Control System World

Case Study by Advantech: Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) have become a necessary tool in providing visible and controllable management for the manufacturing industry. However, expanded product portfolios, growing product complexity and increasing globalization are propelling the need to update traditional MES so as to effectively manage evolving challenges. In terms of food processing and manufacturing, the complex process needs Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to fully monitor and control production line while maximizing the effectiveness of MES functions. Advantech not only offers a variety of hardware products to take on the important task of data collection in the production line but also provides software platform to serve as a data gateway between the front-end equipments and MES application. Through this total solution, System Integrators can design the required management systems for food processing and manufacturing factories, and food manufacturers can upgrade their existing manual work into the paperless and automated operation, thus establishing product traceability system to achieve the goal of safe manufacturing.

Advantech has extensive product lines to meet the software and hardware needs of System Integrators and food processing factories. Taking WebAccess as the core, our cost-effective solution can reduce developers’ costs and time while accelerating the speed of system implementation. For food industry, complete data collection, screen display with friendly and graphical user interface, real-time statistics and historical analysis reports, cross-platform and mobile management, all of these characteristics facilitate manufacturing processes more transparency and openness to prevent malpractice while letting users properly solve the abnormal problem at the first moment, and thus indeed doing food safety checks.

Hal Thomas, exida Partner has been awarded the ISA Standards and Practices Award for his outstanding leadership and technical expertise as ISA84 Working Group 9 chairman in the development of ISA-TR84.00.09-2013, Security Countermeasures Related to SIS.

Mr. Thomas has over 36 years of professional experience. He is widely recognized as an expert in functional process safety analysis, including safety instrumented systems and high availability automation systems. He helped pioneer the use of HAZOP, fault tree analysis, consequence analysis, LOPA, and introduction of the SIS work process while at Air Products. He was formerly an Engineering Associate – Process Safety and Technology Manager for Safety Instrumented Systems at Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. His principle work responsibilities included assisting and mentoring process safety and process control engineers in hazard identification, the use of fault tree analysis, LOPA, SIL assessment, SIL verification, leading new technology hazard reviews, as well as to write standards and procedures to promote high quality and consistent results.

He helped institute a managed system of standardized consequence analysis procedures and managed the development of a number of in house tools and models to support both likelihood and consequence analysis. He has served on a number of CCPS committees that have written guideline books, and is an original member of the CCPS Process Equipment Reliability Database initiative. He is a member of the CFSE Governing Board and is a senior member of ISA. He has authored numerous published papers.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that it will release ProSafe®-RS R3.02.20 on December 26. This enhanced version of the ProSafe-RS safety instrumented system (SIS) offers improved connectivity with the ProSafe-SLS SIS, enabling the status of both systems to be monitored onscreen by operators of the CENTUM® VP integrated production control system. In addition, R3.02.20 offers enhanced support of widely used open communication protocols, improving connectivity with other companies' SCADA*1 software.

In the oil, natural gas, petrochemical, iron & steel, and other energy and basic materials industries, plant safety is a growing concern. There is thus a rising demand for SISs that can help to prevent accidents by detecting abnormal conditions and initiating actions such as an emergency plant shutdown. Yokogawa provides two different SISs, the programmable ProSafe-RS and the solid-state*2 ProSafe®-SLS, and customers select which systems to utilize based on their facilities' requirements. For customers who use both SIS systems, there is need for a solution that will enable the status of both these systems to be monitored in an integrated manner.

Overview of Enhancements:

- Integrated monitoring of systems

With the ProSafe-SLS information gathering capability on ProSafe-RS SIS, operators can now monitor the status of a ProSafe-SLS SIS from CENTUM VP window. If a problem occurs anywhere in a plant, the sequence-of-event (SOE) data from both SISs will be displayed on an integrated screen at the operator terminals. Operators and maintenance engineers can then use this data to quickly identify and analyze the problem cause.

- Communication protocol support for upstream applications

In oil and gas wellhead and pipeline applications, cost performance and space saving are key considerations. To satisfy these needs, ProSafe-RS is equipped with both safety and process control functions. The SCADA systems at such sites often rely on Distributed Network Protocol 3 (DNP3) for narrowband wireless and satellite upstream communications because this open protocol supports the temporary storage of data when there is a disruption in network communications. Support of DNP3 in the ProSafe-RS R3.02.20 controller enables customers to easily replace and expand their systems in the field while continuing to use their existing SCADA infrastructure. This saves time and reduces costs.

CAS DataLoggers in partnership with Jager-ADwin is pleased to announce the new T-12 processor module for ADwin-PRO II data acquisition and control systems. Featuring powerful ARM-based processor technology, the new ADwin CPU enables superior performance at real-time speed.

The Heart of ADwin-Pro II

The flagship ADwin Pro-CPU-T12 processor module offers high-speed real-time computing power and is largely software-compatible to previous versions. The ADwin CPU is the heart of each ADwin-Pro II system, executing the ADbasic instructions and accessing the inputs, outputs and interfaces of the other modules.

The T-12 processor module uses approved ADbasic code for Pro-II hardware. The CPU enables users to Insert C code into ADbasic so users can output it as ADwin code. This feature is useful to optimize processing and control applications.

T-12 Processor Technical data:

• XILINX ZYNQ™ with Dual-Core ARM Cortex-A9
• 64-Bit FPU (double-precision)
• 1 GHz processor clock
• 1 Gigabyte main memory for code and data
• Trigger input
• 2 Digital I/Os
• 1000 MBit Ethernet interface for communication to the PC

Users can utilize USB or SATA storage device on the module. The SATA device can be integrated into the module or it can be removable. Access to the memory is provided via processor module or via NFS/ SMB/FTP from the Ethernet network. Stand-alone operation without a PC is enabled using the Bootloader.

GE Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of its first product in the company’s new line of Operator Interface (OI) solutions designed specifically to take advantage of the Industrial Internet. QuickPanel+ integrates process control, view and an option to run an embedded data historian with the latest touchscreen technology to provide the high performance, connectivity and user experience expected in today’s increasingly connected world.

QuickPanel+ is a general purpose operator interface capable of connecting to a variety of industrial PLCs and PACS. With faster processing speeds and more memory, it delivers control, view and data historian capabilities in a single device. The latest in capacitive touchscreen technology makes it as responsive as a tablet or smartphone yet robust enough to withstand industrial environments and applications, even if the user is wearing gloves.

“We live in an outcome driven world,” said Bernie Anger, General Manager of GE Intelligent Platforms’ Control & Communications Systems. “We are all challenged to keep pace with technology, customer experience and expectations to always do more with less. Quick Panel+ was specifically designed with these customer challenges in mind, and delivers on the promise of the Industrial Internet for automation in a sleek and simply way.”

The QuickPanel+ is the latest release in GE Intelligent Platforms’ operator interface solutions. Its state-of-the art features mean the OI is no longer a mere portal but a strategic bridge for understanding and running a machine. It is a single solution for controlling, viewing and understanding past and present performance. Through combining the ability to view machine status and control the machine, or view machine status and run a data historian, the QuickPanel+ lowers total cost of ownership, speeds time to market and makes integration easy.

“GE’s automation architecture redefines the experience with industrial equipment,” said Anger. “At each layer, it helps OEMs design better machines and plants, and it helps users operate their plants smarter. The experience starts at the pivotal point where people connect with machines – the operator interface.”

Tyco International plc has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Industrial Safety Technologies (IST), a global leader in gas and flame detection, from Battery Ventures, for $329.5 million in cash.

The combination of IST with Tyco's Scott Safety unit will make Tyco one of the largest global designers and manufacturers of gas and flame detection products. IST holds a technology leadership position in the gas and flame detection industry and is committed to innovating in industrial safety solutions, such as its groundbreaking wireless gas-detection technology. IST brings strong market presence in Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. Gulf Coast region to complement Scott Safety's detection business.

"We are committed to providing our customers with a full range of safety solutions," said Andrew Chrostowski, President, Scott Safety. "The addition of IST reinforces this commitment and establishes Scott Safety as a world leader in gas detection. Each of IST's businesses provides a unique set of detection capabilities that will enable us to accelerate new product development, expand our geographic presence, deepen our technical expertise and broaden our product offerings and service capabilities."

On an annualized basis, the addition of IST to Tyco's operations is expected to generate approximately $140 million in revenue.  This transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in Tyco's fiscal second quarter.

Emerson Process Management has introduced the Smart Wireless Navigator, a new software platform that enables users with large wireless deployments to maximize the power of their wireless networks. The Navigator brings together Smart Wireless tools for planning, managing, and maintaining networks. Valuable wireless network and device diagnostics and data are organized in an intuitive interface, along with the wireless tools, to streamline the Smart Wireless experience.

“Wireless technology is as scalable as it is powerful,” commented Bob Karschnia, vice president of wireless at Emerson. “As users’ facilities grow, they are expanding to installations of multiple wireless networks managed by different groups.”

The Smart Wireless Navigator helps users effortlessly manage their expanding wireless infrastructure and get the most value from their wireless networks. A single software platform design makes it easier for users with large deployments of wireless to manage their networks across functional groups, delivering actionable information to the people who need it.

“To maximize value, facilities also needed a central platform to plan and deploy new networks and to organize the influx of new data and diagnostics,” continued Karschnia. “In answer, we developed a single window interface that brings together several Smart Wireless tools on a specially designed appliance to maximize visibility, efficiency and value.”

An intuitive design organizes large amounts of wireless diagnostic information and data, and existing infrastructure is illustrated and easily understood.

“The Smart Wireless Navigator is a comprehensive tool that helps users realize the value of wireless across the range of reliability, safety, environmental accountability and process performance,” summarized Karschnia, “it delivers value throughout the cycle of engineering, installation, operation and maintenance.”

The Rotork Skilmatic SI self-contained electro-hydraulic valve actuator combines all-electric simplicity with the precision of hydraulic actuation and the reliability of mechanical failsafe operation. Typical applications for Skilmatic actuators include functional safety related Emergency Shutdown (ESD) and Remotely Operated Shutoff Valve (ROSoV) duties.

Skilmatic’s advanced control and monitoring system has now been further developed with the introduction of the 3rd Generation, incorporating proven Rotork IQ3 intelligent electric actuator technology. Communication and data logging capabilities have been increased in response to end users’ desire to access more valve related data, both in the field and in the control room.

The 3rd Generation of the SI actuator will consist of four models with multiple actuator sizes known as SI³-1, SI³-2, SI³-3 and SI³-4, enabling Rotork to offer quarter-turn failsafe actuation from 65Nm up to 600,000Nm for functional safety applications. As part of the development Rotork has enhanced the range by introducing the new SI³-3 standard range of spring return actuators with a torque range of 2,000Nm to 20,000Nm. This new range offers a wide choice of operating speeds, additional ESD options with single or dual inputs and enhancements to partial stroking to meet a wide range of applications.

Skilmatic SI 3rd Generation actuators combine established features including non-intrusive setting, performance monitoring and configurable data logging with an extended torque output range, increased functionality and enhanced availability of valve and process data for asset management and data analysis, displayed in a new, large and information-rich format.

Robustly constructed for challenging environments, SI 3rd Generation actuators deliver a highly reliable means of valve management and positioning a valve to a safe condition. Safe valve positioning is selectable for failsafe to open, failsafe to close or lock in position on either loss of power or a range of programmable ESD signal options.

The SI 3rd Generation control module facilitates simple, safe and swift non-intrusive commissioning by means of an intrinsically safe hand held setting tool with infra-red and Bluetooth™ interfaces. Settings including internal hydraulic pressure, position, limits, control, alarm and indication functions can be accessed and adjusted using user-friendly Rotork ‘point and shoot’ menus. Actuator status, control and alarm icons are provided on an advanced new dual-stack toughened glass illuminated display which also gives access to real-time information such as pressure, diagnostics and help screens.