Control System World

White paper by Opto22: Automation engineers on LinkedIn heatedly debate the pros and cons of using standard COTS smartphones and tablets in industrial settings. Meanwhile, industry analysts like Gartner and ARC Advisory Group forecast tremendous growth in BYOD (bring your own device) usage.

Are there reasons to use off-the-shelf mobile devices in industrial automation? What are the advantages and disadvantages, and what do you need to think about before moving ahead? This white paper discusses environmental, safety, security, connectivity, and other factors to consider and includes specific advice for choosing device types suited to your industrial application.

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The CSIA Annual Executive Conference is the highlight of the year for Control System Integrators, when more than 400 members and industry partners meet to network, hear outstanding speakers, share best practices, learn about new products and services, and have fun. During this meeting the CSIA Industry Expo 2014 takes place to provide an unequalled opportunity for you to meet with business leaders from all aspects of control system integration in an exhibit reception format.

The Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, Cal., will host the 2014 CSIA Executive Conference from Thursday, April 23rd ~ 26th.

Founded in 1994, Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) is a not-for-profit, global professional association for control system integration companies. CSIA has more than 400 member firms in 27 countries. The Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) seeks to advance business practices of control system integration. CSIA helps members improve their business skills, provides a forum to share industry expertise, and promotes best practices for business management.

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ioPAC 5540 remote I/O are hardy, compact, metal-encased all-in-one RTU controllers that combine a GPRS/HSPA cellular modem, an I/O controller, and a data logger in a single device.

The ioPAC 5540 supports standalone data logging in a storage space expandable up to 32 GB, and comes with the innovative, patented Active OPC Server software, based on push technology. Users can expect many significant value-added benefits that include reductions in data transmissions, lower hardware costs, and lower deployment and maintenance costs. In addition, with high sampling rates, a prerecorded event buffer, millisecond scale timestamps, and either C/C++ or IEC 61131-3 programming platforms, Moxa ioPAC 5500 RTUs deliver both extreme accuracy and powerful programming tools, giving engineers a strong, efficient platform to support monitoring and analytical processes like identifying anomalous intrusions, or device failures. Designed to work reliably in harsh industrial environments, ioPAC 5500 standalone controllers feature railway-grade ESD and surge protection, wide tolerance for temperatures from -40 to 75°C (-30 to 75°C for HSPA models), and are UL/cUL Class 1 Division 2 and ATEX Zone 2 certified. For network redundancy and communications security, ioPAC 5500 devices come with two 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports that may be trunked into a single uplink, as well as two software-selectable 3-in-1 serial ports. With its targeted hardware and software optimizations, the ioPAC 5500 series provides a comprehensive solution for data acquisition and control applications in harsh environments.

These sleek RTUs provide benefits beyond mere RTU performance, and are ideal solutions for any number of industrial applications, such as:

• Ÿ Pipeline monitoring for water, oil, and gas
• Ÿ Pump- and lift-station monitoring
• Ÿ Environmental monitoring
• Ÿ Security and surveillance

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Palmer Wahl Instrumentation Group is excited to announce the rollout of our newest product, the Multi-Thread Pressure Tester (MPT), a patented Pressure Tester that has multiple thread sizes in each tester. This revolutionary design saves time and money for operators that are testing pressure lines in the gas, plumbing, sprinkler, and HVAC industries, to name a few. Tried and tested in the field, MPT will change the way you think about pressure testing.

Palmer Wahl owns the patent on the MPT, and we will be marketing the testers throughout the United States and Canada. There is a five year warranty on the tester which is Made in the USA out of airplane aluminum. The MPT can be found on the Palmer Wahl website, and coming soon to its own dedicated site at PalmerMPT.com.

Current customers are finding that the MPT saves them time, no more running around trying to find ties, manifolds, and proper size threads to reduce down or up to the size needed to test for pressure leaks in piping systems that are being installed or repaired. So the labor saved, cost of extra parts saved, and the flexibility of being ready for your initial testing and inspections is priceless.

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The consortium, comprising Technip and Heerema Marine Contractors (Heerema), was awarded a major lump-sum contract by Total E&P Angola for the engineering, procurement, construction, installation (EPCI) and pre-commissioning for the SURF (subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines) part of the Kaombo project, located in Block 32 offshore Angola in water depths up to 2,000 meters. The contract is valued at approximately USD 3.5 billion with a Technip share of around 55% and a Heerema share of around 45%.

This project falls within the Technip Heerema strategic alliance formed 15 months ago that offers comprehensive subsea solutions through a unique combination of complementary assets, technologies and capabilities. It provides the industry with a strong and experienced contractor to address the ultra-deepwater market.

The project’s scope of work consists of the engineering, procurement, fabrication, transport and installation of:

• 18 rigid risers, of the Single Top Tension Riser (STTR) type, including large buoyancy tanks (~40m high, ~6m diameter), flexible top riser jumpers and riser base spools,
• approximately 300 kilometers (km) of rigid pipe-in-pipe production and single pipe injection pipelines,
• a large number of subsea structures, piles and steel jumpers.

Besides, it covers the transport and installation of approximately 115km of client-supplied umbilicals, manifolds, well jumpers and flying leads. The partners will leverage the complementarity of their respective field-proven technologies, thus optimizing the project execution:

• Heerema’s scope will cover the riser systems, as well as the deeper and heavier pipe-in-pipe (18”/12”) production pipelines,
• Technip’s scope will include flowlines, flexible pipe manufacturing and installation, umbilical installation, hook-up and pre-commissioning activities

The engineering work will start immediately in the Paris (France), Leiden (the Netherlands) and Luanda (Angola) centers with most of the offshore installation activities being scheduled for 2016 and 2017.

National content is of strategic importance to Technip and Heerema and their Angolan subsidiaries will bring their competencies and expertise to the project. Technip Angola Engenharia will provide engineering and project management services, while Angoflex will fabricate pipeline stalks and execute spooling services to the installation vessel. Heerema Porto Amboim will provide fabrication services for the subsea structures as well as double jointing of line pipe sections that later will be installed by the Deep Water Construction vessel Balder.

In the latest development of its successful range of CMA electric control valve actuators, Rotork has introduced a new version specifically designed for the demands of choke valve operation.

Built with extensive industry experience, the CMR-250/GB3 actuator meets exacting requirements for low power, high torque modulating control in a compact package for applications including severe service upstream wellhead production and injection valves. The low power requirement and a 24VDC option enables solar powered and battery back-up supplies to be introduced in remote locations, whilst the all-electric technology delivers considerable system simplification and economy in any environment by eliminating the on-going costs associated with an instrument air supply.

Easily adaptable to suit any type of valve, the CMR-250/GB3 delivers a maximum output torque of 45 Nm (400lbf in). Available for a range of single-phase or DC power supplies, the design combines a brushless motor with permanently lubricated, high efficiency gears to achieve accurate, responsive and continuous modulating control. Rotary output speed is adjustable down to 50% of full speed.

The compact actuator enclosure is environmentally sealed to IP67 as standard and available with ATEX, IECEX, FM and GOST hazardous area certification. The wide ambient operating temperature range (-20 to +65ºC for explosionproof models and -30 to +70ºC for watertight models) facilitates long-term reliability and maintenance-free operation in the harshest of environments.

Actuator set-up is performed in a logical menu-driven process using an internal electronic 6-segment LCD display and pushbuttons. User selectable adjustments encompass speed, dead band, zero and span, command signal type, standard or reverse action and loss of signal position. A standard 4-20mA signal is used for control and feedback, whilst digital network options include Rotork Pakscan, HART®, Profibus®, Modbus® and Foundation Fieldbus®. A hard-wired RIRO (Remote-In-Remote-Out) option is also available.

As with all Rotork products, the CMR-250/GB3 actuator is backed by the worldwide sales and service network of the Rotork flow control group, providing a local source for complete support in every territory using fully trained engineers.

The new Micropilot family comprises a total of seven device types – from the standard product for basic applications through to high-performance versions for sophisticated high-pressure or high-temperature applications.

Endress+Hauser as full-range supplier supports you with innovative field instrument solutions. With more than one million installed instruments of the Time-of-Flight method, we offer you the know-how as world market leader. Our instruments create new standards so that you can concentrate completely on your processes and requirements.

The new instrument generation provides safety, precision and efficiency across the entire life cycle for you. This will seamlessly optimize your production and safety processes during the full life cycle of your plant.

Functional safety

The hardware and software of the new generation of Time-of-Flight instrumentation is developed according to- IEC61508 and can be used up to SIL3 in homogeneous redundancy. Using continuous self-monitoring, Micropilot always checks its correct functionality within the measuring instrument. If a failure occurs, the instrument changes to its safety status. The proof test can easily be started by an optional operating tool or directly from the control room. The communication in between the setup tooling via DTM and the device is permanently monitored.

HistoROM data management concept

The innovative and intelligent HistoROM data management concept stores the parameters of an instrument during commissioning. If similar measuring points are commissioned, the display serves as a data carrier like a USB stick.

Multi-Echo Tracking analysis of echo signals

Endress+Hauser has developed an even more intelligent and reliable echo signal evaluation by the echo signal curve – Multi-Echo Tracking. If obstacles, e.g. heating coils, protrude into the signal path these interfering signals must be suppressed, so that they are not analyzed. The problem of the traditional evaluation is that level signals below the suppression cannot be analyzed and thus can cause signal losses. Innovative Multi-Echo Tracking offers the solution. All of the echo signals are marked and traced, not only the level signal. This guarantees safe and precise measurement!

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Two new product suppliers in the Americas region have joined the Rockwell Automation Encompass third-party product referencing program, while four new partners have joined the Rockwell Automation OEM Partner program. In addition, two new system integrators have joined the Solution Partner program.

Encompass partner companies provide critical components or connectivity solutions that augment the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system, and offer added functionality that complements and enhances Rockwell Automation solutions to help manufacturers achieve the ideal application fit. Through the Rockwell Automation Encompass third-party product referencing program, customers can quickly locate the products that best solve their application challenges.

Members of the OEM Partner program, formerly the Machine Builder Program, are committed to providing high-quality, innovative machinery that uses Rockwell Automation solutions. Solution Partners are proven, trusted and established companies that offer extensive experience in the design, implementation, project management and maintenance of industrial control systems.

The Encompass, OEM, and Solution Partner programs are part of the Rockwell Automation global PartnerNetwork framework, which comprises an integrated team of system integrators, machine builders and best-in-class suppliers who work collaboratively to solve manufacturing and automation challenges. Members of the PartnerNetwork programs are leading companies whose products or services enhance Rockwell Automation solutions. This helps customers streamline their supply chain, simplify project implementation and receive the best value for their automation investment.

Encompass Partner Program:

The following are additional details about the new Encompass Partner program members in the Americas region:

eRPortal Software Group, LLC – provides asset, materials, and maintenance management software that helps companies better manage their assets. Their flexible, easy-to-use, Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) optimizes maintenance processes and integrates with systems throughout an organization.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. – makes electric power safer, more reliable and more economical through the design, manufacture, and support of products used in the protection, monitoring, control, automation and metering of electric power systems.

OEM Partner Program:

New OEM Program members are as follows:

Automatic Handling International builds high quality, innovative roll handling and packaging systems with a focus on pulp and paper, converting, tissue and nonwovens applications.

Bastian Solutions offers a variety of material handling and controls solutions, varying in complexity from simple, manual to highly automated systems such as mobile robots, automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), automated guided vehicle (AGV) systems, RFID, sortation, carousels and conveyor systems.

BMH Robotics is an independent robotics integrator that provides conventional material-handling machines and custom-engineered solutions.

IPG Photonics develops and manufactures high-performance fiber lasers and amplifiers for diverse applications including materials processing, communications, medical and advanced applications.

Solution Partner Program:

The new members of the Solution Partner program are as follows:

Prime Controls is a system integrator and I&C construction firm specifically structured to meet industrial automation and control needs with a focus on critical infrastructure applications.

Innovative Control Solutions is a full-service control systems integration firm who has in-depth experiences applying process safety applications into pulp and paper, oil and gas, utility power, industrial energy, mining and petrochemical industries.