Partnership results in CAN do attitude!

Celebrating ten years of co-operation in communications.

For ten years, there has been a strong partnership between CAN in Automation (CiA) and the Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group (EPSG). Since 2003, the two non-profit user organizations have jointly been making CANopen a very popular choice and a factor to reckon within many market segments on CAN-based as well as Ethernet-based lower-layer protocols.

CAN (Controller Area Network) is a serial bus system originally developed for automotive applications and internationally standardized in the ISO 11898 series. In total, some 800 million CAN interfaces will be sold this year. CANopen is a higher-layer protocol used on CAN and POWERLINK as well as other communication technologies for embedded control applications. It includes the application layer and the communication profile as well as application, device, and interface profiles. This internationally standardized interface (EN 50325-4) combines flexible configuration capabilities with an unparalleled degree of interoperability using standardized CiA profiles. Consequently, CANopen networks are used in a very broad range of application fields such as machine control, medical devices, mobile machines, rail vehicles, maritime electronics, building automation and power generation as well as countless embedded control systems.

CiA is committed to the CAN data link layer and the CANopen protocol. Currently, about 580 companies are members of this international users‘ and manufacturers‘ group registered in Nuremberg (Germany). “We see a bright future for CAN-based CANopen networks with their unique robustness and reliability also considering the improved CAN protocol (also known as CAN FD) that allows data-rates up to 8 Mbit/s”, said Holger Zeltwanger, CiA Managing Director (Left in picture!). “At the same time, we cherish the strong partnership with the EPSG that brings the CANopen protocol to Industrial Ethernet applications.”

When the specifications for the POWERLINK Industrial Ethernet protocol were drafted, its makers decided to use the CANopen application layer and profiles for guaranteed interoperability with the well-established standard. For applications requiring a higher communication bandwidth, this provides a smooth migration path and saves software investments dramatically compared to Industrial Ethernet solutions not adapting CANopen. “Users benefit from the strong partnership between EPSG and CiA”, says EPSG Managing Director, Stefan Schönegger. “They can combine the stability and reliability of the CANopen protocol with POWERLINK’s unparalleled performance.”

Ethernet test market! #TandM

40/100 GbE test equipment to make strongest gains and register triple digit growth rates

An increase in datacentre activities, rapid growth of the 40/100 GbE market, mobile backhaul applications, and infrastructure development by end users to accommodate gigabit Ethernet are driving the global Ethernet test equipment market.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan,  High Growth Testing Opportunity: Global Ethernet Test Equipment Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $822.5 million in 2011 and estimates this to reach €905.2m ($1225.7 m) in 2016. The 1 GbE, 10 GbE and 40/100 GbE test equipment segments are expected to grow at single, double and triple digit rates, respectively.

Modern datacentre technologies including virtualisation, converged datacentre networks and cloud computing are changing the designs of traditional datacentres. These newer designs require higher bandwidth; 40/100 GbE equipment is better suited to the core and aggregation layers.

“With constantly evolving processor performance, it is anticipated that the 40/100 GbE interfaces will become the default requirement,” noted Frost & Sullivan Measurement & Instrumentation Industry Analyst Prathima Bommakanti. “This has led to a corresponding demand for 40/100 GbE test equipment.”

End-user demand for high density test equipment is considered both a driver and a challenge for Ethernet test equipment vendors. While it offers immense growth opportunities, test vendors are constantly being challenged to keep their products aligned with the market’s emerging functional test requirements – such as Layer4 wire-speed TCP/IP testing, Y.1564, 1588v2/SYNC, and IPv6 – even while continuing to provide value for money.

As technology improves and port count increases, end users are becoming accustomed to purchasing test solutions with greater capabilities across a range of technologies. Equipment prices have steadily fallen over the last few years even as end users have been pressured to create efficiencies and reduce unnecessary expenditure.

“The increasing complexity of protocols and the concurrent development of different standards call for Ethernet test equipment with greater testing capabilities,” remarked Bommakanti. “However, as protocols become more difficult to comply with, it will be a greater challenge for the test equipment to provide the desired results.”

Market prospects will be boosted by continued efforts by manufacturers to overcome the glitches inherent in advanced technologies and to offer competitive products. Rapidly evolving end-user technologies will motivate test vendors to focus on R&D and product introductions that best address customer needs.

Bring your own device

Mobile devices metamorphising into tools

What will the world of work look like tomorrow? How are our habits already changing due to our growing use of mobile data? What are the advantages and risks associated with providing external access to company systems via smart phones or tablet PCs? These and other questions will be asked and answered at the new “Mobile Business Solutions” display sector in Hall 6 during the upcoming CeBIT, from 5 to 9 March 2013.

This new topic sector is geared to system developers, software providers, hardware manufacturers and network operators. Apart from a group pavilion and an expo consisting of numerous company stands, this sector also includes its own specialist forum, where the program will feature themes like the secure and manageable integration of mobile end devices in enterprise IT, the ins and outs of employing private devices for corporate business purposes (“Bring Your Own Device” — BYOD), the growing trend towards mobile home offices and mobile device management, the ‘consumerisation’ of IT and enterprise apps and mobile security.

This all adds up to a special role for the “Mobile Business Solutions” display sector, functioning as the first port of call at CeBIT for any decision-makers, developers, service providers and consultants with a special interest in mobile enterprise applications.

“The topic of ‘Mobile Business IT’ will be getting a new home at CeBIT,” comments Frank Pörschmann, Senior Vice President for CeBIT at Deutsche Messe. “The result will be to build a bridge between traditional, established business IT solutions and the next wave of mobile applications, which are increasingly permeating enterprise business processes. Our goal is to make this display segment the world’s leading networking hub for anyone involved in the area of mobile IT.”

The bar is set!

PROFINET’s remarkable achievement of 31.25 µs cycle time and how this impacts on the future of data transmission:

What are the factors for successful automation?
Factors like speed or the excellent performance capability of a particular sensor are often mentioned. Nevertheless, the outstanding features of an individual component can only be taken advantage of if the design of the overall system is compatible. In practical terms, this means that high-precision sensors are of little use without a fast synchronous network, and vice versa.

The Chairman speaks!

Karsten Schneider

For many users, a cycle time of 31,25 µs is almost unimaginable. Karsten Schneider, PI Chairman, explains the tools used to demonstrate this fast cycle time and the significance it has for real-world applications:
Read-out: Mr. Schneider, just how fast is a cycle time of 31.25 µs?
K.S: In fact, it is difficult to grasp just how fast this cycle time is, which is why we constructed a live model. Because LEDs react too slowly, we used an oscilloscope to visualize the cycle time of 31.25 µs as well as the slight jitter over the entire system. In addition, an analog signal was sampled, transmitted via PROFINET, and output at another station in our model.
Read-out: Which applications will benefit of this cycle?
K.S: It is of interest to highly dynamic measuring equipment applica-tions, since sampling rates up to 32 kHz over the network are possible. It could be used, for example, to record torque characteristics in test stands.
Read-out: Why will isochronous operation play an even more important role in the future?
K.S: The processes of the future will have to be tuned to each another with even greater precision. A typical example is the multi-axis closed-loop control process in printing machines. A more precise isochronous operation will not only increase the productivity of the overall printing machine but will also allow production of printed products with higher-resolution and thus sharper images. Another industry sector with stringent requirements for isochronous operation is the packaging industry. While the material filling process runs relatively slowly, the primary packaging process requires a very high speed. Both processes must be precisely tuned to each another to avoid disruptions in the overall process.
Read-out: And how have you demonstrated this feature with the model?
K.S: Isochronous operation was demonstrated with a traditional stroboscope test. For this, we aimed a stroboscope at a variable-speed disk in such a way that a permanent image of a written text is produced.
Read-out: Your are always emphasizing openness as a highlight of PROFINET. Does this also apply to the short cycle time of 31.25 µs?
K.S: We have placed a high value on this during development. Even with the short cycle time, standard data can be transmitted without limitation via TCP/IP. We have a full HD video taken in our test setup that demonstrates undisturbed transmission of these data all the way through the PROFINET system. The ability to transmit standard data is necessary in order, for example, to transfer new parameters, quality assurance data, or images for production monitoring. An example of this is the transmission of data from high bay storage systems via a camera. In addition, there is a trend in assembly lines toward recording and storing torque characteristics of screws for quality control purposes. These data can also be transmitted without any problems.

Whenever performance is discussed, the overall system often takes a back seat. The result: the overall speed of the system is only as fast as the slowest link. In other words, you may have fast communication, but it is of little use if your controller or I/O system do not have compatible cycle times. One must always bear in mind that the terminal-terminal response time depends heavily on the bus update time. The critical factors are therefore the overall system accuracy as well as the synchronization of controller, communication, and inputs/outputs. The basis for achieving such a high-performance overall system is the use of a fast synchronous network.This is just one of the reasons for the unbridled popularity of the PROFINET technology. The communication system, which reflects all facet of automation, is enjoying success across all industry sectors throughout the factory automation, motion control, and process automation markets. Regardless of the industry sector, it is not just the system’s speed that is playing a critical role but also its real-world diagnostics, integration, safety, and wireless solutions. In 2011, for example, 1.3 million new PROFINET devices were sold on the market, bringing the total installed base to 4.3 million devices.

In automation, the challenge lies in not knowing what the future holds in terms of requirements. For example, an end user may be completely satisfied at the moment with its automation and communication systems. But what happens 5 years later when that user’s Quality Assurance Department requires certain production procedures to be transmitted over the communication system in realtime?

In order to be equipped for future tasks, PROFINET Specification V2.3 defined mechanisms that will further speed up communication with PROFINET. An important step of this definition is the performance upgrade of PROFINET to achieve cycle times of 31.25 µs. This upgrade is for applications that have more stringent demands on communication while also requiring isochronous operation. The key thing here is that the system remains scalable. Regardless of which level of performance will be required in the future, the user can rely on a single communication system without system gaps.

Faster to the goal
Three mechanisms make this possible: Fast Forwarding, Dynamic Frame Packing, and Fragmentation. As a result, short cycle times of as little as 31,25 µs can be achieved together with high-precision isochronous operation. To maintain compatibility with the previous specification, three main tricks have been used. To optimize the IO bandwidth, the transmission time of messages was shortened from 6.3 µs to 1.2 µs by forcing an earlier forwarding decision (Fast Forwarding) during switching. Previously, a standard Profinet frame could only be forwarded in the switch when the complete Ethernet header was received.

Like other communication systems, PROFINET uses the summation frame method for optimizing the ratio of frame to user data, thereby opening up further potential for optimization. In contrast to ring bus systems, PROFINET relies on the performance advantages of a full duplex system, i.e., input and output data are sent simultaneously on the 2-pair cable. When a single summation frame is used, this would have to be sent, received, and checked completely down to the last node, including the checksums. This is where Dynamic Frame Packing comes in. Because the data of the first nodes in the line are not relevant for the nodes placed further at the end, these are removed during the passage. This shorts the frame in its passage through the network. The time-determining arrival of the frame at the last node is thus much sooner, thereby significantly reducing the overall update time for all nodes.

A proven and important advantage of PROFINET is its unlimited TCP/IP communication even when isochronous realtime communication is occurring simultaneously. For this, the architecture of PROFINET provides for time scheduling in addition to synchronization. The network is not loaded with I/O frames during a defined time phase but instead is free for any TCP/IP frames, which can take up a duration of up to 125 µs with Fast Ethernet and thus define the minimum cycle time.
Next, the fragmentation defined with PROFINET V2.3 takes large TCP/IP frames in the individual nodes and, prior to sending, divides them into smaller fragments, which are sent in consecutive cycles. The counterpart then re-assembles them so that the upper-level application layer receives an unaltered TCP/IP frame. This allows users to realize bus cycles of 31.25 µs with shared I/O and TCP/IP communication, without having to reduce the available bandwidth for the TCP/IP communication.

Outlook
Applications exist today that can benefit from a cycle time of 31,25 µs, such as high-speed closed-loop motion control applications and applications in the measuring equipment sector.

A key aspect for the user is the compatible expansion options that allow it to update an individual controller or field device and still retain existing functions. Only when the user wants to make use of the new functions, e.g., for performance optimization, is it necessary to fully update controllers and field devices to the latest version. The user protects its investment, while remaining free to access the reserved performance at any time.

The resulting new generation of PROFINET modules will implement all these new functions in hardware. Accordingly, various technology suppliers will offer easy-to-integrate solutions in the form of ASICs, network controllers, or FPGAs and thus provide device manufacturers with the basis for producing high-performance solutions that meet customer requirements. As a result, users can rely on a coherent approach that uses both a fast, high-performance network as well as fast devices. A system designed with both in mind is essential for realizing the benefits of increased performance in practice – today and in future applications.

Resistance to industrial networking.comms devices

Industrial Networking/Communication Devices: Promise of improved efficiency and productivity to fuel uptake, yet, despite multiple benefits, lingering end-user conservatism about new technologies is hampering penetration rates

Improved efficiency, increased productivity and cost reductions are the main factors that will drive the European industrial networking/communication market. There is a trend in industrial operations to interconnect systems, equipment, machinery and devices via networking, in order to provide real-time data and information for better decision making, control and management and – by extension – improved performance, quality and production.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, European Industrial Networking/Communication Market, finds that the market earned revenues of €854.1 million (US$1,048.71m) in 2010 and estimates this to reach €1,596.1 million ($1,959.72m) in  2015. The research covers Ethernet, Fieldbus and wireless device technologies.

The emphasis on enhanced plant efficiency has underlined the need for constant tracking of production flows and quality assurance at every stage of production.

“As industrial networking/communication devices have the ability to retrieve real-time data from multiple, sometimes inaccessible, field devices, they are critical to process control operations where rapid reaction is necessary to prevent any abnormal functioning of the systems,” notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Katarzyna Owczarczyk. “Real-time capabilities also enable convenient and cost-effective transmission and monitoring of data parameters over long distances.”

End-users acknowledge the importance of measuring the various critical parameters that are available within a factory automation environment, which could be used to improve production. Industrial networking/communication devices can help in monitoring these parameters and provide valuable information, which could boost plant efficiency.

However, the conservative attitudes of end-user industries such as pharmaceutical, food & beverage, chemicals and oil & gas towards implementing new technologies, without being assured of their potential benefits, has proved a major restraint for industrial networking penetration.

“The application of field devices happens mostly in Greenfield projects as end-users are hesitant about changing existing plant infrastructure. Many are comfortable with traditional ways of plant operation,” explains Owczarczyk. “Hence, they are less willing to invest in industrial networking solutions, viewing them primarily as an alternative, rather than a first-choice option.”

Concerns over system reliability and security tend to further fuel such conservatism. While real-time technology facilitates the availability of data on the Internet and intranet servers, the security of data in the process of transmission is not assured as the data is relatively accessible. Moreover, end-users are unwilling to risk investing in wireless, as they are still not convinced about the robustness of wireless transmission.

“Manufactures of industrial networking/communication devices have to generate greater awareness and conduct workshops and training to educate end-users about the advantages of integrating industrial networking into the manufacturing process,” advises Owczarczyk. “Once end-users realize the benefits of these devices, adoption levels are set to soar.”

Growth in data/video to boost European market for Ethernet test equipment!

Commoditisation of 1GbE prices threatens to stifle growth of market revenues, which are estimated to reach €154.3 million in 2015

The gigabit Ethernet (GbE) market is growing rapidly, driven by maturing technologies and business models, and increasing market awareness of both the availability of such services and their specific benefits. The hype around cloud technologies has also contributed to the growing demand for GbE.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, European Gigabit Ethernet Test Equipment Market, finds that the market earned revenues of €108.3 million in 2010 and estimates this to reach €154.3 million in 2015. The research covers 1GbE, 10GbE and 40/100 GbE test equipment.

“Bandwidth growth is expected to be pushed by the increasing mobile and Internet bandwidth usage—which includes traffic generated by videos, gaming, and peer-to-peer applications, triple-play applications, inter-data centre traffic, and traffic between data centres and enterprises,” notes Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Prathima Bommakanti. “The evolution of access network to gigabit Ethernet is expected to drive the growth of10Gb Ethernet in the metro network.”

The market is being driven by converged data and applications such as data, voice, audio, gaming, and social networking sites. According to the IEEE P802.3ba specification, 100G and 40G are well aligned with the projected need for more network bandwidth because of multiplay deployments

“A positive trend for the market will be the increased need for monitoring and security that will impel the need for network analysis and hence gigabit Ethernet test equipment,” adds Bommakanti.

Despite being far from a mature market, commoditisation of 1GbE prices continues to erode overall revenue per port. This will prove a significant challenge to market prospects.

“Time-to-market will emerge a critical aspect of product differentiation, as over time the competition starts offering comparable features. As products get standardised, they enable interoperability while simultaneously creating a competitive environment.”

This is triggering the need for high investments in R&D. Vendors are continuing to invest in R&D to stay ahead of their competitors, even while keeping track of service providers’ infrastructure upgrades and new service enablement.

Factors like price, geographic coverage, customer service and multi-functional product capabilities will also play an important role in ensuring competitive success.

Wireless standards attract and detract!

Industrial standards both drive and inhibit wireless potential in process manufacturing

The prospect of adding wireless devices to the process automation architecture is a compelling one from the perspective of tangible business benefits and incremental operational improvements.  Availability of robust industrial wireless network protocols, such as WirelessHART and ISA100.11a, for use with IEEE standard technology makes the prospect even more attractive relative to past proprietary, often standalone wireless implementations.  This potential is somewhat offset, however, by competition between these standards that leads customers to fear that wireless is emerging as the next platform for the automation fieldbus wars.

“The potential market for wireless devices is one of the closest-watched segments in process automation.  Still served largely by proprietary solutions, the advent of robust industrial wireless standards has captured the attention of end users, OEMs, and system integrators alike.  Increased availability of products and solutions that support industrial wireless standards will help spur double-digit market growth due to the tangible business benefits that can be achieved through use of wireless instrumenta-tion,“ says ARC Vice President Chantal Polsonetti, the principal author of ARC’s “Wireless Devices in Process Manufacturing”.

From Standalone Proprietary to Standard and Integrated
As the WirelessHART and ISA100.11a standards gain footholds at the sensor level, the majority of the process wireless market will gravitate away from legacy proprietary solutions that continued to account for a large share of the 2011 market. Concurrent with this shift, a migration away from standalone point-to-point installations will occur in favor of mesh-based, inherently redundant device level solutions that interface to a Wi-Fi-based plant or facility backbone.

Tighter integration of wireless implementations with the overall automation scheme is central to this migration. The addition of incremental measurement points due to availability of wireless devices is attractive, but the ability to integrate, analyse, and act upon these additional measure-ments is reliant on integration with the control or monitoring system.

Increased Product Availability as Demand Increases
Availability of industrial wireless standards at the device level is leading to the mainstreaming of wireless devices and consequently higher supplier participation. The relatively recent introduction and certification of the in-dustrial standards means that many products are still in the developmental pipeline. ARC expects the supplier landscape to expand dramatically over the next decade as numerous sensor, transmitter, actuator, and other de-vice-level product suppliers introduce wireless offerings.

Growth Geographies Reflect Leading Adopter Industries
Growth in wireless implementations by geography is largely driven by the presence of the leading adopter industries and/or the RF regulatory land-scape. Availability of greenfield projects versus add-ons will also impact the relative size of the market by geography.

Wireless Standards or "pull me push me"

.NET in HMI

Marie Green of Beijer Electronics discusses  possibilities in HMI development using MS .NET technology

How can .NET Framework technology create new opportunities and conditions for the operator systems of the future? And how can HMI developers and users win by choosing a standardized development environment for keeping up with rapid technological development?

Software development in HMI is a costly affair. Historically, many HMI suppliers have made major investments both in man-years and money to build up their software programs. The result is locked technological frameworks based on decisions made long ago.

Future HMI development is moving towards a new approach. By choosing an open development environment such as .NET Framework from the start, you can quickly implement a well-established and modern platform with proven stability. At the same time you can utilize a wide range of tools and functions that enable you to customize HMI solutions and make them more efficient.

Established technologies in interaction
The resources behind .NET Framework are substantial because the framework is a part of the Microsoft Windows operating system. It is highly probable that an application based on Microsoft’s framework can guarantee innovative and stable HMI solutions with a long future horizon. Another clear advantage is that you can benefit from technologies that accompany .NET Framework. The framework is extensive. Some examples of technologies that create prerequisites in the world of HMI in particular are WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation), Ribbon (the toolbar field in standard Windows programs) and the opportunities for scripting in C#.

Generation shift within automation
Another new approach within HMI goes hand and hand with an automation market that is facing a generation shift. A new well-educated generation of developers is entering the industry and they are demanding more advanced and open tools. End-users and the operators on industrial shop floors have grown up with computers, smartphones and modern graphical user interfaces. Expectations for intuitive graphical operator interfaces without manuals are growing at the same rate. For a number of years, Apple and Google’s Android for example, have set a new standard for user-friendliness and graphics, and this will eventually require a response from the industry.

Augmented graphics and media components
One way to successfully meet this development is to utilize WPF, Microsoft’s graphics engine that is included in .NET Framework. Among the advantages are the user gaining access to vector-based graphics with zooming that does not degrade image quality, and that design can be separated from coding through XAML. This provides – besides capabilities for fantastic graphics – a tool for creating HMI objects that can be effectively harmonized with the end-user’s brand name.

Importing objects designed in MS Expression Design for example, opens the door for being able to immediately implement 3D graphics and effects such as transparency, shading, animation, storyboards and multimedia. The programmer creates the logic, the designer handles the appearance and XAML handles the interaction between them. Through WPF, the user gains access to a modern graphics engine on which to build future HMI functionality.

Another important technology in .NET Framework is access to Windows media objects, which opens the way to media components such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and PDF readers.

Creating a custom HMI
With present developments in the market, it is becoming increasingly important for machine manufactures and suppliers of HMI solutions to be able to add their own touch and consequently make the HMI solutions their own to differentiate them from those of the competitors. This can apply to functionality, but even to design. In a time when hardware is becoming increasingly similar, the matter of how the user can customize and work with HMI software is becoming more and more relevant.
Access to finished .NET components provides a unique opportunity to customize applications. The most common are the graphics components, where the functions are encapsulated in graphics objects (such as buttons or diagrams). Components are created with a development tool in a high-level language. They can later be locked and consequently safeguarded against copying. You can choose yourself whether to develop a .NET component or utilize third-party components that are already available at online component stores, ready to download and install.

There are a number of companies that develop components for .NET Framework. The opportunities of this development in HMI are very interesting. As an example, through .NET components you could contribute with special knowledge within various industries – such as oil and gas, building automation, water and wastewater – and consequently make it easier for customers to optimize their HMI solutions.

The scripting language is also important for an HMI solution. Historically, different manufacturers have had different dialects of standard languages. In .NET Framework, C# is one of the standard languages. In practice this means more freedom for the developer, who can make use of all functionality in the language instead of selected parts.
Through scripting, you can create your own functions in an application and in this way create the functionality that is not already included in the HMI development tool. You can also call various components.

Summary
Integrated systems in automation are what it is all about today – supplier-locked systems belongs to the past. A trend in the market is that standard platforms are preferred so that different system suppliers can communicate. Open systems and technologies are thus necessary in the future. Another trend is that HMI developers are increasingly demanding tools to customize solutions so as to strengthen competitiveness. The high demands on graphics and user-friendliness are driving a rapidly developing consumer market.

#EMreu The Insider view!

Although we have presented a report on many usergroup meetings and press happenings we find it useful, and we hope our readers find it too, to reproduce other reports. Here we have Nick Denbow’s take on the Emerson Press Event in Brussels in November (Our own report!). This appears in the December issue of Industrial Automation Insider. In this action packed issue he also has further items on items on Rockwell Automation, Phoenix Contact, Wireless developments, “Son of Stuxnet” etc,  and the, by now traditional, newsy back page – we hesitate in using the word gossip!

Emerson drives ahead on technology innovations of CHARMS and wireless – and targets energy efficiency

By Nick Denbow, Industrial Automation & Process Insider

The Emerson Group results for the year to 30 September 2011 continued their upward path, with their 55th consecutive year of an increased dividend per share, sales up 15% at $24Bn, and operating profit up 21% at 17.5% of sales, a record margin compared to all of the past 40 years. This is for a business that has the main divisions of Process Management and Industrial Automation, together providing over 50% of total group sales. The group return on capital is now 19.6%, and 59% of sales are outside the USA.

Bob Sharp, president of Emerson Process Management Europe (including Eastern Europe and Russia) expanded on these figures at their European press conference last month, explaining that his European sales were $1.5Bn, or 21% of the total Process Management business ($7Bn). After a dip in Process Management orders during 2009 and 2010, the intake globally, and for Europe, had risen substantially in 2011. With over 8000 employees, a significant network of manufacturing centres, and approaching 100 sales and service offices, the Process Management commitment within Europe was said to be considerable.

Innovations in technology
Travis Hesketh, vp for Emerson Process Management, plus wireless and PlantWeb director for Europe, presented two recent innovations in technology, to explain “the sort of things that Emerson are doing to help our customers be more successful, and to address the big problems that they have in front of them every day”. For six years Emerson have used their “Human centered design in automation” approach to understand these issues, to understand the jobs and the tasks they think their customers have to face on process plants, and make these easier to do. The issues customers face have developed and changed, particularly in these uncertain times, and now plant availability and resource efficiency have become more important, as well as energy use and monitoring.

Hazardous area CHARMS
The first innovation offered by Hesketh was the intrinsically safe version of the CHARMS intelligent interface modules for hazardous area use, as discussed at the Emerson Exchange, and in the INSIDER last month, page 8. CHARMS is designed to reduce the wiring complexity on plants, the engineering work and the documentation needed, so reducing project timescales and improving plant availability. But Hesketh also stressed the savings in resources by having remote CHARMS units in the field, connected to the DCS via a single Ethernet cable, and the indication was that there would be Zone 2 approved housings for such intrinsically safe module equipped CHARMS outstations available shortly.

Perhaps to stress the European links and input to the Emerson development projects, Hesketh also pointed out that the intrinsically safe technology embedded in these new CHARMS modules had indeed come from an active and co-operative relationship with Pepperl + Fuchs, using their acknowledged expertise in hazardous area protection systems.

Earlier, Hesketh had demonstrated another example of technology transfer, by showing that the concept of flameproofprotection had in fact started with the Davy miner’s lamp, first used in coal mines in around 1815. Apparently the example shown in the photo on right had been used by his father, some time ago, although not quite dating back so far. In contrast, the rather fetching black and yellow ATEX certificated intrinsically safe LED torch from ecom instruments presented to the members of the press for use should they ever find themselves in anywhere approaching Zone 0, was produced in 2010, and gave a much better light.

Emerson wireless is an ever-expanding portfolio

Travis Hesketh then presented a review of the ‘wonderful world of Emerson wireless’. This made the claim that 6100 of their Smart wireless networks have been installed, and have clocked up 580 million hours of operation to date. Above all their wireless systems have established and proved their integration compatibility with all of the major automation suppliers’ systems (eight of them). From Emerson, 17 distinct hardware product ranges now have a wireless capability, and the Thum adaptor makes many more accessible: Hesketh also promised 9 new Emerson wireless products would be coming in 2012.

Wireless standards
At the Emerson Exchange user conference in the USA in October, it was reported in the press that there had been little discussion on the WirelessHART versus ISA100 topic, and the impression from Hesketh was that the market “pull”, with most customers accepting and adopting the Emerson WirelessHART system and sensors, had exceeded even their most optimistic forecasts.

The message was that the majority of customers do accept WirelessHART as the global wireless standard for sensors – as confirmed by the IEC. Hesketh stressed that whatever develops in terms of wireless standards for the future, because of the existing market acceptance and the WirelessHART installed base, “There must be backward compatibility in any future wireless standard”.

Market and sales dynamics
The adoption of wireless for sensors used in process automation has moved faster than many other industrial technologies, and is perhaps more akin to the growth of consumer product acceptance, such as is seen with mobile communication devices. Since industrial sales engineers are keen to become involved with a successful new product, but are sometimes reticent to adopt and enthuse over more technically challenging products from corporate acquisitions, it is interesting to speculate on how wireless might have had some motivational effects.

In the INSIDER last month, page 7, it was noted that the development of wireless gas detection systems
from BW Technologies (in Calgary, Canada) within Honeywell Analytical had brought together the analytical and process systems operations within the company, in a very positive way. These hydrogen sulfide (sulphide) detectors were for the Shah Gas project in Abu Dhabi.

Similarly within Emerson, it appears the customer demand for adding the wireless vibration monitoring systems from their CSI machinery health monitoring business has maybe triggered a stronger interest in the promotion/adoption of these products within the established process industry customers: wireless might be seen as the glue linking vibration monitoring and process measurement
sensors. From comments by Hesketh, it seems the customer doorways suddenly opened to approaches discussing machinery health monitoring by wireless – or maybe the barriers to entry were lowered sufficiently for the sales engineers to start raising the subject with confidence. The overall message is that with a wireless infrastructure in place, the customer is able to do tasks that were considered too difficult before, and calls for new applications. So what other doors are opening for Emerson…

Wireless gas detection

Emerson Process Management has acquired Net Safety Monitoring of Calgary, Canada, a company specializing in the design, development and manufacture of fixed
toxic and combustible gas detectors, IR flame detectors, safety systems, and other safety products, many SIL rated and offering industry leading technology.
The acquisition will expand the Emerson capability to provide comprehensive process control and safety monitoring in tough industrial environments.
For nearly two decades, Net Safety has built a reputation for developing products engineered for continuous performance in the most extreme conditions, particularly for the oil and gas industries.
“Emerson and Net Safety share a passion for providing products and solutions that help our customers run their operations under strict safety standards” said Ken Biele, president of the Emerson Process Management Analytical Group. “Together we will be able to help not only manage and control processes, but also ensure the safety of people, facilities and property”.
Net Safety chief operating officer, Kevin Algar, added: “Emerson’s technical leadership, global presence, and financial strength will help us expand our offerings and better serve our customers around the world”. Net Safety has sales and support offices in Calgary, Houston, Abu Dhabi, Beijing and Singapore.

In listing some of the recently introduced Emerson wireless products, Hesketh included a Thum adaptor integrated with “a hydrogen sulphide (sulfide) detection system from Net Safety”, which triggered my interest, following the Honeywell activity in this area. Maybe there had been similar interest triggered in Emerson, because Net Safety Monitoring, the gas and flame detector company – specialising in the oil and gas industry – was acquired by Emerson back in July this year. The side panel has the full story, such as it is, but note that Net Safety are also based in Calgary, Canada.

Steam trap monitoring
The second innovation described by Hesketh was a Rosemount wireless acoustic transmitter, typically used to monitor and analyse the sound emitted by a high pressure gas, such as steam, when escaping from a faulty steam trap or pressure relief valve. The transmitter is a listening device, which is strapped to the pipework close to the potential escape point, which of course could be a steam trap, valve or seal that needs monitoring.

The immediate question is where did this new product come from, and why? Maybe this is from customer pull, with users asking for a wireless sensor to monitor steam traps, because energy costs and waste from losses has become a significant problem for customers recently. It is also a major opportunity for Emerson to further expand their wireless portfolio, ahead of other people. But where did the Rosemount steam noise analysis expertise come from? Surely the closest you would expect Emerson to get to steam control hardware is with Fisher valves, if we ignore Rosemount vortex and Annubar flowmeters?

Technology from Armstrong
The answer was provided by sub-titles on the Rosemount software, and the examples of steam traps, all on display in the press event, which came from Armstrong International, a major Michigan, USA based family run and fiercely independent company, which has been providing energy management solutions for industry for the past 110 years. Armstrong in fact launched their own SteamEye WirelessHART based steam trap leakage monitoring sensors and systems nearly five years ago (See IAI 31 January 2007). Emerson has benefited from a significant input of Armstrong expertise in designing this Rosemount 708 Wireless Acoustic Transmitter (that seems to be the product name being used, not the Rosemount WAT), and as the press release says, the product is “Backed by Emerson’s proven experience in Smart Wireless field instrumentation”.

The Rosemount 708 press release also mentions that about 20% of the steam leaving a boiler is typically lost through faulty steam traps. In refineries, and other process plants, this is a major on-going problem, and these represent the target for Emerson’s new ‘Smart Energy Initiative’, offering efficiency services for steam systems across industry. More of this will be reported next month.

● As an aside, in the UK there is a well established commercial boilerhouse servicing operation dealing with the maintenance of steam boiler level controls, relief valves and other steam equipment, which provides the regular 3-monthly servicing required for industry to conform with UK Health and Safety Guideline PM5. This is the Mobrey On-Site Boilerhouse Service, operated by Mobrey since 1923. It was 37 years ago that your editor joined Mobrey and spent two weeks learning about steam boiler control, climbing over steam pipes alongside one of these service engineers! Mobrey is now a business within ……Emerson Process Management!

The above appeared in the December 2012 issue of the Industrial Automation Insider and is reproduced by kind permission of the author!

Press releases issued at this event.

#SPS 2012: Successful if not quite hitting secure note!

“Arriving at #SPS/IPC/DRIVES. Looking forward to a great show”

Busy entrance area! (IE Book)

This was one of the first tweets we saw on this, possibly the biggest automation exhibition in the world this year. The SPS/IPC/Drives show is held annually in the Northern Bavarian city of Nuremberg. This year the dates were the 27 to 29th of November, As last year we were unable to make it this time, however there were some excellent reports which we have used (and linked to) in compiling this brief impression.

As might be expected the automation industry presented its capabilities in full force at the exhibition. There was a record number of 1.429 exhibitors which attracted more visitors than in the past, as 56.321 trade visitors filled the 12 halls to gather information about the latest products and solutions in electric automation. Well may it be said that SPS IPC Drives 2011 set a clearly positive sign for the future despite the gale-force winds blowing in financial circles for the last three years.

The conference which took place in parallel to the exhibition also recorded an increase this year with an attendance of 349 delegates. For three days the conference provided a platform for intensive discussions between product developers, suppliers and users. The opportunities for users to exchange information and knowledge were at the heart of the newly introduced user sessions.

Attendance: 2011 (2010)
Exhibitors: 1,429 (1,323)
Visitors: 56,321 (52.028)
Conference delegates: 349 (302))

Like a lot of European events there was not a small number of tweets from various sources and in various languages, but those that did tweet helped form an impression of how things were. One of the most prolific of these was Leo Ploner of the IE Book who gave us a sort of running commentary on his day interspersed with twitpics of stands and products which impressed him. This comprehensive collection of pictures have been added to the IE Book Facebook Page and we recommend that you pay a visit and see who you know and what products impressed him. “#SPS/IPC/Drives very busy on the first day of the show. Big crowds at all the stand” he reported after day one.

Put on those cans!
Also present on the first day was Control’s Walt Boyes, who gave up his Thanksgiving to be in Europe for the show. This is an interesting account in that it gives an American take on how things are done in Europe, simultaneous translations and the non-English keyboards (Now he knows how Europeans might feel in the U.S!)

Gary Mintchel of Automation World also found himself in Nuremberg during this week. His blog, Feed Forward,  provides us with “a roundup of various announcements that I gathered during my sprint around the halls and press conferences.” He managed to squeeze in a visit to the Siemens plant in Amberg on the day before the show opened!

The Control Engineering Europe team attended the show in force, collecting a great deal of feature ideas, as well as details about some of the most innovative launches at the show. They promise that further details of the most exciting product launches from the event will be presented in the February issue of the magazine.

ARC Reports
ARC Advisory also discuss day one in an article by Florian Gueldnerwhich looks at the Automation Outlook for 2012.  He bases this report on that of the ZVEI, as well as companies interviewed at the event. Their David Humphrey reports on The big trends in a further report on day two.

A busy corner at the show!

Come hither!
Of course exhibitors tweeted on their own stands and new products. Heading the posse was Siemens, who were on their home ground and virtually occupied one complete hall (There were twelve halls in all!). They mounted an impressive press conference on the first day. Their “big” announcement was the naming of their full motor range, now called “Simotics”. They also introduced some extensions to their TIA (Totally Integrated Automation) portal. Jochun Koch’s blog features some video presentations with English voice-over – Automation and IT (their Scalance range) – take a look and remember to click for the English translation if needed!

Phoenix Contact have a video tour of their stand – as it was being set-up – which they entitle “Solutions for the future – Phoenix Contact.” There are in fact a number of other videos from Phoenix Contact on theie YouTube site. Their final tweet from the show as they rolled up the tent was, “What innovation! More than 3,000 visitors @ Phoenix Contact.”

The Pilz Stand!

Also using video to press their message is Beckhoff who have produced reports for each day. This is Day One.  They exhibited their complete range of PC- and EtherCAT-based control technology and a large number of new products in all technological areas (IPC, I/O, Automation and Motion). The focus was on their new generation of controllers from the CX2000 series, the new proprietary-developed AM8000 servomotors and the release of the TwinCAT 3 software.

News of PROFINET and PROFIBUS at SPS/IPC/Drives is trickling out  said Carl Henning of his ProfiBlog reports.

Suzanne Gill of Control Engineering Europe reports here on some of the latest innovations that were introduced, which evidenced consumer technology moving into the industrial space and multi product combinations continuing to gain momentum.

We give some more releases from exhibitors on our Conf/Exhibitors pages.

Eric & Joann Byres at the show!

No security!
Another American braving the Bavarian winter was Eric Byres of Byres Technology, recently acquired by Belden (see our article Major acquisition strengthens war on Stuxnet and other malware Sept20’11). It is I suppose unusual that a supplier reports on an exhibition so his viewpoint is welcome. Obviously he has a certain slant on things viewing the exhibits from the security standpoint. He advises that SCADA Security Solutions were scarce at show. “What concerned me was the lack of booth space dedicated to security of any type. Of the 1,429 exhibitors, only 16 reported supplying ‘Industrial security’ technologies or services according to the show guide. This is a hopelessly small number.” He was proud to report however that their “Tofino Security technology accounted for nearly 25% of that total!” More alarmingly he reports that many vendors stated that security wasn’t a concern for them, while users were very concerned and indeed did not quite know what to do about it! Not a pretty picture! He concludes “If the automation world is going to adopt industrial Ethernet with such enthusiasm (which I support), it might want to consider securing it too!”

We referred to the excellent tweeting by Leo Ploner of the IE Book earlier and his very comprehensive report Industrial networking still looking good  tells in great detail what he saw as he moved through the halls. We’ve referred to their pictures above and here is a video which he took of an exhibit at the Sercos Stand.

Re-inventing the electric guitar

Equipped with an MLP industrial control from Bosch Rexroth, the robot guitar can read and play MIDI files. Bus terminals from Phoenix Contact are used to actuate lifting solenoids. Six to pluck the strings and 24 to operate the finger board. The automation bus from Sercos ensures the optimum operation of all components.

One final tweet from KUHNKE Automation sums up one impression “SPS/IPC/DRIVES was a complete success for us! Thank you for coming and the great constructive high-level talks!”

Next year’s automation filled show is scheduled for  Nov. 27. – 29 2012. Will you be there?

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 Releases received at the Read-out Offices!

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