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FEATURESmachine input

The future of automation starts here3 industry leaders talk about the

direction technology is taking

manufacturing

Mike Bacidore, chief editor

18

cover story

Better connections for better maneuvers2 stories stacked with

maximum motion

Ray Marquiss, Valin; and Ryan Poethke,

Showman Fabricators

28

CNC

Greater return on CNCHow Spyder Manufacturing

climbed to the top

Dave Perkon, technical editor

38

CONTROL DESIGN, (ISSN: 1094-3366) is published 12 times a year by Putman Media, 1501 E. Woodfi eld Rd., Suite 400N, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. (Phone 630/467-1300; Fax 630/467-1124.) Periodical post-age paid at Schaumburg, IL, and at additional mailing offi ces. Address all correspondence to Editorial and Executive Offi ces, same address. Printed in the United States. ©Putman Media 2019. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication should not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Putman Media, PO Box 1888, Cedar Rapids IA 52406-1888; SUBSCRIPTIONS: To change or cancel a subscription, email [email protected] or call 1-800-553-8878 ext. 5020. To non-qualifi ed subscribers in the United States and its possessions, subscriptions are $96.00 per year. Single copies are $15. International subscriptions are accepted at $200 (Airmail only.) Putman Me-dia also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, FOOD PROCESSING, PHARMA MANUFACTURING, PLANT SERVICES, SMART INDUSTRY and THE JOURNAL. CONTROL DESIGN assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor information: World Distribution Services, Inc., Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 6J5. Printed in the United States.

table of contents

ControlDesign.com / November 2019 / 5

product roundup

Make the connectionCables and connectors bring a

design together42

Volume 23, No. 11

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9 editor’s page

How to overcome obsolescenceMike Bacidore, editor in chief

11 live wire

A real, smarter control systemDave Perkon, technical editor

13 embedded intelligence

Not a PLC, but an automation complementJeremy Pollard, CET

14 technology trends

RFID 2.0Rick Rice, contributing editor

45 product showcase

50 automation basics

The brains in smart machinesDave Perkon, technical editor

COLUMNS

Allied Electronics .................................................................6

AshCroft ...............................................................................34

AutomationDirect................................................................2

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Digi-Key Electronics ........................................................52

Dinkle ....................................................................................24

Emerson Automation Solutions .................................51

Endress+Hauser ...............................................................10

FreeWave Technologies ................................................27

Hammond Manufacturing .............................................35

Hilscher North America..................................................12

HMS Networks......................................................................7

icotek North America ......................................................32

IDEC Corporation ..............................................................37

Measurement Computing ............................................41

Newark .................................................................................21

Novotechnik .......................................................................36

Pepperl+Fuchs ..................................................................25

Phoenix Contact ...............................................................31

SEW-Eurodrive ......................................................................3

SMC ........................................................................................23

Telemecanique Sensors ................................................17

Wago Corporation ............................................................15

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PT FREEPORT INDONESIA (PTFI) was facing obsolescence of its Foxboro control system. The

mining company put together a comprehensive modernization plan that included maxi-

mizing value from existing automation investments.

“Our primary mine is the Grasberg surface mine in Papua, Indonesia,” explained Ben-

dang Sameto, APC engineer at PTFI, in a presentation about the mine’s various upgrades

at Schneider Electric’s Innovation Days in Austin, Texas. “It will be closed, and we will

move our mines underground. The crater is so wide it’s not feasible to mine from the

surface any more.”

This transition to a completely underground operation comes on the tail end of a

control-system upgrade that has already spanned 17 years. The operation includes crush-

ers and equipment to transport the crushed ore to stockpiles. After crushing and grinding

and converting to slurry, it’s then

transported to a pipeline, which car-

ries it to a dewatering plant portside,

where it’s readied to be sent by ship.

Average throughput topped out in

2001 and 2009 at 238,000 tons/day.

During that span, the oldest

workstations and software were

upgraded, and new enclosures were

added. The 12-node cable local area network (LAN) was upgraded to �beroptic. Controls

were upgraded from CP40A to the Field Control Processor 270 (FCP270) with Field Device

Systems Integrator (FDSI).

“We have 800 Fieldbus Modules (FBMs) installed,” said Ade Jaya, control systems leader

at PTFI. The Grasberg mine also includes 8,000 terminations of �eld wiring, 950 control

loops, about 6,000 calculation blocks and 730 operator graphic displays.

Refurbished workstations were purchased and older ones were upgraded to a common

standard with a system software upgrade, as well.

“We migrated from LAN to a mesh network, which can route around multiple faults,

unlike the A/B redundant network,” said Jaya. Additional nodes were brought on the mesh

network, and the �beroptic infrastructure was improved.

The older controllers and gateways were upgraded because of obsolescence and their

limited capabilities. “As I/O points increased and control loops have become more compli-

cated, some of these controllers have become overloaded,” said Jaya.

Foxboro’s current offering of controllers and workstations all require a mesh network,

he explained. “Establishing a good network design ensures total �exibility into the fu-

ture,” said Jaya. This also allowed PTFI to upgrade the FCP270 to FCP280.

How to overcome obsolescenceeditorial teameditor in chief

Mike [email protected]

technical editor

Dave [email protected]

digital managing editor

Christopher [email protected]

contributing editor

Rick [email protected]

contributing editor

Tom [email protected]

editorial assistant

Lori [email protected]

columnist

Jeremy [email protected]

design/productionsenior production manager

Anetta Gauthier

senior art director

Derek Chamberlain

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The oldest workstations and software were upgraded,

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“WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO with the technology?” asked Peter

J. Photos, Ph.D., chief scientist and executive vice president at

Streamline Innovations at the 2019 Ignition Community Con-

ference (ICC) in Folsom, California. He certainly laid out some

limitless possibilities, the theme of the ICC, during his session.

Photos’ discussion was really about the future. Using an oil-

and-gas process in his example, but it could be any machine or

process, there are many pieces of equipment used. However,

at the current stage of technology, Photos notes there is maybe

one PLC across a typical gas-process-

ing facility and about 40 I/O points

in each, similar to a station on an

assembly system.

“Imagine, in the future where all the

pieces in a gas-processing facility or

manufacturing system are smart; not

just controlled, but smart,” says Pho-

tos. “But here’s the problem. We all hear about what the future is,

what we’re going to be doing and all these great technologies that

people are on the edge of doing, but where is automation going?”

There are two options. “We could boldly go where no one has

gone before,” says Photos. “We could do all these incredible or

amazing things and build some super-high technologies that

are completely automated. Alternatively, we could go gentle

into that good night and make some incremental changes and

improvements to take little steps forward, so, in 20 years, we

are just slightly further ahead of where we are currently at.”

While its story is long, Streamline Technology is a startup

about two years old in San Antonio, Texas. It makes equip-

ment that uses a pure chemical reaction to remove hydrogen

sul� de, an extremely toxic gas, that is found in the natural gas

produced in about 40% of the wells. They design, build and

integrate equipment to remove this toxic gas as well as manage

these processes during operation.

The equipment uses two chemical reactions to remove

the hydrogen sul� de. One converts it to sulfur, and the other

converts the spent chemistry and regenerates it. Both reactions

need to be controlled very carefully, but the process equipment

is installed in remote locations, 50 miles from nowhere.

What’s Streamline’s secret sauce? “We have a control system

that we made smart,” says Photos. “And we have Ignition SCA-

DA by Inductive Automation in the middle with MQTT sending

the information to a cloud server and remote access.

“We had about 10 or 20 grand to create the control system,”

continues Photos. “The traditional setup includes a plant, a

PLC and an HMI, but there is a problem with this. We are doing

exquisitely tight control of chemical reactions. The PLC did an

okay job, but it was very inef� cient. And every time it went down

someone had to get in the car and drive an hour to restart it.”

The control system needed to get better. “We installed Igni-

tion, and we were in business,” says Photos. “We got real-time

data and immediate alerts as soon

as the system went down. But we

were missing a few things, we

needed better control of the system.

The process was still inef� cient.

The system needed brain power.”

Adding brain power was the

next step, so Streamline installed a

Moxa PC box, which was a cost-effective and capable embedded

computer and gateway with cellular support that runs Ignition

Edge. “And there was room on the device to run other things,”

says Photos. “We could write Python scripts to better control

the process. The calculations were not PLC friendly. It was not

just a PID loop or plus or minus output. It was a two-variable

linear algebra equation. Simple to solve on paper on in a script,

but not so simple in a PLC.”

The system collects and displays 300 to 400 real-time data

points. It has full historian data. There is also full, bi-directional

control available through an app on a mobile device, which can

start and stop the unit and change set points.

“But what’s cool is the system is smart,” says Photos. “When

it goes down, it sends a text message to the operator who can

restart the unit remotely. Cybersecurity aside, the control room

is my PC or an app on my phone. It’s the full HMI with access

to all the historian data that the users and operators can use.

There are also some canned reports and trends in the system to

help with day-to-day operations.”

With a little intelligence and bi-directional control using Igni-

tion Edge and Python script, Streamline made the control a little

smarter. “Our uptime went from 95% to 99% using this brain pow-

er, cloud data and remote access,” says Photos. “We take a middle-

size plant, we install a PLC, a Moxa box, Ignition Edge and now we

have some intelligence. And boy do we have room to grow.”

A real, smarter control system

live wire

The system collects and displays 300 to 400 real-time data points.


Dave Perkontechnical [email protected]

CD1911_11_LiveWire.indd 11 11/5/19 9:34 AM

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Jeremy [email protected]

embedded intelligence

THE RASPBERRY PI single board computer (SBC) has been

around for a long time. Arduino-based boards along with Beagle

boards have made it from the hobby workbench into industry.

You would be surprised as to where you might �nd these de-

vices working and lurking in the shadows.

But is it wise to employ a hobby-based technology in your

plant or OEM equipment where customer support would be al-

most non-existent? There is no programming software that the

user can plug in to see what’s going on in the brains like they

can with a PLC.

So I ran into a board that has been

‘industrialized’ by Embedded Micro

Technology. It uses the Raspberry Pi

compute module. The compute mod-

ule consists of the PI processor such

as the BCM2837 along with 1 GB of

RAM. There is an optional eMMC �ash

memory device available, as well.

The normal Raspberry Pi module has all the stuff you need to

implement a solution, but the compute module allows for an OEM

to build on top of the basic motherboard using an edge connector.

The embedded solution is very extensive. The integrator

board called MyPI looks to be very well laid out and manufac-

tured. It has built-in Ethernet, USB, HDMI and pin headers for

add-on cards and devices. It also supports a camera. There are

multiple options for mounting enclosures, as well.

One of the cool things it has developed is communication

solution add-on cards for RS-485/232, Modbus and Canbus along

with Mbus, the protocol to speak to utility metering that sup-

ports the protocol.

It supports analog and digital sensors for most small projects

but only for dc-based systems.

Various network protocols are supported, including Bluetooth

and Wi-Fi. Ethernet/IP drivers are available for the Pi.

The operating system (OS) that MyPI uses is Linux (Raspian),

which is the standard PI OS. It has been adjusted to support the

add-on cards and functionality of the MyPI Integrator board.

While home and/or hobby applications abound for the Rasp-

berry Pi, MyPI takes the hardware into the industrial space. One

of the most probable applications will be in the world of the

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) utilizing MQTT protocol.

This would therefore qualify as an edge device. So imagine

any device that is remote that can be sensed using dc or analog

and have wireless or cell communication over MQTT using MyPI

can be done although you will have to learn some new skills to

utilize this solution.

I asked my community about applications and by far and

away it is data acquisition and display. Gathering data using the

GPIO header on a standard Pi is fairly easy to do for those who

know Linux; thus there is a learning curve for those who don’t.

But wait. Can’t I run Windows on a Pi? Well, Angela, yes you

can. Windows IoT can be installed

on the Pi compute module, and now

you would be in familiar territory.

Having said that, Automated Solu-

tions has released a library for .NET

and Linux environments to com-

municate with all major PLC brands

including Rockwell Automation and

Siemens. I can see many applications coming to light simply based

on this since involving PLC communications is the mainstay of

all data acquisition projects. This is not to say the MyPI cannot

be used exclusively and with its myriad I/O cards. It is saying you

don’t need a PLC at all for control and/or system monitoring.

Having the ability to have inexpensive data acquisition is price-

less. There are sample projects on the Internet that basically build

an SQL database to hold the said data. While I was unable to �nd

one for store and forward client server, it won’t be far behind.

Applications that use wireless, such as remote water treat-

ment facilities and wells require data to be stored on a timely

basis. Should the communications go south for a time, then

the data will have holes in it, and regulatory bodies don’t take

kindly to that. So a store-and-forward functional system built

on MQTT, MyPI and Windows 10 IoT would be perfect for the

application. The MyPI is industrial by design. The power supply

is better �ltered and has been oven-tested for temperature vali-

dation. Shock issues aren’t a problem since all devices and I/O

cards are physically secured making it a good choice for many

applications. Is MyPI the new PLC? No I don’t think so, but it is a

darn good complement to your automation solutions.

Not a PLC, but an automation complement

Involving PLC communications is the mainstay of all data

acquisition projects.

JEREMY POLLARD, CET, has been writing about technology and

software issues for many years. Pollard has been involved in control

system programming and training for more than 25 years.

CD1911_13_EmbedIntel.indd 13 11/5/19 9:35 AM

14 / November 2019 / ControlDesign.com

technology trends

Rick Ricecontributing editor

[email protected]

IN AN INDUSTRY like automation, the fast-paced growth can

sometimes leave great ideas in the rearview mirror on the

highway of life. One technology that has been around for years,

radio frequency identi�cation (or RFID), has withstood the test

of time by reinventing itself from time to time.

RFID works on the concept of information stored on data carri-

ers attached to objects that are then exposed to an antenna that

extracts the information. It is basically a wireless identi�cation

system. To create an RFID system, one needs RFID tags, a read/

write device and a host system. The

RFID system writes data, provided by

the host system to the tag using the

write function of the read/write device.

Data on the RFID can be read back to

the host system and, importantly, data

on an RFID is re-writable, meaning it

can be overwritten by new data.

The primary uses of RFID technology is in destination

determination and historical tracking. An example of destina-

tion determination might be an RFID tag attached to a bin on a

conveyor sortation system. As the bin passes speci�c challenge

points (just like intersections on a road system), the informa-

tion contained on the data puck attached to the bin provides

information related to the desired destination of the contents of

the bin. Asset management is a good example of the use of RFID

for historical tracking purposes. An identi�able asset, like a hy-

draulic pump or a horizontal milling machine, has a permanent

RFID tag attached to it. Throughout the lifetime of the asset, the

RFID tag is scanned any time part is replaced or a service order

is opened. The tag is also scanned as a machine goes in and out

of use. The resulting data can be used to determine uptime/

downtime, as well as reliability analytics.

Another example of the use of RFID tags can be in a manufac-

turing process where a part can be tracked as it makes its way

through the various workstations from raw material to �nished

product. Picture an engine block as it starts out in the foundry

and stops at the various stations along the path to a �nished

engine assembly. In this method of tracking, the base object can

be taken in and out of the main process with all of the history

of the object kept with it.

The use of radio technology means that RFID tags can employ

each of the �ve radio frequencies: low (LF), medium (MF), high

(HF), very-high (VHF) and ultra-high (UHF). Radio waves are

transmitted in a straight line. High-frequency radio waves are

shorter in length, meaning that more data can be transmitted

in a shorter time. Low-frequency waves can be transmitted over

greater distances because they “string out” their data pack-

ages over a longer wave length and are less impacted by terrain

(or obstacles). Generally, HF technology is better in conditions

where obstacles to “line of sight” might be present but the de-

sire to get great data sent over a short burst (time) is necessary.

RFID systems use one of three

methods of transmission: electro-

magnetic coupling, electromagnetic

induction and radio transmission.

Coupling uses the lowest frequen-

cies, induction the mid-range

frequencies, and radio transmission

the highest frequencies. Electro-

magnetic coupling is limited as it isn’t good at short range from

tag to antenna (less than 150 mm). Electromagnetic induction

improves transmission at distances of more than 150 mm up to 1

meter, while radio transmission has effective transmission up to

10 meters. To summarize all of this, electromagnetic transmis-

sion methods hold up better under “dirty” environments, such as

automotive and metal-processing plants, while radio transmis-

sion is better where the environment is cleaner, giving the ability

to mount the antenna farther away from the tag.

The traditional features of RFID technology help to keep it at

the forefront of industry. A tag can be read from and written to

without physical contact. This helps to keep the antenna at a safe

distance from the process. The combination of an object and its

pertinent data means that large data doesn’t have to reside on a

data concentrator. The information resides on the tag itself, and

the antenna simply accesses that data long enough to determine

the next stop in the trip or, alternately, add to the data stream for

the object as it moves along the road to the next destination.

At this point in the discussion, it would make sense to bring

up some talking points about another identi�cation technology,

barcodes. Barcode technology is based on the reading of dark and

light regions that are coded to represent numbers and/or letters.

Early scanners used oscillating mirrors to de�ect light across a

coded bar where the receiver would decode the regions of dark

and light into an alphanumeric string. Unlike RFID, early bar

RFID 2.0

Tags can come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit the

application.

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technology trends

codes were one-dimensional (or linear) and could be used for little

more than a pointer to data that must be stored and retrieved on

another device or medium. A common medium was paper, where

information was added by means of pen or pencil and a reference

code somewhere on the paper record would tie that information to

a matching code af� xed to the object being tracked.

The need for more prompted the creation of two-dimensional

bar codes. These codes combine horizontal and vertical lines to

embed data within the code, much like an RFID tag. One very

popular 2D code is a QR code. These can be found on products at

the retailer and also show up in trade magazines and on ID tags at

trade shows. Much like RFID tags, 2D codes can store information

relative to the product or person that they are attached to, but,

unlike an RFID tag, a 2D bar code only contains information avail-

able at the moment that the code is printed. No other information

can be added to the code once it is on the package or label. For

this reason, you will � nd 2D bar codes that, when scanned, can

automatically direct a smart phone to a Web browser landing on a

manufacturer’s website or to an electronic wallet program.

Barcodes rely on data contained in the one-shot printed code

to make a connection to a product or service whereas an RFID

tag is a read/write device that can grow dynamically to the lim-

its of the embedded memory storage media. Like a prize � ghter,

RFID keeps coming back for more. With 2D bar codes somewhat

leveling the playing � eld, new technologies have taken RFID to

even higher heights, perhaps described best as RFID 2.0.

Unlike barcodes that rely on the coding of 1s and 0s, space-

transmission technologies provide a level of data integrity that

can’t be reached by barcodes and data protocols speci� c to RFID

transmission results in error detection of less than 1%. Sixteen-

bit CRC is added to the data as it is transmitted, adding to the

security and accuracy of the data package. RFID doesn’t employ

mechanical devices, so the probability of physical malfunction

is practically eliminated.

Unlike a barcode that depends on the physical interpreta-

tion of coded data, RFID is much more impervious to physical

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CD201911-Telemecanique-2.indd 1 10/22/2019 8:10:40 AMCD1911_14_17_TechTrends.indd 16 11/5/19 9:45 AM

contamination of the tag and antenna. The effects of dirt, water

or oil do not impact the capability of the system. Only metal

contamination can impact the transmission of data. Because of

these qualities, direct line of sight or precise alignment of tag

and antenna is not necessary to effectively use the technology.

Some RFID systems even employ antennas that are capable

of communicating with multiple tags at the same time, within

a similar range to the antenna. This improves the ef� ciency of

the application and eliminates the need to provide a signi� cant

range of separation between adjacent objects utilizing RFID tags.

Tags can come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit the

application. Tags can be read-only (RO), write-only, read-many

(WORM) or true read/write (R/W). An example of an RO tag would

be a tag embedded in a piece of hardware, a WORM tag would be

a tag con� gured with a unique tag within a � eet of tags (like a

sorting bin) and an R/W tag could be an asset management tag.

One sector that makes great use of RFID tags is safety guard-

ing. Noncontact guard switches employ RFID to turn what

traditionally would have been a proximity switch into a safety

device that can only be triggered by the close proximity of an

RFID tag that can only be read by an RFID antenna that is look-

ing for the speci� c data programmed to the read-only tag. En-

hanced RFID guard switches can be employed that required the

deployment of a tag and antenna that are speci� cally matched

to each other only. Unlike a general RFID guard switch where

any antenna in the safety loop can read any matching tag in the

same family of antenna/tag pairs, and enhanced RFID tag can

only be read by its matching antenna. The code on the tag and

in the antenna is unique only to each other.

One � nal method of employing RFID technology that has

gained great general use is key fobs used to permit employee

entry to the place of employment or a speci� c area or room in

the place of employment.

RICK RICE is a controls engineer at Crest Foods (www.crestfoods.com),

a dry-foods manufacturing and packaging company in Ashton, Illinois.

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CD201911-Telemecanique-2.indd 1 10/22/2019 8:10:40 AMCD1911_14_17_TechTrends.indd 17 11/5/19 9:45 AM


DR. HEINER LANG recently expanded his responsibilities to

include three of Bosch Rexroth’s business units. In August,

Lang joined the executive board of Bosch Rexroth, Lohr a. Main,

Germany. In his new role, Lang will also be responsible for the

three Bosch Rexroth business units that constitute the factory

automation division: automation and electri�cation solutions,

assembly technology and linear motion technology. He will

retain his role as general president of the automation and elec-

tri�cation solutions business unit.

Lang became general president of the automation and elec-

tri�cation solutions business unit at Bosch Rexroth in July 2017.

Before this new role, Lang started his career at Bosch Rexroth as

the head of technology for the industrial applications business

unit in January 2017.

Beckhoff Automation hired Mark Ruberg as packaging

industry manager in a move meant to strengthen its presence

among U.S. packaging and processing OEMs and manufactur-

ers of consumer packaged goods (CPGs).

Ruberg now oversees sales efforts and application sup-

port for new and existing Beckhoff customers focused on the

packaging and processing of goods across the United States

(Figure 1).

Beckhoff has accelerated the introduction of automation

technologies for packaging applications in recent years, such

as with the mechatronic eXtended Transport System (XTS).

Ruberg’s experience in packaging and plastics most recently

involved serving as a regional sales manager for Conair Group

and before that includes seven years at packaging machinery

company ProMach.

Yamaha Motor USA‘s Intelligent Machinery (IM) Division re-

cently welcomed Shinji Kuroda as sales manager for its Factory

Automation Product Line. Kuroda was previously of Yamaha

Robotics in Japan and joined the team to further expand robot

sales in the Americas.

Yamaha’s Robots are seen in production lines around the

globe, with a strong market share in each of three main robotic

product lines: Cartesian (X-Y-Z), SCARA and six-axis robots.

What are three key things that a machine builder, system integrator or manufacturer should know about your company?

Shinji Kuroda, sales manager, factory automation, Yamaha Motor

USA (www.yamaha-motor-im.com), At Yamaha Intelligent

Machinery (IM), we design and produce a wide range

of industrial robotic products, single axis linear actuators,

cartesian robots, SCARA, articulated robots, and more. We offer

a wide range of available solutions so that our customers can

�nd products best suited to their applications. We have more

than 30 years’ experience in the Factory Automation market

worldwide. At our company, we have preserved our own unique

skills developed through this experience, and we pass them

down from generation to generation. We conduct diligent

research to understand the demands of the market and develop

appropriate solutions well ahead of our competitors.

Mark Ruberg, packaging industry manager, Beckho� Automation

(www.beckho�.com), First, Beckhoff has based its

automation platform on PC technology since the

market entry of the �rst PC-based machine controller in 1986.

PC Control continues to provide important technological

momentum for manufacturers and machine builders across all

industries. This is especially true for packaging, which has

largely remained locked in traditional architectures for too long

and is really starting to embrace revolutionary technologies.

Second, the EtherCAT industrial Ethernet system, which

Beckhoff introduced in 2003, is still the fastest �eldbus in the

automation world. Furthermore, Beckhoff has made EtherCAT

technology open to the world as one of the founding members

of the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG). ETG has more than

5,500 member companies worldwide at the moment. EtherCAT’s

distributed clocks, high speed and ability to support 65,535

devices on a single network allow for a truly deterministic �eld-

bus that has no limitations in terms system architecture.

The future of automation starts here3 industry leaders talk about the direction technology is taking manufacturing

by Mike Bacidore, chief editor

machine input

CD1911_18_26_MachineInput.indd 18 11/5/19 9:50 AM


Third, TwinCAT 3 automation software from Beckhoff turns

the PC-based system into real-time controllers with many

PLC, NC, CNC and robotic runtime solutions. Both the engi-

neering environment and runtime execution reside in the

universal TwinCAT software. Complete automation program-

ming solutions are done within TwinCAT, including machine

control logic, motion control, HMI, TwinSAFE integrated safety,

high-end measurement technology, condition monitoring, im-

age processing/vision, machine learning and more. TwinCAT

supports all IEC 61131-3 programming languages, ladder logic,

structured text, function blocks, object-oriented programming,

PackML, C++ and MATLAB/Simulink. Optimized for 64-bit

operating systems, TwinCAT future proofs applications and

supports multi-core and many-core CPUs.

Dr. Heiner Lang, board member, Bosch Rexroth (www.bos-

chrexroth.com), First, Rexroth, a Bosch company, is

international. We think and act globally and solve

challenges unique to our local markets. We have 50 production

locations, sales and service hubs in more than 80 countries and

we are the market leader in motion and control.

Second, customer focus is key to us, and we see change as an

opportunity to serve our customers. Customer integrity and in-

timacy means more than being a good supplier. It means serv-

ing as a valued partner, and our more than 30,000 associates

are focused on that. This enables us to set trends and provide

game-changing technology that helps our customers succeed.

Finally, technology and innovation are in our DNA. No one can

match our portfolio or Rexroth’s deep industry knowledge. We are

Display of waresFigure 1: Technology has accelerated the introduction of automation technologies for packaging applications in recent years.

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leaders and set the industry standard in hydraulic applications,

whether it’s mobile equipment or industrial hydraulics. In factory

automation, we set the innovation pace with electrical drives and

controls as easy to use as a smartphone and linear guideways

connected to the cloud for condition monitoring, and we are

developing autonomous guided vehicles like the Active Shuttle,

which is an intelligent alternative to the conventional milk run.

What new technologies are driving your product development and why?

Dr. Heiner Lang, board member, Bosch Rexroth (www.boschrexroth.

com), The development of new technology and the speed

of innovation is increasing. What drives us across all

technologies is electroni�cation, electri�cation and connectivity,

from a digitalized hydraulic pressure valve in a bulldozer to

machines with sensor-equipped ball screws to connected motion

platforms, like those integrated into an opera stage.

Electroni�cation means we add bits and bytes to the product,

integrate sensors and enable logic and smart function features

connected and controlled by electronic automation and enter-

prise networks. This approach is transforming many technolo-

gies: for example, hydraulic components are far more customiz-

able to the desired application and can be engineered to capture

and communicate historical data for life-cycle monitoring.

Electri�cation is expanding in all industries, and Rexroth is

the pioneer in combining electric drive systems with hydraulic

and mechanical solutions. For many years, our servo-hydraulic

solutions have empowered complex machines, such as simula-

tor platforms, to perform their functions with much greater

dynamics and precision. Currently, we’re developing hybrid

systems for construction machines, an area where combustion

engines and hydraulic drivetrains are still dominant. Recently

for example, we worked with a customer to downsize a rehan-

dling excavator’s diesel engine by 30 percent using a Rexroth

servo-hydraulic power unit. The new power unit saves fuel,

reduces CO2 emissions and produces less noise.

Finally, connectivity, with and without cables, �nds its way into

industrial equipment. We plan to have all Rexroth products able

to be digitally connected to information systems by 2022. The ac-

tive exchange of information about device and system factors like

status, demand and functional behavior increases transparency

and uncovers optimization potential. Our CytroBox, for example,

is apparently a hydraulic power unit, but with its integrated sen-

sors and connectivity, its operating condition can be monitored,

and proactive service tasks can be obtained to optimize OEE.

Shinji Kuroda, sales manager, factory automation, Yamaha Mo-

tor USA (www.yamaha-motor-im.com), Although we cannot

disclose speci�c details about our ongoing develop-

ment, we are nevertheless working diligently in many differ-

ent �elds including collaborative robots (cobots), AGV, AI and

more. We have planted many seeds, so to speak, that when

they develop will meet our customers’ growing demands.

That’s our Monozukuri, a state of mind, the intense spirit to

produce not only excellent products but to also to constantly

improve the production system. Monozukuri is a very unique

Japanese manufacturing style.

Mark Ruberg, packaging industry manager, Beckhoff

Automation (www.beckhoff.com), OEMs and end users

continue to develop data-driven initiatives to

empower continuous improvement efforts and productivity

gains. Data analytics deliver actionable information, but

this new information age in automation is really still in its

early stages.

The data needs of machine builders and manufacturers

have driven Beckhoff to extend EtherCAT’s record speeds by

announcing EtherCAT G and EtherCAT G10, which will offer

communication rates of 1 Gbit/s and 10 Gbit/s, respectively.

On the software side, the algorithms for condition monitor-

ing, predictive maintenance, analytics and machine learning

are being realized now and will continue to evolve. These

technologies are data intensive, but combined with the excep-

tional bandwidth increases of EtherCAT G, they will unlock

productivity gains that deliver dramatic increases in OEE.

How does the Industrial Internet of Things �gure in your business strategy?


chrexroth.com), IIot is an essential part of our business.

After many years of sophisticated industrial

approaches, from Industry 4.0 to China 2025, we developed our

Factory of the Future vision to present a clear picture about our

strategy: going forward, the only thing in a modern, Industry

4.0 factory that is �xed in place is the building itself; the

technology and production equipment is �exible to meet

ever-changing demands.

It’s an ambitious vision, and to reach it—and make it easy

for both our customers and Rexroth to begin—we focus on

sensors, software and services. The Factory of the Future

machine input


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is data-rich and uses I4.0 sensors sitting somewhere in

the industrial environment to capture that data, such as a

machine or tightening power tool. Without data, the key

ingredient in IIoT, you cannot build a factory of the future.

The rest is hard work, which means developing analytical

software around the data that separates unnecessary data

from the important stuff and provides the right data in the

right way: the indication, trend, signal, alert, etc. that is

needed to make real-time decisions to improve operating

performance. The real value comes from the services that

are wrapped around the sensor and software to optimize

time, money and space.

A very good example is the sense-connect-detect (SCD)

sensor. The device, sensor, costs less than $100. It’s de-

signed for tough industrial environments and can detect ac-

celeration, temperature, magnetism and light. Our custom-

ers use it with a smartphone app, software, that can display

sensor data as well as analyze and collect data. The alarm

function, service, tells the customer when a certain value

has exceeded its limit or notifies the operator or mainte-

nance staff that a check is needed. The sensor provides

manufacturers with an easy, inexpensive and proactive way

to leverage IIoT technology.

Mark Ruberg, packaging industry manager, Beckho�

Automation (www.beckhoff.com), I feel that Industry 4.0

is more comprehensive than IIoT. The initiative is

integral with our product development. Industry 4.0 cohabi-

tates with the world in which our products reside. Of course,

big data is only meaningful if analytics deliver actionable

intelligence. Beckhoff’s people and products are fundamen-

tally familiar with operations, creating a deep understanding

of production realities. This understanding positions

Beckhoff to deliver on the promises of advanced analytics.

Shinji Kuroda, sales manager, factory automation, Yamaha

Motor USA (www.yamaha-motor-im.com), Our robot

controllers are on the leading Edge of actuators

working in the production lines and on the machines. Our

controllers will play a very important role in the IIoT. Using

the abovementioned technological ‘seeds’ that we have

planted, our robotics solutions will lead advanced IIoT in the

exploding robotics market.

How will machine automation and controls alter the way companies staff their operations in the future?


USA (www.yamaha-motor-im.com), Machine automation

has, perhaps surprisingly, been done only for very

limited operations and applications such as those that are easily

automated, or those that are perceived to be able to provide a

good return on investment in a short time. Yet meanwhile,

automation is about to be commoditized, and as such, machine

automation will change. It will change not only for such partial

automation as mentioned, but even the factory itself, or the

automotive product itself will become automated and un-

manned. Investment in mass-optimization will be the most

important factor upcoming for all companies, all industries, and

for all applications ultimately. And yet this macro automation,

and the real automation, is needed in the market. Facilitating

this, the most important consideration is the know-how,

supported by experience and reliability. Yamaha has such

know-how thanks to our experience as a robot manufacturer in

such challenging applications as 24/7 factories.


chrexroth.com), Manufacturing processes will become

more digitalized and connected, while people’s

skillsets will emphasize mind over muscle. If robots and

algorithms take over monotonous, dif�cult or even dangerous

work in factories and of�ce, human workers can focus on

creative and demanding tasks. Designing the processes and

adding human creativity will remain key for machine automa-

tion and control. Success will depend on people’s capabilities to

combine industrial processes and digital systems.


(www.beckho�.com), Companies must rethink their

target audience and job descriptions. The most

disruptive technologies (for example, self-driving cars, drones,

robots/cobots, automation, augmented reality, arti�cial

intelligence and so on) are training amazing programmers in

new methods that more traditional automation specialists

might not consider. Controlling the machine is only a portion

machine input

Big data is only meaningful if analytics deliver actionable intelligence. - Mark Ruberg


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of the control needs. Smart factories

require communication horizontally up

and down production lines as well as

communications vertically with

business enterprise systems. Companies

are rapidly exiting the server business

and moving to cloud-based solutions.

So where do companies look for

automation, controls and operations

programmers? For example, consider

more IT-oriented programmers who

know C, C++, object-oriented program-

ming and abstraction layers. These ap-

proaches are far more common in most

current university curricula than ladder

logic programming. We � nd that some IT

students and gamer types get extremely

excited when introduced to automation

technology only after they see that their

software programs can actually manipu-

late and control real-world objects.

How is the development of software solutions impacting your requirements for hardware?

Mark Ruberg, packaging industry

manager, Beckho� Automation (www.

beckho� .com), Beckhoff recently

introduced the eXtended Transport

System (XTS) to the U.S. market. This

mechatronic system creates design

� exibility that allows engineers to

consider solutions previously not

possible. Machine vision, image

processing and machine learning

software solutions are being introduced

into the TwinCAT engineering environ-

ment. TwinCAT 3 provides expansion

capabilities to protect our customers’

intellectual property in the dynamically

changing technology world.

These technologies require controls

and industrial networking to handle

much greater amounts of data. Ether-

CAT has held its position as the fastest

� eldbus in the market since 2003. Now

EtherCAT G and G10 provide even more

bandwidth to handle the increasing data

needs created by technological advances

machine input

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in vision systems and the most demanding motion control appli-

cations. Most importantly, these are fully compatible extensions

that will integrate into standard EtherCAT networks with an

innovative branch controller model, rather than replace them.

EtherCAT is and will continue to be on protocol version 1.0.


USA (www.yamaha-motor-im.com), Originally, hardware was

planned and developed � rst, and then software was

developed to maximize the features offered by the hardware,

but now that whole approach has been turned on its head.

Nowadays we � rst consider how we want to automate the entire

system in view of the software. Then we develop the hardware

to realize and implement what was planned in the software.


chrexroth.com), By the end of this year, Rexroth will

launch its new automation platform, ctrlX Automa-

tion, manufacturing’s answer to the smartphone. This innova-

tive development is a hardware and software solution for factory

automation, connecting the IT with the OT world and bringing a

consumer-like user experience to the shop � oor. To make it

future-proof, we decoupled the hardware from the software,

allowing ctrlX Automation to run software independently from

the hardware. Thus our development is now focused on basic

software solutions such as motion or IoT functions, while at the

same time we have prepared the framework to run customer

speci� c software, customized function blocks or open source

software on our new automation platform.

As engineering and IT continue their convergence, which one is and/or will be making your products better, faster and easier to use?


chrexroth.com), The ef� ciency of convergence in

engineering and IT comes from the integrated

Ensuring process availability.Providing flexibility.Challenging expectations.

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digital work�ow. Our customers can start with their applica-

tion, and our design and sizing software will suggest a

solution that can be tweaked and tuned jointly. A modern web

technology offers ease of use and can be run continuously

from the ideation up to the commissioning and operating

process. With our app technology, customers can download

functionality from different sources (that are packed in

so-called containers) and can be executed on the control

(snap-technology). This system gives customers the speed

and �exibility to, for example, adapt to new circumstances or

download crucial security updates. Most importantly, our new

products come with the simplicity and intuitiveness of a

smartphone experience.


USA (www.yamaha-motor-im.com), Without question, IT is

making life a lot easier. But without engineering, IT

cannot create technological breakthroughs. Thus, they are

working closely together.


(www.beckho�.com), Historically, business functions

have been classi�ed into departmental areas — IT,

OT, engineering, accounting, sales and marketing, for

example. This model resulted in “over the wall” issues,

territorial con�icts and power struggles. The information age

blurs the lines between departments while promoting

collaboration through better data. Data-driven organizations

will test the leadership skills of upper management, more

than ever before, to align resources and rewards for achieving

the organization’s desired outcomes.

Looking into the future, how will technology change your company over the next �ve years?

Shinji Kuroda, sales manager, factory automation, Yamaha

Motor USA (www.yamaha-motor-im.com), We can expect

that people’s values will become increasingly

diverse throughout the world as we move forward, and that

issues surrounding the global environment and society will

become more serious and complex. In response, Yamaha

Motor applies its cultivated technology and sensibility to

human-like concerns and the goal of expanding human

possibilities. In this way we believe that we can respond to

the needs of society. The phrase “Art for Human Possibili-

ties” has been created with this concept in mind. Our

company’s aims of expanding human possibilities and

building better lives with society are re�ected in our ideals

of “Advancing Robotics” and “Rethinking Solutions - Taking

on social issues according to the unique style of Yamaha,”

and “Transforming Mobility.”


(www.beckho�.com), Among the many advances

Beckhoff is bringing to manufacturers and OEMs, we

can envision machines without control cabinets by utilizing

smart HMIs, distributed and machine mounted I/O, motors

with integrated drives and One Cable Technology (OCT).

Moore’s Law continues to hold true, which gives PCs increasing

power to control multiple machines or entire lines.

After 40 years in the machinery business, I have little doubt

that nearly everything that we can imagine today can be real-

ized in the future. Embracing STEM education and revolutionary

technologies is the only path for future success. Evolution or

extinction is the choice. At Beckhoff, there are unprecedented

levels of resources directed towards research and development

so we can ensure our customers thrive today and in the future.

Dr. Heiner Lang, board member, Bosch Rexroth (www.

boschrexroth.com), We embrace technology as well as

innovation because they’re in our DNA. They’ve led

our company to be more competitive in product performance,

quality and cost. Increasingly, timing has become very

important. Development cycles are becoming shorter and

technologies are merging. This has impacted our organization

and how we work together. It remains important to under-

stand what can be done, how it can be applied and most

importantly: Is there a substantial need and ROI? I am

convinced that digitalization and connectivity will change our

company most in the years to come.

For example, Rexroth uses technology to accurately create

the conditions our products experience over their lifetime. We

correlate the nominal condition of the product with its real

condition before delivery in order to keep a �ngerprint at zero

hour. Connectivity helps — if the customer agrees — to update

on the operational condition. Then we can back trace changes

and jointly �nd ways to optimize the operations, product

design or even guarantee or sell availability. By the end of the

day, this will drive Rexroth to go from a hardware-only com-

pany orientation to a software and service provider on top. We

are prepared for the challenge new technologies will bring.

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CD1911_FPA.indd 27 11/5/19 11:07 AM

MOTION CONTROL IS critical to manufacturing,

testing and almost any function. These two

stories illustrate how motion control plays a

pivotal role in these companies’ successes.


cover story

CD1911_28_36_CoverStory.indd 28 11/5/19 10:14 AM

In manufacturing, it’s necessary to ensure that parts or

subsystems meet performance criteria before they are sold

or used in larger systems. This type of testing can range

from very simple to extremely complex. However, the complex-

ity of the test doesn’t always correlate with how routine it may

be to accomplish. For instance, as part of a larger assembly,

one of my customers manufactured an array of small pushbut-

ton switches. Before the parts were sent to the next step in the

process, speci�c tests for functional operation had to be per-

formed. One way to do it would be to have workers push all the

buttons while monitoring an indicator, but that is extremely

monotonous work. Furthermore, the customer was concerned

that defects might be missed due to human error.

Testing requiredThe customer wanted to create an automated test �xture that

would be capable of testing the switches better, faster and more

reliably than human testing would. In addition, it wanted the

ability to make minor changes to the testing parameters to ac-

commodate future changes in the product.

The switch operation was tested to ensure the contacts on

the switch closed after a predetermined press distance. The

force used to press the button was also tested to con�rm it did

not exceed a setpoint limit. Finally, testing was performed to

ensure that the contacts opened when the button was released.

For product safety during the test cycle, it was necessary to

limit the force to assure the system wouldn’t break any part

of the assembly if pushed too hard. This was needed in case a

switch had been mounted incorrectly.

There was a possibility that the testing parameters might

change in the future, and the customer wanted to plan for

these changes. These included the push force, distance to

push and the physical positions of the buttons in the array. In

other words, the number of buttons in an individual array or

the number of button arrays may change in the future, and the

customer needed to be prepared.

By the time the customer engaged us, its engineering team

had developed a pretty solid concept that involved plugging

multiple switch arrays into a �xture electrically connected to a

programmable logic controller (PLC). Through the �xture, every

button was connected to an input point on the PLC, so each

button pressed would turn on unique input.

The PLC would command the automation to move to a but-

ton’s x-y coordinate position and then push the button while

monitoring that both the button-pushing mechanism and the

button operated correctly closing the switch contact at the

proper push distance. This way, the customer could reliably

record a pass-or-fail result for every single button.


Communication simplifies test system designAutomation of product testing with IAI hardware and EtherNet/IP communication successfully

eliminates monotonous manual labor and human error

By Ray Marquiss, Valin

3-axis push button testerFigure 1: Motor-driven actuators and motion controllers were designed and pack-aged into a simple and capable test system.(SOURCE: INTELLIGENT

ACTUATOR)


A 3-axis motion solutionUsing electric, motor-driven actuators

and motion controllers from one of

our vendors, Intelligent Actuator (IAI),

I helped the customer specify three

very simple motor-driven ball-screw

actuators and appropriate controllers

(Figure 1). Two of the actuators would

be for the x and y movement that would

position the third small, low operating

force electric actuator over each button

where it then moved in the z direction

to push the buttons.

To keep costs down, each axis had its

own simple driver/indexing controller.

Typically, the simple driver/indexing

controllers can be controlled using digi-

tal I/O to recall preprogrammed posi-

tions and command movement to them,

but, with three controllers, that would

be a lot of wiring to design, implement

and troubleshoot. The customer’s PLC

had the capability of using EtherNet/

IP, an industrial Ethernet � eldbus that

allows devices from different vendors

to communicate with each other. The

use of EtherNet/IP had the advantage

of simplifying the connection to the

PLC, reducing the amount of program-

ming that needed to be done in each

controller, and providing more detailed

feedback from the controllers for the

PLC to capture.

The controllers’ connection to the

PLC used common Ethernet cables and

unmanaged Ethernet switches with no

I/O wiring. This networked connection

allowed the PLC to send all the target-

position data to the controllers before

each move, so there was no need to pre-

program move data into each controller.

This had the added bene� t of making it

easier to change positions due to product

changes. The current position variables

and alarm and move completion status

bits could all be passed back to the PLC

over the network connection. This ad-

ditional feedback about each move was

used by the customer to better error-

proof and validate the test.

The z-motion actuator used to push

the buttons was a challenge because the

test required movement to a predeter-

mined position using a preset push force.

If too much push force was required to

actuate the button, it would indicate a

failed button test. However, it shouldn’t

be an alarm or error that would stop

further testing. In addition, the actuator

movement was less than 25 mm, which is

very small for a motor-driven, lead-screw

or ball-screw actuator.

The buttons needed about 3 lbf to

operate, and the actuator speci� cation

was approximately 5 lbf maximum.

The motion controller allowed the PLC

to de� ne moves that not only had the

usual target position, speed and accel-

eration/deceleration, but also allowed

the setting of a maximum push force.

All the available motion settings helped

to determine good switches from bad.

For example, the maximum push force

could be set to 3lbf (60% of max) for

the button-pressing move. If the target

push force was exceeded before the tar-

get position, then the PLC would know

that the button was defective. At the

same time, if the target position was

reached but the button contacts didn’t

close, as determined by the PLC I/O, the

button would be considered defective.

The customer used a PC with SCADA

software as the HMI, which included

data collection and storage for the test

� xture (Figure 2). It also included the

graphical tools, device drivers and data-

base needed. The PC communicated with

the PLC via Ethernet, which in turn com-

municated with the motion controllers.

The operator could use the PC to enter

test-con� guration data, which included

number of switches and number of

cycles per switch, and to start the test.

Next, the test results were stored on the

PC upon completion. A visual display

could indicate the pass/fail status clearly

to the operator so that bad parts were

easily removed.

In the end, the customer was very

happy with the way the system

worked. The number of button tests

completed in a shift increased dramati-

cally, and the reliability of the testing

increased. Furthermore, the time to

build the controls for the test � xture

and the customer learning curve were

both reduced because it could use the

SCADA software and PLC brand that it

was already familiar with because of

the EtherNet/IP interface on the Intel-

ligent Actuator controllers.

Ray Marquiss is senior

applications manager for

Valin (www.valin.com)

in San Jose, California.

Contact him at 800/774-5630.


cover story

HMI supports communicationFigure 2: The customer used a simple SCADA/HMI software package with all the graphical tools, device drivers and database needed to connect, communicate and operate all the devices.(SOURCE: OMRON AUTOMATION AMERICAS)


© PHOENIX CONTACT 2019

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While not your typical, grey-metal industrial auto-

mation application, industrial strength controls

are needed to raise and lower custom lighting

pieces onto the TV studio stage set. At Showman Fabrica-

tors, a studio set designer/builder, we created a solution that

controlled and con�gured 20 separate servo motors that were

mounted on the ceiling, 25 feet up.

What made this a dif�cult application was that, for each

automated lighting/scenery con�guration, 20 separate motors

and their programmable logic controllers (PLCs) needed to be

reprogrammed over USB, using PC software. Making the matter

worse, USB communication is a short-range, maximum16-foot

connection. The use of a laptop—on a scissor lift—every time a

change had to be made in the studio set was unacceptable.

Stagecraft solved this problem using SEH Technologies USB

device servers to connect serial devices, the integrated servo

motors, over a TCP/IP network. This gave show set designers

and other industrial automation providers more options when

mounting these servo motors and other USB communication

devices in hard-to-reach places.

Setting the sceneWhen we talk about industrial automation, we tend to think �rst

about such things as factories and oil pumps, not entertainment.

But the electrics team at Showman Fabricators (www.showfab.

com) makes what I like to call “the weird and the wonderful.”

Founded more than 30 years ago, Showman Fabricators

designs and creates custom sets and environments, using all

kinds of materials and shape-building techniques. Whether

it’s the glitzy set of a TV show or a Broadway play, a replica of

an historical street in a museum, or a unique retail or public

space, this company builds 3D structures, as well as associated

electronics, graphics and mechanical parts in a state-of-the-art

facility in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Showman is riding a wave of innovation in theater technol-

ogy. In general, this is due to developments in industrial auto-

mation including IP-enabled motion control and 3D printing.

An example of this innovation can be found in an automated

scenery system we created for a new TV studio in New York

City. The project involved 20 ClearPath integrated servo motors

from Teknic. Each motor was used to raise and lower an illumi-

nated scenery piece. Adjusting the elevation of the set lights is

common function as it changes the size and the feel of the set,

as seen through the camera.

Motor control, setup, monitoring Hanging from the studio ceiling 25 feet up, the servo motors

hoist these scenic elements—large light rings containing LEDs

that shine in multiple colors—on command to speci�ed posi-

cover story

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Motor control when hanging from the ceilingShow-biz sets up the scenery using industrial automation control system hardware, motors and USB communication device servers

By Ryan Poethke, Showman Fabricators


tions above the studio’s �oor. These posi-

tions are pre-programmed into PLCs, the

brains behind many industrial automa-

tion systems. The commands are sent

over Ethernet, strung up into the ceiling,

from the stagehand’s touchscreen opera-

tor station at �oor level to the motors

above (Figure 1).

The integrated servo motors must be

calibrated, monitored and programmed

through Teknic’s ClearPath motor setup

program (MSP) software running on a

PC. This PC-to-motor communication

is needed to commission and tune the

servo motors with such parameters as

the weight of the scenery element they

lift, which may change. And that, in

turn, requires a one-to-one USB connec-

tion, with a cable length limit of 16 feet

between PC and servo motor. The Clear-

Path software is also used for system

monitoring and possible troubleshoot-

ing, to ensure the precision of those

positions and movements.

Problems working above the scene Manually plugging each of 20 ceiling-

mounted motors into a PC via a USB-

cable connection, presumably while

standing on a scissor lift, was not going

to work. The only practical way that

the Showman Fabricators team could

ef�ciently tune servo motors that were

mounted on the ceiling was by simulat-

ing that direct USB connection over the

existing Ethernet network.

This was only the second project in


Technology in the studioFigure 1: Ceiling-mounted servo motors with USB connectivity over Ethernet raise and lower lighting elements in the new studio using an automated system run by PLCs.

(SO

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SEH Technology in the StudioBringing USB Connectivity to Ceiling-Mounted Motors


which we used these particular servo

motors. In the previous project, the mo-

tors were installed at �oor level, so acces-

sibility was not an issue. This is the �rst

time we wanted to put them up in the air,

which led us down this design path.

That path led me to a PLC-programming

discussion forum, where I picked the

brains of generous fellow engineers. I

asked forum members to recommend a

solution with crash-resistant software,

as rebooting devices hanging from the

ceiling to reestablish connectivity was

also a non-starter. I also required easily

customized addressability, so that each of

20 devices would have logical and easy-to-

understand names. The control system al-

ready had a 24 Vdc supply I also requested

a solution that required no separate sup-

ply and that was DIN-rail mountable.

We needed a way to communicate

over Ethernet with the servos, so we

needed to do USB communication over

our Ethernet TCP/IP network, which is

how I posed the problem. Ethernet was a

logical choice for us, as we already had a

network in place for PLC-based control of

the automation system.

Forum responders came up with sev-

eral USB device servers for me to try.

A connected solutionSEH Technology’s INU-100 USB device

server was chosen for several reasons.

Importantly, they were able to con�rm

lead time for a relatively large quan-

tity, 20 units. Equally important, test

samples are a standard service at SEH,

something other vendors were unwill-

ing or unable to provide.

SEH Technology sent a sample INU-100

for testing with the servos. This was criti-

cal, as Showman management wouldn’t

commit to purchasing 20 USB device

servers with the chance there would be

incompatibilities. Testing was needed.

I set it up on the test bench with my

laptop and had the thing talking to the

servo in about 10 minutes. The servo’s

USB port was cabled to the INU-100, and

the INU-100’s Ethernet port to the exist-

ing Ethernet local area network (LAN)

cover story

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19 April Control Design 015-5815.indd 1 3/21/19 4:17 PMCD1911_28_36_CoverStory.indd 34 11/5/19 10:15 AM

switch. Then, using the software tool,

SEH UTN Manager, to establish, manage

and organize access to the USB device,

the motor was assigned a meaningful,

friendly name.

Testing showed the INU-100 USB

device servers from SEH Technology

worked well converting USB communi-

cation for transport over Ethernet, and

testing proved it worked with the previ-

ously installed Ethernet network used by

the PLC and human-machine interface

(HMI). It’s nice because I can have 20 of

these things sitting on the network and

just talk to the motor that I need to set

up. I’ve played with a couple of other

device servers over the years, and these

were certainly the most user-friendly to

set up and very stable.

Fabricating the solutionOur automation & electrics department

team built a Showman-Fabricators-

branded control cabinet, called a Light

Ring Winch Controller, for each of the

20 servo motors (Figure 2). Each cabinet

exterior is also labeled with two IP ad-

dresses: one for the PLC controlling the

motor’s routine operation and one for

the USB device server for con� guration

and programming of the servos.

Each double-sided cabinet, built with

a center backplane for compactness

Polyester

Die-cast Aluminum

StainlessSteel

IndustrialWall-mount

Polycarbonate

Scene motor control cabinetFigure 2: For each of the 20 scenery-lifting mo-tors, Showman Fabricators assembled this light

ring winch control cabinet with external controls, which also includes two internal control panels. (S

OU

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and serviceability, houses all the con-

trol hardware. One back panel contains

the motor power and con�guration

hardware, as well as the scene light

control (Figure 3). This includes the

motor braking resistor, LED dimmer,

power supply, circuit breakers and the

INU-100 device server that bridges the

integrated servo motor controller’s USB

port to the Ethernet TCP/IP network

and then its ClearPath MSP software

installed on a separate PC.

The other side of the light ring winch

controller cabinet contains the PLC that

directs the motor to move the lighted

scenery and related control relays and

power supplies. It also includes an Eth-

ernet switch.

We used AutomationDirect BRX PLCs

and Teknic ClearPath servo motors com-

municating via Ethernet. The externally

mounted ClearPath servo motor is an all-

in-one, compact package that includes a

matched motor and drive.

A key piece of control hardware was

the SEH Technology product that con-

verts USB signaling for transport over

Ethernet TCP/IP. As noted, while the

servo motors can be controlled by the

PLC via Ethernet, to bring the motors’

USB connectivity for con�guration and

programming from the ceiling down to

stage level, we installed INU-100 USB

device servers from SEH Technology into

the control cabinet of each motor.

I can easily foresee future orders for

more such device servers, as freedom

from scissor lifts and the possibility

of remote access using a VPN gives

me added design �exibility for future

projects involving moving parts or other

USB-accessed hardware.

This is especially true if we use these

Teknic servo motors again and need to

mount them where they’ll be inacces-

sible. I can de�nitely see us using the

device server again. Just being able to

talk to the motor over a network with-

out having to be directly attached via

USB to it or the control cabinet is very

helpful for us.

Ryan Poethke is an

automation and electrics

designer at Showman

Fabricators, based in

Bayonne, New Jersey. Contact him at

718/935-9899.

cover story

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Power and communicationFigure 3: The back panel contains the motor power, LED dimmer and configuration hardware including SEH Technology’s device.(S

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IDECFlushMtAd_ControlDesignR2FAOLprint.pdf 1 10/25/19 10:50 AM

CD1911_FPA.indd 37 11/5/19 11:08 AM

THE RESURGENCE OF Spyder Manufactur-

ing (www.spyderman.com) in Placentia,

Californiz, illustrates how the fate of a

shop can be tied to its machine-tool in-

vestment decisions. It’s also the improb-

able story of how this second-generation

company stumbled upon a business

breakthrough: CNC that is intuitive and

empowering (Figure 1).

A second chanceOriginally a manufacturer of lawn and

garden parts and accessories, Spyder

Manufacturing has been through several

transformations. Once employing more

than 30 people, the company experi-

enced a sharp decline when global com-

petition forced a downsizing of produc-

tion, employees and pro�ts.

Back then, Gary Monnig would often

say that the machines owned by Spy-

der were so old and rudimentary that

the company “maintained a stable of

hamsters just to power them.” Spyder

was spending thousands of dollars for

outsourced machining, both locally

and overseas, especially for more

complex parts.


CNC

Regeneration Figure 1: Gary Monnig and sons Justin, Matt, Nathan, and Jacob have revitalized their manufacturing operations by achieving game-changing returns on their CNC investments.

by Dave Perkon, technical editor

Greater return on CNCHow Spyder Manufacturing climbed to the top

(Sou

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Spy

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actu

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CD1911_38_41_Feature.indd 38 11/5/19 10:18 AM

“There was nothing advanced about

the shop,” Matt Monnig recalls. “So I

asked my dad if I could look into how in-

vesting in CNC-based machining might

revitalize our shop. He said absolutely,

and, no more than �ve minutes later,

entirely by coincidence, a CNC machine

tool dealer walked in the door.”

A fever for changeSoon, a new Fryer MC40 milling ma-

chine, sporting a Siemens 840D control

was delivered and installed on the

company’s shop room �oor. There it

stood, awaiting the arrival of Fryer’s �eld

service engineer to instruct the staff on

its operation.

After graduating from high school,

Matt had helped his dad run the com-

pany, but he had only dabbled in the

machining side of things. “I didn’t know

anything about machining when the new

machine arrived,” he candidly recalls. “I

didn’t even know how to turn it on.”

Not soon after, Fryer Machine Sys-

tems’ �eld service engineer, Trever Lowe,

arrived to begin what was scheduled to

be four days of training. However, almost

at the outset, Matt Monnig said he was

feeling lightheaded and nauseated and

“needed to lay down for a little bit �rst.”

What they didn’t know was that

Monnig had the �u. He was taken to a

hospital emergency room, pumped with

�uids and given two days of care. When

he returned to the shop at the end of

the week, he was ready to learn CNC

machining. But now there were less than

four hours of scheduled instruction re-

maining—hours that would prove to be a

turning point for the company.

The power of intuitive CNCHaving earned a living as a tool and die

maker, Trever Lowe may be among the

last of a dying breed. He joined Fryer

Machine Systems because he wanted

to work for an American machine tool

manufacturer. And he wanted to teach.

One of his �rst assignments with Fryer

was to travel to Spyder Manufacturing

to teach Matt Monnig how to set up,

program and operate their new Fryer

machining center.

“When Matt returned to the shop after

being hospitalized for two days, I realized

that we had about four hours of sched-

uled instruction time left,” Lowe recalls.

“So far, we had only walked through how

to create tools and basically move the

machine around. But now we’d run out of

training time. So I decided to go right into

the complex stuff—contour milling.”

Calling upon his many years as a

machinist, Lowe understood that what

his new student needed to learn was the

one thing that every future machinist

needed to learn.

“Today’s machine tool and manufac-

turing market needs more than button

pushers,” Lowe says. “Intuitive CNC is

the �rst step. Fryer Machine Systems

machines enable the machine opera-

tor to shine. They can start to write

their own programs at the control.

Other companies try to compete in

the conversational market, but Fryer

Machine Systems chose Siemens CNCs

because they are truly intuitive, �rst

and foremost.”

When learning to program a Fryer

machine, if you can understand the com-

plex stuff, then in time you will �gure

out the simpler stuff, Lowe concludes.

“So that’s what I did. In less than four

hours, I showed Matt the most complex

programming.”

In the span of a few hours, Matt

needed to learn to use a CNC machine

for the �rst time. Not only that, but he

was learning on one of the world’s most

powerful controls, the Siemens Sinu-

merik 840D, to program complex contour

milling, right at the machine.


At the displayFigure 2: Matt Monnig programming contour milling at the machine using machine step programming.

(Sou

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Spy

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“After those few hours of training,

I left with doubt in my mind. I � gured

nothing would work, that he would crash

the machine and it would be a complete

catastrophe,” Lowe recalls. “But that’s

not how it went. It went completely the

opposite. Ever since, when customers ask

me how much training time is needed

on one of our machines, I tell them we

schedule 16 hours. Then I tell them about

Matt, someone who didn’t know anything

about CNC, but who in less than a day

picked up enough CNC know-how to

relaunch his business (Figure 2).”

Programming at the machineAhead of Lowe’s arrival, Matt was a

restless student in waiting. In� uenced

by conventional wisdom, he had in-

vested more than $4,000 in CAD/CAM

programming software.

“I bought and trained on the soft-

ware,” Matt admits. “But I never used it,

because it turned out that the Siemens

control has something called ‘conversa-

tional programming.’ That’s what Trever

showed me during our short training

session. I just found it so much easier to

understand and to work with than the

complicated off-line software.”

Lesson learned, say both men. The

ability to program at the control brings

a competitive advantage to a shop. It em-

powers both the operator and the shop

owner to ef� ciently produce more than

they could otherwise. Instead of waiting

for a CAD/CAM programmer to feed a G-

code program to a machine, an operator

can quickly set up the next program and

keep production rolling.

CNC-driven innovationSpyder Manufacturing is also the story

of how a greater return on CNC can

mean a greater return on a shop’s work-

force, enabling a business to leverage the

skills and knowledge of its people to cre-

ate new opportunities for the company.

Matt Monnig recalls how, from the

earliest days of the company, Edward

Jones was an especially resourceful

machinist. Called upon for his hands-on

perspective, Jones found ways to create

new product ideas, using whatever were

the tools of the day, long before the

dominance of CNC machining.

As Matt recounts, “Not long after we

bought our � rst Fryer machine, I drew

up an improved version of our climber

product. But the immediate feedback I

got was, ‘No. That will never work.’ But

then I showed the sketch to Edward, and

he said, ‘Let me make a sample.’ And so

he handmade a sample, and we looked

at the tools and what the new Fryer ma-

chines could do, and we all said, ‘Wow,

that will work.’”

The new product design was soon vali-

dated by the CAD/CAM capabilities of the


CNC

(Sou

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Spy

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New-generation millingFigure 3: With no G-code language barriers in the way, the shop could conceive, design and produce a new generation of products.


Siemens control. Using highly intuitive,

graphically guided functions such as the

contour calculator, the shop could readily

conduct design for manufacturability

re�nements right on the machine. And at

the same time, they were establishing the

program to produce it. With no G-code

language barriers in the way, the shop

could conceive, design and produce a new

generation of products (Figure 3).

Optimizing resourcesToday, Spyder Manufacturing is a com-

pany transformed. For Gary and Matt

Monnig, achieving a greater return on

their CNC investments includes tak-

ing greater control of their business,

enabling their people and operations to

become increasingly ef�cient.

Now the company produces parts for

customers overseas, rather than the other

way around. Spyder is also able to bring

next-generation products to market and

ef�ciently keep pace with the demand for

those products. Including products made

possible by bridging old-world machinist

skills and knowledge with creative leader-

ship to capitalize on the most intuitive

and powerful CNC available.

“The Fryer machines have paid for

themselves many times over,” Matt Mon-

nig says. The company owns three Fryer

MC40 milling centers, all equipped with

Siemens Sinumerik 840D controls.

Before the company’s investment in

Fryer and Siemens, it took the shop a

month to produce 50 sets of tree climb-

er products. Now the shop produces

nearly 500 sets each month.

Higher production capacity and ef-

�ciency have brought a near tenfold

increase in the sale of the company’s

�agship product, the same product

whose evolved design was �rst thought

never to work.

Looking back, Gary Monnig and his

son Matt consider themselves fortunate

to have stumbled upon the best possible

strategy for revitalizing their busi-

ness. Looking ahead, they plan further

investments in Fryer-Siemens machines,

knowing that anything is possible given

the right set of circumstances: the

managerial desire to ask what if, the

strength of a machinist’s imagination to

see the way, and the power of intuitive

CNC to make it happen.

Bring Your Pi to WorkThermocouple Measurements on a Pi

The MCC 134 thermocouple measurement HAT providesbest-in-class, professional-grade accuracy.

Up to eight MCC DAQ HATs can be stacked onto one Raspberry Pi® allowing users to create multifunction DAQ

solutions based on this low-cost computer.

MCC 134 DAQ HAT• Four thermocouple inputs• 24-bit resolution• 1 second update interval• Supports most thermocouple types• Complete SW library for easy programming• Full set of examples in C® and Python™

www.mccdaq.com/DAQ-HAT

©2019 Measurement Computing Corporation, 10 Commerce Way, Norton, MA 02766 • [email protected]


PCB push-in design connectorsThe 0150 series PCB pluggable terminal block is a connector

for servo driver applications. It has rated voltage and current

up to 600 V/20 A. The plugs have a clamp-designed lock �ange

directly beneath the housing to minimize the overall width,

which not only helps to save space and makes it easy to plug,

but also allows fast and stable wiring. The push-in mecha-

nism’s spring cage structure

allows solid wires or stranded

wires with ferrules, suitable

for wires up to 12 AWG. The

release tool is an optional

accessory that helps with

single-hand wiring operation.

Dinkle / 832-539-4703 / www.dinkle.com

Cable grommet with built-in plugs and installation jacksWith the AT-M cable grommet, the built-in plugs and installa-

tion jacks are integrated directly into cable entry strips KEL,

KEL-U or KEL-ER. The cable grommet is well-suited for inter-

facing to signal, data, power or hybrid connectors by screwing

them into the grommet’s threads. Even

hose �ttings or pressure compensa-

tion elements can be screwed to the

AT-M. The grommet is built on the basis

of a large AT cable grommet with an

integrated polyamide body. The AT-M

is available with inner threads of M12 x

1.0, M16 x 1.5, M20x1.5 and M25 x 1.5.

Icotek / www.icotek.com

IP67-sealed sensor cable assembliesThe Amphenol Sine PowerBOSSlite series sensor cables are IP67-

sealed and feature a positive key alignment that reduces

the possibility of mismating. These UL-listed

factory-molded industrial patch cords come

in multiple lengths and can be used in

power applications with high cur-

rent ratings up to 23 A per contact. Its

vibration-resistant ratcheting coupling design prevents loosen-

ing in high-vibration applications, and its wire gauge range from

16 to 12 AWG is well-suited for wire-to-board applications.

Newark / www.newark.com

Flexible cablesMachFlex products are engineered speci�cally for dynamic

industrial applications and rated up to 14 million �ex cycles.

These cables can withstand moderate

to continuous �exing movements in

harsh industrial environments with

their oil-resistant and wide operating

temperature ratings. More than 400

unique standard �ex cable construc-

tions are available.

Belden / www.belden.com

POC cables for industrial applicationsSpeci�cally designed for use in welding areas, POC cables are

resistant to weld slag and extreme temperatures. They can

withstand high mechanical stress and temperatures up to

150 °C. This allows the cables to be used in areas where other

cables cannot tolerate the heat, such as weld cells in the au-

tomotive and steel industries.

With a long service life and

reduced downtime, the cables

add an extra degree of reliability

in harsh environments.

Pepperl + Fuchs / 330-486-0002 /

www.pepperl-fuchs.com

Compact M12 connectors and cables for high-power applicationsThese M12 power cables and connectors make it easy to power

drive motors, fans, lighting and other distributed control boxes,

even in tight spaces. The UL-listed products were tested under

UL 2237 and can handle currents up to 16 A or voltages up to

600 Vac/63 Vdc. The full M12 power range includes cable assem-

blies, �eld-wireable connectors and panel-mounted receptacles

Make the connectionCables and connectors bring a design together


product roundup CONTACT US [email protected]

CD1911_42_44_Roundup.indd 42 11/5/19 10:19 AM

with a quick-disconnect system.

Because they are designed for a com-

mon 16-mm panel knockout, these

additions help to simplify panel

upgrades. The M12 connectors come

in both shielded and unshielded ver-

sions and are available in �ve cod-

ings (T and L for dc and S, K and M for ac) to prevent mismating.

Phoenix Contact / 800-322-3225 / www.phoenixcontact.com

Splicing connectorsThe 221Series Lever-Nuts Ex has the features of the 221 Lever-

Nuts, now for extreme and hazardous applications. The splicing

connectors obtain AEx (Class 1, Zone 1) rating when used in

conjunction with the mounting carrier, whether clamped onto a

DIN rail or fastened to a smooth sur-

face. The 221 Ex series is UL-listed

for use with solid, stranded, �exible

and tin-bonded wire with a range

of 24-12 AWG. When connectors are

�ush together within the carrier,

the working voltage is 275 V. For ap-

plications working with voltages up to 440 V, the connectors are

inserted so there is a visible space between each connector.

Wago / www.wago.com/221/us

Continuous �ex tray-rated servo cableThe FD 7TCE is a one-cable solution. Its ultra-�ne copper wiring

and high-strand count make it highly �exible, providing easy

installation in cable chains with tight bending radii, as well as

longevity up to several million

bending cycles. With additional

tray rating, this single-cable

solution goes from tray to cable

track. It meets approval for UL

and cUL CIC.

Lapp USA / www.lappusa.com

M12 food and beverage cablesThese UL-listed Food & Beverage Pro cables are suitable for use

in food processing facilities. In areas where system compo-

nents could come into contact with the food being handled

or re-entering the processing operation, the materials do not

absorb or contaminate the food being

processed. Made of highly-resistant

and robust polypropylene and V4A

stainless steel, these M12 cordsets

satisfy cleanability requirements set

by the EHEDG and FDA. They have an

extended temperature range of -40 to

105 °C, are resistant to high-pressure

cleaners (IP69K-rated) and feature an ice blue jacket color that

helps to identify contamination.

Murrelektronik / 770-497-9292 / murrinc.com

Cut-to-length heavy-duty DLO power cableDLO heavy-duty cable is a 2 kV-rated �exible power cable with

a variety of applications, including industrial control panel

power distribution, power feeds for variable frequency drives

(VFDs) and motor leads in non-

drive-related applications. With

RHH and RHW-2 ratings, these

cables are suitable for use in

both wet and dry locations and

can be used in conduits, ducts,

troughs and control panels. The

maximum rating for continuous use is 90 °C (194 °F) wet or

dry. The cable is oil-, heat-, �ame-, abrasion- and sunlight-re-

sistant and is �exible with a tight bend radius that allows easy

installations in tight spaces.

AutomationDirect / 800-633-0405 / www.automationdirect.com

Plug-in and play readychainsCompletely assembled and quickly installed readychains help

to accelerate productivity for machine and plant manufactur-

ers. Users can con�gure

their own readychains

by choosing from 90,000

e-chain parts, 1,354 cables

and 3,500 electrical com-

ponents. The company will

assemble and deliver the

tailor-made chain in as

few as 3-5 days, and it can be installed at the customer’s plant.

Readychains are maintenance- and lubrication-free and offer

extended durability.

igus / 800-521-2747 / www.igus.com



M12 �eld-wireable connectors with push-in terminationThe technology behind the M12 �eld-wireable connectors with

integrated push-in termination allows for fast and safe manual

�eld-wireable assembly without the use of tools. No soldering

iron or screwdriver is required. The customer inserts a stripped

conductor end into the color-coded contact area and closes the

locking mechanism to establish an electrical connection. When

the conductors are terminated, the cable gland is screwed on,

allowing for quick and reliable mounting. The connectors can

be adapted to unique requirements

in the �eld and simplify installation

wherever cable lengths cannot be

estimated in advance. Flammability

class is according to UL 94 V-0.

Turck / www.turck.com

Made-to-order cables in 5 days or lessMade-to-order cables—including M8, M12 and splitters—are

available in �ve days or less through

domestic production. The cable

portfolio is tailored to meet a variety

of industries and applications and

includes features such as consistent

and accurate IP ratings, a range of cable

jackets (TPE, PVD and PUR), overmold con�gurations and high-

quality rugged materials.

Balluff / www.ballu�.com

M12 industrial Ethernet connectors and cordsetsM12 automation technology is available in A-, D- and X-code

industrial Ethernet connectors and cordsets. The connectors

and cordsets deliver high-speed transmission up to 10 Gbps

with overmold tools, cable �ex rating, jacket material, color

and inside and outside usage with cordset lengths up to 90

m. M12-A locking connectors are used for industrial networks

needing power or signal using

CAN, CANopen, Pro�bus PA and

DeviceNet devices. IP67 �eld-

attachable D-coded connectors are

designed for EtherNet/IP, Ether-

CAT and Pro�net devices. X-coded

connectors are well-suited for

industrial network applications in

harsh environments. All cordsets are available in standard 2-,

5- and 10-m lengths.

Binder USA / www.binder-usa.com

RJ45 �eld plugThe �eld-assembled RJ45

�eld plug pro can be used for

structured cabling in indus-

try or data centers with high

data transmission rates up

to 40 GBit/s. Available in 180° straight and 360° angled four- and

two-pair versions, it has a zinc die-cast housing and protected

latch for industrial use. It is designed for �eld assembly without

the need for special tools and is suitable for Power over Ether-

net (PoE, PoE plus, UPoE and 4PPoE), HDBaseT or other multi-

media applications as well as for industry standards such as

Pro�net and EtherNet/IP. A compact design makes the connec-

tor multiport-capable while being fully shielded.

Metz Connect USA / 732-389-1300 / www.metz-connect.com

Cable entry system for light to medium-duty applicationsThe Cable�x X entry system is designed to simplify cable

installation and offer space and time savings. This cable entry

system achieves Type 4X, 12 and 13 with a protection class

of IP65. It is available with 12 or

23 entry points and requires only

one enclosure cut-out. It can be

installed with four mounting bolts

onto enclosures of any wall thickness. A snap-in mounting op-

tion is available for enclosures with a wall thickness of 1.5 mm.

Lutze / 800-447-2371 / www.lutze.com

Stainless steel cord gripsThese stainless steel cord grips are

reliable for all types of harsh and

demanding applications. Both 304

and 316 stainless steel is available

for cord grips, conduit hubs, Liquid-

tight conduit �ttings and jacketed MC cable connectors. They are

UL-listed and IP68- and NEMA 4X-rated from ¼ to 3 in. Connec-

tors also can be custom-ordered.

Remke / www.remke.com


product roundup


Three-phase monitoring relaysThe DPB and DPC three-phase

monitoring relays feature an upgraded

switch mode power supply, which

provides a wider input voltage range

to cover different mains voltages while

reducing heat dissipation. The DPB series has an input voltage

range of 208 to 480 Vac, while the DPC series has an input volt-

age range of 208 to 690 Vac. The relays feature an expansive

frequency range of 50 to 400 Hz; noise, harmonics and tran-

sient �ltering; and DIN rail mounting. Three-phase monitoring

relays help to protect motors from severe damage that can

result from loss of a phase, phase imbalance or phase reversal.

Carlo Gavazzi / 847-465-6100 / www.gavazzionline.com

Synchronous servo motorsThe Kollmorgen VLM servo motor series is designed to �ll the

gap between stepper and high-performance servo motors. The

synchronous servo motors have a torque range of 0.5 to 4.5 Nm

continuous and 16 Nm peak, with speeds as high as 6,000 rpm.

They provide a �exible con-

�guration and are well-suited

for many applications in which

stepper or asynchronous motors

are pushed to their limits but

the expense and unused dynamics of high-performance servo

motors is not desirable. The motors are available with standard

frame sizes of 60 mm and 90 mm or NEMA 23 and 34.

Servo2Go / 877-378-0240 / www.servo2go.com

Plug-and-play electromagnetic �owmeterThe smart plug-and-play Picomag electromagnetic �owmeter has

been updated to measure the �ow of electrically conductive �uids

and process temperature and conductivity. It enables commis-

sioning with Bluetooth using the SmartBlue App and seamless

integration with IO-Link technology. It can be installed into any

pipe up to 2 in- diameter, even in con�ned spaces. For this pur-

pose, various process connection adapters

are available, such as NPT thread, R thread,

internal thread, Tri-Clamp or Victaulic.

The �owmeter can be used in applications

in which the focus is on high repeatability

(±0.2% o.f.s.) and reliable measured values.

Endress+Hauser / www.us.endress.com

Modular hybrid motor startersContactron pro is a hybrid motor starter that simpli�es wiring

and safety integration. It has a T-bus backplane system that

rapidly distributes 24-V power, bridges the e-stop enable signal

and adds auxiliary contact modules. These modules allow mo-

tor state feedback and implementation of self-sealing motor

circuits. When used with the PSR-MC38 safety

relay, the motor can permit a SIL 3/PLe group

of emergency shutdowns via one interface.

The modules incorporate Phoenix Contact’s

hybrid technology, which offers three-phase

motor switching up to 5 hp. It has a service life

of up to 30 million switching cycles.

Phoenix Contact / 800-322-3225 / www.phoenixcontact.com

Wrist-connected couplingI/O Coupling is designed to elimi-

nate the need to run an external

cable along a cobot arm. It directly

connects any of Robotiq’s adaptive

and vacuum grippers to the wrists

of major cobot models, including Omron, TM Techman and

Universal Robots. It stores four presets or default setting options

for gripper parameters, including position, force and speed for the

adaptive grippers and automatic vs. manual modes and vacuum

levels for its vacuum grippers. Manufacturers can change these

presets within the user interface by connecting the I/O Coupling

to a PC. The device features industrial-grade components capable

of withstanding harsh work environments and intensive use.

Robotiq / robotiq.com

Optimized data intelligence on the plant �oorTo optimize data intelligence further, the Crimson develop-

ment environment has been updated to allow the use of

expressions in �lters for SQL queries. This allows operators

to pull a subset of data from

the SQL database based on

dynamic search criteria. This

feature can deliver improved

ef�ciencies and process con-

trol, shortening response time

by accessing the right data faster. This is critical when trouble-

shooting production or operations work�ow.

Red Lion / www.redlion.net


product showcaseCONTACT US [email protected]

CD1911_45_48_Showcase.indd 45 11/5/19 10:20 AM

Intelligent position measuring system for absolute linear feedbackThis intelligent displacement sensor provides not only the

absolute position signal for the stroke travel of a piston via

IO-Link but also information about the sensor status and the

current ambient conditions. It monitors the sensor temperature

and the number of starts and issues warnings when a con�gu-

rable limit value is violated. An internal counter monitors the

operating hours over the sensor’s entire life continuously, both

since the last service and the last start-up. This

makes it possible to plan for a possible needed

replacement at the next service interval.

The integrated IO-Link interface enables

fast format changes because of its

parameterization functions.

Balluff / www.ballu�.com

Compact hydraulic/pneumatic position sensorsTM1 series magnetostrictive linear hydraulic and pneumatic

position sensors have a compact housing. A magnetic ring-

shaped marker is af�xed to an application’s moving cylinder

and moves up and down the TM1 rod without contact. The se-

ries offers stroke lengths from 50 to 2,000 mm in 25-mm steps.

Operating pressure is up to

5,076 psi (350 bar) with peaks

to 6,526 psi (450 bar). Both

plug-in and screw type �ange

models are available. Other

speci�cations include absolute

linearity of ≤0.04% F.S. (min. 0.3 mm) and repeatability of ≤±0.1

mm. Ingress protection is to IP69K, and the operating tempera-

ture range is to -40 to 105 °C.

Novotechnik U.S. / 508-485-2244 / www.novotechnik.com

Greater sensing distance ultrasonic proximity sensorsSU, UK, UT and TU series round body and UQ series cubic plas-

tic ultrasonic distance sensors are offered in sensing distance

ranges from 60 to 8,000 mm, in

metal or plastic housings and

M18 (18 mm) and M30 (30 mm)

barrel or head sizes. Discrete and

analog output sensors and mod-

els with both analog and discrete

switching outputs are available.

Discrete models are available with adjustable sensitivity; one

sensor can be standardized for many materials. Operating

voltages are 10 to 30 Vdc; temperature ranges up to 70 °C are

offered on some models. Most sensors provide LED status

indicators and have 2-m output cable or M12 quick-disconnect

connection options.

AutomationDirect / 800-633-0405 / www.automationdirect.com

Customized mounting features of LVDT and LVRT sensorsLVDT linear position sensors and LVRT inductive half-bridge

sensors include mounting features such as blocks or �anges to

�t into the existing footprint of steam turbines, eliminating the

need for turbine operators to update or replace costly legacy

equipment including mounting equipment, brackets and me-

chanical indicators. LVDTs and three-wire LVRTs are installed in

various locations on the steam turbine to track turbine vibration

for health monitoring and maintenance prediction and provide

feedback on the open/close status of steam inlets and governor

valves. As the LVDTs and LVRTs

often are exposed to high vibra-

tions on the steam turbines, the

stainless steel blocks and �anges

are welded to the sensors so footing

remains rugged.

NewTek Sensor Solutions / 856-406-6877 /

www.newtesensors.com

I/O modules for temperature control applicationsThese three groov Epic I/O modules meet precise requirements

for temperature control applications. They include designs

for mixed signal types, signal isolation and channel density.

GRV-IDCSW-12 has discrete input, 12 channels and dc contact

switch status; monitors the open/closed status of dry contact

switches; and provides the necessary excitation voltage to

power the circuit. GRV-IVI-12 has 12 isolated channels, each

con�gurable to one of eight ranges from ±1.25 to ±160 V. It

eliminates the need to segregate I/O signals

over multiple modules. GRV-IRTD-8 with

analog input, eight channels and tem-

perature/RTD or resistor increases

options for accuracy and I/O density

in temperature applications.

Opto 22 / 951-695-3000 / www.opto22.com


product showcase


Absolute safety rotary encoderThe WH58MR absolute safety rotary encoder can be �tted with

a hollow shaft of 10 to 15 mm open on one side as an option.

It has an external diameter of 58 mm. The rotary encoder is

�exible when it comes to the type of connection. In addition

to the M12 plug (single or with BUS IN/BUS OUT), variants are

available with a cable outlet or customized plug

connectors. The encoder also offers high shock and

vibration loads, UV resistance, an optional

salt spray-resistant housing and protec-

tion type IP67. It’s operating tempera-

ture range is -40 to 85 °C.

Siko Products / sikoproducts.com

Pressure and level sensors for IoT applicationsThe IoT sensor product line includes pressure sensors and

transmitters, differential pressure sensors and level transmit-

ters that provide either analog or digital output signals suitable

for IoT applications. These rugged IoT sensors can to operate in

harsh environments. These pressure sensors and transmitters

feature high accuracy at both low and high pressure ranges;

isolated construction that enables measurement in

various liquids and gases and in a wide operat-

ing temperature range while providing tempera-

ture compensation; and span and zero correc-

tion. The stable level transmitters are fully

sealed, allowing them to act as submersible

level transmitters.

L-com / www.l-com.com

Integrated motor/actuatorThe GTX100 incorporates the patented inverted roller screw

technology, a high-power density and compact form factor,

making it a suitable replacement for hydraulic cylinders. The

actuator offers the power, precision and programmability of a

servo system while minimizing the maintenance dif�culties of

hydraulics. It has continuous force ratings up to 15,392 N (3,460

lbf), speeds up to 953 mm/sec (37.5 in/sec) and stan-

dard stroke lengths from 150 mm (5.9 in) to 300 mm

(11.8 in). It also includes IP65S (min.) envi-

ronmental protection, seamless integration

into many motion control architectures

and a removable front seal bushing.

Exlar / www.exlar.com

Noncontact RFID safety switches with diagnostic capabilitiesThe SI-RF series safety switches are designed to monitor doors,

gates, and other moveable machine safeguards. The switches

use RFID technology to monitor mechanical guards separat-

ing personnel from a hazard. They can be deployed alone to

safeguard a single machine access point or in a cascade series

to simplify the safeguarding of multiple access

points. Cascade models can be connected in

a series of up to 32 switches using a standard

four-wire cable, T-adaptors, an end plug and just

two terminals on a safety controller. Used alone

or in a series, the switches achieve Cat. 4, PLe,

or SIL CL3 safety ratings.

Banner Engineering / www.bannerengineering.com

Standalone accessory card to prevents false alarmsThe CMC series standalone accessory card provides an adjust-

able current limit alarm for any dc motor controller, prevent-

ing false alarms from predictable increases in current draw.

Compatible with any dc motor controller, the card is wired in

series with a dc motor using a jumper to set a

base current limit trip point. An onboard

OFFSET trim pot can �nely adjust the

trip point, while a TIME DELAY trim

pot establishes how long the motor’s

amperage draw must exceed the trip point

before determining that a fault has occurred.

American Control Electronics / www.americancontrolelectronics.com

Four-port antenna with horizontal/vertical polarizationThe four-port OMNI antenna can be used for WISP, cel-

lular and �xed wireless applications. It has 13 dBi of gain

and can deliver increased capacity offered by 4x4 MIMO.

It provides horizontal and vertical polarization and

operates on the 5.15- to 5.85-GHz frequency range. This

360° omnidirectional antenna features two vertically

stacked OMNI arrays in a single radome enclosure with

one mounting point. It supports one 4x4 MIMO or two

2x2 MIMO radios. This antenna is ideal for minimiz-

ing operator investment in low-density macro or

micropop deployments by having to mount only

one antenna and radio.

KP Performance Antennas / www.kpperformance.com



Modular data collection gateway for Edge IoT applicationsThe WISE-710 data gateway is well-

suited for connecting legacy equip-

ment to new mesh networks. Aimed

at harsh industrial environments as

well as in-cabinet applications with limited space, the terminal

features a compact form factor measuring 100 x 70 x 36 mm and

a wide operating temperature range of -20 ~ 55 °C. To enable

remote management, it supports Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G/LTE and NB-IoT

wireless modules that facilitate long-distance data transmis-

sions, over-the-air (OTA) updates and real-time communication.

The gateway is equipped with WISE-PaaS/EdgeLink protocol-

conversion software, which supports more than 200 communi-

cation protocols to enable data collection from legacy devices.

Advantech / www.advantech.com

Linear dc motorsTwo linear dc motors have been added to the LVCM series. Both

are 2 in (50.8 mm) in diameter, and the housings are 5 in (127.0

mm) long. The LVCM-051-127-02 features a longer stroke of 1.75

in (44.5 mm) with a continuous force of 13.8 lb (61.5 N) and a

peak force of 43.7 lb (194.4 N). In comparison, the LVCM-051-127-

03 has a higher continuous force of 22.4 lb (99.5 N), a

peak force of 70.7 lb (314.5 N) and a stroke

length of 1 in (25.4 mm) for applica-

tions with a higher force-to-size ratio.

Moticont / 888-785-1804 / www.moticont.com

Direct Modbus connection to PLCsGSM-PRO2 series communication modules feature a Modbus

RTU (RS-485) interface that enables easy data exchange with

other controllers. The modules operate in slave mode and can

provide a PLC with added functionality via a

plug connection to the RS-485 port directly on

the C-type mounting rail. The GSM-PRO-CON

extension module makes wiring even simpler.

Plugged into the GSM-PRO2 module, it offers

front-access terminals for connection to the

controller. Parameterization software can be

programmed to send a text or email fault mes-

sage to speci�ed recipients when the PLC input

status changes.

Conta-Clip / www.conta-clip.com

Space-saving integrated servo motorThe MDX integrated servo motors provide design modularity

and simplicity for a range of applications. The servo motors

house control electronics at the back, near the feedback device.

No other external electronics package is required to drive or

control the motor. The back of the motor also contains connec-

tors for power, communications and I/O. The onboard controllers

use the same command interfaces as external motor controllers,

including CANopen, RS-485, Modbus and Ethernet

connections as well as discrete I/O interfaces

such as pulse and direction. Command

signals from a robot or machine’s central

processing unit can be wired directly to

the integrated servo motor.

Applied Motion Products / 800-525-1609 /

www.applied-motion.com

Dual rail positioning systemThe DRS-206-05-012-01-EX dual rail positioning stage is de-

signed for applications that require long travel distances. It

uses a cog-free brushless linear motor to generate a continu-

ous force of 12.4 lb (55.6 N) and a peak force of 37.4 lb (167 N)

with a total stroke length of 210 in (5,341 mm). The noncontact

1-micron resolution encoder allows for precise positioning.

The stage is capable of speeds in excess of 200 ips (5 m/s). It is

guided by dual rigid recirculating ball linear bearings. The

entire stage is assembled on a single piece of

aluminum extrusion, thus reducing

overall system weight.

H2W Technologies / 888-702-0540 /

www.h2wtech.com

Antenna with extended frequency rangeThe ultra-thin ceiling-mount omnidirectional IOSE antenna offers

a wide frequency range of 600 to 3,800 MHz in a single unit. The

low-PIM (-153 dBc) device is available with a plenum 4.3/10 female

connection or a plenum N female connection. The TrueConnect

antenna reduces helps to simplify in-building installations. It pro-

vides coverage in low-signal areas when installing 600 MHz, 700

MHz, cellular, PCS, AWS, 2.5, CBRS DAS in-building

systems. At 8.38 in (213 mm) in diameter, it is low

pro�le, with a maximum thickness of only 0.73

in (18.5 mm) in the center.

Wireless Supply / www.wirelesssupply.com


product showcase


publishing teamgroup publisher & vp, content

Keith Larson [email protected]

vp, sales & publishing director

sales teamnortheastern and mid-atlantic regional manager

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CD1911_49_SOO.indd 49 11/5/19 10:22 AM

IS A PLC smart? It’s smart like a reptile, and it can reliably and

robustly control the many things connected to it using its

programmed functions. However, there are different levels of

intelligence needed to keep automated machines, systems or

critical parts operating. For smart machines, the PLC is just a

type of machine intelligence. Several types of control need to

communicate and combine to make a truly smart machine.

Much of these basics on smart machines were discussed by

Peter J. Photos, Ph.D., chief scientist and executive vice president

at Streamline Innovations at the 2019

Ignition Community Conference in

Folsom, California. Photos discussed

several smart communication meth-

ods and types of smart control during

his breakout session about building

intelligent systems of the future.

A typical system starts with the

machine or process controlled by a PLC with a human-machine

interface (HMI), but a smarter machine may remove the HMI and

replace it with an Ethernet cable and supervisory control and

data acquisition system (SCADA). The HMI becomes a client of

the SCADA system viewed on a smartphone. It may also elimi-

nate the thousands of wires entering a control room and replace

it with an Ethernet cable. Smart machines are also monitored

and controlled remotely reducing the need to visit a site.

“Smarter” means easy connection to the cloud, and building

a server and sending data to the cloud adds intelligence. There

are many cloud services out there, and some bit-size cloud-ser-

vices options are scalable such as DigitalOcean. These services

can make deploying, managing and scaling cloud infrastruc-

ture and applications easier.

These smart machines should present the data neatly,

organized and ready for use by a data scientist or modeling

software. Smart machines now and in the future will require a

model and analytics that predict real-time and future opera-

tion. The system should also monitor the data and provide a

text message or email warning, for example, when needed.

So what is a smart machine, or, more simply, what is smart?

“Making machines smart is similar to how humans are smart,

in theory,” says Photos. “Build a pump skid, install a Moxa PC,

install Ignition Edge for an edge-of-network HMI with Web

and data functionality, and it’s smart. Then develop a screen

quickly, add a control program and use off-the-shelf parts and

it’s smart and cost-effective.”

From a conceptual standpoint, some theories discuss four

major areas of your brain; the amygdala, reptilian brain, limbic

system and neocortex. The amygdala is the oldest part of the

brain—the lizard brain. It’s designed to keep you alive with

food, � ght and � ight type reactions. It’s an alarm system that

gets you out of danger with its fast evaluation and response

system to keep the person safe, but it may not always be accu-

rate without additional analysis.

The reptilian brain is your primi-

tive part that keeps you alive as

well. The primitive brain is respon-

sible for the most basic survival

functions such as heart rate and

breathing and orientation in space.

It has very consistent control

mechanisms and has priority over other systems of the brain.

You have little or no control over your heart rate and rarely is it

necessary to think about or control your breathing.

A complex part of the brain is the limbic system or mam-

malian brain. It controls emotions and communication to your

limbs so all parts are in communication to your brain.

A � nal part is the neocortex or the smart brain—the part

that makes you human. It provides the high order conscious

activities including language, abstract thought, creativity, solve

equations, analyze trends and think outside the box.

“Why not structure our control systems in plants using the

same analogy,” asks Photos. “There are some signi� cant com-

parisons. The amygdala keeping you alive and out of danger is

an emergency-stop safety circuit. The reptilian brain perform-

ing second-to-second tasks keeping your heart and breathing

correct is the reliable PLC. The limbic system communicating

to all the parts and ensuring relevant areas stay in touch is the

SCADA software such as Ignition. And � nally, the neocortex is

where we can have fun and get really smart. It’s a high-level,

general-purpose programming language such as Python.”

For smart machines, think about what part of the brain is to

do what and when. “It can speed the development of control

systems for machines and processes,” says Photos. “It’s brains vs.

brawn. Put the brain in a computer next to the PLC and let it do

the advanced calculations.”

The brains in smart machines


Dave Perkontechnical editor

[email protected]

automation basics

For smart machines, think about what part of the

brain is to do what and when.

CD1911_50_AutoBasics.indd 50 11/5/19 10:21 AM

Emerson’s outcome-optimizing controllers, like the PACSystems RX3i CPL410, enable you tomake better decisions by bringing together real-time data and advanced analytics capturedat the edge of your machines. Our next generation control solutions incorporate safety, securityand reliability that give you peace of mind while helping you realize higher performance in youroperations. Work with experts who can help you influence outcomes, generate opportunities, and improve results by bringing you to the leading edge of Industry 4.0.

Turn to the machine control experts who can help you find the edge you need. Visit Emerson.comor reach out to at [email protected] to learn more.

Outcome-Optimizing Controlsat the Leading Edge of Industry 4.0

The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. ©2019 Emerson Electric Co.

CD1911_FPA.indd 51 11/5/19 11:08 AM

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better connections · dang Sameto, APC engineer at PTFI, in a presentation about the mine’s various upgrades at Schneider Electric’s Innovation Days in Austin, Texas. “It will