Q3 • 2009

Q4 • 2009

Q2 • 2009

Q4 • 2009

p18 Wireless Sensors

Reduce Spill Potential

p21 All About Wireless

Network Components

p26 Rezabek Weighs

Open I/O

In The Years Ahead, Users Will Expect

Better, Faster, Cheaper Industrial

Systems. Not Everything Is Possible,

but Good Things Are Coming

The Network in Your Future

IN09Q4_01_Cover.indd 10 10/27/09 9:30 AM

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IN09Q4_FPA.indd 2 10/26/09 4:32 PM

Our STRIDE family of industrial grade unmanaged Ethernet switches and media converter is specifically built for industrial environments.Install Stride switches and your Ethernet control network will maintain more consistent cycle times even under heavy I/O and dataexchange. The new aluminum-housed models offer a wider operating temperature range (-40 to +85 deg. C).

Product Description STRIDE PLASTIC MODELSPrice/Part Number

CHECK OUT PRICES ON ETHERNET SWITCHES

AutomationDirect prices are U.S. published prices as of April 2009. Prices subject to change without notice.

5-port Ethernet switch with five 10/100BaseTRJ45 Ethernet ports

8-port Ethernet switch with eight 10/100BaseTRJ45 Ethernet ports

Ethernet-Fiber converter with one 10/100BaseT RJ45Ethernet port and one 100BaseFX fiber optic port

5-port Ethernet switch with four 10/100BaseT RJ45Ethernet ports and one 100BaseFX fiber optic port

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For complete information or to order our free catalog, visit: www.automationdirect.com/ethernet

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0908-IndustrialNetworking-Comm-MAG:comm 7/2/2009 3:58 PM Page 1

Starts at $445

Starts at $350

Starts at $134

Starts at $665

Where Do I Go for Process Automation Products? omegamation.com, of Course!Your single source for process measurement and control products!

© COPYRIGHT 2009 OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

omegamation.comsm

Cover Art: Based on an original Norman Rockwell Illustration © The Curtis Publishing Company Rube Golberg © Rube Goldberg, Inc.

1-888-55-663421-888-55-OMEGA

TMFor Sales and Service, Call TOLL FREE

Before there was OMEGAMATIONTM there was Rube Goldberg

Shop Online at

FREE!HardboundHandbook andEncyclopedia

Visit omegamation.comTM to order yourFREE Premier Edition omegamation.comTM

Complete Automation Handbookand Encyclopedia. It’s loadedwith thousands of Automationproducts and over 200 pagesof technical reference!

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HMi Operator Interface

Visit omega.com/hmi

HMiSOFT Programming Software HMiSOFT$130

HMi SeriesStarts at

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ELC ProgrammableLogic Controllers

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Starts at $134

ELC-GPStarts at

$184Visit omega.com/elc_gp

Visit omega.com/elc_plc

USA

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TemperatureRTD

VelocityRTD

6 mm(1⁄4")

General Purpose Industrial Air Velocity/TemperatureTransmitter/Indicator

Visit omega.com/fma1000

FMA1000Series

� Measures Air Velocities � Two Analog Outputs and

USB PC Interface Included� NEMA 4 (IP65)

Industrial Enclosure� Many Mounting

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Low-Cost Compact“All-in-One” Controllers HE-XE102

$445

Visit omega.com/xl-ocs

HE-XT102$775

HE-XL100$1290

OCS-XLSeries

USA

MADEMADEININ

INW_1109:Control Design 10/20/09 12:54 PM Page 1

IN09Q4_FPA.indd 3 10/26/09 4:33 PM

IN09Q4_FPA.indd 4 10/26/09 4:33 PM

7 FIRST BIT To Reach the Unreachable

8 PACKETS Cybersecurity Threats Are Everywhere

11 BANDWIDTH Listen to the Cable Guy

24 PRODUCTS

26 PARITY CHECK Weigh I/O Openness’ Bene� ts

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

COVER STORY

INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING is published four times annually to select subscribers of CONTROL and CONTROL DESIGN magazines by PUTMAN MEDIA INC. (also publishers of CHEMICAL PROCESSING, FOOD PROCESSING, PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING and PLANT SERVICES), 555 W. Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL. (Phone: 630/467-1300; Fax: 630/467-1124.) Address all correspondence to Editorial and Executive O� ces, same address. ©Putman Media 2009. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the copyright owner. INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported. Single copies $15.

E V A L U A T E 1 2

For additional information, please contact Foster Printing Service, the official reprint provider for Industrial Networking.

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18

INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING

Q4• 20095

Wireless Components Keep ExpandingAs the Market’s O¥ erings Continue to Grow, Network Engineers See New Opportunities for Applications

R E S E A R C H 2 1

Wireless Washouts Make Plant SaferValve Position Monitors O¥ er Harcros Chemicals an Opportunity to Test the Waters of Wireless Applications and Improve Safety

BY KEVIN ROOT, HARCROS CHEMICALS

I M P L E M E N T 1 8

The Network in Your Future

In The Years Ahead, Users Will Expect Better, Faster, Cheaper Industrial

Systems. Not Everything Is Possible, but Good Things Are Foreseen

BY JIM MONTAGUE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

IN09Q4_05_TOC.indd 5 10/27/09 2:17 PM

Improve Your Network Reliabilityat www.selinc.com/11in

Learn how to

Tough. Reliable. Safe.Convert and Switch Ethernet Links With the SEL-2725 Ethernet Switch

• Withstands harsh environments without dropping packets

• Improves safety and noise immunity with fiber optics

• Includes ten-year, worldwide warranty

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Can Your Network Take This?

Electrostatic Shock (15 kV)Vibration (15 g Shock)

Heat (+85°C) / Cold (—40°C)

IndNet_2725_Nov09_A2.indd 1 9/25/2009 10:00:01 AMIN09Q4_FPA.indd 6 10/26/09 4:34 PM

7

In MexIco cIty, at the 1968 olyMpIc GaMes, american Bob Beamon set a track-and-field world record when he long-jumped 8.90 m. It wasn’t until the distance was converted to english standard units that Beamon realized he not only had broken the previous world record, but had soared past it by almost 2 ft. surely, this new record would stand forever as an unsurpassed feat of accomplishment. a distance of 29 ft, 2.5 in., would never, could

never, be reached, let alone surpassed, by another man, unless he were being carried on wires.

Well, never is a long time. For 23 years, long jumpers inched, or “centimetered,” their way closer and closer to the mark, and finally in 1991, Mike powell did the unthinkable and leaped 5 cm—2 in., for those of you in the U.s., liberia and Myanmar (it will always be Burma to me)—past that unobtainable target. Wirelessly.

the examples of human triumph are too numerous to count. From the Wright brothers’ first flight to neil armstrong’s acknowledgment of his small step on the surface of the moon, the impossible has continued to become footnote after footnote in the annals of our accomplishments.

similarly, wireless field control now has officially become one of those reachable stars. two recent installations have demonstrated the effectiveness of control over WirelesshaRt networks. at bioprocess technologies supplier Broadley James (www.broadleyjames.com) in Irvine, calif., WirelesshaRt ph and temperature transmitters control a single-use disposable bioreactor. “We conducted batch runs using mammalian cell culture,” says scott Broadley, president. “The observed ph and temperature control using wireless measurements was equivalent to that achieved using wired transmitters.”

The technology is available to address most control applications, with scan rates as fast as 1 sec. “yesterday, you couldn’t do pID wirelessly,” says Randy Balentine, DeltaV product marketing manager at emerson process Management. “today, that’s no longer the case.”

What makes this possible, Balentine explains, is a new control algorithm. “We knew WirelesshaRt devices and the way they do non-periodic updates, and we understood how we could accommodate

that in the pID algorithm and function block,” he says. “We’ve held a pID steady in some of its calculations, and not made ill-advised moves in the algorithm without an update. The proof and the technology are here.”

The pID is designed to work with WirelesshaRt devices that support period and exception reporting. similar results were seen at another installation, the J.J. pickle Research campus at the

University of texas, where stripper and absorber control is done using WirelesshaRt transmitters. column pressure control and heater stream flow control using WirelesshaRt transmitters provided comparable performance to that achieved using wired transmitters.

yet, with all the success of wireless control in these installations, most engineers will argue that wireless is not yet ready for industrial control of critical applications.

“Many different devices use the same communication frequencies or create interference,” says eric hollister, product sales engineer, pilz automation safety (www.pilz.com). “For monitoring data, this interference does not pose a huge problem when 1 sec of data is lost due to a disruption in the signal. For control, the signal must always go through and must always be correct to ensure that the machine functions properly. Until wireless control technology reaches a point where electrical interference, network load and cross-talk no longer influence the control signals, it will not be ready.”

With wireless, you can verify that 95% of the data is received, but you can’t go beyond that and guarantee that all 100% of the packets transmitted from the field device are received by the gateway, says Robert schosker, product manager at pepperl+Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.com). “These lost information packets, or any delay in receiving the data packets due to rerouting or interference from moving structures such as rail cars, construction work or vehicles, is a limiting factor, so control can be done, but at this point only to a limited degree,” he explains.

Wireless control of critical applications is a reachable star. It will take time and plenty of small steps, but ultimately networks will leap into the possibilities it opens.

To Reach the UnreachableWireless field

control noW has

officially become

one of those

reachable stars. tWo

recent installations

have demonstrated

the effectiveness

of control over

Wirelesshart

netWorks.

f i r s t b i t

Mike Bacidoremanaging editor

mbacidore@putman.net

7industrial netWorking

Q4 • 2009f i r s t b i t

IN09Q4_07_FirstBit.indd 7 10/27/09 9:33 AM

IndustrIal networkIng

Q4 • 20098 p a c k e t s

Cybersecurity Threats Are Everywhere

Don’t worry about an isolateD cybersecurity attack on your network. worry about keeping your network safe from the cloud of threats that is out there every second of every day.

“Threats are everywhere,” said bob Huba, emerson product manager. “you need a multi-level defense. i like to use the analogy that this is like water. if you have a leak, it finds its way. it’s floating around out there. you never really clean up the internet. you just keep yourself clear from infection.”

at the 2009 emerson Global users exchange, held in october in orlando, Fla., Huba shared an overview of cybersecurity solutions and how to use a familiar plant model for implementing a process control cybersecurity program.

“security is about ensuring business continuity, and that is achieved best by developing a unified defense-in-depth strategy and architecture that can defend against myriad possible business interruptions,” explained Huba.

what is a defense-in-depth strategy?Huba uses a physical example. “if you

remember the television show, ‘Hogan’s Heroes,’ you remember the two fences and the guard dogs,” he explained. “Defense-in-depth means you have more than one fence. you put in a firewall or bury your system deep within your network. you try to create barriers in an ‘onion’ strategy. and, assuming those aren’t perfect, you put things inside the system, such as antivirus programs and make sure your patches are in place.”

security also encompasses the little things such as making sure everybody has passwords, even internally, and turning off usb ports and floppy drives to ensure they’re not accessible. “create more barriers,” said Huba. “Most security problems happen accidentally. you bring in a usb stick with something on it and infect your computer.”

Huba also recommended “white listing,” by which you set up the system so that only allowed programs will run, and malware will not even start.

“one of the things about DeltaV is that it was designed from the beginning to be secure,” said Huba. “when we developed it 13 years ago, we knew it had to be a segmented system from the plant for robustness and security. Thirteen years ago, we knew security was there, but it wasn’t a big deal. a big part of security is making sure your systems are segmented with edge protection and security. it is not an extension of a plant lan.”

The industry often confuses these control systems, and wants to treat them like nothing more than an information system, a plant lan, explained Huba. “That’s an inappropriate model for a control system,” he said. “if a process control system, as opposed to a factory automation system, is going to be managed by the classic it department, they need to understand that it’s a different animal. we have a built-for-purpose ethernet system. DeltaV treats itself in a very secure, robust manner.”

since security threats are constantly evolving, end users need to develop and implement multiple domain-by-domain protection plans.

while there are parallels between cybersecurity and safety management programs, cybersecurity can be more daunting because of its dynamic nature. “you put in antivirus software, and its life is measured in days, because there’s always something new—the next conflict or the next sasser worm,” Huba added. ”it’s constantly evolving, and the management on the security side is much more complex and onerous than it is on the safety side.”

Bits & Bytes

The Fieldbus Foundation (www.fieldbus.org) released the H1 Interoperability test kit (H1-Itk) 5.2.0 and High speed ethernet conformance test kit (Hse-ctk) 2.0.1.

Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com) and Meridium (www.meridium.com) partnered to develop aMs suite: asset portal v4.0 powered by Meridium.

Fluke Networks (www.flukenetworks.com) acquired airMagnet, a provider of performance, security and compliance solutions for wireless lans.

north american electric utilities ranked Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (www.selinc.com) as the no. 1 relay manufacturer, according to research conducted by the newton-evans research (www.newton-evans.com).

B&B Electronics Manufacturing (www.bbelec.com) partnered with N-Tron (www.n-tron.com) to distribute n-tron products and provide global support.

Comit Systems (www.comit.com) partnered with GreenPeak Technologies (www.greenpeak.com) to deliver customized, low-cost, ultra-low-power wireless mesh network solutions.

Byres Security (www.byressecurity.com) and Belden/Hirschmann (www.belden.com) signed a technology cooperation agreement.

RELENTLESS THREATS

The life of your most recent cybersecurity action is measured in days, because there’s always something new—the next conflict or the next Sasser worm. It’s constantly evolving, said Bob Huba, Emerson product manager.

IN09Q4_08_09_Packets.indd 8 10/27/09 9:35 AM

9IndustrIal networkIng

Q4 • 2009

Alleviate the Pain of ObsolescenceObsOlescence can have a huge impact on the operation of an industrial network. it occurs when a person, object or service is no longer wanted, said steve murray, control systems supervisor at metals manufacturer asarco, during his presentation at the 2009 invensys north america client conference in houston this October.

murray further divided obsolescence into two types: technical and functional. “technical obsolescence occurs when superior products become available, when incompatibility with newer products creates an island of technology, or when products become useless due to changes in other products,” said murray. “Functional obsolescence occurs when equipment no longer functions as it did when new, failure rates increase, spare parts are unavailable or expensive, a manufacturer no longer supports it, or there’s no longer internal support available.”

equipment age isn’t a justification for replacement but is a factor in failure rate and maintenance costs, murray said. “equipment easily can outlast manufacturer’s support, and the cost of its use must be balanced against the cost of replacement,” he continued. “all equipment is obsolete or will become so.”

murray advised listeners to choose products that are in the early stages of their lifecycles, purchase spares as part of initial capital outlay, find out manufacturer’s support options and track record, and be aware of end-of-life dates when making new equipment purchases. “On existing equipment, stockpile spare parts, find alternate sources of parts and repair, upgrade portions of complex systems and use their parts as spares, and encourage manufacturers to develop replacement modules using new components,” he recommended.

ISA100.11a Devices Gain ApprovalsWithin days OF apprOval OF the isa100.11a standard by the isa standards and practices board, the isa100 Wireless compliance institute (www.isa.org/

isa100compliant) successfully deployed, tested and approved isa100.11a standard devices in a multi-vendor installation of the technology at an arkema plant in crosby, texas (www.arkema-inc.com). The objective of the installation is to demonstrate interoperability among multiple vendor

devices using the isa100.11a technology. “With the standard ratified, multiple

vendors supporting it and big industry players coming onboard, the isa100.11a standard is here to stay, so we can develop and grow its use in our plant”, noted didier auber, the arkema crosby plant manager.

251-342-2164 • N-TRON_Sales@n-tron.com • www.n-tron.com

708 Series Fully Managed Fast Ethernet

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IN09Q4_08_09_Packets.indd 9 10/27/09 9:35 AM

© Allied Electronics, Inc 2009. ‘Allied Electronics’ and the Allied Electronics logo are trademarks of Allied Electronics, Inc. An Electrocomponents Company.

1.800.433.5700

For all your Alpha WireIndustrial Automation

product solutions

THINK ALLIEDSM

NOV09-Alpha (CD-IN Sup).qxd:CONTROL DESIGN 10/7/09 9:32 AM Page 1

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

IndNet1109-ol.pdf 10/12/2009 9:20:36 AM

IN09Q4_FPA.indd 10 10/26/09 4:35 PM

b a n d w i d t h

Selection of wire and cable for an industrial network should never be taken lightly. That might not always be the practice, however.

“indifference can be expensive,” says ted beach, vice president of sales at northwire (www.northwire.com). “if specifiers think cable is cable, PVc is PVc, and electrical performance doesn’t matter, then they’re making a mistake.”

northwire says some specifiers believe that

cable really doesn’t matter that much and only needs to conduct electricity. “That’s clearly not true as evidenced by foundation fieldbus plants that installed inappropriate cable that soon became the system constraint,” observes beach. “Using unapproved cables in tough environments, including cheap, off-the-self grades in an industrial environment, often leads to problems. other mistakes include being unaware that not all ethernet cable can be used at or near 100 m lengths despite its markings or category rating, and not properly grounding cable shields.”

beach says he polled his group about this, and they add that specifiers sometimes don’t properly evaluate the environment, including the motion environment where cables are to be installed. is it stationary? any vibration? will there be occasional or constant bending, twisting or rolling? will there be frequent connects/disconnects?

“The environment the cabling infrastructure will be operating in is the most commonly overlooked criteria when selecting a product,” says eric bulington, wire and cable chief engineer at anixter (www.anixter.com). “it’s often thought that plenum-rated cable is more rugged or durable because it has a higher rating. However, the rating does not provide any additional assurance that the cable will perform as expected in the long run in an industrial application.”

there are subtle factors that can have a very detrimental effect on commercial-style riser or plenum cables. “oil used to cut the metal for enclosures and conduits will cause commercial-style jackets to swell and crack allowing moisture ingress,” says bulington. “Sunlight resistance is rarely a concern for commercial networking cables, but often a concern in industrial environments. temperatures reached

in a chemical or power plant easily can exceed the ambient temperatures assumed during electrical performance testing.” that makes the stated performance of the cable largely irrelevant, he says.

“the value of a new car drops the moment you drive it out of the show room, and the signal-to-noise ratio of a cabling system drops as soon as you install it,” states Pete lockhart,

anixter’s vice president, emerging technologies. He says the performance of a cabling system can be affected by many things including excessive untwisting to make terminations, high temperature environments like plenum ceilings, excessive bending and pulling tension.

“when you have a cabling system that just barely meets the standard required for your application, installation factors can drop it below the requirements and cause issues on your network,” says lockhart. for example, he says it’s technically correct that 1 Gigabit ethernet can run over cat. 5e cable from a standards perspective, but the results might not always be positive in real-world scenarios. “the bottom line is to give yourself the best cabling system to start, like cat. 6, which ensures that you still have a quality cabling system that will productively run all your applications even as technology evolves after installation.”

beach says many specifiers also believe that having cable made to suit their needs is more expensive, takes too long and requires large minimum purchases. “That’s not necessarily true, and it’s worth investigating,” he claims.

beach argues that most companies don’t necessarily think about intangibles such as the product-branding opportunities that custom cabling could provide. “a ‘made to application or configured’ cable with a company’s name and website information on it could promote the idea of a ‘well and thoroughly designed’ application,” he believes.

Select cable based on a solid understanding of the application environment, the installation method being used and the cable’s actual performance in a real-world application, not how it performs in a lab. “finally, be conservative and select a cable that will allow headroom for growth or unanticipated challenges,” summarizes bulington.

“the value

of a new car drops

the moment you

drive it out of the

showroom, and the

signal-to-noise

ratio of a cabling

system drops as

soon as you

install it.”

Listen to the Cable Guy

11

joe feeleyeditor in chief

jfeeley@putman.net

11industrial networking

Q4 • 2009b a n d w i d t h

IN09Q4_11_Bandwidth.indd 11 10/27/09 9:37 AM

IndustrIal networkIng

Q4 • 200912

In the years ahead, users wIll expect better, faster,

cheaper IndustrIal systems. not everythIng Is possIble,

but good thIngs are foreseen

Some futureS are better than otherS. naturally, the trick with industrial networking, and most endeavors that invest in the future, is to pick the right path now to achieve the best outcome later.

not easy—especially for users, engineers, system integrators and suppliers trying to cope with the constantly shifting terrain of industrial networking. It’s all most folks can do to keep up with the present—or yesterday for many of us. few, if any, have time to speculate or bet successfully on what’s going to happen to industrial networking five or 10 years down the road. fortunately, to handle present tremors and upcoming upheavals, there is plenty of helpful advice and many useful resources. Ironically, one of the best may be a cold splash of reality, and then a clear-eyed look at industrial networking’s recent past as an indicator of its likely future.

Wake-Up Call “everyone believes ethernet in some form will be what all the analog and fieldbus networks will head toward in the future because it’s fast, simple, inexpensive and ubiquitous, and because users can just give their devices an address on their network and be done with it,” says hunter Vegas, senior project engineer at avid Solutions (www.avidsolutionsinc.com), a system integrator in Salem, n.C. “however, despite all the marketing brochures and Ceos at conferences, the process control-related industries still move very slowly. twenty years ago, 4-20 ma was supposed to be dead because buses were going to change everything in five years. Well, even today, all the fieldbuses together don’t add up to more than a fraction of all industrial networks. This is because, if you lose enough instruments and your plant shuts down for a couple of days and you lose $2 million dollars, then the $100,000 you saved on wiring doesn’t matter. It’s still difficult and costly for fieldbuses to achieve this kind of redundancy, and users still aren’t going to walk away from the thousands of hardwired instruments they have in place.”

Despite these drawbacks, Vegas adds that some networking protocols, like lower-level actuator Sensor-interface (aS-i), help reduce costs because they’re simple and easy to implement, and they don’t require users to do as much engineering as other fieldbuses. he explains that all industrial networks must strive to be almost as easy

to use as 4-20 ma if they hope to replace it in the years ahead. “many instruments and fieldbuses are leaving the average technician behind,” says Vegas. “I know a dozen plants where, if a transmitter fails, they have to call in an engineer. In the past, if a 4-20 ma line failed, anyone could go hook up a new one and get the system running.”

as a result, Vegas reports that some networking design tools and hardware are becoming easier to use, and this is the direction that users need their suppliers to follow. “for instance, users can

adjust aS-i networks on the fly with a lot less pain than before. We also have handheld aS-i readers that are very plug-and-play because they allow us to assign numbers to nodes, punch in those numbers, and

immediately get a reading from that particular switch or device. new fittings and blocks also make it a lot more like using 4-20 ma. It’s also good that users now can buy fieldbus transmitters and plug in whatever chip they need into that common device. I think we’re going to see more common devices like this soon, too.”

Likewise, a lot of networking hardware is getting easier to mix, and this will continue, says Vegas. “for instance, you can run Profibus or Devicenet out to a particular area and use gateway converters to immediately convert to aS-i at your field devices,” he says. “also, the buses are getting easier to deploy because you don’t need as many special cards or licenses, and this helps to accelerate their use.”

Cooperative, CoalesCing netWorks because of their varied legacy equipment and newly required capabilities, many process applications increasingly need networks and strategies that allow all these controllers and other devices to talk to and interact with each other and—you guessed it—do it faster and easier, too. maybe comprehensive interoperability isn’t too far off either?

for instance, Caeté-matriz Distillery, part of Grupo Carlos Lyra (www.carloslyra.com.br) in alagoas, brazil, recently upgraded its huge sugar and ethanol plant from 4-20 ma/hart to foundation fieldbus (ff) high-Speed ethernet (hSe) and Profibus as an alternative in its classified and motor control center (mCC) areas, and used a Smar distributed control system, client-server schema and flexible function block (ffb) software to coordinate and optimize its various installed and legacy

by JIm montague,

executIve edItor

e v a l u a t e

IN09Q4_12_17_CoverStory.indd 12 10/27/09 3:23 PM

13 INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING

Q4 • 2009

equipment and systems. Meanwhile, plant supervision is performed by a GE Fanuc HMI/SCADA system, which uses redundant database servers to communicate with the controllers via OPC in real time.

To integrate its new and existing equipment, Caeté-Matriz’s fermentation process uses a Smar controller that functions as a Profi bus-DP master and a HSE remote I/O (RIO) at the same time (Figure 1). It controls the fermentation process by automatically injecting defoamers and backwashing the fermentation tank’s heat exchangers. In general, these Smar controllers have native and redundant HSE connections that provide twin 100 Mbps connectivity. Because FFBs in HSE controllers provide data between analog and discrete controls, it’s possible to use FFBs to create HSE links between controllers and integrate analog and discrete controls.

� is means Caeté-Matriz’s contollers can exchange information using their HSE links. For example, an HSE link was used by the plant’s staff to interlock a fermentation tank’s high-level signal, from a Profi bus-PA transmitter connected to the controller, to the FF RIO solenoid in the juice treatment area. As a result, the PA level transmitter’s signal was transferred directly to the FF HSE RIO’s solenoid via that HSE link.

� ese fi eldbuses enable Caeté-Matriz to locate its PID algorithms in fi eld devices for more reliable and secure control that’s closer to their process. Also, once it integrates diff erent technologies, the plant’s HSE infrastructure gives users a Web-based HMI that includes the facility’s new and existing automation systems and provides trending capabilities for tighter operations control.

POE OR VICE VERSA One of the main forces likely to fuel Ethernet’s growth is

power over Ethernet (PoE), in which two of the wires in an Ethernet cable are used to furnish power to an application. “I think an eight-port switch can now do 2.5 A, and this level will likely rise in the future,” says Avid’s Vegas. “This means you can put a block in the field and get power to it without added lines. They’re also getting better protected and safer, though they’re not at Class I, Div. 2, yet.”

Conversely, while some users try PoE, others fi nd they can communicate via their power lines. For example, German brewer and bottler C&A Veltins (www.veltins.com) decided in 2007 to deploy 284 of SEW Eurodrive’s mechatronic drive units in a single-line network installation (SNI) on the container and box conveyors serving its 60,000 bottles-per-hour fi lling line in its new plant in Meschede-Grevenstein. � e drive optimizes the interfaces between its motor and gears by directly combining those gears, motor, drive, motion control and communications in one gear housing, which achieves 12-20% better effi ciency and delivers similar energy savings, says Rich Mintz, strategic product marketing manager at SEW Eurodrive (www.sew-eurodrive.com).

“To further simplify its network, the brewery’s SNI daisy-chained its drive units together by their three-phase power

IN09Q4_12_17_CoverStory.indd 13 10/27/09 3:24 PM

cables, but these wires also use a PowerLAN method to carry the application’s high-frequency communication signals,” says Mintz. “� is meant that Veltins didn’t need to install about 4,600 m of 24 V standard bus wiring, and so it saved about 60% on its cable costs. Usually, we’re trained to keep encoder and bus signals away from 480 V power due to electrical noise, but applying good modulation with this method ensured that noise was not a problem.”

MOVING ON TIME Because higher-speed motion control needs more speed and data, it’s been even slower to emerge in industrial networks than in process and other comparatively slower applications. � is too, will change in the next few years.

For instance, carpet sample machine builder Modra Technology (www.modra.com.au) in Warragul, Australia, recently added Ethernet Powerlink protocol for real-time, multi-axis, synchronized motion control on its Mtuft machines, which now can set up and—at 30 stitches per second—produce a new tufted carpet sample in just 20 minutes, which takes at least a day on conventional carpet sample or production machines. � e machine holds the web/backing material for the carpet sample in tension on two backing drums driven in ratio gear mode, while two synchronized, reciprocating heads, above and below the web, traverse the material. � e needle motor provides the reference signal for all interpolated axes, and the top head uses a large servo for needle actuation, using a driven-spline arrangement to save weight on the head (Figure 2).

Powerlink adds determinism to Ethernet communications by managing message exchanges in a predefi ned sequence to make

sure that only one node communicates at any one time. � e protocol guarantees that all time-critical data is transferred within confi gurable, isochronous bus cycles. � is prevents the data collisions associated with standard Ethernet and prevents the need for bus arbitration schemes, which reduces data transmission time overheads.

Mtuft machines combine pneumatic and electrical actuation. There are nine axes of electrically operated movement, all controlled by a Baldor Electric real-time motion controller. Seven axes are driven by Baldor ac servo drives and servo motors, using Powerlink for communication between the controller and drives. Five of these axes use interpolation over Powerlink, while the remaining two electrically driven axes use small dc motors. Mtuft’s built-in host computer is an industry-standard PC, running the machine control software and NedGraphics’ Vision Tuft software for creating new sample designs, which are downloaded line by line via Ethernet to the motion controller.

“Complex, high-speed, multi-axis applications usually involve lots of wiring, mainly on the control side and especially for encoder feedback,” says Tim Modra, Modra’s managing director. “Over the years we kept an eye on decentralized motion control and strategies to help reduce machine wiring, but we dismissed non-deterministic Ethernet as unsuitable for critical real-time automation control purposes. When Baldor launched its Ethernet-based motion controller and servos for overcoming the real-time data transmission limits of standard Ethernet, but still use standard Ethernet cable between the controller and the drives, we wanted to try them out.”

Modra adds that using high-speed interpolation on the two main head drive servos provides a key advantage over conventional

INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING

Q4 • 200914 E V A L U A T E

Though lots of chipping away at legacy hardwiring remains to be done, the most persistent forces likely to in� uence industrial networking’s future are well-known. In the past few years, their presence has echoed continuously through most networking applications and solutions, and they will undoubtedly shape the course of its future. Though they might overlap and fuel each other in some places, these seven main forces include:• Ever-accelerating power, speed and variety of PCs and computing,

which are only rivaled by their ever-shrinking cost and size. • Simpler and easier-to-use software and hardware tools, which

allow more point-and-click con� guration and require less traditional programming by users.

• Growing dominance of Ethernet-based protocols, wireless and even Internet-based networking, which continue their migration down from the enterprise levels, and onto the plant floor and out into the field. This will likely push fieldbuses into sub-network arrangements for sensing and operations, while Ethernet runs above with higher-level, asset-management systems, also delivering electricity via power over Ethernet (PoE) methods.

• Increasingly automatic gateways, switches and linking devices that, in turn, enable more automated addressing, polling, updates, alerts and alarms, smart responses, � eld-level decisions and distributed intelligence.

• Better integrated security and safety functions within their larger data and communications networks.

• Rapid emergence of handheld and other consumer electronic devices such as cell phones, Blackberries and iPods, which are indirectly fueling acceptance among even veteran engineers of both wireless communications and handheld devices on the plant floor.

• Increasing machine-to-machine or “Internet of Things” communications as devices gain a presence on Ethernet-based and Internet-enabled networks. Internet of Things is an informal name for a network of objects or devices that are Web-enabled and often wireless and reportedly can be set up to use these capabilities to form a self-configuring network. The concept was devised by the original seven-university Auto-ID Center research group, which was founded in 1999 and based at MIT.

IN09Q4_12_17_CoverStory.indd 14 10/27/09 3:24 PM

mechanical systems. “We effectively have a software calibrator that enables us to put a variable offset into the system. So instead of using precision mechanical gears and cams, we now can calibrate our machines digitally using Baldor’s software. This all-electronic approach allows us to create a physically compact machine, helps reduce machine build time and costs and gives us an adaptable platform for future product development.”

Securing SynchronizationHowever, even as digital networks make inroads into more motion-related applications, it appears some of their synchronization methods also will soon move from managing individual machines to coordinating larger production lines and even plant-wide systems.

“When implementing high-performance, real-time control applications, users should understand the synchronization techniques or mechanisms for coordinating the connected devices. Most networks try to synchronize data delivery as a means to synchronizing the connected nodes. EtherNet/IP uses a more explicit form of synchronization by directly synchronizing time in the nodes via IEEE-1588 and CIP Sync. The network data delivery is not coupled to this synchronizing

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to exchange data between controllers, caeté-Maritz Distillery’s plant control cabinet integrates Smar’s Profibus master hSe rio, gateway DP/Pa and Foundation fieldbus hSe rio.

SMA

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IN09Q4_12_17_CoverStory.indd 15 10/27/09 3:24 PM

function,” says Steve Zuponcic, applications engineering manager at Rockwell Automation (www.rockwellautomation.com). “In the future, embedding IEEE-1588 technologies into readily available silicon for Ethernet controllers, Ethernet network modules and Ethernet end devices will drive an entirely new behavior or paradigm in the market. This helps ease time synchronization and makes it explicit, so users can feasibly command actuation at a specified time and correlate other events in the control system based on device-provided time-stamps. This has the potential for more accuracy than the current control methodology, which relies heavily on data delivery as the triggering event for control. This traditional, indirect method for controlling equipment in time creates delay and jitters in the system, leading to a preoccupation with network and controller speeds.”

Openness needs securityWhat would be the perfect accompaniment to all these new and faster interconnections that will be made in future industrial networks? You guessed it again—a big scoop of security.

“Back when most industrial networks were connected only via proprietary protocols, they could rely on ‘security through obscurity.’ However, in recent years, Ethernet and TCP/IP have opened them to all of the vulnerabilities faced by office networks, and so they’re adding the same security methods used in office networks, and this will only become more important and more prevalent going forward,” says Mark Cooksley, product manager for network security at Belden and its Hirschmann Automation and Control division (www.hirschmann.com). “As a result, we’re going to see more hardened perimeters around networks, including firewalls and demarcation points that more clearly define IT’s jurisdiction and automation’s

jurisdictions. These points will have one or more firewalls and DMZs between them and will be part of defense-in-depth strategies that set up protected zones. These zones also will be firewall-based and will either mirror office networks by including written rules for data packet filtering or use PC applications to graphically define rules for setting up zones.” He adds that Hirschmann is presently working with Byres Security and its Tofino software and hardware security solution

to establish security zones using this graphical method and then download to applicable equipment and participants on the network.

Even wireless is gaining the security it needs to go mainstream in industrial automation. “Robust security standards for wireless networks have been developed and adopted over the last several years, and the early Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security algorithm has been superseded by much stronger and more secure transmission algorithms. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) replaced WEP in 2003 and the more recent WPA2, introduced in 2004, uses the even more secure Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 802.11i algorithm,” says Ben Orchard, Opto 22’s (www.opto22.com) application engineer. “Moving forward, these security standards will become more evident to those in the industrial sector, and individuals will begin to let go of their preconceived and erroneous notions that wireless isn’t secure enough for industrial applications.”

standards aid ease Of useBesides providing workable security, another crucial step in convincing users to implement modern industrial networks in the future is making them and their equipment as easy to use as traditional tools.

Eddie Cantu, sales product specialist for industrial networks at Cooper Crouse-Hinds’ MTL Instruments division (www.mtl-inst.com), reports that his firm also is using Tofino to help users set up and configure VPNs and then make sure their VPN traffic complies with their firewall rules. “A lot of industrial networking tools will become easier as the EDDL-based protocols come together with DTM-based protocols,” says Cantu. “This will make a lot of them as simple to use as mainstream software drivers.”

In fact, most of the major fieldbuses have coordinated their efforts around electronic device description language (EDDL) for several years. The original partners included the Fieldbus Foundation, Profibus Nutzerorganisation and HART Communication Foundation with assistance from the OPC Foundation, and they formed the EDDL Cooperation Team (ECT). More recently, ECT has been working to welcome in new capabilities provided by the field device tool/device type manager (FDT/DTM) protocol and its FDT Group, again with matchmaking from OPC and its OPC-UA technology method. This

figure 2: rug SampleS with ServoS

Modra technology’s Mtuft carpet sample machine uses ethernet powerlink-based motion controllers and servo drives. the machine’s top head employs a servo for needle actuation, using a driven-spline arrangement to save weight on the head.

BALD

OR

IndustrIal networkIng

Q4 • 200916 e v a l u a t e

“IndustrIal networks are becomIng self-

healIng because users don’t want to shut

down an entIre process If one part of It faIls.”

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latest effort is known as the FieldDevice Integration (FDI) group, and its team members are drafting specifications now.

In addition, easier networking is achieved as different technologies strive to adopt best practices from each other. For example, wireless networks are beginning to take on some of the most useful routing and switching methods of their Ethernet-based counterparts. “We have a new WirelessHART gateway that acts like a router and access point,” explains Patrick McCurdy, product marketing manager for Phoenix Contact (www.phoenixcon.com). “It collects WirelessHART data, and then gateways it to wired Ethernet or a wireless LAN, but we don’t need a Cisco access point to do it.”

Smart, Self-Healing, Biological? As instruments and field devices gain more onboard data processing and decision-making abilities, and as network routers and gateways learn to circumvent line breaks and even help compensate for failed devices, some observers say these self-healing and dynamically responsive capabilities are beginning to take on an increasingly biological appearance. And at least one area of this new field even has its own acronym to prove that it has arrived—highly adaptive control (HAC).

“Industrial networks are becoming self-healing because users don’t want to shut down an entire process if one part of it fails,” explains Andre Jordao, Weidmüller’s (www.weidmuller.com) network connectivity product manager. "Even on the wired side, this idea is taking off, and so many devices don’t need traditional maintenance. So, if you lose one sensor, another can pick up the slack and let you know where the problem is. Many sensors, limit switches, drive banks, valve banks, solenoid valves and manifolds already have built-in intelligence and are on fieldbuses now, and there will be more soon.”

The downside to all this terrific smart instrument autonomy is, of course, that users risk losing sight and awareness of what’s going on in their processes. “Having control in the field to the point that PIDs run in the valves, so those valves can control themselves, sounds great until you want to shut them down and

can’t do it and are blind to what’s happening in your process,” says Avid’s Vegas.

“When PLCs came out, all decisions had to go back to a central processor. In the Ethernet world, sensors, variable-frequency drives and other devices are getting smarter and being assigned to make more of their own decisions,” says Jordao. “These

capabilities make life easier for users, but their potential risks means that better security is needed, including firewalls, locking out unneeded devices and network sections and authenticating all devices on your network to make sure it’s reliable and that there are no cracks in it. Luckily, these tools also will get easier in the next few years.”

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ValVe PosItIon MonItors offer Harcros cHeMIcals an oPPortunIty to test tHe

waters of wIreless aPPlIcatIons and IMProVe safety

Wireless Washouts Make Plant Safer

four manufacturing units are situated on about 100 acres at our facility in Kansas city, Kan. our alkoxylation unit adds ethylene oxide or propylene oxide to produce our t-det surfactants and other specialty adducts. the surfactants are shipped in current form or further processed into phosphate ester surfactants, ether sulfate surfactants or our t-muLZ emulsifiers. We do about 200 different products at this unit, and a lot of the products are dissimilar enough that they require washouts during a changeover.

However, a valve left open after a washout can have dangerous and expensive consequences.

Primarily, we wanted to minimize employee exposure because we’re around some pretty severe chemicals. on the environmental side, there would be serious issues if these valves were left open and we put material on the ground. We deal with some dangerous chemicals, so this could have a severe impact on the environment (figure 1).

TesT The WaTersin the fall of 2008, Harcros decided to eliminate the risk of an employee putting a foot in a dangerous chemical spill by dipping its own toe in the wireless water.

“We put wireless on to verify valve position,” says Lloyd Hale, director of manufacturing at Harcros. “it was cost-prohibitive to hardwire because of the locations involved. We’re a batch operation, so these valves are open after each batch when we do washouts, and these valves are tough to get to. a person has to reach up through the piping. We turn reactors around almost every day, so the potential to miss a valve is always there when you’re dealing with the human factor, and we needed to verify the valves were closed prior to a batch. We also wanted to put wireless into a non-critical application to build our confidence in its reliability.”

a lot of opportunities for wireless applications exist at our site. before we undertook any major capital improvements, we wanted to prove the reliability of wireless so we could approach other applications with confidence.

The only alternative to wireless that Harcros considered was switching to positive-close, spring-loaded valves that would have to be held open and then would self-close. “but, during washouts, that would be hazardous to the employee holding open the valve,” explains Hale.

because a deltaV control system already was in place, Harcros turned to experitec (www.experitec.com), its local emerson representative. “We wanted to be sure we could communicate with our current deltaV system,” explains Hale. “experitec put us in contact with emerson to evaluate the right valve monitors. We’re at capacity, so we couldn’t shut the unit down very often. it’s a 5/24 plant, but we normally work every other weekend. The contractor scheduled its people to come in when the unit was down. it took about five months.”

ValVe Feedback WiThouT Wiresmost process plants have situations similar to Harcros, relates terry buzbee, president of the fisher division at emerson Process management (www.emersonprocess.com/fisher). “They might have hundreds or even thousands of valves that aren’t connected to the control system because of high wiring costs,” he says. “These valves therefore provide no feedback on their actual positions, even though incorrectly positioned valves represent a significant cause of safety-related incidents.”

By keVIn root, Harcros cHeMIcals

I M P l e M e n t

FIGURE 1: ONLY ONE WAY OUT

Wireless transmitters were installed on the ethylene oxide reactor transfer tank. if the valve on the blowdown line were left open, dangerous chemicals could reach the ground.

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Harcros’ use of manual valves for sampling, directing, injection and extraction processes at its facility means many of the valves are in remote, hard-to-reach locations too costly to access with wires (Figure 2). “Monitoring them was a difficult process, requiring operators to enter hazardous areas or climb ladders to check a valve’s state or position,” adds Buzbee.

Harcros installed Fisher 4320 wireless position monitors, integrated with an Emerson Smart Wireless Gateway and AMS wireless configurators to form a Smart Wireless network communicating with the site’s existing DeltaV system. The self-organizing wireless network passes signals along to the gateway, creating a redundant network that bypasses obstructions as needed. Frequent performance updates occur without any involvement by the user. With redundant communication paths, wireless networks provide reliability between individual devices and a receiver.

“In the past they had to send someone out to the valve to check on it,” explains Kurtis Jensen, Fisher instrument product manager at Emerson Process Management. “These valve monitors update every minute. They know the state of the valves at all times. The critical periods in production occur after

they’ve rinsed the reactors and are ready to fill with the product mixture.” A valve in the wrong position is the cause of product spills or a bad product.

Turnkey redundancyEmerson configured everything. When they left, it was all online and operational, and the redundancy of the mesh network was critical to its reliability.

“Harcros, like most, if not all, customers, is looking to increase confidence in its processes,” says Jensen. “Coming to them with less-than-reliable products would be a disservice. Of paramount importance is reliability in communications. The only way to get that today is with a wireless network that builds a mesh between the wireless gateway and each and every device. The devices must be able to reroute communications in case there are changes or interruptions in the network. The only network that can do that is WirelessHART. The 21 devices at Harcros form a mesh and route traffic to the gateway. Most of the devices communicate directly with the gateway, but they also formed secondary, tertiary links between themselves to build the meshing.”

The gateway is connected to the control room with about a half-mile of fiberoptic cable, and the antenna for that gateway is on

IndustrIal networkIng

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FIGURE 2: BETTER REACH

Wireless transmitters were installed on the reactor’s 3-in. main discharge valve and the 1-in. sample port. The manual valves for sampling, directing, injection and extraction processes are in hard-to-reach locations.

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top of the control room. Each device is about 150-200 ft apart, so it’s pretty consolidated. “The gateway communicates to the DeltaV system 9.3 when installed via Modbus communications,” explains Jensen. “They recently upgraded to version 10.3 and will convert to native I/O communications.”

Harcros has several different manufacturers of valves needing adaptation of the position monitor. “We have valves from four different manufacturers and there are different mounting requirements, even within the same manufacturer’s valves,” says Hale. “The only problem we had was with the valve mounting brackets and covering all the variations. This took effort and communication, but it was solved and we moved on. In the end, the network tied into our control system and came online beautifully.”

The valves are tied into our DeltaV system, but they are not set up as alarms.

“We like to keep them clean,” says Hale. “When there’s an alarm, it’s a process-critical alarm. Our operators know it requires immediate attention. The operator would have to recognize that the valves are in the closed position and go to the operator prompt. We still rely on humans to make sure this process works.”

Improve Safety, avoId CleanUpHarcros has documented numerous benefits from its wireless instrument applications, and total savings were far beyond the direct cost reductions of a no-wires installation.

“This was about eliminating mistakes and increasing safety,” says Hale. “Wireless valve-position monitoring enabled us to reduce

inadvertent emissions and bad batches, as well as avoid the high costs of rework, cleanup and lost material. Eliminating these costs—up to $25,000 per incident—is a good thing for our plant.”

At Harcros, worker safety is a primary concern, not only because of the location of the valves, but also because of the toxic

chemicals the valves contain and control, states Hale. “The facility uses propylene oxide and ethylene oxide for its processing operations, and exposure to either one can irritate a person’s eyes, skin or respiratory tract,” says Hale. “Leaks involving toxic chemicals also can result in expensive fines. Adding 21 wireless position monitors to these isolated, manual valves enabled Harcros’ personnel to identify inadvertent emissions before they could result in costly fines or production delays. The wireless monitor units helped us avoid three product-release incidents, saving at least $75,000.”

the fUtUre’S So BrIght …Besides applying the Fisher wireless position monitors to more of our manual valves, we’re considering Emerson Smart Wireless technology for tank-level management, rail-car monitoring and a host of temperature, pressure and flow applications at our Kansas City site.

As we lose hardwired devices through attrition, the gateway cost already has been incurred, so we’re looking to replace those with wireless devices. The beauty of wireless is that, as you add instruments, the system becomes more robust because these instruments talk to each other. We already have the wireless units on-plant, and they should be tied in to the DeltaV soon. We also might be bringing in boiler parameters, other non-critical valves and some temperature indication on exchangers to the DeltaV.

Kevin Root is unit manager at Harcros Chemicals. Find out more about Harcros at www.harcros.com.

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SENSOR NETWORKWireless sensor network (WSN) platform, a remote monitoring solution with NI LabView graphical programming software and low-power wireless measurement nodes, is an integrated solution to provide the required measurement quality, power management and reliable hardware for long-term, remote deployments. The software integrates with the battery-powered, industrial-rated NI WSN measurement nodes that can be deployed in rugged conditions. LabView also offers native Web connectivity for remote interaction with wireless systems. National Instruments; 800/258-7022; www.ni.com

INTELLIGENT CELLULARIntelligent cellular solutions combine industrial cellular technology, industrial protocol templates and ALEOS persistent connection management. The devices support industrial operating temperatures and Class I, Div. 2, hazardous location

certification. The modules are suited for industrial automation applications. Versions are available for both serial and Ethernet devices for CDMA- and GSM-based cellular networks.ProSoft Technology; 661/716-5100; www.prosoft-technology.com

SMART WIRELESSSmart Wireless field starter kit contains an out-of-the-box secure WirelessHART self-organizing network and includes any combination of five or more wireless pressure, temperature, DP level, DP flow, vibration or pH transmitters and discrete switches, a Smart Wireless Gateway, AMS Suite predictive maintenance software, wireless Snap-On for AMS Suite and Smart Start network health assessment and verification of device functionality and output to the user’s Modbus, OPC, Ethernet or other communications system.Emerson Process Management; 800/833-8314; www.emersonsmartwireless.com/fieldkit

GATE TO THE HARTWirelessHART Gateway acts as the interface between the wired structure and wireless network. The WirelessHART Gateway contains the network

management and uses it to organize and control the wireless network and connect

this to a control or SCADA system, via fieldbus. The signals of the field devices are received and passed on via the

appropriate bus protocol in the fieldbus. The WirelessHART Gateway can be installed in Zone 1 areas and can serve

up to 250 WirelessHART field devices.Pepperl+Fuchs; 330/486-0002; www.am.pepperl-fuchs.com

as the Market’s offerIngs contInue to grow, network engIneers see

new opportunItIes for applIcatIons

Wireless Components Keep Expanding

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGy IS IDEAL fOR REMOTE MEASuREMENTS, explains Robert C. Jackson, senior industrial and embedded product marketing manager at National Instruments (www.ni.com). “The one area where wireless sensor networks with embedded logic might first evolve for control is embedded distributed control. In these systems, the control, for example, a PID algorithm, would execute on an embedded processor instead of over the wireless network,” he says.

Wireless control is extremely promising, but its application in industry is a bit more complicated, says Eric Hollister, product sales engineer, Pilz Automation Safety (www.pilz.com). “Industry is loaded with difficult and complex moving applications where wireless

I/O and control have huge potential,” he says. “However, wireless technology has not yet reached a point where it is stable or reliable enough to be used for industrial control,” he says.

WirelessHART, the wireless extension of the HART protocol, could go beyond just measurement and monitoring functions to handle control functions, but this would need to be limited to non-critical, non-safety applications, says Robert Schosker, product manager at Pepperl+fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.com). With wired communication there is 100% certainty that no information is lost between the controller and the field instrument, unless there is a failure in the wired lines, he says.

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Q4 • 200922 r e s e a r c h

SMART BRIDGEMatchPort b/g Pro embedded wireless networking module includes Ethernet-to-wireless bridging and SmartRoam technology, enabling MatchPort to switch between wireless access points and bridge wired and wireline networks. SmartRoam tracks the signal strength of nearby access points to prevent disruption in the wireless connection by transitioning to the access point with the strongest signal. The module is designed to transparently bridge existing Ethernet-ready devices to a wireless network.Lantronix; 800/ 526-8766; www.lantronix.com

WIRELESS RELIABILITYThe AWK-5222 has two independent RF modules for establishing independent wireless connections for rapid failover. The two independent RF modules are designed to give more topology choices to fit different wireless applications. In addition, it has a wireless redundancy mode to increase reliability, and its wireless bridge mode optimizes wireless distribution system. The AWK-5222’s AP Client mode can be used to provide Internet access in areas where cabling would be too expensive or impractical to install. The AWK-5222 is also compliant with IEEE 802.3af, power over Ethernet (PoE).Moxa; 714/528-6777; www.moxa.com

WIRELESS ACCESSThe Scalance W784 line of IP30-rated wireless LAN access points includes an aluminum housing and a small footprint, allowing the access points and client modules to be either wall-mounted or panel-mounted on a 35 mm standard mounting rail. The access points support the Wi-Fi-protected access (WPA2) specification and the advanced encryption standard (AES) for 128-bit encryption, along with MAC address filtering. The access points also support the standard point coordinated function (PCF) protocol as well as industrial PCF (iPCF).Siemens Industry; 800/964-4114; www.industry.siemens.com

WIRELESS COEXISTENCEInduraNetp features coexistence frequency management (CFM), so the system can coexist with other wireless systems in the 2.4 GHz

ISM band and give immunity to interference from other wireless services. InduraNETp can be added to a new or existing I/O block without changing hardware. A maximum of 64 operational and safety input/output modules, each with two or four I/O, can be installed in any order alongside a single PSSuniversal head module.Pilz Automation Safety; 734/354-0272; www.pilz.us

MOBILE DATAThe Wonderware IntelaTrac system includes configurable software and ruggedized mobile hardware solutions and can be operated using smartphones, PDAs, rugged handheld computers, laptops and PCs to enhance the productivity of mobile workers. IntelaTrac is structured

around a suite of components, which include software, hardware, secure wireless infrastructure and RFID technology. IntelaTrac v. 3.2 offers simplified integration with multiple back-end systems.Invensys; 949/727-3200; us.wonderware.com

ETHERNET DATA RADIOThe SureCross Ethernet Data Radio is an industrial-grade, long-range, 900 MHz radio used to create point-to-multipoint configurations of wireless Ethernet networks. The DXER9 offers a range of greater than 10 miles outside line-of-sight and a 1,500-ft range within it. It has 128-bit AES encryption for Ethernet data packets, as well as sub-block error detection and retransmission and automatic scan or manual override for the best of the 12 communication channels.Banner Engineering; 888/373-6767; www.bannerengineering.com/dataradio

BLUETOOTH SLAVESThe 750-644 Bluetooth RF-Transceiver module provides bidirectional, wireless communication between I/O nodes. Within 10 msec, the 750-644 exchanges data up to 1, 000 m (line-of-sight) or 100 m (within buildings). One 750-644 master can communicate with up to seven slaves on a personal area network

(PAN), also known as a piconet, via Bluetooth 2.0+EDR radio technology. Slave-to-slave data transmission is possible indirectly through the master. Configuration is accomplished with Wago-I/O-Check 3 software.Wago; 800/din-rail; www.wago.us

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23IndustrIal networkIng

Q4 • 2009

HAZARDOUS BACKUPDigi Connect WAN IA Ethernet-to-cellular router with built-in Modbus provides enterprise backup and primary connectivity to devices in remote locations and features industrial hardware/software components. The product is Class I, Div. 2-rated, has conformal coating, a spray-on treatment applied to the printed circuit assembly (PCA) that provides a protective barrier against moisture and corrosion. The device can operate in temperatures between -30 °C and 70 °C.Digi International; 877/912-3444; www.digi.com

WIRELESS ACCESS POINTSIndustrial-grade Wireless LAN Access Points feature IEEE 802.11n (draft 2.0) wireless interfaces. Multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) send and receive technology for wireless transmissions

is designed to enhance communications in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency ranges. The IWLAN Access Points are available in two models: BAT300-Rail, designed for installation on standard DIN rails in control cabinets, and

BAT300-F with IP67 housings for direct field installation.Belden Industrial Solutions; 765/983-5200; www.belden.com

WIRELESS MODEMWireless Ethernet modems feature multiple layers of error-detection and correction, military-grade AES security encryption of wireless data, firewall protection and message filtering at MAC address level. Two serial interfaces, RS-232 and RS-485, as well as simultaneous serial and Ethernet connectivity and serial-Modbus-to-Modbus-TCP conversion, are offered. Discrete channel for status I/O, for failure status or external status transfer, along with remote configuration and diagnostics via the wireless link, are featured.Weidmüller; 800/849-9343; www.weidmuller.com

SERIAL MASTERWT30 Wireless Serial Communications system consists of one master and multiple slave I/O stations with expansion capability for up to 64 slaves—more than 1,000 I/O. The wireless serial master collects on/off data and provides an RS-232C (CompoWay/F) interface to a personal

computer or PLC. Pre-tested function blocks in CX-One software are included to simplify WT30 communications setup using Omron’s CS, CJ and CP1 families of PLCs. The I/O Slave terminals are available with 16 inputs or a combination of eight inputs and eight outputs. Omron Electronics; 866/88-omron; www.omron247.com

EXPLOSION-PROOF ACCESS POINTSAW-XAP enclosure houses WLAN access points, routers and bridges for 802.11b/g network coverage into hazardous locations. Two Div. 1 antennae mounted atop an explosion-proof enclosure allow users to use a WLAN access point in a Class I, Div. 1, hazardous area. An alternative glass antenna dome allows for mounting stock whip antennae. The enclosure system carries third-party approval from UL and the ATEX certification when specified.Meriam/Adalet Wireless; 216/281-1100; www.meriam.com

BUSABLE RADIOA busable 900 MHz radio, RAD-ISM-900-EN-BUS, allows direct connection of I/O modules. The radio includes a multiple master function to create redundancy and wireless failover connections if a master or host radio is

not accessible. The radio allows the user to collect I/O without a remotely located PLC or I/O data concentrator. The bused I/O is made accessible to the network using the Modbus protocol and can be integrated into new or existing PLC, SCADA or DCS systems.Phoenix Contact; 800/322-3225; www.phoenixcontact.com

WIRELESS MESH OneWireless industrial mesh network is formed with industrial wireless nodes, called multinodes, that self-discover to create an industrial mesh network within seconds. The nodes include IEEE802.11 and IEEE802.15.4 standard radios that communicate simultaneously with Wi-Fi clients. The network supports multiple protocols including Modbus, HART and OPC, along with enabling seamless communication with existing automation and control applications. Honeywell; 800/822-7673; www.honeywell.com/ps/wireless

MORE, MORE, MOREFind more information about wireless network components from companies including Ametek Power Instruments, B&B Electronics and RF Industries at www.Industrialnetworking.net/Q42009research.

IN09Q4_21_23_Research.indd 23 10/27/09 9:48 AM

INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING

Q4 • 200924 P R O D U C T S

DATA LOGGERStand-alone temperature, humidity and dewpoint datalogger has a high-contrast LCD to show temperature and humidity information. It has immediate, delayed and push-to-start logging, and logging and alarm status are shown using two high-intensity LEDs. � e data logger has a long-life lithium battery and Windows control software. Omega Engineering; 888/55-omega; www.omega.com

DATA TRANSFERMessage Manager (ILX56-MM), a multi-system data transfer engine that resides in a single slot of a ControlLogix chassis, connects islands

of automation and transfers factory and plant process automation data between PLCs/PACs. It enables PLC-to-PLC data transfer without message programming or ladder logic. � e module is confi gured using a built-in graphical Web-based confi guration tool. ProSoft Technology; 661/716-5100; www.prosoft-technology.com

REMOTE ACCESSReal-time cellular remote access and monitoring (RAM) allows data logging and SCADA operations to be monitored and controlled from remote locations via secure cellular networks. The unit includes application tools for alarming, data logging and programmable control. It has up to 26 I/O points, five Ethernet, two RS-232 and one RS-485 ports. The power input ranges 120-240 Vac. Sixnet; 518/877-5173; www.sixnet.com

DECENTRALIZED I/OFor installation outside the switching cabinet, X67 I/O system offers freedom to use various topologies with the promised

speed of a centralized solution. The modules can be installed anywhere on the machine, and the system can span 25 km. The system can set parameters for the digital inputs and outputs and to connect to all standard fieldbus systems. B&R Industrial Automation; 770/772-0400; www.br-automation.com

ANALOG GETS DIGITALHART Loop Converter (HLC) lets users access the digital information from HART-enabled fi eld devices. It is a transmitter power supply and HART monitor, uses HART protocol to communicate with the connected fi eld device and transfers its digital values into 4–20 mA signals. Up to three HART signals can be monitored at the same time. Pepperl+Fuchs; 330/486-0002; www.am.pepperl-fuchs.com.

ETHERCAT POWEREK1132 Power over EtherCat junction terminal allows power to EtherCat sensors over Cat. 5 cable. Based on the IEEE standard 802.3af,

EK1132 requires an EtherCat/Ethernet cable for the fi eldbus signal and the power supply. � e EK1132 is suitable for sensors such as shaft encoders or length measuring devices. � e sensor supply voltage of 48 V is generated in the EK1132 junction from the 24 V. � e

maximum current input of the terminal devices is 350 mA. Beckhoff Automation; 952/890-0000; www.beckhoff automation.com

SECURE WIRELESSMore than 200 new products are featured in a 136-page 2009 Q3 catalog, including Vlinx wireless device servers, Elinx Gigabit Ethernet media converters, plus software enhancements to the Zlinx wireless I/O line. � e catalog showcases Ethernet switches and gateways, wireless modems, serial converters, USB and remote I/O lines, and non-metal enclosures, terminal blocks, power supplies, cabling and surge protectors. B&B Electronics; 800/346-3119; www.bb-elec.com

ALL ABOUT ETHERNETFive-chapter, 168-page Industrial Ethernet Handbook covers the technical details of Ethernet, comparing it to other fi eldbus systems, and explains its Open System Interconnection (ISO/OSI) Reference Model. � e

Handbook describes the diff erent versions of Ethernet and how they are applied with various topologies, interconnect hardware and cabling. Annex details pertinent standards and application guidelines, such as EN, IEEE, IEC, UL, and HD/VDE. Harting; 847/741-1500; www.harting-usa.com/service/harting-hotlink/industrial-ethernet-handbook/

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New CableNew DataTuff Industrial Ethernet cables include Belden 7953A Ethernet/IP-compliant Cat. 6 shielded cable (4-pair, 23 AWG) with solid bare copper conductor and overall Beldfoil shield, Belden 7939A Cat. 5e shielded cable (4-pair, 24 AWG) with stranded bare copper construction and overall Beldfoil shield, and Belden 7938A Cat. 5e high-flex shielded cable rated for 10 million flexes (4-pair, 24 AWG) with stranded bare copper alloy conductors and overall Beldfoil shield plus 85% TC Braid. Belden; 800/belden-1; www.belden.com/industrial

Make aN IMpaCtImpact67 compact fieldbus I/O modules have plug-in terminals, diagnostic options, IP67 protection, predefined inputs and outputs, port-related cutoff and single-channel diagnostics via LED. Modules are available with Profibus, CANOpen, DeviceNet, EtherCat and EtherNet/IP, pluggable connections, diagnostic options and IP67 tested seals. Murrelektronik; 770/497-9292; www.murrinc.com.

ZIp It goodZipPort line includes panel interface connectors in more than 30 configurations to be mounted on the outside of electrical control panel boxes as pass-through connections, to interface with PLCs and other programmable devices without opening the control box. Panel interface connectors are for frame sizes 6 to 48; communications connectors include D-sub, RJ45, RJ12, USB, Ethernet and Data Highway.AutomationDirect; 800/633-0405; www.automationdirect.com

Help IN tHe FIeldHandheld 475Field Communicator provides advanced device diagnostic and troubleshooting capabilities with quick boot-up and fast operating time. The intrinsically safe communicator supports HART, WirelessHART and Foundation fieldbus devices and provides an interface for users to update the device on-site via the Internet. It has a full-color LCD display with graphical interface to support trend charts, gauges and graphics available in enhanced device descriptions.

Emerson Process Management; 800/833-8314; www2.emersonprocess.com

etHerNet SHell gaMeIP67-rated, ODVA-compliant connector for Industrial Ethernet in rugged environments has a Zamak zinc-alloy metal shell for additional mechanical strength, and IP67 sealing to protect the interface from liquids, gases and other contaminants. The eight-position connectors meet Cat. 5e performance requirements, and quick-turn bayonet coupling and positive locking ring meet the requirement of IEC 61076-3-106 Variant 1. Tyco Electronics; 800/522-6752; www.tycoelectronics.com

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IN09Q4_24_25_Products.indd 25 10/28/09 9:51 AM

f i r s t b i t

John Rezabekjrezabek@ispcorp.com

industrial networking

Q4 • 200926

f i r s t b i tp a r i t y c h e c k

EarliEr this yEar i workEd on an in-house engineered addition for our chemical plant, to add a sophisticated analyzer for a process stream. The supplier wanted the instrument in a heated and air-conditioned analyzer house, so when we install a walk-in enclosure of any kind, a series of concerns requires attention. at a minimum, we add monitors for oxygen deficiency, combustibles if applicable, carbon monoxide if

it’s in the sample stream, or any other toxic or hazardous vapors that could accumulate in the shelter. discrete contact closures for loss of purge or hVaC could be a requirement.

in this case, i added sensors for system pressures and temperatures, and there are some discrete, common-trouble alarms from the analyzer. all of these conditions necessitate display and alarming in a continuously attended location—the control room—and the question becomes how best to integrate all these diverse signals into the existing automation scheme.

twenty years ago, we’d likely route conduit or raceways and wire from junction box to junction box, or perhaps all the way back to the control room, at potentially great expense. There was such a thing as remote i/o, but the size, cost, network requirements and environmental restrictions didn’t make that very easy either.

like everything else, the tools available have evolved over the years and become increasingly inexpensive, flexible and reliable. today, products are at our disposal that make solving a problem like mine much less irksome.

if you attended isa this fall, you could have found numerous solution providers offering the ultimate in flexibility: modular i/o for everything from contact inputs to ph probes, customizable and scalable in many cases on a channel-by-channel basis. iP67 products are available from a number of suppliers, meaning the i/o can be submerged in a meter of water and still function. More than a few of them interface to multiple buses including industrial Ethernet, Profinet, Profibus-dP, devicenet and Modbus. it seems like the era of “anynet” and “anybus” is here, and to that you can add “any i/o.”

so where do you draw the line? are you a one-person-band i/o hobbyist, happy to have your own isa show inside the gate? or are you the

lucky one who inherited such a system from a predecessor? as machines and skids arrive, does i/o and bus ubiquity mean you have even less control over the hardware you now must integrate with the existing platform?

in my world, we have this curious problem with reliability. simply stated, present-day hardware is extremely reliable, so it’s a challenge to get enough “practice” to stay proficient. My plant’s

Modbus-based remote i/o is 10 years old, and i don’t remember the last time something broke that couldn’t be fixed by swapping cards. heaven help us if we have to program something. i hope no one pitched or donated the laptop—probably running windows 98—that has the programming tool, which by now is obsolete or was superseded a few years ago, but still is needed for my now-obsolete bus interface modules. and i hope the friendly guy at the factory i called last time i needed him is still there, at the same number, in the same job, because i think i’m going to need him after i find that old laptop.

now, do i want to multiply this problem by say two or three?

if you’re young and exuberant, enjoy late-night phone calls and have a keen knack for remembering the correct cabling, stop bits, parity, shortcut keys, Excel file formats and passwords, or can repeatedly and intuitively find the right manual and open it to the relevant chapter and verse for a given issue, then maybe you’ll value diversity more than i do. if on the other hand you’ve grown old and grumpy, like i have, you will be on watch for such diversity and be locked and loaded to blow away any attempts to foist it on you and your plant. when you find it, you immediately begin planning and budgeting to rip it out and replace it with something more standard, so you perhaps have only one laptop to dust off and recharge the battery when you need to dive deeper into a problem.

openness and commoditization are welcome developments in the world of remote i/o, but users might wish to weigh the costs of diversity, as well, and protect your clients and successors from future vulnerabilities.

John rezabek is a process control specialist at isP in lima, ohio.

does i/o and

bus ubiQuity

mean you have

even less

control over

the hardware

you now must

integrate with

the existing

platform?

Weigh I/O Openness’ Benefits

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