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2 ● MAY 2012 CONTROL ENGINEERING ● www.controleng.com

FEATURE

FEATURE

features

Vol. 59Number 5

28 Focus on quality: Machine visionA well-designed machine vision system enables manufacturers to improve product quality, enhance processcontrol, and increase manufacturing efficiency while lowering the total cost of ownership.

34 Integrated HMI/PLC packages offer convenience in the right applications

Choices of controllers that include an integrated HMI in one package are growing. These promise greater simplicity if the combination of elements works in your situation.

40 Control panel, enclosure design adviceDesign considerations for enclosures include ratings, filters, input and output, networking, safety, heating

and cooling, and access.

43 System integration services: In-house or hired out?Should automation and process control services and system integration projects be performed in-house or hired out? Advice follows from system integrators working on the front lines of project management.

COVER STORY

28

34

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MAY 2012 COVERING CONTROL, INSTRUMENTATION, AND AUTOMATION SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE

CONTROL ENGINEERING (ISSN 0010-8049, Vol. 59, No. 5, GST #123397457) is published 12x per year, Monthly by CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. CONTROL ENGINEERING copyright 2012 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. CONTROL ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Peri-odicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL 60523 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Telephone: 630/571-4070 x2220. E-mail: [email protected]. Postmaster: send address changes to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Email: [email protected]. Rates for nonqualified subscriptions, including all issues: USA, $ 145/yr; Canada, $ 180/yr (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); Mexico, $ 172/yr; International air delivery $318/yr. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $20.00 US and $25.00 foreign. Please address all subscription mail to CONTROL ENGINEERING, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Printed in the USA. CFE Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.

CONTROL ENGINEERING (ISSN 0010-8049, Vol. 59, No. 5, GST #123397457) is published 12x per year, Monthly by CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher

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www.controleng.com ● CONTROL ENGINEERING MAY 2012 ● 5

8 THINK AGAINYour best day today

10 PRODUCT EXCLUSIVE Multi-touch panel PC; data acquisition and control system

12 ENGINEERING SOCIAL MEDIA Cloud computing, alarm management

14 IT & ENGINEERING INSIGHT Project management: All hands on deck may sink the project

16 MACHINE SAFETY Are you staying on target with industrial safety?

18 TECH UPDATE Evolving backlights for HMIs

64 BACK TO BASICS Data packets

departments 20 Efficiency needs a system approach, depends on individual applications

22 Nuclear power: 2012 overture

24 Control Engineering International: Global engineering tips; praise for U.S. manufacturing

news

61 Quiet computer; flexible fuse blocks; motion controller; combustion analyzer

62 Power quality analyzer; industrial Ethernet cables

products

Inside ProcessStarts after p. 46. If not, see www.controleng.com/archive for May.

P1 Buy or build your process control system One DCS supplier makes the case for buying a comprehensive control system to run your process unit rather than a do-it-yourself PLC-based approach.

P10 Filling bottles: Go with the flowmeter As bottle-filling machines look for greater speed and consistency, some users move from older weigh cell technology to flowmeter- based systems, but it’s a tough application.

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

Peter Welander, Content Manager630-571-4070, x2213, [email protected]

Patrick Lynch, Project Manager/Engineers’ Choice630-571-4070, x2210, [email protected]

Bob Vavra, Content Manager630-571-4070, x2212, [email protected]

Amara Rozgus, Content Manager630-571-4070, x2211, [email protected]

Amanda McLeman, Project Manager630-571-4070, x2209, [email protected]

Chris Vavra, Content Specialist630-571-4070, x2219, [email protected]

Brandon Marcellis, Content [email protected]

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

Jeanine Katzel [email protected]

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

Suzanne Gill, European [email protected]

Michael Majchrzak, Control Engineering [email protected]

Katarzyna Jakubek, Poland [email protected]

Milan Katrusak, Czech [email protected]

Andy Zhu, Control Engineering [email protected]

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

Steve Rourke, Co-Founder, CFE Media630-571-4070, x2204, [email protected]

Trudy Kelly, Executive Assistant,630-571-4070, x2205, [email protected]

Elena Moeller-Younger, Marketing Manager630-571-4070, x2215; [email protected]

Michael Smith, Creative Director630-779-8910, [email protected]

Paul Brouch, Web Production Manager630-571-4070, x2208, [email protected]

Michael Rotz, Print Production Manager717-766-0211 x4207, Fax: [email protected]

Maria Bartell, Account Director, U.S. Sales630-288-8310; [email protected]

Rick Ellis, Audience Management DirectorPhone: 303-246-1250; [email protected]

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

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

Reprints For custom reprints or electronic usage, contact: Wright’s Media – Nick IademarcoPhone: 877-652-5295 ext. 102Email: [email protected]

Publication SalesBarb Hoffman, Midwest/South East248-538-8804 [email protected]

Bailey Rice, Midwest630-571-4070 x2206 [email protected]

Iris Seibert, West Coast858-270-3753 [email protected]

Julie Timbol, East Coast978-929-9495 [email protected]

Stuart Smith, InternationalTel. +44 208 464 5577 [email protected] ● MAY 2012 CONTROL ENGINEERING ● www.controleng.com

Don’t live the stereotype that engi-neers cannot excel in commu-nicating, said Michael Allosso, communication specialist, after

his “You on your best day” instructional session at the 2012 CSIA annual meeting. In the two days prior to his presentation, Allosso got to know the system integrator crowd. The former high school drama teach-er and college theater professor also is an actor (credits include working as maitre d’ with Steve Martin in “Pink Panther 2”) and director. He customized his message on the fly, according to audience needs.

You owe yourself and everyone around you to be “up” every minute of your day, at work, at home—inspiring other and being inspired. And you can do it with talents you already have, cultivating them to improve and inspire. Leadership skills are infectious, he said.

After truthfully and specifically critiqu-ing and praising* an introduction from Bob Lowe, CSIA executive director, Allosso said system integrator leaders and other engi-neers can effectively inspire those around them by removing a few impediments, internalizing a few tricks, moving a small bag of techniques to the forefront, and prac-ticing just a little.

He asked the audience to improve how they interact by using, cultivating, and enhancing the following skills, offered by system integrators, with Allosso’s guid-ance: imagination and creativity, improvi-sation, confidence and courage, empathy, understand and connect with people, self awareness, perseverance, immersion, accept criticism and make needed changes as you go, and ambition and passion.

More top traits Other useful traits cultivated by those at

the top of their game include: intelligence, listening, willingness to take risks, and charisma (presence, owning a room, vocal skills, having “it.”) Body language also is

important, along with believability.More traits for better leadership in com-

munication include:� Energy and enthusiasm, often top of

the list, make up the life force of leader-ship. If being “up” all day long seems counter-intuitive, remember how you have more energy at the end of your workout.

� Focus and concentration: Ensure that you’re in the moment, in the zone.

� Breathe, punctuating what you say with beat changes and adjustments, avoid-ing vocal homogeneity, with dynamics, as in music.

� Eye contact. No matter how large the room, you should make the effort to look at everyone.

� Micro-messages are the small things we do that can create powerful responses in others.

� Give feedback the right way to get positive results. Be truthful, specific, and positive (TSP)*. Don’t make praise over-blown or out of context.

� Heighten your stakes—live like your life depends on it. Be excellent.

� Don’t just coast. Develop and use your gifts.

Think again. “What tools do YOU need to be outstanding?” he asked.

- 3 tips for engineers from Michael Allosso to Control Engineering readers- More detailed advice with acting anecdotes- 2 photos of Michael Allosso- More advice from the CSIA meetinghttp://controleng.com/integrationwww.controlsys.org

ONLINE

THINK AGAINTHINK AGAINeditorial

Your best day todayEngineers shouldn’t downplay their communication skills or abilities to be dynamic business leaders, said Michael Allosso, communication specialist, at the CSIA 2012 meeting. Living your best day can inspire those around you to do the same.

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

Mark T. Hoske, Content [email protected]

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

Peter Welander, Content Manager630-571-4070, x2213, [email protected]

Patrick Lynch, Project Manager/Engineers’ Choice630-571-4070, x2210, [email protected]

Bob Vavra, Content Manager630-571-4070, x2212, [email protected]

Amara Rozgus, Content Manager630-571-4070, x2211, [email protected]

Amanda McLeman, Project Manager630-571-4070, x2209, [email protected]

Chris Vavra, Content Specialist630-571-4070, x2219, [email protected]

Brandon Marcellis, Content [email protected]

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

Jeanine Katzel [email protected]

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

Suzanne Gill, European [email protected]

Michael Majchrzak, Control Engineering [email protected]

Katarzyna Jakubek, Poland [email protected]

Milan Katrusak, Czech [email protected]

Andy Zhu, Control Engineering [email protected]

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

Steve Rourke, Co-Founder, CFE Media630-571-4070, x2204, [email protected]

Trudy Kelly, Executive Assistant,630-571-4070, x2205, [email protected]

Elena Moeller-Younger, Marketing Manager630-571-4070, x2215; [email protected]

Michael Smith, Creative Director630-779-8910, [email protected]

Paul Brouch, Web Production Manager630-571-4070, x2208, [email protected]

Michael Rotz, Print Production Manager717-766-0211 x4207, Fax: [email protected]

Maria Bartell, Account Director, U.S. Sales630-288-8310; [email protected]

Rick Ellis, Audience Management DirectorPhone: 303-246-1250; [email protected]

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

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

Reprints For custom reprints or electronic usage, contact: Wright’s Media – Nick LademarcoPhone: 877-652-5295 ext. 102Email: [email protected]

Publication SalesBarb Hoffman, Midwest/South East248-538-8804 [email protected]

Bailey Rice, Midwest630-571-4070 x2206 [email protected]

Iris Seibert, West Coast858-270-3753 [email protected]

Julie Timbol, East Coast978-929-9495 [email protected]

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

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10 ● MAY 2012 CONTROL ENGINEERING

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Beckhoff Automation’s new control panel and panelPCs offer flexibility, sleek design, and innovativetouchscreen technology.

T o apply the best interactive dis-play technologies for industrial use, Beckhoff Automation has introduced the new CP2~ and

CP3~ Control Panel and Panel PC series. The highly functional panels are charac-terized by a modern operating concept with multi-touch displays as well as a contemporary, elegant device design.

Aluminum and stainless steel panels are said to be extremely robust, designed for use under harsh industrial conditions as “built-in” or mounting arm devices. Widescreen panels in various sizes and resolutions are available in addition to the classic display sizes in 4:3 format. Advantages to traditional “single-touch” users include an optimized price-to-per-formance ratio, with savings potential of up to 28% compared to previous devices.

As most users of modern electron-ics are well aware, multi-finger touch-screens are becoming increasingly popular thanks to smartphones, tablets, and Microsoft Windows 7. To make the benefits of this technology available for industrial applications, Beckhoff added these units to its Control Panel series, introduced in 1995. The redesigned pan-els enable new, innovative visualization concepts with intuitive operation, com-bining elegance with a robust design.

Panels are available in landscape or portrait format (horizontal/vertical). New widescreen displays are available in 7-in. with 800 x 480 pixel resolution, 15.6-in. at 1366 x 768, 18.5-in. at 1366 x 768, and 24-in. at full HD resolution, 1920 x 1080 pixels. With low installation depth and narrow housing edge, the elegant panels are robust and industrially com-patible thanks to the use of aluminum and stainless steel.

Five-finger touch with work gloves and automation solutions with two-hand operation are equally possible. Read more online at www.controleng.com. Beckhoff Automation LLCwww.beckhoffautomation.com

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CONTROL ENGINEERING MAY 2012 ● 11

The new MAQ20 Industrial DataAcquisition and Control System from Dataforth Corp. is said to be a high- performance, highly

flexible system for factory, process, and machine automation; military and aero-space; power and energy; oil and gas; and environmental monitoring.

The initial MAQ20 system offering is a family of DIN rail-mounted, program-mable, multi-channel, industrially rug-ged signal conditioning input and output modules and communication modules. Modules mount on the industry standard 35 x 7.5 mm gull-wing DIN rail; a back-bone mounts within the rail to provide power and communication interconnec-tions between the communication mod-ules and each I/O module.

Bill McGovern, national sales man-ager. “One communication module can interface to up to 24 I/O modules to con-struct a system with a maximum of 384 channels that fits within a standard 19-in. instrumentation rack.”

MAQ20 modules include two com-munication modules, analog input mod-ules (process voltage, process current, thermocouple, RTD, strain gage, fre-quency), analog output modules (process current, voltage output), and discrete input/output modules with five channels of input and five of output per module.

Key features include: ReDAQ Shape monitoring and control software; 1500 Vrms channel-to-bus isolation; ±0.035% accuracy; -40 C to +75 C operating tem-perature. System power comes from a 7-34 V dc power source connected to the communication module; for more power, load-sharing power boost modules can be installed in standard I/O module slots.

ReDAQ Shape for MAQ20 software enables users to easily create, save, and open graphical user interface projects for test, process, data collection, and data analysis applications. Dataforthwww.dataforth.com

Industrial data acquisition and control systemDataforth MAQ20 Industrial Data Acquisition and Control System: DIN rail-mounted, programmable, multi-channel, rugged signal conditioning I/O and communication modules

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Social media for engineers, such as Linke-dIn’s Automation & Control Engineering Group, provide a platform for automation and control engineers to share ideas, opinions, and solutions. CFE Media’s Control Engineering manages and monitors this discussion platform. Some insights follow, with more posted online.

Will cloud computing technology be adopt-ed in process control and automation systems? Majed Al Braik, an oil and energy profes-sional in the United Arab Emirates and control engineering section leader at ADMA OPCO, wondered this out loud to fellow members of LinkedIn’s Automaton & Control Engineering Group and drew an array of insights.

Cloud computing is the way to go, noted Al Braik, for high-level applications of industrial control such as historians, human-machine inter-faces, training systems, and asset management. “Adopting this technology at these levels pro-vides beneficial and optimum hardware solutions for offshore applications where space may be limited,” he said, “but security threads may be of concern if the cloud is exposed to a dirty network (for instance, the Internet).” With a limited local cloud, “security threads on my process control system may be controllable with appropriate pro-tection and mitigation measures.” Some robust cloud-computing software may become available for process control, he suggested.

Group members remarks varied. “It may well happen,” said John Blackburn, design engineer at KAS Paper Systems LTD, Milton Keynes, UK, “but I think it would be a bad move. Too many people are too inventive in ways to put data at risk. You have no idea where critical data are, who is responsible for keeping the data secure, or what the motivation is of those who are keeping the data secure.” Cloud computing proponents may tout “security technology used to protect a system, but I’ve heard it all before.”

In Blackburn’s view, controls engineers should keep their hardware and software systems under their purview.

Dave Hellyer, vice president, channel sales, Tatsoft LLC, Dixon, Ill., said cloud strategies

can offer lower investment requirements in hard-ware, software, infrastructure, and maintenance personnel. “It is not a requirement that all clouds be public. Companies looking to modernize their infrastructure and gain these advantages are implementing their own ‘private’ clouds. Anoth-er advantage to implementing cloud strategies is that software leveraging cloud technologies pro-vides an engineering environment where multi-ple engineers can work on the same project from many locations simultaneously, using engineer-ing resources more efficiently and productively.”

Alarm prioritiesThe alarm management discussion was equal-

ly productive. Initiated by Morgan Wilson, project engineer, Streat Automation, Christ-church, New Zealand, this forum focused on finding effective ways to present alarms—espe-cially critical ones—to plant operators. Alarm lists get out of control quickly, said Wilson. Hundreds can swamp a system. “We reduce them by planning carefully and setting severity lev-els,” she said, “but ‘acknowledge fever’ can still impact some operators. In addition,” she went on, “pop-up style alarms can be overly intrusive when run on the same SCADA that the opera-tor uses for control. Does anyone have any other ideas for SCADA-based alarming?”

Carl Lemp, contract automation engi-neer, Pfizer, Lincoln, NE, USA, said key issues include: An overwhelming number of alarms; operators uncertain of what to do when a new alarm occurs; “Acknowledge fever,” or confu-sion from too many alarms at one time.

“Trying to find a better system to manage alarms after they are generated is like trying to manage spam after it is in your inbox,” said Lemp. “It will always be a struggle.” If possible, he said, develop an alarm strategy and decide which alarms can be eliminated. Once unneces-sary alarms are removed, those remaining can be streamlined and more easily managed by the existing systems’ alarm management features. ce

-Jeanine Katzel, contributing editor to Con-trol Engineering, is at [email protected].

w SOCIAL MEDIAw SOCIAL MEDIAengineering

Cloud computing,alarm management

Jeanine Katzel

‘An alarm strategy can help decide

which alarms can be

eliminated.’

What topics are hot in the LinkedIn Automation & Control Engineering Group?Cloud computing and alarm presentation provoke lively dialogue. Read more online.

ONLINE

More of these discussions http://bit.ly/IgKN3v

U.S. Manufacturing: Engineer-ing Social Media - Is Industry Returning to the U.S.? http://bit.ly/wzNbvG

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One of the classic books of soft-ware engineering deals with project management. Unfortunately, many automation engineers and project

managers are not familiar with the work. The book is “The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering” by Frederick P. Brooks. Originally published in 1975, updated in 1982 and again in 1995, it is based on a series of IBM development projects.

One of the primary lessons taught in the book is that “adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.” This simple and timeless lesson is often forgotten in the rush to complete projects, especially if a project is in trouble late in the development cycle.

The reason for this non-intuitive lesson, also known as “Brooks’ Law,” is that software proj-ects, including automation software projects, have inherent integration requirements. Pieces must fit together, with no errors, for the system to work correctly. Yet software is not visible or easily reviewable until the pieces are ready for integration. To make a reliable system, communi-cations among architects, developers, managers, and users must be plentiful.

As people are added to a project, the com-munication paths increase nonlinearly, while the benefit of the additional people increases lin-early, at best. In addition, there are other costs to adding people to a project, such as additional training, additional systems and tools, and addi-tional coordination meetings.

When a project is behind schedule, upper management sometimes has a desire to throw resources at the project hoping that it will fix the problem. In some projects teams, outsiders will descend on the project team to “help,” often only getting in the way, creating more paperwork, and taking valuable time in getting up to speed on the project. These activities delay the project and make the already late project even later.

How to avoid more delayThere is a way around this dilemma by adding

resources that meet very specific requirements and by having a project organization that is designed for the late addition of personnel. If you are adding people late in the project, then you must minimize their interactions with other team members. This means that people you add must be already trained in the system being used, must understand the policies and procedures in place for the project, must work on a very specific and well-defined task, must be able to work indepen-dently with minimal direction, and must not be allowed to redefine requirements, designs, or implementations that have already been agreed to. You need experienced people who will not step outside their immediate work area.

The second way to add people late in a project and not make it even later is also discussed in Brooks’ book under the chapter titled “The Sur-gical Team.” If your project team can be orga-nized using the surgical team model where every member has a very special and well-defined role, then communication paths are reduced and learn-ing is reduced. A simple rule of thumb that can be derived from Brooks’ Law is “the maximum number of people on a project is dependent on the number of independent subtasks in the proj-ect.” The more tasks are subdivided because of extra “help,” the longer it will take to complete the subtasks.

Make sure that when you call all-hands-on-deck to help finish a late project, all of the extra resources don’t further sink your project. If using extra people at the end of the project, apply them to independent subtasks, use experienced people, and organize work to minimize required intra-project communications. ce

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

INSIGHTINSIGHTIT & engineering

Project management: All hands on deck may sink the project

Dennis Brandl

‘Simple and timeless lesson:

Adding personnel late in a software project can make the project even

later.’

When you call “All hands on deck!” to help finish a late project,ensure that all of the extra resources don’t further sink the project. Ifadding extra people at the end of a project, apply them to independent subtasks, use experienced people, and organize work to minimizerequired intra-project communications.

ONLINE

Use this link to see a longer version of this article:http://bit.ly/JRotyr Or search on Brandl or “project man-agement” atop www.controleng.com.

Project management: All hands on deck may sink the project

What are your manufacturing IT project principles?

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Are the skilled trades persons entering industry over the past 10 years equipped to evaluate and trouble shoot 40-year-old control systems without any connec-

tion for plugging in a lap top computer? Clearly, 1970s technology pre-dated today’s

advances in microprocessors, software, diag-nostics, and Apple iPads. Almost everything in an architecture involved hard wired components and relay-based machine control. As technologies advanced with PLCs, application software, and diagnostics through the 70s, 80s, and 90s so did the training for skilled trades persons. These folks grew with the technology curve and had skill sets to maintain and troubleshoot older systems. They could maintain and troubleshoot the architecture’s safety layer, required to stay hard wired, by indus-try standards.

Fast forward to 2012 where the safety layer can now be re-integrated with the rest of the machine control system. This re-integration began in 2002 when NFPA 79, Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery, allowed Safety PLCs and safety com-munication busses to be used for safety functions. Since 2002 industry has seen skilled trades person-nel leave the work force and new skilled trades personnel enter. These young employees have gone through school with electronic text books, high tech systems in their labs, the internet as a basis for communication, and iPads for daily use. What hap-pens when a newly hired skilled trades person faces a 40-year-old machine with a control system of 300 relays with one welded point? There’s no place to plug in a lap top or IPad to diagnose the fault.

Is training the answer? Is there any place to get training for 40-year-old control systems?

Do we have a skills gap in our trades personnel? We still have a ton of old machine control systems (including machine safety) and a shrinking pool of skilled trades personnel with “know how” to main-tain and trouble shoot these systems. People tell me it’s hard to find qualified personnel capable to revert to old schematics, analog meters, or even a primary understanding of engineering basics. Ears used to be a primary diagnostic tool. What are your experiences?

Functional safety complianceWho has the steps identified for anyone con-

sidering moving their machine safety compliance to functional safety for their organization? Let’s assume for this discussion that functional safety means being compliant with EN ISO 13849-1.

The general steps usually recommended for engineers designing machine control systems are:

1.) Specify the safety functions2.) Specify the required Performance Level(s)

(PLr) (goal)3.) Technically design the safety circuit(s) to

achieve the safety function(s)4.) Determine the specification of the Perfor-

mance Level(s) & their quantitative value5.) Verify6.) Validate7.) DocumentThere may be variations to the above, and we’d

certainly like to hear from you and your ideas. However, does this really answer the question?

If you’re the CEO, owner, or plant manager, these steps don’t even come close. Nothing here addresses the business case, the cost benefit analy-sis, the existence of a possible mandate, the impact on employee injuries, or how to maintain compli-ance with existing machines while adopting and evolving over time to the new functional safety approach. Might a plant manager want his supplier of choice to provide a simple 5x7 card comparing PL to Cat certified components? This would obvi-ously be needed to replace a Cat component with a PL component in an existing safety circuit. Cer-tainly EN ISO 13849-1 considers that – doesn’t it?

Maybe not. Let’s look at our domestic appli-cation safety standards. Does anybody know of a domestic machine safety standard that addresses this issue? Will all suppliers (domestic and inter-national) continue certifying safety components to Cat while adding PL? If so, maybe the 5x7 compar-ison card will not be required. Has anyone listed all the business steps for moving to and adopting func-tional safety for machine safety compliance? ce

- J.B. Titus, Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE), writes the Control Engineering Machine Safety Blog; [email protected]; www.jbtitus.com.

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Old systems require more than iPad skills; complianceIs there’s a machine safety trouble-shooting skills gap for oldersystems? Functional safety compliance in the U.S.: Not even close.

JB Titus, CFSE

ONLINEwww.controleng.com/blogs

Machine Guarding – trouble shooting old systems is doomed with iPad skills.

Machine Safety: Func-tional safety and the steps to be compliant in the U.S.

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From cathode ray tube (CRT) displays to cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlit liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and now white light-emitting diode (LED)

backlit LCDs, touchscreen HMIs or operator interfaces have come a long way since introduc-tion in the early 1990s. Flat-panel displays have become popular in the automation industry with industrial computers and human machine inter-faces (HMIs) connecting to PLCs and embedded controller boards. HMI backlighting has evolved significantly for applications in automotive, med-ical, packaging, pharmaceuticals, food and bev-erage, transportation, and many other industries.

Parameters such as display life, picture qual-ity, and display brightness help determine which HMI will best suit an application and its envi-ronment. Modern HMIs LCDs have a backlight,

responsible for the light emanating from the screen. When flat-pan-el LCDs replaced the older CRT displays like the ones used in older panel-based operator interfaces, CCFL back-lights enhanced the quality, brightness, and life span of the HMIs as

compared to the old CRT displays. CCFL back-light for LCDs began with a life span of 5,000 hr, improving over time from 10,000 up to 50,000 hr of backlight life. Life span for CCFL backlit LCDs depends on the HMI ambient tempera-ture and humidity. CCFL backlit LCDs for more expensive thin-film transistor (TFT) LCDs oper-ating at 25 C (77 F) normally last about 50,000 hr, but the backlight life span changes with tem-perature. If the temperature of the LCD rises to about 40 C (104 F), CCFL backlight life deterio-rates to roughly 20,000 hr (see graph).

As for relative humidity’s effect on life span, the “wet bulb” temperature of a CCFL back-lit HMI is 39 C (102.2 F). Once a CCFL back-lit LCD reaches its maximum humidity rating at a given temperature, the backlight will give up (see graph). CCFL challenges relate to how they work. The CCFL light source is classified as an electronic component, and is a gas-discharge light source, which produces output from a stimulated phosphor coating inside the glass lamp envelope. The typical CCFL is a hollow glass cylinder, coated inside with a phosphor material composed of rare earth elements and sealed with a gettered

UPDATEUPDATEBacklights evolution for human machine interface (HMI) panels

technology

White LEDs show high-temperature advantages for touchscreen HMIs or operatorinterface backlighting compared to cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlitliquid crystal displays (LCDs).

ONLINE

Read more on this topic, with additional diagrams at

http://bit.ly/JD8JluAlso see:www.uticor.netwww.avg.net http://flash.ezautomation.net

Comparison of CCFL vs. white LED backlight life measured against tem-perature. Courtesy: AVG Automation

White LED backlighting from AVG Automation is available in 4, 6, 8, 10, and 15-in. Uticore and EZTouch touchpanel PCs; 15-in. shown. Courtesy: AVG Automation

Relative humidity tolerance of CCFL backlit HMIs. Note: The area under the curve represents safe region, and over the curve is the unsafe region of CCFL backlit HMI operation. Courtesy: AVG Automation

Relative humidity tolerance of white LED backlit HMIs. Areas under the plot represent a safe region whereas areas over the plot represent unsafe regions of operation for white LED backlit HMIs. (Compare to the smaller safe region for CCFLs in Figure 2.) Courtesy: AVG Automation

Continued on p. 26

CTL1205_TechUpdate_V3msFINAL.indd 18 5/2/12 2:42 PM

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To identify the most energy-effi-cient pneumatic and electric automa-tion, a technology-neutral comparison is required. After considering differ-ent alternatives, a German automotive components supplier adopted a ready-to-install energy-efficient handling system. When consumers look for an energy-saving washing machine, they simply buy the device with the best energy-efficiency rating. For manu-facturers of washing machines, things are more difficult. If they want the most energy-efficient production facil-ity, they realize that no certification of energy-efficiency classes is available.

“Energy efficiency in automation is dependent on the industrial applica-tion in question,” explained Festo ener-gy-efficiency expert Dr. Axel-Andreas Gomeringer.

The only reason it is possible to classify washing machines into ener-gy-efficiency classes is that the usage scenario of a washing machine as a closed system is precisely known. For

example, all devices can be compared easily on the basis of their standard cotton program with a 60 C wash tem-perature. For machinery and installa-tions, however, the system parameters are not clear. Should only the drive be assessed, or the control chain, or the entire factory?

Define tasks clearlyAny industrial application has its

specific requirements for technical criteria such as speed, load capacity, power to weight ratio, accuracy, control behavior, rigidity under load, and effi-ciency or robustness, and also for eco-nomic criteria such as the purchase cost (price, commissioning, installation) and operating costs (maintenance, durabil-ity, energy costs). In any application, energy efficiency depends on the spe-cific task. “The task must be clearly defined before the user chooses a drive technology—electric, pneumatic, or a combination of the two,” explained Gomeringer, head of innovation and

Efficiency needs a system approach, depends on individual applications

NEWSNEWSindustry

Tiny details matterhttp://bit.ly/IT9jsv

...or HMI?http://bit.ly/ITCR7D

CSIA recordhttp://bit.ly/KPiJIs

Real world engineering Video game... System integrators

High rigidity and low moving mass: Thepyramid-shaped, enclosed design makes the robot highly dynamic. At the same time, the handling unit is more accessible and allows faster production. One mil-lion relays a year are produced reliably in different shifts using the Delta robot. Courtesy: Festo

CTL1205_News_V5msFINAL.indd 20 5/2/12 5:42 PM

technology management at Festo.With engineering software, a com-

mon dimensioning process for mechan-ical drive and transmission components and motors prevents a duplication of safety factors, which would result in oversized electric drive systems and a waste of energy. Calculations have shown that, with consistent use of siz-ing software, energy costs can be reduced by as much as 70%.

Often success stories about ener-gy-optimal solutions really get started with complete handling systems and control technology. Supplied ready-to-install and fully pretested, lightweight handling systems such as a high-speed handling robot can be delivered directly to users’ applications. The low weight of the robot, with its rod kinematics made up of standard electromechani-cal components and ultralight carbon fiber rods, ensures the efficient use of drive technology. With a gantry design with wide dynamic motion, stationary motors for the X- and Y-axes ensure lower moving masses. In control tech-nology systems, for example, a double motor controller with coupled interme-diate circuits exploits braking energy for recovery purposes.

The Tripod robot design “needs less space and design time than a han-dling gantry and is also faster than a SCARA” (selective compliant articulat-ed robot arm). That is how Gerd Ulmer, general manager of G. Ulmer Automa-tion GmbH, summarized some advan-tages of the new handling system. He has installed two Tripod handling units on an assembly machine for the auto-motive components supplier.

On a machine that assembles safe-ty relays for diesel engines, two Delta robots equip the relay bodies with seven to nine contacts, depending on the type of relay required. “The compo-nents were previously produced abroad and are now—primarily in the interests of better quality—to be produced on a fully automatic machine which includes automatic test stations,” explains the client, a special machine builder. The machine comprises 24 stations and was ordered from Ulmer by a component supplier to the automotive industry.

ONLINE: Photos, details on qual-ity, teach-in, controlers and other technologies at Ulmer Automation

- Christopher Haug is with Festo.www.festo.comwww.ulmergmbh.de

Smart sandhttp://bit.ly/ITDcqXM. Scott Brauer photo courtesy of MIT News Office

Micro robotics

Video: Tips for engineering service contracts

Service and maintenance agreements are important for engineers and system integrators who can provide those services. Those involved should carefully define war-rantees, scope, deadlines, and payment structure.

Mark Voigtmann, general counsel for Control System Integrator Association (CSIA), and attorney with Faegre Baker Daniels, outlines key points to remember when considering maintenance and service contracts for automation, controls, or oper-ations engineering. Voigtmann made the comments after a presentation on the same topic at CSIA 2012, the 19th Annual Execu-tive Conference, in May, in Scottsdale, Ariz. http://controleng.com/videos

(About 3:00 minutes.)- Mark T. Hoske is content manager, CFE

Media, Control Engineering.www.controlsys.org Search “Legalities” atop http://contro-

leng.com for more from Voigtmann, includ-ing the articles below.

Legalities: Not All Automation Standards Are Equal

Legalities: 8 ugly contract clausesLegalities In Automation: Know Your

Project Delivery Method

CTL1205_News_V5msFINAL.indd 21 5/2/12 5:42 PMCTL120501-MAG_Ads.indd 20 5/3/2012 9:41:27 AM

SOFTWARE & SERVICESPOWER DISTRIBUTIONENCLOSURES CLIMATE CONTROL IT INFRASTRUCTURE

Thousands of enclosuresHundreds of optionsDesigned and delivered in 10 days

(206-A-10155)-15.75x3.5.indd 1 4/17/12 4:46 PM

To identify the most energy-effi-cient pneumatic and electric automa-tion, a technology-neutral comparison is required. After considering differ-ent alternatives, a German automotive components supplier adopted a ready-to-install energy-efficient handling system. When consumers look for an energy-saving washing machine, they simply buy the device with the best energy-efficiency rating. For manu-facturers of washing machines, things are more difficult. If they want the most energy-efficient production facil-ity, they realize that no certification of energy-efficiency classes is available.

“Energy efficiency in automation is dependent on the industrial applica-tion in question,” explained Festo ener-gy-efficiency expert Dr. Axel-Andreas Gomeringer.

The only reason it is possible to classify washing machines into ener-gy-efficiency classes is that the usage scenario of a washing machine as a closed system is precisely known. For

example, all devices can be compared easily on the basis of their standard cotton program with a 60 C wash tem-perature. For machinery and installa-tions, however, the system parameters are not clear. Should only the drive be assessed, or the control chain, or the entire factory?

Define tasks clearlyAny industrial application has its

specific requirements for technical criteria such as speed, load capacity, power to weight ratio, accuracy, control behavior, rigidity under load, and effi-ciency or robustness, and also for eco-nomic criteria such as the purchase cost (price, commissioning, installation) and operating costs (maintenance, durabil-ity, energy costs). In any application, energy efficiency depends on the spe-cific task. “The task must be clearly defined before the user chooses a drive technology—electric, pneumatic, or a combination of the two,” explained Gomeringer, head of innovation and

Efficiency needs a system approach, depends on individual applications

NEWSNEWSindustry

Tiny details matterhttp://bit.ly/IT9jsv

...or HMI?http://bit.ly/ITCR7D

CSIA recordhttp://bit.ly/KPiJIs

Real world engineering Video game... System integrators

High rigidity and low moving mass: Thepyramid-shaped, enclosed design makes the robot highly dynamic. At the same time, the handling unit is more accessible and allows faster production. One mil-lion relays a year are produced reliably in different shifts using the Delta robot. Courtesy: Festo


technology management at Festo.With engineering software, a com-

mon dimensioning process for mechan-ical drive and transmission components and motors prevents a duplication of safety factors, which would result in oversized electric drive systems and a waste of energy. Calculations have shown that, with consistent use of siz-ing software, energy costs can be reduced by as much as 70%.

Often success stories about ener-gy-optimal solutions really get started with complete handling systems and control technology. Supplied ready-to-install and fully pretested, lightweight handling systems such as a high-speed handling robot can be delivered directly to users’ applications. The low weight of the robot, with its rod kinematics made up of standard electromechani-cal components and ultralight carbon fiber rods, ensures the efficient use of drive technology. With a gantry design with wide dynamic motion, stationary motors for the X- and Y-axes ensure lower moving masses. In control tech-nology systems, for example, a double motor controller with coupled interme-diate circuits exploits braking energy for recovery purposes.

The Tripod robot design “needs less space and design time than a han-dling gantry and is also faster than a SCARA” (selective compliant articulat-ed robot arm). That is how Gerd Ulmer, general manager of G. Ulmer Automa-tion GmbH, summarized some advan-tages of the new handling system. He has installed two Tripod handling units on an assembly machine for the auto-motive components supplier.

On a machine that assembles safe-ty relays for diesel engines, two Delta robots equip the relay bodies with seven to nine contacts, depending on the type of relay required. “The compo-nents were previously produced abroad and are now—primarily in the interests of better quality—to be produced on a fully automatic machine which includes automatic test stations,” explains the client, a special machine builder. The machine comprises 24 stations and was ordered from Ulmer by a component supplier to the automotive industry.

ONLINE: Photos, details on qual-ity, teach-in, controlers and other technologies at Ulmer Automation

- Christopher Haug is with Festo.www.festo.comwww.ulmergmbh.de

Smart sandhttp://bit.ly/ITDcqXM. Scott Brauer photo courtesy of MIT News Office

Micro robotics

Video: Tips for engineering service contracts

Service and maintenance agreements are important for engineers and system integrators who can provide those services. Those involved should carefully define war-rantees, scope, deadlines, and payment structure.

Mark Voigtmann, general counsel for Control System Integrator Association (CSIA), and attorney with Faegre Baker Daniels, outlines key points to remember when considering maintenance and service contracts for automation, controls, or oper-ations engineering. Voigtmann made the comments after a presentation on the same topic at CSIA 2012, the 19th Annual Execu-tive Conference, in May, in Scottsdale, Ariz. http://controleng.com/videos

(About 3:00 minutes.)- Mark T. Hoske is content manager, CFE

Media, Control Engineering.www.controlsys.org Search “Legalities” atop http://contro-

leng.com for more from Voigtmann, includ-ing the articles below.

Legalities: Not All Automation Standards Are Equal

Legalities: 8 ugly contract clausesLegalities In Automation: Know Your

Project Delivery Method


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The first new operating license in 34years was approved in early February 2012 by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for two reactors at Southern Nuclear Operating Co.’s Vogtle power plant located near Augusta, Ga. Other license approvals are pending. The industry is at a crossroad with positive and negative developments.

On Feb. 9, 2012, the NRC approved a “new era” combined operating license (COL)—which is a construction permit and operating license in one—for the first of two reactors at Southern Nucle-ar Operating Co.’s power plant locat-ed in east-central Georgia, near Augus-ta. (Southern Co. heads a consortium of utilities operating in the region.)

The new construction is on the site of the company’s two-unit Alvin W. Vogtle electric generating plant. Westinghouse Electric Co. (a unit of Toshiba Corp.) is the supplier of the two AP1000 pressur-ized-water reactors (PWRs), each with 1,100 megawatt (MW) net output. The reactors represent “advanced Generation III+” design. Commercial operation of Vogtle Units 3 and 4 is expected in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

A number of new nuclear plant appli-cations are being processed but approv-al has slowed due to renewed safety concerns and economic and political issues. Response to safety and reliabil-ity concerns is key to approval of any new reactor design. AP1000’s reliabil-ity enhancements include various pas-sive safety systems that do not require operator actions to mitigate design-basis accidents, according to Westinghouse. Gravity, natural circulation, and com-pressed gas are used to actuate functions of the safety systems. That eliminates

the need for ac power, diesel generators, pumped cooling water, or other active safety-support systems inherent to a typ-ical nuclear power plant. If plant power is lost (or a “safeguards actuation sig-nal” is received), AP1000 is designed to automatically align and actuate a few basic valves, which start up the safety systems—using only Class 1E battery power (Ref. 2, online).

After the March 11, 2011, came the accident at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant created repercus-sions. An indicator of stronger regulatory oversight is NRC’s March 2012 authori-zation to issue three orders to U.S. com-mercial nuclear reactors to implement several reactor safety recommendations, based on Fukushima lessons learned. Order 1 requires the plants to improve protection of safety equipment installed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and to have enough equipment available to sup-port all reactors at a given site simulta-neously. Order 2 mandates installation of enhanced equipment to monitor water levels in each plant’s spent fuel pool. These orders affect every U.S. commer-cial nuclear power plant. Order 3 applies only to boiling-water reactors (BWRs) with “Mark I or II” containment design. These reactors must improve their vent-ing systems—and in the case of Mark II reactors install new venting systems—to help prevent or mitigate core damage in case of a serious accident.

Read more: http://bit.ly/IVfLNOFrank J. Bartos, PE, is a Control

Engineering contributing content spe-cialist. Reach him at [email protected].

www.nrc.govwww.westinghousenuclear.com

U.S. nuclear power update


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Imagine you are in a meeting with your company’s chief financial officer, and he says spending must increase at a sig-nificantly slower rate than you expected this year. Now what do you do about those process improvements? The good news is that despite the economy, there are a number of core trends that will help you be more selective with spending in 2012 and can help you optimize your role in the company.

One: Wireless technology -- If you haven’t already invested in wireless technology, now is the time to do so to reduce plant costs and to improve business productivity.

Two: Phased migration -- The drive to replace aging equipment and technology continues to be a key trend among manufacturers in the U.S.

Three: Upfront engineering -- Best-practice organiza-tions use database-driven controls hardware and software to seamlessly move through all stages of the design and manu-

5 control market trends for 2012: Wireless, migration...facturing process; identifying errors up-front costs less.

Four: Energy usage management -- Energy consump-tion is a rising percentage of the overall cost of goods.

Five: Safety -- Risk evaluation is an ongoing trend for all manufacturers.

- Larry Turner is president and chief executive officer of Hannover Fairs USA.

A plant manager involved in manufacturing success, a top manufacturing analyst, and presi-dent of a manufacturing group will deliver key-notes at the 2012 Industrial Automation Summit, presented by CFE Media and Hannover Messe and

sponsored by Beckhoff, Sept. 12-13, part of the first Indus-trial Automation North America show at the 2012 IMTS Show, Sept. 10-15 in Chicago. The 2012 Industrial Automation Sum-mit keynote speakers are: Billy Taylor the plant manager at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s Fayetteville, NC plant, Karen Kurek, who heads McGladrey’s National Manufactur-ing Industry consultancy, and Douglas Woods, the president and CEO of the Association for Manufacturing Technology. See more at www.imts.com/education/ianaSummit.html

Diverse voices to keynote Industrial Automation Summit

success, a top manufacturing analyst, and presi-dent of a manufacturing group will deliver key-notes at the 2012 Industrial Automation Summit, presented by CFE Media and Hannover Messe and

sponsored by Beckhoff, Sept. 12-13, part of the first Indus-

Correction In the Control Engineering North American print edition, April 2012, p. 8, Peter Herzhoff’s name was spelled without an “h.” Control Engineering regrets the error. See extended online article: http://bit.ly/ITxGVi.





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Control Engineering International

CFE Media asked engineers forglobal engineering project advice.

Paul Bearn, PE, electrical services engineer, KlingStubbins, Philadelphia: Cultural differences become apparent quickly. One is quickly warned that to drink water during Ramadan would be insulting—even during an all-day pre-sentation. Stories about presentation of business cards in China and Japan, now cliché here, still hold true. For-eigners are usually afforded more lee-way with such slips of social etiquette than natives. There’s typically interest on both sides to learn more about each other’s culture and language. Exploring differences can build relationships and put everyone at ease. Areas of greater concern.[include] differences in what’s implied by a “contract.” An American project manager [may discover] that a contract signing is only a formality, sig-nifying the start of renegotiations.

Erin McConahey, PE, LEED AP, principal, Arup, Los Angeles: Local

codes and practices; generally a proj-ect refers to a specific countrywide code like the British Standards (BS), or European standards (EN), etc., but little is stated or written of what local authorities may expect and/or require. Sometimes multiple codes are stipulat-ed which may conflict with other codes.

Mehdi Jalayerian, PE, LEED AP BD+C, executive vice president, glob-al practice, Environmental Systems Design Inc., Chicago: Often... local codes and standards cannot be effec-tively applied to modern projects envi-sioned. Lack of applicability of local codes presents a challenge [and] oppor-tunity to help the local community of building authorities, utility companies, fire “brigades,” contractors, and owner-operators to become familiar first-hand with solutions, typically outside the scope of local codes and experience.

ONLINE—More in a “World of Dif-ference” tutorial, via Consulting-Speci-fying Engineer. http://bit.ly/IFdj0m

Global engineering tipsWhile engineering is a language spoken globally, this advice can help when working on your next international project.

Energy, data management, andeffective maintenance were three over-arching themes from the 2012 Han-nover Messe in Germany April 23-27. The strength of U.S. manufacturing global leadership was highlighted in the 5-day event. With Europe strug-gling to gain a more solid financial foothold and Asia wrestling with qual-ity, safety, and productivity issues, the focus of the world’s admiration was on the United States. The country’s ability to emerge from recession and the rela-tive strength of its economy were the envy of global manufacturers at Han-nover Messe this year.

“When you look more in-depth at the business, the patterns have changed,” said Michael Ziesemer, COO and board member of German-based Endress+Hauser. The U.S. busi-ness climate “is absolutely great.”

As the 2012 Partner Nation at Han-

nover Messe, China attracted much attention. Chinese premier Wen Jiabaosaid, in part, “China is confronted with major challenges and problems with industrialization, including an inefficient model for industrial devel-opment, lack of market competitive-ness, weak capacity for scientific and technological innovation, and low effi-ciency in the use of resources.”

Hannover officials said more than 25% of show attendees came from outside Germany.

U.S. manufacturing ‘renaissance’

The 2012 Hannover Messe focused on energy and data management, but the underlying strength of U.S. manufactur-ing also was a major topic.




letter.indd 1 2/17/2012 5:02:10 PM



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(impurity-free) electrode at both ends.A CCFL backlit LCD requires a sup-

ply voltage of more than 1000 V, typi-cally 1,200-1,500 V. A power-hungry inverter board drives the CCFL back-light. Despite the name, cold cathodes don’t remain cold as they operate; they can get painfully hot. High backlight temperatures reduce life span and can cause erratic operation. HMIs in India, Mexico, China, and the Middle East are subject to ambient temperatures of 45 C (113 F) with 95% humidity. For longer life and higher reliability, high-end man-ufacturers are turning to high-efficiency white LEDs, solid-state devices.

Unlike CCFLs, white LEDs do not have gases and phosphors requiring high voltages but can operate in the range of 5 V to 24 V without an inverter board, generating less heat than CCFLs. White LED backlit LCD displays gen-erally last twice as long as CCFL back-lights—75,000-100,000 hr without temperature effects (see first graph).

CCFL backlit LCD displays have 25 C operating temperatures; white have LED-based backlights capable of operat-ing up to 60 C (140 F) in humidity up to 95% (see last graph).

LED-based lighting has high effi-ciency as measured by light output per unit power input. Brightness is often measured in NITS (lumens / sq meter). An HMI with white LED backlights nor-mally exhibits roughly 500 nits, com-pared to the CCFL backlit LCD displays at roughly 200-300 nits. White LED backlight life span increases twofold, and brightness increases.

Redundancy helps. When a CCFL bulb fails, the LCD goes dark. With the white LED backlit HMI, if one of many LEDs burns out, the display dims in pro-portion, but it still can be used. Read more at http://bit.ly/JD8Jlu ce

- Edited by Mark T. Hoske, contentmanager, CFE Media, Control Engineer-ing, with information from Vikram Aditya Kumar, vice president, AVG/Uticor.

UPDATEUPDATEtechnology

Inception: Retrofit engineering a white LED for backlighting

Inspiration for white LEDs throughout an HMI

product line had a hot beginning. Shalabh Kumar, AVG Automation CEO, said, “I got the idea for [LED back-lighting] when landing in Ahmedabad, India, and the pilot said it was 42 C [108 F] at 7:30 p.m. I asked what the temperature was during the day, and it was 48 C [118 F]. In a manufacturing plant, a panel can easily be subjected to 60 C [140 F], which rapidly decreases operating life. Then we talked to manufacturers whose machines use operator inter-faces using CCFL displays. A year and a half life for a screen is not unusual.”

“While some screen manufactur-ers try to make the bulbs easy to replace, no one we talked to actu-ally replaces them in the field. They replace the entire operator inter-face [OI], which adds considerable expense,” Kumar said.

Operator panels using white LEDs

last up to 6 years, com-pared to 1.5 to 3 years maximum for CCFLs, with a much higher operating temperature range; in rugged environ-ments, especially in high-temperature areas, the higher initial cost is eas-ily made up by avoiding multiple OI replacements during the same operat-ing period, he suggested.

Kumar said, in the March 14 inter-view, that AVG is the only company in the world that offers white LED back-light as standard, throughout its Uticor Tough Panel line of HMIs.

- Mark T. Hoske is content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering.

http://controleng.com/hmi

last up to 6 years, com-

Shalli Kumar, AVG Auto-mation CEO, shows a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) removed from a backlit liquid crystal display (LCD), which is then retro-fit with an LED array for a Uticor Tough Panel HMI. CFE Media photo by Mark T. Hoske

Continued from p. 18

CTL1205_TechUpdate_V3msFINAL.indd 26 5/2/12 2:42 PM



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For more information, please contact Aryan Zandieh at (312) 924-1688 or [email protected].

Partner: Organized by:



When integrating machine vision and motion control, start with the integration type, based on the machine’s automa-tion tasks. Machine vision can solve many applications with automation solutions that can improve manufacturing efficiency, lower costs, and increase customer satisfaction with nearly zero defects and recalls. To maximize machine-vision benefits, integrators must focus on integrated system design. Whether used for basic automated inspection or for precise vision-guided automation, a well-conceived and developed design is key to achieving a high return on investment (ROI). Gain advantages by integrating the vision subsystem with a motion subsystem. Design emphasis provides an early and accurate bill of materials, mitigates risk from incompatible motion and vision components, reduces integration time and costs, and lowers the total cost of ownership while delivering machine-vision benefits.

In an integrated machine vision system, the motion and the vision systems can have varying levels of interaction, from basic information exchange to advanced vision-based feedback. The level of interaction depends on the requirements of the machine, that is, the sequence, the accuracy and precision, and the nature of the tasks that must be performed by the machine. Depending on the level of interaction between the motion and the vision sys-tems, a design can be based on one of four types of integration: synergetic integration, synchronized integration, vision-guided motion, and visual servo control. For a high ROI, the machine must meet the specified requirements at deployment and must scale well with next-generation process and product improve-ments. Integrators must identify current and future requirements then determine the type of integration best for the application.

Synergetic integrationSynergetic integration is the most basic type of integration.

In this type of integration, the motion and the vision systems

MachineVision

Focus on Quality

A well-designed machine vision system enables manufacturers to improve product quality, enhance process control, and increase manufacturing effi-ciency while lowering the total cost of ownership.

Considering vision as part of the machine design brings additional benefits. The machine vision design tutorial and applications provide ideas for your next automation project. Use the links at the end of each section to see more details and images. Look for the video links. See http://controleng.com/machinevision for more.

- Mark T. Hoske is content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, [email protected]

cover story

Design tips for machine vision

Vision-guided motion design follows the control loop: sense, decide, and actuate. NI LabVIEW software inte-grates machine vision, motion, and other elements. Courtesy: National Instruments

CTL1205_F0_MachineVision_V8msFINAL.indd 28 5/2/12 2:45 PM


Machine vision cutsassembly time

Photovoltaic (PV) assembly is among industries benefit-ting from a machine-vision enhanced automated soldering system, with shorter cycle times, higher product quality, and enhanced equipment usability.

PV manufacturers are using more automation to increase competitiveness. In a fully automated soldering system from Mondragon Assembly of Stockach, Germany, the intelligent vision system optimizes the process of soldering the cross-links between photovoltaic modules. Important factors in creating a perfect soldered joint are the largest possible contact area, the high strength of the compound, and a small contact resistance. These criteria largely determine the conductivity and current flow, thus ensuring a high degree of efficiency in the completed solar module.

Parallel workflow saves time. The quality inspection of the sol-dered joints themselves is performed by the automated soldering machine. With machine vision, Mondragon Assembly achieved cycle times of 80 seconds for cells with three busbars and mod-ules with six strings, significantly faster than manual production. See more application details and benefits: Machine vision cuts PV module assembly time.

http://bit.ly/IkM774- John Lewis is market development manager, Cognex Corp. www.cognex.com/in-sightwww.mondragon-assembly.com/photovoltaic-technology/?lang=en

exchange basic information such as velocity or a time base. The time to communicate between the motion and vision systems is typically on the order of tens of seconds. A good example of synergetic integration is a web inspection system, where the motion system moves the web, usually at a constant velocity. The vision system generates a pulse train to trigger cameras, and it uses the captured images to inspect the web. The vision system needs to know web velocity to determine the rate for triggering the cameras.

Synchronized integrationIn synchronized integration, the motion and the vision systems

VIDEO: Machine vision is syn-chronized with high-speed sort-ing, drawing a line on quality. In digital edition, click above or see http://controleng.com/videos. Courtesy: National Instruments

Diagrams show synchronized integration in high-speed sorting. Courtesy: National Instruments

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

Diagrams show synchronized integration in high-speed sorting. Courtesy: National InstrumentsDiagrams show synchronized integration in high-speed sorting. Courtesy: National Instruments

Continued on p. 33



Automated 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.

Installing a thread protector onto exposed threaded pipe on oil tools is a difficult and time-consuming job. No known automa-tion technologies performed this operation in industry prior to this because of the complexity of the operation and the many sizes and styles of thread protectors and pipes. JMP Engineer-ing worked with an oil industry manufacturer to develop a flexible automation process that uses two robots guided by machine vision to process a wide range of parts and that can easily be configured to handle future variants without programming.

“The key to the success of the application is the use of machine vision to locate parts for picking by the first robot and to check the diameter and location of the pipe before it is threaded by the second robot,” said Scott Pytel, project manager at JMP Engineering, which integrates machine vision and robots to handle applications where parts are not precisely located, not fixtured, and not clearly separated.

Thread protectors are installed on oil and gas pipes to prevent them from being damaged during shipping. The family as a whole

is assembled at relatively high volumes but no part number has the volume normally needed to justify automation. The oil tool manufacturer wanted to assemble thread protectors at a rate of about three per minute. High-torque pneumatic tools help, but it’s physically demanding.

In the bin picking operation, thread protectors are packed in bins in layers divided by cardboard sheets. The machine vision system rides on the robot arm. The vision system consists of an industrial machine vision camera that interfaces over a high-speed machine vision communication interface standard for industrial cameras with a frame grabber card on an industrial personal computer. A light emitting diode (LED) in the camera enclosure generates red light that helps overcome ambient light-ing to capture the image.

JMP programmers wrote a graphical user interface for the workcell in Microsoft Visual Basic that performs vision operations

by calling vision tools from a machine vision software library, which provides preconfigured, tightly inte-grated acquisition support for industrial cameras and video formats.

A multifunction robot with 55.2-in. horizontal reach and 80 kg payload capacity moves the camera above the bin and signals that it is in position to take a picture of the bin. The PLC passes a request to the vision sys-tem to take a picture. The camera takes the picture and the vision tool identifies the location of each thread protector in the bin, identi-fies the thread protectors in the image, and calculates

locations. The Visual Basic interface converts from pixels in the camera image to millimeters for the robot control system.

A PLC directs the robot to pick one of the thread protectors from the bin. The thread protectors come in 11 sizes, 4 to 8 in. dia. The vision system, trained on each part number, identifies the location of good parts and detects the presence of parts of the wrong size, intermingled with good parts.

The robot gives the part to a second robot (same model) that assembles the thread protector to the pipe. The PLC stores part positions in one layer of the bin and commands the robot to pick

Vision-Guided Robots Add

Productivity

Two robots work together, with the threader on the left and the bin picker on the right. Courtesy: Cognex, JMP Engi-neering

The robot picks thread protectors from the bin, in layers divided by card-board sheets. Courtesy: Cognex, JMP Engineering

cover story



up each. When the bin is empty the robot removes the cardboard divider and the camera takes an image of the next layer.

The second robot carries the thread protector over to a fixture with the oil tool assembly, exposing the sections of pipe where a thread protector is to be installed.

An industrial machine vision camera attached to the second robot locates the pipe for thread protector installation. A brick red light shines on the pipe at an oblique angle to create a shadow that enables accurate pipe diameter measurement. Machine vision software checks pipe diameter to ensure it matches the thread protector and more accurately determines pipe location. The robot arm has a compliance device that allows the pipe thread to pull the arm and the thread protector as it screws onto the pipe.

The most recent camera image is displayed on the screen along with results, such as the sizes the thread protector and pipe. The part-picking robot image and results appear on the left side of the screen and the thread assembly robot image and results appear on the right. A configuration menu enables the operator to configure the camera.

Pytel said the application may “lead to a new generation of vision-enabled robots that will help improve productivity and qual-ity in the oil tool industry.”

More application details and benefits, including oil tool manu-facturing automation, traditional pattern matching versus geo-metric pattern matching, calibration, and commissioning: Vision-guided robots automate oil tool assembly.

http://bit.ly/I6TfqJ- John Lewis is market development manager, Cognex Corp. www.cognex.comwww.jmpeng.comhttp://controleng.com/machinevision

ONLINE

More photos, diagrams, product URLs

Technology checklist for oil tool automated assembly

Machine vision technologies for photovoltaic soldering

Video: Machine vision-motion system draws a line on quality

Machine vision cameras, controllers, software

All linked at http://controleng.com/machinevision

Screen capture from the CognexVisionPro application shows (left) the picture of the bin and (right) the pipe. Courtesy: Cog-nex, JMP Engineering

Screen capture shows a Cognex VisionPro picture of the thread protector bin. Courtesy: Cognex, JMP Engi-neering

This shows the bin-picking robot from the parts’ point of view; camera is upper right. Courtesy: Cognex, JMP Engineering

The threader robot approaches a pipe. Courtesy: Cognex, JMP Engineering



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.

If you haven’t integrated machine vision on an automation line or machines recently, you could be missing some powerful and cost-effective solutions. Andy Wright, manager of automation engineering at Istech, helps the company provide turnkey custom automation solutions for a variety of industries using advanced computer and automation technologies.

Istech’s first project using a new vision platform vision con-sisted of designing and building a custom assembly machine for Conductive Technologies, in the medical device industry. The machine applies lids—clear plastic strips that come on a roll and peel off like labels—to sheets of plastic substrates. Each sheet has six silk-screened substrates, or coupons, on it. To apply the lids reliably and accurately to meet production goals, a series of features on each lid must be aligned with each cor-responding coupon. Plant floor personnel had performed this process by hand; however, this method lacked consistency, was time consuming, and did not provide the required throughput and accuracy. As a result, Istech engineers designed a machine vision system into the assembly machine. Four high-resolution, GigE cameras connect to an industrial controller, which provides expandable Gigabit Ethernet camera interfaces to decrease system costs for multicamera applications. Two cameras are on opposite sides of the sheet; two more are at each end of the lid.

After a sheet is loaded onto a moving vacuum table, the sheet cameras identify and locate the six coupons. The lid cameras identify and locate the corresponding features on each lid. Vision system software performs calculations and provides X, Y, and rotational correction values. These values are transferred to an Epson robot, which positions the lid on each coupon. Heat sealers then attach each lid, and when six are complete, the sheet is offloaded to a stack for further processing. The machine vision system’s ability to process information asynchronously was essential to the success of this application. To achieve the

required cycle rates, Istech programmed the robot to work ahead. As one sheet is being taken off the vacuum table, a new lid is ready to go as the next sheet is loaded. Normally, the vision val-ues are completed first for a given coupon; however, during the sheet exchange sequence, the lid data is calculated first. Infor-mation from the cameras must be transmitted asynchronously.

“The algorithms in this application were straightforward,” and data handling is what made the machine vision system success-ful. Human assemblers at Conductive Technologies (Istech’s cus-tomer) required several minutes to align and apply lids to each sheet. “Our spec was to run one sheet in 30 seconds, and we were able to beat that rate,” Wright said. The installed machine’s lid placement accuracy far exceeds initial project goals. The machine vision software provides an “extremely powerful set of programming tools in a cost-effective product,” Wright said.

See video at www.youtube.com/user/ISTECHInc. More details and benefits: Build better machines with machine vision.

http://bit.ly/I5eTVe- Maureen Clancy is marketing project manager, Teledyne

Dalsa. www.teledynedalsa.comwww.conductivetech.comwww.istech.us.comwww.robots.epson.com

Build B etter Machines W ith

Machine Vision

Istech provides turnkey custom automation solutions for a variety of industries using advanced computer and automation technologies. GigE cameras identify and locate the cou-pons and lid features. Teledyne Dalsa Sherlock vision soft-ware performs calculations and pro-vides X, Y, and rotational correction values, which an Epson robot uses to position the lid on each coupon accordingly. Courtesy: Teledyne Dalsa

cover story


Design tips for machine visionare synchronized through high-speed I/O triggering. High-speed signals wired between the motion and the vision systems are used to trigger events and communicate commands between the two systems. This I/O synchronization effectively synchronizes the software routines running on the individual systems. A good example of synchronized integration is high-speed sorting based on color, shape, or size differences.

With high-speed sorting, the vision system triggers a camera to capture the image of a part moving across the camera. The motion system uses the same trigger to capture the position of the part. Next, the vision system analyzes the image to determine if the part of interest exists at that position. If it does, that position is buffered. Because the conveyor is moving at a constant veloc-ity, the motion system can use the buffered position to trigger an air nozzle later on the conveyor. As the part reaches the air nozzle, the nozzle blows the part to a different conveyor, sorting colored parts. Food industry sorts product types and discards defective products using high-speed sorting. It achieves a high throughput, lowers labor costs, and reduces defective shipments.

Vision-guided motionIn vision-guided motion, the vision system helps guide the

motion system, such as part position or the error in part orienta-tion. More advanced integration types add a layer of interaction between the motion and vision systems, such as high-speed I/O triggering. Flexible feeding is an example, where parts exist in random positions and orientations. The vision system takes an

image of the part, determines part coordinates, and then pro-vides coordinates to the motion system. The motion system uses coordinates to move an actuator to the part to pick it up or correct orientation prior to placing, which eliminates need for fixtures to orient and position parts before a pick and place. Overlap inspec-tion steps can overlap placement tasks. The vision system can inspect the part for defects and provide pass/fail information to the motion system; the actuator can discard the defective part.

Online, read more, including design challenges, integrated vision software programming, and visual servo control with more diagrams, photos, and video: Machine vision: Focus on design.

http://bit.ly/IccyOe- Priya Ramachandran is a senior engineer at National Instru-

ments. www.ni.com/vision ce

Continued from p. 29

Vision-guided motion block diagram includes a control loop, sense, decide, and actuate. Courtesy: National Instruments





Here’s a common situation: You need to find a new TV and DVD player for your home entertainment system. At your local big box retailer you find lots of individual components

and a few offerings that incorporate all the parts into one unit. Which do you choose? An all-in-one package is convenient, uncomplicated, and mini-mizes the size of the system, but may not offer all the features or flexibility of individual compo-nents. Maybe you want a Blu-ray player but it’s not available. Now, change the circumstances and

make the same selection for your conference room at work. Does a different application cause you to make a different choice?

If you are working on an appli-cation that will require selecting a PLC and HMI (human-machine interface) to control a machine or part of a process unit, you might go through the same thought process. While the controller and interface traditionally would

have been separate items, increasing processor power combined with lower electronics costs make it practical to offer integrated PLC/HMI units in one package. These can offer a high level of simplicity and convenience in the right applica-tions, but they aren’t suitable for everything.

Combination units typically include a range of elements:

HMI, including a display that is probably a touchscreen plus separate buttons

PLC, with an appropriate level of processor power and functionality, and

I/O, with appropriate numbers and types. Some offer expandability using additional add-on modules.

Proponents of such designs make the point that they are very convenient and minimize the amount of cabling and cabinet space. All the wiring goes to one point to simplify troubleshooting. Even the software is simpler in that there does not need to be separate programming for the PLC and HMI.

“When you have the PLC and the HMI all built into one, you only need one piece of program-ming software to program both the PLC function-ality and the HMI functionality,” says Sam Schuy, engineering manager, Maple Systems, Inc. “So from the standpoint of the learning curve, it short-ens the amount of time required to learn how to use and program the product.”

A limited selectionLike finding a combination TV and DVD, your

choices in an integrated unit will be far more lim-ited than individual components. Consequently, your ability to enjoy the convenience will depend on whether your application can operate with-in those constraints. For supplier companies that want to offer such products, it’s a matter of deter-mining which combination of capabilities will be the most universal and therefore marketable. One size does not fit all, but manufacturers like to keep

Peter Welander

Integrated HMI/PLC Packages Offer Convenience, but Only in the Right ApplicationsChoices of controllers that include an integrated HMI in one package are growing. These promise greater simplicity if the combination of elements works in your situation.

Integrated control devices

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The quantity and function of the push buttons can be selected to suit the specific application. Courtesy: Maple Systems

Most integrated control-ler and HMI packages have relatively small displays. Adding mem-brane push buttons allows for more func-tions without a touch screen.

CTL1205_F1_Integrating_V3msFINAL.indd 34 5/2/12 2:52 PM

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the number of productvariations as low as possible. Since those selections are driv-en by applications, it can come down to choosing particular markets. For exam-ple, if you are aiming at packag-ing machinery, you can identify common needs and fulfill those.

“It’s a matter of knowing the mar-ket that you’re trying to address with an integrated unit. If you say, ‘These are the OEMs and applications where we’re going to go,’ they will sell like popcorn,” says Tom Elswick, manager of the prod-uct management group, automation sys-tems factory automation for Siemens Industry. His experience said that the hardest combination to get right was the CPU and display. For general applica-tions, it was easier to integrate I/O with the CPU and make the HMI separate.

Elswick adds, “With the I/O and CPU built together we have a much better hit-rate of meeting the application. We allow the customer to say, ‘I want a 15-in. screen,’ or ‘I want a 10-in. screen.’ That was the mix piece that we struggled with. For certain people, we hit the sweet spot, and it was great. But from a broad-based standpoint, typically the amount of I/O, the type of I/O, and the type of CPU is a much closer correlation. With the HMI, you might have a very powerful CPU, but you really want a small HMI because you’re connecting with a SCADA system where it’s doing more of the bigger-pic-ture processing. Or, you want a lower-end CPU without much I/O or much function-ality, but you want a really nice graphi-cal front end with lots of diagnostics and functionality.”

Convenient yes,but a good idea?

There are conceptual issues with anintegrated platform that make some users uncomfortable. “Most people, when they look at their PLC, they see it as dedicat-ed to safe, efficient, and effective control. That’s it,” says John Krajewski, director

of product management for HMI supervisory, Invensys Operations Management. “They don’t want it doing anything else, and they don’t want there to be other functions bringing down that performance, particularly when it relates to safety. If you have a common CPU, and you start doing things in the HMI that start utilizing that CPU so that it’s no longer available for control, that can be a bad situation. You don’t want people using it to make calls to a database that could have the CPU very busy for a time, when it’s also responsible for ensuring that it’s going to be doing interlocks that are responsible for safety. That’s been the common argument against bringing them together.”

Krajewski acknowledges that poten-tially hazardous applications probably won’t use an integrated solution to begin with, given the complexity of those sys-tems, but the same idea could apply to discrete manufacturing situations that depend on fast response from the PLC.

Who’s using the HMI?Integrated units typically have mod-

est screen sizes, although product offer-ings are evolving. To a large extent that is driven by the expectation of where such equipment will be deployed. A skid that is built with a pump, strainer, flowmeter, and control valve for installation in a larg-er process unit will almost certainly be connected to a larger control system and operated from a central control room. A human operator may only interface with the skid’s HMI when there is a problem, so elaborate graphics would rarely be enjoyed.

On the other hand, in some appli-cations, such as packaging or food and


Some units offer modularI/O blocks that allow variable counts and types. Courtesy: Maple Systems.




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beverage plants, a local operator maybe working with that device almost con-stantly. Krajewski explains, “If you’re in an industry like food and beverage, it’s much more common to have operators right there because they will need to add material or make sure everything is mov-ing forward, so they tend to be more co-located with the equipment. Other areas it may not be practical. If you think about water and wastewater, there may be many miles between systems.”

Appealing costs for OEMsSiemens’ Elswick says that most of

the purchasing activity he’s seen on inte-grated units comes from OEM accounts that are serving discrete industries, or discrete applications in process environ-ments. “They’re building a specific piece of equipment, and there’s a definite pur-

Some integrated devices have more spe-cific purposes, such as this temperature controller. It includes extensive historian capabilities. Courtesy: Invensys Opera-tions Management

Even a small screen can display useful graphics, but will that device be used to operate the machinery on a daily basis? Some will only be used for troubleshoot-ing. Courtesy Maple Systems.




Control Engineering covers relevant topical articles in a variety of e-Newsletters each and every month:

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pose,” he says. “An OEM thinks, ‘I’mgoing to build 200 of these this year. I know what my I/O looks like, I know

how many I/O points, and I know what my screens look like.’ That’s when this kind of device fits perfect-ly with the right price and performance ratio.”

While all types of users are cost con-scious, OEMs have to be especially aware

of how much cost any com-ponent or manufacturing step adds to a product. An integrated unit offers a very effective way to avoid the labor costs related to mounting a larger number of components and buying those items. A single unit can be installed more quick-ly, probably in a smaller enclosure, and avoid the need for additional cables and accessories.

“When you look at how an OEM

prices up a machine, they’re going to count every little item, every cable, every wire tray, everything that they have to do, because they all add to the cost,” Krajewski says. “At the end of the day, it’s the economics that drive these decisions.”

The limits of practicalityAs mentioned earlier, integrated units

tend to be at the lower end of the func-tionality spectrum. As applications move into higher I/O counts and greater pro-gramming complexity, the practicality ofoffering an off-the-shelf unit that fits such an application is much smaller and suppli-ers don’t see the benefit. Still, some pro-ducers feel they have yet to see the full extent of the market.

Schuy believes there is still room to expand the product line. Maple Systems’ initial integrated offerings have used rela-tively small screen sizes of 3.5- and 5.7-in., while the company’s separate HMIs go as high as 15-in. New integrated units with 7- and 10-in. screens are being eval-

Integrating HMIs with PC-based controlis also a growing trend. The concept of a soft PLC built into an industrial PC can provide much versatility. Courtesy: Siemens.


CTL1205_F1_Integrating_V3msFINAL.indd 38 5/2/12 2:52 PMCTL120501-MAG_Ads.indd 38 5/3/2012 10:22:53 AM

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uated, but he thinks those are pushinguseful limits. “Once you get into the larg-er screens, the cost difference between conventional components and a combi-nation HMI/PLC gets closer together,” he says. “The majority of the cost is in the display itself. That’s the most expensive part. If a customer wants a larger screen, say 10-, 12-, or 15-inch, they’re probably going to go ahead and do it separately.”

I/O options are also limited. A user that wants to install a system in a pro-cess manufacturing plant using smart instrumentation via HART or a fieldbus network will find few if any integrated options. The greater availability of I/O for discrete sensors reflects the slant toward discrete applications.

Other types of integrationAs Elswick already mentioned, Sie-

mens finds it easier to integrate I/O and a PLC without the HMI. Invensys and Sie-mens both see growing opportunities for integration of HMIs with PC-based con-trollers rather than more traditional PLCs. Krajewski reports more OEMs are ask-ing for HMIs that can be laid on top of those controllers, now that technology has caught up with the concept of using soft PLCs. “We had entered the PC-based control market back in the late 1990s with the Wonderware InControl product, and at that time it was too early. There weren’t embedded operating systems and those kinds of things. Back then we were talk-ing about Windows 95 and 98, and people didn’t trust those for control.”

Evolving technologies are going in a wider variety of directions than ever before, so users can select an offer-ing precisely aligned with the needs of a given application. The greatest chal-lenge is often sifting through the dizzy-ing range of choices. ce

Peter Welander is a content manag-er for Control Engineering. Reach him at [email protected].

When the display is large enough, a touch screen allows for the most flexibility of virtual knobs and but-tons. However, these have minimum space requirements for practicality. Courtesy: Invensys Operations Management

‘It’s a matter of knowing the market

that you’re trying to address with an integrated unit.’





All control panel design activ-ity must start with an awareness of the enclosures’ working environ-ment, according to David McCar-thy, president and chief executive officer, TriCore Inc., who offered the following advice.

Follow the National Electronics Manufacturers Association (NEMA) standard environmental ratings for the area for all components in the panel. For example, in many food plants all external surfaces are coat-ed daily with sanitizing foam pro-ducing airborne corrosives, and then rinsed with 80 lb force of hose-directed water. This area requires NEMA 4x rated equipment. Using a NEMA 12 enclosure, which provides some protection against water ingress from dripping or light splashing, would not meet the require-ments of this area. Don’t mix and match com-ponents within an enclosure, in particular for externally mounted devices on the panel.

Where risk of arc flash exists, panels should be externally stickered, alerting workers of the risk. Requirements for working in such panels should include wearing appropriate personal protection equipment for the panel.

When dealing with pneumatic equipment in the panel, always exhaust the air outside the panel. A recommended practice is to put the pneumatic penetrations low in the panel. Mois-ture in pneumatic air is a common problem, so placing the entry low will insure there are no drips on electronic equipment, should moisture ever become a problem. It is also a good idea to use a low micron prefilter for biologics and some water, coupled with a coalescing filter, to remove the majority of water in the air.

To better protect equipment, wiring conduit

penetrations should never be at the top of the panel. Moisture and water in conduit lines are not that uncommon. Penetrations near the bot-tom are the safest from an equipment protec-tion standpoint but will be harder to work with for the electricians. Mid-level side-mount pen-etrations are a common compromise.

While not necessary, systems will be easi-er to maintain with true earth grounds versus floating grounds. This can help mitigate panel equipment damage in the event of inadvertent cross-connects between two potential levels.

A good practice is to segregate signal types. TriCore engineers group discrete I/O and ana-log I/O by voltage type. Always run analog signals in shielded cable. It is a good practice to minimize interference as combining dif-ferent voltage types in internal panel wiring ducts. (Conflicting voltages should cross at right angles to minimize interference.)

Read more: http://bit.ly/JNYw3D. www.tricore.comwww.nema.org

Control Panel,Enclosure Design AdviceDesign considerations for enclosures include ratings, filters, input and output, networking, safety, heating and cooling, and access.

tips and tricks

An environment such as hot and sunny rooftop in California must be taken into account before select-ing a material. Stainless steel, polycarbonate, and composite materials are among options. Courtesy: SpecTech, Stalin

Control panels, enclosure designs

Control enclosure design considerations include ratings, filters, input and output, networking, safe-ty, access, heating and cooling. Consider materi-al selection for electrical components and control enclosure design; should you use metal, plastics, or composites? Con-trol, electronics, network, and data center enclo-sures require temperature control techniques for reliable performance. Iso-lating high-temperature components is an increas-ingly popular method. Smaller components packed into enclosures generate the same amount of heat. Proper cooling can boost system longev-ity and reliability, reduc-ing risk of failure. Heat exchangers are among options for sealed elec-tronic enclosures.

- Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering.

CTL1205_F2_Enclosure_V3msFINAL.indd 40 5/2/12 2:53 PM


By gaining an understanding of materials used for electrical enclosures, the designer or specifier can choose the material that will best meet product performance goals, according to Roger Schroder, director of SpecTech Enclo-sures & Materials. He offered guidance.

Materials used to protect electrical compo-nents can be metallic or nonmetallic, but it must serve its function of protection for the life of the installation. Durability and longevity are key. Three typical types of materials are available: metal, plastic, and composites.

Common metal material choices include car-bon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. Car-bon steel, the most prominent choice based on its low initial cost, is typically galvanized or painted to prolong the service life. Premium metals, such as stainless steel and aluminum, are used where long life, corrosion resistance, and weatherability are critical, such as protect-ing controls for junction boxes for utility power photovoltaic (PV) installations.

Thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, poly-ester, and polyvinyl chloride offer corrosion protection beyond painted carbon steel. Ther-moplastics are more susceptible to ultraviolet (UV) and weathering degradation over time. UV degradation rate varies by heat, humidity,

and latitude of installation. Additives and for-mulations can help reduce failure. Thermoset materials (such as polyester resins combined with glass) create a durable, weather-resistant composite fiberglass-reinforced polyester. FRP can replace many stainless steel applications and perform better than metal and plastics in extremely harsh environments.

SpecTech offers two days of materi-als instruction for 16 accredited Professional Development Hour credits, in Belding, Mich.

For more on comparing material options, see: http://bit.ly/IKFiLg.

www.spectechedu.com

Equipment enclosures for controls, elec-tronics, network equipment, and data cen-ters require cooling for reliable performance. Brian Mordick is senior product manag-er – cabinets, Pentair Technical Products’ Hoffman Brand, supplied the following information.

Applying the appropriate cooling configu-ration requires considering the total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) requirements. Cooling TCO costs are not limited to capital expenses associ-ated with purchasing and implementing cool-ing equipment. Data center managers must also include operational costs and additional design features that can lead to significant savings.

Cabinet configuration goal for simple or complex configurations is the same: help deliv-er the necessary amount of cool air to each server.

n Hot aisle/cold aisle cooling systems are designed to separate hot exhaust from cold intake air. Hot exhaust exits through cabinet rears and is directed to computer room air con-ditioner and computer room air handler (CRAC/CRAH) units, which remove the heat and redis-tribute air to the cold aisles.

n Chimney cabinet cooling solutions consist of a cabinet with top ductwork, which directs

hot exhaust air to an above drop ceiling or duc-twork that further directs the airflow to the intakes of the CRAC/CRAH unit.

n Containment systems erect a barrier to segregated airflows—preventing them from mixing, which reduces energy costs, minimizes hot spots, and improves the data center’s car-bon footprint. A 2007 Pacific Gas and Electric study said containment systems can provide an average of 20% savings in chiller operating costs. This allows them to decrease the energy needed to move cold air by 75%, according to a study completed by Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory.

n In-row cooling: Dedicated cooling units placed between cabinets allow in-row cooling to capture exhaust air and neutralize it before it mixes with cold air. In-row cooling solutions can result in an estimated 82% utility savings.

More details and images online, include cab-inet design tips, how to avoid excessive utility expenses, images, graphics, and tables on chim-ney cabinets, containment systems, in-row cool-ing, data center cooling, and an annual savings chart. http://bit.ly/JggB6A

www.pentairtechnicalproducts.com/prod-ucts_hoffman.html

www.hoffmanonline.com

Hot aisle/cold aisle systems are designed to separate hot exhaust from cold intake air, improving operating efficiency in a data center. Cour-tesy: Pentair Technical Products

Heat exchangers are com-pact, efficient thermal management solutions for sealed electronic enclo-sures. This kind of air-to-air heat exchanger is installed through the cabinet wall, with half the system inside the cabinet and the other half located outside. Air circulates in each half, transfering heat from inside the enclosure to outside. Courtesy: Thermacore

Materials matterfor enclosure design

Cooler enclosures



As equipment designers have reduced the size of electronic components and retain or increase power, the control cabinet also has shrunk, which saves space on an oftentimes crowded factory floor, but smaller electronic components generate the same amount of heat, in a much tinier space, explained W. John Bilski, senior engineer, Thermacore Inc. He offered the following advice.

Properly cooling the electronics, which have varying levels of temperature sensitiv-ity, boosts system longevity and reliability, and reduces the risk for failure. In a smaller cabi-net, where there is less surface area to dissipate the heat, there is a greater need for a thermal management solution.

A thermal management solution like an air-to-air heat exchanger helps ensure that elec-tronics are working properly. Accurate sizing as part of the design process is key and var-ies by type and number of heat-generating components.

An electronics cabinet for an outdoor appli-cation, like a cell phone tower, is also heated by the sun. If the enclosure is not insulated, sunlight adds to

the heat that is generated by the components inside the cabinet. The heat exchanger would need to be larger to compensate for the extra solar heat load.

When trying to determine heat loads, many customers may overestimate, for future equip-ment. If components generate 1,000 W of energy, some customers double the cooling requirement to accommodate future poten-tial growth. With more heat load, the size of the heat exchanger required to dissipate that extra heat also grows larger, and more space in the electronics cabinet must be devoted to the exchanger. Doubling the heat load approxi-mately doubles the size of the heat exchanger.

An air-to-air heat exchanger keeps the tem-perature of the air inside the cabinet warm-er than ambient air. An electronics cabinet may function normally if the temperature is 20 degrees above the outside ambient air. But if the desired temperature difference is 10 degrees so that the other 10 degrees is a safety margin, the size of the heat exchanger doubles to meet that new requirement—and the custom-er will need to pay a lot more for something

that is not really needed.When the maximum external

ambient temperature equals or is higher than the maximum tem-perature inside the enclosure, an air conditioner is required to cool the air inside the enclosure below the external ambient tempera-ture. Air conditioners (with con-densation drains, compressors, and seals that can leak) can cost more to operate (due to higher electrical usage and higher main-tenance costs).

Online, read more about con-vection, fans, cold plates, heat exchangers, temperature moni-toring, alarms and reliability. http://bit.ly/J3JWnz

www.thermacore.com

Cabinet electronics: Thermal calculations

More accessibility with less access decreases risk

Panel interface connectors (PICs) or access ports enable a user to test and maintain equipment

without opening the panel. This arc mitigation solu-tion alleviates the need for personal protection equipment (PPE) and the need for a trained electri-cian to de-energize the system.

Panel interface connectors mount to the out-side of the control panel. A typical PIC will contain a power supply (single, duplex, GFCI) and one or more connectors commonly used for programmable devices. These connectors include D-Sub, RJ45/Eth-ernet, USB, DeviceNet, and others. Often there will be a 3-amp reset as well.

While there are situations when a system needs to be shut down for full access, using a PIC saves time and money and allows for testing and maintenance in an energized state. Making adjustments to equip-ment and network systems and having the ability to monitor changes in short order is a huge time sav-ings. http://bit.ly/IxaQFl

- Lynne Keener is marketing coordinator at Men-com, www.Mencom.com. ce

Industrial electri-cal connectors can reduce risk by avoid-ing having to open an enclosure or control cabinet. Courtesy: Mencom Corp.

ONLINE

4 articles on these topics include more advice, images, and graphics. See links after each section.

See more about system integration at http://controleng.com/integration.

tips and tricks



Deciding whether to keep an auto-mation integration project or pro-cess control services in-house or out-source some or all, depends on many criteria, perhaps most obvi-

ously workload, but also risks of an implemen-tation gone awry if inside experts bite off more than they can chew.

While it may seem logical to keep as many services in-house as possible, factors to consid-er include workload, forecasting work, schedule, deadlines, expertise, design quality, liability, and risk, according to John Koehler, director of sales, and Melissa Striet, technical marketing coordina-tor, Process Plus.

It may seem like common sense to keep as much work in-house as possible, Koehler and Striet noted. Why would you hire someone to complete work that you can do yourself? If auto-

mation and operational engineering services are your core competencies, then keeping those ser-vices in-house may make sense, they said.

However, if these are services that do not make up the majority of your business, Koehler and Striet said, you may want to reconsider. Providing a service that is not at the core of your business practice may detract from your bottom line.

“You need to consider factors such as over-head costs for these employees, cost-effective-ness, as well as missed opportunity costs related to your staff who are not contributing to your core competency,” they said.

“With every design project, there are two basic cost elements: the cost of the services, and the overall lifecycle cost of the project.” Hired-out engineering costs equal the price of the pur-chase order. In-house costs are more than just

Mark T. Hoske

System Integration Services: In-house or Hired Out?Should automation and process control services and system integration projects be performed in-house or hired out? Advice follows from system integrators working on the front lines of project management for automation and process control.

services

Smaller companies may benefit the most from sup-plementing in-house staff for automation services or project-based support. Courtesy: Optimation

CTL1205_F3_ServicesV3msFINAL.indd 43 5/2/12 2:55 PM


salaries and benefits, depending on accurate record-keeping of time spent on the project, and other activities associated with the project, such as travel and supplies, profit, as well an accurate estimate of overhead. Comparison can be diffi-cult over a project’s lifecycle, Koehler and Stri-et said.

Considerations, said Koehler and Striet,

include the following. � Workload peaks, valleys� Project schedule and capacity� Project expertise � Quality and innovation� Liability and risks For more details on each, read this article

online at http://bit.ly/IcBIMO. Also see “Con-siderations checklist for services.”

Outsourcing business caseMake a business case for getting help with

automation support services and ensure you get the right skill sets for the processes and technol-ogies needed, said Cherri J Schmidt, strategic account manager, TEC Systems Group.

“As the manufacturing environment becomes increasingly automated, companies often focus their investments on improving the skills of the production team to use the new technolo-gies,” Schmidt said. But what about the skills and knowledge of the resources that have to sup-port and maintain these new systems? The elec-tricians, technicians, and engineers who make up the plant services organization are frequent-ly left behind, often overlooked during the plan-ning stages of the new solution, and the last to receive training, she said. And career advance-ment opportunities are limited—unless they are

services

Considerations checklist for services: In-house or hired out? Use this checklist to help decide if automation engineering services should be in-house or hired out.

Yes No Consideration questions

� � Are automation and operational engineering services a core competency for your company?

� � Do automation and operational engineering services make up the majority of your business?

� � By taking on this project in-house, will there be missed opportunities to take on more profit-able projects?

� � Considering your current workload and staff size, can your in-house staff support this project?

� � Does the one-time cost of a hired-out consultant outweigh the cost of hiring additional in-house staff?

� � Does your in-house staff have the ability to meet the critical deadlines dictated by the project schedule?

� � Is the project schedule flexible enough for the work to be forecasted to help fill in gaps in your in-house workload?

� � Does your in-house staff have the special expertise or specific project experience necessary to complete the project?

� � Will you receive the same quality of work in-house as you would by hiring out the engineering services?

� � Are you willing to take on the risk and potential liability associated with this project?

� � TOTAL

If the majority of answers are “yes,” then you may consider keeping the service in-house. If the majority of answers are “no,” then consider hiring out your engineering services, suggests ProcessPlus, www.processplus.com.

‘A hybrid approach keeps the

mission-critical engineering

skills in-house and outsources more general

purpose services.’

Best practices when outsourcingsystem integration: Manage risks1. Treat existing employees with respect

2. Keep the mission-critical work in-house

3. Use clearly defined, performance-based contracts

4. Preserve your best resources

5. Choose a reliable and established service provider

6. Hedge your bets: Consider keeping at least two service providers on long-term contract

Courtesy: TEC Systems Group



willing to move out of their chosen field and into the mainstream of the company’s business. Out-sourcing these highly skilled electrical and auto-mation support services is growing in popularity as a way of improving quality and responsive-ness of these services while reducing the total cost of acquiring them.

In-house, outsourced, hybridFaced with these challenges, manufactur-

ers have a variety of staffing options available, Schmidt said.

“At one extreme, they keep all of the elec-trical and automation engineering, for capi-tal projects and maintenance, in-house. At the other extreme, they outsource nearly all such services. Increasingly, however, the most suc-cessful companies have seemed to settle on a hybrid approach, keeping the mission-critical engineering skills in-house and outsourcing the more general purpose services.”

For more justification citing product variety, customization, cost, quality, safety, regulations, and enterprise resource planning integration, debunking in-house arguments, and helping human-resources, managing outsourcing risks, read this online: http://bit.ly/Ifxu5Z.

Process control maintenance servicesSystem integration and maintenance servic-

es for process control systems and IT infrastruc-ture extend through the full lifecycle of a project. When deciding between in-house or hired-out integrator, consider the quality and type of ser-vices available, and ask the following questions, according to Vladimir Morenko, director-general, Industrial Automation Systems LLC (Insist Avto-matika), Russia.

What does the customer receive if he gets an engineering company involved in service mainte-nance at all stages of a control system lifecycle?

What essential components determine the qual-ity of services? What criteria should be used to choose service contractor? What to choose: ser-vices of an automation vendor or services of an independent system integrator? How can one rec-oncile requirements for the independence of the system integrator and his loyalty to the vendor?

Morenko, drawing on input from Andrey Perminov, Sergey Faruntsev, and Elena Kholi-na, offers the following process control system contractor services checklist to help with the decision.

Anatomy of service quality: What should a contractor be able to do? Based on service main-tenance experiences, the following tasks should be fulfilled at the stage of process automation systems, information systems, and instrumenta-tion operation:

Minimize risks related to control systems of various levels (instrumentation, field facilities control, supervisory control level, manufacturing control)

Secure the required level of accessibility and reliability of control systems

Minimize downtime of main process equip-ment (production, injection wells, booster pump stations, central processing facilities, pipelines, etc.)

Increase energy efficiency and equipment productivity

Increase quality of products Minimize repair time and ensure high qual-

ity of repair Reduce cost of equipment maintenance Continuously modernize system hardware

and software, responding quickly to changes in technologies and requirements of regulating authorities

To reach these goals a service contractor should have the experience and resources to:

Schedule preventive maintenance of pro-

While oil-field storage tanks provide a repository for products, system integrators can provide steady stream of process control, services, and project management talent. Courtesy: Industrial Automation Systems LLC (Insist Avtomatika), Russia

ONLINE

For 4 full-length articles from these sources, click the short URLs after each section. Sources’ sites follow.

www.industrialsystems.ru/en

www.optimation.us

www.processplus.com

www.tecsystemsgroup.com

www.controlsys.org

http://controleng.com/integration

http://controleng.com/integrators



Need automation engineering services? Value and involve in-house automation

engineers, select the right outsourced team, help the hired system integrator understand the business, and play an active role with everyone focused on clearly defined proj-ect results for preserving value of control systems, one of the most important parts of your plant. What’s the right balance of inside or hired-out services? Optimation system integrators explain when it makes sense to maintain a team of your own, and when to seek assistance.

When considering whether or not to hire your own automation engineers, consider the benefits of keeping this capability in-house.

“An in-house staff will be familiar with specific manufacturing operations and com-pany requirements better than an outside firm,” said Jim Cummings, general manager of Optimation’s Philadelphia office.

That familiarity can be a valuable asset to companies with sensitive information, such as trade secrets, new products in develop-ment, and special processes.

“An in-house team can be leveraged to keep proprietary information internal to the company,” said Mike Triassi, business development manager at Optimation.

While secrecy may be a factor for some companies, size may be a concern for oth-ers. “Smaller companies probably find that the smaller in-house staff will not have all of the capabilities to do a wide range of short-term projects with specific technical needs,” said Greg Gacioch, regional sales manager for Optimation’s Minnesota office.

Dan Purvis, general manager of Optima-tion’s Southwest offices, recommends, a “small group of people that really know their way around it all. But your automation

needs will ebb and flow. You may hire up for a major implementation project, but then after that’s complete, then what?”

Cumming cautioned that internal staff may not be able to keep up with the latest technologies as easily as an outside firm.

Even with an in-house team, consider schedule and project complexity, the “two biggest reasons to hire out,” said Purvis. And when the new project needs outpace the capacity of internal resources, the choice is to hire more staff, delay projects, or contract services.

Therefore, the outsourced team selection process should include a review of project methodologies and evidence of adherence to best practices, such as those advocated by the Control System Integrators Associa-tion (CSIA). They will often leverage proven efficiency techniques, such as require-ments traceability and risk mitigation documentation, conferencing capabilities for design and system reviews, and remote webcam witnessing of factory acceptance tests.

In the end, Cummings, Gacioch, Purvis, and Triassi concede that even the best outsourced team with the greatest skills is still going to have a learning curve when it comes to understanding your business, over and above the in-house staff. The key to a successful project with an outside firm is to play an active role every step of the way, with all team members focused on clearly defined project results.

Online, see how to use the expertise of an outside firm, benefit from best practices, and take the right approach to outsourcing: http://bit.ly/IfvSuH.

- Jennifer Palumbo is marketing commu-nications specialist, Optimation Technology Inc.

cess automation systems, information systems, and instrumentation

Do unscheduled repair work Perform system modification including

design, manufacturing, supply, assembly, start-up, and checks

Start up facilities operations Investigate equipment failures Maintain operating documents and manuals

for maintained systems Maintain reasonable levels of spare parts

and components Submit reporting documents for performed

workOnline at http://bit.ly/It0B2h see more oil-

field project lifecycle details, document check-list, service quality criteria, and examples. As of this submission, Insist Avtomatika said it is the only Russian member of the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA). ce

- Mark T. Hoske is content manager, Control Engineering, at [email protected].

Finding the right balance: In-house or hired out?

‘Play an active role every step of the way, with team members

focused on clearly

defined project results.’

services


www.controleng.com ● CONTROL ENGINEERING MAY 2012 ● P1

The industry debate over the vir-tues of distributed control systems (DCSs) versus programmable logic controllers (PLCs) has been going on for at least the past four decades.

However, as the technologies have evolved, so has the discussion. The choice used to be more clear-cut, but as the functionality differences nar-row and price points align, the arguments for and against each system have become increasingly murky.

Central to understanding the argument between the two is grasping the fundamen-tal differences between the two platforms. For instance, DCS architecture originated from an overall system approach with a focus on dis-tributing control on a network so that operators

could monitor and interact with the entire scope of the plant. Coordination, synchronization, and integrity of process data over a high-performance and deterministic network are at the core of DCS architecture.

PLC architectures, on the other hand, focus on very flexible and fast local control, and recent advancements in PLC technology have added process control features. When PLCs and HMI software packages are integrated, the result looks a lot like a DCS but is still very much a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach, meaning engineers must oversee the assembly of their system from the ground up. While this is a flexible approach to control, the DIY option usually comes with increased technical risks in networking and per-formance as well as added costs that are not

Tim Sweet

Buy or Build Your Process Control SystemOne DCS supplier makes the case for buying a comprehensive control system to run your process unit rather than a do-it-yourself PLC-based approach.

inside process

ONLINE

www.honeywellprocess.com

At www.controleng.com/archive, read the story of a water utility that built a DIY system and liked it: Water Treatment Plant Upgrades Automation, Nov. 2011.

CTL1205_InsideProc01_V7msFINAL.indd 1 5/2/12 2:58 PM

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always immediately apparent.In the past, a DCS was typically more

expensive to purchase than PLC-based systems, and many plants had lower demands in terms of production rates, yield, waste, safety, and regulatory com-pliance than what they experience today. Thus, PLC-based systems were appeal-ing because they offered a lower capital investment and, from a functional point of view, performed adequately. But times have changed. Across the global market-place, the demands on manufacturing compa-nies have risen while the purchase price of a DCS has decreased. As a result, many con-trol system engineers, maintenance manag-ers, and plant manag-ers are taking a fresh look at the trade-offs between a DCS and a PLC-based con-trol system architec-ture as they plan their automation capital expenditures.

With all that in mind, there are sev-eral issues to consider when evaluating a DCS versus building a DIY distributed control system using a PLC-based architecture.

Network performanceGood network performance starts

with proper network planning, which can only be done with an intimate knowledge of the communication behavior of each network node and the protocol used to carry network messages. Major process automation suppliers have taken care of this requirement. They provide best prac-tice information so the user starts with a sound network design for the control system. Contrast this to the DIY world where the application engineer might well be the first to put a particular net-work topology together.

Once the network planning and installation are complete, the next step is gauging how the network performs. The same network topology can be sub-jected to a wide variation in communi-cation traffic based upon the amount of data acquisition, alarm reporting, his-

tory compilation, peer-to-peer messag-es, and backup tasks that go on at any given time, which can be taken care of through comprehensive maximum topol-ogy testing.

Assuming that the user has planned and installed his or her network, the plant has reached its maximum produc-tion capacity, and everything is work-ing as expected, a common challenge is maintaining that smooth network operation.

One solution is to implement fault-tol-erant Ethernet (FTE) at the outset, a redun-dant industrial Eth-ernet networking technology utilizing inexpensive off-the-shelf components to provide a high-avail-ability solution. FTE continuously cares for the process con-trol network by pro-viding ample network diagnostics that are tracked and reported as a part of the base DCS.

Additionally, the plant must qualify the functionality and performance of service packs and hot fixes before they are loaded into the pro-duction system. Seasoned network engi-neers know that every single device on the network needs to behave properly as a part of a functioning network commu-nity, as one bad actor can spoil the per-formance of the entire network.

Control performanceGood process control is built upon

reliable and repeatable execution of the control strategy. The process controllers that are a part of classic DCS architec-ture have fundamentally different oper-ating philosophies than found in a PLC. While the PLC runs relatively quicker, the process controller favors repeatabil-ity. This means that the control strate-gy runs on fixed clock cycles—running faster or running slower is not tolerat-ed. Repeatable control on every cycle is designed to support repeatable quality, repeatable yield, and repeatable results for the plant.

inside process

‘Times have changed. Across

the global marketplace,

the demands on manufacturing

companies have risen while the purchase price of a DCS has decreased.’




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Clock cycles are not the only secret. Othersystem services are also designed to give prior-ity to solving the controller configuration. For instance, controller-generated alarms can be throttled if they are interfering with control and recovered later when process disturbances slow down. This can only be managed effectively by tightly coordinating the control generating the alarms, as well as the alarm and event subsys-tems that collect, store, and report those alarms. Again, a system approach from the onset is cen-tral to the operation of a DCS.

HMI graphicsSuppliers of HMI software packages typi-

cally boast about how easy it is to design graph-ics for the operator. But designing graphics, no matter how impressive, is not how a plant makes money. Imagine a process control environment where one doesn’t need to build graphics because they’re provided pre-built.

In a system where the control and opera-tor environments are designed and built togeth-er, often 90% of what is needed to run a process plant can be made standard. Some DCS plat-forms can provide hundreds of standard face-

plates, group displays, and status displays that are vital to safe and efficient plant operation and are provided out of the box.

Control algorithmsObject-oriented function blocks are used pri-

marily to specify the properties of any given user function. By creating function blocks with a complete set of parameter-based functions, the user can develop and fine-tune control strate-gies without designing control functions, while ensuring that all necessary functions are avail-able and documented as configurable selections. The application engineer simply assembles the blocks into the desired control configuration with minimal effort. A self-documenting, pro-gramming-free controller configuration is what makes the DCS architecture efficient to engineer and troubleshoot.

As an example, let’s look at a commonly used process control function—the PID block. Using a DCS-style global data model, all aspects of the PID function can usually be accessed via a single configuration screen where various algorithms that have proven the test of time are available for easy selection. Parameters used for alarm-

inside process

‘In a system where the

control and operator

environments are designed

and built together, often 90% of what is needed to run

a process plant can be made standard.’




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P6 ● MAY 2012 CONTROL ENGINEERING ● www.controleng.com

ing, trending, and history in the HMI areeasy to find and configured in one loca-tion. It’s no longer necessary to con-figure these parameters to populate the HMI configuration.

Application softwareIn the 20- to 30-year lifespan of an

automation system, it’s important to con-sider how often typical users will need to expand or modify their systems and how often they will want to add a new control technology to them.

In the world of DIY, it’s possible to find all the applications needed to run a plant merely by looking through catalogs from PLC and HMI vendors and plac-ing an order. Licenses, DVDs, down-loads, and other usable content will begin to arrive shortly after that, provid-ing an array of materials. However, it’s easier to order one model number and receive everything needed at once via the same content. One license can sup-ply all the controlware, a data historian, trend objects, business integration soft-ware, and graphics needed to run a pro-cess plant. With the capabilities of DCS architecture, all control applications load correctly, are guaranteed to be the correct version, and are tested to work together.

Data managementWhen the DIY DCS is pieced togeth-

er, multiple data models can spawn multiple data elements representing the same piece of information. And when piece parts are brought together to form a system, the various data models must be synchronized and maintained. A bur-den exists on application engineers and system administrators to accomplish this task.

In the world of the DCS architec-ture, the entire data model has been conceived to cover all parts of the sys-tem. Hence, one data owner can provide a piece of information to any applica-tion or service anywhere in the system. The issue here isn’t the number of data-bases. The key is having a single data model so that no matter where a data element resides, it can be used by any element of the architecture and that par-ticular data element is never duplicated. A comprehensive data model doesn’t necessarily mean one database, but it

does mean only one location for any given element of data.

Batch automationThe comprehensive nature of DCS

architecture has long been a favorite for batch automation projects. More than anywhere else, batch requires careful coordination between phases, units, rec-ipes, formulas, and so on. Even classic DCS architecture has been challenged to provide a complete packaged solution because of all the various and diverse elements in a batch environment. For this reason, many batch automation proj-ects have resorted to a myriad of packag-es brought together to form the solution.

However, the batch-data model is no longer as daunting as it once was, and

inside process

A large-scale DCS, regardless of themanufacturer, should offer versatility for control strategy along with an ability to communicate with all manner of field devices and networking strategies. The final installation should be straightfor-ward, both physically and functionally.




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P8 ● MAY 2012 CONTROL ENGINEERING

It is also important to choose the con-trol solution that will allow a seamless addition of enterprise solutions onto the control layer. Because information-rich applications will most likely be expect-ed right around the corner, it is important to consider elements like manufacturing execution systems (MES), asset man-agement, reporting packages, statistical process control (SPC), downtime track-ing, or a variety of other enterprise layer solutions.

Simulation technologyControl strategies need a thorough

“ringing out” before they are deployed to control the actual process. Because process control is so focused on repeatability, it is necessary for a simulation envi-ronment to run the control strategy without alteration. Timing is essential in process control, and a simulator must replicate the process execution timing in a faithful manner.

With that in mind, DCS suppliers offer advanced simulator technology to support improved performance throughout the lifecycle of a plant. This ranges from off-line use in steady-state design simulation, and control check-out and operator training, to online use in control and optimization, performance monitoring, and business planning.

Process historyThorough process improvement relies on good process data,

which means that history collection must be coordinated with the plant automation system functioning so it does not inter-fere with more urgent control requirements. Yet, if it becomes necessary to suspend the collection of history, the history must be recovered since incomplete history is unacceptable. Plants need a reliable solution for archiving history data, and also for retrieving it for use in trending and quality analysis.

With this in mind, most current DCS platforms now include robust process history functionality built in directly, enabling engineers and plant management to analyze performance of the entire operation from a single location. Redundant data collec-tion mechanisms also ensure speedy fail-over to a secondary collector upon loss of a primary.

Making the decisionEvery plant, of course, will have unique requirements when

it comes to automation and control, and neither a DCS nor PLC will be a catch-all solution for every facility. Ultimate-ly, specific applications and operational needs must be con-sidered carefully when determining which technology is most appropriate for process control. There is a growing case to be made, though, for the value of a DCS, even in smaller applica-tions. Taking into account the possible issues examined above can give operators and engineers a blueprint of DCS and PLC capabilities and provide deeper understanding of what to con-sider when choosing between the two. ce

Tim Sweet is solutions manager for small systems for Hon-eywell Process Solutions.

the various aspects of a batch automa-tion solution can now be captured in a single DCS data model. For instance, all elements needed for batch management and execution are run in the process con-troller, or a redundant pair of controllers when robustness is desired. This means that there is no longer a need for a PC operating as a batch server. Because all batch elements are handled in the control-ler, batch execution is faster, cycle times are reduced, and throughput is increased. Further, operators learn one consistent environment for alarms, security, and dis-plays so that fewer errors are made. From an engineering and maintenance perspec-tive, the advantage is in learning and supporting one tool with no duplication.

Open connectivityRarely are today’s process plants run by a single brand of

controller. That’s why classic DCS architecture also serves to bring third-party devices into the same data model employed by the DCS. This incorporation of existing controllers means that operators can view information from various brand con-trollers in a consistent fashion.

inside process

‘Because process control is so focused

on repeatability, it is necessary

for a simulation environment to run the control strategy without alteration.’




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U.S. Bottlers in Charlotte, N.C., is a manufacturer of high-speed liq-uid packaging equipment used by the food, pharmaceutical, chem-ical, and automotive industries.

Our products include rotary cleaning, filling, and capping machines that operate at speeds from 20 to more than 1,000 bottles per minute. In 2012, U.S. Bottlers will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Over the years, the liquid bottling industry has moved from mechanical fillers and weigh-scale fillers using load cell technology to flow-meter-based fillers. The flowmeter filler is now the preferred style over the weigh-scale filler. In fact, many mechanical and weigh-scale filler customers have been converting older machines to flowmeter-based fillers for more modern sup-port and better bottle han-dling control.

To meet the demand for new and upgraded liquid

filling machines, U.S. Bottlers uses magnetic and Coriolis flowmeters from Endress+Hauser on all its filling machines. These families of flowme-ters were selected after significant research and rigorous comparison to competitive products on a variety of attributes.

Inside a liquid bottling machineLiquid bottling machines are available in sev-

eral styles including pressure gravity, vacuum, piston, electronic weigh scale, flow, and mass measurement. All have advantages and disadvan-tages in various applications but—in general—flowmeter-based filling machines have emerged as the first choice for most of our customers.

In a flowmeter-based system, an external tank system moves liquid product to the roof of

the filler for disbursement through a distribution man-ifold. Empty containers are fed onto a rotary table, separated, and then posi-tioned on individual filling stations under custom-designed filling valves. When a container is posi-tioned under the valve, the filling process begins at a rate designed to suit the

container’s particular shape and dimensions, and the product’s flow characteristics. Once the target fill volume is achieved, the filling process stops.

The ability of the meter to measure the liquid flow properly is the most critical step in the fill-er cycle. The selection is influenced significant-ly by the flow characteristics of the product, any pulp or particulates, foaming tendencies, as well as sensitivity of the liquid ingredients.

We have the ability to program the stages of filling in a fast or slow mode. In a two-stage fill, it can be programmed to start fast and slow down at the end; for example, with a small tapered neck container. Or it can start slow, gradually

P10 ● MAY 2012 CONTROL ENGINEERING ● www.controleng.com

inside process

Tom Risser

Filling Bottles:Go with the FlowmeterAs bottle-filling machines look for greater speed and consistency, some users move from older weigh cell technology to flowmeter-based systems, but it’s a tough application.

ONLINE

www.usbottlers.comwww.us.endress.com

Modern bottling machines allow high-speed filling of a variety of containers with a wide range of liquids.

container’s particular shape and dimensions, and


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speeding up to avoid splashing and foaming, likepouring a foaming beer in a glass. Sometimes with a handled container we will slow down half-way to let air get out of the handle area. And, thanks to the flowmeter accuracy, we can dribble feed the last 10% for better filling accuracy.

The best way to measure flowTo obtain the best accuracy, we use magnet-

ic and Coriolis flowmeters in a variety of sizes with sanitary flanges. Our first choice is a mag-netic design assuming the product is conductive, but we will switch to a Coriolis when necessary. Magnetic sensors are typically smaller and easier to fit into the tight spaces of a filling machine.

Typically, meters are mounted at the manifold so the valves can move up and down, with an individual sensor for each filling head. We use 3/4- and 1-in. ID flanges, and the flow rates can range from 0.5 to 4 gpm. The flowmeters send pulse output signals to the PLC (programma-ble logic controller) on the filling station, which shuts the fill valve when a container is full.

The PLC uses our proprietary algorithm to determine volume from the flow signal. The algorithm originated with our weigh scale fillers

and has been tweaked to work with signals from a flowmeter instead of with totalizing values from load cells. Since the flow starts and stops within seconds, there is no time to wait for the flowmeter to stabilize. The piping design must also ensure that there are no bubbles or slugs of air in the line and that the pipes and sensor are always completely filled with liquid.

We cannot guarantee a precise liquid level or filling accuracy that’s equal to the accuracy the flowmeters because the total tolerance stack-up is affected by valves, solenoids, pneumatics, vibration, and pressure swings that don’t allow filling accuracies to be that tight. However, the accuracy of flowmeters currently in use is bet-ter than any previous sensor technology for liq-uid filling, making our machines among the most accurate on the market.

Because flowmeter-based filling machines are so accurate, they don’t need an overflow to establish a liquid fill level, as with mechanical fillers. Thus, a flowmeter system requires about half the total amount of piping, hoses, nipples, manifolds, etc. It also doesn’t require as much pressure, cleaning solutions, and time to clean as a mechanical filling system. Flowmeter-based

inside process

Coriolis mass flowmetersmeasure flow on this bottling machine that fills motor oil containers.




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systems also promote a noncontact valvedesign, which means no contact with the bot-tle finish, allowing for aseptic options. Corio-lis and magnetic flowmeters have no moving parts or obstructions, which makes them easy to clean and flush.

The addition of a flow sensor may seem like expensive complexity at first glance, but it leads to savings in overflow, return pumps, and extra control systems—not to mention a more sanitary and cleanable design through-

out. With a flowmeter system, changing prod-uct doesn’t require calibration as we simply store recipes based on empirical data from previous runs to allow quicker switching between bottle sizes and ingredient change.

Retrofitting older machinesLiquid filling machines can last for years,

requiring only periodic updates and parts replacement. U.S. Bottlers rebuilds its older machines, which can involve replacing valves, rotary unions, silicone hoses, fittings, slide rods, bushings, rollers, and roller blocks. We also repair the main drive motor, bearings, gear-boxes, and belts as needed. In most cases, cus-

tomers also ask us to convert weigh-type filling machines to flowmeters.

One of our unusual observations is that it appears that when rebuilding an older weigh-filler into a flowmeter machine, the new fill-ers appear to be more accurate over and above what would expected by the improvement in flow measurement. Part of the reason could be that during the conversion process, the entire machine is given an overhaul and brought into spec; or it could be that the flowmeter is less sus-ceptible to vibration and electrical noise in a bot-tling plant.

The flowmeters’ success is measured in two ways from our perspective: First, every one of our fillers equipped with E+H flowmeters not only meets all of our quoted accuracy guarantees, but is as good as any filler we’ve produced in the history of our company. Second—and prob-ably more important—many customers that pur-chased a flowmeter-based filler have come back for repeat orders since improved liquid measure-ment is a large part of overall customer satisfac-tion. ce

Tom Risser is president of U.S. Bottlers,Charlotte, N.C.

inside process

This is an old weigh fillerfor a motor fluid product converted to Coriolis mass flowmeters.




PRODUCTSPRODUCTS& software

Advantech, an embedded com-puting provider, has released its Quiet Industrial Computer line with a full range of selections featuring acoustic and thermal op-timization. The smart fan adjusts rotation speed while addressing both cooling and noise issues. Complying with the ISO 7779 standard, noise level is controlled down to as low as 35 dBA. The new family supports the latest in computing technology, Intel second-generation core i7 proces-sors and DDR3 memory modules, along with two form factors, 4U rack-mount enclosure, and com-pact wall-mount enclosure.

Traditionally, industrial comput-ers were placed in manufacturing sites or outdoors environments tolerant of noise. However, as industrial computer applications have become more diverse, these computers are also being used in environments more sensitive to noise, such as in network commu-nications, POS, medical systems, or systems that are placed in of-fices, including measuring instru-ments, flight safety consoles, etc. Accordingly, Advantech is intro-ducing its Intelligent IPCs, Quiet Industrial Computers. ISO 7779 is the test specification Advantech is currently using, and the system idle noise level is controlled down to as low as 35 dBA. Both form factors support Advantech indus-trial-grade ATX and MicroATX motherboards, the AIMB-781, AIMB-767, and AIMB-581 series.Advantechwww.advantech.comInput #200 at www.controleng.com/information

Galil Motion Control has announced a stepper motor drive option for its DMC-30000 Pocket Motion Con-troller Series. The DMC-30017 combines a single-axis motion controller with a 6 A micro-stepping drive for operating a two-phase bipolar stepper motor. The drive produces 256 microsteps per full step or 1,024 steps

per full cycle which results in 51,200 steps/rev for a standard 200-step motor. The maximum step rate is 3 million microsteps/second. The unit drives motors operating at up to 6 A at 20 to 80 Vdc. There are four current settings: 0.75, 1.5, 3, and 6 A. Other features of the family include PID compensation with velocity and accelera-tion feed-forward, multitasking for simultaneously running up to four programs, and I/O processing for synchronizing motion with external events. Galil Motion Controlwww.galilmc.comInput #202 at www.controleng.com/information

Select Wago 2002 Series Topjob S terminal blocks now carry three jumper slots for greater fl exibility. New DIN-rail disconnect/test with mechanical interlock, mini-automotive blade-style fuse, and fuse disconnect with pivoting holder (5x20 mm) accommodate one output and two input potential common connecting. This provides convenient in-circuit current testing and potential distribution on both sides of the block — ideal for process measurement applications. The third jumper slot permits test and mea-surement via plugs/taps without distributing machine wiring. For example: Test 4-20 mA signals or record data by disengaging the knife/pivoting disconnect, or removing blade-style fuse. This routes the circuit to a plug/data recorder in the third slot. Wago Corporationwww.wago.usInput #201 at www.controleng.com/information

Emerson has released its Rosemount Ana-lytical 6888 in-situ O2 analyzer. This analyzer provides accurate measurement of oxygen remaining in fl ue gases coming from combustion processes such as boil-ers, incinerators, kilns, process heaters, and industrial furnaces. By maintaining the ideal level of oxygen, optimal effi ciency is achieved and the lowest levels of NOx, CO, and CO2 are produced. The new design places a zirconium oxide sensing element directly into a fl ue gas stream. Probe lengths are available from 18 in. to 12 ft, and a slip mounting option permits mounting a long probe at any insertion depth. Signal conditioning electronics reside in the head of each probe, eliminating the need for expensive signal cable. The 6888 is fully fi eld-repairable. All active components can be replaced including the diffuser/fi lter, sensing cell, heater, thermocouple, and all electronics cards.Rosemount division, Emerson Process Managementwww.emersonprocess.comInput #203 at www.controleng.com/information

Industrial computer platforms reduce noise and manage temperature, can move into an office

Single-axis pocket motion controller includes a micro-stepping drive for a two-phase bipolar motor

Terminal fuse blocks with three jumper slots add control cabinet flexibility for process measurement applications

Combustion flue gas analyzerhelps reduce emissions andimprove combustion efficiency

for process measurement applications. The third jumper slot permits test and mea-


CTL1205_Products_V4msFINAL.indd 61 5/2/12 4:34 PM

PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE

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Input #101 at www.controleng.com/information

Fluke Corporation, a manufacturer of portable electronic test and mea-surement technology, has released its 430 Series II, three-phase power qual-ity analyzers. The company is charac-terizing these as the fi rst tools to use a patented algorithm to measure energy waste and quantify its cost. The series

helps facilities reduce electrical power consumption and improve the performance and lifespan of electro-mechanical equipment by providing ROI justifi ca-tion to mitigate power quality distortion. Electricians, utility technicians, electrical engineers, fi eld service technicians, and energy consultants can automatically determine how much power is being wasted and calculate exactly what the extra consumption costs are with a single handheld tool. For example, this analyzer allows facilities to assess the impact of new energy-effi cient, electronically-driven systems. While these new systems consume less energy as individual installa-tions, they can increase the level of power quality disturbance in the overall electrical system, increasing waste energy due to harmonics and reducing the total potential energy savings. The analyzer calculates the cost of that waste energy.Flukewww.fl uke.comInput #204 at www.controleng.com/information

Alpha Wire has added industrial Ethernet to its grow-ing family of Xtra-Guard cables. The new Cat 5e cables enable Ethernet communications with the durability and temperature range of Alpha’s Xtra-Guard 4 jacket, for demanding applications. These cables are available in a choice of unshielded, foil shield, or Supra-Shield foil/braid. Alpha Wire’s Supra-Shield uses a combination aluminum, polyester, aluminum foil, and tinned copper braid that offers excep-tional EMI performance and fl exibility. Addition-ally, the cables are UV and fl uid resistant, meet UL 1666 Riser and CSA FT-4 fl ame tests, and are suit-able for use in NFPA 79 applications. This connec-tivity cable is available in a temperature range of -50 to 125 °C on FEP-insulated conductors and -50 to 105 °C on polyethylene-insulated conductors. The TPE jacket is available in black with standard lengths of 500 and 1,000 ft. Other colors, including red and teal, are available as special orders.Alpha Wirewww.alphawire.comInput #205 at www.controleng.com/information

Power quality analyzers measure energy wasted in electrical systems due to power quality issues

Industrial Ethernet cables have wide temperature ranges, meet NFPA 79 application requirements

to 125 °C on FEP-insulated conductors and -50 to 105 °C


PRODUCTSPRODUCTSsoftware &

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CTL1205_Products_V4msFINAL.indd 62 5/2/12 4:34 PM

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Aaxeon Technologies, LLC . . . 33. . . . . . . . . . 19 . . www.aaxeon.com

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Allied Electronics . . . . . . . . . . 9. . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . www.alliedelec.com

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B & R Industrial Automation . 15. . . . . . . . . . 10 . . www.br-automation.com

Baldor Electric Company . . . . 4. . . . . . . . . . . .4 . . . www.baldor.com

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E-Newsletters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.controleng.com/newsletters

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

Company Page# RSN Web

CTL1205_AdIndexFINAL.indd 63 5/2/12 4:43 PM


Peter Welander

‘Paul Baran was a visionary and imagined

systems like the Internet long before most

people did.’

One of the things we take for granted every time we look at something on the Internet or an industrial control system is that our networks can send

and receive data from any number of sources at the same time and it all seems to work. It wasn’t always like that, and we have the technology of data packets to thank for it.

In the early days of digital computing, devices communicated with each other using point-to-point serial communication. Basically the data flowed from device A to device B like water flowing through a pipe when both ends open the appropriate valves. It was crude, but it worked within its limitations. Early on that was tolerable because there were so few computers that had to communicate.

By the early 1960s, computers were becom-ing more numerous and the kind of data that was being communicated more critical. Paul Baran, who was working for the Rand Corporation, con-cluded that if data could be broken into chunks rather than a continuous flow, it could support a more robust system that could tie together far more devices via a common network. It might even be capable of withstanding a nuclear attack, which given that Cold War era, was a valid con-cern. Baran was a visionary and imagined systems like the Internet long before most people did.

What is a packet?To return to the water flowing analogy, instead

of sending water down a pipe, if you put it in a bottle, you can send it anywhere. Others compare data packets to letters, where a message is put in an envelope and carried by the post office.

A packet is a framework of a spe-cific size and structure. It has a header and trailer at the beginning and end that identify who sent it, where it’s going, etc. In the middle there is a space for the message itself, or pay-load. For a given type of network, the payload has a length limitation so a longer message may have to be broken into multiple packets. If the message is short, the other parts of the packet don’t get any smaller. Various networking protocols do the details differently, but the basic concepts are largely the same. Applications on the

sending and receiving ends put the data in packets for transmission and unpack it when it arrives.

Networking protocols are rated on their effi-ciency, or the amount of message payload com-pared to the overall packet size. If too much of the packet size is taken up with the header, trailer, and other overhead, that protocol is con-sidered inefficient. Part of the argument against using Ethernet for field instrumentation is the idea that it has too much overhead for the small amount of data these devices generate.

One of the benefits of breaking larger data into smaller units is that it is possible to verify the accuracy of a message using an error check-ing protocol such as a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). In basic terms, all the information in the message in a given packet has a numerical value attached to it. The protocol adds up all those val-ues and divides the sum by another number. The remainder from the calculation is assigned to that message. The receiver does the same calculation and verifies that it got the same remainder value. If it didn’t, it knows that some of the data in the message contained in that packet must have been corrupted and it flags that packet.

Ethernet applicationEthernet communication depends on pack-

ets, or as they are more typically called, frames. Many variations have been created, but there are typically seven parts to a complete frame:

� Preamble (used for bit synchronization)� SFD (start of frame delimiter)� Destination MAC address� Source MAC address� Length or specific type� Message or data payload, and� FCS (frame check sequence).

The size of each of these elements is fixed, except for the payload. This can vary as need-ed for the information being sent, but there is a maximum of about 1.5 kB. This article, set in plain text, would likely require three packets to transmit.

As technologies go, it’s difficult to think of one that has been used and adapted in so many ways, and one that we depend on in so many applications. ce

Peter Welander is a content manager for Control Engineering. Email him at [email protected].

BASICSBASICSData Packets

back to

Putting data in packages is basic to virtually all our networking concepts.

ONLINE

At www.controleng.com, follow the system integra-tion channel for networking coverage.

Ethernet frame

62 bits Preamble used for bit synchronization

2 bits Start of frame delimiter

48 bits Destination of Ethernet address

48 bits Source Ethernet address

16 bits Length or type

46-1,500bytes Data payload

32 bits Frame check sequence

CTL1205_BackBasics_V4msFINAL.indd 64 5/2/12 4:34 PM

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