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www.controleng.com : Latest News http://www.controleng.com/ en www.controleng.com : Latest News http://www.controleng.com/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.controleng.com/ 18 16 TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Mon, 20 May 2013 22:51:00 -0400 Cyber Security (RCEP Accredited) http://https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M97XFJM In 2009, Control Engineering released a survey to determine how industrial users perceive threats... Information Control CE Safety & Security Safety Slot 1 Safety 2 or 3 Webcasts and Webinars Thu, 16 May 2013 14:22:00 -0400 Machine Vision Resource Guide from Control Engineering http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/machine-vision-resource-guide-from-control-engineering/1a51b0384dcac407985ef8f6aa497961.html Machine vision resource guide: feature articles, application notes, case studies, tutorials, and... Update: See additional machine vision links and resources added below, on May 10, 2013. Articles from Control Engineering show how machine vision technologies help with process automation, increases productivity, improves quality, and lowers costs, in packaging, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, high-speed discrete manufacturing, web-based lines, and other applications. See also other links of Control Engineering machine vision feature articles, tutorials, and research. Machine vision speed, quality, innovation Control Engineering, North American print and digital edition, machine vision article, May 2013

Control Engineering, North American print and digital edition, machine vision article, May 2013

Advanced applications for machine vision in automotive, robotics, quality, and safety use hybrid technologies, vision for robotic or machine guidance and in-line part inspection, and 3D imaging. Technology and imaging standard advances help. May 2013 article series - Control Engineering North American print and digital edition. Quality control measurements for smooth surfaces Hybrid laser-camera technology is ideal for surface measurement in many industries. The camera detects a laser projected onto an object at a specific angle. Next generation: Robots that see Figure 1: Multiple Denso robots pick syringes from a conveyer belt and place them into individual packages. Vision technology enables enough flexibility in the robotics to pick up syringes regardless of orientation on the belt or if the manufacturer uses

Figure 1: Multiple Denso robots pick syringes from a conveyer belt and place them into individual packages. Vision technology enables enough flexibility in the robotics to pick up syringes regardless of orientation on the belt or if the manufacturer uses

Visual servo control: Vision used for robotic or machine guidance also can be used for in-line part inspection to enhance product quality with traditional feedback systems. See online video. 3D vision system performs rope wear analysis Figure 6 identifies defects on 3D images of rope surfaces: a and b – steel ropes, c and d – fiber ropes. Courtesy: AGH University of Science and Technology, Control Engineering Poland

Figure 6 identifies defects on 3D images of rope surfaces: a and b – steel ropes, c and d – fiber ropes. Courtesy: AGH University of Science and Technology, Control Engineering Poland

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging can be used to verify rope and cable quality to measure pitch length and diameter, and identify rope surface damage and type of wear, with accuracy surpassing current methods, to enhance safety. See photos. Advances in machine vision products, standards Recent new products and standards advances include FDA traceability, higher speed, and connectivity and integration standards. Vision integration speeds production, cuts waste for plastics manufacturer A custom human-machine interface (HMI) enables an operator to set up and monitor part inspections performed by Teledyne Dalsa’s Sherlock machine vision software. Courtesy: Teledyne Dalsa

A custom human-machine interface (HMI) enables an operator to set up and monitor part inspections performed by Teledyne Dalsa’s Sherlock machine vision software. Courtesy: Teledyne Dalsa

Automation Integrator Guide: New vision system simplifies product inspection for a more efficient manufacturing process. Asia Pacific market for machine vision is changing Projections indicate the Asia Pacific market (excluding Japan) will pass EMEA revenues in the machine vision market by 2015. Machine vision, ID-reader network integration Integrate Ethernet-based machine vision and image-based ID readers into factory networks for more direct communications and less expense. See photos, examples. Machine vision: high-speed, long-distance communications CoaXPress (CXP) is a high-speed point-to-point serial communication standard for the transmission of video data, scalable over single or multiple coaxial cables. It has a high-speed downlink of up to 6.25Gb/S per cable for video, images, and data, plus a lower speed, 20Mb/S uplink for communications and control. Video: Machine vision-motion system draws a line on quality Machine vision pencil sorting, National Instruments

Machine vision pencil sorting, National Instruments

Pencil production via National Instruments shows synchronized integration of machine vision and motion systems. Active vision system for 3D product inspection Learn how to construct three-dimensional vision applications by reviewing the measurements procedures. Mondragon Assembly uses a Cognex In-Sight 5100 intelligent vision system to optimize the process of soldering the cross-links between photovoltaic modules. Courtesy: Cognex

Mondragon Assembly uses a Cognex In-Sight 5100 intelligent vision system to optimize the process of soldering the cross-links between photovoltaic modules. Courtesy: Cognex

Machine vision cuts PV module assembly time Photovoltaic (PV) assembly is among industries benefitting from a machine-vision enhanced automated soldering system from Mondragon Assembly, to shorten cycle times, ensure consistently high product quality, and enhance equipment usability. Machine vision technologies for photovoltaic soldering A photovoltaic assembly soldering machine uses machine vision to improve quality and throughput. Machine vision technologies include Cognex In-Sight 5100 intelligent vision system to optimize the process of soldering the cross-links between photovoltaic modules. See related application article. Machine vision: Focus on design Figure 3: Vision-guided motion is shown in flexible feeding. Courtesy: National Instruments

Figure 3: Vision-guided motion is shown in flexible feeding. Courtesy: National Instruments

A well-designed machine vision system enables manufacturers to improve product quality, enhance process control, and increase manufacturing efficiency while lowering the total cost of ownership. A good machine vision design starts with selecting a motion-vision integration type, based on the machine’s automation tasks. Thread protectors are picked another bin. Assembling two threaded fasteners requires recognition and position capabilities. Courtesy: Cognex, JMP Engineering

Thread protectors are picked another bin. Assembling two threaded fasteners requires recognition and position capabilities. Courtesy: Cognex, JMP Engineering

Vision-Guided Robots Automate Oil Tool Assembly Machine vision locates parts for picking by one robot and checks the diameter and location of the pipe before it is threaded by a second robot, without fixturing or accurate locating. The application may lead to a new generation of vision-enabled robots to improve productivity and quality for oil tools. Technology checklist for oil tool automated assembly A machine vision robotic assembly application for an oil tool industry manufacturer used the following technologies. See related application article. After each plastic substrate sheet is loaded onto a moving vacuum table, two GigE cameras identify and locate the six coupons. Courtesy: Teledyne Dalsa

After each plastic substrate sheet is loaded onto a moving vacuum table, two GigE cameras identify and locate the six coupons. Courtesy: Teledyne Dalsa

Build better machines with machine vision Cost-effective, high-performance machine vision tools help machine builders increase accuracy and throughput on a new machine design using four cameras, one controller, and high-speed communications. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsored content: Machine Vision for Factory Automation eGuide ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Machine vision can be used for pharmaceutical validation and record-keeping. Courtesy: Banner Engineering

Machine vision can be used for pharmaceutical validation and record-keeping. Courtesy: Banner Engineering

Vision sensing technology in track-and-trace applications - Sensors work with control systems to follow perishable and critical products through manufacturing and distribution. Accreditation for WPI, first U.S. robotics engineering undergraduate degree program - Four years after the program's launch, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) said it is the only university in the nation with bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in robotics engineering. Figure 2. PCIe enables multiprocessing in embedded vision systems. Courtesy: TI

Figure 2. PCIe enables multiprocessing in embedded vision systems. Courtesy: TI

Technology Update: Computer vision systems get help from board-level systems - PCI Express (PCIe) has multiple gigabits/second of bandwidth and deterministic behavior, well suited for use with a computer vision system frame-grabber; it can capture high-resolution and high-frame-rate image streams for more effective machine vision applications. See table, graphics. Machine vision growth continues - IMS Research analyst John Morse believes machine vision is going to grow up to 10% in 2011, continuing a double-digit trend. Embedded Vision Alliance promotes computer vision - Technology companies form the Embedded Vision Alliance to help engineers add computer vision capabilities to their products, with standards and other information, which could help machine vision efforts. Integrator Update: Robotic controls double throughput - Concept Systems resolves coffee roaster infeed problems, doubles throughput with new robotic controls, 3D vision, and application-specific effectors. Back to Basics: Selecting sensors, machine vision - Ask these questions as a starting point when considering a detection, inspection, or measurement solution using sensors, a smart camera, or a more sophisticated machine vision system. See checklist. The error-proofing station is equipped with a Balluff Sharpshooter vision sensor above a mounted ring light. Courtesy: Balluff Inc.

The error-proofing station is equipped with a Balluff Sharpshooter vision sensor above a mounted ring light. Courtesy: Balluff Inc.

Choosing between machine vision or sensors - To determine whether discrete or vision sensors will be the most robust and cost-effective way to error proof a parts production, look at the level of complexity in the sensing required. See photo gallery and checklist: 8 ways to choose between machine vision or sensors. Machine vision market soared 54% in North America in 2010 - Sales of machine vision components and systems in North America soared 54% in 2010 to nearly $1.8 billion, according to figures released by the AIA. Part loaded out of position can be identified with machine vision system. Courtesy Teledyne Dalsa.

Part loaded out of position can be identified with machine vision system. Courtesy Teledyne Dalsa.

Vision system cuts downtime, improves inspection productivity 60% - Royal Canadian Mint uses a machine vision system to improve inspection productivity from 25,000 to 40,000 rolls per shift, cut downtime, and reduce manual tasks. Machine Vision ROI at Polaris Industries - Vision system reduces scrap in high-mix welding environment and paid for itself in 2 weeks, according to return on investment calculations. See images, table. All high-precision stamped pins running at speeds of more than 4,000 parts per minute are inspected with embedded vision systems. Source: PPT Vision

All high-precision stamped pins running at speeds of more than 4,000 parts per minute are inspected with embedded vision systems. Source: PPT Vision

- Inside Machines: Embedded Machine Vision Systems, an Alternative to PC Vision Systems - Today’s embedded machine vision systems can help keep manufacturing operations fast and accurate, for pharmaceutical packaging, food inspection, part stamping, and other applications, faster than 200 images per second. Optel Vision’s tablet inspection system showing camera at left and operator interface at right. Source: TenAsys

Optel Vision’s tablet inspection system showing camera at left and operator interface at right. Source: TenAsys

- Inside Machines: Packaging Line Vision System Gets Speed Boost - Adding an RTOS to run alongside Microsoft Windows allows machine vision inspection system to process faster while keeping advantages of graphical user interface (GUI). - Machine vision standards play increasingly important role - In adoption of technology, machine vision standard plays increasingly important role in machine vision implementations, experts say. - How can robots get our attention? Machine vision can help. Research helps robots function more in tune with human coworkers by picking up on nonverbal cues: Georgia Institute of Technology. Smarter software and machine vision could make industrial robots safer and more efficient. Cognex shows 1D barcode and 2D code.

- Image-based readers surpass laser scanner in code-reading ability, said Cognex - 1D and 2D codes can be obscured and difficult to read in many applications, because of size, quality, printing method, or environment. Because of higher accuracy, image-based readers are rapidly replacing laser scanners in a wide range of manufacturing and logistics applications, Cognex said. Machine Vision - Inside Machines: June-July 2010 Control Engineering How to inspect closures with machine vision
An explanation of the “template” and “features” methods of closure inspection and the role of vision systems in automating the process. Integrating multiple viewing techniques

Combining 2D and 3D sensing in one package simplifies integration and
improves productivity Automated inspection made easy
An automotive part supplier implemented a very low cost inspection system by using just one camera to perform three functions.

3D machine vision improves quality control
Measuring the three-dimensional shape and color of an object, more reliable decisions can be made during the inspection and production of parts, improving quality. Oct. 11, 2010, additions to this machine vision resource guide follow. Dalsa helps electronics component manufacturer with quality control.

Dalsa helps electronics component manufacturer with quality control.

- Inside Machines: Pinpoint Inspection Precision via Machine Vision - An electronics components manufacturer uses machine vision to achieve 100% inspection of interconnect pins, improving quality control and eliminating costly product returns. - Technology Update: Machine vision can ensure reliable, repeatable bar code inspection - When applied for bar code reading (BCR), a vision system can ensure each product on a packaging line contains the proper bar code—which in turn contains the proper product identification and manufacturing location data. UPC symbols, for instance, include five digits of data about the product manufacturer and five digits about the specific product. Here’s how it works. Inside Machines: Vision-guided robots automate vial, syringe filling - Pharmaceutical filling equipment adapts to drug container shapes and sizes so short runs can be processed with minimal downtime. Automated Systems of Tacoma Inc. (AST) has developed a new vision-enabled flexible robotic filling system that can handle a wide range of container types and sizes, and can be switched from one size or type to another in about 30 minutes. A Cognex In-Sight Micro vision system is used to precisely locate each container and stopper and provide the robots these locations prior to processing. Application Update: Machine vision saves fruit, by better sizing and sorting - More than 30% of fruits and vegetables are discarded before the grocery store; machine vision used in MAF Roda Agrobotic systems can help reduce waste. Images are processed using the Matrox Imaging Library (MIL) toolkit. The sorting system’s intuitive user interface and 3D display gives operators adjust quality and sorting parameters in real-time. Video clip: On target machine vision, motion control demo makes novice marksman an expert - Using machine vision, logic, and 2 axis motion control, the target moves rapidly to meet the foam dart every time, even in rapid-fire mode, according to National Instruments at NIWeek 2010. Video: Warping a telescope lens to match atmospheric distortion - NIWeek demo simulates atmospheric distortion collecting 500 high-resolution frames per second through machine vision, into an FPGA into four rack-mounted controllers that instruct more than 1,000 actuators how to change a 42 meter diameter telescope lens in less than 2 milliseconds. In addition, see other Control Engineering feature articles on machine vision. 415 Parts Seen: Machine Vision Guides Robot - The vibratory bowl conveyor provides an economical and reliable method of presenting small parts in a given orientation. However, a key weakness of the vibratory bowl feeder is its use of mechanical channels and guides to orient parts. This limits it to handling just one part or one family of similar parts. Machine Vision Protects Pharmaceutical Packaging - Sophisticated machine vision and OCR system keeps a very close eye on pharmaceutical packaging and labeling processes to minimize risks to patients. Italian packager finds robotic success with Wittenstein gearheads - Robot simplifies food industry product handling, partnership ensures quality. Combined planetary gearhead and ac servo motor reduces installation space more than 20%. See photos, related links. Tutorial: What is the GigE Vision standard? - GigE Vision is a camera interface standard developed using the Gigabit Ethernet communication protocol. Here's what it can do to improve your application. See photos. Bottom line challenges? Machine vision reduces waste, improves quality - Machine vision and industrial identification solutions can improve the bottom line in manufacturing, according to Cognex. See images. Zero defects: Vision system helps achieve zero defects - Mayer & Co. needed a vision system to detect whether a work piece has been inserted with the correct side facing upwards. The company found the solution using cameras from Cognex and support from Buxbaum Automation. Machine vision product research: Positive attitudes, outlooks, new products - 2008 machine vision research results and advice from survey respondents, along with links to 16 machine vision products. Machine Vision Comes of Age - Vision technology is taking its place as a major sensing technology. Control engineers are finding it can be an indispensable tool for gathering system status information that can feed automatically into control systems—especially when there is motion involved. As vision technology has matured, image sensors have grown into multi-megapixel resolution, while frame grabbers and eventually merged into....

How should control engineers use machine vision? - Machine vision systems have passed the point where the additional information they provide is worth the additional cost compared to point sensors.

On Track with Machine Vision for application examples - Want to increase inspection time by factor of 10, raise quality, lower costs, augment worker satisfaction, improve safety, and lower variability? Advanced machine vision technologies can help. Users, system integrators, and vision vendors have tracked these results: Get on track with benefits machine vision can bring to you.

Machine Vision: Now is the Time (Product Research article, products) - Envision this: Hardware and software that excludes rejects at high speed, guides robotics, and reads characters on parts and labels for error-free handling. Many subscribers are employing machine vision technologies for these and other purposes—many with success, some with setup challenges, according to the latest research from Control Engineering.

Machine Vision: Not Just for Metrology Anymore (robotics applications) - To many manufacturing engineers, machine vision (MV) on the factory floor is just a metrology tool. They’ve gotten used to applying machine vision to speed up inspection and gauging applications for quality control, especially for 100% inspection situations. What they haven’t come to grips with, yet, is something that electronic printed-circuit assembly engineers embraced years ago...

Measure Up with Machine Vision (tricks and tips, references, setup hints) - Vision systems help manufacturers improve quality and productivity by automating many part gauging and inspection tasks quickly, accurately, and with a high degree of repeatability. By generating valuable inspection data at each step of a manufacturing process vision systems also can help control engineers augment process diagnostics. Sensors channel: New products on machine vision and other sensors. - Control Engineering Machine Vision Resource Guide, www.controleng.com]]> Machine Control Sensors Tutorials Case Studies Mechanical Engineering June/July 2010 Slider Homepage Item - CTL Weekly News Newsletter Weekly Slot 1 Weekly Slot 2 or 3 Fri, 10 May 2013 15:19:00 -0400 Control Engineering industrial wireless coverage http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/control-engineering-industrial-wireless-coverage/bcc3ae2c4a46d335a1046c0726f82be4.html Wireless resources: Years of wireless industrial technology, tutorials, and case history articles... Updated April 16, 2013 - Control Engineering has written and published many articles and tutorials about industrial wireless technologies, trends, and applications, along with wireless products and news. A sampling follows of various industrial wireless articles from Control Engineering, 2007 to present.* Additional links to industrial wireless articles follow. Wireless technology tips from Control Engineering wireless webcast Wireless technology tips and answers follow, resulting from feedback and questions submitted during a Control Engineering wireless webcast. Getting a grip on handheld HART communication and calibration devices If you see your handheld communicator as just for commissioning new devices, you’re missing much of the value of these versatile tools. Here’s how to get more from your handheld. Electric utility stretches sensor coverage Multi-drop WirelessHART supports new temperature points to improve efficiency. WirelessHART extends your reach: The easy way to add new instrumentation A look at the benefits and considerations of deploying WirelessHART device networks. Minimize growing pains when installing new field sensors and actuators. Biomass power plant deploys wireless instrumentation for predictive maintenance Enomondo S.r.l. uses new field instruments to extend its visibility into a new boiler and complex fuel pre-treatment operation. Commercial tablets get industrial enclosures Making tablets rugged: Industrial-grade environmental protection can help ruggedize and protect Apple iPad, Google Android, and other tablet computers. Embedded systems in a connected world Engineering and IT Insight: Embedded systems are often mechanically connected to other systems, and planning for network connectivity will allow them to also be electronically connected. See 8 requirements to add for embedded system design (including wireless). Research: Wireless use in industry What wireless technologies are being used for industrial applications? IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, and wireless are widely used. More information is being gathered. Webcast covers industrial wireless applications, technologies Experts discussing an overview of industrial wireless technologies, the need for a long-term strategy, and best practices for wireless system design in harsh real-world settings, with application examples presented by system integrators. Is HF or UHF industrial RFID better? Identify the right RFID technology: Knowing the difference between HF and UHF is important for industrial applications. Industrial wireless: Bluetooth can be robust, easy to use Technology Update: Bluetooth offers optimal features to satisfy industrial requirements of robustness, reliability, and seamless, coexistent operation with Wireless LAN networks. In addition to low power consumption, Bluetooth allows for multiple wireless links, offers fast connections, and has easier configuration and setup than many other wireless technologies. Machine Safety: Can hand held devices play a role? Wireless hand held devices (smart phones, tablets, pads, etc.), common in daily life, are emerging on the shop floor. Can they improve machine safety? Converging automation standards Competing standards and protocols [including wireless] often cover the same ground but are not compatible, to the dismay of end users. Sometimes they can be brought together to benefit vendors and users. Infinite wireless Control Engineering International: Remote control, wireless instrumentation, wireless retrofits, and wireless power transmission technologies will increase the value of industrial wireless applications. Industrial RFID trends Factory automation RFID technology trends differ from those of logistics or commercial RFID systems. Factory floor RFID components are more industrial and hardened for less downtime, with faster data acquisition. Combining wireless, photoelectric sensing technologies Technology Update: Wireless and photoelectric sensing technologies have merged to create sensors without wires. Global cellular M2M connections growing to more than 325 million by 2016 Mobile operators are intently focused on developing and expanding their activities in the cellular M2M market as a key growth opportunity in the face of increasing saturation and maturity of the core mobile voice/data services market. Headset computer, RFID system, rugged tablet computer Motorola Solutions products, including a headset computer, radio frequency identification system (RFID), and rugged tablet computers, were among plant-floor and automation productivity tools at Rockwell Automation’s Automation Fair 2012 in Philadelphia, Pa. 10 Control Engineering 2013 Engineers’ Choice Award finalists use wireless technologies Review these products in the list of finalists for 2013. Updated November 2012 More wireless and wireless sensors? Video

More wireless and wireless sensors? Video

Will wireless instrumentation drive wider sensor deployments? Can the convenience and low-cost of wireless instrumentation unleash a flood of pent-up demand for gathering more data? Video: Emerson’s Bob Karschnia provides some market statistics. RTU use expands, must make full use of advantages Control Engineering International: Use of remote terminal units began in the U.S. oil and gas industry in 1980s and has expanded to electricity, environmental protection, heating networks, water conservancy, and long-distance pipelines. It expanded into transportation, metallurgy, petro chemistry, logistics, and agriculture. Control Engineering China asks a Chinese expert about RTU trends. Making fieldbus projects as painless as possible Designing and implementing a successful—and painless—fieldbus project requires mapping out network requirements as well as understanding the plant’s information, diagnostic, and maintenance needs. [Wireless technologies can help.] Industrial wireless market booming, but still underutilized Frost & Sullivan Research sees market doubling, but end users still don’t see it as a critical improvement. Wireless instrumentation deployments growing quickly HART Communication Foundation reports that WirelessHART-installed networks exceed 8,000 at major manufacturing sites worldwide. Process Instrumentation: Has wireless instrumentation delivered? Five years ago as wireless process instrumentation broke onto the scene in a big way, the promise of major deployments seemed just around the corner. Has that dream been realized? Ask Control Engineering: Where is all the wireless process instrumentation? Ask Control Engineering

In researching an article on wireless developments for our October issue, I had occasion to review the offerings available under the WirelessHART and ISA100.11a protocols, and the lists of devices available under both were pretty short. While there have been commitments from various vendors to work with one or the other of these protocols, the number of actual “native” wireless devices available for either can be counted on one’s fingers. Ask Control Engineering: How do I know if a wireless app is secure? After reading the Dark Side of Mobility, I’m concerned about downloading a mobile app that I was thinking about. How can I tell if it is secure or not? Cellular communications for industrial automation Technology update: Cellular communications can help industrial automation, infrastructure, and systems management applications. As buildings and infrastructure applications add automation, they may use industrial wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) communications for remote, cost-effective monitoring and control of telemetry systems, sensors, cameras, industrial equipment, and other systems. Wearable technology innovation to drive market growth A major challenge for suppliers is to establish and expand the number of compelling use-cases for wearable devices. How AT+T's 2G shutdown will impact M2M Even casual industry observers are aware that the telecom giant finds itself facing a spectrum crunch. 5 best ways to extend Ethernet For many applications of TCP/IP networking, the 100-meter range limit of copper Ethernet cable becomes a problem. With conversion and extension, networks can cover distances that are measured in kilometers. Technologies include radio and cellular wireless. The dark side of mobility Wireless vulnerabilities

Sure, the idea of “iPhone as HMI” is convenient, but it opens a whole new range of cyber vulnerabilities. Is the functionality worth the risk? Many users are already deploying the technology without sufficient safeguards. See related video. Automatic guided vehicles Industry sales projections for 2012 remain strong, bolstered by key selling points such as flexibility, versatility, and evolutionary advances in controls. Wireless instrumentation: Do we need to be concerned about the protocol? It’s difficult to say what convergence of competing protocols will mean for wireless instrumentation users. Is there a value in waiting? Will changes in technology make it a moot point? Video: One vendor’s view suggests it’s more about the infrastructure. Webcast on Industrial Wireless: Where and When CFE Media - Control Engineering webcast: Where and when does it make sense, economically and operationally, to use industrial wireless for your next industrial communication application? Industrial wireless technologies continue to advance, whether you’re applying one wireless transmitter or considering a plant-wide implementation. Gain practical insights and advice from three system integrators to enhance results with your next implementation. Low energy Bluetooth wireless protocol Bluetooth low energy technology isn’t just another Bluetooth revision—it’s a whole new technology that can benefit industrial communications. Outstanding industrial wireless June 2012 cover story - Control Engineering

June 2012 cover story - Control Engineering

From sensor networks to long-haul wireless, industrial wireless technologies bring outstanding savings to industrial automation and process control applications. (June 2012 cover story) Wireless monitoring, asset protection PEMEX Tula Refinery increased efficiency with wireless connectivity by protecting critical assets related to cooling towers with process sensor and vibration monitoring, data collection, and analysis. Wirelessly transmitted information will help predictive maintenance; 20 hours per week of manual data collection can be used more productively. Implementing wireless solutions for industrial communication applications Wireless technology has limitations, but like any technology, it is very powerful when properly applied. Consider these factors before implementing wireless devices, including power, response time, and range, among others. Sensor-actuator wireless industrial network technologies Radar chart estimates differences between wireless sensor and actuator networks for factory automation and process automation plotting suitability across 12 logarithmic axes. Courtesy: PI (Profibus and Profinet International), www.profibus.com

Radar chart estimates differences between wireless sensor and actuator networks for factory automation and process automation plotting suitability across 12 logarithmic axes. Courtesy: PI (Profibus and Profinet International), www.profibus.com

When deciding among wireless industrial networking technologies, remember that there are different kinds of wireless. For industrial applications, there are at least four, and two are compared in the radar graphic shown. Plant integration of wireless steam traps Case study notes show how multiple vendors’ technologies enable successful wireless monitoring of steam traps. Industrial wireless for automobile manufacturing Why and how are automobile manufacturing plants moving to wireless network technologies? reasons include less cable failure, easier diagnostics and reconfiguration, and faster return on investment. Harvested energy powers industrial automation sensor networks Ultra-low-power radio frequency transceivers enable a new class of short-range industrial automation sensor networks powered by harvested energy. Wireless technologies for industrial automation Wireless networks for industrial automation enhance the ability to gather time-critical information, Digest it, and react, key to continuously adapting to change with increasing reliability and profitability. No one type of wireless technology resolves all challenges. Industrial wireless or wired networks? Tips and Tricks: have obstacles, mobile applications, or a large region? Wireless may be the best choice. Tips and Tricks: 6 overlooked places to use industrial wireless How Wi-Fi industrial wireless communications can save time, trouble, and money: Flexible work cells, mobile connections, and network enabling legacy devices are three overlooked areas to apply industrial wireless technologies. Three more are... Borrowing from consumer electronics Industrial users enjoy look-and-feel practices from consumer electronics, but device designers also benefit from processors and components borrowed from smartphones that add increased functionality and energy efficiency. - connectBlue offers two Wireless LAN Rugged Ethernet Port Adapters, one for the 2.4 GHz band and one for the 5GHz band. These ready-to-use wireless devices are especially well suited for mobile, rotating, and temporary installations where there is a need f

connectBlue offers two Wireless LAN Rugged Ethernet Port Adapters, one for the 2.4 GHz band and one for the 5GHz band. These ready-to-use wireless devices are especially well suited for mobile, rotating, and temporary installations where there is a need f

Wireless LAN for industrial applications - Back to Basics: What are the differences between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless LAN in industrial applications? Apps for Engineers - Product Exclusive: CFE Media’s Apps For Engineers Software Is An “App Of Apps,” Providing An Interactive Directory Of Approximately 60 Mobile Engineering-Related Software Applications Useful For Control Engineering, Plant Engineering, And Consulting-Specifying Engineer Areas Of Coverage. Are there too many industrial networks? Short article and video discussion. Automation to go - Think Again: I’ll Take My Automation To Go, Please, And Throw In A Big Helping Of Continuous Improvement, Productivity, Quality, And Optimization, With A Side Of Safety And Industrial Energy Management, Thanks. Santa Fe Irrigation District plant communicates with operations yard (other photo) via Phoenix Contact’s high-power wireless local area network (WLAN) radio (RAD-80211-XD/HP), creating a wireless Ethernet connection in terrain that would have been too exp

Santa Fe Irrigation District plant communicates with operations yard (other photo) via Phoenix Contact’s high-power wireless local area network (WLAN) radio (RAD-80211-XD/HP), creating a wireless Ethernet connection in terrain that would have been too exp

3-mile WiFi connection enables mobile HMI access - Wireless Local Area Network Easily Cover 3.1-Mile Span For A California Water System, Saving More Than $15,000 Compared To A Wired Solution. Industrial mobility: Information where needed - Industrial-Strength Mobility Is Happening With The Manufacturing And IT Workforce Today. Embrace It, Guide It, Make It Secure, Or It May Dictate How Your Business Will Change, Suggested Experts At A Recent Industry Conference. Industrial wireless - Control Engineering

Industrial wireless - Control Engineering

Tips And Tricks: 9 Tips For A Smarter Wireless Industrial Workforce - Nine Tips Help Enable An Industrial Wireless Mobile Workforce, Including Standards, Self-Healing Technologies, And The Right Blend Of Hardware And Software. Mobile Industrial Worker - Technologies Have Enabled Industrial Workers To Get Mobile, And There’s No Going Back. WiFi Technology For Industrial Environments - Set Up A Wireless Infrastructure To Support A Wireless Mobile Workforce. Here’s Advice On Industrial Environments, Challenges Include Environment, Signal Integrity, And Protocol Selection. Belden HiVision network software

Whose IPhone Goes Into The Plant? - When Companies Add Communication Via Wireless Devices, Who’s Device Is It? Is That My IPad, Or The Company’s? Wireless Apps, Cloud Services Transform Decision Making, Data Management For Packaging Lines - Dairy Products Producer Balances Quality And Consistency During Facility Expansion, Incorporating And Monitoring New Product Filling And Packaging Lines And Associated Equipment Integration Platform Designed To Unite Disparate Systems - Fieldbus Foundation Unveils Foundation For Remote Operations Management, Which Aims At Transforming The Industrial Remote Operations Market. Video: Larry O’Brien Explains The Underlying Technical Concepts. [Foundation for ROM is important because it is the first example integrating ISA 100.11a, WirelessHART, wired HART, and wired H1 protocols into one standard environment.] Cloud-based automation is the topic of the Control Engineering December 2011 cover story and related online extras.

Cloud-based automation is the topic of the Control Engineering December 2011 cover story and related online extras.

Pushing IT Infrastructure Into The Cloud Helps Stone Manufacturer Focus On Core Business - Increasingly, Cloud Technology Is Being Embraced By Companies As A Way To Do More With Less. For Example, A Fast-Growing Stone Manufacturing Company Recently Pushed Its Entire Infrastructure Out To The Cloud. Security Considerations For Wireless Implementation - Whether Specifying A New Wireless Installation, Expanding An Existing Implementation, Or Evaluating Wireless Protocols, The Security Issues Are Similar. Understanding Them Can Improve The Security And Signal Quality. IEEE 802.15.4 channels are used by ISA100.11a devices. Courtesy: Honeywell Process Solutions

IEEE 802.15.4 channels are used by ISA100.11a devices. Courtesy: Honeywell Process Solutions

Industrial Wireless: Field Device Mesh Network 101 - With Wireless Transmitters, There Are No Wires To Troubleshoot. If Designed Properly, The Data Goes From The Transducer To The Control Via Multiple Wireless Paths. Here’s How Wireless Communication Is Handled Between Wireless Field Devices And The Host Application. Automation Helps Transportation, Says IEEE Vehicle Electronics Expert - Control Engineering China Interviews Lingxi Li, Assistant Professor At The Department Of Electronic And Computer Engineering, Indiana University-Purdue University, Also Chairman Of IEEE Vehicular Electronics And Safety Conferences. Sensing, Wireless, And Other Control Technologies Are Improving Transportation. IEEE 802.22(WRAN) Expected To Help Internet Of Things, Smart Grid In China - IEEE Recently Published The WRAN 802.22 Standard (Wireless Regional Area Networks), Which Could Have Deep Impact Within China, Especially With Internet Of Things (IOT) And Smart Grid. Selecting Device-Level Communication Protocols - How Do Instrumentation Manufacturers Decide Which Communication Options To Offer With Each Type Of Device? Engineers' Choice Awards - Control Engineering product recognition program

Engineers' Choice Awards - Control Engineering product recognition program

Engineers’ Choice 2012 product categories and finalists related to wireless: Network integration - Wireless IO; Network integration - Wireless products; and Software - Mobile apps for controls, automation, instrumentation Paper Mill In Sweden Uses Wireless Instruments To Fulfill Environmental Requirements - Rosemount Conductivity Transmitters Help Korsnäs Gävle Prevent Discharging Pollutants Into Local Waterways. Wireless IO Advantages: More Data, Less Work - New I/O Products Provide More Measurement And Control For Processes, Optimization, And Asset Condition Monitoring With Less Effort, Wirelessly. Transducer Block Specification Issued - The Specification By Fieldbus Foundation Is Designed For Wired HART And WirelessHART Devices Along With Updates To The WIO System Architecture And Data Structures Low-Energy Wireless SCADA Used For Water Application - Water And Wastewater Utility In Bogotá, Colombia, Used An Extremely Low-Power-Consumption SCADA System With A Data Logging Support Feature, Allowing The Use Of Time Stamps. Wireless Sensor Networks To Grow To $2 Billion By 2021 - IDTechEx's Research Indicates That The Market For Wireless Sensor Networks Will Grow From $.45 Billion To About $2 Billion In The Next 10 Years. Current And Emerging Applications Include ... Control Engineering Cover story: Consumer-grade smartphones and tablet computers are fast becoming commonplace extensions of industrial networks.

Control Engineering Cover story: Consumer-grade smartphones and tablet computers are fast becoming commonplace extensions of industrial networks.

An iPhone as your Next HMI? - Consumer-grade smartphones and tablet computers are fast becoming commonplace extensions of industrial networks, permitting process monitoring and, even (gasp!) process control. Mill uses wireless technologies

Communicating Diagnostic Data in a Legacy Environment - A wireless add-on device captured diagnostic information that helped solve an intermittent flowmeter problem.
What is a digital certificate? - These are supposed to protect us, but they were an element of the Stuxnet attack. Vulnerabilities include local wireless communications.

Making connections with M2M

M2M in manufacturing eases legacy network connections - Machine-to-machine technologies are moving into new markets and making machine processes and network connections more efficient. Low-powered wireless systems enable connections to machines and devices that were not easily monitored with previous technologies.

Energy harvesting: challenges for wireless monitoring applications - Energy harvesters deserve the attention they're receiving, the advent of what can be made possible through the use of ambient energy to power devices has intrigued a wide variety of technologists, developers and adopters.

Machine Safety and Wireless Devices - Conventional machine safety has been challenged for the last 10 years with new technology and standards. Safety automation has led the new technology pack while NFPA 79 took the lead on the standards side. Both combined in 2002 to introduce safety PLCs, safety fieldbus, and e-stops on a safety rated bus. The latest challenge to conventional safety is wireless (aka cableless). June 2011 wireless application cover story - Control Engineering

June 2011 wireless application cover story - Control Engineering

- Cover Story - Wireless Applications: Less Cost, More Productivity, Compliance - What does industrial wireless do for you? There’s up to 90% installed cost savings. Look for productivity, security, and regulatory compliance advantages.

Banner SureCross Wireless automated solution provides accurate pond level monitoring and prevents accidental release of untested water. Courtesy: Banner Engineering

- Wireless application: Toyota plant monitors detention ponds wirelessly - Wireless monitoring of detention pond levels helps Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky comply with requirements of the Water Quality Act of 1987. Figure 1. Western Refining’s production facility near Gallup, N.M. Courtesy: Honeywell

Figure 1. Western Refining’s production facility near Gallup, N.M. Courtesy: Honeywell

- Wireless Application: Western Refining cuts wiring costs, improves performance - After a site survey, a wireless system is being integrated with existing power and network infrastructure. Up to 90% of the installed cost of conventional measurement technology can be for cable, conduit, and related construction. Wireless also optimizes plant productivity and reliability, and improves safety and security. - Industrial Wireless Webcast at www.controleng.com/webcasts Powercast Lifetime Power Wireless Sensor System broadcasts RF energy to power wireless sensors without batteries or wires up to 80 ft away from the transmitters.

Powercast Lifetime Power Wireless Sensor System broadcasts RF energy to power wireless sensors without batteries or wires up to 80 ft away from the transmitters.

- Technology Update: Low-power designs for automation - Microchip Technology provides microcontrollers with low-power capabilities, Powercast harvests energy to power wireless sensors, and STMicroelectronics demonstrates a chip for a smart power design to reduce electronic components’ energy consumption.

GlaxoSmithKline wireless application

- Wireless instrumentation monitors water usage at pharmaceutical plant - GlaxoSmithKline uses Rosemount wireless pressure and flow transmitters; provides network for future expansion.

Libelium Meshlium Xtreme multi-protocol router supports five wireless standards - WiFi, ZigBee, GPRS, Bluetooth and GPS – as well as wireline Ethernet, to help connect wireless sensor networks to the Internet.

- First multi-protocol wireless router - Libelium Meshlium Xtreme multi-protocol router supports five wireless standards - WiFi, ZigBee, GPRS, Bluetooth and GPS – as well as wireline Ethernet, to help connect wireless sensor networks to the Internet. Libelium said it is the first multi-protocol wireless router to bridge ZigBee and the Internet.

Figure 5: Generic cloud instrument

- Cloud Instrumentation: Data without infrastructure - Will instrumentation and other devices in your plant be communicating via the cloud rather than your own networks? While it may not happen tomorrow, the technology is advancing and may be closer than you think. What is this cloud, and what can it do for you?

Submit a tip or trick

- 9 tips for better industrial SCADA communications - Tips & Tricks: Wireless technologies can improve supervisory control and data acquisition applications. Match technologies to your needs, reduce costs, consider a hybrid approach, and heed six more pieces of advice. See graphic, table.

- Technology Update: Why WirelessHART? With other industrial wireless communications options available, process industry engineers may ask, ‘What is WirelessHART, and what is it good for?’

J.B. Titus, machine safety blogger

- Machine Safety blog: Wireless Control and Wireless Safety! Dec. 22, 2010 - Safe wireless (also known as safe cableless) is often applied to a machine using a “zone” concept to reduce the wireless communication distance. As wireless machine communications increase, application questions include...

- Ask Control Engineering blog: Creating your own cellular network, Dec. 17, 2010, While it is relatively simple for you to set up many types of wireless networks such as Wi-fi, ISA100.11a, WirelessHART, and many other proprietary systems, cellular is probably not one you will do on your own. It is possible... Siemens Scalance wireless system replaced infrared communications for crane movement at Blue Bell Creameries.

Siemens Scalance wireless system replaced infrared communications for crane movement at Blue Bell Creameries.

- Inside Machines: Wireless Ethernet, PLCs add productivity to Blue Bell Creameries, Dec. 13, 2010, Upgrade with Siemens Scalance WLAN and Simatic PLCs adds productivity and eases training on aging automated storage and retrieval system for Blue Bell Creameries, a Texas-based ice cream maker. - Connections without Wires Webcast: How wireless technology creates new paths to productivity, Dec. 6, 2010 - Industrial wireless technology is already settling in as a proven networking technique for device-level and data backhaul applications. Learn which wireless protocols to use in what applications, considering reliability and security. Now available for on-demand viewing.

- Ask Control Engineering blog: Bluetooth for industrial applications, Dec. 3, 2010, How many different devices can use Bluetooth without interfering with each other? Emerson wireless at Tecpetrol

- Wireless instrumentation helps boost production, cut costs at Argentine natural gas producer, Dec. 1, 2010 - Tecpetrol uses data from Rosemount wireless transmitters. Results in production increase of $4 million while reducing maintenance costs by 62% and supervisory control costs by 35%. - Inside Machines: Crane Moves with IEEE 802.11n wireless, Dec. 23, 2010 - With the range of motion of industrial gantry cranes (in some cases over a kilometer), wireless Ethernet allows connectivity with moving equipment, avoiding the safety hazards and risk of moving wires or fibers. Wireless ROI in 2 months in oil and gas application

Wireless ROI in 2 months in oil and gas application

- Wireless helps plains exploration and production, 2 month ROI, Nov. 8, 2010 - Plains Exploration and Production (PXP) Company automated its steam injection metering and data acquisition systems with a large network of WirelessHART transmitters and industrial broadband radios for a 10-times increase in transmitter accuracy and return on investment in 2 months.

- Ask Control Engineering blog: Cellular communication for remote I/O, Nov. 5, 2010. Dear Control Engineering: I was looking at the announcement about using cellular service for industrial devices. Is this really practical? Wouldn’t it be hugely expensive? FHSS

- How to choose wireless technology for industrial applications, Oct. 27, 2010 - Wireless technologies are being adopted for simple monitoring, control to supervisory control and data acquisition. Wireless provides reliable data communications in interference-heavy environments. Information follows to help choose the best wireless technology for an industrial application. - Wireless instrumentation helps pipeline operator with diagnostics, Oct. 10, 2010, Atlas Pipeline – Westex improves production efficiency at gas processing facility, joining old equipment to new control room. - Murphy’s 7 laws of industrial wireless communications - Applying wireless technologies for industrial communications doesn’t have to be as tough as Murphy’s Law (if anything can go wrong, it will), if you remember these Murphy’s 7 laws of industrial wireless communications. Wireless troubleshooting tips follow, including the number-one cause of wireless woes. - Wireless technology moves into broader process control applications, Sept. 29, 2010 - As technology evolves, users are now moving beyond mainstream monitoring applications to wireless measurements for control in harsh and remote environments. - The Case for Wireless Standards Convergence, Aug. 25 - Should end users care if wireless standards for field devices come together? One user offers his thoughts.

- Ask Control Engineering: Apple's problems and wireless instrumentation, July 16, 2010 - Should I be concerned about similar reception difficulties with wireless instrumentation devices after the Apple iPhone 4 challenges? - Pillar to Post: Evolving Wireless Technology, July 9, 2010.

Yokogawa wireless pressure sensor using ISA100.11a communication.

Yokogawa wireless pressure sensor using ISA100.11a communication.

- ISA100.11a compliance group releases conformance test kits, July 8, 2010 - ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute delivers package to verify wireless device interoperability and stack conformance.

- IEC approves WirelessHART as first international wireless standard for process automation, April 7, 2010 - Final IEC vote confirms broad global acceptance of WirelessHART by end users and suppliers, says HART Communication Foundation.

- News and comment: Can WirelessHART and ISA100 converge? March 31, 2010 - Emerson Process Management offers its thoughts on how the two main competing wireless instrumentation protocols can come together. - More on wireless interoperability, March 2, 2010. - Wireless sensor networks, the next 10 years - Feb., 24, 2010 - Wireless sensor networks (WSNs), self-organizing, self-healing networks of small "nodes," have huge potential across industrial, military, and other many other sectors, according to IDTechEx. - Pillar to Post blog: Wireless interoperability? What is that? Feb. 18, 2010

Wago 750-644 Bluetooth RF-Transceiver module was introduced for cost-effective I/O-based communications, company says.

- Control Engineering Engineers' Choice awards - Wireless technologies - Feb. 1, 2010 - Wireless technologies were well represented among the products receiving awards, under the Network Integration category (wireless I/O systems, wireless I/O controllers, and wireless products - general) also under Process Control (wireless position monitor and wireless radar guage).

Yardmaster can view and access same information as trainmaster and pin-puller.

- Wireless at the Hump Yard , a railroad application - Jan. 1, 2010 - Norfolk Southern Railway automates manual processes with RFID scanners and HMI software processed through eight PCs. - RFID tag test results: Very fast ROI for some applications - Dec. 31, 2009 - RFID tests prove tangible return on investment for airline baggage tracking; Odin tests show radio frequency identification accuracy at 99.9% and less than 90% for barcode. - Wireless: No doubts about IEEE 802.11n advantages, say Rockwell Automation, Cisco - Dec. 23, 2009 - IEEE 802.11n wireless protocol offers industrial automation networking applications better performance for control, said Rockwell Automation and Cisco at Automation Fair. Protocol performance is shown.

The wireless measurement technology deployed at the site is a networked infomechanical system (NIMS) based on NI's LabView software and CompactRio hardware.

- Wireless Monitoring of Rainforest Carbon Flux - Dec. 1, 2009 - High-flying wireless sensors using robotic control allow researchers to take measurements three dimensionally to quantify complex carbon exchanges. - How to stretch wireless I/O throughout manufacturing - Dec. 1, 2009 - Adoption of flexible wireless I/O designs represents one of the simplest and most straightforward ways to stretch a wireless infrastructure investment. Wireless I/O technologies are affordable, secure, and can be implemented without disrupting existing operational processes. - Wireless Technology as a Work in Progress - Nov. 1, 2009 - Strategy and tactics: Process industry users, vendors discuss obstacles to implementation, appropriate applications, and standards for plant-level wireless. - Transparent Wireless at Cano Petroleum - Nov. 1, 2009 - Cockrell Ranch Waterflood oil recovery project uses a wireless SCADA system to gather, assemble, transmit information from the wells to produce detailed production models and maximize output. - Plant Deployment Demonstrates Wireless Standard - Nov. 1, 2009 - Installation in a brownfield chemical plant shows interoperability within ISA100.11a and practicality for instrumentation improvements in long-established operations. Apprion Ion network combines WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) and Apprion Ionizers (IEEE 802.11) in a wireless application network for real-time information delivery to operators in 4-square-mile plant.

Apprion Ion network combines WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) and Apprion Ionizers (IEEE 802.11) in a wireless application network for real-time information delivery to operators in 4-square-mile plant.

- Wireless Enables Huntsman Project Zero - Nov. 1, 2009 - One of the largest and most ambitious industrial wireless application networks to date helps chemical manufacturer Huntsman strive for zero product defects, zero safety incidents and injuries, zero environmental releases, and zero unscheduled downtime. - Wireless networks: Adding cellular technology to the industrial toolbox - Nov. 30, 2009 - Can cellular networks provide a practical alternative for industrial use? While it may not be your primary wireless technology, in certain applications, cellular is practical and economical. - ISA 100.11a wireless demonstration project in operation - Oct. 7, 2009 - Wireless system installed at Arkema chemical plant seeks to prove device and infrastructure interoperability using equipment from multiple vendors operating under same standard.

- Think Again: Wireless prosperity - July, 1, 2009 - Recent Motorola survey cites movement in wireless investments. - Wireless Standards - July, 1, 2009 - ISA100 Wireless Systems for Automation aims to unify industrial wireless technology. Here's how 600 members from 200 companies work together to meet that goal. - How to Improve ROI with RFID - April 1, 2009 - Determine if radio frequency identification (RFID) on the manufacturing production line can improve your return on investment (ROI). - The Transparency of Wireless - April 1, 2009 - Cover story: Wireless networking and device manufacturers have gone to great lengths to create products that are secure, easy to work with, and operationally indistinguishable from wired equivalents. - Wireless on the Factory Floor - March 1, 2009 - Is the plant floor ready for wireless network communications? Yes, and here's advice, so you are not up in the air about wireless technologies.

- Industrial Wireless Implementation Guide - Aug. 1, 2008 - So you've dabbled in wireless or thought it might save time, effort, or dollars. This primer helps with technology selection; subsequent articles in this supplement reveal trends, user views on wireless, and implementation advice. - 2007 Wireless Communications for Industry - Aug. 1, 2007 - (under supplements, lower right, five more articles, covering: How to optimize wireless infrastructure for application needs, Machine builders: Driven by consumer standards, 3 Approaches to Process Plant Wireless, WiFi on the plant floor, and Wireless Keeps Machines Coordinated.) Other resources Webcast library includes a wireless and other industrial networking topics. Control Engineering Automation Integrator Guide: Find experts with wireless experience in the Automation Integrator Guide. Also see the Industrial Network Product channel, which includes wireless news and products . * If you see articles that we've published since then (or back to 1997) that you'd like linked here, let me know with a comment below. I'll continue to update the page. Also please comment on any that you find particularly useful, or leave some of your own advice, if you'd like, in the article, or below. Thank you. - Compiled by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com. Control Engineering webcasts include more on wireless and Ethernet. http://www.controleng.com/media-library/webcasts.html ]]> ArchivedSyndication: Industrial Networking (Wireless Ethernet Sensor Networks Fieldbus IoT) Syndication: HMI Operator Interfaces GUI Historians Dashboards Syndication: I/O Modules Terminal Blocks Data Acquisition Syndication: Process Instrumentation Process Sensors (Temperature Pressure Level Flow) Syndication: Information Systems Software (Asset Management Alarm Management CMMS MES SCM ERP Production Scheduling CAD T&A OM) Syndication: Codes Standards Regulations Syndication: Automation & Controls (building automation system building automation controls BACnet energy dashboards energy simulators) Syndication: Codes and Standards (federal state AHJs third-party associations) Syndication: Electrical (distribution generation protection) Syndication: Green and Environmental (USGBC LEED AP Dept. of Energy Energy Information Administration EPA photovoltaic solar panels wind turbines) Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:00:00 -0400 Coriolis flowmeters help pipeline reduce maintenance and ensure custody-transfer accuracy http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/coriolis-flowmeters-help-pipeline-reduce-maintenance-and-ensure-custody-transfer-accuracy/2b44a7d0b3b22dcccdc712563c355343.html Micro Motion Elite flowmeters used to upgrade measurement systems for Austrian crude-oil pipeline. Adria-Wien Pipeline GmbH (AWP) has upgraded custody-transfer measurement on its crude oil pipeline in Austria by replacing existing turbine flowmeters with Micro Motion Elite high-capacity Coriolis flowmeters from Emerson Process Management. AWP is focusing on using the latest technologies in its plants and automation. "Concerns over reliability and maintenance of the turbine meters prompted our upgrade to the latest measurement technology," said Ing. Walter Fellner, Adria-Wien Pipeline GmbH. "We chose Emerson’s Micro Motion Elite high-capacity flowmeters because they are maintenance free and exceeded our accuracy needs for custody transfer." The Adria–Wien pipeline carries crude oil from the Transalpine pipeline at the Italian-Austrian border to the Schwechat refinery near Vienna, Austria. Emerson supplied two Micro Motion flowmeters with MVD (multivariable digital) transmitters. The flowmeters were added to the refinery infeed lines in a parallel arrangement that allowed them to be installed individually without interrupting the flow of crude oil. Emerson’s Rosemount 3144P temperature transmitters were also installed to provide accurate line flow temperature measurements, as required by the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) regulations. The temperature data is used to compensate for the effects of temperature on volume flow in custody transfer applications. Data from the Coriolis flowmeters and temperature transmitters is communicated to the existing host system using an RS485 Modbus connection. To help AWP ensure the accuracy of its custody transfer measurements, the flowmeters also feature Emerson’s Smart Meter Verification -- an automatic diagnostic tool that quickly verifies complete meter performance (sensor, drive, and signal processing) without interrupting the flow measurement or process flow. This allows meter performance to be tracked without removing it from pipeline. Emerson Process Management www.emersonprocess.com Edited by Peter Welander, pwelander@cfemedia.com]]> Process Control Process Instrumentation and Sensors Monthly Instrumentation Slot 2 or 3 Instrumentation Slot 1 Process Instrumentation SyndicationType: Press Release - Commercial (Advertising) Syndication: Process Manufacturing Syndication: Process Instrumentation Process Sensors (Temperature Pressure Level Flow) Home Page Lead News Item Slider Homepage Item - CTL Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:32:00 -0500 Head and DIN rail mounted temperature transmitters http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/head-and-din-rail-mounted-temperature-transmitters/f34b41e1b6add552f3c9df5a09e4ded3.html AutomationDirect’s ProSense line now includes temperature transmitters in programmable and... Non programmable ProSense models are available for thermocouple types J, K, or T, along with three-wire type Pt100 RTDs. Head-mounted models can be mounted in any ProSense connection head or any DIN Form B sensor head and are powered by 8 to 35 Vdc. 35 mm DIN rail-mount models are powered by 12 to 35 Vdc. The transmitters are reverse-polarity protected and output is a linearized two-wire 4-20 mA current loop. Programmable models are available in both head-mount and DIN rail-mount styles. Compatible with a variety of thermocouple and RTD types, models feature linear resistance of 10 to 400 Ω and 10 to 2,000 Ω with Fahrenheit and Celsius selectability. Head-mount models are powered by 8 to 35 Vdc and DIN rail-mount models are powered by 12 to 35 Vdc; both styles are reverse-polarity protected. The free downloadable XT-Soft PC software is a utility program that allows users to configure programmable temperature transmitters. Simply connect the transmitter to the PC via an XT-USB configuration cable. AutomationDirect www.automationdirect.com/temperature-transmitters Edited by Peter Welander, pwelander@cfemedia.com]]> Process Control Process Instrumentation and Sensors Monthly Instrumentation Slot 2 or 3 Instrumentation Slot 1 Process Instrumentation SyndicationType: Press Release - Commercial (Advertising) Syndication: Process Manufacturing Syndication: Batch Manufacturing Syndication: Process Instrumentation Process Sensors (Temperature Pressure Level Flow) Home Page Lead News Item Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:26:00 -0500 Level switch suitable for monitoring liquid levels in safety applications up to SIL3 http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/level-switch-suitable-for-monitoring-liquid-levels-in-safety-applications-up-to-sil3/331a756e5fcf8b58214ee5ab5e64ba65.html E+H introduces Liquiphant FailSafe FTL8x point level switch and two-channel switching unit. Endress+Hauser has introduced its Liquiphant FailSafe FTL8x series of point level switches. The level switches have two relay outputs, a 4-20 mA output that connects to a failsafe switching unit with a two-channel output, safety contacts, and a safety locking function. The 4-20 mA output can be connected directly to a safety PLC or similar system for min and max safety applications up to SIL3. The 4-20 mA signal jumps from high to low current when the min or max point level is reached for reliable detection by the safety system. In addition, a permanent live signal of 0.25 Hz is superimposed on the sensor output to indicate the sensor is operating in a good state. The level switch meets SIL3 requirements in accordance with IEC 61508, IEC 61511-1, ISA 84-1 and DIN EN ISO 13849. For high reliability, built-in diagnostics monitor the tuning fork-type sensor for damage, corrosion, material buildup, and mechanical blocking. If a problem occurs, the live signal changes to notify the operator, a fault relay sends a signal to an annunciator or PLC, and a combination of three LEDs on the housing indicate the problem so that the switch can be cleaned, repaired, or replaced prior to failure. These switches can be used for point level detection in liquids from -76 to 536 °F (-60 to 280 °C), at pressures up to 1,450 psi (100 bar), viscosity up to 10,000 mPa-s, and densities from 0.4 to 2.0 g/cm3. The FTL8x can also be used in highly corrosive media. Tuning fork sensors are available in 316L or 318L stainless steel with Alloy C22 plating, and the other wetted parts are available with Alloy C22 plating, or ECTFE or PFA coatings for use in aggressive liquids. A choice of polyester, stainless steel, or aluminum housings for the electronics are available, with or without a sight glass. For North America, these switches are designed as either single seal or dual seal devices with an alarm in accordance with ANSI/ISA 12.27.01. This means that the user does need to install an external secondary process seal which is required in ANSI/NFPA 70 (NEC) and CSA 22.1 (CEC). These devices comply with installation practice in North America and enable very safe, low-cost installation in pressurized applications with hazardous media. The FTL8x switches meet ATEX, CSA, FM, UL, IEC ex, NEPSI, and TIIS requirements for use in non-hazardous areas. Special models are available for use in hazardous areas or applications with high pressures. Endress+Hauser www.us.endress.com Edited by Peter Welander, pwelander@cfemedia.com]]> Process Control Process Instrumentation and Sensors Monthly Instrumentation Slot 2 or 3 Instrumentation Slot 1 SyndicationType: Press Release - Commercial (Advertising) Syndication: Process Manufacturing Syndication: Process Instrumentation Process Sensors (Temperature Pressure Level Flow) Process Instrumentation Home Page Lead News Item Slider Homepage Item - CTL Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:18:00 -0500 Does your supplier selection process include these items? http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/does-your-supplier-selection-process-include-these-items/de1dfbb7430f5b3c819b57e0264e0e5f.html With leaner engineering departments and more options to choose from, selecting the right solution... A supplier selection process should include the following eight steps. 1. Clearly define the scope of the project. Why are you at this point? What was the past solution and why are you considering a change? What are the key benefits to be sought? Are you looking to improve quality, agility, performance, or reduce costs? What integration is needed with other systems? Who will ultimately be responsible for the solution? Are there cultural or regional issues to consider? A clear scope will help to frame this project and outline the critical to quality (CTQ) items. 2. Select the proper team for this decision. The team needs to be made up of the owners and the operators. The team should not be so large as to add undo complexity to the process, and should not be so small as to not represent all the essential functions in your organization. A reasonable number may be two or three representatives from each department. A typical strategic decision may involve as many as 6-10 people in making a recommendation with management as a final sign-off. 3. Selection criteria are one of the most critical aspects of any strategic decision. Selection criteria will fall into many categories. These will include corporate strengths, regional strengths, training and support capabilities, product technology, support for standards, market position, and industry prevalence, and should include items tagged as current capabilities or future vision. Your selection criteria will likely be in the range between 100 and 200 items. You’ll want to define the selection criteria, describe how the criteria are to be measured, and define the supplier question to solicit an appropriate response. As you can imagine, this will be a time intensive process for your team. But you should take your time here. This step is extremely important to achieve a quality result. 4. Evaluation: You will have to evaluate the field of potential suppliers, and whittle them down to a reasonable short list, typically four to six companies. This too will require some research. You’ll want to include the safe bets, technology leaders, and possibly some new market entrants. At this time, many companies choose to engage a consultant or industry analyst firm, as a way to receive some objective guidance. Once selected, you’ll send your criteria questionnaire out to each and wait for responses. 5. Criteria analysis: While waiting, your team will need to evaluate the criteria list, weighing them for relevance in your particular application. Some items are must haves and others are nice to have. Each team member will likely have their own opinions on item importance, and it will be important to listen to and respect each point of view. This will also be a time consuming and contentious process. You’ll want to devise a method to collect individual input for documentation and aggregate the results for the final analysis. Even at the individual level, weighing items can be a challenge. It will be valuable to employ a decision methodology, such as analytic hierarchy process (AHP). This process manages the comparisons, item by item, to evaluate and weigh items against each other. The result is clear and achieved through a logical and repetitive process. 6. Evaluating supplier responses will be the next major challenge. With 4 to 6 sets of responses to a questionnaire of 100 to 200 questions, and the need to document the evaluations, you can expect to spend several days or weeks in this stage. Again, AHP can be helpful in weighing the benefits of one against the other. 7. The only steps left are to mathematically combine the results and drive to a decision. The combination of criteria weighing and supplier response evaluations is typically achieved through the Kepner-Tregoe Rational Process (KT) technique. This technique combines all the results and ultimately scores each supplier by criteria category. KT also delivers an overall score. The final choice remains yours, but this process drives an analytic result as free from bias and contention and as fact based as possible. 8. Documentation: “No job is finished until the paperwork is done.” The last but potentially most tedious step has arrived. The process needs to be documented, from scope to result, including all individual contributions. Management will want to have visibility into every aspect of the decision process. This is valuable for the current project, and for guidance in future projects, perhaps at another plant or for another area of interest. Most supplier selection processes implement these steps in one fashion or another. Rarely are they implemented with a degree of consistency or thoroughness that you might expect for a decision as critical to future company operation. - Roy Kok is vice president, marketing, ARC Advisory Group. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager CFE Media, Control Engineering, Plant Engineering, and Consulting-Specifying Engineer, mhoske@cfemedia.com. ONLINE www.arcweb.com/services/supplier-selection/ www.arcweb.com www.kepner-tregoe.com ]]> System Integration Information Control Process Control Machine Control Tutorials December SyndicationType: Article SyndicationSource: CFE Media (in-house) Syndication: Information Systems Software (Asset Management Alarm Management CMMS MES SCM ERP Production Scheduling CAD T&A OM) Slider Homepage Item - CTL Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:19:00 -0500 Turbine meter with pulse output http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/turbine-meter-with-pulse-output/cf7a06eaa486b2f7cd2f76bb8958dcc2.html Omega introduces its FTB-630 mechanical flowmeter family for water and waste water applications.

Omega introduces its FTB-630 mechanical flowmeter family for water and waste water applications.

Omega introduces its new series of turbine meters with a wide range of sizes and capacities. The FTB-630 series features a non-resettable mechanical totalizer built in a rugged package manufactured of tough cast iron and epoxy-coated for protection. Five sizes are available, including 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, and 8-inch pipes with flange mountings. These durable, accurate, and economical turbine meters have an optional pulse output available, and can be equipped with magnetic pulse reed sensors well suited for remote totalizing, pacing of electronic metering pumps, and water treatment applications. Omega www.omega.com Edited by Peter Welander, pwelander@cfemedia.com]]> Process Control Process Instrumentation and Sensors Monthly Instrumentation Slot 2 or 3 Instrumentation Slot 1 Process Instrumentation SyndicationType: Press Release - Commercial (Advertising) Syndication: Process Manufacturing ArchivedSyndication: Facilities Maintenance (HVAC Lubrication Lighting MRO Material Handling Plumbing Compressors Hydraulics Predictive or Preventive) Syndication: Process Instrumentation Process Sensors (Temperature Pressure Level Flow) Wed, 19 Dec 2012 12:14:00 -0500 Ensuring industrial Ethernet performance, reliability http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/ensuring-industrial-ethernet-performance-reliability/3e7bb079d3fbc0df4d6e399b3b5f64eb.html Reliability, bandwidth, and determinism continue to be critical performance concerns for industrial... During the past 10 years, Internet and networked devices have proliferated beyond what anyone could have imagined, and there is every indication that growth will continue to be strong in the coming years (see Figure 1). Bloomberg reports that Internet traffic is expected to grow 42% in 2012 and should reach 1.3 zettabyes, or 1.3 trillion gigabytes, by 2016. While this growth has primarily been fueled by consumer and business use, it was inevitable that the automation and control industry would take part in this transformation. The early challenges of adapting Ethernet for use in industrial networks have been addressed with improvements in technology and reliability, leading to strong continued growth in the use of industrial Ethernet. This article explores the requirements of building a network that’s reliable enough for the stringent requirements in automation and control and serves as a guide to technologies that are available today as well as to best practices for ensuring top reliability and performance in industrial Ethernet networks. Defining Ethernet performance Broadly speaking, the three major performance areas that matter most to automation engineers when working with industrial Ethernet are reliability, bandwidth, and determinism. Reliability refers to network and device uptime and is generally the most critical performance element for automation and control networks. The need for high reliability is also the primary reason that the automation and control space historically lags behind the consumer space when it comes to adopting new technology. Business users can generally withstand momentary failures in e-mail or network communication, and they see more immediate benefits when adopting the latest, time-saving technology. The situation is different for industrial users, where interruptions in operation or communication can result in immediate and substantial losses. Industrial users are therefore unlikely to adopt new communication technology until it can guarantee exceptionally stable and reliable performance without interruption under actual operating conditions. Another measure of performance is bandwidth, which refers to the volume of network traffic that can be supported. Bandwidth is becoming an important issue for many industrial users and is driven by several trends: the growing number of devices connecting to the network, the growing use of wireless and cellular technology, and the growing role of IP video in monitoring and surveillance. Although there are still many applications where 10/100 Mbps is more than enough bandwidth to handle the expected network load, Gigabit and even 10GbE networks are fast becoming a standard requirement for industrial network planning. Finally, for many automation and control applications, it is important for industrial Ethernet networks to achieve a level of determinism, where data can be reliably delivered within a predictable time frame. In the past, this was an inherently problematic requirement for Ethernet, which by design allows for great variability in packet delivery time. However, for applications that require highly precise timing and coordination, such as machine control, uncertainty in packet delivery time cannot be tolerated. Fortunately, developments in Ethernet technology and standards have made it possible to achieve the level of determinism required by many industrial users. Hardware reliability, equipment failure The task of ensuring Ethernet network uptime for industrial users starts with hardware ruggedness. The environmental conditions faced by Ethernet equipment in the automation control space are often much harsher than the conditions faced in commercial and business settings. Ethernet equipment installed in outdoor cabinets or on the factory floor may have to contend with elevated levels of vibration, electromagnetic interference, heat, and airborne particulates. If the equipment is not properly hardened or protected, the Ethernet network may suffer from frequent equipment failures and unreliable data transmission. Figure 2: Cooling fans are vulnerable to airborne particulate matter and may be susceptible to failure, increasing maintenance costs and effort. Courtesy: Moxa Americas Inc.

Figure 2: Cooling fans are vulnerable to airborne particulate matter and may be susceptible to failure, increasing maintenance costs and effort. Courtesy: Moxa Americas Inc.

Forced-air cooling is a method that manufacturers commonly use to prevent equipment from overheating. Fans drive air circulation within the networking equipment to draw in cooler air and drive out hot air (see Figure 2). This is an adequate measure when the equipment is kept within a clean and temperature-controlled room, such as in the IT closets found in commercial facilities. However, the commercial-grade approach tends to be inadequate for many automation control applications, where an environmentally controlled room is simply not available or feasible. The prevalence of environmental particulates at many industrial sites can negatively affect forced-air cooling efforts as particulate matter accumulates in the air filters or within the device itself. In addition, the fans themselves are more prone to failure than other components, so regular maintenance and downtime must be factored into the cost and planning of the network. For this reason, fanless operation has become a compelling feature to ensure high hardware reliability in industrial Ethernet equipment. Since there are no moving parts, passively cooled hardware can achieve much higher mean time between failures and stands up well to industrial use. The amount of engineering required to develop a reliable fanless Ethernet switch means that the initial purchase cost will be significantly higher than for commercial-grade fan-cooled switches. However, over the lifetime of the device, fanless switches often show a superior return on investment when factoring in reduced maintenance, network downtime, and equipment replacement costs. Power, media redundancy Power and media redundancy can help minimize the occurrence and impact of network downtime. Industrial networks are often deployed in the vicinity of rotating machinery such as inductive motors or generators, welders, or other high-power machinery. This exposes the Ethernet equipment to fluctuations in power quality that aren’t typically seen in commercial applications. For this and other reasons, basic control-system redundancy requires every part of the communication network to have a redundant backup power supply in case of a power interruption or outage. The backup power supply takes over when the electricity fails, minimizing the possibility of damage or loss of critical data caused by the system shutting down. To meet the needs of automation and control systems, the hardware should be compatible with unregulated dc and have reverse power protection and isolation of the redundant power inputs. Media redundancy is also a common requirement for automation networks and involves establishing a backup communication path when part of the network becomes unavailable. Because redundant paths on Ethernet networks create network loops, a method or protocol must be used to block this redundant path during normal operation. IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) was developed in the IT space for networks to deal with redundant paths. With IEEE 802.1D, one switch on the network is designated the “root switch” of the network, and automatically blocks packets from traveling through any of the network’s redundant paths. In the event that one of the paths in the network is disconnected from the rest of the network, STP automatically readjusts the network to use the redundant path. The major limitation of IEEE 802.1D STP is the high performance cost associated with each network convergence, which refers to the process by which participating switches agree on the root bridge and the ports/network paths to block. When a network segment fails, the STP network will re-converge, which suspends all network traffic except for the control messages used in the convergence operation itself. This suspension of service can last up to 50 sec, which could result in substantial and unacceptable losses in the world of industrial automation. IEEE 802.1W Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) was introduced to overcome the limitations of IEEE 802.1D and boasts greatly improved performance, substantially reduced convergence time (under 5 sec), and correct behavior for mis-ordering and duplication in RSTP bridges. The improvement in convergence time is achieved by reducing the number of port states from five to three and by allowing ports to be specified as “edge” devices that can power up or down without requiring the network to reconverge (because they are not passing frames to another switch). These enhancements make it possible to achieve media redundancy with higher performance, although some of the advantages are lost when RSTP is interoperating with STP. Although RSTP is a substantial improvement over STP, many control applications require even better network recovery times. A number of Ethernet device manufactures have developed proprietary redundancy protocols based on 802.1W and have been able to achieve near-instant network recovery times. Proprietary protocols are available that enable a 250-switch network to recover from a failed network segment within 20 msec. It is important to note that network recovery time can be susceptible to the network load and number of switches that are connected, so real-world testing and verification is an additional and important step to ensure the desired network performance. Figure 3: In linear topologies, the failure of one switch can bring large parts of the network down. In this diagram, the failure of Switch 3 causes Switches 4 and 5 to go offline when relay bypass is not available. When relay bypass is implemented, Switc

Figure 3: In linear topologies, the failure of one switch can bring large parts of the network down. In this diagram, the failure of Switch 3 causes Switches 4 and 5 to go offline when relay bypass is not available. When relay bypass is implemented, Switc

In addition to protocol-oriented redundancy such as rings and chains, a number of hardware measures have been developed that help minimize downtime for industrial networks. Relay bypass ports can be employed as a way to localize network outages in linear topologies. In such linear topologies, the failure of a single switch could potentially take a major portion of the network offline (see Figure 3). Relay bypass ports forward traffic between adjacent switches even in the event of a power failure, ensuring that as much of the network remains online as possible. Hot-swap Ethernet modules are another method that can help minimize network downtime and localize outages. In the event of a module failure, a replacement can be swapped in without powering down the entire switch. Managed devices, networks For industrial automation, strong hardware with strong redundant and backup mechanisms is the fundamental starting point for ensuring Ethernet performance. The next major factor then becomes management of the Ethernet traffic itself. Simple unmanaged switches can be used to segment networks and eliminate network collisions, but managed switches offer far more flexibility and power to influence performance of the whole network. For example, managed switches make it possible to implement redundant topologies, quality of service (QoS), IGMP snooping, data logs, and other functions that ensure efficient, secure, and reliable handling of network traffic. Figure 4: Layer 3 switches offer numerous performance advantages over traditional routers for industrial networks and can support more Ethernet ports and options. Courtesy: Moxa Americas Inc.

Figure 4: Layer 3 switches offer numerous performance advantages over traditional routers for industrial networks and can support more Ethernet ports and options. Courtesy: Moxa Americas Inc.

A managed network infrastructure also enables administrators to anticipate and deal with unpredictable and potentially damaging events. Users, out of ignorance or maliciousness, may connect an unauthorized device to the network that severely affects performance, such as a computer with a virus. For example, if a user added a router to the network that is using dynamic routing, it would be possible to route all traffic on the network to that router, creating congestion and allowing for a man-in-the-middle attack. Other unpredictable events that can adversely impact the network include sudden device failure and accidental cable severing or disconnection. Industrial network planners also need to ensure that traffic traveling between different networks is properly managed. In the past, this could only be handled by dedicated routers, with a corresponding trade-off in network performance due to the processing overhead. One of the developments in the industrial Ethernet space has been the use of high-performance Layer 3 switches, which can handle essential routing functions with far higher speed and flexibility than traditional routers while offering many more options for Ethernet connections (see Figure 4). Manufacturers have also worked at coaxing better performance from traditional industrial routers themselves. Dual core 64-bit processors running at 500 MHz, for example, are being used successfully to achieve 500 Mbps throughput on dedicated security routers. Ensuring network performance and security requires an ongoing understanding of actual network traffic and behavior. Reviewing and analyzing network data logs is the most basic way to achieve this, and syslog servers can be used to upload the logs for every switch on the network to a single location for easy access. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is also widely used to monitor and manage network devices and can be easily integrated into dedicated network management software (see Figure 5). This makes it easy for users to obtain live data for any network device using SNMP, such as current traffic levels on any link and which devices are up and down. In addition, automatic alerts can be sent by email or SMS if an alarm trigger is met (for example, if a port goes down or device goes down). This provides network administrators with both the knowledge and tools to address performance or security issues on the network, both preemptively and as they happen. Figure 5: Using SNMP with network management software can provide the control center with critical information about network performance via a graphical interface. Courtesy: Moxa Americas Inc.

Figure 5: Using SNMP with network management software can provide the control center with critical information about network performance via a graphical interface. Courtesy: Moxa Americas Inc.

A number of other developments in Ethernet networking have proven useful for driving better performance for industrial users. Network management software is now available with a built-in OPC server to make it easy to integrate into a SCADA system. Digital input and output connections are being built into industrial managed switches, allowing for easy integration with a PLC. Industrial managed switches are also including support for field protocols such as Modbus, EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET, so a SCADA server can communicate directly with them in the field. Each vendor offers a different degree of support for the various capabilities and protocols, but basics such as port status are usually supported. These and other features enable closer interoperation between Ethernet devices and industrial systems, and make it easier to tailor network management efforts to the specific and immediate needs of the application. Bandwidth management Proper network engineering means building for the given application and assessing the level and type of performance that the network needs to exhibit. Jitter—not latency—is the enemy of a deterministic network. If latency is predictable, then it can be accounted for and the network can still be deterministic. With proper bandwidth management, Ethernet networks can achieve the determinism that is often required for industrial networking applications. Over-provisioning is one of the easiest and most cost-effective methodologies used to achieve the desired quality parameters. This means that the network is designed with enough surplus bandwidth to prevent network congestion. Besides simply upgrading to Gigabit and 10Gb switches, bandwidth can be maximized by using faster interconnection. Switch-to-switch links on 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps ports will reduce latency and provide higher throughput. Link Aggregation Control Protocol is also an effective method for scaling up bandwidth by grouping physical links so they act as a single link with increased throughput. The downside is that, as network demand increases, so must the network bandwidth, and thus equipment may have to be upgraded on a regular basis. In the commercial space, the 70/30 rule is used to provision network capacity, where a network is designed so that 70% of the available bandwidth is able to accommodate all of the known traffic loads. The remaining 30% is reserved for unknown traffic that is not accounted for and provides a safety margin. In the control and automation world, the required margin for safety and future growth is much greater than what is seen in commercial applications. It is very typical to see 10% rules used in these environments, sufficiently over-provisioning the network to ensure deterministic behavior and allow for future growth. It is not uncommon for networks with even higher safety margins to be used, where only 5% of the network is provisioned. A deterministic network can also be achieved by using specialized Ethernet-based fieldbus protocols such as EtherCAT or PROFINET. The IEEE 1588v2 Precision Time Protocol can also be used to achieve highly precise synchronization in the sub-msec range across the entire network. These technologies have proven effective at meeting specific application or system requirements for highly deterministic behavior. Quality of service QoS is not a single protocol or methodology. QoS involves the categorical evaluation of network traffic in order to ensure appropriate performance during network congestion conditions. Ethernet switches and routers handle network data in a first-in first-out fashion, where data is transmitted in the order received. If there are more incoming data than the outgoing bandwidth can support, then the network device is forced to buffer the data and network congestion occurs. QoS manages this network congestion, so that the highest priority traffic streams are transmitted first or have reserved bandwidth. With flow-based QoS, streams of packets or frames with the same quality requirements are grouped into a flow. Unfortunately, flow-based QoS never achieved widespread adoption due to high overhead requirements and inherent limitations in scalability. Class-based quality takes a different approach than flow-based quality and has become the QoS method of choice in many sectors. With class-based quality, packets with similar quality requirements are clustered together. Each cluster is prioritized differently and receives a different level of access to network resources. Higher priority traffic will be placed into a queue that will more readily send out traffic. Lower priority traffic will be placed into a queue where it will be forced to wait for the higher priority traffic. Class-based quality requires the marking of network traffic so that the network device can define and execute prioritization rules on that traffic. Differential services, type of service, and class of service are the most widely used protocols that use class-based quality. Each of these protocols uses markings or tags to determine priority and can be used to fulfill specific QoS requirements. Multicast Many devices and protocols in industrial Ethernet applications make use of multicasting, which allows one device or protocol to reach a number of end devices or applications with a single data stream. This can be a much more efficient use of bandwidth than creating individual unicast data streams for every receiving device. Multicasting is achieved by using Internet Group Multicast Protocol (IGMP), a Layer 3 protocol that depends on IP. In a Layer 2 switch, all ports will forward the multicast traffic regardless of whether the device on the receiving end wants it or not. The heavy use of multicast traffic in industrial control systems, and by PLCs in particular, can result in high network congestion. Multicast snooping was developed as a solution to this. With multicast snooping, Layer 2 switches monitor IGMP queries and join/leave reports sent by Layer 3 devices on each port. The switch can then make decisions on which ports have connected devices that want the traffic. Multicast traffic is only sent to those ports, greatly reducing the load on the switch and freeing network bandwidth for the ports that do not need the multicast traffic. IGMP snooping has therefore become an essential feature to ensure optimal performance in industrial Ethernet networks. Conclusion The performance demands and characteristics of automation and control networks are fundamentally different from those of the commercial world where Ethernet technology originated. Reliability, bandwidth, and determinism continue to be the critical performance concerns for industrial users, and a number technology, standards, and practices have proven effective at meeting each of these demands. As industrial Ethernet manufacturers and users both continue to develop greater experience and expertise, there is no doubt that even greater heights of performance will be reached. Sandoval is a field applications engineer at Moxa Americas Inc., Brea, Calif., where he has worked for five years. He was the first field applications engineer at the company’s U.S. headquarters and helped launch the company’s Professional Industrial Network Services. He has bachelor’s degrees in electrical and computer engineering, as well as a master’s degree in electrical engineering, all from California Polytechnic University. Sandoval is a Cisco Certified Network Associate and has Level 1 Linux Professional Institute Certification. Werning is a field applications engineer at Moxa with 16 years of experience in embedded communications and computing. He also has experience in control systems engineering. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a minor in electronics technology.]]> Process Control System Integration Applied Automation Share on PE Maintenance & Management Applied Automation SyndicationType: Article SyndicationSource: CFE Media (in-house) Syndication: Information Systems Software (Asset Management Alarm Management CMMS MES SCM ERP Production Scheduling CAD T&A OM) ArchivedSyndication: Industrial Networking (Wireless Ethernet Sensor Networks Fieldbus IoT) Wed, 19 Dec 2012 07:00:00 -0500 Using the Automation Integrator Guide http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/single-article/using-the-automation-integrator-guide/f3c03ddb0294e82ff07bb719fdf5a3e3.html 2013 Automation Integrator Guide: How to use the guide to system integrators in print, online. At... Automation Integrator Guide, www.controleng.com/integrators, is a global online guide to automation system integrator talent, with more than 2395 automation system integrator listings and profiles. These have information about size by annual revenue, industries served, geographic areas served [with a record number of firms offering international service, 1452 (or 553, not counting Canada as “international”)], engineering specialties, product experience, corporate affiliations, and professional affiliations. While many system integrator expanded listings and profiles, with related expertise, appear here in print, all the listings appear online. Use the multiparameter search engine to quickly progress from “searching” to “finding” the right set of talent for the next automation project. Control Engineering System Integrator Hall of Fame, www.controleng.com/SIY, links to prior winners of the System Integrator of the Year Awards, including expanded information about the winners highlighted in this issue. Congratulations to Patti Engineering, Integrity Integration Resources, and SAIC, the 2013 winners. Thanks also to the 2013 entrants and finalists. Video clips: Get system integration advice from the winners at www.controleng.com/videos. System Integration Channel, www.controleng.com/integration, has articles in this Automation Integrator Guide, with additional products and tutorials to help with your next system integration project. System Integration newsletter, www.controleng.com/newsletters, offers system integration articles and tutorials monthly. There’s no cost. Get listed in the Automation Integrator Guide: Use the link at www.controleng.com/integrators. Vance VanDoren can help. System Integrator Giants 2012: The largest 100 firms, by automation system integrator revenue, among those in the Automation Integrator Guide responding to the survey; link at the bottom of www.controleng.com/SIY. Control System Integrator Association: Find resources and educational opportunities in this issue at www.controlsys.org. Tutorials are available online at www.controleng.com/tutorials, and case studies are under Media Library at www.controleng.com and www.plantengineering.com. Online training videos and Webcasts: Under media library at www.controleng.com and www.plantengineering.com. In this issue (link to each article at bottom)

CSIA education AIG4
Best system integration advice AIG6
System Integrator of the Year Winners AIG8
What makes a good system integrator good? AIG13
Vision integration speeds production, cuts waste for plastics manufacturer AIG16
Drives software programming – using PLC or drive custom programming? AIG18
Automated container handling in port terminals AIG20
Directory, profiles of Automation System Integrators AIG22

-Mark T. Hoske, Content Manager, CFE Media ]]> System Integration Tutorials December Automation Engineering SyndicationType: Article SyndicationSource: CFE Media (in-house) Syndication: System Integration System Integrators Slider Homepage Item - CTL SI Slot 2 or 3 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:03:00 -0500