozens of topics

� Have you looked at an eGuide?

� Useful white papers on many topics

www.facebook.com/ ControlEngineeringMagazine

www.linkedin.com/ groups?gid=1967039

www.twitter.com/controlengtips

http://tinyurl.com/CEgoogleplus

Point, Click, Watch VIDEO: Servodrives at workIn the digital edition of this month’s issue, the cover becomes a live video showing servodrives power-ing a laser cutting machine. You can also see the one-minute video at www.controleng.com/videos, or get the link from the QR code to the right using your smartphone.

Connect with us!

Media Library

Services Available

Channels New Products Media Library Connect Industry News Events, Awards Newsletters Blogs Magazine

FEBRUARY www.controleng.com

� Channels and new product areasVisit our specialized microsites providing feature articles, news, products, applica-tions, tutorials, research, and more gath-ered for engineering professionals.

� New site search engineFind content from Control Engineering magazines from 1997 to the present.

� Electronic newslettersKeep current with the latest informationand news with electronic newsletters.

� System Integrator GuideConsult our listing of more than 2,300 au-tomation system integrators. You can � nd a speci� c company or run a seven-way multi-parameter search.

Plan now for your2014 Engineers’ Choice

entry. Read about the 2013 winners onpage 38, then enter your product

for the 2014 program at:

www.controleng.com/Engineers-Choice

www.controleng.com/news


800 453 6202




Robots are motion-controlled automa-tion. Automation and robots create and save manufacturing, high-tech-nology jobs, and other supporting

jobs. When automation is applied correctly, employees feel more valued and secure.

Manufacturing strives for continued pro-ductivity gains. At the co-located Automate 2013 and ProMat shows, success stories flowed. Robots create jobs and help move workers to better, higher paying, fulfilling, and safer jobs, said John Hayes, national accounts manager at Seegrid, manufacturer of driverless robotic industrial trucks.

“Qualified workers are difficult to find. Automation doesn’t take satisfaction away. Automation is empowering, by eliminating labor in some areas, taking some non-value-added activities out of the process,” Hayes said during the ProMat session, “Fact: Robots = Jobs.” Macro-level statistics sup-port the premise. Each 1% of manufactur-ing industry saved represents 1.45 million employees, said Jeff Burnstein, president, Robotic Industries Association. “If we had more robots, we’d be losing fewer jobs,” Burnstein said. The Roadmap for U.S. Robotics, the basis for the National Robot-ics Initiative, will provide details to Con-gress on that topic in March.

To lower costs and be more competi-tive, manufacturers often look at offshor-ing [not as economical as once thought] or using automation and robotics to keep assembly and other jobs here, said Henrik I. Christensen, Kuka Chair of Robotics at the College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology. Christensen, a keynote pre-senter for the combined events, noted that manufacturing creates 1.3 support jobs for each manufacturing job (more than any sec-tor), so keeping manufacturing competitive with productive applications of automation and robotics does us a world of good.

The U.S. National Science and Technol-ogy Council (NSTC) Jan. 16 report, with

nearly 900 stakeholders’ input, proposed a National Network for Manufacturing Inno-vation (NNMI), with up to 15 Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation (IMIs) that would serve as regional hubs of innovation to boost U.S. competitiveness and strength-en state and local economies. The NNMI report, “Preliminary Design National Net-work for Manufacturing Innovation,” said, “The U.S. manufacturing sector continues to be a mainstay of our economic productiv-ity, generating $1.8 trillion in GDP in 2011 (12.2% of total U.S. GDP). Manufacturing firms lead the nation in exports: The $1.3 trillion of manufactured goods shipped abroad constituted 86% of all U.S. goods exported in 2011.”

The report said IMIs should help reduce the cost and risk of developing and imple-menting new technologies in advanced manufacturing; educate and train; develop innovative methodologies and practices for increasing supply chain expansion and inte-gration; engage with small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, and large original equipment manufacturers; and share facility infrastructure, scaling up pro-duction from laboratory demonstrations to make technologies ready for manufacture.

It’s good to see productivity proponents think again about the value of innovation, automation, and robotics for manufacturing.

THINK AGAINTHINK AGAINeditorial

Mark T. Hoske, Content [email protected]

Robots vs. jobs:Jobs win

1111 W. 22nd St. Suite 250, Oak Brook, IL 60523630-571-4070, Fax 630-214-4504

Content Specialists/EditorialMark T. Hoske, Content Manager630-571-4070, x2214, [email protected]

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Contributing Content SpecialistsFrank J. Bartos, P.E., [email protected]

Jeanine Katzel [email protected]

Vance VanDoren Ph.D., P.E., [email protected]

Suzanne Gill, European [email protected]

Ekaterina Kosareva, Control Engineering [email protected]

Marek Kelman, Poland [email protected]

Milan Katrusak, Czech [email protected]

Andy Zhu, Control Engineering [email protected]

Publication ServicesJim Langhenry, Co-Founder/Publisher, CFE Media630-571-4070, x2203; [email protected]

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Letters to the editor Please e-mail us your opinions [email protected] or fax us at 630-214-4504. Letters should include name, company, and address,and may be edited for space and clarity.

InformationFor a Media Kit or Editorial Calendar, email Trudy Kelly at [email protected].

ReprintsFor custom reprints or electronic usage, contact: Wright’s Media – Nick Iademarco

Phone: 877-652-5295 ext. 102Email: [email protected]

Publication SalesPatrick Lynch, AL, FL630-571-4070 x2210 [email protected]

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Stuart Smith, InternationalTel. +44 208 464 5577 [email protected]

� At www.controleng.com, search on this headline to read more on robotic productivity; see photos.� www.cc.gatech.edu� www.seegrid.com� RIA is at www.robotics.org.� See more about robots in News.

Go Online

Smart applications of automation and robotics save and create jobs. Proposed Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation could advance manufacturing more quickly.

CTL1302_Think_V3ms_FINAL.indd 8 2/5/13 5:57 PM

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Siemens has doubled the per-formance capabilities of its embedded Microbox PC and Panel PCs. The industrial PCs

can withstand 24-hour operating con-ditions in harsh environments and are now fanless in all configurations. This innovative design enhancement reduces maintenance costs and eliminates con-cerns regarding temperature, vibration, shock, and electromagnetic compatibil-ity (EMC).

Siemens Simatic IPC427D Microbox and the IPC477D Panel PCs are now avail-able with the third generation Intel Core i7 (1.7 GHz) processor. For maximum per-formance, a turbo-boost feature allows the processor to deliver up to 2.4 GHz. Addi-tional options include a 250 GB hard disk, expandable main memory, a DVD drive, and a nonvolatile memory of up to 512 KB for nonbattery applications.

For a further reduction in mainte-nance costs, the industrial computers can be remotely maintained and updat-ed with integrated Intel AMT technol-ogy and optional Siemens Simatic IPC Remote Manager software. In addition, an 80-GB, solid-state drive (SSD) and a 16-GB CFast flash memory card with high-speed SATA interface offer high system availability and data security.

IPC427D and the IPC 477D are designed for maximum flexibility. Mea-suring 262 W x 133 H x 51 D mm, the Simatic IPC427D Microbox PC fits easi-ly into small control boxes or is machine mounted. The Simatic IPC477D Panel PC has a rugged cast aluminum front panel with IP65 degree of protection and operates up to 50 C. It is available with a wide touchscreen display in 12-, 15-, 19-, and 22-in. options, as well as a 15-in. touch-keypad front panel.www.industry.usa.siemens.com/automation/us/en/Siemens Industry

Fanless industrial PCdoubles performanceSiemens doubled performance capabilities of its embedded Microbox PC and Panel PCs. The industrial PCs, nowfanless, withstand harsh operating environments.

� See more products atwww.controleng.com/products.

Go Online

EXCLUSIVESEXCLUSIVESproduct

10 ● FEBRUARY 2013 CONTROL ENGINEERING

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CTL1302_ProdExcl_V3msFINAL.indd 10 2/5/13 5:58 PMCTL130201-MAG_Ads.indd 10 2/6/2013 4:53:13 PM

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The dawn of a new standard in level control.Prepare for a total ECLIPSE® of current level and interface control solutions. With superior signal performance, powerful diagnostics and a full line of overfill capable probes, Magnetrol’s ECLIPSE Model 706 guided wave radar transmitter delivers unprecedented reliability.

From routine water storage applications to process media exhibiting corrosive vapors, foam, steam, buildup, agitation, bubbling or boiling, the ECLIPSE Model 706 will take your operation to a new level of safety and process performance.

Contact Magnetrol – the guided wave radar innovator and level control expert – to learn more about the ECLIPSE Model 706.

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The dawn of a new standard in level control.Prepare for a total ECLIPSE® of current level and interface control solutions. With superior signal performance, powerful diagnostics and a full line of overfill capable probes, Magnetrol’s ECLIPSE Model 706 guided wave radar transmitter delivers unprecedented reliability.

From routine water storage applications to process media exhibiting corrosive vapors, foam, steam, buildup, agitation, bubbling or boiling, the ECLIPSE Model 706 will take your operation to a new level of safety and process performance.

Contact Magnetrol – the guided wave radar innovator and level control expert – to learn more about the ECLIPSE Model 706.

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We no longer live in the environ-ment where the computers, net-works, and storage devices used for manufacturing are on the

manufacturing floor. It was easy to see when something was not working because the lights would be either out or blinking. We had indi-cator lights for power, CPU activity, disk activity, network activity, and router status. Now most of the elements are remote from the manufacturing floor and are in virtualized systems where there are no physical lights or external indications of problems. A problem is usually noticed when a terminal or mobile device starts responding very slowly or even stops responding entirely. Then, it can take a long time to determine which element has actually failed, diagnose the real problem, and provide the fix. The lack of external indicators and remote location means that diagnosing a problem can be done only by the IT staff, not by the users of the systems.

It is time to treat manufacturing IT assets the same way we treat production equipment by monitoring for health and logging perfor-mance. Data historians are used to collect information on production equipment to diag-nose failures or slowdowns, and they should also collect information on all manufacturing IT assets. This is especially important in virtu-alized environments where visibility is low and manufacturing IT assets have to share resourc-es with other applications. When operators complain that the system seems to slow down at the same time every day, having historical data will provide the information needed to diagnose the problem.

One of the easiest ways to add manufactur-ing IT assets to your current data historian is through an OPC-UA service on each server. See www.opcfoundation.org for more informa-tion. The service can monitor the server infor-mation and also collect information from the

other network devices, such as disk arrays, net-work switches, firewalls, and printers. SCADA and HMI systems have alarm detection and management elements, and these can also be applied to information directly obtained through OPC-UA or from the data historian.

OPC-UA uses Ethernet technology, is Web-based, uses standard network ports, and has a built-in security model. These features mean that an OPC-UA server application will oper-ate in almost all existing IT infrastructures and is especially suitable for virtualized environ-ments. If your data historian does not yet have an OPC-UA interface, there are packages that convert the OPC-UA information into the tra-ditional OPC format.

Create OPC-UA tags to monitor the load on each processor core, the available memory, net-work throughput, and available disk space for each server in a virtualized environment. Often problems occur because of normal IT changes that operations may not even be aware of, such as changing a network card or applying a hotfix. You can add OPC-UA tags that expose the latest patch version, the last boot time, the last hotfix version and date, the state of critical services (running or stopped), and the network card MAC address. These do not change very often, so they would take very little space on a data historian but may provide invaluable informa-tion for problem diagnostics.

In modern manufacturing environments it is critical that manufacturing IT assets are treated the same as other production equipment. Add-ing IT assets to the data historian and alarm sys-tem allows for faster reactions and provides the detailed information the IT service organization needs to get production back up and running. ce

- Dennis Brandl is president of BR&L Con-sulting in Cary, N.C., www.brlconsulting.com. His firm focuses on manufacturing IT. Contact him at [email protected].

Make the virtualizedmanufacturing environment visible

Dennis Brandl

‘Add OPC-UA

tags to expose the

latest patch version,

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and date, state of

critical services, and

network card MAC

address.’

Add IT assets to your manufacturing data historian and alarm system for faster reactions and greater plant-floor reliability. Use existing data historian and OPC-UA to provide critical visibility into the virtualized IT environment and stop operating IT assets in the blind.

INSIGHTINSIGHTIT & engineering

� Free OPC-UA tools at www.opcconnect.com/ua.php

� At www.controleng.com, search Virtual Brandl for more on this topic.

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CTL1302_Insight_V3msFINAL.indd 14 2/5/13 5:59 PM

© 2013 Phoenix ContaCt

Switch to an open,networkable safetysolution

there was a time when incorporating even small-scale safety on your network was cost-prohibitive. now, you can re-think safety with brand new SafetyBridge technology from Phoenix Contact. adding SafetyBridge is not only cost-

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W ireless communication, wireless data transmission, wireless con-trol, and wireless power charging are all inspiring, and industrial

wireless applications eventually will release the value of M2M, cloud, and Internet of Things.

SuRui, BYD’s first remote driving car tar-geted at common people, came into the market Aug. 21, 2012. The biggest selling point of this car is remote parking technology. The driver can use the mobile phone-shaped smart key to drive the car remotely, within the visible range of 10 m. The device has four keys: left, right, up, and down, and you can control the driv-ing direction by pressing these keys, or stop it when you release the keys. The remote driving speed is only 0.7 km/hr, even slower than human walking speed, which makes this feature practical, safe, and humanized.

This innovation could bring good luck to BYD. And it is really a big innova-tion for a domestic [China] enterprise to use remote control technology com-mercially. Maybe it will be a new standard for drivers who need to park a car in an ever-more-crowded world. Imagine how embar-rassed you will be when you have to park your car in a narrow parking lot manually because your car doesn’t have a remote parking feature, while other people can park their cars more easily.

Beyond parking, I’d like to discuss engi-neering applications of wireless technologies. When talking about the topic of new applica-tions for automation companies, Steven Toteda, vice president and general manager of the wire-less business unit for Cooper Bussman, said the application of wireless technologies in industrial automation will be strategic. He said it is not about a specific wireless technology, it is about all wireless technologies. I cannot agree more. Some cases of industrial wireless applications

bring huge value. Experts of wireless technology from the process control unit of Honeywell have seen hotspots of industrial wireless applications based domestic [China] implementations.

Another product is worthy of mention: the WirelessHART adaptor, a joint product devel-opment from MacTek and Moore Industries. It can transmit data wirelessly for existing devices using HART protocol. It can upgrade devices based on HART protocol to achieve wireless communications.

Meanwhile, wireless technologies are mak-ing steady progress. For example, currently the common IEEE 802.11b/g/n protocol WLAN is

based on a 2.4 G frequency band, while future industrial wireless applications have another option: 5 G frequen-cy band for industrial pro-duction and M2M (machine to machine communications). It has an advantage in the industrial wireless applica-tion area with 23 non-over-lapping channels, 20 more than the 2.4 G frequency band. Extra channels can be used to boost signal strength, which means more wireless products can be supported within the same wireless

environment.Wireless power transmission technology is

another breakthrough. IMS Research’s study says that the market value of this technology, first used for mobile phone charging, will be up to $4 billion. Currently the biggest obstacle to wider use remains its high relative cost. The current price of a wireless power receiver is $50-$100, while widespread use requires pricing at $1-$2. If the receiver is free, then this wireless applica-tion should be used everywhere. ce

- Andy Zhu is editor, Control Engineering China. This article appeared in an earlier edi-tion of CEC and was edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, CFE Media, for use in Control Engineering, [email protected].

Andy Zhu

Infinite wirelessRemote control, wireless instrumentation, wireless retrofits, and wireless powertransmission technologies will increase the value of industrial wireless applications.

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Remote control, wireless instrumentation, wireless retrofits, and wireless powertransmission technologies will increase the value of industrial wireless applications.

Infinite wirelessRemote control, wireless instrumentation, wireless retrofits, and wireless power

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Prevention through design (PTD) has been a central theme of innovation for accomplishing machine safety in my view for at least the past decade. So,

where does this concept reside today on the scale of idea through broad adoption?

I have had the privilege of knowing two industry experts for over 10 years, Bruce Main and Fred Manuele. These two gentlemen are strong industry leaders in the understanding, pro-motion, and implementation of PTD for machine safety. I have learned a lot about machine safety from both of them. The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE, www.asse.org) January issue of “Professional Safety” is largely devoted to the concept of PTD.

In my profession I have been on the user and supplier sides of industry. As a seasoned industry expert, I readily understand and agree that a lot of attention needs to be focused at the design (supplier) side of industry. By doing so we accomplish moving machine safety from an afterthought, where safety is added to a machine on the manufacturer’s (user’s) plant floor, to a forethought, where safety is designed into the machine. Accomplishing this transition means that a user can actually purchase a (somewhat) safe machine, even though OSHA does not require a supplier to ship a safe machine.

Ah, this is the U.S. dilemma. PTD and our domestic consensus standards provide direction to suppliers on how to design in machine safe-ty. Great! However, enforcement means OSHA inspects installed machines on a user’s plant floor rather than machines as sold by suppliers. (If a machine is designed safely, then the focus in the plant could be to ensure that the machine is installed, integrated, used, and maintained safe-ly.) However, enforcement via OSHA is accom-plished only by inspecting installed machines on a user’s plant floor. Machines being designed and manufactured by an OEM are not inspected by OSHA. Additionally, more influence comes to the U.S. via international standards, like ISO

13849-1, focused at helping designers with safety-related compliance requirements. Again, the supplier side! So who helps the user? Can users understand and comply with the additional requirements of ISO 13849-1?

Do users have the qualifiedresources for design?

In my opinion, it’s great that we’re focusing on suppliers’ requirements to improve machine safety. But, let’s not forget about users and how they’ll use the same standards to maintain their safety compliance.

Has this presented you with any new perspec-tives? Add your comments or thoughts to the dis-cussion by submitting your ideas, experiences, and challenges in the comments section with the post at www.controleng.com/blogs. ce

- J.B. Titus, Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE), writes the Control Engineering Machine Safety Blog. Reach him at [email protected].

w SAFETYw SAFETYmachine

Is preventionthrough design enough?U.S. consensus standards provide direction to suppliers on how to design in machine safety. Can users understand and comply with the additional requirements of ISO 13849-1?

www.jbtitus.com

Browse www.controleng.com/blogs

Search www.controleng.com for

� Inside Machines: Does adopting ISO 13849-1:2006 change the U.S. model for compliance and enforce-ment?

� Machine Safety – does OSHA reference consensus standards for compliance?

� Machine Safety: Is OSHA okay with my acceptable risk mitigation?

Go OnlineExample sustainable machine safety program elements

1. Goal: Zero workplace fatalities2. Vision: To become recognized by stake-holders as a global sustainability leader in occupational health and safety. To accom-plish this we must:

- Learn from any failures in our safety systems and processes

- Prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through a strong safety culture

- Build capability in all of our team members through education and practical training

Source: Jan. 24 Control Engineering blog post: “Machine Safety: Does sustainability matter?”

J.B. Titus, CFSE,Certified Functional

Safety Expert (CFSE)

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ROS Industrial, an open-sourceindustrial robotics package, was used to program and illustrate the robots used in this demo at Automate 2013, as explained by Shaun M. Edwards, senior research engineer, robotics and auto-mation engineering section, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), an inde-pendent, nonprofit applied research and development organization. ROS stands for robot operating system. In a short video, Edwards said the software enables advanced industrial automation applications.

Increasingly, robots are being con-sidered for use in dynamic environ-ments where perception capabilities are involved and the environment is constantly changing. The robot must act intelligently to avoid collisions and people in its environment. These capa-bilities aren’t met by off-the-shelf prod-ucts, said Edwards, which is why ROS Industrial Consortium (RIC) formed.

In the video, two small robots, from Motoman SIA20D and Universal Robots UR5, use 3D perception to iden-tify objects, then quickly pick and place the parts. Many industrial applications can use this functionality, for bin pick-ing or other dynamic applications.

“Cool” on-screen depiction shows what the robot sees and what each is “thinking,” Edwards said. Software allows the user to create something very complex, see all associated data, robot location, computer-aided design (CAD) data, representations of the robot cell, and 3D information in one environment, with debugging, to ensure programs are robust.

RIC seeks industry’s help to learn more about advanced robotic needs, then wants to meet those needs. The open-source ecosystem envisions

involving end users, system integrators, open-source developers, educators and nonprofit organizations, government, R&D collaborators, and robot suppliers. As the RIC site says, “envision a world where industrial robots use a common software language, where reduced inte-gration costs fuel growth in advanced manufacturing, where industrial auto-mation enjoys the same exponential rate of progress as computers and mobile devices.” www.ROSIndustrial.org - Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering,

[email protected].

ROS Industrial aims toopen, unify advanced robotic programming

Video: Rethink RoboticsAt www.controleng.com, search Baxter.

Search 2350 jobsat www.controleng.com.

Easier-to-use automation Ford $773 million expansion

Motoman SIA20D and Universal RobotsUR5 use 3D perception to identify objects on the table, figure out how to pick them up, and place them where they need to be.

ROS Industrial software allows the user to create something very complex, see all associated data and robot location, in one environment, with debugging, to ensure the programs are robust. Photos courtesy: CFE Media video

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Since Universal Robots launchedin North America in September 2012 at the IMTS show, the user-friendly, lightweight six-axis robot arms from Denmark have been met with over-whelming interest from distributors and customers, the company said. Return on investment is 3-8 months; 80% oper-ate without enclosures.

The distributor list of the Danish robotic arms is rapidly expanding as resellers show the robots to end cus-tomers with production processes pre-viously thought impossible to automate due to cost and complexity, the com-pany said.

Ed Mullen, national sales manager with Universal Robots, handled the U.S. expansion, noting advantages such as easy programming, portability, and rela-tively low cost. “That’s why people are literally lining up to help us sell it,” he explained.

Key benefits of the robots, com-pany said, are that they are simple to program, easy to install, have flexible deployment, can run without fence, have quick return on investment (ROI), work independently with-out need for human moni-toring and control, are extremely quiet without irritating robot noise, are energy-efficient, and have modular design.

Since Universal Robots sold its first robot in 2009, the company has seen rapid growth in more than 40 countries, “a very promising start,” said Thomas Visti, chief commercial officer with Uni-versal Robots. He expects this trend to continue in North America. Product portfolio includes the UR5 (working radius: 85 cm or 33.46 in.) and UR10 (radius: 130 cm or 51.18 in.) models that

handle payloads of up to 11.3 lb (5 kg) and 22.6 lb (10 kg), respectively.

Repeatability of +/- .004 in. allows quick precision handling of even micro-scopically small parts.

Universal Robots collaborate outside enclosure

After using the teach function to physical-ly move and train robot arm path, Kristian Hulgard, Universal Robots area sales manager in Denmark, moved where he would receive a UR10 blow to the chest. “No bruises?” asked Control Engineering. “I don’t bruise. I am a Viking from Den-mark.” The robot is designed to stop after sensing an obstruction, even a Viking at the Automate 2013 show. CFE Media photo by Mark T. Hoske

n At www.controleng.com, search Universal Robots for more details, links, photos.www.universal-robots.com

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M2M technical specifications planned

Telecommunications Industry Associa-tion (TIA) named Bill Conley, a cellular device product manager for B&B Electron-ics, as TIA delegate to the oneM2M group, launched in July 2012 by seven of the world’s leading information and communi-cations technology (ICT) Standards Devel-opment Organizations (SDOs). oneM2M plans to develop the technical specifica-tions that enable machine-to-machine (M2M) devices to communicate worldwide. The technical specifications under devel-opment by oneM2M will address the need for a common M2M Service Layer that can be embedded within various hardware and software, and relied upon to connect the myriad of devices in the field with M2M application servers worldwide.

The ICT SDOs that launched oneM2M include: Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB) and the Telecom-munication Technology Committee (TTC) of Japan; the Alliance for Telecommunica-tions Industry Solutions (ATIS) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) of the USA; the China Communica-tions Standards Association (CCSA); the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI); and the Telecommunica-tions Technology Association (TTA) of Korea. More recently, the Open Mobile Alli-ance (OMA) joined.

oneM2Mwww.onem2m.org




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Robotic announcements at Automate2013 from Yaskawa Motoman included a delta robot for high-speed packaging; robots for high-speed material handling, assembly, and packaging; a gateway that enables control and programming through a PLC; Dual-Arm SDA-series robots with 7-axis arms; high-perfor-mance robots; multiple language sup-port; a compact robot controller that works with an open software architec-ture; and laser welding software that improves seam tracking and finding.

Delta-style Motoman MPP3 robot is designed for high-speed picking, pack-ing, cartoning, and kitting applications. Its high-speed operation, 150 cycles per minute, yields extraordinary production results, the company said.

Motoman MH5 and MH5L robots require minimal installation space and offer superior performance in small part handling applications, such as assem-bly, machine tending, packaging, and

dispensing. Internally routed cables and hoses maximize system reliability, reduce interference, and facilitate pro-gramming. The 6-axis MH5 and MH5L robots yield extraordinary production results while requiring minimal capital investment. The MH5 model features a 706 mm (27.8-in.) reach and is said to offer the widest work envelope in its class. When a larger work envelope is required, the MH5L model provides an 895 mm (35.2-in.) reach while main-taining its 5 kg payload capacity.

The MLX100 Robot Gateway con-trollers is used for process-inten-sive applications, and the new small-er FS100 controller is designed for high-speed handling applications. The MLX100 Robot Gateway enables con-trol and programming of Motoman robots directly from the Rockwell Auto-mation ControlLogix platform, using in-house PAC/PLC expertise.

www.motoman.com

NEWSNEWSindustry

Motoman MLX100 controller enables thecontrol and programming of Motoman robots from the Rockwell Automation ControlLogix platform. Courtesy: Yas-kawa Motoman

�At www.controleng.com, search on the head-line to see more on each announcement with 10 more photos.

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ABB Robotics attached a nimble6-axis robot on the end of a long-reach 4-axis machine, for a 4.96 m total reach (195.28 in.), in 10 axes of motion, ideal for robotic welding. The Automate 2013 dem-onstration showed the robot with a welding tip quickly tracing a rotating vehicle frame, which was one more axis guided by the same ABB IRC 5 robot controller working the integrated robots (capable of controlling 36 axes total). “Noth-ing can hide from 10 axes of robotic motion,” an ABB Robotics spokesper-son said. Dress configuration may limit reach slightly, depending on configura-tion or application needs.

The IRB 660, the larger base robot, a dedicated palletizer, is an exceptionally fast 4-axis machine that combines a 3.15 meter reach with a 250 kg payload,

making it ideal for palletizing bags, boxes, crates, bottles, and more. ABB said the IRB 660 is considerably faster than its predecessor. Its optimized

motor power and motion performance ensure short cycle times. It comes in a high-speed version capable of han-dling 180 kg payloads at full speed, and as a 250 kg version for high throughput.

The 6-axis multipur-pose IRB 140 robot handles payload of 6 kg,

with 810 mm reach. The IRB 140 can be floor mounted, inverted, or mounted on the wall in any angle. Available as Standard, Foundry Plus 2, Clean Room, and Wash versions, all mechanical arms are IP67 protected, making IRB 140 easy to integrate in and suitable for a variety of applications. Its working area has an extended radius due to the bend-back

mechanism of the upper arm (axis 1 rotation of 360 degrees) even as wall mounted. Using IRB 140T, cycle time reductions between 15%-20% are possi-ble using pure axis 1 and 2 movements. www.abb.com/robotics

Two robots are better than one for nimble welding applications

ABB Robotics combined its IRB 660and IRB 140 robots, creating an IRB 800 robot with 10 axes of movement for robotic welding and other highly nimble applications. The black mounting plate at the top of the photo is where the two robots connect. Courtesy: ABB Robotics

‘Two robots attached, working as one

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Nothing can hide from 10 axes of robotic

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24 ● FEBRUARY 2013 CONTROL ENGINEERING

System integration projects and revenue are expectedto increase. A new study by the Control System Integrators Association indicates 2013 will see a further acceleration of growth as manufacturers begin to see a clearer road ahead. CSIA partnered with JP Morgan to conduct a global study of about 200 integrator firms to gauge their business climate. An increase in automation integration projects is closely tied to growth in the manufacturing sector as a whole, and confi-dence is firming throughout the sector.

The study found that 39% of survey respondents said their business was stronger at the end of 2012 compared to mid-year, and another 34% found it similar. But 51% see stronger growth in projects over the next six months, and 69% expect revenue growth during that same period. “Growth should accelerate modestly,” the survey stated. “At a minimum, it suggests that industry participants have not seen anything since (the end of the third quarter of 2012) to make them unduly pessimistic about growth for next year.”

“Integrators probably see customers who, for the most part, are in good financial health and willing to spend money on their plants if the payback on these productivity invest-ments can be justified, said Steve Tusa, electrical equipment and multi-industry equity researcher for JP Morgan, and one of the report’s authors. “Some of these projects may be temporarily delayed due to economic uncertainty, but if the pace of planning and RFPs are continuing at a steady pace, then it’s understandable that integrators would look for more growth next year.”

The study also focused on the adoption of manufacturing execution systems. While 21% of integrators who offer MES said its adoption is rapidly occurring, another 59% said that growth would be slow, and 20% said adoption is minimal.

Use of system integrators is on the rise. “For several years, the market has trended toward more complex automa-tion systems, often involving components from multiple ven-dors, where the expertise of an integrator is critical. We think this likely continues,” Tusa said.

Systems integrators as a group have a wide audience, ranging from process integration projects (food and bever-age, oil and gas, and water and wastewater are three of the top four client markets) to discrete manufacturing, such as OEMs for industrial projects, mining, and automotive.

An area of growth for system integrators is power and energy, with 16% of integrators looking to expand in a mar-ket that already has 28% coverage among integrators.

“U.S. natural gas probably plays a role, but upstream oil capex too has been strong in recent years, as an $80-plus oil price has made a lot of exploration spending economical in some key regions like the Canadian oil sands where the extraction costs are higher,” Tusa said.

At www.controleng.com, search “200 integrator” to see more survey comments.

- Bob Vavra is a content manager for CFE Media, [email protected].

www.controlsys.org

JP Morgan/CSIA: System integrators see strength

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Servodrive controls offer high accuracy and repeatability for precise applications, as shown in the cover application video and in the arti-cles, explanations, and examples, with more about each, online.

Advances in servodrive control include open architecture digital permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM)

controls for a milling machine axis control sys-tem, using real-time open architecture on a PXI platform.

Servo technologies and techniques can improve manufacturing productivity and energy efficiency. Smaller, more compact energy-effi-cient servos have faster response time speeds, higher accuracy and dynamic intelligence, along with advanced capabilities.

Servomotor technology also contributes to productivity, as improved computing power helps advance servo motor applications. Fast processors in multi-core PC controllers enable updates to multiple servo control loops while handling machine control logic.

Servodrive control improvements augment machine tool performance, as applied in an upgraded series of vertical honing machines with higher accuracy and safety, decreased cycle time, and expanded processing options.

Advanced servodrive controls can support up to 128 axes with onboard Ethernet among other new features.

- Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manag-er, Control Engineering, [email protected].

ServodrivecontrolSmaller, faster, higher accuracy, and easier to use are among servodrive control advances.

cover story

� View the cover video at www.controleng.com/video or in the digital edition. See more about laser-cutting machine used at Atlas Tool & Die Works, its controls, and about the most-recent machine available in that line, the HVII, with additional photos from MC Machinery Systems.

www.mcmachinery.com

www.atlas-tool.com

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Precise power: This Mitsubishi 2512HV-20CF laser cutter at Atlas Tool & Die Works Inc. has repeatability accuracy of +/- .000197 in. with three Mitsubishi Electric Corp. servos. Operator at the controls, Brian Squeo, is cutting 14 gauge, type 304 stain-less steel at a 70 in. per minute

(IPM) feed rate, at 650 Watts of power. Speed varies by material and thickness; fastest is 400 IPM (19 gauge mild steel with oxygen). Machine controls can run up to six servo drives, said Tim Gelsomino, sales liaison, MC Machinery Sys-tems Inc., Mitsubishi EDM/Laser. Cover video/photos by Peter Welander, Control Engineering.

Open architecture digital PMSM controls

Most control loops for electric feed drives used in computer numerical control (CNC)

machines for industry are closed architecture systems. The design prevents users from making changes in control algorithms. Conventional cas-cade position control loops for electric feed drives used in CNC systems have limitations that slow the development of new solutions.

Recently, several CNC systems producers have offered quasi-open architecture machines, though these still have not met expectations of end users. Real-time open architecture control systems allow users to modify component algo-

rithms to improve work parameters of the CNC machine to the top level of its functional model. For these reasons, there’s a lot of research on this topic. The new approach described here implements measured and digitally prepro-cessed signals within the control loop of the digital servodrive of the milling machine feed-drive module. The integrated laboratory stand was based on National Instruments hardware and soft-ware solutions. Control, measurements, and digital signal processing algorithms were implemented on a PXI platform with specifically dedicated modules. Position measurements of the motor were made

Krzysztof Pietrusewicz, Paweł Waszczuk

Precise power: 2512HV-20CF laser cutter at Atlas Tool & Die Works Inc. has repeatability accuracy of +/- .000197 in. with three Mitsubishi Electric Corp. servos. Operator at the controls, Brian Squeo, is cutting 14 gauge, type 304 stain-less steel at a 70 in. per minute

(IPM) feed rate, at 650 Watts of power. Speed

CTL1302_F3_CoverStory_V5msFINAL.indd 26 2/5/13 6:07 PM


At www.controleng.com, search

n “Digital PMSM controls” for more details, four graph-ics, links to related coverage.

n “Pietrusewicz” to read about other control research.

www.ni.com

Go Online

Faster and more intelligent CPUs in advanced ac servo systems can monitor and estimate machine char-acteristics as the machine ages, providing machine diagnostic func-tions. In addition to increase energy efficiency, Mitsubishi Electric is actively engaged in research and development of silicon carbide (SiC) power devices and their use. Courtesy: Mitsubishi Electric Automation

Integrated laboratory stand measures signals within the control loop of the digital ser-vodrive of the milling machine feed-drive module. A ser-vodrive field-oriented control (FOC) algorithm was used for this high-end application. Courtesy: West Pomeranian University of Technology

AC servo technologies, techniques can improve manufacturing productivity, energy efficiency

The trend for ac servo manufacturing technolo-gies has always been toward “smaller, faster,

better” and will continue for the foreseeable future. From the advent of ac servos, manufacturers have historically focused on developing high-speed, high-precision amplifiers packaged in the most compact footprint possible. In recent years, fea-tures and capabilities relating to energy manage-ment, networking, preventive and predictive main-tenance, and operator safety are steadily gaining in importance for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end users as they continue to lever-age ac servo technology to boost productivity while reducing waste and inefficiency in their operations.

Today, new applications and opportunities in mega-market-growth areas, like smartphone and medical devices manufacturing, are push-ing ac servo manufacturers to their limits. Servo manufacturers must continue to find new ways to innovate and deliver even greater productivity and performance with new product development while using available technologies. Four key trends in ac servo design and manufacturing—improvements

via an EnDat 2.1 encoder module; vibrations and acoustic pressure signals were obtained with a high sampling rate using an NI 9234 module. A field-oriented control algorithm was executed on FPGA target (NI PXI 7854R), which helps maintain high efficiency of the code. The motor was con-trolled by an NI 9502 motor drive module, capable of 4 A continuous current output to drive three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM). The control and measuring system was connected with an autonomic one-axis feed drive to perform a series of tests.

Vibration in control loopVibrations are an integral part of every dynamic

system. They appear in feed drive for many rea-sons, for example: rotational speed of the servo-drive, structural vibrations, and so on. Feed drives are used to position the machine tool components carrying the cutting tool and workpiece to the desired location; hence their positioning accuracy and speed determine the quality and productivity of machine tools. For these reasons, it is critical to diagnose the moment and cause of their formation. Vibration monitoring is one of the most often used methods in machine diagnostics due to its relative-ly low cost and simplicity of implementation.

The mechanical energy of a device transforms into acoustic energy when it contacts the air. The sound signals measured closest to a machine reveal information about the state of the process

being performed. To acquire acoustic pres-sure signals, directional microphones are most often used. Due to the relatively low frequency band related to the axis feed drive, sound signals can be easily measured even with nonspecialized devices.

Identification of resulting vibrations helps to improve the positioning accuracy of feed drives; acoustic pressure signals can diagnose abnormal device functionality.

The task of the digital signal processing (DSP) block added to the conventional cascade position control loop for the feed drive algorithm is to cal-culate extra steering signals for one/several/every regulator or setpoint value. Measurements taken during device operation are processed with DSP methods, and calculations in time and frequency domain are made. Due to the former identification of parameters and behavior of the axis feed drive, abnormal conditions and unwanted states of work are known. Using those, a special algorithm moni-tors sound and vibration signals from the device and calculates added control signals as needed.

- Krzysztof Pietrusewicz, DSc, is an assistant professor at West Pomeranian University of Tech-nology, Szczecin. Paweł Waszczuk, Msc, is a PhD student there. Both contribute to Control Engineer-ing Poland.

Sunny Ainapure

in semiconductor design, algorithms, monitoring and estimating of machine characteristics, and silicon-carbide power modules—are advancing performance levels and productivity in manufactur-ing and plant operations.

Internal central processing units (CPUs) and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are the engines driving ac servo technology and per-formance. Speed, processing power, and response

n At www.controleng.com, search “AC servo technolo-gies” for more about servo-drive control and energy-saving SiC.

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Vast improvement in comput-ing power is perhaps the

most significant contribution to servo motor technology. Fast processors in PC-based control-lers (especially multi-core PCs) make it possible to update mul-tiple servo control loops while still handling machine control logic. Take the case of robotic mechanisms using multiple servo motors; only the path of the end effectors’ motion needs to be programmed instead of dealing with the motion of each individual motor.

This abstraction permits faster development and more creative robotic implementations. The open architecture of these PC-based controllers paired with intelligent software offers standard-ized programming tools. These tools facilitate easier implementation of control routines and provide advanced preprogrammed routines

though software libraries.Networking advances enable servomotors to

better coordinate activities for robotic and CNC applications.

Recent advances in servomotor technol-ogy significantly reduce the cost of ownership. Servo motors that use one cable technology (OCT) combines the encoder signals with the power wires to eliminate one of the two cables between the motor and drive. Cables represent about 10% of the hardware cost in a typical installation.

A handful of motor advancements put togeth-er have increased the motor’s peak torque and continuous torque output. In a typical applica-tion, the torque needed to accelerate a mechan-ical system is orders of magnitude greater than the torque needed to overcome friction.

This generally results in a low, continuous torque requirement since the motor isn’t con-stantly accelerating. Servomotors have a peak-to-continuous torque ratio in the neighborhood of three, while others can approach seven.

- Gary Kirckof is application engineer manager, Beckhoff Automation.

Servomotor technologycontributes to productivityGary Kirckof

� At www.controleng.com search Kirckof for more details and advances.

www.beckhoffautomation.com/drivetechnology

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times of ac servo systems are the key factors in realizing superior performance, productivity gains, and throughput in manufacturing operations. Quantum leaps in speed, accuracy, and precision are made possible by advancements in, new semi-conductor manufacturing technologies.

Among advancements is system on a chip (SoC), where the CPU and ASIC are combined into one integrated chip, offering two main benefits to ac servo designers. CPU and ASIC integration halves the number of components used and con-tributes a smaller overall amplifier package. Servo manufacturers that employ an SoC configuration will significantly increase processing speeds and accuracy, and reduce the footprint of ac servo packages, some as much as 20%.

Modern control algorithms are based on a clas-sical PID theory and have been at the core of servo control algorithms since inception. Newer control techniques are continually incorporated to increase the intelligence of the control algorithm, delivering advanced features and operation. In recent times, ac servo manufacturers began using new techniques like feed-forward control to run their servo control algorithms. Servo manufactur-ers also are incorporating vibration suppression controls and disturbance control functions to mea-sure friction due to the response of the machine and for other advanced capabilities. Using these new calculations and techniques inside the servo control algorithm dramatically shortens cycle

times. While the discussion of control theory may be technically more complex than most OEM designers desire to know or can appreciate, the “real-world” benefits result in faster system tuning and setup, which reduces labor costs.

Today’s advanced ac servo systems can moni-tor and estimate machine characteristics as the machine ages. Estimating load inertia from the relation between the input and output can be easily adjusted and corrected with a couple gain param-eters. This is valuable in establishing predictive and preventive maintenance schedules to help a machine stay in production at peak performance.

With the latest CPUs, servo manufacturers can accurately control inertia mismatches and vibration frequencies of a machine compared to previous generation amplifiers. Over time, every machine’s performance will begin to suffer from normal oper-ation, wear and tear, and vibration. By adjusting a few gain parameters and applying a machine reso-nance filter and/or vibration suppression filter, end users can dial back the machine to day one.

Essentially, this improved estimating of machine characteristics helps users maintain day-to-day peak performance levels for equipment, and lower total cost of operations (TCO) and maximize over-all equipment effectiveness (OEE), since the life of the machine will be extended due to more effective maintenance, service, and production planning.

- Sunny Ainapure is senior product manager ac servos, Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc.

Computing power boosts servodrive con-trols, and recent advances in servomotor technology significantly reduce the cost of ownership. Beckhoff One Cable Technology on AM8000 series servo motors combines the encoder signals with the power wires to elimi-nate one of the two cables between the motor and drive. Courtesy: Beckhoff Automation

cover story

‘New calculations

and techniques inside the

servo control algorithm

dramatically shorten cycle

times.’


input #20 at www.controleng.com/informationwww.controleng.com ● CONTROL ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013 ● 29

Sunnen Products introduces new

servomotor and drive technology in three primary vertical hon-ing platforms, bringing additional capabilities, speed, accuracy, and safety to the machines. Upgraded capabilities in the new models include selectable tool-feed, con-stant crosshatch, and faster automatic bore detection for reduced cycle times. The range of machines can process bore IDs from 3 mm to 300 mm in parts such as piston pumps, hydraulic components, landing gear, and similar components.

New models include a 7.5 kW (10 hp) servo spindle. The new SV-2000 platform offers a new choice of controlled-force or controlled-rate tool feed.

Controlled-rate allows auto-matic tool feed in increments as fine

as 0.1 µm (0.000010-in.) Controlled-force tool feed monitors force in the tool feed system, feeding abrasive at the highest rate possible for conditions, ensuring the shortest cycle times.

New platforms include safe-drive technology that monitors all safety devices on the machine with a separate PLC, which stops or limits the speed of the drives if triggered.

Servodrive and motioncontrol product trends,

according to Siemens Industry, include better per-formance and support for up to 128 axes of motion with one controller. New servodrive features include onboard communications and ability to cover all levels of performance for produc-tion machines.

Controllers can offer PLC, motion control, advanced technology functions, and an integrated drive control. Advanced net-working capabilities with integrated Ether-net network switch can facilitate different network topologies, such as line, star, or tree structures, without additional external switches.

Graphical software simplifies configura-tion, programming, testing, and commis-sioning of applications.

Servodrive control improvements augment machine tool performance

Trends in servo drives:productivity, speed, performance

� At www.controleng.com, search on: Drive sys-tem adds Ethernet connectivity, motion control software

www.usa.siemens.com/motioncontrol

Go Online

Sunnen Products hasnew servomotor and drive

technology in three primary vertical honing platforms, bringing addi-tional capabilities, speed,

accuracy, and safety to the machines. Courtesy: Sunnen Products

Siemens Simotion Dmotion controllers for production machines cover all levels of performance, from simple positioning tasks to demanding appli-cations with extremely short cycle times or large numbers of axes, up to 128—twice that of the prior generation. Recently added features for Simo-tion D445-2 multi-axis controllers include onboard

Profinet interfaces and high-speed I/O connections. Courtesy: Siemens Industry

Consider this...� Calculating advantages of advanced capabilities and features of the latest servodrive controls would help cost justify the next automation redesign.

� At www.controleng.com, search SV-2500 to read more.

www.sunnen.com

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CTL1302_F3_CoverStory_V5msFINAL.indd 29 2/5/13 6:08 PMCTL130201-MAG_Ads.indd 29 2/6/2013 5:00:19 PM


While PLCs (programmable logic controllers) have been around for more than 40 years, recent advances have greatly increased their capa-

bilities, blurring the line between a PLC and PAC (programmable automation controller). What differences remain between these two cat-egories? Is there a performance gap between PLCs and PACs that users should keep in mind when choosing the best solution for a particular application?

A brief bit of history can put the discussion in context. PLCs were created in the late 1960s to replace relay-based systems. Conceptually they were similar and used ladder logic that mimicked the appearance of wiring diagrams engineers used to represent physical relays and timers, and the connections among them. Early PLCs required dedicated proprietary terminals for pro-gramming, had very limited memory, and lacked remote I/O.

By the 1980s, PC-based software was intro-duced for programming PLCs, which had become faster and had added more features as years passed. Since then, many new technologies have been applied to PLCs, greatly expanding their capabilities on an almost continuous basis.

PACs are relatively new to the automation market, using the term coined by the market research firm ARC in 2001. Since then, there has been no specific agreement as to what differenti-ates a PAC from a PLC. Some users feel the term PAC is simply marketing jargon to describe high-ly advanced PLCs, while others believe there is a definite distinction between a PLC and a PAC. In any case, defining exactly what constitutes a PAC isn’t as important as having users under-stand the types of applications for which each is best suited.

Determining users’ needsMost suppliers carry a wide range of PLCs

and PACs, which can make it difficult to choose

the right product for a particular application. Typically PLCs have been best suited for

machine control, both simple and high speed. Common characteristics of these PLCs are sim-ple program execution scans, limited memory, and a focus on discrete I/O with on/off control.

On the other hand, a PAC is geared more toward complex automation system architec-tures composed of a number of PC-based soft-ware applications, including HMI (human machine interface) functions, asset manage-ment, historian, advanced process control (APC), and others. A PAC is also generally a better fit for applications with extensive process control requirements, as PACs are better able to handle analog I/O and related control func-tions. A PAC tends to provide greater flexibility in programming, larger memory capacity, bet-ter interoperability, and more features and func-tions in general.

As a result of having an architecture based on ladder logic and a focus on discrete on-off control, expanding a PLC beyond its original capabilities—such as adding extensive analog control capabilities—has often proved difficult. In older or lower-end PLCs, separate hardware cards usually had to be added and programmed to accomplish functions outside the PLC’s core focus. These functions included, but weren’t lim-ited to, networking multiple components, exten-sive process control, and sophisticated data manipulation.

To answer the demand for more PLC func-tionality, manufacturers have added features and capabilities. For example, older PLCs could only accommodate a relatively small number of PID loops, typically about 16, while new PLCs can handle thousands of such loops. Newer PLCs often feature multiple communication ports, and greatly increased memory as compared to older models (see Figure 1).

On the other hand, PACs provide a more open architecture and modular design to facil-itate communication and interoperability with

Jeff Payne

PLC vs. PACThese technologies continue to evolve, making differences harder to distinguish. Here are some thoughts on what does what, and how to choose between a PLC and a PAC for your next application.

Keyconcepts� Differences between PLCs and PACs relate to functionality (or they should) and not just jargon

� Users making a selec-tion for a new application should select on these dif-ferences when possible

� Applications should build in the ability to expand and incorporate technology improvements

controller platforms

CTL1302_F1_PLCs_V3msFINAL.indd 30 2/5/13 6:09 PM


‘The confusion arises when

an application lies somewhere between simple and complex, and in these

circumstances a high-end PLC

or a low-end PAC platform will work.’

n Search on PLC or PAC at www.controleng.com for hundreds of articles and product information

n Subscribe to the Machine Control eNewsletter at www.controleng.com/newsletters

n For more information on AutomationDirect, visit www.automationdirect.com

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other devices, networks, and enterprise systems. They can be easily used for communicating, monitoring, and control across various networks and devices because they employ standard pro-tocols and network technologies such as Ether-net, OPC, and SQL.

PACs also offer a single platform that oper-ates in multiple domains such as motion, dis-crete, and process control. Moreover, the modular design of a PAC simplifies system expansion and makes adding and removing sen-sors and other devices easy, often eliminating the need to disconnect wiring. Their modular design makes it easy to add and effectively monitor and control thousands of I/O points, a task beyond the reach of most PLCs.

Another key differentiator between a PLC and a PAC is the tag-based programming offered by a PAC. With a PAC, a single tag-name database can be used for development, with one software package capable of pro-gramming multiple models. Tags, or descrip-tive names, can be assigned to functions before tying to specific I/O or memory addresses. This makes PAC programming highly flexible, with easy scalability to larger systems.

The choice is yoursFor simple applications, such as controlling

a basic machine, a PLC is a better choice than a PAC. Likewise, for most applications that con-sist primarily of discrete I/O, a PLC is the best choice—unless there are other extraordinary requirements such as extensive data handling and manipulation.

If the application includes monitoring and control of a large number of analog I/O points, then a PAC is generally the better solution. This is also the case when the application encompass-es an entire plant or factory floor, a situation that typically calls for distributed I/O in large num-bers, along with extensive loop control—func-tions better suited to a PAC than to a PLC.

The confusion arises when an application lies somewhere between simple and complex, and in these circumstances a high-end PLC or a low-end PAC platform will work. Ultimately, a choice between the two will be defined strictly by other factors outside of specific application require-ments. These factors include, but aren’t limit-ed to, past experience with each platform, price, the level of local support, and anticipated future growth and changes.

Figure 1: PLC system archi-tecture. Newer PLCs offer more communication options, often through add-in cards. Courtesy: AutomationDirect



Once a decision is made between a PLC or a PAC, users typically have a wide range of prod-ucts from which to choose, even if only a single vendor is being considered. That’s because PLCs and PACs are typically designed in systems of scale, meaning there is a family of controllers to choose from that range from lower I/O count to larger system capacity, with correspondingly more features and functions as I/O counts and prices increase.

Functional differencesThe demarcation line between PLCs and

PACs has become less clear, but there are still some applications that clearly favor a PAC, due to its greater range of features, func-tions, and capabilities (Table 1). Here are a few observations:

n From a programming perspective, a PLC typically has a fixed memory map and address-ing. In contrast, a PAC allows tag naming, let-ting users define data types as they program. This provides more flexibility, especially when expanding the system.

n While many high-level PLCs have excel-lent execution speeds, PACs typically offer much greater I/O capacity and user memory size for larger projects and larger overall system sizes. This often makes them a better choice for large systems encompassing several areas of a plant.

n While advanced PLCs have increased com-munication and data handling options, PACs still offer more built-in features such as USB data log-ging ports, a web server to view system data and data log files, and an LCD screen for enhanced user interface and diagnostics (Figure 2).

n PACs are designed to be integrated more tightly with SQL and other databases. They often are still the choice for process control applica-tions because they deliver other advantages such as standard 16-bit resolution analog for higher precision measurements.

Modern PLCs and PACs share many of the same features, and either will work in many applications.

The final selection will typically be deter-mined by dozens of factors for any given appli-cation and company environment, including functional requirements, future expansion plans, company/vendor relationships, and past experi-ence with specific automation platforms. ce

Jeff Payne is product manager for the pro-grammable controllers group at AutomationDi-rect, Inc.

controller platforms

Figure 2: PAC system architecture. As compared to PLCs, PACs offer more built-in features such as USB data logging, advanced process control, and multiple Ethernet and serial communication ports. Courtesy: AutomationDirect

Table 1: PAC advantages over PLCs

1. More open architecture

2. Modular design

3. More analog I/O options

4. Better process control capability

5. Designed for tight integration with SQL and other databases

6. Tag naming that lets users define data types

7. Greater I/O capacity

8. More built-in communications ports

9. USB data logging

10. Programming via USB port


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During challenging economic times, accom-plishing more with fewer resources can help

manufacturers with their very survival. Virtualiza-tion and virtual machines are technologies that are widely accepted in enterprise IT systems, and can help with the operational efficiencies of deploy-ing, upgrading, and maintaining systems on the plant floor. Virtualization consolidates workloads to raise utilization levels and reduce operating, capi-tal, space, power, and cooling expenses. When deploying virtualization on a converged network, manufacturers can gain greater ease of manage-ment while boosting application performance.

Ease of managementIn a virtualized environment, control systems,

servers, and services can be deployed more rap-idly than physical ones without requiring hours or days of tedious and potentially error-prone manual configuration. By using role- and policy-based management models available in various unified system management software platforms, such as Cisco UCS Manager, design engineers and control system operators can implement complex changes or new deployments in minutes. This provides greater flexibility to change, upgrade, or reconfigure manufacturing designs on a system. In addition, virtualization allows for efficient remote administration with different views into security and policy implementations that can be extended to the plant floor based on the identity of the remote administrator. Thus, design engineers or control system engineers can administer, upgrade, or move one element without endangering the rest of the overall IT-integrated system.

For example, Cisco’s approach with UCS Manager offers role-based management models to maintain separation of IT and control system disciplines already established with most manu-facturers. Using a policy-based model, network administrators can define all networking policies,

which can be later incorporated and referenced by server administrators without involving their net-work administrator colleagues. Meanwhile, design engineers are freed to focus on business process as defined by the manufacturing execution system, rather than on the details of individual system configuration.

Availability and securityVirtualized systems can improve the availability

of manufacturing systems, avoiding downtime through techniques such as automatic restart of failed virtual machine instances and automatic fault-tolerant failover to a different virtual machine on the same, or different, hardware platform. In a business environment where downtime equals lost revenue, these capabilities can significantly miti-gate the risk of downtime from technology failure.

Security is much more flexible in virtualized sys-tems, and can be managed by policy templates. A common deployment technique is to isolate virtual machines on virtual LANs. With this technique, different systems can have different security levels. Access can be restricted for data which might be reasonably open (analytics), somewhat restricted (control systems), or even severely restricted (robotics).

Application performanceVirtualization lets you put the power and per-

formance where it is needed. While some people may be skeptical about the efficiency of shared resources, real-world deployments have proven such skepticism as unwarranted.

More online: How virtualization extends hard-ware life, how to work with virtual desktops, and concepts of converged network architecture.

Joel Conover is senior director of industry mar-keting, manufacturing, retail, and financial services for Cisco.

Joel Conover

Virtualizationon the plant floorWhile IT networks already use virtualization extensively, its benefits are moving intoindustrial networks. Here are excerpts from five diverse viewpoints on its advantages and implementation. The full text of each continues online at www.controleng.com.

Virtualization and virtual machines can improve equipment utiliza-tion while reducing expenses.

virtualization

Keyconcepts� Virtualization represents a huge advance in indus-trial network design and implementation.

� This technology is well proven in IT applications and is moving into manu-facturing.

� A thorough understand-ing of the technology and appropriate planning are key to effective implemen-tation.

Getting more from less

CTL1302_F2_Virtual_V5msFINAL.indd 34 2/5/13 6:11 PM


Most industrial process users seek to maxi-mize the length of time they can stay on a

particular control system platform for two reasons: increase ROI (return on investment) and reduce the amount of disruption to operations. Virtualiza-tion is a key technology that can assist in reducing the frequency of hardware refreshes, the cost of each refresh, and the impact to process operations when a refresh occurs, each of which accom-plishes the goal of increasing ROI and mitigating operation disruptions.

When considering how virtualization can improve operations, users should consider the life-cycle implications of several layers (see diagram). These include:

� Physical hardware� Hypervisor (VMware, Hyper-V, etc.)� Virtual hardware� Virtualization drivers� Operating system, and� Application.

Physical hardwareVirtualization provides abstraction or separa-

tion of the operating system and application lay-

ers from the physi-cal hardware. This reduces the depen-dencies that operat-ing systems and applications have on hardware, and gives users improved choices for determin-ing which supplier or platform will best meet their performance, reliability, and support goals. However, users need to be aware that there is a new dependency between the hypervi-sor and the hardware. Therefore, it is important to consider the compatibility between the hypervisor and the chosen hardware and how long that hard-ware combination will be supported.

More online: Examine each layer, hypervi-sor through applications (see bullet points, left) in greater detail, examining the ways they inter-act. Each has its own functions and lifecycle considerations.

Paul Hodge is virtualization product manager for Honeywell Process Solutions.

While virtual computing has been an indispensible utility within the IT

industry for several years, manufacturing and process automation industries have been slower to accept and recognize its benefits. However, as the technol-ogy evolves, we’re beginning to see the obvious impact it can have on a plant environment. In fact, virtualization will soon change how automation providers develop, deliver, and help commission their systems and solutions.

Breaking the fixed sequenceIn general, a fixed sequence of events

rules a project lifecycle. First, the delivery phase, where the system is designed to match production requirements, equip-ment procured, the system staged and tested, the system validated and shipped, and then the plant is commissioned. After that, the operational phase kicks in, where

the new system is supported, hardware replaced when it reaches its end of life, and the system upgraded, particularly with new software capabilities.

By enhancing both of these phases, virtualization improves the traditional delivery model. While engineering and testing used to be sequential activities that could occur only where the actual equip-ment was located, virtualization allows providers to decouple activity and loca-tion. It enables delivery activity to occur anywhere in the world, effectively break-ing the tether between engineers and the physical hardware. Individuals with spe-cialized talent can now apply their skills to system engineering no matter where they are located, even if they are thousands of miles away from the hardware!

Benefits to deliveryIn the delivery phase, virtualization

gets a system up and running significantly faster than by procuring and installing

hardware and software in the traditional manner. Not only are fewer machines required, but in some cases engineering can commence earlier using a common virtual machine. Hardware that would nor-mally be deployed on-site only after the system has been designed can be pro-cured and delivered to the facility for early installation, independent of engineering configuration. Because virtual machines can be instantiated simply by copying files, engineers can create an entire sys-tem in the virtual environment. No longer does engineering have to occur where the system is going to be staged—it can be done anywhere in the world, and the sys-tem can be staged and tested in a place that is more convenient for the end user.

More online: These capabilities allow suppliers to draw on human assets placed anywhere, anytime.

Grant LeSueur is director of product management for Invensys Operations Management.

Paul Hodge

Grant LeSueur

Breaking chains to improve delivery

This new approach can help keep some olderplatforms operating longer.

Virtualization can bridge distance and make resources available anywhere.

‘Virtualization can assist in reducing the frequency of

hardware refreshes, the cost of a

refresh, and the impact to process operations when a refresh occurs.’

Abstraction layer thatseparates the virtualfrom the physical

Physicalhardwaretouchpoints

Application layerstations, historians,asset management

Virtualization driver layerVMware, Microsoft

Operating system layer Microsoft, Linux

Virtual hardware layerVMware or Microsoft

Hypervisor layerVMware ESXi or Microsoft Hyper-V

Physical hardware layer Dell, HP

Virtualhardwaretouchpoints

V

Virtualization lifecycle considerations


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n Read this story online for additional discussion of each topic.

n Get more information from the companies involved:

www.cisco.com

www.eaton.com

www.honeywellprocess.com

http://iom.invensys.com

www.rockwellautomation.com

VMware vCenter templates provide opportuni-ties for corporate engineering, system integra-

tors, and other engineering teams to standardize work and simplify deployment of common system elements across multiple sites and customers. Templates provide a common starting point for the installation and configuration of automation soft-ware. Deploying a control system can take days of effort per workstation and/or server: it takes time to plan out system architecture, check for compat-ibility, install and patch the OS (operating system), and configure application content. Each of these steps also introduces risk if not done correctly.

With virtualization, the time and risk can be reduced drastically. Through the use of virtual machine (VM) templates, deployment can take minutes instead of days. Templates for workstations and servers are provided by some automation ven-dors with predefined software and OS builds or can be created by users for their specific systems.

Duplicate existing configurationsVMware vCenter Server allows system admin-

istrators to create templates from an existing VM. Your engineers can build a standardized VM for different defined workstations, such as operator or

engineering workstations, that contain a defined build of OS and software content. This standard-ized VM is turned into a template and becomes a “golden image” for deployment for the rest of the system stations during implementation. It can also be reused should the user decide to expand.

When expanding in the future, the user no longer has to worry about locating the exact instal-lation media and hardware or worry about system compatibility. If the user requires an additional operator workstation, he or she can simply deploy a new VM from the template at any time.

Standardizing an image in such a manner can be extremely beneficial in validated industries. It reduces the amount of effort that needs to go into testing each station—not just on initial installation, but over the lifetime of the system when stations need to be maintained and replaced. Should the hardware (e.g., a thin client) fail at a station, it can be replaced without change to the image, reducing the need to revalidate the OS and software.

More online: Every software and service may not be suited to this approach, so understand how to choose.

Anthony Baker is PlantPAx characterization and lab manager for Rockwell Automation.

By increasing the utilization level of servers, vir-tualization brings potential to deliver incredible

savings in terms of server count, footprint, power consumption, and cooling requirements. However, in order to fully reap these benefits without sacrific-ing electrical reliability, a few important power dis-tribution challenges must be addressed.

For one, overall power consumption will be lower, but it will be of higher variability and concen-tration. For example, on an un-virtualized platform, the average server CPU runs at only 10%-15% of capacity. With virtualization, that figure increases to about 70%-80%. As CPU utilization increases, so does power consumption per server.

System availability becomes all the more impor-tant as servers are pressed to carry these larger workloads. To protect servers, increase the density of enclosure-level power protection and distribu-tion. Enclosure-based power modules are avail-able that can distribute up to 36 kW in only a few U (rack units) of rack space. These cover four to 45 receptacles in an organized manner to meet the needs of a wide range of power densities.

Additionally, modern enclosure-based PDUs (power distribution units) are available that can view the status of each circuit securely from any-where on the company intranet or the Internet, to provide automated alerts of potential trouble.

Increasing power demandsFurther up the power system, you’ll want to

ensure existing circuits are capable of supporting high-density computing systems. Traditionally, facility managers could plan for about 60 to 100 W of power consumption per U of rack space, so a full rack of equipment averaged 3 to 4 kW. Today’s blade servers have escalated that figure to 600 to 1,000 W per U, which is steadily grow-ing and may soon reach up to 40 kW per rack.

Five or 10 years ago, a typical computer room was designed to feed one 20 A, 208 V circuit to each rack, or less than 3.5 kW per rack. If you now have to support 20 kW of equipment in each rack, it could take up to six of these 20 A circuits. The existing electrical infrastructure will be unable to support this load growth, and could easily run out of circuits or capacity, especially with the growing prevalence of dual- and triple-corded loads.

More online: Suggestions for developing a power subdistribution strategy, plus the importance of power quality metering, monitoring, and manag-ment at the branch circuit level to permit reacting before irregular conditions threaten processes. ce

Jim Tessier is a virtualization product manager for Eaton.

Anthony Baker

Jim Tessier

Building reusable engineeringUsing templates with virtual machines can save reinventing your software wheel.

Virtualization places different demands on your infrastructure than traditional archi-tecture.

virtualization

‘Templates for workstations and servers are

provided by some automation

vendors with predefined

software and OS builds or can be created by users for their specific

systems.’

Preparing your power distribution system


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2013ENGINEERS’ CHOICE AWARDS


Spotlight on Innovation

READ MORE ONLINE at www.controleng.com/awards. Pages, products follow.

39 Ti125 Thermal Imager, Fluke Corporation39 TPC-1251SR, Advantech39 CX2000 Embedded PC, Beckhoff Automation39 Vision570, Unitronics40 M700V CNC System, Mitsubishi Electric40 SureCross Q45 Wireless Photoelectric Sensor, Banner Engineering40 In-Sight 7000 Series, Cognex Corporation40 Allen-Bradley CompactLogix 5370 PACs, Rockwell Automation42 Do-more H2 Series PLC, AutomationDirect - Host Engineering42 QD77MS Simple Motion Control Module, Mitsubishi Electric42 Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 753 AC Drive, Rockwell Automation42 MicroFlex e150 Servo Drive, ABB Inc.44 Hirschmann RSP Switches, Belden Inc.44 SafetyBridge Technology, Phoenix Contact

44 UH201 USB Port Guardian, B&B Electronics Inc.44 Spectre 3G Cellular Router, B&B Electronics Inc.45 SU200PR Ring Tongue Miniature Circuit Breakers, ABB Low Voltage Products45 Lightning Monitoring System (LM-S), Phoenix Contact45 9PX UPS, Eaton45 Allen-Bradley ArmorStart LT Distributed Motor Controllers, Rockwell Automation46 DG25 Digital Pressure Gauge, Ashcroft Inc.46 Simatic PCS 7 v8.0, Siemens Industry Inc.46 Allen-Bradley GuardLogix 5572S, 5573S PACs, Rockwell Automation46 KEPServerEX v5.9, Kepware Technologies47 Business Intelligence Dashboard Template, InduSoft Inc.47 SolidWorks 2013, Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp.47 PlantTriage v11.0, ExperTune Inc.47 InduSoft Web Studio v7.1, InduSoft Inc.48 Studio Mobile Access, InduSoft Inc. 49-50 Honorable Mentions

Engineers’ Choice Awards Index: 29 Winners, 31 Honorable Mentions

Best automation, control, and instrumentationproducts in 29 categories.

By Amanda McLeman, Project Manager

T he 26th annual Control Engineering Engineers’ Choice Awards shines a light on 29 catego-ries of control, instrumentation, and automa-tion products, revealing the best of

those introduced in 2012 as chosen by you, Control Engineering’s print and digital audi-ence. Review the winners and honorable men-tions here to see how these innovative solutions can help you solve one of your most pressingproblems.

Also, join us in congratulating these techno-logical innovators. Let them know you learned about their solutions in Control Engineering, and what problems you need solutions for next. Their continuous improvement ensures that manufacturers, machine builders, and automa-tion system integrators can achieve the levels of agility, efficiency, and effectiveness neces-sary to compete—and win—in today’s global economy.

More than 100 product nominations from 60 compa-nies were listed on ballots for evaluation. Automation professionals from Control Engineering’s subscriber

lists—all of whom are responsible for or influ-ence technology purchases, or have hands-on day-to-day interaction with the technologies in each category—then voted to identify the products they felt were the most exceptional based on technological advancement, service to the industry, and market impact. The result is a short list of Engineers’ Choice Award win-ners and honorable mentions in 29 categories. A total of 29 winners and 31 honorable men-tions were named for 2013, due to ties in cer-tain categories.

Control Engineering staff extends apprecia-tion those who nominated products and voted. Awards will be presented as part of a program honoring Engineers’ Choice Award winners on March 18, in Chicago.

CTL1302_EngChoice_V7msFINAL.indd 38 2/5/13 6:15 PM


®

Hardware - HMI,Operator Interface,

Thin-Client

Hardware -Industrial PCs

Hardware - Integrated HMI Controllers

Ti125 Thermal ImagerFluke Corporation

The Fluke Ti125 ther-mal imager is built for

tough work environments. This high-performance, fully radiometric infrared camera is ideal for trouble-shooting electrical instal-lations, electromechanical equipment, process equip-ment, HVAC/R equipment, and other applications. The thermal imager features IR-Fusion Technology, a pat-ent-pending technology that simultaneously captures a digital photo in addition to the infrared image and combines them, taking the mystery out of IR image analysis. The Ti125 weighs 1.63 lb—light enough to aim either vertically or hori-zontally for a lengthy period of time. The thermal imager also features the IR-Photo-Notes annotation system to quickly identify and keep track of inspection locations by adding digital images of important information and surrounding areas. Multi-mode video recording also allows for focus-free video in visible light and infrared with full IR-Fusion.

www.fluke.com

TPC-1251SRAdvantech

Advantech’s TPC-1251SR is a 12.1-in.

SVGA high-brightness LCD Intel Atom Touch Panel Computer manufactured with a 1,000 nits display, up from the average 300 to 400 nits, and optically bond-ed with material to fill the gap between the glass cover and the LCD panel, provid-ing a reflection rate of less than 0.2% to be visible in bright sunlight. The TPC is designed with a fanless, completely passive, cooling structure with a wide oper-ating temperature range of -4 to 140 F. It is dual Giga-bit Ethernet supported, has a NEMA 4/IP65 compli-ant front panel, and sup-ports Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7, XP, XP Embedded, and Win-dows CE 5.0/6.0. Additional features include a compact design with die-cast alu-minum alloy front bezel, isolation protection for seri-al ports, and Energy Star approval.

www.advantech.com

CX2000 Embedded PCBeckhoff Automation

CX2000 embedded PCs are equipped with Intel

processors from the sec-ond generation of the 32-nm series (“Sandy Bridge”). Power-saving Intel Celeron variants also are available, making fanless options pos-sible. The embedded PCs’ operating systems bene-fit from the fast, integrat-ed graphic core as well as faster DDR3 memory. The CX2000 housing concept combines a metallic basic housing with front panels made of a special screening plastic and can handle envi-ronments with temperatures ranging from -25 to 60 C. The basic CPU module from the CX2000 series has one DVI port, four USB ports, and two independent Ether-net ports. A factory-config-urable internal slot referred to as a “magic interface” can optionally perform the functions of a wide range of interfaces. Fieldbus master and slave implementations are available.

www.beckhoffautomation.com

Vision570Unitronics

The Vision570 is a pow-erful PLC with a built-

in, 5.7-in. color touchscreen HMI operator panel. With its IP66 rating, the V570-57-T20B-J model com-prises a fully flat fascia and is ideal for required spray or wipe-down applica-tions. On-board I/Os can be added by snapping a mod-ule onto the back of the PLC; snap-in I/O modules come in several configura-tions. I/O expansion mod-ules enable integrating up to 1,024 I/Os per Vision PLC. The V570-57-T20B-J offers a rich range of embedded features, such as multiple auto-tuned PID loops, and internal 120K data table for data logging and recipe pro-gramming. Communication options include TCP/IP Eth-ernet, GSM/SMS, Modbus, and CANopen networking, plus remote access for data acquisition and program download. A 2 MB Ladder code application memory enables the Vision570 to run complex control and auto-mation tasks.

www.unitronics.com

Hardware - Handheld Test, Measurement, Calibration


2013ENGINEERS’ CHOICE AWARDS ®


Machine & Embedded Control - CNCs, Board-Level

Products

Machine & EmbeddedControl - Discrete Sensors

Machine & EmbeddedControl - Machine Vision,

Barcode Readers

Machine & EmbeddedControl - PACs

M700V CNC SystemMitsubishi Electric

M700V CNCs are advanced multi-axis

controllers suited for metal-cutting, forming, plastics, and woodworking applica-tions. The M700VS model is a stand-alone, compact integrated controller with a built-in display screen for HMI functions. The M700VW model operates on a Microsoft Windows platform for integrating PC-based control. The M700V CNCs feature HMI screens for facilitating navigation and operation, including menu customization func-tion, pop-up screens, and guidance function. The CNCs are powered by a 64-bit RISC CPU and an exclusive proprietary LSI. Additional machining fea-tures include a complete nanometer control and pro-cessing for next generation, ultra-precision, advanced machining; an Adaptive Notch Filter control to pre-vent repeated resonances caused by mechanical wear and usage; and a Super Smooth Surface control for high-quality machining by determining ideal paths and using advanced speed control.

www.meau.com

SureCross Q45 Wireless Photoelectric Sensor

Banner Engineering

The SureCross Q45 is a self-contained wire-

less standard photoelectric sensor solution designed for control and monitor-ing applications. Featuring easy deployment and unte-thered communications, the SureCross Q45 provides the functionality, reliability, and determinism required for factory applications. Pro-prietary power management delivers extended battery life of up to 5 years on two replaceable AA Lithium bat-teries, depending on sensor and application. With per-formance capabilities rang-ing from the detection of objects in simple presence/absence of alignment appli-cations to call-for-parts and error-proofing in productiv-ity solutions, the SureCross Q45 accurately connects and solves applications that are difficult, costly, or near-ly impossible with conven-tional technologies. It is ideal for cable replacement, moving applications, remote applications, and produc-tivity solutions. Models are available in Polarized Ret-roreflective, Convergent Visible, Remote Device Interface, and Fiber Optic.

www.bannerengineering.com

In-Sight 7000 SeriesCognex Corporation

Cognex Corporation’s In-Sight 7000 series

of vision systems features powerful vision tools, auto-focus, faster image capture, integrated lighting and lens, and the capability to power and control a range of exter-nal lighting. With the auto-focus feature, users can set and save the optimal focus values associated with the inspection of specific parts when situations require the vision system to be placed in hard-to-reach spaces. In-Sight 7000 offers integrated, field-replaceable lighting with five color options. In addition, integrated field-replaceable lenses allow users to further customize the vision system for spe-cific applications. The com-pact In-Sight 7000 features built-in Ethernet, RS-232 serial, and multiple discrete I/Os. The system can com-municate directly to a PLC or robot controller and man-age multiple smart cameras remotely from a networked PC or HMI.

www.cognex.com

Allen-BradleyCompactLogix 5370 PACs

Rockwell Automation

The Allen-Bradley Com-pactLogix 5370 series

PACs, which includes the CompactLogix 5370 L1, L2, and L3 controllers, fea-ture enhanced performance and motion capabilities while leveraging the com-mon design and networking environment of the Rock-well Automation Integrated Architecture system. When used with the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 350 servo drive, the CompactLogix 5370 series provides performance and cost competitiveness for machine builders requiring up to 16 axes of complex motion, on one standard industrial network—Eth-erNet/IP. The EtherNet/IP connectivity offers up to 250% more communication bandwidth than previous CompactLogix controllers, helping enable more net-work devices and higher performance control. With user memory in the Com-pactLogix 5370 series PACs ranging from 384 KB to 3 MB, these controllers are ideal for a variety of appli-cations, including sorting, labeling and packaging, blending, batching, and filling. http://ab.rockwellautomation.com



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creo



®

Machine & EmbeddedControl - PLCs

Motion Control Motion Control - Drives

Motion Control - Servo Drives

Do-more H2 Series PLCAutomationDirectHost Engineering

Do-more H2 series micromodular CPUs

are “superchargers” for the time-tested DL205 hard-ware. Do-more CPUs can process up to 2,000 PID loops directly. Select from various control modes including automatic, man-ual, and cascade control; a wide variety of alarms include process vari-able, rate of change, and deviation. Loop opera-tion parameters are stored in V-memory, allowing easy access from opera-tor interfaces or HMIs. The Do-more Designer PLC pro-gramming software pro-vides easy-to-use setup menus; auto tuning reduc-es setup and maintenance time. The CPUs use the auto tuning feature to auto-matically determine near optimum loop settings. Do-more Designer can down-load a new version of a code into the Do-more CPU and switch to it at the begin-ning of the following scan, eliminating errors to the operation of a machine or process.

www.automationdirect.com

QD77MS Simple Motion Control ModuleMitsubishi Electric

The QD77MS simple motion module makes

programming complex motion profiles easy, even for engineers with minimal motion programming expe-rience. With the ease of the position table feature and the mechanical editor sys-tem, users can create motion profiles with little more than drawing on their motion programming experience and intuition. For users who want the ultimate in control and manufacturing quality, advanced motion functions such as camming profiles, registration, and full-fledged speed, position, and torque control are also supported. The rack-based, multi-discipline, PAC inte-grates PLC, motion, CNC, and robotics into one solu-tion. The QD77MS offers controller compatibility for ensuring smooth transitions when opting to migrate to improved technology plat-forms by providing tools that offer motion project diversion and project recy-cling capability.

www.meau.com

Allen-BradleyPowerFlex 753 AC Drive

Rockwell Automation

The Allen-Bradley Pow-erFlex 750 series of ac

drives offers new options designed for low-power applications requiring full-featured, ac drives with an optimized size. Features of the PowerFlex 753 and PowerFlex 755 include pre-dictive diagnostics, safety options, simplified integra-tion, and a flexible slot-based architecture. The PowerFlex 753 drives pro-vide machine builders and manufacturers with the ver-satile motor control needed for general-purpose appli-cations. Designed to meet global user needs, the drive supports multiple languag-es and complies with global standards and certifications. The PowerFlex 755 drive provides the added benefits of induction and permanent magnet motor support, as well as an embedded Eth-ernet port that allows users to easily configure, con-trol, and collect drive data over EtherNet/IP networks. In addition, native instruc-tions within RSLogix 5000 provide simplified drive integration with the Rock-well Automation Integrated Architecture system.http://ab.rockwellautomation.com

MicroFlex e150Servo Drive

ABB Inc.

ABB MicroFlex e150 servo drives include

numerous built-in indus-trial Ethernet protocols and offer a universal encoder interfacing capability, pow-erful embedded motion control programming, and integrated functional safety capability. These standard features offer a flexible and cost-effective platform for high-speed OEM machin-ery designs and applica-tions—from networked systems hosted by PLCs to motion control systems with distributed intelligence. Machinery OEMs need ver-satile, cost-effective prod-ucts, and these new drives have versatility in abun-dance—without needing to add hardware or choose configuration options. The processing performance is ideal for performance-inten-sive applications, such as high-speed labeling, metal-cutting machinery (plasma/waterjet), grinding or glue laying, packaging automa-tion, semiconductor wafer handling, lab automation, and special effects stage and theater entertainment.

www.abb.com


Meet the DataMan 50L. The tiny barcode reader that brings big performance to 1-D barcode reading applications.

Don’t let its size fool you. The DataMan® 50L is huge in barcode reading performance. Measuring just 23.5mm x 27mm x 43.5mm and featuring an IP65-rated housing, the DataMan 50L is premium technology designed for 1-D-oriented barcode reading. The DataMan 50L delivers read rates that can surpass 99% through Cognex’s proprietary Hotbars™ image-analysis technology.

The new DataMan 50L is a powerful upgrade for applications that use small laser barcode scanner systems. Visit us at www.cognex.com/50L.

Scan to Learn More

a giant breakthrough in small readers

COG-1220 50L_AD_7_875x10_5a.indd 1 1/24/13 9:41 AM





Network Integration - Ethernet Hardware

Network Integration - I/O Systems

Network Integration - Network Hardware

Network Integration - Wireless Products

Hirschmann RSP SwitchesBelden Inc.

The Hirschmann RSP family of switches fea-

ture robust hardware and a powerful operating sys-tem and are able to with-stand extremely harsh environmental conditions. The switches allow unin-terrupted data communica-tion, ensuring continuous access to machines and sys-tems. The zero switchover time enables greater produc-tivity and profitability. The switches feature compre-hensive security functions to provide seamless protection against network attacks. The RSP series also supports precise synchronization and can be used to safely net-work applications that are subject to stringent real-time requirements. For example, if a switch becomes over-loaded due to data or power flux, there is a redundancy system already in place. The switches cover data at both ends—the data can come in uninterrupted, and it also is protected within the network.

www.belden.com

SafetyBridge TechnologyPhoenix Contact

Phoenix Contact’s Safe-tyBridge technology

makes it possible to distrib-ute safe I/O modules in a network without the need for a safety controller. This enables functional safety for a machine or system in a cost-effective manner. The technology is network-inde-pendent and will work with most commonly used con-trol platforms. SafetyBridge technology allows the I/O modules to exchange safe-ty-related signals with one another. Since the modules process the safety func-tion themselves, the stan-dard control system and network are used only as a transport medium. By elim-inating the safety control-ler and safe fieldbus system, SafetyBridge technology can reduce the cost of a safety system. The safety logic operations are direct-ly processed in the intelli-gent safety output module. The safety modules can be distributed throughout an automation system using Phoenix Contact’s Inline Modular I/O.

www.phoenixcontact.com

UH201 USB Port GuardianB&B Electronics Inc.

The UH201 USB Port Guardian compact pro-

tects PCs, laptops, and net-books from the surges, spikes, electrostatic dis-charges, and ground loops that can occur when con-necting portable devices. The USB Port Guardian provides up to 2 kV protec-tion on the USB line and up to 4 kV ESD contact protection. The isolator is bus powered, has male and female Type A USB connec-tors, and provides 400 mA downstream power when connected to a high-pow-er USB port. Its high-speed digital isolation chip electri-cally separates the techni-cian’s PC from the remote I/O device, while allowing full-speed USB 2.0 commu-nications at 12 Mbps. The isolator also operates reli-ably over a wide tempera-ture range (-40 to 85 C). The USB Port Guardian is ideal for situations in which a technician must obtain data from equipment in the field.

www.bb-elec.com

Spectre 3GCellular Router

B&B Electronics Inc.

B&B Electronics’ rug-ged Spectre 3G cel-

lular router wirelessly connects M2M equipment over the cellular telephone network where wired con-nections are impractical. Built for plug-and-play sim-plicity with customization options, the router wire-lessly extends local M2M networks that are connect-ed via Ethernet 10/100, RS-232, RS-422/485, or I/O. Users manage configu-ration options through an easy-to-use Web interface or a powerful scripting engine. A rugged metal casing with a wide operating range, DIN-rail mounts, and auto-matic firmware updates that allow mass reconfiguration of routers make the router appropriate for M2M con-nectivity in harsh, remote environments. The Spec-tre 3G is modular for easier standardization, deploy-ment, and management of fleets of devices. Applica-tions include: traffic and security camera systems, ATMs, gaming systems, remote monitoring, indus-trial automation, renewable energy, and oil/gas/water distribution networks.

www.bb-elec.com


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Power - Energy, Power Interruption

Power - Energy,Power Protection

Power - Energy,Power Protection, UPS

Power - Motor Control

SU200PR Ring TongueMiniature Circuit Breakers

ABB Low Voltage Products

The SU200PR is a high-performance branch cir-

cuit protection miniature circuit breaker with ring tongue lug connections. The circuit breaker is avail-able in 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-pole devices with rated currents up to 35 A for 480Y/277 V ac and 63 A for 240 V ac. The integrated captive screws simplify the secure connection of cables, help installers avoid losing the connection screws, pro-vide extra protection, and save time. All markings are clear, permanent laser mark-ings and are visible from the front so they are clearly vis-ible, even when mounted in position on the DIN rail. The SU200PR has a true contact position indicator that indicates the actual con-tact position, to ensure the display of fault conditions, such as contacts that may be welded closed, due to exces-sive fault.

www.abb.com/lowvoltage

Lightning MonitoringSystem (LM-S)Phoenix Contact

Lightning Monitoring System (LM-S) detects

and analyzes the number, magnitude, and duration of surge currents caused by lightning strikes. Based on this information, a man-ager of a remote control system, such as a wind tur-bine or offshore oil instal-lation, can decide if a service call is necessary. If a large strike occurs, the system can be repaired before damage leads to an unplanned shutdown. On the other hand, if the strike was minor, the manag-er knows that no immedi-ate action is required. The system includes an evalu-ation unit with up to three fiber optic sensors, which is another important factor for wind turbine operations. Sensors can be mounted on each blade of a turbine. The LM-S is suitable for new and retrofit applications.

www.phoenixcontact.com

9PX UPSEaton

Eaton’s 9PX UPS is com-patible with all major

switches and servers, and meets reliability require-ments of critical IT envi-ronments with accessories, including extended battery runtime options, hot-swap-pable batteries, internal bypass, and maintenance bypass. Using Eaton’s ABM technology, the 9PX opti-mizes battery recharge time, eliminates overcharging, and continuously monitors battery conditions to extend battery service life by 50%. A graphical LCD interface on the 9PX helps users man-age energy costs and con-sumption by providing clear information on UPS status and measurements, includ-ing key data such as effi-ciency rating, alarm history, available runtime, load per-centage, and more. The LCD interface tilts 45-deg for optimal viewing and rotates to match rack and tower installations, allowing insight into all power data at the touch of a button.

www.powerquality.eaton.com

Allen-Bradley ArmorStart LT Distributed Motor Controllers

Rockwell Automation

The Allen-Bradley ArmorStart LT distrib-

uted motor controllers are ideal for coordinating con-veyor motor systems used in material-handling and pack-aging applications and other types of warehouse distribu-tion systems. The family of distributed motor controllers provides the advantages of on-machine architecture: a pre-engineered system that helps simplify wiring, speeds up commissioning time, and reduces the need for extra cabinet space. ArmorStart LT controllers with Ether-Net/IP connectivity improve the exchange of critical information about machine performance and compo-nent health, while allowing operators to access param-eters, status, and diagnostics, regardless of location. The ArmorStart LT controller is ideal in size and weight for most general material-han-dling applications, making it easier to integrate on or near the conveyor or machine. Installation is simplified by the distributed motor con-trollers’ dual-port EtherNet/IP switch technology, which supports device-level ring network topology.http://ab.rockwellautomation.com




Process Control - Process Sensors

Process Control Systems Safety - Machine Safety Software - Applications

DG25 DigitalPressure Gauge

Ashcroft Inc.

Ashcroft’s type DG25 digital pressure gauge

can be used in place of a traditional dial-mechani-cal pressure gauge offer-ing advantages, such as easier readability, great-er accuracy and resolu-tion, improved resistance to shock and vibration, the ability to record max/min readings, and multiple units of measure. A five-full-dig-it, .48-in. high LCD dis-play includes a bar graph to show the pressure status rel-ative to the full scale of the gauge. When equipped with the optional backlight fea-ture, the DG25 can be easily read despite poor lighting conditions. With the push of a button, the display can report the maximum and minimum readings since last cleared, reset the zero, tare a pressure preload, and read in a choice of nine prepro-grammed engineering units, along with one that is user programmable.

www.ashcroft.com

Simatic PCS 7 v8.0Siemens Industry Inc.

Simatic PCS 7 v8.0 integrates functional

variety, flexibility, and per-formance within Siemens Totally Integrated Automa-tion complete range of prod-ucts, systems, and solutions for all levels of industrial automation. The key fea-tures of Version 8 are inte-grated engineering, Profinet, and an advanced process historian. Integrated engi-neering allows the exchange of data between planning and engineering tools with Simatic PCS 7, which low-ers the entire plant design and implementation process costs. The emerging Profi-net technology is support-ed in Version 8 and enables more data throughput, lon-ger distances, easy configu-ration, and flexible network topologies. With the new process historian and data visualization tool, users get clear access to real-time and archived data, which can help to optimize processes and operating equipment. Users can easily create and modify reports using the standard Microsoft Report-ing Service tool.

www.siemens.com

Allen-Bradley GuardLogix 5572S, 5573S PACsRockwell Automation

The 5572S and 5573S Allen-Bradley Guard-

Logix controllers provide the same automation capa-bilities as the Allen-Brad-ley ControlLogix platform, plus safety-rated control for safety-related functions up to and including SIL 3, PLe CAT IV. The control-lers feature a single soft-ware program for managing both safety and standard functionality, eliminating the need to coordinate mul-tiple programs on difference controllers. The integra-tion of safety and standard control systems provides operators and maintenance personnel with visibility to all machine events—includ-ing safety events—via the human-machine inter-face. With the knowledge provided by the integrat-ed system, personnel can respond quickly to return the machine to full produc-tion. The controller further benefits from the introduc-tion of the Point Guard I/O SIL 3 analog input module designed to provide automa-tion and safety functionality in the Point I/O system.http://discover.rockwellautomation.com

KEPServerEX v5.9Kepware Technologies

KEPServerEX v5.9 allows automation con-

trol information to be lever-aged throughout all levels of an organization. Informa-tion is interpreted and trans-lated through a vast library of communication proto-cols and interfaces, allowing information to flow seam-lessly between automa-tion and enterprise systems. KEPServerEX provides cen-tralized communications where there is an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for consistent project implemen-tation across multiple device protocols. Centralized com-munications also enables the controlling and limiting of the number of informa-tion requests made to equip-ment and systems through one server platform. It also provides advanced diagnos-tics and networking tools to diagnose slow and intermit-tent communications. On-demand scalability allows users to implement new or additional equipment at any point in time. With plug-and-play drivers and advanced options, the software can be scaled to meet the user’s project needs at any time.

www.kepware.com



®

Software - Applications, Monitoring

Software - Control Design Software - Diagnostics Software - HMI Software

Business IntelligenceDashboard Template

InduSoft Inc.

The Business Intelligence Dashboard Template is

an application built on Indu-Soft’s Web Studio v7.1. Through intuitive and cus-tomizable configurations, the Business Intelligence Dashboard Template allows retrieving information from Microsoft Access or SQL Server and displays it in meaningful, easy-to-under-stand dashboards. Features of the Business Intelli-gence Dashboard Template include quick dashboard configuration, enabling the selection of data sources to create dashboards; the abil-ity to retrieve data directly from local or remote data-bases, including Microsoft SQL Server or MDB files; built-in security, allow-ing the user to control who accesses the information in dashboards through secure links that protect sensitive data; the ability to visualize dashboards from thin clients running on different devic-es, including smartphones and tablets; and the ability to save dashboards to PDF reports or send them direct-ly to the printer.

www.indusoft.com

SolidWorks 2013Dassault SystèmesSolidWorks Corp.

SolidWorks 2013 com-bines ease of use with

broad customization, allow-ing users to learn quickly and to become more produc-tive with previously com-plex and sophisticated tasks. SolidWorks 2013 offers applications for 3D design, simulation, technical com-munication, product data management, and sustain-able design. Users can cre-ate complex geometries faster and easier with true conic surfacing and inter-sect feature formation with new drawing tools, and ben-efit from enhanced docu-mentation capabilities and automated outputs for manu-facturing. SolidWorks 2013 also includes tools to help users optimize the perfor-mance of their SolidWorks installation and maximize design team productivity. For example, the new CAD Administrator dashboard allows users to simplify management and trouble-shoot multiple SolidWorks users within the company from an aggregated view. It optimizes collaboration with improved connectivity, enhances viewing capabili-ties, and expands sharing of designs and data.

www.solidworks.com

PlantTriage v11.0ExperTune Inc.

PlantTriage v11.0 pro-vides on-line monitor-

ing and analysis of process and control information and features built-in tools to help users resolve issues quickly. The software’s drag-and-drop tuning fea-ture allows users to tune control loops from almost any form of bump test, with open-loop and closed-loop tests. PlantTriage also fea-tures the Action Ticket sys-tem, which allows users to assign and track corrective actions, such as instrument calibrations, valve repairs, and loop tuning. The system has an integrated reporting feature that provides auto-mated e-mails. The software also supports single-bump cascade tuning, so that inner and outer loops of a cascade scheme can be tuned with one bump test. This greatly simplifies the tuning pro-cess and makes it accessible to those with limited knowl-edge of cascades.

www.expertune.com

InduSoft Web Studio v7.1InduSoft Inc.

Web Studio v7.1 is comprehensive HMI/

SCADA software that includes all the tools neces-sary for creating SCADA and HMI applications. The software provides an enhanced Studio Mobile Access (SMA) client that works with any HTML5 Web browser to display alarms, trends, and criti-cal tag values. It also adds easy-to-use widgets (gaug-es, switches, and text boxes) to monitor and interact with process values (tags) on any current browser, including those found on iPad, iPhone (iOS Safari), Android phones, and tablets. Alarms and other information can be sent via multimedia for-mats such as a PDF to an e-mail account, a printer, or a smartphone in real time or as historical data. Web Studio v7.1 connects to any SQL database including, but not limited to, MS SQL, MySQL, Sybase, Oracle, MS Access, and ERP/MES systems, such as SAP.

www.indusoft.com




Software - Mobile Apps for Controls,Automation, Instrumentation

Studio Mobile AccessInduSoft Inc.

Studio Mobile Access allows operators, maintenance staff, and managers to be more efficient by securely view-

ing and interacting with process variables, trends, and alarms from any HTML5 device, such as iPad, iPhone, or Android tablets/phones. The ability to securely access a machine remotely or view dashboards of trends across a plant floor gives machine operators and process managers a chance to make adjustments even when they are not able to physical-ly be at the machine. This may include stopping a machine when certain values are not met, or knowing at a glance whether or not an entire plant is operating at the expected levels. Another key feature of Mobile Access is the ability to acknowledge alarms and maintain traceability remotely, as required by FDA 21 CFR Part 11.

www.indusoft.com

How to enter the competition

Get a head start on the 2014 Engineers’ Choice Awards program using the entry form at

www.controleng.com/EngineersChoice. All prod-uct nominations, including supporting materials and payment, are conveniently submitted through the online forms. Submit a new or significantly modified hardware, software, or combination of the two introduced and available in North Ameri-ca from November 2012 through October 2013 for the 2014 awards. The summary description and 300-word description provided should be factu-ally convincing, clearly differentiating benefits in the voting criteria: technological advancement, service to the industry, and market impact. We observe that engineers often appreciate quanti-fied benefits more than adjectives. Typically, 85 to 120 products are nominated, with 3 to 10 prod-ucts in each category. One winner from each sub-category was based on subscriber votes. For the 2013 awards, 129 products from 60 companies (or major divisions) were nominated in in 29 catego-ries, resulting in 29 Engineers’ Choice Awards to 21 companies and 31 Honorable Mentions to 21 companies.

Learn more about the Engineers’ Choice Awards program atwww.controleng.com/EngineersChoice:

� View all descriptions 2013 winners and honorable mentions

� Read about each of the 2013 finalists

� Access the Engineers’ Choice Awards program FAQs

� View past Engineers’ Choice Awards winners, honorable mentions, and finalists

� Nominate your product for the 2014 Engineers’ Choice Awards program

� To submit new products for inclusion in the Products section of the magazine (see page 78 of this issue) and for inclusion on the Control Engineering website, email product releases to [email protected]

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®

Honorable MentionsHardware - Handheld Test, Measurement, Calibration

CNX Wireless SystemFluke Corporation

The Fluke CNX Wireless System is a suite of five tools that connect together wirelessly to simplify troubleshooting by enabling up to 10 simultaneous electrical and temperature wire-less measurements.

www.fluke.com

Hardware - HMI, Operator Interface, Thin-Client

GT16 Series HMIMitsubishi Electric

The GT16 series HMI offers superior hard-ware quality, benchmark performance, and a multitude of advanced features, including an ultra-high-speed RISC processor combined with Mitsubishi Electric’s own HMI Graphics Accelerator.

www.meau.com

Hardware - Industrial PCs

UNO-2184GAdvantech

The UNO-2184G is a compact, high-perfor-mance fanless industrial grade automation computer with an Intel Core i7 processor, designed for applications with tremendous volume and 3D content.

www.advantech.com

Hardware - Integrated HMI Controllers

Simatic HMI KP1500, TP1500,TP1900, TP2200 Comfort

Siemens Industry Inc.

With high-resolution widescreen displays ranging from 4 in. to 12 in., the Simatic HMI Comfort panels universally provide similar high-end functionalities and can be optimally adapted to any application.

www.usa.siemens.com

Machine & Embedded Control -CNCs, Board-level Products

IndraControl L85Bosch Rexroth

The IndraControl L85 is a CNC controller with a multi-core processer that establishes new levels of sophistication, performance, and pro-cessing power for advanced multi-axes CNC applications.

www.boschrexroth-us.com

Machine & Embedded Control - Discrete Sensors

E67 Long Range Perfect Prox SeriesEaton

The E67 Long Range Perfect Prox series of photoelectric sensors reliably detect targets in range regardless of color, reflectance, con-trast, or surface shape, while ignoring objects outside the target range.

www.eaton.com

Machine & Embedded Control -Machine Vision, Barcode Readers

Piranha HS NIRTeledyne Dalsa

The Piranha HS NIR camera is designed to meet the requirements of low-light applica-tions, such as solar cell inspection, PCB /elec-tronics inspection, large web applications, and food and drug inspection.

www.teledynedalsa.com

Machine & Embedded Control - PACs

SoftPACOpto 22

SoftPAC works like a hardware PAC but uses a PC’s processing speed and file handling to run computationally intensive applications or those needing to log, manipulate, and exchange large amounts of data.

www.opto22.com

Machine & Embedded Control - PLCs

Simatic S7-1215CSiemens Industry Inc.

The Simatic S7-1215C has four times the capacity of existing modules while adding a second Profinet interface, two analog outputs, and fast outputs for controlling up to four stepper motors.

www.usa.siemens.com

Motion Control

AM8000 Series Servo MotorsBeckhoff Automation

The AM8000 servo motor series features One Cable technology, with which the power and feedback systems are combined into one stan-dard motor cable, reducing component and commissioning costs.

www.beckhoffautomation.com

Motion Control - Drives

H-Max SeriesEaton

The H-Max series of adjustable frequency drives features an ultra-efficient power sec-tion, an expanded startup wizard for HVAC system configuration, and a programmable main control board for easy installation and maintenance.

www.eaton.com

Motion Control - Drives

Sinamics S120Siemens Industry Inc.

The Sinamics S120 drives have been expand-ed to include EtherNet/IP connectivity to pro-vide maximum flexibility for industrial Ethernet communication while offering innovative con-cepts for one network for an entire facility.

www.usa.siemens.com

Motion Control - Servo Drives

MR-J4 Series Servo SystemMitsubishi Electric

The MR-J4 series servo system combines high-performance, energy-saving features for maxi-mum throughput and OEE, and user-friendly HMI functions to accelerate setup, reduce installation costs, and improve operator safety.

www.meau.com

Network Integration - Ethernet Hardware

FL mGuard RS2000, RS4000Phoenix Contact

The FL mGuard RS2000 and RS4000 protect industrial networks from malicious attacks and accidental interruption, and connect to office or IT networks, providing secure, fast connec-tivity for supporting remote installations.

www.phoenixcontact.com/usa-home

Network Integration - I/O Systems

XI/ON Modular I/O SystemEaton

The XI/ON modular I/O system is designed for decentralized signal processing, reduc-es equipment costs, and provides intelligent, adaptable I/O options for global applications across industries.

www.eaton.com


2013ENGINEERS’ CHOICE AWARDS ®


Network Integration - Network Hardware

Power Xpert Gateway 200EEaton

Power Xpert Gateway 200E collects energy usage data from meters, which enables users to benchmark energy usage, set energy man-agement goals, determine the effectiveness of energy management initiatives, and reduce energy costs.

www.eaton.com

Network Integration - Wireless Products

AWK-1127-PoEMoxa Inc.

The AWK-1127-PoE is designed to stand up to harsh industrial environments, with extended temperature models that operate reliably in temperatures from -40 to 75 C, and provides key wireless benefits.

www.moxa.com

Power - Energy, Power Interruption

SurgePOD ModulesCooper Bussmann

The SurgePOD modules are board-mounted and feature an internal voltage clamp element that, upon an overvoltage breakdown condi-tion, becomes conductive and safely discon-nects the device’s surge to ground.

www.cooperbussmann.com

Power - Energy, Power Protection

EnergyPAQMitsubishi Electric

The EnergyPAQ features the ability to mea-sure, track, visualize, and optimize energy con-sumption from each piece of equipment and machinery in a facility through five hardwired independent circuits.

www.meau.com

Power - Energy, Power Protection, UPS

SSGB-1S40-5U 40 AH Battery BankFalcon Electric

The SSGB-1S40-5U 40 AH battery bank is a ruggedized wide temperature (-30 to 63 C) extended runtime battery bank that provides long backup runtimes for protecting equip-ment operating in harsh environments.

www.falconups.com

Power - Motor Control

ISS SmartstartCerus Industrial Inc.

The ISS Smartstart is a motor starter designed to seamlessly incorporate operator control, superior overload protection, and automation system compatibility, while being housed in a compact, ruggedized unit.

www.cerusind.com

Process Control - Process Sensors

VLM10 Inline Vortex FlowmeterSpirax Sarco Inc.

The VLM10 inline vortex flowmeter combines an inline vortex meter, a built-in flow com-puter, and an integral temperature sensor measuring mass, volume, and energy flow on steam, liquid, and gas applications.

www.spiraxsarco.com/us

Process Control Systems

Experion PKS OrionHoneywell Process Solutions

Experion PKS Orion is a distributed process automation and control system that allows plants to remotely configure process and safe-ty I/O without additional hardware and also trim production costs using virtualization.


Safety - Machine Safety

Pluto D45 Safety PLCABB Inc.

The Pluto D45 safety PLC allows the automa-tion and control of machine safety systems in a variety of industrial applications including presses, packaging systems, injection molding machines, and more.

www.abb.com/lowvoltage

Safety - Machine Safety

Simatic Step 7 Safety Advanced v11.0Siemens Industry Inc.

The Simatic Step 7 Safety Advanced v11.0, part of the Totally Integrated Automation Por-tal, provides end users with configuration and programming tools required for generating a fail-safe program within the portal.

www.usa.siemens.com

Software - Applications

Simatic PCS 7 Process HistorianSiemens Industry Inc.

The Simatic PCS 7 Process Historian allows the user to access real-time and archived data to optimize processes and operating equipment and to generate specific reports from produc-tion data.

www.usa.siemens.com

Software - Applications, Monitoring

Intuition ExecutiveHoneywell Process Solutions

Intuition Executive is innovative software that connects sources of data across the enter-prise, delivering enterprise-wide information management, decision support, and col-laboration tools to help achieve operational excellence.


Software - Control Design

Simatic PCS 7 Advanced ESSiemens Industry Inc.

The Simatic PCS 7 Advanced ES acts as a data import application that extends the function-ality of a standard PCS 7 system by reducing configuration and commissioning costs while improving engineering quality.

www.usa.siemens.com

Software - Diagnostics

PlantESP v2.0 - Control Station Inc.PlantESP v2.0 is a plantwide monitoring and optimization solution that isolates underper-forming PID controllers via interaction analysis tools and provides recommendations through enhanced reporting tools for improving them.

www.controlstation.com

Software - HMI Software

FactoryTalk VantagePoint v4.0Rockwell Automation

FactoryTalk VantagePoint v4.0 software is designed to simplify user experience, con-nect to Rockwell Automation products, and provide native integration to Microsoft Share-Point 2010.

www.rockwellautomation.com

Software - Mobile Apps for Controls,Automation, Instrumentation

MobileHMI - Iconics Inc.MobileHMI is an HMI/SCADA client for enter-prise applications that provides state-of-the-art graphics, charting, trending, and intelligent asset management for smartphone devices for access to KPIs, alarms, HMIs, and assets.

www.iconics.com

Honorable Mentions


Connecting the Global Engineering CommunityControl Engineering is the leader in connecting the global industrial engineering audience through coverage of and education about automation, control, and instrumentation technologies in a regionally focused, actionable manner through online and print media and in-person events.

ControlEng.com: Visit www.controleng.com for the information you want in the format of your choice, including: articles, podcasts, webcasts, videos, etc. Industry channels provide quick access to focused content on key industries and related technologies.• System Integration • Information Control • Process Control• Machine Control • Sustainable Engineering

Engineering Education Center: The Engineering Education Center is dedicated to providing plant and operations engineers with practical education on relevant technology, process, and practice. New courses and topic modules are added regularly.

Electronic Newsletters: Receive timely industry information via the convenience of email with Control Engineering’s eNewsletters.

• Weekly News• System Integration• Process Instrumentation & Sensors• Process & Advanced Control

Social Media: Online social media has quickly become an important tool for many people as a means of staying in touch with their professional community. Control Engineering connects with you via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google Plus.

Engineers’ Choice Awards: Each year the editors of Control Engineering rely on the insight of engineers in the fi eld to help determine the most noteworthy products introduced in the past year.

Automation Integrator Guide: The annual Automation Integrator Guide is a unique and comprehensive service directory listing more than 1,800 automation system integrators and contract engineers.

IANA Global Automation & Manufacturing Summit: This event brings together some of the top industry experts to tackle key issues facing manufacturing in the U.S., and explores how manufacturers can take advantage of the rapidly-expanding global manufacturing market.

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• Machine Control• Information Control• Energy Automation• Safety & Security

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Users can upload their own case studies by filling out a simple form that outlines the project title, abstract and full story in 1,500 words or less. Photos, videos and a logo can also be included.

Users can search for case studies based on industries and engineering specialties. Each case study will be hosted on the Control Engineering website in the Case Study Database.

Control Engineering’s Case Study Database allows end-users to identify relevant solutions and explore what the experts are doing to effectively implement a variety of technology and productivity related projects.

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www.controleng.com ● CONTROL ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013 ● M1

Two closely coupled machines can each falter from each other’s stumbles, like two runners in a three-legged race. Three-legged races can slow even two fit athletes. Although production pro-

cesses are automated, a process interruption can delay a packaging machine’s ability to keep up with the volume coming from the making area, creating havoc on the line. This is particularly true when critical upstream processes, such as complex cook-ing processes or freezing operations, need to oper-ate as a continuous process.

Most packaging systems account for stoppage by adding a buffer. Many buffering methods can minimize the effect of an interruption and man-age the volume of product waiting to be packed. The simplest and “cheapest” method often is to dump product in a bin for manual re-feed or pack-ing offline. But that can negatively impact product quality, batch yield, throughput, and labor costs.

What is needed to solve this buffering chal-lenge is a piece of equipment that can both buffer high-speed production and re-feed products to the packaging line at a predictable, manageable rate. Until the late 1990s, there were few inline buffer solutions for manufacturers to tackle these issues when dealing with flexible and difficult-to-handle products and packaging. In the late 1990s food manufacturers were experimenting with modifica-tions to re-feed systems that had been designed for rigid, nonfood components. These alternate uses for commercially available equipment proved unworkable. In 2002, Polytron and partner Finesse Manufacturing Solutions developed a re-feed sys-tem to provide the marketplace with the ability to accumulate, orient, singulate, and re-feed difficult products discharged on a constant pitch for use by an automated secondary operation.

The re-feed machine redesigns flow and decouple operations to carefully move difficult-to-handle (flexible, wrapped, or soft) products.

Standard re-feeder elements include ability to:� Receive product in bulk from tote dumper,

upstream operation, or manual feed � Buffer product in a hopper that is appropri-

ately sized for the product and application� A consistent, constant product stream� Separate product into single units� Orient product to meet requirements of

downstream equipment (cartoner or tray packer) � Position product consistently spaced to a

known pitch by adjusting gap between products � Inspect and sort product for specific graphic

orientation or removal of damaged product � Synchronize the feeding of each product with

the target pitch downstream equipment.As the diagram (next page) shows:1. Hopper (on the right side of the diagram)

receives products from a tote dumper, manual dump, or automated delivery; holds them in bulk; and reintroduces the product on demand.

2. Metering conveyor spreads product from bulk using load cells and a weight-loss algorithm.

3. Smart modules, using individual conveyor sections and product sensors, complete the orien-tation and provide the spacing and rate required to feed the downstream equipment.

4. Graphics orienter can be added to the system if graphics orientation is required.

Plug-in equipment solutions: When correct-ly implemented, product handling equipment can quickly reduce product waste with a continuous process application and reduce labor with auto-mation. The challenge becomes how to effective-ly and efficiently install and implement unique equipment along the line for special-purpose

David Hettesheimer, PE, PMP

Motion control:Product handling,

re-feeder challengeIntegrator update: Controlling the product flow in adjacent machines can be challenging. Polytron and Finesse Manufacturing address product handling and re-feeder interruptions, turning a three-legged race into a winning relay.

inside machines

� At www.controleng.com search and read: Advanced motion control for product feed, unique packing needs

� www.polytron.com

� www.finessemfg.com/flowtech.htm

Go Online

Keyconcepts� Reduced product waste through controlled accu-mulation and re-feed

� Improved throughput for higher volume salable product

� Reduced labor due to automation in the packag-ing area

� Flexibility to use assets to run multiple products.

CTL1302_IM1_V3msFINAL.indd 1 2/5/13 6:18 PM

“Small” is the big news

in motion amplifi ers.

ATLAS® Digital Amplifi ers—the latest innovation from PMD—pack an amazing amount of output power in an ultra compact design. These single-axis amplifi ers provide high-performance torque control of DC brush, brushless DC, and step motors. And, while they’re as small as a paper clip, they offer up to 1 Kilowatt of total output power—all without breaking the bank. Learn more about the big advantages of thinking small in digital amplifi cation.

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inside process

M2 ● FEBRUARY 2013 CONTROL ENGINEERING ● www.controleng.com

product handling while maintaining andincreasing the return on investment (ROI) of the production line. The good news is that this type of equipment is relatively easy to install along the line or even in another part of the manufacturing facility to facilitate the completion of the special-ized packing processes.

Technology solution considerations: When selecting packaging equipment, consider how well the equipment’s tech-nology fits the manufacturer’s specs, overall line architecture and layout, and long-term maintainability. Several factors facilitate ease in installation of product feed equipment into the current opera-tions or into a new line design. Tech-nologies help facilitate installation and integration into the line. Open architec-ture allows the manufacturer to maintain code, add data collection features, and integrate with other equipment and the manufacturing execution system (MES) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. PLC platform can be in a dedi-cated PLC, or the logic can be integrated into a PLC in the existing line. Machine wiring is reduced with use of remote I/O, allowing for cleaner installation with shorter install time. Human machine interface (HMI) options allow plant per-sonnel to select product size, rate, and pitch by either setting the values or select-ing a preconfigured recipe. This demon-strates flexibility to run multiple products.

Stepper motors, not servo motors, are appropriate technology for the applica-

tion, to lower costs, eliminating gear-boxes and extensive cabling. Product metering software has a standard, proven control algorithm that allows use of lower cost hardware. Hardware options can be tailored to end user specifications.

Beyond an inline bufferWhat happens when the packing

requirements get complex based on the type of production process, product, andpackaging? Especially challenging are products with odd-sized, difficult-to-han-dle packaging, combo packing, and multi-cook processing along the line.

Complex packing requirements call for more sophisticated functionalities and equipment combinations, such as syn-chronizing with downstream equipment, product counting, bulk feed from a dump-er, buffering product in a hopper, orient-ing pouches in directional flow, USDA sanitary requirements for packing fresh or frozen meats, multi-lane feed for multi-product packing, and multiple re-feeders integrated into one system.

Re-feeders provide similar solutions for automated kit assembly packaging, which combines various prepackaged parts and accessories into one special-ized package. With technology that spac-es, positions, counts, and inserts product appropriately, the process can be com-pletely automated for greater ROI.

The right equipment at the right loca-tion on the line enables effective product handling and efficient feeding to complete

FlowTech feeder has a hopper (on the right) that receives products from a tote dumper, manual dump, or automated delivery; holds them in bulk; and reintroduces the product on demand. A metering conveyor gently spreads the product from bulk using load cells and a loss in weight algorithm. Smart modules, using individual conveyor sections and product sensors, complete the orientation and provide the spacing and rate required to feed the downstream equipment. A graphics orienter can be added to the system if graphics orientation is required. Courtesy: Polytron




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the packing operation. The result allows decou-pling the line between process and packaging, so operations can maintain required production and minimize manual product handling, which helps achieve yield, quality, and ROI levels for the manufacturer.

Case study: Fruit barsSituation: A global fruit bar manufacturer

needed a unique packaging solution to accumu-late product and re-feed product in an efficient packaging process. Requirements for packaging included the ability to create variety packs for two to four flavors of product; the ability to dynami-cally change the flavor mix based on capacity and accumulated product in the hopper; a packaging system to handle multiple-sized fruit bars; and consistent and effective accumulation.

Challenge: Fruit bar production involves a complex, continuous cooking process requiring a packaging system to allow the appropriate han-dling of product. Any disruption downstream cre-ated significant accumulation in the packaging area, creating discarded product on a regular basis.

Solution: Re-feeders with an advanced design were deployed to allow flexible packaging pro-

cesses to handle the production volume with-out disruption. The ability to buffer and use open PLC architecture to coordinate between machines allowed the re-feeders to function as a variety pack assembly system. The system included four two-lane re-feeders with hoppers with collation units at the discharge end of re-feeders; automated system to dynamically change the packaging mix of the product, within acceptable variation, based on accumulation in the hopper; automated colla-tion unit to package correct mix and number of fruit bars re-feeder dispensed into carton; lugged carton conveyor system coupled with re-feeders.

Results: The new automated re-feeder sys-tem provided a flexible production operation that decoupled process and packaging through auto-mated systems. The design reduced product waste through controlled accumulation and re-feed; improved throughput for higher volume salable product; reduced labor due to automation in the packaging area; and added flexibility to use assets to run multiple products. ce

- David Hettesheimer, PE, PMP, is seniorproject manager, Polytron Inc. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, [email protected].

inside machines

Consider this...� How could a multi-stage motion control design help your product flow situa-tion?

‘Simplest and cheapest

method, dumping product in a

bin for manual re-feed or

packing offline, can negatively impact product quality, batch

yield, throughput, and labor costs.’

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© 2012 Banner Engineering Corp., Mpls, MN USA

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inside machines

Mission critical facilities, such as those that support operations in data centers, healthcare, and emergency response, are under intense pressure to maintain

continuous system availability while increasing energy efficiency to reduce costs. These demands require a renewed focus on the design of mis-sion critical backup power control systems that play a key role in the ability to maintain contin-uous operations and increase efficiency. Integrat-ing advanced power management strategies into mission critical backup power control systems enhances the ability to deliver on these metrics by enabling power grid synchronization coupled with measurement of power consumption metrics (see Figure 1).

An advanced power management application strategy is only as good as the power monitor-ing data the solution can deliver. Effective back-up power infrastructure management depends on specific criteria for specification categories that include power-measurement configuration, elec-

tric meters, power factor resolution, integrated ANSI standard protective calculations, and con-trol system integration (see Table).

With the intelligence gained from the mission critical backup power infrastructure data specifi-cation, several key advanced power management strategies can be used to deliver the best asset per-formance and reduced total cost of ownership:

Power grid synchronizationMission critical facilities typically have mul-

tiple on-site backup power generators that must be managed and synchronized in a main utility source power outage. For example, backup gen-erator synchronization to the grid may require voltage differences less than 2%, frequency between buses match within 0.5 Hz, and phase shift between generators less than 2 deg.

Genset controller or auto-synchronizer com-mands the engine to go faster or slower to adjust the frequency and also interact with the field volt-age of the alternator that adjusts voltage. When frequency and phase angle values are within the

Jack Faett

Integrating advanced power managementIntegrating advanced power management with control system architecture enables continuous power to mission critical facilities.

Power from alternative energy sources Facility cooling

Parallel power switching

Backup power

generation

Figure 1: Integrating advanced power man-agement strategies into mission critical control systems involves synchro-nizing power from multiple backup power sources.

Cou

rtesy

: GE

Inte

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nt P

latfo

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� At www.controleng.com, search “Integrating advanced power management” for an additional section on integra-tion at the end of the article.

www.ge-ip.com

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input #30 at www.controleng.com/informationCONTROL ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013 ● M7

synchronizing bandwidth, the generator can be switched to thegrid as the main power source.

Load sharing, sheddingReactive power metrics provide the ability to collect and ana-

lyze electrical system power consumption over time. This criti-cally important data can be used to avoid peak demand charges and to shed loads during peak operating periods to increase effi-ciency and reduce costs. This functionality enables synchroniza-tion of multiple buses to split the load requirements based on the relative capacity of each backup power generator; speed control of each generator so the load does not deviate from the preset dead band; and raise and/or reduce power load share adjustment signals based on load share metrics and error conditions.

Power factor correctionUPSs, generators, and utilities have power factor specifica-

tions. Utility companies generally impose power factor penalties when the consumer’s power factor is lagging or leading by as lit-tle as 0.1. Power factor correction can be as simple as switching additional circuit capacitance such as capacitor banks into the facility’s electrical distribution system. However, it may require significantly more coordination to minimize the operation of lightly loaded motors such as cooling fans, which may require moving loads to other circuits.

Power quality monitoringAdvanced power management data collection can be used to

drive a waveform capture function of the backup power electri-cal infrastructure. Waveform captures can provide detailed fault condition views, harmonic power analysis, and capture transient voltages and currents to verify power quality and validate sys-tem configurations (see Figure 2). Harmonic distortion of volt-age and current waveforms is introduced into power systems from nonlinear loads. Distorted waveforms can lead to excessive neutral currents and increased transformer and conductor tem-peratures, and can cause premature equipment failure.

Visualize, control, analyzeEffective mission critical facility support strategies can be

implemented using data collected from an advanced power management system. Continuous operation and performance improvements of all backup power systems are only as good as

Table: Specifications, descriptionsSpecification Description

Power measurement configuration

Single-phase or 3-phase3-phase delta or 3-phase wye

Electric meter ANSI C12 Class 2

Power-factor resolution

n Measure up to 0.01 units of control n Frequency = ±0.01 Hz n Phase angle = ±0.1 deg n Note: Power factor penalties are utility dependent, but typically imposed at 0.90. A power-factor resolution of 0.01 provides 10 times the units of control for measure-ment and predictive decision making.

Integrated ANSI standardprotective calculations:

System fault condition monitoring; equipment damage avoidance protective calculations:n Undervoltage/overvoltage n Reverse power n Voltage imbalance n Under frequency/over frequency n Overcurrent n Mismatched phase sequence/angle

Control system integration

Backplane communications for full access to control system data and I/O


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the run-time data collectedfor analysis. Coupling the advanced power manage-ment data with key soft-ware applications provides facility managers and operations person-nel with the ability to make informed decisions based on actionable data. These software applications include:

� Critical alarm response management software that empowers operators to make better decisions by providing information and guidance with the exact responses needed to address critical alarms within the backup power system

� Work process management software that allows HMI/SCADA users to provide operators with specific instructions and the precise information they need to make the correct decisions in critical situations or switchover scenarios

� Advanced analytics software that provides insight into the likely causes of events or issues, performs what-if sce-nario analysis, identifies opportunities for continuous improvement, and prevents future power system problems. Analyt-ics can provide insight into metrics, such as power usage effectiveness, to better understand relationships among the fac-tors that impact the metric, providing a means act on the extracted knowledge.

Conventional control systemsAdvanced power management can be

accomplished in conventional control sys-tems with the right upfront system design, development, and start-up commissioning to ensure all components operate seam-lessly. Implementing advanced power management strategies in a conventional control system has drawbacks:

� In addition to the control system, for each grid in the backup power electrical infrastructure, a variety of synchroscopes, meters, switches, lamps, and relays are needed to provide necessary control com-ponents. These additional components result in a more complex system archi-

tecture and potential for single points of failure.

� External synchroscopes required to perform waveform capture and display are typically not integrated with the con-ventional control system.

� Multiple programming environ-ments, which may be required to con-figure, control, and maintain the control, network, and metering systems, increase the risk of human error during normal operation and/or problem resolution.

� Application code must be devel-oped in the backup power control sys-tem to collect, interpret, and calculate the appropriate data values for execut-ing the various advanced power man-agement functions required to perform generator synchronization and load shar-ing. These functions could be implement-ed via manual input with visual indicators and pushbuttons.

� Collecting, interpreting, and contex-tualizing power and generator parameters from external devices for control system advanced power management functions creates potential for data accuracy and execution latency issues in run time.

� Detailed work instructions for day-to-day operation, maintenance, and failover for operations, engineering, and maintenance personnel will be required.

� Historical data will have to be mem-ory-mapped and stored in a separate data-base system for offline analysis.

With integrated advanced power man-agement control systems, companies can design and implement highly avail-able backup power infrastructures for maximized uptime, reduced costs, and improved performance and efficiency. ce

-Jack Faett is industry manager, missioncritical power, GE Intelligent Platforms.

inside process


Figure 2: Images fromwaveform captures can provide power quality and system configuration verifi-cation by showing detailed fault condition views, harmonic power analysis, and voltage and current transients.

Cou

rtesy

: GE

Inte

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SUPPLEMENT TO

FEBRUARY 2013

Maximizing the energy-saving features of VFDs EN4

A 100-year-old company learns new energy-management tricks EN10 A platform for easy Smart Grid device design EN13

Many facets of energy managementA comprehensive strategy requires keeping tabs on a host of moving parts

ctl1302iem_FINAL-Printers.indd 1 2/5/13 4:23 PM

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SUPPLEMENT TO CONTROL ENGINEERING WWW.CONTROLENG.COM

JUST ASK ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE who alreadyhave broken New Year’s resolutions made barely a month ago. It’s a good bet that many of those folks didn’t really understand what it would take to make a major lifestyle change.

No matter how devoted you are to completing a task, you’ll never succeed without knowing the proper steps to take to get the job done.

When Control Engineering started publishing these Industrial Energy Management supplements, the goal was to spread at least a modicum of knowledge of what it will take for manufacturers to cut their overall energy use with-out negatively affecting critical metrics like production ef-fi ciency and product quality.

We knew that was a major challenge, largely because energy management is not a narrowly focused discipline. It touches every facet of a manufacturing enterprise—from monitoring the lighting, heating and cooling systems in the front offi ce to making strategic decisions about allocating power to production equipment.

This issue, in particular, shows how challenging it can be for a manufacturer to devise a truly comprehensive en-ergy management program. It requires keeping a close eye on a host of moving parts, many of which are not always easy to see.

Mission accomplishedFor instance, our cover story is a case study on Steel-

case, a 100-year-old company that leads the way in design-ing stylish yet functional offi ce furniture. As Steelcase ap-proached its centennial, its management realized that not only was the company not using energy as effi ciently as it could, but its methods of tracking energy use were an-tiquated. That didn’t just look bad for a company known

for product innovation; it was unnecessarily expensive. So, Steelcase management set a goal to reduce energy use by 15% and shrink its carbon footprint by 25%, all in the fi ve years leading up to the company’s 100th anniversary in 2012. With the help of a new automation and control plat-form, Steelcase met those goals and continues to improve upon them.

We also have an article about one of those energy-management moving parts that can be diffi cult to see. It’s fairly common knowledge that variable frequency drives (VFD) can aid energy management strategies by constantly calibrating motors to operate only as fast as necessary to perform a specifi c task at a given time. This not only cuts down on the amount of energy a motor consumes, it also extends the motor’s life by reducing wear and tear.

It may not be readily apparent, however, that that se-lecting the right VFD components is crucial to maximizing the energy-saving properties of VFDs. Read the article start-ing on EN4 to learn why it’s important to choose the right VFD cables. There’s also a short checklist on how to make the proper cable selection for a specifi c application.

The fi nal article in this issue should encourage anyone who’s waiting for the full rollout of the Smart Grid. It’s a Q&A with Brian MacCleery, principal product manager for clean energy technology with National Instruments. He is talking about a new development platform that should ease the process of designing devices that can be tied to the Smart Grid.

This issue does, indeed, cover a gamut of energy-management topics. We expect to continue doing so in the future. Again, our goal also is to pass on some useful knowledge in the process.

Success in energy management starts with setting goals Setting goals is easy; reaching them often proves much more diffi cult.

INTRODUCTION

Sidney Hill, Jr.CFE Media Contributing Editor

IndustrialEnergyManagementEN2


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800 453 6202



Variable frequency drives (VFD)control the rotational speed of an ac electric motor by controlling the fre-quency of electrical power supplied to the motor. Although they have been around for two decades, VFDs are gaining popularity as industry seeks to control costs.

Today, VFDs are used to alter the speed of a motor whenever the behavior of the motor’s load changes its demands on the motor.

Additional benefits from VFDsVFDs make signifi cant energy

savings possible. For example, at half maximum speed using a pulse width modulation VFD, a motor consumes roughly one quarter of the energy required to run at full speed. In ad-dition, VFDs reduce wear-and-tear, resulting in lower maintenance costs

and longer motor life. Because VFDs can control motor speeds to within 0.1% tolerance, they also contrib-ute to less variation in the fi nished product and reduce material usage and scrap.

INVESTMENT IN VFD TECHNOLOGY has proven timeand again to pay off—often dramatically—not only in terms of reducing energy use and costs, but also in cutting carbon emissions and extending the service life of costly capital equipment. To ensure optimum performance, however, it is important to correctly specify and install the entire VFD sys-tem, including the cables.

Matching the cable to the challengeA cable should never be the weak link in a VFD sys-

tem; the cable selected must have the ability to withstand the harshest operating conditions in order to maintain the health of the other system components. In addition, noise emission is likely the single most signifi cant problem associ-ated with VFD systems today. Unless a proper cable shield-ing design is present to control it, noise emission from a drive system cable can disrupt plant and factory operations.

It is important to understand that there is no standard

for what manufacturers call a “VFD cable.” The market car-ries a diverse mix of products with a variety of designs and performance levels. That said, there are four specifi c issues that need to be addressed to ensure a robust and reliable cabling solution:

• Common mode current (CMC)• Capacitive coupling• Refl ected wave voltages• Overall installation reliability. Common mode current (CMC) is any current that fl ows

between the drive and motor on any path other than the three primary motor leads. It is a function of inductive and capacitive coupling of the drive output waveform. Although the VFD cable does not really change the magnitude of CMC, cabling that can contain the CMC and return it to the drive is important to the overall success of the system because it prevents this type of current noise (CMC) from interfering with other sensitive signals, instruments, or networks.


EN4 IndustrialEnergyManagement

By Peter Cox

The right system components are critical to maximizing the energy-saving potential of VFDs Cabling—like other components—must be vetted for its ability to withstand the harshest operating conditions.

IndustrialEnergyManagement

The case for VFDs as energy savers

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Diagram of a typical VFD system.


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Capacitive coupling and cable charging currents arecurrents lost to interactions with other cables and cable sys-tems. For long runs with smaller drives, cable charging cur-rents can become a signifi cant performance issue. In some pipe and wire systems where multiple motor lead sets are run together in a high-capacitance product, such as ther-moplastic high heat-resistant nylon-coated (THHN) insula-tion material, the cable charging currents rob the motors of torque. The results are false trips of drives and the potential safety hazard of induced voltage in other cable systems. Both lower capacitance and effective shielding act to reduce charging currents, resulting in more current delivered to the motor to do work.

Refl ected wave voltages can cause in-service motor failures. They are mitigated by the right VFD cable in two ways. First, a properly designed VFD cable can reduce stress on motor insulation in many applications because it will have a lower capacitance (stored energy) and thus in-crease the critical distance required to generate the peak refl ected wave

voltages. Second, VFD cables themselves should be de-signed with an insulation system that can withstand the effects of the peak refl ected waves. The wrong cable can allow voltage waves to refl ect back from the motor toward the VFD, producing peak voltages of at least two times the drive bus voltage in the cable’s conductors. There is the pos-sibility of long-term cable damage under high voltage, and this problem is of even greater concern with VFDs operating at 575 V. Peak refl ected wave voltages can be very close to the corona inception voltages for THHN. Age, moisture, or even stresses of installation can easily weaken THHN to the point where it can no longer withstand the refl ected wave peaks, which then leads to cable failure.

High voltage levels in the cable can sometimes cause a corona discharge between the conductors.

Corona discharge can damage the cable, motor, motor bearings, and drive, lead-

ing to system failure, production down-time, and costly repairs or component replacements.

Overall installation reliability will be addressed in more detail below. Needless to

say, careful selection of VFD cable and sound installation practices will result in a system that is safer and more reliable.

With a good understanding ofwhat makes an effective VFD cable, engineers can use this six-step checklist for selecting the right VFD cable for the job.

1. Select the most appropriate cable design. Consider only cables with cross-linked insulation suitable for the voltage demands and peaks. When the drive, cabling, or motor is close to sensitive equipment or networks, consider using a high-performance VFD cable with foil braid or dual copper tape shielding. If you are in a less sensitive environ-ment where only refl ected wave and capacitive coupling are concerns, consider a more economical con-struction grade product.

2. Match the cable ampacity to the motor full load amps (FLA). A higher motor horsepower translates

to a higher current fl ow through the cable. Additional factors such as ambient temperature, altitude, or length of run may require additional derating. It is critical to follow the NEC guidelines for cable rating and applicable derating factors, and note that the cable ampacity must be a minimum of 125% of motor FLA.

3. Make sure the cable is able to support the voltage rating of the VFD itself. Enough said.

4. Ensure the cable is capable of providing a good seal if sealing is required. A round cable is the easiest to seal as it passes through circular openings and connection glands. Al-ways choose the most suitable cable glands for the environment, and avoid the use of conductive glands as they will lead to unintended release of CMC noise.

5. Identify the possible impact of radiation on neighboring circuits. In noise-sensitive environments, cable with foil and braid shielding or dual copper tapes provides extra protection against EMI. Follow good practices for cable installation and avoid parallel runs in close proximity to networks and sensitive circuits. Keep the cable shields and jacket intact when routing them in enclo-sures with sensitive equipment or networks.

6. Determine the need for addi-tional lines carrying signals between the drive and the motor. If signals are required (e.g., brake signals to slow or stop a motor if necessary), it can be more effi cient to choose cable that has a signal pair integrally packaged inside the same outer jacket as the drive cable.

Six steps for choosing the right VFD cable


EN6 IndustrialEnergyManagementIndustrialEnergyManagement


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MANAGER

ENABLEYOUR FUTURE

Plot the right course…In a maze of information and systems, it’s easy to get lost. Foxboro control

systems help you fi nd your way, enabling informed and impactful decisions, based on the right information from sources across your enterprise.

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© Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Invensys, the Invensys logo, Foxboro and Triconex are trademarks of Invensys plc, its subsidiaries or affi liates.All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.




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Attributes of awell-designed VFD cable

The optimal cable design is not the same for all sys-tems. In general, smaller drives are proportionally more problematic than larger ones; they can contain far less out-put fi ltering and common mode current control. They also tend to lack bus inductors, and they use much faster switch-ing devices.

In addition, the grounds and shields in a VFD cable can be very active in conducting CMCs; they must be designed to deliver optimum performance. Smaller drives require a much larger percentage of copper at ground potential.

Noise radiated from a VFD cable is proportional to the amount of varying electric current within it, as well as cable length; more current and greater length mean more radiated noise. Belden’s research suggests that shielding systems in-cluding copper tape and combination foil/braid types are the most appropriate for VFD applications, due to the low impedance path they provide for common-mode noise to return to the drive.

Foil/braided constructions offer the highest perfor-mance and fl exibility with superior high-frequency noise conduction. Dual tapes, contra-helically layered, offer the

next most effective conduction of high-frequency noise and currents. Single copper tape is the least attractive option; it tends to be less fl exible than dual tapes and its smaller surface area reduces the ability to conduct high-frequency noise. Foil shields are not robust enough to restrict the vol-ume of noise generated by VFDs.

Sturdy thermoset insulation for stable electrical perfor-mance: Industrial-grade XLP (XLPO or XLPE) insulation far surpasses PVC as an insulator for VFD cables. It provides a more stable electrical performance as well as a lower capaci-tance. Its dielectric constant is low, thus reducing voltage refl ections from the motor back to the drive.

Lower cable capacitance also supports longer cable runs, reduces peak motor terminal voltages to extend motor life, and greatly reduces the likelihood of corona discharge. It also reduces the magnitude of standing waves and in-creases the effi ciency of power transfer from drive to motor.

XLP insulation’s high impulse voltage breakdown rat-ing signifi cantly reduces the risk of failure in case of re-fl ected wave voltage spikes resulting from cable-to-motor impedance mismatch. It allows engineers to more closely match the impedance of the drive to the motor to increase energy effi ciency because it reduces refl ected voltage, de-livering more energy to be converted into useful rotational energy in the motor.

Thermoset insulation materials such as XLP reduce the likelihood of either the cable or the motor voltage reach-ing its corona inception voltage (CIV). A corona discharge produces extremely high temperatures, which can melt in-sulation materials such as PVC, causing premature cable burnout or a short circuit. Thermoset insulation materials do not melt.

There is a “2 kV Myth” arising from the historic fail-ures in PVC/nylon. Many specifi ers believe a 2000 V cable is required to reliably withstand the refl ected wave volt-ages. Belden’s extensive research, coupled with experience in insulating materials, has proven that dielectric failures of properly constructed XLP 600 V VFD cable are not an issue. The lightest insulation available has a safety factor of at least 3 for corona inception voltages, as compared to the peaks obtainable. On the other hand, 600 V THHN cabling may eventually fail because peak refl ected wave voltages can of-ten exceed the corona inception voltages.

Correct grounding confi guration and termination: A properly grounded VFD cable avoids the problem of uncon-trolled current contaminating the ground plane and creating noise-related issues within the system. The recommended approach for grounding a cable is to use a suitable ground conductor, terminated at the motor and at the drive. The shield surrounding the circuit conductors should be tied both physically and electrically to the insulated ground at the point where the cable enters the motor housing or drive proper. Introducing intermediate shield or ground connec-tions, such as a bonding or conductive cable gland, will

This comparison illustrates how shield types conduct high-frequency noise and current.

Noise impedance decreases with motor size. Graphs courtesy: Belden

EN8

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lead to the unintended release of CMC noise, often closeto sensitive equipment. Grounding to an enclosure ground before grounding to the drive can also have the unintended consequence of releasing captured current noise. If the drive is mounted in an enclosure with other equipment, best practice is to leave the cable jacket in place until the cable enters the drive itself. Intermediate terminations can render the cable system ineffective in CMC containment, operating much the same as pipe and wire.

For smaller constructions, typically drives of 50 hp or less, Belden’s research indicates that having excess copper at ground potential is the most important factor in reduc-ing the magnitude of CMC forced to return to the drive as noise in the ground plane. A cable with full-sized ground and a large drain and braid can have ground potential cop-per equivalent to as many as three circuit conductors. It is important to note that many cables described as “VFD” car-ry only the minimum grounds as required by the National Electrical Code (NEC): sometimes less than one full-sized ground equivalent.

As horsepower increases, cables become larger and carry more current. The relative size of the ground conduc-tors within the cable can be reduced as the ratio of common mode to working current declines.

For motors above 50 hp, the internally induced ground currents begin to be of concern, and symmetric grounds be-come an important design consideration. In an asymmetric cable, conductor-to-ground spacing is not the same for all conductors, thus there is a net current fl ow in the ground. This current fl ow will lead to a potential difference between the motor and the drive, and result in current fl ow in the ground plane. This induced current has the potential to re-turn to ground through the motor bearings and contribute to eventual failure.

For more information on proper termination, see Belden’s “Unarmored Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Ca-ble Termination Guide” at http://is.gd/termguide.

Appropriate stranding: VFD cables are available with two basic stranding constructions. Construction-grade VFD cables typically use Class B stranding, the same as used in commercial building wire. High-performance VFD cables use higher strand-count conductors that are frequently tinned. Tinned copper offers advantages over bare copper in terms of increased corrosion resistance and improved thermal stability. A tinned connection is much less likely to oxidize and degrade at hot spots.

High-performance VFD cables contain from four to eight times the surface area of construction-grade strand-ing. High strand-count conductors enhance cable fl exibility and fl ex life in applications with motion or fl exibility; in a VFD cable the high strand-count offers greater affi nity for high-frequency circuits generated by the drive. This results in signifi cantly more attractive return paths for the high-

frequency noise currents and a signifi cant reduction in the current forced to fl ow in the ground plane as harmful noise. It also results in reduced cable heating as the high-frequency resistance is much lower.

Industrial hardening: VFD cables must be reliable and rugged enough to handle the harsh industrial environments in which they are placed. It is important to choose industri-al-grade cabling that can withstand humidity, grit, sunlight, oil, and other conditions that can break down less robust materials.

Tested and certifi ed: Because there are no standards for VFD drives, Belden recommends selecting VFD cables that have been tested and certifi ed to fully comply with all industry certifi cations and safety standards appropriate for the specifi c VFD equipment, application, and/or installation site. Belden VFD cables, for example, are approved for use with ac drives by most leading drive manufacturers.

ConclusionOne of the major advantages of a VFD system is its abil-

ity to save energy and reduce waste. Improper cable choices can lead to:

• Reliability and safety issues leading to increased trou-bleshooting and repair costs.

• Reduced equipment effi ciency due to current leakage, which can also cause a safety hazard when service personnel experience electrical shocks or other sur-prises.

• Expensive downtime and lost operations due to pre-mature cable failure, or worse, damage to the motor or drive.

The correct cable must be properly installed to be ef-fective. Investing in the right VFD cables and installation technique supports uptime and reliability of the VFD system as a whole, and protects the sensitive instrumentation and control systems adjacent to it.

Peter Cox is a project manager at Belden. He has workedin the cable, drives, and automation industries or as a consultant to those industries and markets for 27 years. www.belden.com/marketsolutions/Industrial/

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Peter Cox, project manager, Belden

WWW.CONTROLENG.COM SUPPLEMENT TO CONTROL ENGINEERING

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How to reduce manufacturing energy use, carbon footprintWorld’s largest offi ce furniture supplier, Steelcase, celebrates 100 years, meeting effi ciency and sustainability goals with control system and energy monitoring software solutions. 100 100 100 thth




STEELCASE CELEBRATED ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY in2012. It also marked 100 years of staying on the cutting edge of the offi ce furniture market.

Steelcase’s fi rst product, a fi reproof wastebasket, was a technological achievement in 1912. In this century, Steel-case leads the way in designing and manufacturing furniture that helps boost offi ce workers’ productivity by making their work environments both aesthetically pleasing and ergo-nomically sound.

Given its track record for innovation, it’s not surprising that Steelcase approached its 100th anniversary looking for ways to build energy-saving measures into its manufactur-ing processes. Management set goals to cut overall energy consumption by 15% in 2011 and to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 25% during the fi ve years leading up to leading up to its 100th anniversary.

The following case study tells the full story of how Steel-case met those goals, and continues to improve upon them.

The Energy Center at Steelcase’s Grand Rapids, Mich., headquarters.

BackgroundSuccess in business is no longer accomplished by producing

more products in less time. Improving effi ciencies and identifying areas of improvement is the name of the game for best-in-class organizations. Steelcase is no exception. To help maintain its posi-tion as the world’s largest offi ce furniture supplier, Steelcase man-agement set aggressive goals for improving the company’s bottom

line through improved effi ciency and sustainability efforts. The deadline: the company’s 100-

year anniversary in 2012.


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Control system sofware provides a complete view of Steelcase’s energy network.

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“Our business is very competitive,” explainedBruce Reynolds, manager of corporate communi-cations at Steelcase. “To be successful, we have to constantly improve our production practices.”

Steelcase implemented a new control system to more cost-effectively operate its boilers, and in-stalled energy management software to gain better insight into companywide energy consumption. Due to these and other efforts, the company met all of its effi ciency and sustainability goals, including reducing energy consumption by 15% and shrink-ing its carbon footprint by 25%.

ChallengeThe energy center at Steelcase’s Grand Rapids, Mich.,

headquarters is home to four boilers (two coal-based and two gas-fi red) that produce and distribute steam throughout the manufacturing process areas. “The energy center is truly the lifeblood of our Grand Rapids facility,” explained Eric Newsome, senior automation engineer, Steelcase. “If it goes down, so does production, and with the volume of orders we’re meeting each day, downtime simply isn’t an option.”

The reliability required of the boilers left no room for error. Unfortunately, the existing distributed control sys-tem (DCS) running the boilers was more than 25 years old, and locating spare parts had become extremely challenging. Bill Boss, the chief boiler operator at Steelcase, bought used parts wherever he could fi nd them, and whenever a prob-lem arose with the system, he was forced to call in support from the DCS vendor. “It was a black box system that we couldn’t troubleshoot ourselves,” explained Boss. “The ven-dor had the software tools and the expertise we needed, and whether we had a service contract or paid by the phone call, getting help was becoming prohibitively expensive.”

In addition to looking at boiler reliability, the company also was evaluating its overall energy monitoring capabili-ties. Management set goals to reduce energy consumption by 15% in 2011 and to reduce the company’s carbon foot-print by 25% during the fi ve years leading up to Steelcase’s 100th anniversary in 2012.

Management also wanted to comply with ISO-14001. The international standard was designed to help companies identify, control, and improve the environmental impact of their activities and products by implementing a systematic approach to setting and achieving environmental objec-tives. “A lot of companies require their vendors to be ISO-14001-compliant,” said Reynolds. “Compliance is recog-nized as a sign of commitment to the environment, and it’s a key part of our strategy for balancing people, planet, and profi t.”

Before making improvements, Steelcase relied on manual data collection practices to monitor water, air, gas, electric, and steam (WAGES) consumption throughout its facilities. “We had one guy responsible for visiting the me-ters installed on each substation in each building once per month,” explained Newsome, the senior automation engi-neer. “He wrote down the readings, entered the data into a spreadsheet, then reconciled the utility bills. The process worked fi ne—until that guy went on vacation.”

With the primary data collector out of the offi ce, data collection practices changed, resulting in a database fi lled with skewed information that took weeks to resolve. “We needed a way to automatically gather real-time data so we could identify opportunities for improvement,” said Kay Bolinger, senior facilities engineer, Steelcase. “As our manu-facturing infrastructure became leaner and our IT


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infrastructure expanded, we realized it was time for us toconsider a comprehensive WAGES metering strategy.”

Solutions include control systemSteelcase needed a cost-effective control system for its

energy center that would be easy for the company to main-tain, troubleshoot, and optimize on its own. After reviewing several options, the team ultimately selected the PlantPAx process automation system from Rockwell Automation to replace its existing DCS. “Our engineers were familiar with Rockwell Automation products, which we knew would ease maintenance and troubleshooting,” said Newsome. “Plus, we already had a TechConnect support contract with Rock-well Automation, which provided the added level of service we needed.”

The Rockwell Automation Global Solutions team sur-veyed the existing infrastructure and mapped out a specifi c roadmap for implementing the PlantPAx system prior to de-sign and installation. “The team came to our project having executed dozens of similar, successful engagements,” said Boss. “They gave us a lot of advice on how to accommodate fuel source fl uctuations so our boilers could operate at top effi ciency regardless of what type of coal we were using.”

The PlantPAx system also was able to utilize existing Allen-Bradley 1771 Remote I/O modules on ancillary equip-ment controllers, communicating with a central Allen-Brad-ley ControlLogix controller via an EtherNet/IP network. A standard PC in the control room runs FactoryTalk View Site Edition human-machine interface software to provide op-erators with comprehensive insight into boiler operations. “Most of our plant processes run on Allen-Bradley controls, so plantwide integration and optimization was much easier using the PlantPAx system,” said Boss.

After looking at options for improving the effi ciency of its boilers, Steelcase then looked to get better insight and control of the energy consumption in its facilities. Having worked closely for more than 25 years with Kendall Electric,

a Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork member and autho-rized Allen-Bradley distributor, Steelcase was quite familiar with Rockwell Automation products. The company saw value in working with Rockwell Automation to improve its enterprisewide energy monitoring. Ultimately, the Steelcase team selected Rockwell Software RSEnergyMetrix software, favoring the standard off-the-shelf reporting features it in-cluded.

Steelcase worked with the Rockwell Automation Global Solutions team to implement about 100 points of Allen-Bradley PowerMonitor electric metering devices throughout the company’s Grand Rapids and Mexico facilities. Some of the site metering points also gather gas, steam, and air con-sumption data to be sent directly to ControlLogix and Allen-Bradley MicroLogix controllers, which act as energy data concentrators. From there, energy data is communicated via an EtherNet/IP network to the RSEnergyMetrix software da-tabase that is hosted on Steelcase’s virtual server.

Results include easier maintenanceBecause of its open platform, the Steelcase team can

maintain the new control system almost entirely on its own. Also, management can access and troubleshoot the system remotely, which signifi cantly reduces unplanned downtime. “Because we could add PlantPAx system support to our ex-isting TechConnect contract and eliminate the service agree-ment with our old DCS vendor, we’re saving around $25,000 per year,” said Newsome, the senior automation engineer.

With the new energy management solution, Steelcase can document and quickly address energy events, such as, voltage sags, surges, or outages. By doing so, the team can reduce downtime and help protect critical production assets from potentially harmful operating situations. Energy man-agement software provides the Steelcase team with visibility into its energy consumption—a critical component for ISO-14001 compliance.

“We can see when something is running hot and con-suming more energy than it should, which is an indicator that something needs fi xing on the equipment,” explained Newsome.

Prior to the new energy management system, the Steel-case team needed to “guesstimate” the losses resulting from air leaks. Now, management can identify the exact air loss amounts, which ultimately helps justify the cost of the sys-tem. With improved insight into energy consumption, the Steelcase team can more easily justify investments in newer, more energy-effi cient technology.

Steelcase was one of the fi rst to use the wireless Allen-Bradley PowerMonitor W250 power meter to gather con-sumption information on individual production lines. Ulti-mately, the team hopes to capture exactly how much energy it takes to produce a specifi c product, so the company can include energy costs on its bills of material.http://ab.rockwellautomation.com/Energy-Monitoring

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With its control system platform, Steelcase can quickly create reports that show energy usage.With its control system platform, Steelcase can quickly create



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Taking the complexity out of designing Smart-Grid devicesNew development platform should bring renewable energy sources to the grid much faster, says a National Instruments executive.

IndustrialEnergyManagement 13IndustrialEnergyManagement EN13

LAST AUGUST, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS (NI) un-veiled a product that it expects to quicken the pace at which renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power make their way onto the Smart Grid. The NI Sin-gle-Board RIO General Purpose Inverter Controller (GPIC) includes a hardware chassis that harnesses fi eld program-mable gate-array (FPGA) technology and the well-known NI LabVIEW System Design Software suite. Control En-gineering Contributing Editor Sidney Hill recently spoke with Brian MacCleery, National Instruments’ principal product manager for clean energy technology, about how this new development platform should ease the task of building Smart-Grid-ready products.

Hill: Let’s start with what may be the biggest question for most Control Engineering read-ers. Exactly how can the NI Single-Board RIO GPIC make it easier to build products for the Smart Grid?

MacCleery: Our primary goal in de-veloping the GPIC was to offer an em-bedded systems platform that is op-timized for building grid-tied power control systems.

This has been a collaborative effort with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the California Energy Commission. In addition, more than 20 companies around the world—all of whom are in NI’s customer base—had input into the design of the GPIC, because we really wanted to make sure it matched their requirements.

When we started this effort, we did question whether it was possible to develop an off-the-shelf system that could, in fact, be used by any company that does grid-tied power

conversion. The release of the GPIC proves that we an-swered that question.

Hill: How were you able to ultimately come up with a platform that is successfully being mass marketed?

MacCleery: As we started talking with companies in dif-ferent industries about this problem, we found that there was, indeed, a common set of requirements that spanned industries and applications.

Because of the broad interest in solving this problem, virtually every company we contacted agreed to have its engineering team spend at least a half day with us, going over every single specifi cation for the GPIC to make sure it would meet their specifi c requirements.

WWW.CONTROLENG.COM SUPPLEMENT TO CONTROL ENGINEERINGWWW.CONTROLENG.COM SUPPLEMENT TO CONTROL ENGINEERING

This chart shows the I/O that users must bring when developing various applications on the NI Single-Board RIO GPIC.

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We took that as a good sign. If companies were will-ing to invest that amount of time and resources to help us design it, there must be a real need for the type of solution we were developing.

Hill: What were some of the common requirements?

MacCleery: We’ve created a fact sheet that lists the GPIC’s specifi cations. They were carefully developed in collaboration with NREL, the California En-ergy Commission, and approximately 20 companies that are heavily involved in designing power inverters. So, we know the platform can be used to develop inverters for a broad spectrum of applications, including:

• Grid-tied solar inverters • Wind turbine power converters• Unity-scale energy storage systems and fl exible ac

transmission systems (FACTS)• Medium-voltage motor drives and pumps with uni-

directional or regenerative inverters• Electric and hybrid electric vehicles, automobiles,

trains, agricultural equipment Somewhat surprisingly, we found that with the I/O

on the GPIC and the price point we are able to deliver, we can meet the application requirements of any grid-tied power converter that is 50 kW or larger, even up into the tens of thousands of units.

That was NREL’s vision when we started working with them on this project. A gentleman named Bill Kram-er, who manages R&D for energy systems integration technology at NREL, had just this vision—what he calls modular power electronics.

The idea is that everyone in industry can save a lot of money by using standard designs and system level de-velopment tools that enable Smart Grid and power elec-tronics domain experts to take the lead in designing and implementing the embedded system.

Hill: From a technology perspective, what specific characteristics of the GPIC ease the process of design-ing Smart-Grid-capable devices?

MacCleery: Let’s start with some background on the ori-gins of the GPIC. It’s based on a technology we launched in 2004 called NI CompactRIO, which has grown to be one of our largest product lines. The idea behind CompactRIO was to place FPGA technology, or fi eld-programmable gate arrays, at the core of a commercial off-shelf-system for designing circuit boards. We want-ed to give embedded design teams the same fl exibility they have when developing fully custom designs but on a pre-validated, low-risk platform that provides a fully integrated software development experience. In other

words, it’s embedded design without the development cost, risk, and traditionally large specialized design team.

The FPGA technology, in essence, makes it possible for every user to conduct custom circuit board design. The difference is that they’re now working with an off-the-shelf platform and high-level graphical programming tools designed for advanced digital signal processing and embedded control.

It makes it possible for users to customize hardware at the silicon logic level.

Traditionally, if you wanted to tailor an FPGA to your specifi c application, you needed to be an expert in spe-cialized programming languages like Verilog or VHDL. There’s a relatively small population of developers with those skills. Also, embedded system chips are becoming more complex every day, making it even more diffi cult to program them with text-based languages, even for people with those skills.

Hill: How did a platform for developing Smart-Grid-ready devices emerge from this effort?

MacCleery: It evolved from another one of our products, the Single-Board RIO. That product has an FPGA and a Power PC processor running the VxWorks real-time op-erating system.

The GPIC has the same components as the Single Board RIO in addition to 134 channels of I/O. Those I/O channels are designed specifi cally to meet the require-ments of a broad spectrum of power converter applica-tions.

Incorporating the channels necessary to create the GPIC took roughly a year of development time. The eco-nomic impact of integrating these inputs and outputs in LabVIEW FPGA—where you can just drop down an I/O node and are up and running—is tremendous. It cuts 70% to 80% of the software development cost off the conven-tional embedded design process for an FPGA board.

When you develop your own fully custom FPGA



We took that as a good sign. If companies were will-ing to invest that amount of time and resources to help us design it, there must be a real need for the type of

developed in collaboration with NREL, the California En-ergy Commission, and approximately 20 companies that are heavily involved in designing power inverters. So, we

This is the hardware for NI’s first development platform to incorporate FPGA technology.


board, roughly 70% of every dollar spent on softwaredevelopment goes toward work devoted strictly to in-terfacing to the I/O. Our goal is to bring that expense down to less than 10%. That would allow developers to focus all of their software engineering dollars on develop-ing the complex algorithms needed for their Smart-Grid products.

Hill: With 134 I/O channels on the GPIC, developers have the flexibility to use certain of those I/O chan-nels and not the others, depending on their applica-tion. Is that correct?

MacCleery: Exactly. The fact sheet I mentioned previous-ly includes a chart that outlines how the platform maps to various applications. It shows the I/O that a user needs to bring in from a power converter system. For instance, a wind turbine will often have a position sensor on the motor/generator and auxiliary motors. If a digital sensor is used, it would typically connect to the GPIC through the LVTTL, which connects directly to the digital I/O buf-fers on the FPGA.

Many companies developing medium-voltage drives use fi ber-optic connections rather than copper. In that case, they link to the LVTTL with a fi ber transceiver and use the FPGA to communicate data, clocks, and pulse width modulation command signals. This is common in large megawatt size inverters.

Hill: The GPIC debuted last August. At this point, are you able to cite any examples of how customers are using the platform?

MacCleery: Yes. There’s a GPIC FAQ page on our Web-site. One of the questions relates to customer feedback, and there are comments from a number of early adopters. For example, Yakov Familiant, the lead engineer for power systems and architectures at Eaton Cor-poration, commented on how it has improved their development process signifi cantly on a range of projects. In essence, this platform ac-celerates the pace at which Eaton, a $16-bil-lion company with 100 years experience in electric power, is able to deploy its Smart-Grid power converters in the fi eld at high volumes.

Hill: The literature on the GPIC refers to a “tool chain” for power system de-velopment. What does that mean?

MacCleery: That term refers to all of the components necessary to optimize the de-sign of grid-tied power systems. Ultimately,

NI wants to offer a comprehensive tool chain for develop-ing Smart-Grid power electronic systems. Perfecting the GPIC hardware is an important part of this, but we also want to give developers the best software tools. That’s where the LabVIEW graphical programming suite comes into play.

Companies using this platform are developing com-plex applications. When you’re talking about Smart-Grid-ready inverters, you’re managing sophisticated control systems as well as the networking that’s necessary to make that system fi t into the Smart Grid – a very complex system-level design.

We wanted to create a tool chain that enables people to manage this complexity and design their embedded control systems at a system level, what we refer to as graphical system design. With the complexity of em-bedded systems today, companies really can’t afford to design at the gate level using hardware description lan-guage.

Companies also must deal with a lot of tough engi-neering tradeoffs.

In the solar realm, solar panels can last 20 to 30 years and still generate 80% of the power they generated at the time of their initial deployment. Inverters, on the other hand, tend to fail much sooner. So a major challenge for the solar industry is to develop inverters that not only are more energy effi cient, but also have a longer lifespan.

System-level design tools make it easier for develop-ers to analyze these complex tradeoffs. If they pull one

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Brian MacCleery, principal product manager for clean energy technology, National Instruments.


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This board combines FPGA technology with 134 channels of I/O, enabling users to develop Smart-Grid-ready devices.


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string they can see how that im-pacts the rest of the system. For example, I may be willing to take a small effi ciency hit to keep the temperature of the power elec-tronics more constant and there-by extend its life. Every time you heat and cool the power transis-tors, this takes a tick off their life-time.

Hill: Is that also what you meant when you spoke of be-ing able to prototype on this platform?

MacCleery: Yes. The typical de-sign fl ow on the applications we’re talking about starts with simulation. No one tests their software for the fi rst time on a fully functioning inverter. You have high voltage, high current, and ex-pensive equipment; so it’s just too dangerous and complex. Much of the validation and veri-fi cation work must fi rst take place in a safe simulation environment.

Historically, the process of moving from the simu-lation environment to the actual embedded system was very long and expensive, especially for FPGAs. In many cases, it involved printing the simulation block diagrams to use as design specifi cations, and then writing the cor-responding code by hand in low-level text based program-ming languages. In that approach, the simulation really only helps you develop design requirements and speci-fi cations. The actual process of moving to the embedded software is done by hand.

With the improvements we’ve recently made to our tool chain, customers can now develop their graphical FPGA code in a high-fi delity simulation environment that captures all of the complexity of the switching power electronics and the grid. They can see things like how hot and cool the transistors will get and how the grid re-sponds to the software they’ve written. Additionally, they can write actual live code in the simulation environment and move it to the FPGA on the GPIC in minutes. Devel-opers tell me they want the ability to very easily take the same control software code to go back and forth between the simulation world and the deployment world.

We manage that transition in the LabVIEW project environment, which makes it possible to use the same embedded software code in both a simulation world and the physical world.

This also makes it possible for a more thorough and disciplined development process because I can have engi-neers and engineering management reviewing and testing my system simultaneously in both the simulation world and the real world.

Hill: I guess you see this platform helping to acceler-ate the full rollout of the Smart Grid?

MacCleery: Yes, that’s our goal. There are multiple levels of complexity related to the Smart Grid. There’s the com-plexity of designing the individual system, like the invert-er. There’s also the system-level complexity of managing the overall grid—determining when nodes should switch on or off. Offering a tool chain that makes it possible to simulate all of that interaction brings the design of these systems into the information technology age. So, it really seems that this type of graphical system design tool chain is necessary to speed up the full rollout of the Smart Grid.

For more information on the NI Single-Board RIOGeneral Purpose Inverter Controller visit the follow-ing resources: www.ni.com/gpic/www.ni.com/powerdev

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Power tools: National Instruments believes developers need a complete tool chain, consisting of both hardware and software, to simplify the process of designing, testing and deploying Smart-Grid devices. Courtesy: National Instruments



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CFE Media Contributor Guidelines Overview

Content For Engineers. That’s what CFE Media stands for, and what CFE Media is all about – engineers sharing with their peers. We welcome content submissions for all interested parties in engineering. We will use those materials online, on our website, in print and in newsletters to keep engineers informed about the products, solutions and industry trends.

www.controleng.com/contribute explains how to submit press releases, products, images and graphics, bylined feature articles, case studies, white papers, and other media.

* Content should focus on helping engi-neers solve problems. Articles that are com-mercial in nature or that are critical of other products or organizations will be rejected. (Technology discussions and comparative tables may be accepted if non-promotional and if contributor corroborates information with sources cited.)

* If the content meets criteria noted in guidelines, expect to see it first on our Web-sites. Content for our e-newsletters comes from content already available on our Web-sites. All content for print also will be online. All content that appears in our print maga-zines will appear as space permits, and we will indicate in print if more content from that article is available online.

* Deadlines for feature articles intended for the print magazines are at least two months in advance of the publication date. Again, it is best to discuss all feature articles with the appropri-ate content manager prior to submission.Learn more at:www.controleng.com/contribute

AutomationDirect . . . . . . . . . . C2 . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . www.automationdirect.com

Baldor Electric Company . . . . 9. . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . www.baldor.com

CC-Link Partner Association. . 25. . . . . . . 19 . . . . . www.cclinkamerica.org

Control EngineeringCase Study Database . . . . . . . 52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.controleng.com/csd

Control EngineeringE-Newsletters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.controleng.com/newsletters

CSA Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37. . . . . . . 22 . . . . . www.csagroup.org

Danfoss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33. . . . . . . 21 . . . . . www.envisioneering.danfoss.com/industry

Dataforth Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . 10. . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . www.dataforth.com

Eaton Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20. . . . . . . 13 . . . . . www.eaton.com

Harting, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23. . . . . . . 16 . . . . . www.HARTING-usa.com

HELUKABEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29. . . . . . . 20 . . . . . www.helukabel.com

Magnetrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13. . . . . 9 . . . . . . www.Eclipse.magnetrol.com

Moore Industries - Intl. Inc . . . 4. . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . www.miinet.com

Moxa Technologies . . . . . . . . . 3. . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . www.moxa.com

National Instruments . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . www.ni.com

Neuroblast, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . 24. . . . . . . 18 . . . . . www.neuroblast.net/custom

Omega Engineering Inc . . . . . 1. . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . www.omega.com

OPTO 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19. . . . . . . 12 . . . . . www.opto22.com

Phoenix Contact . . . . . . . . . . . 15. . . . . . . 10 . . . . . www.phoenixcontact.com/safetybridge

PI North America. . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . www.us.profinet.com

PR electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22. . . . . . . 15 . . . . . www.prelectronics.com

SEW Eurodrive Inc . . . . . . . . . C4 . . . . . . 36 . . . . . www.seweurodrive.com

Siemens Industry Inc . . . . . . . C1, 17 . . . 11 . . . . . www.sea.siemens.com

Solutions for Engineers . . . . . 51. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ControlEng.com

Turck Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21. . . . . . . 14 . . . . . www.turck.com

Unitronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24. . . . . . . 17 . . . . . www.unitronics.com

Yaskawa America, Inc . . . . . . . C3 . . . . . . 35 . . . . . www.yaskawa.com

Engineers’ Choice Awards

Beckhoff Automation LLC. . . . 41. . . . . . . 23 . . . . . www.beckhoff.com

Cognex Corporation . . . . . . . . 43. . . . . . . 24 . . . . . www.cognex.com/50L

Industrial Energy ManagementFluke Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EN5 . . . . . 33 . . . . . www.fluke.com

Invensys OperationsManagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . EN7 . . . . . 34 . . . . . http://iom.invensys.com/yourfuture

National Instruments . . . . . . . EN3 . . . . . 32 . . . . . www.ni.com

Inside Machines

Aerotech Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M8 . . . . . . 31 . . . . . www.aerotech.com

Banner Engineering Corp. . . . M5 . . . . . . 28 . . . . . www.bannerengineering.com

Fluke Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M3 . . . . . . 26 . . . . . www.fluke.com

P M D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M2 . . . . . . 25 . . . . . WWW.PMDCORP.COM

Solutions Direct . . . . . . . . . . . M7 . . . . . . 29 . . . . . www.solutionsdirectonline.com

Triangle Research Intl Inc . . . . M7 . . . . . . 30 . . . . . www.tri-plc.com/ce.htm

Yokogawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M4 . . . . . . 27 . . . . . www.yokogawa.com/us

Request more information about products and advertisers in this issue by using thehttp://controleng.com/information link and reader service number located near each.If you’re reading the digital edition, the link will be live. When you contact a company directly, please let them know you read about them in Control Engineering.

Company Page# RSN Web

AD INDEXControl Engineering

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CTL1302_AdIndex_V1msFINAL.indd 79 2/5/13 6:25 PM


Peter Welander

‘ The most frustrating situation

would be if a hacker used a vulnerability in an old software platform still on

your system that no longer even served a

purpose.’

In the world of espionage, a mole is an agent or spy that infiltrates an enemy environment and establishes him- or herself as a normal citizen. Eventually, the mole will receive orders to

carry out the spying functions originally planned, taking advantage of trust built up over the years.

Moles may be living in your computer and control systems. In this context, we’re talking about software that has security vulnerabilities. One recent situation is Java, with reports that hackers have been able to exploit vulnerabilities in conjunction with dangerous websites.

Many computers still have Java installed, pos-sibly an old version, even though the user may not be aware of it. To a hacker, it can become the port of entry for breaking into the system. The software is the mole. It’s been on the computer for who knows how long because nobody has checked to see what’s there. If it doesn’t get used, it probably doesn’t get updated, so older versions with well-publicized vulnerabilities may still be in place.

Java is certainly not unique in this sense. There are many examples of programs that have been exploited in the same way. The U.S. DHS publishes alerts related to industrial software online at http://www.us-cert.gov/control_sys-tems/ics-cert/#monthly-monitor. If you’ve never gone and seen the number of platforms that are compromised, brace yourself for a shock.

The threat is that a hacker will use one of those vulnerabilities to pry his way into your sys-tem. Perhaps he has become proficient at exploit-ing some favorite vulnerability and goes around looking for that software as targets of opportuni-ty. Or, if he is determined to break into your sys-tem specifically, he may probe to catalog what you have and figure out the weakest platform.

The first step of building a defense is knowing what you have on your systems. Look at all the software loaded on your individual computers and servers, and know everything that is there, down to the revision level. You also need to know why it is there. The most frustrating situation would be if a hacker used a vulnerability in an old software platform still on your system that no longer even served a purpose. Worse yet, imagine that it was unrelated to your process that some bored operator installed so he could watch DVDs in the control room. How would you explain that to your boss?

You need to know revision level because platforms go through various iterations, some of which are better than others. Generally, the assumption is that the most recent revision will have more of the vulnerabilities fixed.

Checking revision levels often exposes the reality that industrial users don’t patch software with any regularity. There are exceptions, of course, but studies show that users simply don’t implement patches as they should. There are some important reasons why users are cautious. If you have a control system that uses Windows and Microsoft sends out an update, it’s possible that there are elements of that update that aren’t compatible with the control system platform. You either need to test the patch yourself in a way that won’t interfere with your functioning sys-tem, or wait for the vendor to clear it for deploy-ment. Whoever is responsible for that network probably has other things to do, and who has time to deal with that kind of thing anyway?

The sad truth is that most industrial users rep-resent easy targets for a determined hacker. While it may not be practical to undertake more compre-hensive efforts to protect your networks, you can keep track of your software collection. ce

Peter Welander is a content manager for Con-trol Engineering. [email protected]

BASICSBASICS

Software moles in your systems

back to

Old programs, utilities, and plug-ins languishing on your computer orcontrol systems could threaten your security.

� Read more on industrial cyber security at www.con-troleng.com/archive

� Cyber security vulnerabil-ity assessment, Feb. 2012

� Giving your plant a cyber health checkup, July 2012

Go Online

Recommendations on JavaMatthew E. Luallen

The US-CERT recently issued alert TA-13-010A on the Java vulnerability and guidance on how to respond to it. You will need to find out if Java is needed for any of your local or web-based applications and then disable it if it is unnecessary. Sys-tems that are already not communicating to areas of less trust are not at risk, as the exploit must be transferred to local device over the network or through a local connection such as a USB drive.

http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA13-010A.html

The wider view of security is to not just worry about Java but to ensure continu-ous protection of your cyber system. This includes having or installing only the applications that are necessary, using a functional change management process to handle system changes, such as addition or removal of access, applications, and patches, and a monitoring and response mechanism. Some practical advice for these and more are available through the 20 critical security controls or the con-sensus audit guidelines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_audit_guidelines

CTL1302_BackBasics_V3msFINAL.indd 80 2/5/13 6:26 PM

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NOTEWORTHY

When our engineers work on a motion project with you, they share everything that’s in their heads. Sometimes that means turning over 100 pages of notes, formulas and drawings. Other times, it’s simply having straight forward conversations.

At the same time, Yaskawa customers share their proprietary knowledge because they can trust us. Because we give their challenges a lot of thought. Because when they talk to us, they know we are on their side.

Trusting the guys across the table from you with your most important product secrets. That’s noteworthy.



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