Towards a liveable Earth!

Addressing global issues through co-innovation to create new value!

Yokogawa has developed sustainability goals for the year 2050 that will guide its efforts to make the world a better place for future generations.

Yokogawa’s efforts to achieve a sustainable society are in keeping with the Paris Agreement, which was adopted in 2015 by the 21st Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) to provide a basis for global efforts to tackle issues related to climate change. The agreement calls for the achievement of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the second half of this century. Also in 2015, the UN adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development centering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through these initiatives, a global consensus is developing on how to address these issues, and the direction that companies should take is becoming clear.

Yokogawa’s efforts to achieve sustainability and build a brighter future for all are based on the company’s corporate philosophy, which states: “As a company, our goal is to contribute to society through broad-ranging activities in the areas of measurement, control, and information. Individually, we aim to combine good citizenship with the courage to innovate.” To ensure a flexible response to environmental and technology changes and guide its long-term efforts to address social issues, Yokogawa is committing itself to the achievement of goals that are based on a vision of where our society should be by the year 2050. Through the selection of products and solutions and the formulation of medium-term business plans and the like that are based on environmental, economic, and societal considerations, Yokogawa will carry out the detailed tasks needed to achieve these goals.

Commenting on this initiative, Takashi Nishijima, Yokogawa President and CEO, says: “Companies have a growing responsibility to respond to issues such as population growth and the rising use of fossil fuels that are addressed in the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. Yokogawa provides solutions that improve the stability, efficiency, and safety of operations at industrial plants and other infrastructure facilities by, for example, speeding up processes, reducing workloads, and saving energy. Yokogawa needs to work harder to broaden its solutions so that it can address other issues that impact our society. Yokogawa will establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate on a medium-term basis the achievement of its sustainability goals, and will continue to create new value through co-innovation with its stakeholders.”

---

Statement on Yokogawa’s aspiration for sustainability
Yokogawa will work , to achieve net-zero emissions, to make a transition to a circular economy, and ensure the well-being of all by 2050,  thus making the world a better place for future generations.

We will undergo the necessary transformation to achieve these goals by 1. becoming more adaptable and resilient, 2. evolving our businesses to engage in regenerative value creation, and 3. promoting co-innovation with our stakeholders.

Achieve net-zero emissions; stopping climate change
Climate change is an urgent issue that requires a global response. We aim for net-zero emissions, which means that the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere do not rise due to the balance of emissions and the absorption of greenhouse gases, which can be accomplished through the introduction of renewable energy and efficient use of energy. We are also working to reduce the impact of natural disasters and respond to biodiversity issues.

Make the transition to a circular economy; circulation of resources and efficiency
The transformation from a one-way economy based on the take, make, and dispose model to an economy where resources are circulated without waste, and the transition to businesses that emphasize services, is under way. We aim to realize a social framework and ecosystem in which various resources are circulated without waste and assets are utilized effectively. We are also contributing to the efficient use of water resources and the supply of safe drinking water.

Ensure well-being; quality life for all
With the aim of achieving the physical, mental, and social well-being described in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations in 2015, we support people’s health and prosperity through the achievement of safe and comfortable workplaces and our pursuits in such areas as the life sciences and drug discovery. We promote human resource development and employment creation in local communities, alongside diversity and inclusion.

 

@YokogawaIA #PAuto @UNFCCC

ISA100 Wireless module with built-in antenna!

Sensor manufacturers are to be provided with a new wireless communications module with a built-in antenna by Yokogawa. This new module is intended for use in wireless sensors, and will be provided to companies that develop and manufacture these products. Yokogawa has already concluded a contract to license the use of this wireless technology to New Cosmos Electric Co., Ltd., a gas detector manufacturer.

It is expected that this module will drastically reduce the amount of time required to develop ISA100.11a compliant wireless sensors.

Development Background
Yokogawa advocates the Wireless Anywhere concept for the plant-wide use of wireless communications technology and is working hard to promote the use of ISA100 Wireless™communications technology solutions. As part of this strategy, we have developed this module.

In plants, various sensors are used to measure temperature, pressure, level, gas concentration, vibration, and so on. To develop wireless sensors for such applications, not only do manufacturers need to acquire the necessary wireless technologies, they must also comply with the radio regulations and explosion protection standards in each country. Based on the various technologies and knowledge that it has acquired through the development of field wireless systems, Yokogawa has developed a wireless communications module with a built-in antenna that can help sensor manufacturers significantly shorten the time needed for developing wireless sensor products.

New Cosmos Electric, a company with a solid track record in providing gas detection solutions to the manufacturing industry, is planning to develop a wireless gas detector. In view of its high reliability, flexible applicability, and network expandability, the company has decided on an ISA100 Wireless solution for this field wireless product. Accordingly, Yokogawa will provide this module and the technology assistance needed to develop a wireless gas detector.

Advantages of Using This Module

1. Speeds up wireless sensor development
This module is comprised of an antenna and associated wireless communications circuitry. By installing this module on a sensor that includes components such as an interface circuit and power supply, a sensor manufacturer can greatly speed up the process of developing an ISA100 Wireless sensor.

2. Complies with radio regulations and explosion protection standards
Based on its wealth of technologies and expertise in the development of field wireless devices, Yokogawa has been able to design a module that complies with over 100 countries’ radio regulations as well as all the major explosion protection standards. Sensor manufacturers thus do not need to certify that their sensors meet such regulations and standards, drastically shortening development time.

3. Compact and lightweight
Including the built-in antenna, this module is only 116 mm long and 23 mm in diameter, and weighs just 100 grams. This allows the development of compact and lightweight field wireless sensors.

Main Specifications

Major Target Markets
Sensor manufacturers who are developing field wireless devices for use by the oil, petrochemical, chemical, pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, food, iron and steel, and other industries

Yokogawa’s Approach to Field Wireless Communications
Field wireless systems utilize wireless communications networks to link a plant’s field devices with its control systems. Yokogawa designs these networks to comply with the ISA100.11a standard. In addition to being highly reliable, suited for a wide range of applications, and expandable, they are compatible with wired communications standards such as FOUNDATION™ fieldbus, HART^®, and PROFIBUS. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is currently considering the adoption of the IEC62734 standard, which is based on ISA100.11a.

Yokogawa released the world’s first ISA100.11a compliant field wireless system devices and wireless pressure and temperature transmitters in July 2010. In addition to enabling sophisticated control techniques in continuous processes, this gave customers a wider range of devices to choose from. In July 2012, they released a reliable, large-scale field wireless system for use in plants and is now expanding the range of suitable monitoring and control applications for wireless technologies and devices.

In line with the Wireless Anywhere concept, Yokogawa will continue to expand its lineup of ISA100 Wireless solutions and provide either free of charge or on a license basis various fundamental technologies in modular form.

Failing to make a hash of it!

Many of our readers and followers know how we like to keep an eye on tweets from User Group meetings especially those which are held far away from our base here in Ireland. Most of these, though not all of these are held in the US and because of the time difference we are able to get a good morning’s work in before concentrating on the tweets which start to perculate through around our lunch time.

If you wish to see how we handle these reports take a look at the reports linked to from our Conference Release blog, where we list these reports on the Right Hand Column. The most important and indeed vital aid to spotting these tweets in the invaluable # (Hash Tag) facility allowed by twitter.  Twitter literate companies decide themselves what these are in most cases while others are invented by participants and sometimes become nearly universally used by others.

Strangely the Yokokawa User Group, held last week in New Orleans (LA USA) was extremely unusual in that no hash tag materilaised. One or two of my followers did tweet from there however when I asked one if there was a hastag I got the response, ” Asked a couple of folks but none that we’re aware of!” and “Yeah, I looked for a hashtag, but couldn’t find one. I’m surprised Yokogawa (apparently) didn’t set one up!”

Because of this, this impression from afar blog is certainly short  on any real impression of atmosphere, excitement or anything like that. Which means that this report will be fairly anodyne which is sad! I couldn’t even find a picture from the even with the exception of one of the goodies which attendees were presented  – which we don’t show here in order not to encourage sentiments of envy!

Our impressions are thus mostly from the professionally prepared daily reports from the Control Global Team. There are also some reports on individual talks published on-line by ISS Source.

Day 1
Day one included a keynote (Growing Globally, Yokogawa Takes Aim at U.S. Gas Industry) from Satoru Kurosu, a Senior VP of the company which outlined the current and future plans. He alos included a sincere note of appreciaition US aid following the terrible earthquake and subsequent tsunami which part of Japan in the previous year. He likened the response to the bottom half of the company “kite” symbol. “The squared off edges on the top half of the kite refer to Yokogawa’s cutting edge technology,” he said, “while the curves of the bottom half of the kite refer to the warm-hearted nature of Yokogawa’s people.”

This address was covered also by Automation World  in their report on the first day. This report, “Yokogawa Welcomes Many to New Orleans, Introduces Products” which also includes, as the title indicates, details of products launched or highlighted at the conference.

“I have heard upper management and control engineers say we have to air gap the plant floor,” said Eric Byres, chief technology officer and vice president of engineering at Tofino Security during his session Tuesday on “Unicorns and Air Gaps – Do they Really Exist” and reported in ISS Source (Disavowing Air Gaps) “That is very attractive, but who really thinks that exists? Air gaps are a dangerous illusion.”

Day 2
In this week of all weeks, following the cataclysmic events in the North Eastern States of the US (and indeed the events in Japan alluded to by Satoru Kurusu above), the images summoned by ARC Advisory’s Peter Reynolds (Winds of Change Complicate Automation Lifecycle) were arresting. “Change wouldn’t be so bad-if it wasn’t happening so fast. But just like the winds in tornados and hurricanes can turn common objects into missiles, the sheer velocity of technical and organisational change can make it difficult and even dangerous to handle.” One of the points he made, which echoed Eric Byres the previous day, was the lakadaisacal attitude of many system operators and integrators to the question of security.

This day also produced the following intriguing tweet: “Great #PAuto analogy from Ian Nimmo at Yokogawa conf. What would happen if pilots flew airplanes by alarms?” Scary eh? Ian Nimmo is President and a founder of User Centered Design Services an ASM Consortium affiliate member and an ASM service provider.  “Control systems have improved plant operations, but what happens when they fail to keep the process under control?”  he asked.

Day 3
We always try to attend Jon DiPietro’s talks and (despite the fact that Yokogawa had not thought of designating a hash tag) he was invited to address this group on the third day on “Social Media: ‘SCADA for Your Career’” Jon, author of the essential read “Social Media for Engineers and Scientists“, emphasised his message in terms all automation professionas would understand. “You might be able to run a refinery without PLCs, but you would not do it. And you could manage your career without social media, but you should not do that either!”  Modern life is moving and in many cases is arriving at a new level, a paradigm shift to use an over used and parhaps little understood word. “These days, you can’t just do your job well. You also have to tell people about it,” DiPietro states. “This means being authentic, participating in groups, answering questions and building trust. People don’t care about your products and services. They only care about how you can help them solve their problems.” 

As can be seen from the above there were very relavent talks and discussions for the automation professional during this event. We get yet another view of our industry at each of these events but it is important that what happens is visible to those of us who cannot make the journey to the venue and experience it ourselves. In the words of Jon DiPietro, “These days, you can’t just do your job well. You also have to tell people about it.”  And perhaps this User Group should think more of those people who are not there in person too, who might be aided by a common hash tag.

New MD at Yokogawa Canada

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has appointed Ian Verhappen to be the Managing Director of Yokogawa Canada Inc. reporting to Yokogawa Corporation America President Mr. Chester J. Mroz. In this position, Mr. Verhappen will be responsible for overseeing all Yokogawa business operations in Canada. With his experience and reputation as a strong leader in the industrial automation industry, Yokogawa is well positioned to expand its business in the Canadian market.

Mr. Verhappen’s professional career covers a broad range of engineering, managerial, consulting and executive positions with a leading oil sands operator, automation suppliers, and consultants, and engineering societies. Mr. Verhappen spent the first 25 years of his career in the upstream hydrocarbon industry with Petro-Canada (now Suncor) and Syncrude Canada Ltd. gaining exposure to the full spectrum of the oil and gas as well as the oil sands sector. Mr. Verhappen left the Oil Sands industry for MTL Instruments (now part of Cooper Crouse-Hinds) where he was responsible for the development of worldwide business strategy and results for MTL’s global industrial networking business. More recently, Mr. Verhappen has been working in the engineering services business as a global consultant assisting clients with their process plant networking, digital field systems, process control and safety systems, process analyser systems and automation projects.

Mr. Chet Mroz, President of Yokogawa Corporation America had the following to say about the appointment: “Mr. Verhappen is well recognized within our industry as someone who quickly identifies the customers’ core problem and understands how technology can be used to provide cost effective solutions to the issue at hand. I believe that his experience, industry knowledge, understanding of the Canadian market, as well as his strong leadership, will help expand our business in Canada by providing customer services excellence.”

He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta, and a Certified Automation Professional. He is a Professional Engineer in Alberta.He has been an active volunteer member of the International Society of Instrumentation, of which he is a Fellow, for many years. He has served in senior society positions in the publications and strategic planning as well as much activity in the standards area. He is co-author – with Augusto Pereira – of “Foundation Fieldbus,” which recently issued its fourth edition, published by ISA.

Mr. Verhappen, born and raised in Western and Northern Canada, will be based in Yokogawa Canada’s headquarters in Calgary, Alberta.

Expanding range of wireless devices based on ISA100.11a

Yokogawa expands its range of ISA100.11a compliant wireless devices
– For field wireless systems based on the “Grow” concept –

Yokogawa  has developed three new field wireless system devices and has enhanced existing wireless pressure and temperature transmitters, all of which are compliant with the ISA100.11a wireless standard. The first of these products are scheduled to be released in March 2012.

These new wireless products can be used to construct highly reliable large-scale plant networks, and may also be incorporated in small- and medium-sized networks that already utilise Yokogawa’s existing products, substantially expanding their capability. This is in line with the company’s “Grow” concept of enabling customers to expand their plant wireless networks while making full use of existing assets.

ISA100.11a is a wireless communication standard for the industrial automation field that was established in September 2009 by the ISA100 Committee of the International Society of Automation (ISA). This was approved as a National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in December 2011, and has been submitted to the IECSC65C Subcommittee for approval as an international standard.

Development background
A wireless network that connects a control system with field devices such as differential pressure/pressure transmitters and temperature transmitters has many advantages: it reduces cabling and other installation costs, and allows the installation of equipment in difficult-to-wire locations.

In July 2010, Yokogawa began offering entry-level field wireless system solutions based on the YFGW710 field wireless integrated gateway. Users of these systems have come to value their high reliability, real-time performance, and environmental resistance, which help to ensure stable plant operations, as well as their immunity to electromagnetic interference and secure wireless communications. A number of these users now wish to expand their wireless networks.

To meet this demand for large and reliable plant wireless networks, Yokogawa has developed three new field wireless system devices and enhanced two existing field wireless transmitters.

The new products are a field wireless management station, a field wireless access point, and a field wireless media converter.

The field wireless management station is a new gateway device for connecting production control systems and field wireless devices, and includes system and security management functions. The field wireless access point is a new router device for connecting field wireless devices and gateways, while the field wireless media converter is a new device that converts data from the 100BASE-TX to the 100BASE-FX format.

The enhanced devices are the EJX-B series differential pressure/pressure transmitters, the YTMX580 wireless temperature multiplexer, and the YTA 510 temperature transmitter, both of which now have detachable remote antennas and feature low power consumption design.

Each of the new field wireless system devices offers dual redundancy via a backup device. If the communications link is broken or a hardware failure occurs in any of these devices, automatic switchover to the backup device is implemented and the communications link is restored, ensuring uninterrupted communications with field wireless devices and increased reliability in process monitoring. This feature also offers the same benefits in any future application of wireless communications technology for process control.

Compared to the YFGW710, the new field wireless management station can manage up to ten times the number of field wireless devices. Both it and the new field wireless access point support communications with 100BASE-TX, 100BASE-FX, and wireless LAN networks, allowing for both the expansion of plant wireless networks and the full use of existing assets.

Both the EJX-B and YTA510 transmitters now come with an antenna that can be removed and mounted in a separate location, extending the communications range. A high-gain antenna option is also available that can extend the communications range up to four times. The high-gain antenna, also called a “long distance antenna”, emits strong radio waves, allowing wireless communications over a wider range. In addition, through the incorporation of low power consumption design features, battery life is now twice as long.

Major target markets are process manufacturing industries including oil and gas (onshore/offshore facilities), petrochemicals, chemicals, iron and steel, pulp and paper, power, and water treatment. Typical applications are the measurement of temperature, pressure, flow, and tank fluid level.

Yokogawa’s approach to field wireless communications
Yokogawa presents wireless communications and other field digital technology solutions that help companies to optimise their plant operations. Support of the ISA100.11a standard ensures high reliability, application flexibility, network expandability, and compatibility with a variety of wired communication standards.

In July 2010, Yokogawa released the world’s first ISA100.11a compliant field wireless devices. As the industry’s support of the ISA100.11a standard gains momentum, the number of ISA100.11a products is expected to increase. Yokogawa will continue to enhance interoperability for seamless connection with other companies’ products and will develop sophisticated wireless control solutions for continuous processes. The company’s focus is on proposing field wireless communications solutions based on the “Grow” concept.   By making possible the expansion of wireless systems, educating users about wireless solutions, and improving convenience, Yokogawa aims to help its customers to grow their plant operations.

#EFMExpo – an industrial event in Cork

Instrument Technology exhibit at EFM Exhibition in Cork

It is quite a number of years since the capital of Munster hosted an industrial exhibition so it was a great pleasure to reaquaint ourselves with many old and indeed new friends at the ENFMExpo held in the Silver Springs complex on the 27th and 28th of September.

The Exhibitors!
ABB Limited
ACE Control Systems
ADA Security Systems
ADI Ireland Ltd
Alpha Sign Nameplate & Decal
Alternative Heating & Cooling Ltd
Apex Fire Ltd

Bord Gáis Networks
Business Safety
Butler Transtest

Camfil Irl Ltd
Clarke Energy Ireland

Clasit Beecher
Complete Alternative Energy
Cooper Industries
Cross Hire
CSC LTD Chemical Systems
Cylon Active Energy

Dalkia

Edina Ltd
EFT Control Systems
EMC Energy
Eurotech Calibration Services Ltd

Finning (Ireland) Ltd
Firebird Boilers
Focus Hygiene Supplies Limited
Frontline Energy & Environmental

GARO Electric Irl
Gem Utilities
General Electronic Access Ltd
GSH Group Ireland

Honeywell
HSG Zander Ireland Ltd

In’Flector Ireland Ltd
Instrument Technology – ABB
Irish Cooling Towers
Irish Industrial Coatings
Irish Power & Process Ltd

Kellihers Electrical

Manotherm
MARK EIRE B.V.
Moloney & Associates

Newbridge Metal Products Ltd

O Neill Industrial Ltd

Phoenix Contact (Irl) Ltd
powerPerfector Ireland Ltd
Premium Power
PurchaseControl.com

Radio & Security Products Ltd
Rittal Ltd
RPS Group

Sartorius Mechatronics Ireland Ltd
Sartorius Stedim Ireland
Screenguard Ltd
Shred-it
Sirus Engineering Systems

TEMP TECHNOLOGY/ENER.G
Traka KMS Ltd

Watersave

The event promised the  latest developments in Energy Management, Facilities Management along with Safety Health & Security. It was an opportunity too to meet industry experts at the concurrent seminars discussing the latest ideas, technology and services capable of helping plants to increase efficiency.

Over 60 companies exhibited and some of these provided speakers for the almost 20 different seminar talks given throughout the period of the show.

Of course our principal interest was the area of automation and there were a number of instrument companies and system providers among these. We provide a short impression of some of these here.

Manotherm is a company which hardly needs an introduction in Ireland. They have, since time immemorial it seems, been supplying Irish industry with control and instrumentation products, the basics of all process, manufacturing and construction industry automation requirements. They have been called the Instrumentation Supermarket and many times they have come to the rescue in solving a knotty problem with an instrument, sensor or valve, from their extensive stock.

JS Watts of Schubert & Salzer

One of their principals, Schubert & Salzer gave one of the seminars on control valves in reducing energy consumption, handling and maintenace costs. John Watts discussed their GS 3 valve – a handy light and highly accurate valve based on principles discussed many centuries by Leonardo da Vinci. Known as a sliding gate valve, the GS3 seat design features a non turbulent, straight through flow path.  The flow is broken apart into multiple streams creating a reduced field of energy.  The result is greater service life, quieter operation and a control valve that performs at the highest levels possible within extreme conditions.

Instrument Technology, who are now  associates for marketing the line of ABB process instruments, had a large selection of flow, pressure and temperature instruments from this range. They marketed the Fisher & Porter range for many years and after the takeover of F&P by ABB their association with the larger entity is a logical development.

A new company to us was Eurotech Calibration Services (ECSL) where Kevin Davis showed the New Zealand based Temprecord range of temperature mapping and monitoring instrumentation. Aplications included the transportaion of blood for transfusions a truly critical application. This company provides calibration to the pharma, medical device, food and beverage industries as well as to other sectors.

Representing the Yokogawa interest, Irish Power & Process  displayed field instrumentation and calibration equipment. These cover, data acquisition, analytical, pressure, flow, wired and wireless – using ISA 100 standard. This company also represents Fluke test and measurement equipment and Camille Bauer.

Phoenix Contact are leading edge manufacturers of industrial control and automation solutions. They have an enviable reputation in the energy industry as suppliers of terminal blocks, DC UPS and Power Supplies surge protection devices, HMIs, IPCs and Wireless communications.

The very active Ireland Section of the International Society of Automation (ISA) also had a stand under the watchful eye of Douglas Control & Automation’s Declan Lordan.

The event was organised by SDL Exhibitions with their usual flair an  professionalism and hopefully this successful show will see a return of industrial events as the ecnomic situation improves in the years to come.

The busy Manotherm Stand at EFM

More learned at technology day!

Yokogawa Technology Day in Ireland’s southern capital!

The southern capital of Ireland was the venue for the Yokogawa Technology Day organised by the Irish and European branches of the company and their Irish representative Irish Power and Process. Cork is a beautifully situated city in the valley of the river Lee and this event was held in the Silver Springs conference centre overlooking the river as it meanders to one of the largest natural harbours in Europe if not the world.

This correspondent had not attended a Yokogawa event before and we expected that it would not be that much different from other events of this nature. We found that it was and it wasn’t! Obviously each company has its own culture and way of looking at things and this company is no different. We gained information at the sessions some of which we were expecting and other which was completely new to us. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is to go briefly through the programme.

Attendees at the Yokogawa Ireland Technology Day 20th January 2011

Introduction
Dónal Bourke, the Ireland Sales manager for the company welcomed everyone  and how the day was planned to run. By and large this programme was adhered to. There were about thirty attendees from a wide variety of industries and other establishments.

Session 1: Reducing fuel costs and emissions

Noel Heary of IPP makes adjustments during the TDL Demo

Paul Carrington, their Product Manager Analysis Products discussed reducing fuel costs & emissions in large combustion processes  using their Tunable Diode Laser (TDL). Processes can significantly reduce fuel costs, maintenance costs and the emissions of large scale combustion processes by using measurement techniques that enable enhanced combustion control. In summary it provides precise, fast measurement of simple gaseous molucules. It is non-sampling and low maintenancein in temparatures up to 1500 °C. He completed this presentation with a demonstration of the unit.

Session 2: Managing remote production facilities
The next session had Eduard Van Loenen of the Global SCADA Centre speaking on how new technology developments allow for the demanning of remote production facilities. He focussed on centralised sharing and visualisation of key operational information. The Yokogawa offering is FAST/Tools SCADA, through which a fully Web-based, secure and real-time SCADA management system is now a reality. He described the “Visions – From Transaction to Interaction” breaking it down to two concepts.

Real-Time intervention, where a work team identifies an issue with a production operation and promptly assesses the situation from an operations support center which can be geographically located anywhere. The virtual team makes a decision and then implements it, all within a span of about ten minutes.
The second is Remote Collaboration The situation is similar to the first vision but in this example team members engage via a PDA and through a web-based collaboration network established with an equipment manufacturer.
He concluded with a demonstration showing a simulated control system in the North Sea Oil & Gas fields.

Session 3: Manufacturing execution
This was the area that was new to many of the attendees. We were unaware of the product offering of the company in the area of MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems).  In this session Bill Bambeck, their MES Pre-Sales Consultant (right), showed how implementing value added solution packages to plant control systems can allow users to increase the visability of their process and improve their bottom line. He introduced us to a whole new (for us) range of products produced by Yokogaway Marex on the Isle of Wight (GB). He introduced us to a whole plethera of products under the Exaquantum brand name – plant information management systems. This includes batch, Sequential Event Recording (SER), Movement Monitoring etc. He included an exposé of the RPO (Realtime Production Organiser) the suite of MES packages within the ISA 95 model. Many of the particpants were surprised at the comprehensiveness of the range.

Session 4: Integrated control & safety systems
Speaking on Production Excellence with Integrated Control & Safety System (ICSS) – Centum VP & Prosafe RS, Ged Kelly – Manager Oil & Gas UK and Ireland showcased the latest HMI and Alarm Management updates in the Centum VP DCS platform. The presentation will also illustrate the features and benefits of an integrated DCS and SIS system. He started with a fascinating review of the innovation history of the company from the 1970 introduction of their YODIC600 Direct digital control system to the introduction ProSafe-RS, “a World first DCS-SIS Integrated Safety System,” and on to Centum VP and most recently Field wireless devices for both monitoring and control applications. His presentation presented a full condensation of their offering.

Session 5 : DP flow
We loved the title of this session: DP Flow ‘Alive and Kicking for gas and steam flow measurement.’  In this presentation Simon Hatch, Flow & Transmitters Product Manager,  introduced DPharp sensor technology (DP high accuracy resonance pressure) and a success story with the National Transmission System in Britain as well as  recent developments in diagnostics and digital signals. Like the previous session he started with a historical perspective from analogue DP transmitters up to the Digital transmitters of the nineties and noughties. He explained the philosophy and advantages of the silicon resonant sensor used in the transmitters.

Safety as standard!

The NTS is the system of delivery, or national grid, for natural gas in Britain. Independent evaluation of DP transmitters was completed in 1995 where the EJA transmitter outperformed all other transmitters. Standards developed and improved especially in the area of safety through the years culminating in orders for the current EJX transmitters and stocking of same. This transmitter meets safety standards as standard.

Session 6: ISA 100 Industrial Wireless
For many this was the most interesting part of the evening. Simon Hatch again  was the presenter and he gave  talk on the ISA 100 standard and how it can be used. He gave a useful explanation of the different terms like router or gateway as well as describing how the system worked. He also showed the unique battery pack used with their wireless transmitters.

Later that evening he gave a talk to a well attended Technical Meeting of the Ireland ISA Section where he went into considearbly more detail including an exposé on STAR and MESH topologies, how and where to use them and how effective they are. He also discussed the ISA 100 Wireless Complience Institute (formed in 2009).

The ISA 100 committee was set up in 2005 to establish standards and related information to define procedures for implementing wireless systems in the automation and control environment. He was at pains to point out that it is an end-user driven standard. Although he did refer to the two IEC standards, WirelessHART and a Chinese system he was unwilling to discuss the controversies attached to the approval of these standards and ISA 100.

Both these talks culminated in an impressive demonstration of the wireless transmission from temperature and pressure transmitters.

ISA 100 demonstration at ISA Ireland Technical Meeting

More on wireless

Yokogawa snubs WirelessHART users at the launch of the “World’s first” ISA100.11a wireless transmitters.

van Loon snubs WirelessHart!

by Andrew Bond, Industrial Automation Insider

“ISA100 is the standard that has been developed by the user community, and expresses the wishes of the users, rather than the approach imposed by vendors, as exemplified by WirelessHART,” said Joost van Loon, Yokogawa Europe director of industrial automation. “Additionally ISA100 is technologically superior to other approaches, in that it can cover all the wireless solutions that might be required. Users have also requested just one standard, so in the Yokogawa view this should be ISA100.”

Van Loon was speaking at the launch of a range of ISA100.11a pressure and temperature transmitters and associated system interfaces at the 5th Yokogawa User Conference, held in The Netherlands from 24-25th June. He was supported by Penny Chen of Yokogawa global marketing, who is also vice chair of the Wireless Compliance Institute (WCI). In response to a query about possible changes to ISA100.11a when the ISA100.12 committee on convergence presents its findings later this year, she asserted that “It is very unlikely that any changes would be allowed to ISA100”. The Yokogawa Q+A sheet issued alongside the releases commented on convergence issues further: “In fact, end users are not choosing WirelessHART. The ISA100.12 committee has been advised by user input that there is “no need for backward compatibility with WirelessHART as there is no significant installed base”. Quite a snub for the existing users of WirelessHART systems!

Yokogawa excludes WirelessHART
In listening to the user community, Yokogawa is aware that there has been a request for one global wireless standard, and therefore stresses that their offering includes “openness and interoperability” as prime objectives at the heart of ISA100. However “the ideal scenario is unlikely to occur, with two wireless standards in use” and the Yokogawa interoperability does not extend to including WirelessHART in their plans.

The other major player in the ISA100 camp is, of course, Honeywell, and news releases came thick and fast around the Honeywell User Group meeting held in Phoenix (AZ US), from 13-17th June: several of these related to improvements to digital video monitoring and field instrument wireless networks, that are designed to be compliant with the ISA100.11a standard. Most of the questions at the interviews, and the HUG discussions reported, related to the topic of ISA100, and whether this standard will be modified in the near future to include IEC62591, now the WirelessHART standard.

ISA100 panel: user discussions continue
From a panel discussion on the convergence of ISA100 and WirelessHART, Pat Schweitzer of ExxonMobil, also co-chair of the ISA100 committee, had been trying to establish what users would want a combined standard to offer, and said NAMUR would issue a report on this topic in late June (NE133). Meanwhile Schweitzer reported that the ISA100.11a- 2009 standard is being corrected, and will be re-issued by December. Schweitzer also commented that the convergence discussions headed by the ISA100.12 committee also hoped to report by December.

The Honeywell corporate view of wireless monitoring and control is not restricted to Honeywell Process Systems: their wireless business is cross divisional – it is a corporate initiative to drive wireless across the whole business, whether this is aerospace, health and safety, life safety or process solutions. In an interview (podcast) with Walt Boyes of CONTROL Global, Ray Rogowski, business leader for their wireless initiative, stressed that they see a far larger potential for the OneWireless applications in addition to monitoring field sensors. Add to this that the Honeywell OneWireless system is really a combination of up to five wireless systems: the Honeywell approach is to create a wireless infrastructure that will support multiple wireless networks, multiple applications, with specific sensor developments to feed in, possibly on different types of wireless system – an example of this is the support for Wi-Fi devices in addition to the field sensor network.

The inevitable conclusion is that Honeywell would have no problem with running two wireless systems into their networks, WirelessHART and ISA100, if that is needed. The Matrikon acquisition reported last month will enable the integration of third party systems into the Honeywell system via an OPC link, again possibly over OneWireless. In the theme of following the Emerson THUM and the ABB FieldKey, Honeywell showed a new OneWireless Adaptor that connects to wired HART devices, and transmits the full diagnostic info to host systems via an ISA100.11a compliant wireless network, without any significant modification to the conventional 4- 20mA loop field wiring. Yokogawa also suggested that they would be supplying such an adaptor, sourced from a suitable third party supplier.

Support for ISA100 and WCI
With the new Yokogawa products compliant with ISA100.11a and GE and Yamatake joining the Wireless Compliance Institute board, alongside Yokogawa and Fuji, Honeywell and ISA100 have gained valuable support recently. However, their spokesmen continue to stress that any ISA100 standard must be based on the total customer requirement, and that these customers are requesting a single wireless standard.

But is that what they’re really asking for? Maybe Nivis has the answer. They have now launched a new wireless gateway capable of simultaneously working on both ISA100.11a and WirelessHART protocols. Confusingly, it’s just called the “Nivis WirelessHART Gateway”, presumably because there were only really WirelessHART sensors available when they named it! Nivis were one of the major suppliers of equipment for the original Arkema ISA100 trials (YouTube Video).  Trae Harrison, vp of sales and marketing, explained: “The addition of the WirelessHART Gateway to the Nivis product line enables customers to utilize either ISA100.11a or WirelessHART using the same platform: it is exactly what the marketplace is asking for.”

You can’t halp feeling that ISA, WCI and Yokogawa have been talking to a different lot of customers, unless, of course, they’ve only been asking the questions that give the answers they want to hear! Maybe we’re fast approaching the point where users will simply adopt WirelessHART and ISA100.11a as appropriate to their particular applications.

This article first appeared in the July 2010 issue of Industrial Automation Insider

Final control elements and other stories

---

Advertisers

Loose Insert: Metrology Systems & Services

The April/May 2010 issue of Read-out, Ireland’s journal of instrumentation, control and automation, highlights final control elements.

Steriflo’s Mark 96 pressure regulator, marketed by Manotherm, is used in sanitary applications. Emersons Fieldvue digital valve controllers are used in an Australian chemical plant “saving us thousands of pounds,” according to the instrument technician on the site. Also featured is Festo’s range of ultra-fast jet valves and Tyco’s EBCO valves to provide full flow replenishment to storage tanks in, for example high-rise buildings.

The front page article gave details of the new marketing strategy of Irish company Biotector Analytical, who have appointed Hach as exclusive distributor in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Europe for their range of on-line liquid analysers. Another company with a presence on the North American continent, Qumas, has won the Deloite Best Managed Company Award. This company is a provider of compliance solutions.

There is a report on the Ireland Section of the International Society of Automation visit to the Blanchardstown Institute of Technology where a large assembly of first and second year students participated in a talk on combined heat and power. These students are hoping to qualify with a BSc in Sustainable Electrical and Control Technology. The purpose of this course is “to equip students with the skills and knowledge to embark upon a rewarding career in sustainable engineering within the construction and manufacturing sectors.”

The National Instruments scheme to support micro and SMEs in embedded development is discussed. This is in the form of training and grants of up to nearly €30,000 in software, support and training. “National Instruments…is committed to supporting innovation!”

John McAuliffe, in the InSide Front article, “Cracking the Safety Code“, discusses the poractical applications of the new European Machinery Directive (SI 407/08). that came into force in January. John is Managing Director of Pilz Ireland.

Among the new products highlightes in this issue is Yokogawa’s DXAdvanced DAQSTATION range, Phoenix Contact’s PSI-Bluetooth ProfiBus set, E+H’s Liquiphant M density meter and Blue-White’s new junction box and connector arrangement on their Flex-Pro A3 peri-pump.

Read-out is published every two months and distributed throughout Ireland. Advertising rates, which have maintained their 2004 levels are on the website in Euro, Pounds Sterling and US Dollars.

The next issue for June/July will concentrate on Flow measurement & Control.

The recently opened facebook “fan-page” lists most stories we receive even those not included in our printed publication. Click if you like us!