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FEATURESmachine input

How to actuate in dirty, wet environmentsExpert panel offers tips on linear motion in messy machine areas, as well as new innovations

Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

22cover story

Wrecking balls behind every wallManaged and unmanaged switches can help to protect machine connectivity for IIoT benefits

Tyler Green, Autometrix, and Neil Desrosiers, Mazak28

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CONTROL DESIGN, (ISSN: 1094-3366) is published 12 times a year by Putman Media, 1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. (Phone 630/467-1300; Fax 630/467-1124.) Periodical postage paid at Schaumburg, IL, and at additional mailing offices. Address all correspondence to Editorial and Executive Offices, same address. Printed in the United States. ©Putman Media 2018. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Putman Media, PO Box 1888, Cedar Rapids IA 52406-1888; SUBSCRIPTIONS: To change or cancel a subscription, email [email protected] or call 1-800-553-8878 ext. 5020. To non-qualified subscribers in the United States and its possessions, subscriptions are $96.00 per year. Single copies are $15. International subscriptions are accepted at $200 (Airmail only.) Putman Media also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, FOOD PROCESSING, PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING, PLANT SERVICES, SMART INDUSTRY and THE JOURNAL. CONTROL DESIGN assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor information: World Distribution Services, Inc., Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 6J5. Printed in the United States.

table of contentsVolume 22, No. 1

ControlDesign.com / January 2018 / 5

networking

Manufacturing’s next stepTime-sensitive networking could be the gateway to production efficiencies, but what is it?

Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

40

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THE TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION, the rise of client sophistication, greater individual

choice and shifting demographics all have contributed irreversibly to the altered work-

force landscape. “The structural changes we’re seeing in the labor market are permanent,”

said Chris Layden, vice president, ManpowerGroup (www.manpowergroup.com), who

spoke at Rockwell Automation’s Automation Fair in Houston. “There’s a war for talent. You

are fighting for talent all around the world.” Forty percent of U.S. employers are having a

hard time finding talent, according to Manpower’s research. The hardest job to fill in the

United States is the skilled trades. According to Manpower’s recruitment difficulty index

(RDI), 2 million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled by 2025 in the United States, and 21%

of manufacturing workers will retire in the next eight years. But 75% of employers say

new skills will be needed, and most employers don’t know yet what those skills are.

“It’s not just about what to train

for,” he said. “It’s the skills and the

roles as they’re evolving. We part-

nered with the Digital Manufactur-

ing and Design Innovation Institute

(DMDII) and identified 165 potential

roles, such as lifecycle digital twin

architect and data management ana-

lyst. It’s important to see how the

role of technicians has evolved. Helping people to ‘upskill’ and adapt to this fast-changing

world of work will be the defining labor challenge of our time.”

Workforce development is the existential threat to the future of manufacturing, added

Blake Moret, president and CEO of Rockwell Automation (www.rockwellautomation.com).

“Having people comfortably interacting with technology is important,” he said.

Rockwell Automation reached across the Milwaukee skyline to partner with Manpow-

erGroup and create the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing, a program designed to “up-

skill” U.S. military veterans. The program builds on Rockwell’s experience in automation

training. “Between 2003 and 2019, it’s estimated that 4.3 million veterans will leave the

service, and 65% of them will need help finding employment outside the military,” said

Moret. “As we were working with the Department of Defense, we realized so many of the

core work skills are already embodied in those veterans.” The program’s goal is to gradu-

ate 1,000 veterans per year by 2019. Over the past couple of decades, Rockwell Automation

has graduated more than 7,000 engineers from its training program. “Every veteran that

goes through the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing is guaranteed a job,” said Moret.

“I was at the graduation ceremony of the first class of 14 in Cleveland. It was one of the

single most rewarding things I’ve had the opportunity to do in my career.”

Tap into a veteran workforceeditorial teameditor in chief

Mike [email protected]

technical editor

Dave [email protected]

digital managing editor

Christopher [email protected]

contributing editor

Rick [email protected]

contributing editor

Tom [email protected]

editorial assistant

Lori [email protected]

columnist

Jeremy [email protected]

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Mike Bacidoreeditor in [email protected]

editor’s page

Workforce development is the existential threat to the future of

manufacturing.

CD1801_09_Edit.indd 9 12/19/17 2:01 PM

New and experiencedThis article (“Old technology still works in

machinery,” Control Design, October 2017,

p25) is interesting and is finally starting to

show what we were saying more than 15

years ago. When we built our three Jumbo

Mark II vessels in Washington, we started

the Build Them in Washington program

that not only saved the taxpayer a huge

amount of money and time by building

them in local yards, but also approved

equipment and machinery that the state

was already using. We also started the

steering committee and mentoring of

crews. I also won the battle of using the senior engineers who

could teach the younger people what we have learned over

the years. We found that the new college engineers only knew

what they were taught in school. They brought their knowledge

of new technology while we brought in the reasons for doing

things that the designers did not know. The secret is a design

team of the new and the experienced. Never forget this or think

that switching to new technology will solve all problems.

Clark Dodge, president, CED Consulting (www.cedconsulting.com), Koloa, Hawaii

Best of both worldsRick has taken a page right out of our playbook (“Old technology

still works in machinery,” Control Design, October 2017, p25).

Our magazine printing and binding facility is rapidly approach-

ing its 50th year, so one can imagine the variety of technologies

that exist under this 17-plus-acre roof. And, as Rick mentioned,

we too are going through the pains of losing technicians with

decades of experience to retirement. We also reached out to our

local technical college and have partnered with them to help to

develop curriculum that will make their graduates more pre-

pared to enter the maintenance workforce with the skills local

industries need. We naturally have our own motivations for do-

ing this. We currently have two interns working in our facility

and have recently hired a former intern in a full-time techni-

cian role. Our experience with the internships has been much

more successful than the attempts to hire “experienced” tech-

nicians from outside. What we see in most of the experienced

applicants is proficiency with one brand or type of equipment

and little experience with anything else. These young, bright,

eager interns are like sponges. They absorb information and

experience alongside our veteran technicians at an accelerated

pace, largely because they have the formal tech-

nical training but have not been “conditioned”

into a particular working process. They think

out of the box and offer insight into solutions

that may be possible with newer technology.

It is a win-win for everyone. I hope to see

more of this trend develop in the technical

field so that future generations will have

an opportunity to have the best of both

worlds: foundational training and field

experience.

Douglas Fields, electrical maintenance group lead, LSC

Communications (www.lsccom.com), Glasgow, Kentucky

Useful lifeWow. How disappointing. Not one of these folks concentrates on

providing training to existing or older employees or other tal-

ent pools such as veterans (“Consumer trends steer packaging

machines,” Control Design, December 2017, p16). The problem

with STEM is that the businesses treat employees as disposable

goods, providing no ongoing training or hanging long hours on

their salaried staff so they have no time for ongoing training.

Many existing employees can be converted to technical occupa-

tions, but most companies want the lowest labor cost and don’t

value the experience or qualities of older workers. In today’s

market, you are useful for 10-15 years without training/degree

work in newer technologies. You aren’t providing a career op-

portunity, just a few years until you lay them off in favor of

younger, less expensive employees. I spent 15 years in Silicon

Valley watching companies advertise with low pay scales so

they could certify for more H-1B workers. As a technology sec-

tor, we’re drunk on cheap labor that we can work to death with

promises of stock options and then wash the employees out as

the investors cash in. Look at Apple or Google. They tell their

female employees that the company will pay to freeze their

eggs because mothers can’t put in the 60

to 80 hours per week common in the

Valley, and those companies can

boot the ladies at 40 to take their

maternity leave on someone

else’s payroll.

Steven B. Alonso, chief technology of-

ficer, Marine Electric Systems (www.

marineelectricsystems.com), South

Hackensack, New Jersey

10 / January 2018 / ControlDesign.com

feedback

CD1801_10_11_Feedback.indd 10 12/19/17 2:04 PM

Memory lane revisitedStephen Jones’ article (“A walk down

programming memory lane,” Control

Design, November 2017, p31) reminded

me of my experience with PLCs—pro-

grammable controllers, at the time—

which began in 1976 when attempting

to use the Texas Instruments 5TI in a

burner-management application in the

HPI. Then there were the Eagle EPTAK,

Modicon 384, 584 and 884, Reliance

Electric Automate 30, Allen-Bradley, Au-

gust Systems and Triconex Tricon. Each

had its own quirks, some odd and some

dangerous. Some early controllers em-

ployed little or no diagnostics and when

a component failed, the PC/PLC would

continue to function haphazardly. While

all the early models were programmed

or interpreted using ladder diagrams,

the logic and timing evaluation might be

quite different, depending on the con-

troller selected. With the introduction of

IEC 61131-3, much of the programming

effort was standardized. My preferred

platform was Triconex Tricon using the

TriStation TS1131 programming tool.

Troy Martel, president, Safe Operating Systems

Give us a piece of your mind.WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS, suggestions, criticism and praise. We’re particularly fond of the praise, but we really do value the criticism.

EMAIL Chief Editor Mike Bacidore at [email protected] or post a comment on any article at www.controldesign.com.

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WHILE IT’S HARD to point to a single technology changing

automation, it would likely be classi ed under the Internet of

Things. But that’s just the starting point.

“Technology has reached a point in its evolution, especially

digital technologies, where the technology itself doesn’t con-

strain the way we design our products,” says Peter Martin, vice

president, marketing and innovation, Schneider Electric (www.

schneider-electric.us). “Thirty years ago, when we designed a

control system, the design of the control system was highly

dictated by the capability of the

technology along with the price, size

and heat dissipation. Now I can buy

a Raspberry Pi for about $20 that has

a million times more capability than

what I worked on back in the 1970s,

and it’s packaged the size of my

thumb. I can take those and industri-

alize them and all of a sudden I have a little industrial computer

that’s more powerful than a $2.5-million computer was in 1979.”

This gives Schneider Electric the opportunity to rethink how

it goes about designing solutions for its clients. “Part of the

interesting aspect of that is it allows us to literally design auto-

mation architectures that completely align with a customer’s

problem set,” says Martin. “Starting at the base assets down on

the plant oor, such as motors, pumps and compressors, we can

take a $20 computer and directly assign it to that asset.”

By doing that, Schneider Electric is adding a lot of control at

the asset level, and it is not just machine or process control. It

adds control of reliability, cybersecurity, safety, environmental

risk, ef ciency and pro tability. “The technology out there gives

us an incredible opportunity—a whiteboard opportunity,” says

Martin. “For the past 40 years, we in the automation industry

started with the premise that the programmable logic control-

ler or distributed control system are a given, and every new

technology that came out would be used to x, improve or

extend these controllers. Today the technology has reached the

point where we can clean the whiteboard and start all over.”

The controllers are good now, but what would these automa-

tion control systems look like and how would they link up with

a client’s assets to drive more operational pro tability in the

plants? “That’s the big opportunity,” says Martin. “While there

are other speci c technologies such as digital twins that are im-

portant, we’re at a remarkable transition point on how we think

about architecting automation solutions.”

Martin thinks one of the greatest concepts that came out of

Industry 4.0 is the cyber-physical system—a small, stand-alone,

autonomous computer that has all the sensor input and actua-

tor output that can be assigned to a single physical entity, such

as a pump. He believes we will see a very signi cant shift in the

design of control systems that will push computing power right

out to the edge and directly to the customer’s assets.

“Many have talked about the In-

dustrial Internet of Things in terms

of connecting all of the automation

products together,” says Martin.

“That’s not the way we see it. We

see that as just the starting point.

We look at it in terms of making the

clients, the industrial assets and

the asset bases intelligent, connectable, autonomous and self-

optimizing. If you can make every single asset in an industrial

plant and every machine intelligent and autonomous, then you

can add tremendous amounts of value to industrial companies.”

A cyber-physical base asset is a machine or piece of equip-

ment such as a pump that groups together into a work cell or

process unit. “If each base asset that comprises it starts off

autonomous, then, when you pull them together, the amount

of control required is much less than it is today as each base

asset is already controlled,” says Martin. “Work cells and units

become areas which become plants and factories. You can view

the entire industrial space as a collection of assets and asset

sets, which can be made self-optimizing and autonomous.”

The rst step is to get the technology to align with an asset, and

the second step is to extend the control capability. “If you look at

a Google or Tesla autonomous car, the thing that converts those

cars from being unintelligent to autonomous is real-time control

of things such as steering, speed, braking and transmission,” says

Martin. “The same is true when we talk about industrial assets.

It’s the cyber-physical system concept along with the control mod-

els implemented that create the self-optimizing assets.”

The control models needed, in Martin’s opinion, are cyberse-

curity, reliability, safety, environmental, ef ciency and pro t-

ability. “If you take these six control domains and align them

with an asset, it becomes self-optimizing,” says Martin.

A whiteboard for automation

live wire

One of the greatest concepts that came out of Industry 4.0 is the

cyber-physical system.


Dave Perkontechnical [email protected]

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Jeremy [email protected]

embedded intelligence

IN “THE FUTURE of Employment,” which was published in 2013,

Benedikt Fry and Michael Osborne write about how suscep-

tible jobs are to computerization (www.controldesign.com/

employmentfuture).

What caught my eye out of the gate was the reference to John

Maynard Keynes’s 1931 prediction of “unemployment due to our

discovery of means of economising the use of labour outrun-

ning the pace at which we can find new uses for labour.” Keynes

foresaw this potential outcome more than 80 years ago.

Think of the piston engine replac-

ing the horse and buggy. What ever

happened to all of the blacksmiths?

The mechanizing of the loom put

manual loomers out of work.

The movie “Hidden Figures” tells

the story of mathematicians figuring

out launch and re-entry algorithms

for a spacecraft, manually. These gals were smart.

Enter in a newfangled computer that will calculate the

trajectories much faster. The astronauts didn’t trust this new

technology and in fact had its star math whiz calculate things

manually to confirm the accuracy of the computer.

Trust is a big thing here. Do we trust technology now? We go

far beyond trust. We may have found blind faith.

In “The Future of Employment,” the authors refer to 47% of

total employment being at risk. Higher-wage jobs with a lower

educational “attainment” will be the ones negatively impacted.

We all know that innovation in technology is exponential. We

can’t keep up, and, in manufacturing, processes are there for

many years, which use legacy technology in today’s terms. La-

bor was a big part of the solution back then. The risk of remov-

ing these higher-wage jobs where cognitive thinking may have

a back seat to the physicality on our social fabric is immense.

I fully believe that technology is not helping our cognitive

selves. How many people can’t add numbers in their heads be-

cause they don’t understand the concepts as such? We rely on

technology way too much because we trust it and thus use it to

its extent, creating a zombie generation.

I speak in general terms of course, but Keynes saw it happen-

ing more than 80 years ago. What have we missed?

We have not tended to our knitting over the past 40 years.

Our short-term goals and financial greed have put us behind

the eight ball. And we have tried to figure out how to get our so-

ciety out of this mess of declining manufacturing employment

and under-employment for years.

The over-employed—high wage with lower cost of entry—

are taking the brunt, and we can’t train or retrain them fast

enough. I was asked by an individual to help him to get trained

on PLCs. He has no knowledge, but he is a chemical engineer,

which shows he is capable of learning—the definition of a de-

gree in my book. His two PLC guys left for greener pastures, and

he was left holding the bag.

Contingency training would have

worked here. But take the plight of

the McDonald’s cashier who is being

phased out by kiosks. Kiosks came

first, not the plan for the employees

who are lost in the shuffle.

And whose responsibility is it?

Well it’s technologies’ responsibility, as funny as that sounds.

Supplanting jobs with technology will continue to happen

as it has for years and years. This is nothing new. The speed at

which it has happened though is mind-boggling. Technology

has allowed global workforces to work in real time, 24/7. Snail

Mail Inc. is a thing of the past.

Non-routine tasks are now being impacted by technology;

self-driving cars are an example. That’s about as non-routine

as it gets. Reactive processes, which we try to program into a

control system, take miles of code, but artificial intelligence

makes it look easy.

The authors suggest that more than 140 knowledge workers

could be replaced by “sophisticated algorithms.” So what are we

going to do about it? We know it’s coming.

The authors conclude that non-routine cognitive tasks are

ripe for the picking. So how can we use technology to help the

displaced individuals become part of the working class after they

lose their jobs? More than 700 occupations could be affected.

The displaced will be of varying levels of age, desire, abilities

and motivation. The only thing that can deal with this non-

routine cognitive problem is technology.

Technology and the future of employment

Higher-wage jobs with a lower educational “attainment” will be the

ones negatively impacted.

JEREMY POLLARD, CET, has been writing about technology and

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

system programming and training for more than 25 years.

CD1801_15_EmbedIntel.indd 15 12/19/17 2:07 PM

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CD1801_FPA.indd 16 12/20/17 10:47 AM


SEVERAL DISTINCT METHODS exist for industrial temperature

measurement. The most common is direct temperature sens-

ing of an object, fluid or gas. A sensor of some type is placed

in direct contact with the object to be measured. The sensor

changes its electrical or mechanical properties in proportion

to the object’s current temperature in a repeatable, measurable

fashion. Connecting the sensor to some device that converts

the sensor’s change to engineering units, such as degrees Cel-

sius (°C), creates a control device.

Perhaps the simplest temperature

sensor is a bimetal switch or thermo-

stat. The sensor operates by connect-

ing two dissimilar metals. Because

metals expand and contract at dif-

ferent rates, the sensor mechanically

changes shape as the temperature

changes. This change in shape can

move a mechanical pointer across a fixed reference for dis-

play purposes and if connected to a set of contacts or mercury

switch can supply an on-off control signal.

Thermistors are available in two types—negative tem-

perature coefficient (NTC), which decrease resistance as the

temperature increases, and positive temperature coefficient

(PTC) devices, which increase resistance as the temperature

increases. Thermistors are inexpensive devices but require

calibration for accurate measurements. Thermistors are avail-

able as nonprobe-style elements that can be directly bonded to

the device being measured or encased in a tube-like probe that

protects the thermistor element from the environment. The

electrical resistance of a thermistor is nonlinear and needs a

signal-conditioning circuit.

Thermocouples are temperature measurement devices that

use the Seebeck effect. In short, Thomas Seebeck (1770-1831)

discovered that, by placing a junction of two different metals in

different temperatures, a voltage is produced between the “hot

junction” and the “cold junction.” This voltage differential is

used to calculate the temperature differential. The voltage cre-

ated is measured in milliVolts (mV).

Different metal pairs are using the construction of a ther-

mocouple. The thermocouple type designation is expressed as

a single capital letter. Type J uses a metal pair of iron (Fe) and

constantan copper-nickel (Cu-Ni). Type T uses copper (Cu) and

constantan copper-nickel (Cu-Ni). Each thermocouple type has

a specific range of temperatures to maintain accuracy.

Thermocouples are available in a wide variety of styles, from

bare junctions to flexible tape to enclosed probes. Probe-style

sensors often have a grounded version and an ungrounded

version. A grounded probe has the hot junction bonded to the

probe material; ungrounded probes keep the junction insulated

from the probe material. A grounded thermocouple reacts

faster to a change in temperature but may create a path for

noise to enter the electrical circuit.

An ungrounded probe takes longer

to react to temperature changes

but its isolation provides protection

against electrical interference.

Thermocouple sensor wires

cannot be attached to a copper

terminal block and then converted

to standard copper hookup wire to complete the connection to

the measurement apparatus. This limitation can be overcome

by using specialty terminal blocks and thermocouple extension

wire using the same metals as the thermocouple. Another solu-

tion is to place a signal conditioner between the sensor’s wires

and converting the signal to a 4-20 mA or 0-10 V signal or even

an IIoT module.

Resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) do not produce a

voltage difference as thermocouples do. RTDs take advantage of

the physical properties of some metals that vary resistance as a

function of temperature. A known voltage is applied to the RTD

element, and then the voltage drop across the element is mea-

sured. In measuring this voltage, the RTD’s temperature can

be calculated. Most industrial RTDs are classified as PT100 (100

Ω at 0°C) and PT1000 (1000 Ω at 0°C). The sensors are available

in two-wire, three-wire and four-wire models. The electrical

hookups are complex, but, in this case, more wires mean higher

accuracy. When operated within its operational temperature

range, even a two-wire RTD is more accurate than a thermocou-

ple. However, an RTD is more expensive than a thermocouple.

RTD elements are rather fragile, so protection is often needed.

Hot options for temperature measurement

Thomas Steviccontributing [email protected]

component considerations

A grounded thermocouple reacts faster to a change in temperature.

THOMAS STEVIC is a controls engineer at Star Manufacturing

(www.starmanufacture.com), an engineering and production

company in Cincinnati.

CD1801_17_ComponentConsider.indd 17 12/19/17 2:08 PM


technology trends

Rick Ricecontributing editor

[email protected]

ABOUT A YEAR ago, my wife and I decided that it was time to up-

grade our vehicles. Part of our decision had to do with the age of

the cars. They were much loved but getting more costly to main-

tain as time went on. One car was a present from my wife when

we first met. There was a significant emotional attachment, and

I was sad to part with my beloved Mustang. The other car had

been acting up for a while. Some random mishaps had twice left

my wife on the side of the interstate on a holiday weekend.

Repeated attempts to diagnose the issues had been unsuc-

cessful. The seemingly random nature

of the problems was absorbed into

day-to-day life, and we moved on to

matters that demanded our greater

attention. The poor behavior, however,

was a primary reason for going to a

newer car as it had become unreliable.

I don’t profess to be a car guy as

my talents lie elsewhere, but I have been having a go at fixing

the car for about 18 months. New spark plugs, a coil pack, new

cables, a couple of new injectors, but the misfire and speed

(limp mode) restriction has been such a pain. Well, after a year

of playing with it, I lost interest and moved on to other things. It

has been just sitting there in the driveway, collecting dust and

leaves while I make monthly payments on it.

Around the same time that we parked some newer cars in

our driveway, my youngest child came to live with us. As part of

the usual rites of passage to adulthood, my daughter wanted to

get her license and learn to drive.

It made sense for us to put her in the car in the driveway

rather than putting out yet more money on a car for her. After

all, we were still making payments on it. Every project has to

have a start point, so we decided that being able to start the car

was a good place to begin.

My wife bought a new battery earlier in the week, and I

swapped it out after about 20 minutes of grunting and strug-

gles. The car started on the second turn of the key and ran

flawlessly. The misfires are gone, as is the “limp home” function

that usually signifies a bigger problem. With a seemingly ac-

cidental action, our third car is no longer the ugly stepchild.

Despite all the effort I put into treating the symptoms, it

turns out that the electronic control module wasn’t getting

enough voltage from the charging system to allow it to function

properly, and it was throwing out false messages that had me

all over the engine in an attempt to fix things.

I mention all this because sometimes we overcomplicate

the issues in our lives. The battery has been a little sketchy for

more than three years, and I was stingy enough to just give it a

boost once in a while when it didn’t want to start.

It’s amazing how something I was pushing to the back of the

shelf for years turned out to be the source of my discomfort and

frustration for so long. The moral of the story is, if something is

bugging you, do something about

it. Don’t let it fester and nag at you

until it wears you down.

By this point, you are probably

wondering where I was going with

all of this. Well, my adventure with

the car out in the driveway really

isn’t that much different than the

decisions that we face every single day in our work environment.

Automation is a wonderful thing until it isn’t working prop-

erly any more. Like any valued objects in our lives, we grow at-

tached to the machines, the processes. We get to know the ins

and outs. We can predict how it breathes and can sense when

it is functioning below its potential. The machine becomes an

old friend that we baby and nurture when it starts coughing

after a weekend of downtime. Our love affair with the machine,

however, comes to a screeching halt when we go to the supply

shelf and the shelf is bare.

The life of a co-packer can be like going to the carnival. You

can be on the carousel, or you can be on the screaming death

drop. The problem is you don’t get to choose which ride you

are on. Capital investments can be much like that carnival

ride. Dumping your profits back into the company seems like a

reasonable thing to do, but what if you hit a dry spell? Will you

plunge down to sure ruin?

Successful investments are the goal of every enterprise, but

at what point do our assets become liabilities? How do we know

when we have gotten all we can out of a piece of equipment,

and when do we let it go?

A recent emergency repair opportunity exposed a vulner-

ability that we hadn’t previously anticipated. We have about a

dozen blending systems that are key to our operation. These

systems were installed about 15 years ago and pretty much

When is the right time to upgrade?

The decision when to replace should not be driven by the need to

replace but, rather, the desire.

CD1801_18_20_TechTrends.indd 18 12/19/17 2:10 PM

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Either way, Yaskawa’s new Sigma-7 servo systems help you break free of yesterday’s standards. From the first spin of the rotor, Sigma-7 boosts precision and productivity. Yet, its programming ease and performance make omorrow’s automation ideas possible.

Don’t stay chained to legacy servo capability. Crank up to Sigma-7, the servo for the Next Revolution.

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Either way, Yaskawa’s new Sigma-7 servo systems help you break free of yesterday’s standards. From the first spin of the rotor, Sigma-7 boosts precision and productivity. Yet, its programming ease and performance make omorrow’s automation ideas possible.

Don’t stay chained to legacy servo capability. Crank up to Sigma-7, the servo for the Next Revolution.

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CD1801_FPA.indd 19 12/19/17 3:01 PM


technology trends

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

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

every one of our 30 production lines make use of one of these

mixers for at least one component of a finished product. Good

profits over the years have paid for the initial investment years

ago. Not a lot goes wrong with them, and, when it does, we have

been able to draw from our on-site stores to get things up and

running in relatively short time. We even felt so comfortable

with the operation of these workhorses that we ventured to

install yet another system a couple of years ago with a home-

grown control system. The original plan was to simply build

another panel with the exact same design. Once we looked into

it further, we realized that we couldn’t just make another one as

the main control processor was no longer on the active sales list

at our vendor. Not one to let this get us down, we migrated our

design into the replacement processor and made a great system

with many value-added features. We wouldn’t hesitate to go to

this new system again if the need for another blender comes up.

When our emergency situation came up, we did what we al-

ways do. We went to our spares cabinet and pulled out another

one. In this case it was a variable-frequency drive (VFD). The

swap-out didn’t take more than about 30 minutes, but when

we went to start the system back up, the drive didn’t want to

respond to commands. It seems the communications module

was fried, along with the original VFD. The response was the

same, however. We went to the spares cabinet, but there wasn’t

a spare. In all the years that we had these mixers, we’ve never

had a reason to consider having a communications module

as a spare. They simply haven’t failed. After more than a few

minutes of panic, we got lucky. Turns out when yours truly was

swapping out the drives, I had grabbed the communications

module in such a way as to move a couple of DIP switches on

the unit and rendered it speechless, so to speak. Some time

spent with the OEM drawings (learning that the DIP switches

were not as indicated on the drawing) and communications

module manual, and we were back in operation.

For years, we have been complacent to just fix what breaks.

We have been fairly predictive in our choice of spares and,

perhaps, a little bit lucky. However, this brush with the much-

dreaded downtime exposed a risk we haven’t really prepared

ourselves well for. What if we couldn’t get a replacement

communications module? Sure, there are a few out there on

Ebay, but should ecommerce for worn-out components be our

plan to keep our equipment operating? We like to think that,

as a co-packer, we are innovative and an innovative solution is

what was required here.

Having 11 of these systems and one new one gave us an

idea. Why not plan a replacement before we are required to

do one? Doesn’t that make more sense? The control panels

are already built. The existing PLC and associated variable

frequency drives are all in good working condition. Why not

plan a rebuild for just the PLC and drives and leave everything

else in place? The replacement components would match the

ones in the new mixer from a couple of years ago so that we

wouldn’t be reinventing the wheel. Performing the upgrade

in a planned event rather than an emergency event not only

gets us an upgrade on our control system, it also gives us a

sudden surplus of components—more than enough to cover

our immediate and near-future needs. Once the first upgrade

is complete, we can comfortably plan the next one with the

knowledge that we can do this when we want to and not when

we need to. We can even submit this to a capital plan where

a budget can be set up to rotate through the 11 aging systems

in a manner that gets us up to date without breaking the

bank. The best part, of course, is we aren’t surfing the Internet

looking for components. Most ecommerce sites have good, reli-

able used equipment, but I don’t know of a single person who

doesn’t buy items in such a manner and not sweat it out until

they can prove that the part will work in the system. What

better assurance can we have than parts that we took out of a

working system ourselves?

The decision when to replace should not be driven by the

need to replace but, rather, the desire. Projects have a greater

degree of success when we have control over the events. Plan-

ning for upgrades should take every element into consideration,

not just the high-price items. It wasn’t our PLC or a VFD that

would have sunk us in our recent emergency; it would have

been the communications module. This is the same one that

has been retained out of other VFD failures. It is the module

that is the least likely to fail and, yet, if it had, we would have

been dead in the water until a replacement could be found.

Like the battery in my car, components that are failing but

not dead can lead to years of extra time and effort committed

to treat the symptoms of failure and not the source. Addressing

issues when they pop up is usually the best way to deal with a

situation and can save time and money that can be better used

planning succession upgrades to your valuable assets.

CD1801_18_20_TechTrends.indd 20 12/19/17 2:10 PM

SMC Corporation of America10100 SMC Blvd., Noblesville, IN 46060

(800) SMC-SMC1 (762-7621)

www.smcusa.comemail: [email protected] International Inquiries:

www.smcworld.com

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(800) SMC-SMC1 (762-7621)

www.smcusa.comemail: [email protected] International Inquiries:

www.smcworld.com

CD1801_FPA.indd 21 12/19/17 3:01 PM


DIRTY, WET MACHINE environments can be the source of headaches, especially when you’re implementing linear motion.

Selecting components for messy areas requires a bit of forethought. This panel of industry experts cleans up the information

landscape with some pointers and explains some of the new technology that is popping up. Be sure you know what’s what before

you begin implementing linear motion. The technology can bring accuracy and precision to many applications, but the selection

process can be tricky.

How to actuate in dirty, wet environmentsExpert panel offers tips on linear motion in messy machine areas, as well as new innovations

by Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

machine input

How can I install a linear motion actuator in a dirty, wet machine environment?

Broc Grell, applications engineer, Nexen

Group (www.nexengroup.com), Most

high-precision motion systems

need some sort of cover like a bellows.

Tricks such as mounting the rack teeth

down or teeth sideways allows for debris

to not get stuck in the teeth. A stainless

option or a thermoplastic for washdown

applications or other harsh environments

can be used where smoothness is key but

accuracy is not as important.

Clint Hayes, product sales manager, linear

motion technology, Bosch Rexroth (www.

boschrexroth-us.com), In environ-

ments with high humidity and/or

moisture, options for corrosion resistance

include stainless steel or specialty

anti-corrosion plating, such as thin dense

chrome (TDC) or nickel alloy coating.

In harsh environments, for example,

where metal or wood shavings may

be present, tested and proven sealing

technology for linear motion components

is imperative if you wish to achieve the

full service life from a bearing system. A

good sealing function will keep lubrica-

tion preserved within the bearing and

keep contamination out of the system

(Figure 1). What makes for a good seal?

Full interference contact around the

perimeter of the component and material

that is impervious to the surrounding

contaminants.

Chris Bullock, applications engineer I,

Bishop-Wisecarver Group (www.bwc.com),

The main concern would be the

debris on the mounting surface, which

could result in an unstable mounting

situation. It would be best to clean that and

then mount your actuator to the surface. If

you can’t, for whatever reason, then you

may be able to attach the actuator loosely

and then slowly tighten down while using

water or air to remove the dirt/debris from

under it as you lower it.

That’s harshFigure 1: High-performance seals are a critical

consideration if using linear-motion compo-nents in harsh or contaminant-rich environ-ments. Plating options are also available to

ensure long service life.

(SO

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CD1801_22_27_MachineInput.indd 22 12/19/17 2:11 PM


Gary Rosengren, director of engineering, Tolomatic (www.tolomatic.

com), Dusty environments that require linear-motion

devices are relatively common. For example, dust

generated from paper or corrugated cardboard materials,

textiles or normal factory air tends to be dry and relatively light

in weight. Most rod-type linear actuators can perform in this

type of environment without adverse effects. The addition of

rod wipers will further enhance the actuator’s ability to keep

dust from its internal components, as well as retain the

lubrication present inside the actuator. Rodless actuators also

can perform well in this type of environment, as many include

a type of cover strip that shields internal components from

dust ingress (Figure 2).

Rodless actuators may be enhanced by the addition of a

positive pressure port on the body of the actuator designed to

equalize internal and external pressures and help to keep dust

away from possible ingress points. In dusty applications, IP54

would be the minimum rating to consider. An actuator with an

IP54 rating is protected from dust (5) and splashing water (4),

even though splashing water may not be present. In extremely

dusty conditions where there are materials being cut, such as

in woodworking, or light metal machining and light grinding,

the accumulation of dust tends to be considerably heavier.

In these applications, a higher rating such as IP65 should be

considered, making the device dust-tight (6) and protected from

low pressure—4.4 psi—jets of water. Even though there may not

be water in the environment, the sealing mechanism for dust

exclusion is typically effective for that level of low-pressure

water protection. Rod-type actuators that have rod wipers or

rod seals also perform well in these conditions; however, rod-

less actuators typically do not perform well unless some kind

of custom-designed protection is applied. Custom-designed

protection is best provided by the machinery manufacturer.

In applications where water is present, it is important to

fully understand the source, direction and volume of the water

to which the actuator will be subjected. For example, consider

a system in which an actuator is reciprocating a spray head

that is directed away from the actuator toward the processed

product. Inevitably, some of the water, mist or water vapor will

settle back on the actuator. The actuator therefore should have

a level of protection against splashing water or against low-

pressure jets (Figure 3). Since the sealing mechanism of most

rod-type actuators consists of a rod wiper or rod seal, actuators

with a rating of IP65 would be satisfactory. Rodless actuators

will experience water ingress at some point unless custom-

designed shields or guards are applied.

Ingress protectionFigure 2: Both rod wipers on rod-style actuators and protective bands on rod-less style actuators help with ingress protection from dusty environments.

(SO

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E: T

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Shielded or unshielded sprayFigure 3: This application depicts a spray head that is directed away from the actuator. The illustration on the left shows a rodless actuator with no shielding that would be susceptible to liquid ingress. The illustration on the right shows the proper way to shield a rodless actuator from splashing water or low-pressure jets in applications where spray heads are directed away from the actuator.



When an actuator is required to be di-

rectly in the path of water—for example,

the actuator is moving product within

the range of sprayed water—additional

ingress protection is required. IP66- or

IP67-rated devices may be more appro-

priate in this case. Devices with these

higher IP ratings will typically have

redundant exclusion mechanisms such

as shields, bellows or guards, ensuring

long-term functionality. Again, rodless

actuators will not perform well in these

applications without customized protec-

tion (Figure 4).

Another common industrial applica-

tion for actuators is on equipment that

requires aggressive cleaning. Equip-

ment used in the preparation of foods

and beverages often requires frequent

and specific cleaning procedures. In

these cases, actuator protection re-

quirements are particularly stringent

because food and beverage equipment

is often cleaned with aggressive deter-

gent solutions, as well as washed and

rinsed with hot 180 °F, high-pressure

1,500-psi water spray or steam. When

specifying actuators for applications

such as these, there are two important

considerations.

1. Understand the chemical makeup of

the cleaning solutions. For example,

the effects of very high or very low

pH cleaning solutions on various

components need to be fully under-

stood, so the materials used for the

sealing mechanism are compatible

and do not degrade. This also re-

quires that the metal materials used

in the construction of the actuator

body be resistant to the particular

cleaning solutions.

2. Specify sealing materials that are

compatible with the cleaning chemi-

cals and resistant to high-pressure

and high-temperature water spray.

Actuators with a rating of IP69K are

best suited for this type of environ-

ment. However, it is always wise to

perform testing on the solutions used

in the process to ensure chemical

compatibility. Applications involving

chemical solutions need to be treated

somewhat differently than applica-

tions involving simple water ingress.

IP ratings do not imply chemical

compatibility. Knowing exactly

which chemicals the actuator will

be exposed to will help the actuator

supplier select materials most likely

to offer good service life. Important

factors to consider are the chemical

makeup of the solution being used,

its concentration level, duration of

exposure to components to which

it is applied and operating tempera-

tures. This information is critical to

applying linear actuators in these

types of applications to ensure proper

functionality and longevity.

Josh Teslow, applications engineer,

Curtiss-Wright (www.curtisswright.

com), Use the most compatible

corrosion-resistant materials available/

possible for the body of the actuator.

Derrick Stacey, solutions engineer, B&R

Industrial Automation (www.

br-automation.com), We approach

this environment using two main

features of the SuperTrak. First, the

SuperTrak is fully potted so the magnetic

coils are completely sealed and the

electronics boards are sealed in an IP65

cabinet on each motor section. This

means we can handle noncorrosive

liquid spills and overspray from material

removal processes.

The second feature that allows

SuperTrak to withstand nontraditional

linear-motion environments is the

mover/pallet design. The movers are

held in place by magnetism and are

guided with simple rolling elements.

This means we can simply shield each

mover with a slightly oversized cover

to protect the rolling elements and

minimize the debris buildup on the

vertical track face. The magnetic hold

is important because there is an inher-

ent air gap between the magnet and

the coils in the motor sections, so even

a few-millimeter layer of debris and

film would not affect the control and

dynamics of the system.

machine input

Customized protectionFigure 4: Rodless actuators will not perform well in certain applications without customized protection.(SOURCE: TOLOMATIC)


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machine input

Jeremy Miller, product manager—linear

mechanics, Parker Hannifin Electrome-

chanical & Drives Division (www.

parker.com), Designing for harsh environ-

ments such as wet or dirty atmo-

spheres with linear motion can be a

challenging venture. Traditionally,

with respect to linear actuation, this is

addressed in one of two ways. The first

is finding ways to mitigate the buildup

and/or pooling of these contaminants

within the actuator. Techniques such

as designing drainage into the system

or integrating labyrinth-style designs

to reduce ingress of contamination into

the system are common approaches.

This is often the cost-effective

approach and allows for some ingress

into the actuator but works to prevent

buildup. For this to work, component

elements must be durable to prevent

corrosion or premature failure.

The second common approach is

to use actuators that were designed

specifically with high levels of ingress-

protection (IP) sealing. Traditionally,

electric cylinders are able to achieve

higher levels of IP, with levels up to

IP69K. This prevents all liquid and

solid contamination into the actuator.

Additionally, these cylinders are often

designed with positive external geom-

etry to prevent microbial growth and

pooling on the surface. Also, stainless-

steel materials prevent contamination.

With rodless actuators, effective seal-

ing is often more challenging, given

the form factor.

Jay Johnson, national product manager,

Sick (www.sickusa.com), Selecting

the correct components for

the environment is crucial in order to

avoid the negative effects of corrosion,

oxidation and contamination. Addition-

al guarding or sealing could also be

required depending on the type of

exposure. When in doubt, cover it. An

attempt to save money on proper guard-

ing often results in much more costly

downtime, and it is important to

recognize that a high IP rating doesn’t

necessarily ensure a component is

suited for a continuously wet environ-

ment. For instance, an aluminum device

rated IP67 will eventually oxidize if

exposed steadily to water spray, even if

only indirect or at low pressure.

Oxidation sooner or later allows

ingress. Therefore, covering the device

or selecting a model made of stainless

steel or other appropriate material is

required for longevity.

Focusing on position-feedback devic-

es, when installed correctly a dirty and

wet machine environment will not affect

the signal quality of a linear magnetic

encoder in the same way as that of an

optical sensor.

What are some of the new technology innovations in linear motion today?

Brian Zlotorzycki, Etel motors product

specialist, Heidenhain (www.heidenhain.

com), There’s a focus toward

streamlining the manufacturing process

to make it quicker and less expensive to

manufacture. On the performance side,

manufacturers are always looking for

ways to increase the coil density of the

motor so that the performance can

increase without increasing the size.

Broc Grell, applications engineer, Nexen

Group (www.nexengroup.com),

Everyone is going faster and

more accurate with every new machine.

Linear-motion product manufactures are

doing everything they can to keep up.

Derrick Stacey, solutions engineer, B&R

Industrial Automation (www.

br-automation.com), There’s linear

transport technology or long stator linear

motors (LLMs). B&R has worked very

closely with ATS Automation to form a

partnership on the SuperTrak, the third

generation of ATS’s LLM technology.

SuperTrak’s initial design was released in

2002, but the industry has not seriously

considered this as an enabling technol-

ogy until recently (Figure 5). We can see

this by the increase in competitive

technology within this space and the

increase in marketing surrounding them.

SuperTrak is a fully mature technology in

an emerging product market with a lot of

lessons learned over the years that have

led to optimizations and various

technical improvements.

Looped LLMs, such as SuperTrak, take

advantage of the dynamic movements

of linear motors and the tight control of

servos to have a highly flexible and high-

performance motion system.

This system gives users efficient and

cost-effective batch-size-one produc-

tion capabilities. It is a highly configu-

rable system that allows each product

that the SuperTrak carries to have a

different recipe.

Josh Teslow, applications engineer,

Curtiss-Wright (www.curtisswright.com),

There’s the use of high-tech

plastics and easily replaceable guide

bushings/anti-rotation parts. And

sensor technology is more active. It’s

still rare, but more companies are

looking at integrating additional

sensors in their machines to gauge

health. A simple example is a tempera-

ture sensor in a bearing block. If the

temperature suddenly rises, it’s an easy

way to predict a failure before it

happens. This will become more and


more common as sensors continue to

commoditize and controllers have

additional low-cost inputs. And of

course there’s the idea of integrating

drive, motor and roller-screw actuator

all into one body/unit. It’s still relatively

new and definitely a game-changer.

Clint Hayes, product sales manager, linear

motion technology, Bosch Rexroth (www.

boschrexroth-us.com), Higher-force

actuators and components such as the

planetary roller screws allow for

electrification of applications tradition-

ally driven by hydraulics. Linear motor

technology is becoming more affordable

and available, allowing linear-motion-

system engineers to achieve the speeds

of belt-driven actuators with precision

and repeatability that rival the capabili-

ties of ball-screw-driven actuators.

There’s the integration of linear

positional feedback into the linear guide

rail system with either incremental or

absolute feedback. And onboard sensor

diagnostics within the linear bearings

provide feedback on thermal properties,

shock and acceleration.

Aaron Dietrich, director of marketing,

Tolomatic (www.tolomatic.com), Design

engineers typically reach for

two electric actuator solutions: electro-

mechanical actuators that are screw-

driven, ball or roller, but are limited to a

medium level of speed performance due

to critical speed limitations; and tubular

linear motors that can achieve speeds

beyond pneumatic but tend to be very

expensive due to their reliance on

rare-earth magnets and complexity. New

technologies in belt-driven, rod-style

electromechanical actuators can meet

the speeds of linear motors but at a

lower cost. This new technology helps to

provide a more cost-effective design vs.

pneumatic cylinders but can achieve

higher speeds, has much higher

efficiency and has the flexibility of

position control.

Matt Prellwitz, motion product specialist,

Beckhoff Automation (www.beckhoff.

com), We’ve seen a move toward

electrical actuators, rather than tradi-

tional hydraulic or pneumatic systems.

For example, new linear actuators

combine integrated electronics and an

actuator in a single, compact, IP54-rated

package. This solution offers a lifting

height of 10 mm and a peak force of 800

N. In addition, 150 N of continuous force

means the linear actuator is an ideal

replacement for frequently messy

hydraulic solutions or inaccurate

pneumatic systems in machine applica-

tions with thermoforming or fluidic

control, for example. Linear actuator

accelerations of 7 m/s² and speeds of 100

mm/s enable exceptionally short control

cycles, with response times typical of

traditional hydraulic systems.

Jay Johnson, national product manager,

Sick (www.sickusa.com), Within the

past few years, there has been

great progress made in the hydraulically

driven motion industry, especially with

mobile machinery. Precise closed loop

motion control of hydraulic cylinders

helps to reduce the wear and tear on

off-road equipment, automates the task

of making accurate repetitive move-

ments and provides safer operations. In

this area Sick has made innovative

strides in magnetic working principles

for feedback devices, especially in

magnetostriction. This technology offers

very good precision at an excellent

price-performance ratio. Traditional

feedback signals such as quadrature, SSI,

or HIPERFACE aren’t typically used in

these applications because most mobile

machine ECU controllers generally use

CAN or analog. Therefore, expect these

sensors to operate on the J1939 CAN

network or PWM.

SuperTrakFigure 5: SuperTrak’s initial design was released in 2002, but the industry has not seriously considered this as an enabling technology until recently.



or a machine to benefit from the

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT),

it must be connected to a network.

That often introduces vulnerabilities

that can compromise network integ-

rity. Threats can come from anywhere.

Cybersecurity must be addressed, but

even a harsh environment can affect

equipment’s ability to send and receive

data over the network.

Network switches connect Ethernet

devices, such as controllers, drives and

human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and

they forward information between them.

The decision is whether a managed or an

unmanaged switch fits the need best.

A managed switch can communi-

cate across multiple networks, provide

cybersecurity, prioritize data and com-

municate diagnostic and status infor-

mation. It stops unauthorized devices

from connecting to the network, offers

troubleshooting into performance is-

sues, yields production data and priori-

tizes industrial control traffic.

An unmanaged switch has very few

configuration options, but it’s typically

less expensive, and is very plug-and-

play. You can’t configure different vir-

tual local area networks (VLANs), and

there’s very little integration with other

devices. While it generally has a lower

price point, a ruggedized unmanaged

switch also can be the right choice for

an environment with extreme temper-

atures or excessive vibration.

These two tales illustrate how the

proper switch choice can connect the

machine and maintain network integrity.

Managed and unmanaged switches can help to protect machine connectivity for IIoT benefits


CD1801_28_35_CoverStory.indd 28 12/20/17 10:45 AM

utometrix creates industrial cutting

systems that are known for preci-

sion, waste reduction and consis-

tency. We build accurate, low-mainte-

nance machines that can cut everything

from textiles to composites.

Our next generation of industrial cut-

ters needed to maintain high accuracy,

while ensuring reliable intra-machine

networking capabilities into the future.

We needed precision when working with

very expensive material, which requires

heavy data communication between

subsystems.

Autometrix needed to find a fast Ether-

net switch that could withstand the vibra-

tions normally found in this environment,

while being extremely exact to provide the

best networking capability possible. The

best-case scenario was to avoid a costly

redesign of the systems (Figure 1).

A fast, smooth and precise historyIn the late 1970s, John Palmer, founder of

Autometrix, began developing software

for automated industrial equipment.

With a desire to create the highest-quali-

ty computer-controlled cutting machines

possible, Autometrix was founded in the

late 1980s. With experience develop-

ing software for cutting equipment, we

developed a cutting machine that was

faster, more reliable and more precise

than any other machine of its time.

Over the years, the machines have

gotten even better, all while maintain-

ing the same reliability customers have

come to count on. Throughout this time,

the overall philosophy of the company

has remained the same: Autometrix is

dedicated to providing the best indus-

trial software running the best cutting

machines on the market.

Cut it outAutometrix has developed PatternSmith—

a software suite that complements its

smooth and fast cutting equipment, which

utilize precisely steered cutting tools on a

CNC motion system to create high-quality

parts from a wide range of materials. The

machines are capable of carrying and us-

ing a wide range of cutting tools for nearly

any flexible material. We provide a wide

range of machine sizes, from the size of a

dinner table to machines wider and longer

than school buses.

PatternSmith is a full-featured CAD

tool for creating and modifying digital

patterns (Figure 2). It uses a built-in

interface that acts as the portal for con-

necting to a cutting machine. However,

machine interface is just a small aspect

of what it does.

There are a large number of support-

ing software suites available that enable


cover story

By Tyler Green, Autometrix

Smooth and fastFigure 1: Autometrix needed to find a fast Ethernet switch that could withstand the vibrations normally found in this environment.

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pattern-drafting, editing, nesting and

machine-control capabilities including

Eclipse, Tailormade and CADShot. It’s a

very powerful tool for creating all kinds

of products out of industrial textiles and

other sheet goods (www.controldesign.

com/patternsoftware).

Reliable communicationAutometrix’s motion control is fast and

smooth, especially when it comes to

complex shapes. Our machines utilize

the latest materials to increase perfor-

mance and maximize the lifespan of

parts. To stay ahead of the competition,

reliable industrial Ethernet communi-

cation is critical. To improve machine

communication, Autometrix upgraded

to Techaya’s MilTech 309, an eight-port,

fast-Ethernet switch onboard (ESoB) for

all of the systems it manufactures (Figure

3). The MilTech 309 was the best option to

address the size, reliability and vibration

concerns of an industrial environment.

The onboard electronics allow for

minimized cabling and connect a

number of peripheral subsystems on

the machine that need fast and reliable

communication. By developing a custom

interface to mount the PCB-level MilTech

309, a high level of integration was

achievable.

The MilTech 309 fast-Ethernet switch

is a complete system-level board with

eight 10/100 Mbps ports. With board-to-

board connectors, it serves as a robust

solution for providing local area network

(LAN) connectivity to IP-enabled com-

puting and netcentric systems. Devel-

oped to be embedded in small, harsh

environments, the MilTech 309 is less

than 1.7 x 3 x 0.5 inches and supports a

wide temperature range.

Control and machine secretsMuch of what makes Autometrix ma-

chines so fast and smooth is embedded

in the proprietary design of our motion

control systems and the associated

firmware. The main obstacle to smooth

motion for steered tool-cutting ma-

chines is breaking shapes up into seg-

ments that are then executed one after

another. This creates choppy motion.

Even when executed well, it results in

hesitant motion. When executed poorly,

it results in stops and pauses mid-pat-

tern when cutting. In contrast to that,

Autometrix and its partners have spent

many years working to create a vastly

different approach to motion profiles

that eliminate a lot of that hesitation.

Shapes can be executed much faster by

removing a great deal of segmentation

from the pattern execution.

In addition to the unique control

system, carbon fiber is used as a central

component of the machine to make

the moving parts as light and strong as

possible. Combining that with me-

chanical tolerances well in excess of

industry standards leads to high cut

precision and repeatability. All of this is

ensured with direct quality control, as

all machine hardware is designed and

assembled at Autometrix’s northern

California facility.

Nicely cutOur machines’ electronics boast great

serviceability and reliability by utilizing

a compact, removable electronics cabi-

net. Contributing to that compactness

and reliability is the Techaya Ethernet

switch. It enables high-speed commu-

nication in a small package at the board

level, and its military-grade vibration

rating means that a machine’s integrat-

ed network will be reliable even in the

harshest environments.

In a computer-controlled industry,

adding a reliable network to any ma-

chine is a huge boost in functionality,

and the MilTech 309 allows Autometrix


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Cut a patternFigure 2: Autometrix developed PatternSmith as a CAD tool to create and modify digital patterns for use on its cutting machines.

cover story


and its customers to add features, improve performance and

stay on the cutting edge in a cutting industry.

The beauty of the Techaya product is that, aside from adding

the interface, the integration is an overnight addition to a sys-

tem, and issues associated with the integration are minimal.

Since implementing the MilTech 309 in the machines, we

haven’t seen a single failure—not even a dropped data packet.

The MilTech 309’s networking and density features gave the

opportunity to develop new and more capable machine tools.

The great support received from MilSource, the exclusive

distributor of Techaya products in the United States, makes it a

worthwhile addition to any system.

Tyler Green is an electrical engineer, designing PCB

and general system electronics, at Autometrix in Grass

Valley, California. After earning his bachelor’s degree

from University of Nevada-Reno, he worked at Eaton B-Line,

formerly Cooper B-Line, in one of its facilities helping to develop

manufacturing processes. Contact him at [email protected].

Embedded Ethernet reliabilityFigure 3: An eight-port fast-Ethernet switch on board (ESoB) is attached to Autometrix’s electronic control board, providing Ethernet communication to several peripheral subsystems.

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State-of-the-art design: several complete photoelectric families combined for mounting flexibility Communication all the way down to the sensor level with IO-Link Precise and reliable Multi Pixel Technology provides distance measurement in a standard small housing

www.pepperl-fuchs.com/r10x

Mastering challenges.Opening communication channels.Redefining flexibility.

R10x SeriesThe New Generation


lobal interconnectivity and the col-

lection, sharing and analysis of big

data comprise the foundation of all

business of the future. In manufacturing,

the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

and Industry 4.0 focus on data that reflect

what happens on the factory floor.

Most discussions of the IIoT closely

examine how manipulation of detailed

manufacturing data offers great oppor-

tunities for productivity- and profitabil-

ity-boosting initiatives including cloud-

based data sharing, comprehensive

analytics and highly accurate measures

of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Amidst the enthusiasm to find new

ways to utilize the data, often put aside

are basic functional considerations.

Namely, these are the need to develop

consistent, reliable and secure ways to

connect machines and other shop floor

devices to larger networks and commu-

nicate data to a wide selection of users.

The basis for success in IIoT is the ca-

pability to share and analyze data across

all disciplines in a company. The goal is to

bring the data to the offices and servers

where the information can best support

decision making. However, if that means

that the shop floor is linked to a compa-

ny’s overall IT network, it is essential that

the equipment be protected from corrup-

tion by malware or cyber espionage.

Opportunities for cybersecurity

breaches are wide, varied and continu-

ously growing. The traditional “sneaker-

net” transfers of data by physically carry-

ing a machining program on a USB drive

from an engineering office to a machine

creates a possibility of accidental loss

of intellectual property or corruption by

malware and viruses. Probably 70% of the

time the spread of a computer virus is not

malicious. A virus lands on a USB drive

by accident through a laptop, and then

a production machine becomes infected

when the drive is used to load a program.

Other risks can come from outside

vendors, such as automation integrators

who put a cellular input/output device on

a machine to monitor performance of the

installation. The device could become a

back door into the company network.

Some shops continue the 1999-era

practice of simply sharing a folder

on a controller and dropping a file, or

they move unencrypted files via the

traditional ftp method. An upcoming

threat stems from the commoditization

of machine-tool time. Users will be able

to buy machine-tool time online to pro-

duce a run of parts, and the links to the

world outside the shop can put network

security in jeopardy.

Cybersecurity practices typically

employ a layered approach: A network

is housed inside a network, which itself


cover story

Simply easy!ONE source. Unlimited sensor options.www.tesensors.com

CD201801-Telemecanique.indd 1 12/7/2017 11:29:28 AM

Secure connectionsFigure 4: The SmartBox, a launch platform for secure participation in the IIoT, was engineered in collabora-tion with Cisco to isolate the machine with a VLAN, while still enabling connection with clients off the shop floor.

By Neil Desrosiers, Mazak


is housed in another network, and typi-

cally data does not flow between the lay-

ers. The aim is to stop intruders in one

layer from moving to the next.

IT departments often “sandbox” the

factory floor in its own virtual local area

network (VLAN) to separate it from a

corporation’s global network and the

cloud. A key reason for such strict secu-

rity is that shop floor equipment typi-

cally features legacy operating systems,

such as Windows 95 and Windows 2000,

that are highly vulnerable to viruses.

But what about protection for the

individual pieces of equipment? Some

factories, for instance, reported hav-

ing to replace machine-controller hard

drives due to ransomware that propa-

gated across devices.

Rigid security is an undeniable require-

ment. However, in the age of IIoT wide

access to timely manufacturing data is

essential for global competitiveness. The

data are critical not only at the shop or

plant network levels, but also at the man-

agement office level and often the cloud.

Two key requirements of cybersecu-

rity are establishing connectivity and

implementing ways to standardize and

transport data. Connectivity means

getting every machine and device on

the shop floor connected to an Ether-

net network. That includes computer

numerically controlled (CNC) machine

tools, as well as legacy noncomputer-

ized machines, in addition to hardware

as diverse as grinders, press brakes and

paint booths.

The requirement to standardize and

securely transport data involves MTCon-

nect standardized communications

protocol. Designed for the exchange of

data on the manufacturing shop floor,

MTConnect provides an industry-orient-

ed data dictionary and vocabulary that

standardizes transfer of data across all

devices, enabling the data to be read and

understood by any piece of software.

To utilize MTConnect, machine

OEMs write software that sends data

to an MTConnect agent, a Web service

that holds data in a buffer. An MTCon-

nect agent can provide data to multiple

clients at the same time. Client apps

can access the data via hypertext

transfer protocol command to provide

current data.

Simply easy!ONE source. Unlimited sensor options.www.tesensors.com

CD201801-Telemecanique.indd 1 12/7/2017 11:29:28 AMCD1801_28_35_CoverStory.indd 33 12/20/17 10:46 AM

MTConnect is read-only. So, it is

functionally unable to forcibly send data

to the machine tool or alter parameters

that could cause the machine to crash

or otherwise malfunction. The read-

only status is crucial for machine and

process safety as it prevents erroneous

data from interfering with manufactur-

ing operations. When communication

between two shop oor devices, such

as a machine tool and robot, is desired,

client software loaded on the equipment

enables the devices to read each other’s

actions and interact using MTConnect.

MTConnect is a data model that can

standardize the data formatting when

used in conjunction with well-estab-

lished transport protocols that require

user-de ned data tags.

Our solution to the issues involved

with connectivity, communication and

cybersecurity is the SmartBox, a launch

platform for secure participation in the

IIoT. Engineered in collaboration with

Cisco, its basic capability is to isolate

the machine with a VLAN, while still

enabling connection with clients off the

shop oor (Figure 4).

The device protects other levels of secu-

rity from the machine, but it also protects

the machine from intrusion by outside

sources, including other machines. Other

machines are protected, as well; if an in-

fection is introduced in the host machine

via a USB drive, for example, it is unlikely

that the infection will spread to other

areas. Advanced options from Cisco allow

even higher levels of control.

SmartBox technology was devel-

oped to provide cybersecurity; act as a

communications hub for one or more

machines and devices; provide an open

ow of communication via MTConnect

to enterprise systems and the cloud; and

represent a exible, expandable platform

that can take advantage of future ad-

vances in machine and data technology.

The central element of the SmartBox

is a Layer 3 managed switch developed

by Cisco for industrial applications. As a

managed switch, it becomes part of the IT

department network, and IT can connect

to it and manage it via Cisco Fog Direc-

tor software. The software enables IT to

see the SmartBox on its network, control

access to it, install or remove applications

and know which boxes need software

cover story

Polyester

Die-cast Aluminum

StainlessSteel

IndustrialWall-mount

Polycarbonate


updates and other services. It also enables

an IT department to add features, such as

audit functions and the ability to perform

deep scanning of the data packets for

viruses, worms and other abnormalities.

Some suppliers of machine-monitoring

software provide a black box that mounts

at the machine and outputs data. It is

a simple patch that gets the machine

connected but cannot connect out of

lower levels of security and may leave

the user vulnerable to security breaches.

The SmartBox is scalable; no matter

how many units a facility or corporation

operates, the IT department can manage

them in an integrated way from a central

location. It contains a Linux PC running

an MTConnect agent. The box can hold

up to 10 agents, and microservices can

be written to supply data for enterprise

integration, databases, display dashboards

or utilization calculations. Other use cases

can involve OEE/utilization, part quality

evaluation and sensor data regarding ma-

chine conditions that facilitate preemptive

diagnostics and maintenance activities.

Preemptive diagnostics are examples

of applications that utilize high-frequen-

cy sampling of data. Such applications

create heavy data flow that can interfere

with the operation of the larger net-

work. Due to the nature of the SmartBox

networking, this high-frequency data can

be isolated in a way that allows the user

to analyze it locally. This is described as

edge computing, or fog computing, con-

trasting the cloud on a high level with the

fog down at the level of the machine.

An essential cybersecurity-related

microservice is secure file transfer

(SFT). If a defense contractor wants to

send confidential information such as

a machining program to the shop floor,

an engineer can use SFT to transfer the

encrypted piece of intellectual property

from the design office over the network

encrypted, securely and automatically

directly to the machine. This eliminates

the dangers associated with walking to

the shop floor with a USB memory drive

or emailing a piece of data that can be

hacked or stolen off the servers.

SFT can also help manufacturers

with defense-acquisitions-regulations-

system (DFARS) compliance. DFARS is a

Department of Defense (DoD) regulation

regarding unclassified on-premise tech-

nical information that must be managed

and protected from theft. By the end of

2017 all DoD facilities are required to be

DFARS-compliant.

The use cases of today may be very

different than those of tomorrow. The

SmartBox system offers the ability to

add microservices, computing capability

and additional sensors—configure them

and distribute the data. Adaptability is

essential with new technology.

It’s critical for manufacturers to use

systems that employ new ways of think-

ing about networking and cybersecurity

and not merely rearrange and repurpose

present solutions. Instead of simply

thinking outside the box, manufacturers

should seek an altogether new box that

will enable them to maximize productiv-

ity and competitiveness in the IIoT-driven

future world of manufacturing.

Neil Desrosiers is application

engineer/developer/MTConnect

specialist at Mazak in Florence,

Kentucky. Contact him at ndesrosiers@

mazakcorp.com.


LIGHT-FIDELITY (LI-FI) wireless communication systems have

seen many improvements in recent years. The Li-Fi instru-

ment network can actually enhance communication systems,

and the detail design speci cation is reference material that

may not prove to be 100% implementation-ready but will help

those who try to explore and advance this area as a technol-

ogy in progress. First, the two major modules of the system

are the optical wireless instrument (OWI) and the optical

access point (OAP).

Optical wireless transmitters are constituted by a sensor for

real-time measurement of process-variable information and

the timely transmission per update rate of the OWI to the OAP

via the optical signal.

Optical wireless control elements are constituted by the con-

trol element and the light-sensitive module, which receive the

optical signal at the light-sensitive sensor and convert it into a

respective electrical signal to control the process variable.

The optical access point (OAP)/transceiver modules com-

prise light-emitting diode (LED) lights, light-sensitive sen-

sors such as photo-detector or solar-panel, high-speed LED

drivers, ampli cation and processing modules and power

modules. The light-sensitive sensor is connected to an opti-

cal receiver or signal processing and ampli cation module,

which processes the process-variable information transmit-

ted from the optical wireless transmitters and sends to the

programmable logic controller (PLC) or distributed control

system (DCS) in the local control room (LCR), local electrical

room (LER) or substation (SUB) via redundant beroptic cable.

The switch control module converts the control signal from

the PLC/DCS into a switching signal of a speci c frequency.

The high-speed LED driver receives the switch signal, which

is converted to LED ashing lights-optical signal. Intrinsi-

cally safe battery packs or renewable energy such as thermal,

solar or vibration/wind power the light-sensitivity sensor

module, LED array and processing module.

Detailed design speci cationThe effective range of an optical wireless instrument is based

on the linear distance between the OWI and OAP, when in the

presence of the process infrastructure inside the module. Typi-

cally, if the OWI and OAP have no obstacle between them and

have direct line of sight (LOS), and, if OWIs are mounted in the

effective lumens area of OAP, then the data transfer between

OWI and OAP will be very high (Figure 1).

by Sheikh Rafi k Manihar Ahmed, Fluor Daniel

Technology in progressThe detail design speci cation of a light- delity

instrument communication network


wireless

Data transmissionFigure 1: If the OWI and OAP have no obstacle between them and have direct line of sight (LOS), and, if OWIs are mounted in the e ective lumens area of OAP, then the data transfer between OWI and OAP will be very high.

CD1801_36_39_LiFi_featr.indd 36 12/19/17 2:33 PM

The effective range of an OWI and OAP also depends on the

illuminance of the LED lights. If the OAP and OWI are consti-

tuted of low-illuminance LED lights, then the effective range

between them will be less—minimum 3 m in direct line of

sight. Similarly, if the OAP and OWI are constituted by medium

and/or high illuminance and guided red/green/blue (RGB) LED

lights, then the effective range will be high.

Obstacles decrease the effective data transfer rate, if it is not

a clear line of sight. The main problem with the Li-Fi wireless

instrument communication network is the optical signal can’t

go through the objects or doesn’t penetrate through solid ob-

jects. If either the OWI or the OAP is blocked totally in anyway,

due to design or workmanship ignorance, then the optical

signal will instantly cut out or cut off.

Most process environments have a high density of equip-

ment, pipelines and structural metals that re ect optical

signals in a nonpredictable manner and re ect the optical light

signal off of the metal of the surrounding environment. This

high density of metals in the environment will not affect the

range of OWI and OAP, because direct line of sight is not neces-

sary for OWI and OAP to transmit a signal. Light re ected off of

walls, objects, structures, pipes or equipment can achieve a 70

Megabits/second (Mbps) data-transfer speed.

The effective range of OWI and OAP in the environment in-

side modular projects can be split into three categories.

1. Highly dense environment (3–5 m or 10–15 ft). This is the

typical, highly dense plant environment inside the modular

structure where equipment, number of instruments, pipe-

lines and structure metal are very dense. In this type of en-

vironment, objects or metals are present in the environment

and are re ected off of the optical signal, which affects the

data transfer speed (70 Mbps) but not the range of OWI/OAP.

2. Medium dense environment (8–10 m or 25–30 ft). This is the

medium dense process area, where the appropriate space

exists between the equipment and structure. In this type of

environment, the data transfer rate shall be slightly less than

its average high rate.

3. Light dense environment (10–12 m or 30–40 ft). This is the

light dense environment, where the optical signal gets clear

and direct line of sight between OWI and OAP. The data

transfer rate shall be average high rate.

These values for effective range of OWI and OAP are theoreti-

cal guidelines and are subject to change with practical modular

and site tests in different types of environments. Three factors

signi cantly minimize or obstruct the optical signal.

1. Mounting the optical wireless eld instruments above the

OAP can cause the optical signal to not be received by opti-

cal access point.

2. Mounting the OWIs outside the closed module may interfere

with or obstruct the optical signal.

3. Mounting the optical wireless instrument isolated from the

network by an enclosure/heat box/insulated blanket blocks

the optical signal to transmit and/or to receive. A small

berglass device enclosure is an appropriate solution for

such a harsh application or environment, due to its clear,

transparent nature.

Li-Fi OAP network designThe installation of the OAP affects the OWI performance,

which ultimately reduces the system performance. The closed

module of any process area shall include multiple OAPs.

Therefore, the optical signal from an adjacent or nearby OAP

causes interference, which limits the signal-to-interference-

plus-noise ratio (SINR). It isn’t possible for the OAP/OWI to

transmit a coherent optical signal due to the use of LED lights

and the requirement that the information has to be encoded by

changing the amplitude of the light (turning on/off). To avoid

interference of the optical signal from a neighboring OAP and

to provide multi-instrument access from the same OAP, the

popular frequency reuse concept can be applied. As per the fre-

quency reuse concept, the available frequency can be divided

and shared among the different OAPs (www.controldesign.


OAP with DIN-rail data and power arrangementFigure 2: The lighting is designed to brighten the whole area in a consistent way.


com/whatislifi, www.controldesign.com/

advancedmobile).

The network models evolved for radio

frequency networks shall be applied for

Li-Fi, due to the uniform signal cover-

age. Similarly, the lighting is designed

to brighten the area in a consistent way

(www.controldesign.com/en12464-1).

Different OAP network models can be

evaluated and considered (Figure 2).

The hexagon network model is a

conventional hexagon topology that is

well-known and widely used in radio

frequency cellular applications. This

is a standard model, in which OAPs

are located or installed in a sequential

manner to form a grid of identical and

Voronoi-diagram hexagon shapes to

form a network.

The square network model is a square

lattice network model, in which OAPs

are located or installed in a way to form

a grid of identical and square-shaped

Voronoi-diagram cells.

The square network models are

better-suited in a large area to brighten

up the entire space, as compared to a

hexagon network model. However, the

inside modular environment typically

contains a number of unpremeditated

objects such as structural beams,

electrical lightning, equipment and

pipes. Therefore, it will be difficult to

examine the performance of such a

network in reality.

The spatial point processes are useful

as a statistical model in the analysis

of observed patterns of OAP and also

provide more accurate solutions for the

network interference model.

The Poisson point process (PPP) net-

work model is the most common and

widely used spatial point process model

(www.controldesign.com/cellularnet-

works). The number of OAPs is considered

to follow the Poisson distribution, and

the OAPs are geographically independent

to each other. This model is unrealistic,

due to its unpredictability in nature.

Sometimes two OAPs can be arbitrarily

close to each other. It may represent scat-

tered objects such as transmitters in a

wireless network (Figure 3).

The hard core point process (HCPP) is

similarly a spatial point process, which

includes additional parameters that con-

trol the minimum separation between

any two OAPs in order to limit the nega-

tive effects of the PPP model.

Based on practical observation and

comparison of the SINR for each of

the four different network models in

cumulative density formation (CDF), the

hexagon network model yielded the best

performance, followed by the square

network model and then the HPCC

network model. The worst performance

came from the PPP network model

(www.controldesign.com/whatislifi).

Spare capacity, redundancy and signal propagationDuring a typical project, there’s often a

requirement to provide installed spare

hardware, such as marshalling cabi-

net, I/O cards, space in cable tray and

terminations, as well as additional spare

space. These values could vary between


wireless

Poisson point process modelFigure 3: In the Poisson point process network model, OAPs are geographically independent to each other. This model is unrealistic, due to its unpredictability in nature. Sometimes two OAPs can be arbitrarily close to each other. It may represent scattered objects such as transmitters in a wireless network.

The effective range of an optical wireless instrument is based on the linear distance between the OWI and OAP.


20% and 30 % depending upon the

speci c project. The consideration when

designing with optical wireless instru-

ments on a Li-Fi instrument communica-

tion network is no cabinetry marshal-

ling, I/O cards or termination is required.

It will only add OAPs in the communica-

tion network as per the Voronoi-diagram

network model to increase the OWI’s

capacity if required in future.

The Li-Fi instrument eld communi-

cation network is inherently redundant

between the OWIs and the OAP. Consider

these provisions to maximize system

performance and improve the communi-

cations network.

1. Provide accurate and safe grounding

to the OAP and OWIs, as per standard

electrical code, to avoid unnecessary

voltage uctuation. Improper ground-

ing causes network failure.

2. Provide proper surge protection to

the OWI and OAP for instruments

installed outside of the module.

3. Always use redundant power and

an uninterrupted power supply (UPS)

for OAP. This is the main source of

OAP failure.

4. If measurements are critical, make sure

the illuminance for the modular- eld-

network OWI is direct line of sight.

5. Make the OAP connection to the

industrial-control-system (ICS) com-

munication cabinet redundant. This

includes physical communication

Ethernet/ beroptic switches, power

supplies and beroptic cables up to

the DCS.

The Li-Fi instrument communica-

tion network also faces different types

of dif culties in transferring data or

media via optical signal, which may

also impact the quality of data received

by the OWI/OAP, such as interference

by another light beam, intersymbolic

interference, nonlinear signal distor-

tion, low illuminance and co-channel

interference (Figure 4).

These problems in Li-Fi instrument

communication network are detect-

able and easily removable. It’s very

secure because light doesn’t penetrate

through walls.

Sheikh Ra k Manihar Ahmed

is control systems engineer

and innovation catalyst at Fluor

Daniel in New Delhi, India. He’s published

books and research papers in international

journals in the elds of electronics, robotics

and automation. Contact him at

sheikh.r.manihar.ahmed@ uor.com.

Signal ow in Li-Fi instrument communicationFigure 4: The Li-Fi instrument communication network also faces di erent types of di culties in trans-ferring data or media via optical signal.

Inter-Symbolic Interference

Distortion Attenuation

Non-Linear signal distortion

OAP

Li-Fi

OWI

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does for your business.

EXPERIENCE THE

C3 DIFFERENCE


A MAIN FOCUS of the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC,

www.iiconsortium.org) is its testbed program. In the fourth

quarter of 2017, the IIC released the much-anticipated rst

results of its testbed program (www.controldesign.com/

iictestbeds), which provides members with platforms to de-

sign and test innovations and applications.

“IIC testbeds provide a feedback loop from concept to reality

and back to innovation,” says Dr. Richard Soley, IIC executive

director. “They help to uncover the technologies, techniques

and opportunities that are essential to solving important

problems that bene t business and society. This is the reason

member companies agree to sponsor and own their testbeds

but will also share progress reports.”

The rst results include reports on testbeds for track and

trace; manufacturing quality management; communication and

control for microgrid applications; international future Indus-

trial Internet (INFINITE); condition monitoring and predictive

maintenance; and time-sensitive networking (TSN).

Time-sensitive networking enhances Ethernet to bring

more deterministic capabilities to the network, including time

synchronization, which schedules traf c ows and manages

central automated system con guration. The TSN testbed


Time-sensitive networking could be the gateway to production ef ciencies, but what is it?

MANUFACTURING’S NEXT STEP

CD1801_40_43_TSN_featr.indd 40 12/19/17 2:35 PM

applies technology in a manufacturing system with a wide

range of automation and control vendors. The testbed deployed

early-phase IEEE 802.1 and IEEE 802 Ethernet standards, and it

will improve on those standards, making the use of TSN more

prevalent in industries where it can improve ef ciency, such as

manufacturing (Figure 1).

What is time-sensitive networking?Time-sensitive networking (TSN) is the most recent leg of the

journey that will make critical data available where and, most

importantly, when it’s needed. The automotive industry’s use

of audio video bridging has evolved into time-sensitive net-

working for in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle communications.

But what exactly is TSN, and why does it matter?

“On the one hand, time-sensitive networking denotes a set

of IEEE 802 standards, which extends the functionality of Ether-

net networks to support a deterministic and high-availability

communication on Layer 2,” explains Dipl. Ing. André Hen-

necke, researcher at the German Research Center for Arti cial

Intelligence (www.dfki.de), a research center in Kaiserslautern,


networking

Figure 1: The TSN testbed deployed early-phase IEEE 802.1 and IEEE 802 Ethernet standards, and it will improve on those standards, making the use of TSN more prevalent in industries where it can improve e ciency, such as manufacturing.(SOURCE: INDUSTRIAL INTERNET CONSORTIUM)

MANUFACTURING’S NEXT STEPby Mike Bacidore, editor in chief


Germany. “In particular, this includes an

improved timing synchronization and a

real-time scheduling method, enhance-

ments of the stream reservation proto-

col, explicit path control and network

policing procedures.”

On the other hand, the term “time-

sensitive network” is also used to

designate a series of acts from different

organizations to enable a deterministic

communication via Ethernet, not only

with a focus on Layer 2, but also with a

view on Layer 3 (DetNet), applications

and certification processes, such as those

from AVnu Alliance, says Hennecke.

“It’s possible to have a network that

offers no value to a customer, even

though it conveys 100% of the requested

information, simply because of the

transmission latency it introduces,”

warns Doug Taylor, principal engineer,

Concept Systems (www.conceptsystem-

sinc.com), a system integrator in Albany,

Oregon. The aim of TSN is to eliminate

that latency for critical data by reserving

a traffic lane for those packets.

At one level, time sensitive network-

ing it is a set of IEEE 802.1 and 802.3

standards, explains Paul Didier, solu-

tions architect manager at Cisco (www.

cisco.com). “The objective is to enhance

Ethernet and core standard networking

to better support time-sensitive ap-

plications, such as industrial automa-

tion control,” he says. “We’re trying to

match up standard networking with a

lot of the requirements coming out of

industrial automation and control. The

concept of these control transactions or

messages is a little challenging. Control

engineers think they’ve got a controller

or motor, and there’s a wire between

the two of them. Technically, they

understand that moving to standard

networks and being able to do things in

those models makes things a lot easier.

Queuing the stuff up is counterintui-

tive. They’re looking for deterministic

network performance characteristics

around latency, jitter and reliability

that are easy to implement and use. It

gives them an open and interconnected

network that allows much more freely

flowing information from those de-

vices and to enhance and add to those

devices over time, which drives the

overall story of the IoT, where you can

do off-line or close-to-the-machine. You

need access to the data without having

to drop extra lines in. It’s about conver-

gence. There’s all of this IIoT, and it’s all

about these things using the Internet.

Aren’t there different requirements?

Isn’t there a reason they haven’t used

the Internet? Should we make some

modifications?”

Get to the heart of itAt the heart of TSN are mechanisms that

provide time synchronization for net-

worked devices and scheduled forward-

ing of defined traffic flows through the

network, explains Markus Plankenstein-

er, vice president, sales industrial, North

America, and global alliance manager,

TTTech Computertechnik (www.tttech.

com). “Through time synchronization

and scheduling, TSN delivers deter-

ministic communication over standard

Ethernet, thereby enabling the conver-

gence of critical control traffic with data

traffic over one infrastructure without

the need for gateways or proprietary

solutions,” he says.

“The TSN standards define mecha-

nisms for the time-sensitive transmis-

sion of data over Ethernet networks;

these in particular address the trans-

mission of data at very low latency and

high availability, allowing for time-

determination communication and

synchronization,” says Sari Germanos,

open automation business development

manager, B&R Industrial Automation

(www.br-automation.com).

Time-sensitive networking is a collec-

tion of projects aimed at improving Eth-

ernet, and specifically Internet technolo-

gies for time synchronization, explains

Joey Stubbs, P.E., North American repre-

sentative, EtherCAT Technology Group

(www.ethercat.org). “These projects

are intended to improve routing, pre-

emption, time synchronization, security

and throughput of Ethernet traffic for

A/V streaming and bridging,” he says.

The IEEE 802.1 standard encompasses

the work of the TSN Task Group, which

used to be called the AVB Task Group for

audio video bridging.


networking

In the generic sense, TSN is a set of capabilities being added to standard Ethernet to support applications that need deterministic characteristics for data transfer.


Fieldbuses are proprietary, well-de-

signed for the applications they support,

but getting data out of them is a bear,

says Cisco’s Didier. “We can support

that much better than the much-less-

deterministic methods that we currently

have,” he explains. “They have control

problems they’re trying to solve. We’ve

got an ecosystem we’re trying to build

this into. This isn’t going to be a sepa-

rate network configuration. It’s simply

incorporated in the standard tools that

you use. The idea is those programs

understand the control loops and what

information needs to come in and leave.

The network will say it can handle it,

sometimes with modifications, and push

it out into the network. That’s the archi-

tecture we’re putting together on top of

the IEEE standards.”

Time-sensitive networking, as a con-

cept, is analogous to real-time network-

ing, where real time is the amount of

time that network data is accurate and

consistent enough for the control system

to make reliable decisions, explains Phil

Marshall, CEO of Hilscher North America

(www.hilscher.com). “In some applica-

tions, this requirement is measured in

milliseconds, in others, in microsec-

onds,” he says.

The standardization of time-sensitive

features within IEEE 802.1/802.3 to be

rolled out in a large number of consumer

and industrial chipsets will mean that

many more people will be able to gain

access into the development of indus-

trial applications, explains Dr. Michael

Hoffmeister, portfolio manager, soft-

ware, at Festo (www.festo.com). “This is

expected to stimulate a diversity of new

use cases, applications and software

tools and will therefore trigger also

new impulses on the shop-floor level,”

he predicts. “Moreover, TSN allows for

real-time communication in parallel to

standard Ethernet-based office commu-

nication over the same network infra-

structure, which increases flexibility in

the network architecture.”

Time to knowTime-sensitive networking is the capa-

bility to do true real-time traffic with

known worst-case end-to-end trans-

mission times, says Mark Hermeling,

director, product management, VxWorks,

Wind River (www.windriver.com). “Eth-

ernet as we know it today is best effort,

at best,” he cautions. “There is no way

to calculate the time it will take for a

packet to go from A to B. There is a lot

of variability in the transmission times

that can be caused at multiple levels in

the OSI model.”

There are fieldbus protocols, such

as EtherCAT and Profinet, that have

sprung up over the years to remedy this,

continues Hermeling. “Many networks

have one connection for real-time traffic

to real-time devices and one connec-

tion for general-purpose traffic such as

connecting to IT networks,” he explains.

“Time-sensitive networking promises

to provide known transmission times

for real-time packets, while allowing

general-purpose traffic to be intermixed

on the same connection.”

Time-sensitive networks have very

little latency, explains Sloan Zupan,

senior product manager, Mitsubishi

Electric Automation (us.mitsubishielec-

tric.com/fa/en). “In machine control, it’s

critical that automation components

communicate with one another using a

deterministic network,” he says. “Proto-

cols that use standard TCP/IP Ethernet

introduce latency because it is a nonde-

terministic protocol.”

In the generic sense, TSN is a set of

capabilities being added to standard

Ethernet to support applications that

need deterministic characteristics for

data transfer, explains Todd Walter,

chief marketing manager, National In-

struments (www.ni.com) and industrial

segment chair of AVnu Alliance (www.

avnu.org). “If you want to do a control

loop, that is very difficult today,” he says.

“You can engineer and constrain what

traffic goes on the network. The level of

performance isn’t as high as you could

get. Time sensitive-networking actually

will schedule a class of traffic through

the network. An analogy is, if you have

an express lane on a highway, cars in

that lane can get higher priority. If you

still have a bunch of cars at the same

time, you can still have congestion. You

can control and time when cars go in

and when the lights change, so you can

get deterministic transfer. That’s what’s

being added.”

It is what it isFor once, the industry has a term that

means exactly what it sounds like, says

IIC’s Soley. “It’s connecting devices for

which the connectivity is time-sensi-

tive—that is, communications must be

received with minimum latency and/

or maximum throughput,” he explains.

“The common technical term is hard

real-time, meaning that there is an ab-

solute deadline, after which the system

fails—the worst-case execution time can

be characterized precisely; or there’s soft

real-time, meaning the system may fail

gracefully after the deadline.”

Rockwell Automation (www.rock-

wellautomation.com) follows the IEEE

definition of time-sensitive networking.

“It’s a bundle of extensions primarily to

the 802.1 spec, with some also impacting

802.3 capabilities such as scheduling,”

says Paul Brooks, business development

manager. “We very much see it as being

a bundle of separate things.”



Wide-area sensorsThe Micro Detectors wide-area, multi-beam, through-beam

sensors with emitter and receiver elements detect the pres-

ence of any object by sensing the light beam intensity return-

ing from the receiver.

The area sensors have

an IEC IP67 ingress

protection rating and

are available in basic

and advanced versions.

CX0 series basic area

sensors have a sensing

distance of up to 6 m

and a detection height up to 320 mm. CX2 series advanced area

sensors also have a sensing distance of up to 6 m with detec-

tion height of up to 960 mm. They offer analog outputs and a

blanking function.

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

Inductive proximity sensorsThe harsh-duty inductive proximity sensor with patent-

pending visual 360° light ring is available in different sizes and

sensing distances. The light ring provides visual feedback when

the sensor actively senses an object. All models are available

with built-in connector cable or with a quick-disconnect cable

and with either stain-

less steel or nickel-plated

brass housing. The sensor

is available in flush or

nonflush type.

EZAutomation /

www.ezautomation.net

Photoelectric distance sensorsOptical distance sensors in the BOD 24K

product family combine precision and intel-

ligence. The IO-Link interface simplifies

startup. Extensive configuration options en-

sure that users can tailor the system to fit the

application. Configuration can be accomplished

either directly via IO-Link or from the built-in display. Inte-

grated IO-Link diagnostic functions enable preventive mainte-

nance to ensure high system availability. As an alternative to

IO-Link, analog interfaces (voltage and current) are available

as are discrete switching outputs that can be set up from the

integrated display.

Balluff / www.balluff.com

Limit switches with integrated contactsThe Osisense XCKS limit switch range includes in-

tegrated contacts and is designed to withstand

high mechanical shock (IK05-compliant)

in environments with fine dust and splash

water (IP66- and IP67-compliant). The

switches offer ease of installation and use

because of an all-in-one design and stan-

dard construction. They are compliant

with EN/IEC 60947-5-1, UL 508, CSA C22-2

no. 14, CCC and EAC and have an operat-

ing temperature range of -25 to 70 °C.

Telemecanique Sensors / www.tesensors.com

Subminiature sensorsThe R2 and R3 series in cuboid subminiature housings and

the extremely flat versions of the R2F and R3F series each

are available as

through-beam sen-

sors, retroreflective

sensors and triangu-

lation sensors with

background suppres-

sion. These sensors

are designed for

installation in confined spaces and comprise four designs and

three functional principles. The R2x and R3x series laser sen-

sors always create a sharply defined, circular and clearly visible

light spot on the object. They are suited to the precise detection

of intricate objects. They include DuraBeam laser technology,

which combines LED and laser sensor features.

Pepperl+Fuchs / www.pepperl-fuchs.us

Sense a presenceThe finer points of ultrasonic, photoelectric and proximity sensing


product roundup CONTACT US [email protected]

CD1801_44_45_Roundup.indd 44 12/19/17 2:38 PM

Proximity sensors with improved safety for automatic doorsVitector’s Ray-RT proximity sensors have a built-in rangefinder

system that detects changes to the

length of a light path. When an

object—however shiny—moves into

an automatic door opening, the unit

will sense a potential collision and

issue the appropriate alarm. This

eliminates the problem that some

systems have of being “fooled” by

reflective surfaces that provide

alternate light paths.

Vitector / www.vitector.com

Clear object sensorThe QS18 clear object sensor was designed

with coaxial optics to detect the presence of

both clear and mirror-like targets. It delivers

a 400-microsecond response time, univer-

sal housing with 18-mm threaded lens,

an IP67 rating for harsh environments

and an accurate ClearTracking algorithm

that compensates automatically for the

effects of dust and ambient temperature

changes. The sensor is available with IO-Link commu-

nication for simplified wiring, installation, preventive

maintenance and sensor backup.

Banner Engineering / www.bannerengineering.com

Photoelectric sensors with visible red light narrow beamThe PD30CN series of photoelectric sensors with PointSpot

beam offers a visible red light narrow beam designed to make

detection more accu-

rate. It detects smaller

objects if compared

to standard sensors

but larger objects

than those a laser can

detect. The series con-

sists of a background

suppression version

as well as a polarized

retroreflective version. The sensing distance is controlled by a

potentiometer on the back of the housing, and the adjustment

is optimized for easy settings. The beam eliminates the halo

light disturbance as well as concerns with damaging people’s

vision or eyes.

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

Safety laser scannerThe SE2L safety laser scanner offers master/slave functionality

and dual protection zones. Master/slave functionality allows

one SE2L scanner to act as master and communicate with up to

three other scanners. The safety controller needs to communi-

cate only with the master, reducing the required number of in-

put and communication channels on the controller. Dual zone

protection allows one SE2L scanner to scan

two adjacent zones simultaneously and

independently, performing the work of two

scanners for the cost of one. The scanner

provides a standard 270° arc of protection

at a distance up to 20 m.

IDEC / 800-262-4332 /

www.idec.com

Piezoresistive silicon pressure sensorThe MPR series is a small piezoresistive silicon pressure

sensor offering a digital output for reading pressure over the

full-scale pressure span and temperature range. It is cali-

brated and compensated over

specific temperature ranges

for sensor offset, sensitivity,

temperature effects and non-

linearity using an on-board

application-specific integrated

circuit (ASIC). The series’ very

small form factor enables por-

tability by addressing weight,

size and space restrictions. It

occupies less area on the PCB,

and its plug-and-play feature enables ease of implementation

and system-level connectivity. The series helps to enhance

performance through reduced conversion requirements and

a direct interface to microprocessors.

Newark element14 / 800-463-9275 / newark.com


CD1801_44_45_Roundup.indd 45 12/19/17 2:38 PM


real answers CONTACT US [email protected]

A CONTROL DESIGN reader writes: As part of a spare-parts readi-

ness and modernization initiative at our material processing

and packaging plant, I have inventoried more than 140 mo-

tors in our facility from sub-horsepower to 100 hp, and there

are many more. After a preliminary analysis, my manager

wants me to include opportunities to advance our green

initiative, as well.

I need to identify plant-modernization projects to improve

motor efficiencies. This includes updating motor-control design

by adding variable speed drives (VSDs) where applicable. To

start, any suggestions on integrating a controller or PLC to a

VSD and motor are appreciated.

Additionally, I am having a hard time understanding which

motor applications would benefit from use of a VSD. I think

fans and pumps would definitely benefit, but I’m not sure how

to make that decision. How do I know if adding a VSD to a fan,

conveyor, agitator, mixer or rock crusher has efficiency ben-

efits? How is the decision made? Does size matter?

I also have several process lines with six or more motors

each, all running conveyors, agitators and mixers at full speed

to process or convert materials. Sometimes we could just run

half speed or a set-point speed, depending on demand. Some

things I can slow down, and some things I cannot. How do I tie

all the motors and drives together for better control?

Answers

ROI analysisMany industrial plants that are in the process of implementing

green initiatives or modernizing to reduce costs must evaluate

the energy costs associated with motors in their plants. Motors

tend to play a large part in plant efficiency and cost-reduction

efforts because they are usually responsible for a substantial

amount of the monthly electric utility costs. Some statistics in-

dicate that motors consume 70% of all domestic manufacturing

energy and 55% of total energy generated in America. Interest-

ingly, most motors will consume 10 to 20 times their capital

cost in energy every year so any effort aimed at reducing these

costs can yield significant savings.

In many applications where motors are used to drive pumps,

fans or compressors (centrifugal loads) and are using throttling,

either valves or dampers to control the process flow or pressure,

variable frequency drives (VFDs) may be applied to great economic

benefit. By changing constant motor loads to variable speed, pay-

back benefits may be realized in as little as one to two years.

If you are reviewing your plant for a modernization initia-

tive, reviewing the motors in the facility is a good place to start

since, in most cases, they will represent the bulk of your monthly

utility payment. If these motors drive centrifugal loads like fans,

pumps or compressors and the process operates below 100%

flow or pressure, there may be a real opportunity for energy cost

reductions. The motors are typically started with motor starters.

There are three characteristics with centrifugal loads known

as affinity laws that define the relationship between shaft

speed or the speed your motor is running and process param-

eters such as flow, pressure and power consumption.

• Flow (of material) is directly proportional to the shaft speed.

• Differential pressure is directly proportional to the square of

shaft speed.

• Process power is directly proportional to the cube of shaft speed.

Therefore any plant process that requires reduced flow (air,

water, oil, gas) can utilize the affinity laws. For example, if

your process is rated for a material flow of 10,000 gallons/min-

ute (gpm) but can be operated at a reduction to 7,000 gpm or a

30% reduction in flow, changing the motor speed may yield im-

pressive energy savings. From the affinity laws we know flow

and speed are directly proportional, so if the motor speed is

reduced by 30%, the process flow will also drop by 30% (10,000

gpm to 7,000 gpm), but the energy consumption is a cubic

function, so the amount of energy used drops even more; and,

in this case, a 30% reduction in motor speed yields a 66% re-

duction in energy usage. This approach can also work on many

systems where speed is adjusted such as agitators, mixers,

conveyors and mills, and these typically will also benefit from

more precise speed control.

As long as the plant process is using a centrifugal load that is

being throttled or controlled with dampers or valves, it is likely

that the process can benefit from the addition of a VFD. This

argument applies for low-voltage and medium-voltage motors.

Other applications may also benefit but may require additional

analysis and may not yield the same energy cost savings.

When evaluating a motor system as a candidate for a VFD,

one should look at the turn-down speeds. As stated above a 30%

reduction of speed yields large energy cost savings. In processes

How will VSDs alter motor efficiency?—Part III

CD1801_46_49_RealAnswers.indd 46 12/19/17 2:40 PM

where the speed turn-down rates are less than 90%, then the

viability and payback of adding a VFD becomes less clear. If the

process runs close to 100%, then the cost savings of the VFD

may be minimal and possibly eliminated by the efficiency of the

VFD itself. By adding a VFD, the VFD itself has a rated efficiency,

typically 95% to 97%, and adds losses to the overall system. The

savings associated with the operating speed reduction must be

greater than the efficiency losses of the VFD. One note here is

that there is no such thing as a 98% or 99% efficient drive. These

numbers are bandied about and usually represent only the in-

verter section of the VFD. Although they are true, they represent

only one section of the entire system and not the actual VFD

components required to run. Most VFDs today operate with 3% to

5% losses for the entire VFD end to end. Sometimes, input filters,

sine wave filters and output filters are not included in this ef-

ficiency rating as they are separate from the VFD but are still re-

quired. The VFD user must be aware of all components required

to safely operate the VFD to protect the plant from unwanted

harmonics and to protect the motor from insulation failure,

harmonics and bearing currents leading to premature motor

bearing failures. The VFD manufacturer should work with you to

develop a wire-to-shaft overall efficiency rating to clearly define

the actual losses and to identify the installation requirements

for filters, additional cabling connections and mounting pads for

various separate components outside the VFD cabinet.

In addition, most VFD manufacturers will work with the pro-

cess plant to identify the potential costs savings and generate ROI

payback periods. These can include not only the energy saving

associated with the VFD operating at reduced speeds but could

include additional HVAC costs—additional control room air condi-

tioning—but also plant requirements like site arrangements.

There are several other advantages to installing VFDs on mo-

tors which are harder to quantify but, nevertheless, very real

advantages. The use of a VFD eliminates the starting inrush

event that the motor experiences. This has two advantages.

First, the elimination of the inrush current when starting the

motor, which can be six to 10 times the motor FLA rating, has

the effect of reducing the peak demand charges on the monthly

utility statement. Obviously, the cost savings is dependent

on the number of motor starts but eliminating this phenom-

enon should have a positive cost impact on reducing the peak

demand charge on the utility statement. Secondly, the elimina-

tion of the inrush event dramatically reduces the mechanical

and electrical stress on the motor leading to longer motor life

and lower maintenance costs. However, this may be negated by

the selection of a VFD with an inferior output waveform leading

to harmonic heating or insulation damage in the motor, so care

must be taken in the VFD topology selection. The addition of

output filters to protect the motor leads to reduced efficiency,

which adds cost and possibly plant power grid and safety issues

(motor self-excitation), which must be analyzed and accounted

for. These issues can easily be overcome but may yield a longer

payback period, as well as additional operating expenses if the

plant power grid is changed.

Lastly, most modern VFDs will present a constant power

factor to plant power grid of 0.95 or greater, which will tend to

reduce the power factor penalty on the monthly utility state-

ment. This is a small charge and is at most a secondary effect of

the VFD. However, care should be taken with older-style current

source drives where the power factor is proportional to speed

and can become very poor when operating below 80% speed,

potentially requiring the addition of power-factor correction

components in the plant. This adds installation costs and possi-

bly reduces efficiency, which again can increase the anticipated

payback period and energy savings.

The discussion presented here applies to low-voltage or me-

dium-voltage motors and their applications. Any VFD manufac-

turer should be able to assist the end user, engineering firm or

electrical contractor with the ROI analysis. Understanding the

operating scenario and examining the plant single line should

be within the scope of the VFD manufacturer’s expertise and

part of the proposal process. Additionally, the VFD manufac-

turer should be able to evaluate the plant motor, especially if it

is an older, existing motor to verify proper operation and motor

life with the selected VFD.

MARK HARSHMAN

director of system engineering / Siemens / www.siemens.com

3 steps to efficiency and paybackBlindly adding a VSD will not automatically increase the ef-

ficiency of an axis (drivetrain + motor + VSD). VSDs have power

losses and could worsen the overall system efficiency. Deter-

mining efficiency increases and fastest payback rates can be

summarized by the following generalized process.

1. Does the application run at the motor’s “full speed” and sel-

dom start and stop? If the answer is yes, then adding a VSD

will hurt system efficiency and simply add losses (VSD losses

and motor PWM heating). Replacing the motor with a higher

efficiency version is the best option. Determine if the motor

should be replaced now or later based on current age of the



motor, new motor cost and energy savings payback rate. Fans

and pumps typically fall under this category.

2. Does the application run at the motor’s “full speed” but also

starts and stops often? If the answer is yes, then a VSD can

reduce motor starting currents. The bigger the motor, the

more reduction in current spikes (line start currents are

typically six times motor rated current). The payback rate

is determined by how often the motor starts and stops and

how large the motor is. You can also replace the motor with

a higher efficiency version, but check with the VSD manufac-

turer. High-efficiency motors may require an upsized drive

due to the low winding impedance.

3. Would the application be better suited running slower or

faster than motor line speed? If the answer is yes, then you

will need a VSD, or perhaps a gearbox change, but be aware

changing the speed of the axis can affect required torque and

power. For example, saws that run slower have dramatically

higher torque. Increasing fan speed increases motor load

quadratically and can be mechanically dangerous.

If you are converting a whole line to variable speed and it can

mechanically handle it, there are typically two control schemes:

velocity-follower and electronic gearing.

Velocity-follower systems can be thought of as open loop con-

trols running at 50% or 70% speed. If an axis that is commanded

to run 70% speed can run at 68% or 71% without issue, then

this type of control can be used. In the olden days, the master

axis would have an analog output that was wired to the analog

input of the next axis. More modern systems can use a fieldbus

control and send digital commands to each drive.

Electronic gearing is required for applications that have

some type of registration—closed loop, shaft lock. These are

closed-loop systems that can maintain shaft angle relation-

ships as if there was a mechanical line shaft running the

whole machine. It is easiest to control these systems with a re-

altime fieldbus like EtherCAT where each axis can receive the

master axis position over the bus instead of running encoder

cables between each drive.

SCOTT CUNNINGHAM

product and application manager, controls and automation / KEB America /

www.kebamerica.com

Reduce cost, increase controlTo answer the first part of your question, you should start by

looking at applications where there’s a need to control the

speed of the motor that is currently being controlled by me-

chanics, a contactor for starting and stopping or older variable-

speed drives. There are benefits that come with using the

variable-speed drive for starting and controlling the application

and ways to improve not only the efficiencies of the application

and the way it’s running the motor, but also the overall process.

Product waste is an area where improved control of the motor

and application can reduce product or material waste, making

the process and the plant more efficient and saving costs.

Using a variable-speed drive, with or without a PLC, in an ap-

plication is accompanied by significant benefits. Those include

improving the efficiency of the system, reducing waste, reduc-

ing maintenance cost and having better control of the applica-

tion. A lot of times, people think that you’re just adjusting the

speed, but in reality you’re reaping a lot more benefits than just

having variable speeds to run the motor at.

In terms of which motor applications would benefit from a

variable-speed drive, you need to ask yourself, “Does the applica-

tion run at 60 Hz?” That’s typically the base speed of a motor in

North America. If the motor is currently running at 60 Hz, day

in and day out, then the application may not benefit from the

variable-speed control but would benefit when starting the motor

and from the feedback the drive can provide on the application.

If it’s not running at 60 Hz because it’s being adjusted by

mechanics or other equipment in the system, or if there’s a

lot of starting and stopping, those are the applications where

we would look at easily applying a variable-speed drive. Any

time you’re not running at a base speed all of the time, if there

are any adjustments being made, that’s where variable-speed

drives help out. Variable-speed drives provide precise speed

control. If you use a VSD, you can reduce the inrush current

when starting and the amount of power to get things moving

just by the nature of using the variable-speed drive.

When it comes to tying all the motors and drives together,

you’re getting at the heart of where variable-speed drives

integrate best in the process. Installing a VSD here gives you

the benefit of unlimited speed points, so you can adjust speed

to whatever value you need for your application and coordinate

the movement of product. You can also better control those ap-

plications and eliminate any kind of waste.

There are two ways of going about controlling the process

line, depending on how much control is needed. There are set-

tings and application-specific setups within the drive, as well

as some additional programming that can be dealt with. Drives

handle a number of different applications, so the control can

be as simple as being the default programming of the drive,

configuring the parameters to increase control of the applica-

tion while using the drive’s inputs and outputs or going to a


real answers



controller or PLC to work with a number of

different drives.

Using a controller or PLC to communicate to

drives and the different pieces of equipment to

control them and to receive the data back can

increase the number of drives being controlled

at one point all from a central location. One of

the major benefits of a VSD is the data it col-

lects. Not only are you controlling the applica-

tion, but you receive information about the pro-

cess and the application. You can analyze how

much power you’ve been using and use the

data you receive to understand what’s going on

in the application and help you to identify any

issues to improve overall system efficiency.

Adding variable-speed drives to your ap-

plications can provide significant benefits in

terms of reducing waste and maintenance

costs, increasing control and improving ef-

ficiency across the board.

JIM KLUCK

senior product marketing manager / Danfoss Drives /

drives.danfoss.us

Energy savingsEfficiency is usually a derivative of cost up

front. This is where the interest of equipment

supplier and user can vary. Every industrial

application can be made more efficient, so it

generally comes down to how much work it’s

going to take, how much money it will cost

and when I can expect the efficiency savings

to pay back the investment.

The first scenario for motors running across

the line is going to a more efficient motor.

Government regulations are mandating new

motors installed meet minimum efficiencies

that continue to increase. Today’s premium-

efficiency induction motors have a very high

efficiency, but motor manufacturers are ap-

proaching the design limits to how much more

metal or copper they can put into the motor

to make them more efficient before the frame

size will increase.

The next scenario is changing a fixed-

speed application to a variable speed with a

variable-frequency drive (VFD). For variable-

torque applications, such as a fan or pump,

this is typically a no-brainer as the payback

from energy savings is very short if you can

run at reduced speeds. A precaution I would

give is to verify the motor is designed to be

run from a VFD. There is also an emerging

trend for variable-speed applications to use a

synchronous motor as they offer even higher

efficiency with smaller footprint.

There are also numerous VFDs and servo

drives that offer energy-saving functions

and configurations. A few typical functions

are ECO mode to reduce motor losses; bypass

mode to reduce inverter losses; and hiberna-

tion mode to go into sleep mode during long

pauses. Since motors can generate energy

when stopping or with overhauling loads

such as cranes using drives that can regener-

ate energy back to the power supply are pre-

ferred for certain applications. On production

machines with multiple drives a common

dc bus arrangement is very popular to take

advantage of energy sharing when one or

more motors are generating power and other

motors can utilize this power.

This is also a good time to mention that

hydraulic and mechanical solutions are being

switched to electrical solutions due to the

high potential for energy savings. A hydraulic

pump with a fixed-speed application can be

replaced by a servo pump that supplies energy

only when required and can save up to 70% the

energy consumption. Even replacing a gear box

or pulley with a direct drive can result in large

increases in system efficiency, so using a holis-

tic approach to energy savings is always best.

For payback calculations, I would use one of

the many free software tools available from

motor and drive manufacturers to help to

compare savings with different solutions and

help to validate the payback is expected on

your investment.

CRAIG NELSON

senior product manager / Siemens Digital Factory /

www.siemens.com

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CD1801_46_49_RealAnswers.indd 49 1/3/18 8:03 AM

MUCH HAS BEEN written about what is a programmable logic

controller (PLC), programmable automation controller (PAC) and

industrial PC (IPC). If there is any real competition between a

PLC and a PAC and an IPC, the game has already been played.

The result was a draw, unless there are special circumstances,

or you are just a big fan of a particular platform or program-

ming method. The fact is the big automation users, such as the

automotive industry, have already picked a winner, and it is

likely a family of controllers from a single manufacturer that

range from small to large system

control capabilities.

Other industry segments, such as

machine tools, metalworking ma-

chinery, machine builders and OEM

equipment suppliers, have likely

standardized on a controller or at

least a controller brand. It certainly

pays to minimize the number of controller suppliers. While a

system integrator may sell services to support any controller

manufacturer, it will have its favorite, and it’s likely based on a

manufacturer and not whether it is a PLC, PAC or IPC.

The PLC is the pioneer of the automation eld and has been

around since the late 1960s. It saw a massive growth in its use

through the ’70s and ’80s. The PLC spread its wings in the 1980s

when remote and distributed I/O became popular. The IPC was

going to take over the world in the ’90s but didn’t. And, in the

early 21st century, the PAC was born.

Automation grew with the development of PLCs, PACs and IPCs.

When the PLC was born, automation was using relays and sen-

sors to control machines—millions of relays. The PLC wasn’t just

replacing relays; it helped automation and its complexity to grow.

All I need is a PLC, right? Isn’t a PAC better? Can’t the IPC can

do more? Forget about the comparison; most can do much of

what the others can and almost as well. Yes, each type of con-

troller does something better than the others. Your automation

vendor can give you a sales pitch on that. However, it’s likely

that any of them would work in an automation application, as

long as the right size of controller is selected.

There are some things to consider when selecting a modern

automation controller. Cost, capabilities and support are three

big hitters. A wide range of controllers are available, and their

costs often follow capabilities.

Some critical capabilities when selecting a PLC, PAC or IPC are

the amounts of I/O, communications and special requirements

such as motion-control or safety-PLC functionality. These spe-

cial-circumstance applications need to be carefully considered.

The size of the automation project is proportional to the

size of the controller’s capabilities. Although the trend is that

a controller’s physical size is shrinking, small-, medium- and

large-controller capabilities are made for that simple reason.

Count up the I/O needed and clearly de ne the devices con-

trolled; then plan for future expan-

sion. Many controllers may reach

their limit of I/O in medium to large

systems without proper selection.

It’s a special case if a control-

ler needs to provide two, three or

more axes of coordinated motion,

so choose carefully. Many control-

lers can talk to a servo drive using a variety of communication

methods to command speed or position, but few can coordinate

that motion as needed to draw a circle. Safety performed in a

PLC is another special case which narrows the choices.

Most controllers have Ethernet as a communication option

and, in the age of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), should

be required. However, don’t forget the communication proto-

col. Ethernet TCP and EtherNet/IP are two completely different

protocols, and this can be a big differentiator in controllers.

There is a big difference between an information message and

real-time control when it comes to Ethernet.

When selecting a controller, a rst step is to determine what

the customer’s or factory’s standard controllers are. It may be

necessary to open some control enclosures and check the brand

and models used to ensure proper support.

Support is a big driver in selecting an automation controller.

There should never be competition between controller manufac-

turers on the factory oor. Pick one. The controller manufacturer

chosen has a large effect on the support available in a factory. The

control-system personnel in a plant are typically trained to use a

family of controllers from a single manufacturer. A factory oor

with controllers from multiple manufacturers is poorly planned.

When choosing a controller, quantify your requirements as

small, medium or large; plan for a little expansion; and pick the

factory favorite. It will likely work great for decades.

Forget PLC vs. PAC vs. IPC


Dave Perkontechnical editor

[email protected]

automation basics

A rst step is to determine what the customer’s or factory’s standard

controllers are.

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