July/August 2014
A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L S O C I E T Y O F A U T O M AT I O N
Multivariable control
Automation upgrade
Sequential function chart
programming
ISA101 HMI standard
Valves spotlight
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July/August 2014 | Vol 61, Issue 4
PROCESS AUTOMATION
16 Multivariable control
performance
By Allan Kern, P.E.
Traditional model-based multivariable control has
dominated the feld of advanced process control for
decades, but important performance issues continue
to limit its success. Early industry enthusiasm for
multivariable control has grown cautious, and
demand for a more affordable and agile multivariable
control tool has emerged as a pressing industry need.
FACTORY AUTOMATION
12
COVER STORY
Industrial big data analytics:
The present
and future
by Brian Courtney
SPECIAL SECTION: MANAGED ETHERNET SWITCHES
36 Awakening dark devices
through industrial
Ethernet
By Kevin Davenport and Yuta Endo
As more and more devices come online and as
we move toward an “Internet of Everything,”
understanding the role of industrial Ethernet
switches in the modern factory can empower
manufacturers to differentiate themselves from
their competitors.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
By Bill Lydon
The manufacturing industry has many production
lines and machines with old programmable logic
controllers and custom controls that can be upgraded to improve manufacturing effciency and
decrease downtime.
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
As the need grows for improved manufacturing
performance, industrial big data will become more
important. Companies must institute best practices
with today’s industrial data technology to take full
advantage of tomorrow’s systems.
4
22 Production line and
machine upgrades
WWW.ISA.ORG
26 Sequential function chart
programming
By Charles M. Fialkowski
The IEC 61131-3 standard includes sequential
function chart for processing sequential and parallel
operations to coordinate continuous functions as
well as to control complex process sequences.
AUTOMATION IT
32 ISA101 HMI standard
nears completion
By Greg Lehmann and Maurice Wilkins
It has been a challenging road to create a standard
for developing a human-machine interface and
the recommended work processes to effectively
maintain it throughout its life cycle.
Setting the Standard for Automation™
www.isa.org/InTech
DEPARTMENTS
8
Your Letters
Short-sighted vendors
10 Automation Update
Embedded vision growth, HART in
China, By the Numbers, and more
43 Channel Chat
New communication system keeps
Denver’s commuter trains rolling
44 Association News
Security training at Industrial Automation NA; certifcation review
46 Automation Basics
Control valves – an update
50 Workforce Development
Workforce development:
It’s a team effort
51 Standards
Confronting a growing crisis in industrial calibration and maintenance
52 Products and Resources
Spotlight on valves
WEB EXCLUSIVE
Process control system
specifcation
Recently, the IEC published the standard IEC 62603-1
Industrial Process Control Systems – Guideline for
Evaluating Process Control Systems – Part 1: Specifcations. It is a useful reference to help defne the
technical specifcation of a process control system.
Read more at:
www.isa.org/intech/201408web.
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© 2014 InTech
ISSN 0192-303X
InTech is published bimonthly by the International Society of Automation (ISA).
Vol. 61, Issue 4.
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Talk to Me
Push beyond the obvious
42 Executive Corner
Finding opportunity in obsolescence
58 The Final Say
Industrial sector uniquely vulnerable
to cyberattacks
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56 Index of Advertisers
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57 Datafles
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
5
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Perspectives from the Editor | talk to me
ISA INTECH STAFF
CHIEF EDITOR
Bill Lydon
Push beyond the obvious
By Bill Lydon, InTech, Chief Editor
blydon@isa.org
PUBLISHER
Susan Colwell
scolwell@isa.org
PRODUCTION EDITOR
A
re you stretching your thinking
beyond the obvious to fnd new
solutions?
We have a tendency to use the frst workable idea when trying to make something
work, fx a problem, or make an improvement. This has been described as satisfcing,
where we try alternatives until an acceptable solution is found and then stop looking for other options. This approach is in
contrast to optimal decision making, which
seeks the best possible alternative available.
In some cases, stopping at the frst solution
yields a good outcome, and further investment of time and resources to fnd other
options is not a reasonable investment.
However, when there are high-value challenges with a lot to be gained, it makes
sense to develop and explore more alternatives. Indicators of high-value challenges include high energy consumption, expensive
raw materials, and low productivity.
A powerful technique is to
defne the worst possible
solution imaginable and
then try to learn from it.
More education and experience foster
an attitude that the frst solution found is
the best. Researchers at the University of
California, Berkeley, and the University of
Edinburgh recently did lab tests indicating
that four- and fve-year-olds are open to trying more alternatives than college students.
The experiment was led by developmental
psychologist Alison Gopnik, professor of
psychology and affliate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, and graduate student Sophie Bridgers.
Children tried a variety of novel ideas and
unusual strategies to solve the problems
posed in the lab. They showed fexible, fuid
thinking. Researchers noted exploratory
learning comes naturally to young children,
whereas adults jump on the frst, most obvious solution and stick to it.
Changing our thinking patterns can
free the mind to generate new alternatives
Lynne Franke
and ideas. There are
several techniques
to break established
thought patterns and discover new ideas:
n Challenge assumptions. Real idea stoppers are the assumptions we make—
challenge them!
n Ask why we need this. Is this the real
problem or challenge?
n Think negative. A powerful technique
is to defne the worst possible solution
imaginable and then try to learn from
it. You may be surprised how this can
change your perspective.
n Observe. Rather than working on the
challenge, spend time observing what
is happening with an open mind.
n Ask questions. They are always a good
way to learn more, and are often
doorways to new insights. Ask: Why?
What? How? When? Where?
n Play and experiment with some novel
ideas to go beyond the obvious.
n Explain the challenge in simple terms
to those not associated with the situation. Many times, this brings new insights and clarity for new solutions.
n Be watchful for the automatic “no” to
new ideas.
I learned one of the most powerful
ways to generate alternative ideas at the
University of Buffalo Creative Education
Foundation. Ask this question: In what
ways might we (insert your challenge or
problem)? This is a great way to get people to create alternatives.
“At the heart of science is an essential
tension between two seemingly contradictory attitudes—an openness to new ideas,
no matter how bizarre or counterintuitive
they may be, and the most ruthless skeptical
scrutiny of all ideas, old and new. This is how
deep truths are winnowed from deep nonsense. Of course, scientists make mistakes
in trying to understand the world, but there
is a built-in error-correcting mechanism: The
collective enterprise of creative thinking and
skeptical thinking together keeps the feld
on track.”—Carl Sagan, in his essay, “The
Fine Art of Baloney Detection.” n
lfranke@isa.org
ART DIRECTOR
Colleen Casper
ccasper@isa.org
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Pam King
pking@isa.org
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Lisa Starck
lstarck@isa.org
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Charley Robinson
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ISA PRESIDENT
Peggie W. Koon, Ph.D.
PUBLICATIONS VICE PRESIDENT
David J. Adler, CAP, P.E.
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
CHAIRMAN
Steve Valdez
GE Sensing
Joseph S. Alford Ph.D., P.E., CAP
Eli Lilly (retired)
Joao Miguel Bassa
Independent Consultant
Eoin Ó Riain
Read-out, Ireland
Vitor S. Finkel, CAP
Finkel Engineers & Consultants
Guilherme Rocha Lovisi
Bayer Technology Services
David W. Spitzer, P.E.
Spitzer and Boyes, LLC
James F. Tatera
Tatera & Associates Inc.
Michael Fedenyszen
R.G. Vanderweil Engineers, LLP
Dean Ford, CAP
Westin Engineering
David Hobart
Hobart Automation Engineering
Allan Kern, P.E.
Tesoro Corporation
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
7
your letters | Readers Respond
Short-sighted vendors
I enjoyed reading
your article in the
May/June 2014 InTech magazine [Final Say, “Wireless
process instrumentation: An end user’s perspective”].
It is too bad
that vendors are
short sighted and create closed proprietary
systems. Thank you for pointing this out.
Hopefully vendors read and understand the
need to follow standards and share the playing feld. This occurs in many different felds
of automation, and it is slowing progress.
Marketing should not drive standards. Take
care, and thank you again for the review.
Ed Budde, P.E.
Kudos
Brilliant article on integrating DCS I/O to
an existing PLC [May/June 2014 Process
Automation]. It is a really interesting and
highly topical subject. Thank you.
Charles E. Palmer, Ph.D.
Please send us your comments and questions, and share your ideas with other
InTech readers! Contact the editors at intechmagazine@isa.org.
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automation update | News from the Field
Embedded vision growth predicted
A
ccording to HIS Technology, shipments of embedded vision devices in the automotive, industrial automation, physical security, and business intelligence markets are forecast to exceed 14 million units in 2018, up from almost 4 million
units this year. Using a combination of embedded systems and computer vision, embedded vision enables devices to use video inputs to better understand their environment,
applying logic and decision making to video signals.
The maturity of embedded vision algorithms varies by application market. For
instance, embedded vision technology has
been active for some time in markets such
as physical security and industrial automation, but the consumer industry represents
an emerging opportunity. However, there
are very few vendors active across multiple applications. In some markets, like
automotive, the long sales cycles and high
qualifying requirements have limited new competition. In others, such as physical security, the fragmented equipment market means that algorithms need to be optimized
for many products, which can act as a barrier to new entrants.
Although the software and hardware vendors in embedded vision are unlikely to
move into every application market overnight, developments in the automotive space,
in particular, should help spur more accurate and reliable algorithms across the embedded vision industry. This trend, combined with increased awareness in the consumer
market for augmented reality and gesture recognition, means that demand for embedded vision devices will grow rapidly in the decade ahead. n
Magmeters the largest fowmeter market
According to Flow Research, magnetic
fowmeters generate more revenue
worldwide than any other type of fowmeter. Revenues from magnetic fowmeters exceed revenues from Coriolis,
positive displacement, turbine, and differential pressure (DP) meters. The story
is somewhat different in terms of units,
however. More differential pressure and
variable area fowmeters are sold annually than magnetic fowmeters.
Most fowmeters do their best work in
clean liquids or gases. Magnetic fowmeters, by contrast, thrive on dirty liquids.
Magnetic fowmeters and Doppler ultrasonic meters are the only two of the main
types of meters that do well in dirty and
impure liquids, although DP meters can
also measure dirty liquids if they have the
right kind of primary element. Magnetic
fowmeters measure the fow of conductive liquids and slurries, including pulp
and paper slurries and black liquor. Their
main limitation is that they cannot mea10
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
sure hydrocarbons (which are nonconductive), and hence are not widely used in the
petroleum industry.
Some new product developments in
the generally mature magnetic fowmeter
market favor continued growth. One is the
advent of two-wire magnetic fowmeters.
Four-wire meters have a dedicated power
supply; two-wire meters use the power
available from the loop-power supply. This
reduces wiring costs and can reduce installation costs. Two-wire meters still represent
only a small percentage of the total magnetic fowmeters sold, but their use grew
signifcantly from 2008 to 2013. Another
important development is growth in battery-operated and wireless magnetic fowmeters. Battery-operated meters make it
possible to install magnetic fowmeters in
hard-to-reach places. And wireless meters
can transmit a receivable signal where the
use of wires is impractical. Both of these
segments are fast-growing areas of the
magnetic fowmeter market. n
This content is courtesy of
HART approved as China
National Standard
The HART Communication Protocol is now a China National
Standard (GB/T 29910.1-62013) approved by the Standardization Administration
of the China Industrial
Department. A Chinese national standard
ensures consistency and
reliability of copyright and
technology implementation
throughout China. The standard is a benchmark for end
users to select products that
meet mandatory technical and
interoperable requirements.
“Our regional offce in Shanghai provides
local-language technical support and educational activities, and ITEI’s [Instrumentation
Technology and Economy Institute’s] HARTcertifed test facility in Beijing provides an
opportunity for Chinese suppliers to verify
compliance and register their HART-based
devices more quickly and effciently,” said
Ted Masters, Foundation president and CEO.
The Chinese ITEI test lab performs the same
compliance testing procedures on HART and
WirelessHART devices as the test lab at the
HART headquarters in Austin, Texas, in accordance with established Foundation policies, guidelines, and requirements. n
Honeywell announces
LEAP project services
LEAP project services helps manufacturers in the processing industries get their
plants running faster and at lower cost.
LEAP creates separate streams of work
for the physical and functional aspects
of project design. This approach allows
project engineering to take place from
anywhere in the world, and removes
workfow dependencies to allow core
project tasks to start much earlier in the
process. It also dramatically minimizes the
cost and volume of rework typically associated with automation projects. LEAP
specifcally combines three key core technologies available in Honeywell’s Experion
PKS Orion: universal channel technology,
virtualization, and cloud engineering. n
News from the Field | automation update
This content is courtesy of
Automation by the Numbers
80,000
150
New data dispels the myth that automation negatively affects jobs. Robots are
credited with sustaining job growth in the
fourishing electronics industry despite the
Great Recession. According to a report by
the International Federation of Robotics
(IFR), from 2008 to 2011 robotics created
up to 80,000 jobs in the electronics sector.
The IFR report is based on an updated
2013 study by research frm Metra Martech.
The study concluded that for every robot deployed, 3.6 jobs are created. By 2016 robotics is expected to account for an additional
110,000 electronics jobs across the globe.
“This encouraging growth trend is evidence that robots do indeed create jobs,”
says IFR president Arturo Baroncelli. “In the
electronics industry in particular, robots are
lauded for their superhuman speed and
precision when faced with often dull, repetitive tasks. There is simply no other way to
achieve these production levels. The worldwide consumer demand for smartphones,
computers, video game consoles, and a
new generation of high-tech electronics
depends on robotic automation.”
The report notes that robotics is critical to
the production process when the product
cannot be made to satisfactory precision,
consistency, or cost without fexible auto-
CAROM Onesti improved mass balance, increased boiler effciency, and reduced tanker
turnaround times at its petrochemical production and distribution facility in Romania.
Vortex and Coriolis fow measurement technologies from Emerson Process Management
enabled more accurate and reliable measurements that reduced product loss in the plant
by 150 metric tons per month, improved
boiler effciency by 3 percent, and eliminated
the need to rework tanker flling operations in
its distribution terminal. These improvements
together have saved €1 million per year.
Mass balance is vital for complex processes within reactors and distillation columns,
and achieving that balance requires accurate and reliable fow measurement. However, the differential pressure fowmeters
CAROM used previously required frequent
maintenance. Process fuids sometimes
polymerized inside the meter—clogging
impulse lines and leading to bad measurements. To solve this problem, CAROM installed Micro Motion Coriolis fowmeters,
which enable the required mass balance
to be achieved. In addition, because Micro
Motion fowmeters have no moving parts,
they reduce maintenance costs. n
450
mation. This demand for uniform
high quality and affordability accounts
for the highest employment increase in the
electronics sector through
2011. It is expected to continue to grow in
importance as technology advances.
Job growth is attributed to electronics
manufacturers and their suppliers gearing
up to meet the increased demand. Manufacturers are adding more facilities, recruiting automation specialists and technicians, and hiring support personnel. The
local economies and infrastructure beneft
from the ripple effect of this investment.
Around the world, at least 2.1 million jobs
in this sector depend on robotics, as noted
in the report. Countries with a traditional
stronghold in low-cost electronics assembly, such as China, will need to deploy more
robotics to remain competitive. Robotic
automation is already enabling companies
located in North America and Europe to
“reshore” manufacturing operations and
reduce host countries’ trade defcits. n
Kollmorgen supplied a complete automation solution to IMA PG for their PG
Express machine, which packages blisters. A blister is a pack used to hold a
tablet. The machine has three axes that index, feed, and punch the blisters. The major
fow of machine operation is forming the blister, dropping the actual tablet, sealing
the blister, and fnally cutting the blister. The machine can now produce up to 450
blisters per minute, making production much faster.
However, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) started having trouble controlling
the temperature. This is a critical aspect of the machine, because sealing is dependent on
effective temperature control. If the temperature is not controlled properly, then the quality
of the fnal blister is bad. To solve this problem, an inbuilt function for temperature control
was installed; it is about 15 times faster than the external controllers. This saves additional
PID controller costs. To make the machine user friendly for the
OEM, software development was done using the pipe network. With the pipe network, it is possible to get rid of mechanical components (e.g., gear and cam) in the machine
by defning equivalent motion blocks in the software.
The user simply draws the scheme and connects to
the machine axes per requirements. All necessary
interconnections are done automatically. n
73 percent
HAWE Hydraulics supplied leakage-free
seated valves, two-way pressure-reducing
valves, and a higher effciency radial piston
pump to Schwaebische Werkzeugmaschinen, which achieved energy savings of 73
percent on its BA 400 machining centers.
The compact hydraulic power packs
used to revamp the BA 400 save energy
in three ways. They use the leak-free
seated valves to eliminate permanent
leakage. The two-way pressure-reducing
valves control the different pressures for
different functions required by the machine tool, while also limiting the leakage
rate. Also, they use a radial piston pump,
which is more effcient than a gear pump.
The BA 400 series machining center is
used for small- to medium-sized work pieces, as well as ferrous metal machining.n
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
11
Industrial big data analytics:
The present and future
Big data storage and fast processing capabilities
need to become one hybrid system
W
e have come a long way from dumping information into databases never to be seen or heard
from again, but we still have a long way to go.
Today’s software infrastructures for remote
monitoring and diagnostics (RM&D) are moving from analyzing real-time data to mining larger data sets for additional
knowledge of equipment. Industrial big data infrastructures
are being built for storing and processing extremely large volumes of data sets. As the need grows for real-time analysis, it
will no longer be acceptable for these two infrastructures to
12
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
By Brian Courtney
be kept in distinct silos. Big data storage and fast processing
capabilities will have to be merged into one hybrid system.
To prepare for the emerging systems, companies must frst
institute best practices with today’s industrial data technology to take full advantage of tomorrow’s systems.
Today’s high throughput infrastructures for real-time
analysis allow companies to use advanced and predictive
analytics to adjust equipment at high speed in a way that a
human operator could never achieve. Done with real-time
data, industrial process optimization analytics run as closed-
COVER STORY
loop systems often at the point of control within
the controls hardware. To reach this stage of
industrial analytics, there are four steps every
company must take:
Step 1: Collect the right data
The frst step begins with basic monitoring of critical assets to see what happened in the past and in
near real time. To accomplish this level of monitoring, you need to instrument your critical equipment with sensors and control networks. Online
systems, at the point of control, often include supervisory control and data acquisition systems.
If you are like most industrial businesses,
the volume of data you have to manage is ever
increasing. To stay competitive, you need to
understand and control your operations by effciently collecting more and more critical data
and maximizing its value.
FAST FORWARD
l
Today’s software infrastructures for remote monitoring and
diagnostics are moving from analyzing real-time data to mining
larger data sets for additional knowledge of equipment.
l
To prepare for the emerging systems, companies must frst institute
best practices with today’s industrial data technology to take full
advantage of tomorrow’s systems.
l
The large amount of industrial data collected can now be put to
productive use to improve manufacturing performance.
tionally model manufacturing from time series
data in a historian married with relational data
either automatically or manually entered and
then stored in an RDB.
Step 3: Analyze it
Once the data has been stored, the third step is
to analyze it. There are many applications for
analyzing industrial data, including the performance, quality, and effciency needs of an operation. For the purposes of an RM&D operation,
asset performance is one of the top applications.
This starts with equipment reliability, making
sure the assets are available when they are supposed to be available, or in simple terms “eliminating unplanned downtime.” The next step can
be taken by stabilizing the process itself and reducing variation, which is the primary cause of
downtime, among other things like quality issues
and energy waste. The fnal step is to optimize
the process running on the asset before getting
into area- and feetwide applications.
Step 2: Store it properly
So, you have tons of raw data. Where do you go
from there? The second step in the journey is to
deploy a storage system that can help you effectively leverage raw data from devices such as
sensors, meters, and other real-time systems,
to improve production. Software solutions are
available that easily integrate into any company’s
enterprise systems portfolio, offering clear value
for logging, storing, and retrieving high volumes
of process time series data. Meanwhile, relational
databases (RDBs) are designed to manage relationships between contextualized data collected
by enterprise historians.
Step 4: Get it to the right people at the right time
Determining which system works best
The data has been collected, stored, and anacomes down to what type of information your
lyzed in a meaningful way; the next and fnal
facility values the most. For example, if you
step is to deliver it to the right person at the right
need to make decisions in real
time based on time series data,
a historian’s capability to ana4 BILLION
samples per shift
lyze high volumes of time series
545 MILLION
13 BILLION
samples per hour
samples per day
data is right for you. If you need
to answer operator queries
9 MILLION
such as, “What customer had
samples per minute
the largest energy demand?”
then adding an RDB might be
a good solution for your op152,000
eration. Most software offer- samples per second
samples per year
ings have both a historian and
an RDB solution for alarm and
event data. It is important to
note that you should choose the
right data storage for the right
type of data: time series into
historian, relational into RDB.
In fact, some solutions opera- One sensor can generate big data.
4 TRILLION
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
13
COVER STORY
time. This is where people and processes
form a collaborative environment between the monitoring and diagnostic
(M&D) center and the maintenance
crews on the ground. Give foresight, or
in plain words, time to the people responsible for maintaining their equipment to analyze the situation. They take
the case data from the M&D center and
perform insight analysis with visualization tools on high-fdelity data sets to
determine if a maintenance action is
required. This allows them to schedule
during a planned downtime, avoiding
expensive trips or unplanned downtime.
By completing the four steps in this
road map to value, operators can unlock the value of their data. Empowered
by the new data, maintenance staff can
identify malfunction causes and use analytics to avoid the problem in the future.
Predictive analytic software can even
learn normal equipment behavior, and
then predict future behavior. This class of
analytic software leverages multivariate
analysis techniques, where very complex
relationships in data can be identifed to
predict future states based on any variation in input. For example, ambient temperature can be taken into consideration
when looking at equipment temperature
to understand if the current equipment
temperature accurately refects modeled
temperature based on the current ambient
conditions, or if the equipment temperature is unusual and requires examination.
The future of big
data analytics (is now)
Over time, industrial data adds up. Depending on the size of your organiza-
tion, in just a few years, the
data sets can become untenable. Enter industrial big
data and analytic solutions.
The future of industrial big
data analytics will focus on
hybrid platforms that are a
tightly coupled combinaA Profcy Historian integrated into any company’s ention of a high-performance terprise systems portfolio provides a convenient interoperational data manage- face for logging, storing, and retrieving high volumes
ment system and cloud- of process time series data.
based data storage that
leverages technologies (e.g., Hadoop),
historical data, creating a myriad of
integrated to achieve the goals of realnew analysis possibilities. As a result,
time analytic execution on massive data
operators can rapidly detect trends
sets. While these components all work
and patterns never before detectable to
in tandem to solve complex challenges,
better understand how equipment and
a single interface layer is needed to keep
processes are running versus how they
the access simple. Keeping it abstract
should be running and to help prevent
allows users to insert data, run queries,
maintenance issues before they hapand invoke analytics without having to
pen. Tomorrow, all these capabilities
understand data formats and the difwill be integrated into one unifed platferences in storage mechanisms.
form with combined capabilities. With
Once the data has aged, such that it
a unifed platform, big data will be put
is no longer required for near real-time
to effective use, and a company will
analysis, the data can then be transibe able to deliver substantial top- and
tioned into a long-term, Hadoop-based
bottom-line benefts.
storage platform. To extract value from
Some of the key aspects of leveraging
multiple data sources, proper data inbig data are to also understand where it
tegration, metadata management, and
can be used, when it can be used, and
master data management is key.
how it can be used. The value drivers
of big data, such as creating strategic
Bridging the big data gap
value and improving effciency, should
Industrial big data is taking massive
be aligned to a company’s strategic
strides forward, but the industry is
objectives. Strategic value can be crejust scratching the surface on its true
ated through innovation, acceleration,
potential. Today, it is about gathering
collaboration, new business models,
more data than you have ever been
or new revenue growth opportunities,
able to accumulate before and doing
whereas improving effciency can be
it much more quickly. Analysts can
achieved by increasing revenues, lowcompare and correlate years of diverse
ering costs, increasing productivity,
and reducing risk. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Courtney is general manager, industrial data intelligence – GE Intelligent
Platforms, leading the industrial data
management and analytics team. He has
20 years of experience working in the
software industry. Courtney founded a
company in the early 1990s and subsequently consulted for 10 years. He has a
B.S. and M.S. in computer science, and
an MBA from MIT.
Big data will be increasingly used to improve operations and gain insights.
14
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
View the online version at www.isa.org/intech/20140801.
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Multivariable
control performance
The case for model-less multivariable control
By Allan Kern, P.E.
M
ultivariable control is usually thought
of as a product of the computer age,
but multivariable control has always
been an integral part of industrial process operation. Before the computer era, the operating
team did multivariable control manually, by
adjusting the available controllers and valves to
keep related process variables within constraint
limits and to improve economic performance.
This basic approach to managing the multivariable nature of industrial processes remains a
prominent aspect of operation today, whether
in lieu of, or in conjunction with, modern automated multivariable controllers.
With the advent of computers in process control, it became possible to automate and “close
the loop” on multivariable control, with obvious
potential to improve the quality of constraint
control and optimization. Multivariable control
technology that combined mathematical models
of process interactions, economic optimization
routines, and matrix-based solution techniques
soon appeared to accomplish this, and the rest
is history. Since the 1980s, model-based predictive multivariable control (MPC) has thoroughly
dominated the feld of advanced process control
(APC). Today, the terms are usually synonymous.
But MPC has not been without diffculties.
Although a limited number of applications are
delivering high value, and many are delivering
FAST FORWARD
16
l
Users have expected the price and performance of multivariable
control to improve as the technology matured, but costs remain
high, and overall performance continues to be low.
l
An examination of historical multivariable control performance,
and of the improvised work practices that have emerged around it,
reveals the root causes of the performance limitations, and points
industry toward a more agile and affordable solution.
l
Detailed process models, normally considered the central strength
of multivariable control, may actually be unnecessary, as well as
being the source of most costs and ownership diffculties.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
partial success, MPC performance levels overall
have remained low. “Degraded” MPC performance and MPC applications that have “fallen
into disuse” are well-known, if rarely highlighted, industry concerns. Users have assumed
this situation would correct itself with time, but
today installation costs remain high, a manageable ownership model has not emerged, and
performance levels continue to be low. Industry enthusiasm for MPC, once unbridled, has
become circumspect, and decision makers are
increasingly reluctant to allocate the high levels of fnancial and human resources that once
seemed warranted for MPC.
Industry is thus faced with a question it
thought was settled: Is MPC the technology of
choice for automated multivariable control going forward, or is a reevaluation indicated at this
juncture? This article explores the role of models in traditional MPC, their part in its cost and
performance history, the necessity of models
going forward, and the viability of an alternative
model-less approach to multivariable constraint
control and optimization, based on industry’s
experiences and lessons of the past 20 years.
The role of models in traditional MPC
The incorporation of model-based solutions
into multivariable control was natural and ingenious. In an ideally behaved process, such as a
simulation, where the models are fed back as the
process response, model-based control is essentially perfect, regardless of tuning. The theory of
MPC remains sound. But experience has shown
that most real processes behave very nonideally,
leading to several performance complications.
Models play several roles within MPC. They
are used for control, to calculate how to move
the directly controlled variables (DCVs) to
make the desired changes in the indirectly
controlled variables (ICVs). MPC uses model
gains for steady-state optimization, to solve
PROCESS AUTOMATION
for the optimum steady-state target values for
the DCVs and ICVs. And MPC uses models for
path optimization, to fnd the optimal series of
DCV moves to bring the process from current
conditions to target conditions, so that interim
suboptimal conditions are minimized, and constraints are not violated along the way.
These multiple roles illustrate the heavy dependence of MPC on models, and why reliable performance depends on model accuracy and durability. Early on, this led to the practice of process step
testing, to collect process response data in a controlled setting and, upon analysis, to yield “highfdelity” models. An assumption in this effort is
that the resulting process models will remain accurate for a reasonable life-cycle period of two to
fve years, but experience has shown this to be an
inappropriate assumption for many processes.
For example, in modern oil refneries, feed
rates, feedstock qualities, and product specifcations often change daily. Many process gains
and response times are directly related to unit
feed rate, and most units have typical turn-down
designs of 2:1 (i.e., they may be operated at 100
percent of design feed rate or as low as 50 percent). Feedstock qualities, such as heavy crude
oil versus light crude oil, or straight-run gas oil
versus olefnic (or “cracked”) gas oil, have large
effects on unit behaviors and affect feed rates
and feedstock qualities to downstream units in
turn. When one refnery unit is shut down, process streams are reduced or redirected, which
also impacts feed rates and/or feedstock qualities to related units. This illustrates that many
process gains change nearly continuously and
that achieving ongoing model fdelity is usually
a practical impossibility, even in the very short
term. This situation may not be the case in all
process industries, but varying production
rates, feedstock qualities, and product grades
characterize many processes, and it is this
type of process disturbance and variation that
makes multivariable control potentially benefcial in the frst place (to automatically manage
and compensate for these changes).
Model quality and MPC
performance history
What does the inevitability of model error say
about the history of MPC performance? The
idea that models are predominantly inaccurate
goes a long way toward explaining why MPC
performance has been predominantly below
expectations and why users have responded by
adopting various detuning techniques, such as
direct control variable (DCV) move size limits.
Multivariable control terminology
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
The terms direct control variable (DCV), manipulated variable (MV), “handle,” and independent variable are largely synonymous. Most often, DCVs
are the set points of existing base-layer single-loop controllers. DCVs are
directly adjusted by the multivariable controller.
The terms indirect control variable (ICV), controlled variable (CV), constraint
limit, and dependent variable are also largely synonymous. ICVs are process
variables that are controlled indirectly by the multivariable controller by adjusting the DCVs so that the ICVs remain within prescribed constraint limits
and, where degrees of freedom exist, move toward economic optima.
A multivariable controller is said to have its “hands on” the DCVs (think
“handles”) and its “eyes on” the ICVs (think “eyes”), i.e., it adjusts the
DCVs to keep the ICVs within constraint limits.
Each DCV may affect multiple ICVs, and each ICV may be affected by
multiple DCVs. This comprises the multivariable nature of most industrial processes and makes coordinated multivariable control an essential
requirement of modern process automation.
An interaction is the effect of one DCV on one ICV. Detailed knowledge of
the interaction, such as gain, response time, and interim dynamics, constitutes a model of the interaction. Gain direction refers only to the sign
(positive or negative) of the fnal steady-state gain of the interaction.
Matrix design is the process of selecting the DCVs, ICVs, and models
(or gain directions) that will comprise the multivariable controller. Matrix
design may follow a “big matrix” or “small matrix” approach.
In the “big matrix” approach, all potentially relevant DCVs, ICVs, and
models are included, on the basis that more variables and models results
in a more complete solution. This usually leads to a “double-digit” matrix
size, such as 20x50, and hundreds of models. (Note: The author believes
this approach also leads to frequent unwanted and incorrect control action and is a root source of MPC degradation.)
The “small matrix” approach includes primarily the DCVs, ICVs, and
models (or gain directions) that the operating team uses to manage constraints and optimization in the frst place. The basis is to mimic the existing proven methods and logic of the operating team. This usually leads
to much smaller “single-digit” matrix dimensions, such as 5x8, and one
or two dozen models. Model-less technology recommends (but does not
strictly require) the small matrix approach.
Model-based predictive control (MPC) refers to using detailed models for
multivariable control and optimization. Model-based control can be applied on a single-loop control basis, but MPC usually implies a multivariable controller application.
Model-less multivariable control refers to accomplishing multivariable constraint control and optimization without detailed models, based on gain
direction, preselected move rates, and an optimization priority scheme.
Multivariable control optimization refers to using DCVs to improve process economic performance, when degrees of freedom remain available to
do so after constraint management objectives have been met (constraint
management being a higher priority function than optimization).
Global (unit, refnery, or companywide) optimization is a daily or weekly
business-side function that includes inputs that are outside the awareness
of multivariable control (such as market prices and refnery capabilities)
and can result in resetting (either manually or automatically) select multivariable controller limits and targets on one or more units.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
17
PROCESS AUTOMATION
Detuning allows DCVs to move in the
direction indicated by the control and
optimization calculations, but not with
the speed or size indicated by those
calculations. This results in slower but
more reliable performance. There is
time for the process to respond and
serve as feedback to update the move
plan as it unfolds, thereby avoiding
excessive and potentially destabilizing
DCV movement. This is analogous to
detuning a single-loop controller and
is an equally ftting solution in the face
of unknown or dynamically changing
process gain.
Similarly, model error explains the
practice of DCV “clamping.” Clamping precludes any further DCV movement. It usually occurs after a DCV has
been moved too far, too fast, or for the
wrong reason, leading to unwanted
process conditions that no one wants
to risk repeating. Clamping is analogous to placing a single-loop controller in manual mode—any further
moves must be made manually. (DCV
clamping is also the result of including many inappropriate variables and
models in the controller matrix design
in the frst place.)
Together, detuning and clamping produce the condition industry now calls
“degraded” MPC performance, which is
characterized by little or no DCV movement and frequent operator intervention. When an application no longer has
enough control functionality or value
to justify the burden of use it places on
the operating team, and the cost of reengineering also appears unjustifed,
the application is switched off and has
“fallen into disuse.” The extent of disuse
and degraded performance in industry
is hard to know, because industry has
naturally focused on the successes and
potential of MPC, rather than on its mistakes and limitations. Some evidence
suggests that degradation and disuse affect the majority of DCVs and MPC applications that have been installed over
the past two to three decades.
It is informative that the historical
performance limitations of both singleloop control and multivariable control
can be traced to a common root cause
(poorly known and dynamically changing process gains) and that similar
work-arounds have emerged in both
cases (a degree of detuning, increased
reliance on actual feedback, and decreased reliance on feedforward or predictive control). This sheds light on the
historical industry challenges that have
persisted in both single-loop and multivariable control performance, and creates one common picture, tending to
clarify this interpretation of events.
Feedforward is the single-loop counterpart of model-based predictive control. Like model-based predictive control, feedforward has well-recognized
potential to reject process disturbances seamlessly, but has historically
found limited success in practice, due
to the same diffculty of depending on
an accurate and durable feedforward
model, even on a single-loop basis. In
retrospect, this makes it easy to see
why implementing reliable predictive
control on a “wholesale” basis (involving dozens or hundreds of models developed en masse), has presented such
a daunting challenge.
Process control conservatism
Industry’s long struggle to understand
MPC performance has, in the process,
revealed a second force that has contributed to the slow pace of progress.
Process control and industrial process
operation are by nature very conservative practices. Haste is not part of
process operation culture. In terms of
process control, operation culture almost always prefers more gradual constraint management and optimization,
without overshoot or oscillation. This
helps explain the tendency to detune
controls in the face of unsure process
response—it is always better to make
a conservative move and gauge the
actual response before making further
moves, than to move too far or too
fast in the frst place. This principle of
conservatism is at odds with MPC in
important ways, suggesting that detun18
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
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PROCESS AUTOMATION
ing, gradual movement, and greater reliance on feedback might be the order
of the day, even if high-fdelity models
were attainable.
For example, MPC’s path optimization function can be compared to driving a car toward a distant stop sign,
and frst accelerating and then braking
hard, rather than simply coasting to a
stop. A path optimizer may well favor
the former solution, because it will
arrive at the stop sign sooner, but it is
totally inappropriate in practice. Similarly, traditional “error minimization”
comes at the cost of overshoot and
decaying oscillations. However, operations culture abhors overshoot and oscillation, because they indicate potential instability or can mask a developing
problem elsewhere in the process. As
another example, consider a passenger jet increasing its cruising altitude:
Would the appropriate algorithm be
minimum error (with rapid change,
overshoot, and decaying oscillation)
or minimum overshoot (with a smooth
ramp or frst-order approach)? Obviously, the latter algorithm is preferred
in practice, due to the conservative nature of the business, even though the
response models are well-known and
reliable. Minimizing transient control
error, a traditional criteria and beneft
of MPC, is almost always of negligible
concern in process operation practice
and never trumps preserving process
stability (fgure 1).
High-level controls do not provide
process stability, they depend on it.
Process stability is the responsibility
of base-layer controls. High-level controls should never move set points or
outputs in a manner that outpaces or
compromises the ability of the baselayer controls to do this job. This is basically a better-known formulation of the
conservatism principle, but it has been
widely disregarded in MPC practice, on
the idea that broadly applied modelbased control renders process stability
essentially a nonconcern. Experience
has now shown that unchecked DCV
movement, deriving from inaccurate
models and ideal tuning, has often
caused process instability, leading to
degradation, and reminding the process
Figure 1. Control performance and ideal tuning are often based on error minimization
criteria, but this also results in rapid movement, overshoot, and decaying oscillation, which
are undesirable from a process operation standpoint. In actual process operation, a more
gradual and cautious approach to constraints and targets is normally preferred, with minimum overshoot and oscillation, to fully preserve and ensure ongoing process stability.
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
19
PROCESS AUTOMATION
control community that this principle
remains both sound and necessary.
These examples illustrate that “simulation-like” performance may actually be a largely inappropriate goal in
the process industries, even if highfdelity models were available. The
traditional process control principle of
conservatism, the consequent degree
of detuning, and greater reliance on
actual feedback have largely proven
to be more important in practice than
the potential of model-based predictive control over the past two to three
decades. Among other changes, multivariable control technology needs to
refect these principles more strongly,
and not be at odds with them, to move
beyond its historical limitations.
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The MPC paradigm that has become
deeply rooted in industry in past decades can make it diffcult to imagine
multivariable control without models.
But the above discussion has identifed several perspectives that suggest
model-less multivariable control may
be both possible and preferable in many
cases. Model-less control already exists
in the form of many detuned MPCs that
largely ignore model detail, and it has
always existed in the form of manual
multivariable control.
An initial response to the idea of
model-less multivariable control is
often that without accurate gain values, how can the combined gain of
moving multiple DCVs and the combined economic effects be known? In
other words, how can the multivariable constraint control and optimization problem be solved? This is a good
question when multivariable control is
approached as a mathematical problem, without a process operation perspective. However, this question never
arises from actual operating teams,
because they already know the correct
control actions for any given situation,
based on their process knowledge,
training, experience, and usually common sense. MPC projects often seem
to bring new wisdom to process operation, by virtue of a more global solution
involving many models, but in almost
every application, actual post-deployment controller behavior is bent to the
established wisdom of the operating
team (through the use of detuning and
other improvised practices), not vice
versa. A more reliable approach, this
experience suggests, would be to design controllers based on proven operating practice in the frst place.
Framing multivariable control as a
global optimization problem dependent upon dozens (often hundreds) of
detailed models, rather than framing
it as automating the more commonsense logic and methods already employed by the operating team, may
have seemed like innovative use of
new-found computer power in the
1980s. In retrospect, it made the problem much bigger, and the solution
much less reliable, than necessary. Several accompanying assumptions that
also seemed reasonable at the time—
such as the ease of achieving model
fdelity, the idea that more models improve the result, and the assumption
that ideal tuning is naturally preferable
to detuned behavior—unfortunately
also turned out to be largely incorrect. Consequently, this path had very
limited success and has left industry
lacking an appropriately scaled, affordable, and agile tool for the majority of
straight-forward industrial multivariable process control applications.
A model-less multivariable controller would function similarly to historical
manual multivariable control, except
more timely and reliably, thereby capturing the benefts industry expects (if
not always achieves) from MPC. This behavior is also similar to an appropriately
detuned, and otherwise well-designed,
MPC controller. The DCVs move persistently but cautiously, based primarily on
gain direction, to effect constraint management and optimization, and movement stops based on process feedback
as the constraint limits or optimization
targets are approached.
This method does not require or depend on detailed models. It depends on
only three pieces of process knowledge:
gain direction of the primary interactions, preselected conservative move
sizes for each DCV, and optimization
PROCESS AUTOMATION
priorities for each variable. Importantly, this is all common knowledge
among the operating team and can be
captured in a meeting, without a plant
test or large-scale engineering effort.
The “primary” interactions are those
that are already proven and employed
in operation for constraint management and optimization, i.e., the “small
matrix” philosophy. Preferred conservative move rates for key variables are
always well-known within operations,
and are often documented in existing
operating procedures. And within most
MPC practice, actual stream pricing
was abandoned in favor of a simpler,
more practical, and more reliable optimization priority scheme years ago.
This concept of model-less multivariable control has yet to surface in industry as an available technology, but
its potential effcacy and advantages
are not diffcult to perceive, and com-
mercial products are sure to follow, especially as the lessons of model-based
control become clear. Dispensing with
the entire aspect of detailed modeling would be a paradigm shift with the
promise to reduce costs and complexity at every life-cycle stage of multivariable control, including procurement,
design, deployment, training, operation, maintenance, modifcation, and
performance monitoring. It also has
the potential to move multivariable
control from the domain of specialists, third parties, and large budgets,
into the domain of routine operational
competency. As a result, design, deployment, and operation can be accomplished by the operating team and
in-house control engineers, based on
standard DCS control system capabilities. This would transform multivariable control from a specialized, highcost, high-maintenance technology,
into an agile and affordable tool, appropriately scaled in terms of cost and
complexity, for the widespread needs
of the process industries. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allan Kern, P.E., (Allan.Kern@APCperformance.com) has 35 years of process control experience. He has authored numerous papers on topics ranging from feld
instrumentation, safety systems, and loop
tuning to multivariable control, inferential
control, and expert systems. From 2001 to
2008, Kern served as automation leader
at a major Middle Eastern refnery, where
his responsibilities included deployment
and performance of multivariable control
systems. Since 2005, Kern has published
more than a dozen papers on multivariable control performance. In 2012, he
became an independent process control
consultant serving clients worldwide.
View the online version at www.isa.org/intech/20140802.
Figure 2. Comparison of historical model-based control and projected model-less control criteria
Model-based control (historical)
Model-less control (projected)
Model-based control has greater potential to reject process disturbances seamlessly
and to minimize transient error, but this comes at the cost of heavy dependence on
model accuracy.
Model-less control has limited potential to incorporate feedforward control action
and does not minimize transient error, but promises more reliable performance. It
does not require models.
High cost, high maintenance, and prone to performance degradation.
Low cost, low maintenance, and simpler in concept from both an operational and
engineering standpoint.
Specialized competency. Typically requires consultants at several life-cycle stages.
Large training requirements for operators and engineers. Uses third-party hardware
and software.
In-house competency. Designed by the operating team. Deployed and supported by
in-house control engineers. Hosted by native DCS platform. Modest training
requirements.
Performance is dependent on many factors and remains poorly understood across
industry. Performance monitoring software is itself expensive and complex.
Performance is intuitive and does not need additional monitoring software. Based
on existing proven operating procedures and criteria.
Low agility. Requires budget planning, resource scheduling, and long lead times at
most life-cycle stages. The normal pace of process and control change often exceeds a
site’s ability to update MPC.
High agility. Rapid deployment by the in-house team. Can be modifed in sync with
related process or control changes. No modeling issues.
Costs hundreds of thousands of dollars at each of several life-cycle stages.
Costs (projected) tens of thousands of dollars for initial procurement and deployment. Low life-cycle maintenance costs (support in house).
Figure 3. Root causes of historical model-based control performance issues and model-less solutions
Root causes of model-based multivariable control performance limitations Model-less multivariable control performance solutions
General model inaccuracy. MPC depends heavily on the accuracy of detailed process
models, but experience has shown that achieving and sustaining widespread model
fdelity is rarely practical, even in the short term. Tellingly, historical single-loop
performance limitations share this same root cause.
Model-less multivariable control does not depend upon or use detailed models. It
depends only on gain direction of the primary interactions, which is reliable and
does not change.
Overlooks conservatism. Tradition MPC is in confict with the principle of process
control and operational conservatism. MPC extensively uses feedforward/predictive
control and “ideal” tuning, which leads to rapid movement, overshoot, and oscillation, which are undesirable in industrial process operation. Even where models are
accurate, this type of control action is often inappropriate.
Model-less control fully embodies conservatism. It uses preselected move rates
and real-time process feedback, and it approaches targets and limits gradually.
This approach is preferred in most operations and mimics how operators historically effect multivariable control and optimization manually.
The “big matrix” design approach. This approach strives to include all process
interactions, on the premise that more models leads to a more complete solution.
This typically results in double-digit matrix dimensions and dozens (often hundreds)
of models, which greatly exacerbates the other root causes. It also frequently leads
to unwanted or incorrect control action, thereby triggering degradation.
The model-less approach recommends (though does not strictly require) a “small
matrix” approach, which includes only the primary interactions that are already
proven in use by the operating team. This typically results in single-digit matrix
dimensions and one or two dozen models and avoids unexpected control action.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
21
Production line
and machine
upgrades
Upgrades improve
productivity and effciency
By Bill Lydon
22
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
T
he manufacturing industry has a large
number of production lines and machines with old programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and custom controls that could
beneft from an upgrade to newer technology.
Many control and automation systems in current use were installed well over 30 years ago
and are past their projected product life.
Automation has been key to industrial operation and effciency for many years with most
industrial automation and control systems
functionally reliable for years. Many installed
systems, however, are old and becoming obsolete, expensive to maintain, and in some cases,
WWW.ISA.ORG
almost impossible to support. It is increasingly
diffcult to fnd people knowledgeable about old
systems. Further compounding the problem is a
lack of training for new people who try to maintain and troubleshoot these old systems.
Automation technology improves at a much
higher rate than production machines, which
have a much longer productive life. The advances and refnements of automation software
and controllers over the past 10 years have been
dramatically driven by developments in the
broad computer industry and by vendor innovation. This provides an opportunity to improve
production and effciency with upgrades.
FACTORY AUTOMATION
FAST FORWARD
Tipping point
Several factors contribute to a tipping point
where an upgrade is needed. Automation
upgrades are complex business investment
decisions that need to be carefully thought
through. Reaching this tipping point does not
happen on a specific date, but rather is a gradual process as an automation system ages,
performance degrades, support cost and effort increase, and repair parts become harder
to find and more expensive. It is better to plan
upgrades in advanced rather than waiting for
an upgrade to become a necessity.
Reliability
As automation systems age, reliability typically decreases, affecting productivity. Reliability is defined as the probability that a
component part, piece of equipment, or system will satisfactorily perform its intended
function under given circumstances (such as
environmental conditions, operating time,
frequency, and preventative maintenance
for a specified period of time). Reliability is
dependent on several parameters, including
components, environmental factors (e.g.,
temperature, humidity, and vibration), and
electrical stressors, such as voltage and current fluctuations. Electronic systems, such
as automation system devices, including
controllers, computers, displays, and power
supplies, are characterized as following the
bathtub reliability curve, illustrating typical
failure rates versus operating time (figure 1).
The initial steep slope from the start to where
the curve begins to fatten is the early-failure
period or infant mortality period. This period is
characterized by a decreasing failure rate that
occurs during the early life of a system. The
weaker units fail, leaving a more robust population. The next period is termed the useful-life
period, when failures occur randomly at a low
rate. As systems age, the third period, the wearout period, begins. The rate of failures increases
rapidly as components begin to fatigue or wear
out. Wear out in electronic assemblies is usually caused by the breakdown of electrical components that are subject to physical wear and
electrical and thermal stress. It is in this area of
the graph that the automation system manufacturer’s mean time between failures (MTBFs)
l
Many machines with old PLCs and custom
controls could beneft from an upgrade.
l
Upgrades are complex business
investment decisions.
no longer applies.
l Aging automation systems become
When an automation
increasingly more diffcult to maintain
with longer MTTR and lower MTBF.
and control system
enters the wear-out
range, the risk of failures increases dramatically. These are factors to consider:
Availability
Availability is the proportion of time a system is
in a functioning condition. As reliability increases, so does availability. For example, a unit that
is capable of being used 100 hours per week (168
hours) would have an availability of 100/168.
However, typical availability values are specifed
in decimal (e.g., 0.9998). In high-availability applications, a metric known as nines, corresponding to the number of nines following the decimal
point, is used. In this system, “fve nines” equals
0.99999 (or 99.999 percent) availability.
Repair time
The mean time to repair (MTTR) older systems
increases, and repair can be diffcult and time
consuming. Downtime due to older system
failures can have a major impact on production. Obsolete industrial control and automation components that fail are a challenge to
replace, because they can be diffcult to fnd.
When they are found, they usually have a large
price tag. Repair challenges include lack of
hardware and software documentation, repair
parts availability, lost manuals, lost and out-ofdate drawings, and lost and out-of-date wiring
diagrams. The most diffcult problem is fnding
people who understand the system and can
effciently diagnose and solve problems. Typically people with the knowledge, know-how,
and experience are in short supply. Suppliers,
service companies, and system integrators also
have a shortage of
these people and are
Earlyunlikely to train new
failure
period
Useful-life period
people on old systems.
Total cost of
ownership
Total cost of ownership (TCO) includes
the initial costs to
implement automa-
0
Wear-out
period
Cumulative operating time
Figure 1. Bathtub curve
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
23
FACTORY AUTOMATION
tion together with the continuing costs
to maintain, modify, train staff, deploy,
provide infrastructure, and any other
cost associated with the project, including fnal decommissioning. Many
automation systems are running past
their initial projected life, and the
real TCO increases beyond the original plan. Reliability issues also affect
the TCO, because downtime lowers
productivity and effciency. All the
factors, including spare parts and retaining people experienced in older
systems, should be considered in calculating the TCO.
Productivity
Many upgrades are done based on reliability considerations, but upgrading
to increase productivity is a forward
investment that can have greater business value. The investment in upgrading automation and controls can improve the productivity of the machine
and, in many cases, overall production
fow and effciency.
Project perspectives
These are perspectives on upgrades
based on the experience of industry
professionals.
Upgrade clues
I asked David Jenson, director of engineering at Gross Automation, about
upgrades. He noted these clues that
indicate an upgrade should be considered: out-of-date or obsolete controllers, human-machine interfaces
(HMIs) running on unsupported
versions of operating systems (e.g.,
Windows XP), obsolete hardware
displays, and complaints that the
system cannot be updated or is incapable of supporting newer technologies that would improve operations.
He emphasized the way to approach
an upgrade project is spending time
with users to write a complete functional specifcation of the process
or sequence. If it is a simple system,
maybe just an outline will do. Tips for
people approaching a machine upgrade include discussing the process
or sequence of operation with more
than the people in charge of the proj24
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ect, and talking with operators and
maintenance people to gain valuable
insight into the process or sequence.
Improving performance
Tye Long, plant engineer, Centria
Coating Services, commented on a
recent project. He started with justifcation of the upgrade based on many
parts of the system being outdated,
with unavailable replacement parts.
The Centria Coating Services facility in Cambridge, Ohio, produces approximately 600,000 pounds (about
210,000 lineal feet) of coated steel and
aluminum per day, with about 4 million pounds of metal running through
the facility’s coating operations every
week. Plant engineers also saw opportunities for higher operating effciencies and reducing breakdown time
by up to 50 percent. Line speed was
increased by using a newer automation system and replacing decades-old
motor generators and DC motors with
modern variable speed drives. The
paint line’s line speed was increased
by almost 100 linear feet per minute, a
25 percent improvement.
Centria also added 24/7 remote
monitoring application support from
Rockwell Automation for 2,500 data
points from the Cambridge facility, including all controllers and drives, select HMI activity, and some regulatory
compliance parameters. If issues arise,
the remote application support team
can either address the issue remotely
or immediately notify an on-site plant
foreman or maintenance technician.
Upgrading 80 machines
I had a discussion with Mark Lewis,
manager, technical services, at Beckhoff, who just worked with a client on
the upgrade of 80 machines. A major
factor was obsolescence of the existing PLC controls, because repair parts
were becoming diffcult to fnd. This
created a looming problem but also
an opportunity to improve operations.
Lewis emphasized, “Don’t start until
you clearly have in your mind what it
will be.” Lewis described the process
as defning expectations, knowing the
goals for increased production and
decreased costs, and understanding
the whole picture before starting the
project. For a successful project, he
believes all the people involved with
the operation should give input to
the project to get a clear vision of the
desired outcomes. In this project, for
example, the facilities engineer was
brought in as part of the retroft planning team that led to fnding energy
savings opportunities.
In this application, new automation
controls had more capability, more accurate control, and improved performance, resulting in a more than 15 percent increase in production. Lewis also
noted the upgraded system enabled
more production fexibility. The improved communication with operators
and business systems gave immediate
Upgrading automation increased the paint line’s speed 25 percent.
FACTORY AUTOMATION
Existing PLCs were replaced with four
multicore IPCs and distributed I/O. IPCs
include OPC UA client and/or server.
visibility into the production process
that did not exist previously. Retroftting the controls reduced energy costs,
including compressed air, heat, and
process steam.
The old program was 100 percent
ladder logic, which was hard to understand. Programming the new automation and controls was effciently done
using existing sequence-of-operation
descriptions and encapsulating functions in easy-to-understand IEC 611313 standard function blocks for their applications. Some basic sequencing was
“If you can’t understand
the process, you will never
understand the program;
you will see bits, bytes, and
contacts, but you will not
understand. Once you understand the process, then you
can write the program.”
—Lewis
done with sequential function chart
programming. The structured logic
design and new software has modern
troubleshooting tools, including watch
lists, trace, and strip chart recorders,
simplifying troubleshooting.
The controller platform in the application is an industrial PC (IPC) running
a real-time operating system, PC-based
automation software programmed using multiple IEC 61131-3 languages,
and an OPC server. The upgrade took
advantage of OPC Data Access to connect with other controls via an open,
“vendor neutral” interface. The newer
standard, OPC Unifed Architecture,
was used to interact with the production planning and production control
system.
Mark Lewis emphasized, “If you understand the process, then you will understand the program. If you can’t understand
the process, you will never understand the
program; you will see bits, bytes, and contacts, but you will not understand. Once
you understand the process, then you can
write the program.”
Plan
Developing a formal migration strategy
and plan for existing automation and
control systems avoids surprises, rather
than waiting until systems cannot be
practically supported anymore. Planning
ahead also provides time to identify ways
to improve production effciency and to
enhance reliability and safety. Using past
knowledge about the machine or process
can help to lower the MTTR of the new
system, reducing downtime.
Last word . . . compete or die
Simply upgrading automation and
controls with a similarly functioning
replacement without new features can
be shortsighted. Manufacturers are in
a competitive world. Implementing
more automation and control functions to increase productivity, fexibility, and quality will help companies remain proftable. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bill Lydon, chief editor of InTech, has
been active in manufacturing automation for more than 25 years. He started
his career as a designer of computerbased machine tool controls; in other positions, he applied programmable logic
controllers and process control technology. In addition to experience at various
large companies, he cofounded and was
president of a venture-capital-funded industrial automation software company.
Lydon believes the success factors in
manufacturing are changing, making it
imperative to apply automation as a strategic tool to compete.
View the online version at www.isa.org/intech/20140803.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
25
Sequential
function chart
programming
By Charles M. Fialkowski
Processing sequential and parallel operations
based on time or events
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SYSTEM INTEGRATION
FAST FORWARD
I
n December 1993, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) recognized fve
standard programming languages that could
be used for implementing either process or discrete programmable controllers. The IEC is an
organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic,
and related technologies, including controllers.
The organization identifed fve programming
languages and their common abbreviations as:
ladder diagram (LD), instruction list (IL), function block diagram (FBD), structured text (ST),
and sequential function chart (SFC). The third
edition was published in February 2013.
The IEC developed these programming
standards in response to the growing number
of automation vendors, the growing complexity of applications, and the multiplying methods of implementing control functions. This
article provides a brief overview of sequential
function charts, describing proper implementation and common mistakes.
Overview
Sequential controls allow organizations to
process sequential and parallel operations in
a mode that is discrete with respect to time
or events. They are used to coordinate different continuous functions, as well as to control complex process sequences. Depending
on the defned state or events, operating and
mode changes are generated, which results in
a desired sequential implementation. Control
system engineers learn to understand the interaction between the programs for basic automation and the sequential controls and how to
generate sequential controls in their distributed
control system.
Sequential controls specify one or several step
sequences. The implementation of sequential
l
Sequential controls allow organizations to
process sequential and parallel operations
with respect to time or events.
l
A beneft of sequential controls is all
structures can be modeled and extensively
analyzed in advance—signifcantly reducing
the time to validate logic.
l
Sequential and parallel processing can
accommodate a wide range of automation
challenges.
control algorithms are generally referred to as
sequential function charts. A step sequence is
the alternating sequence of steps that trigger
certain actions, respectively, and transitions
that cause a step to change into another one
when the corresponding step enabling condition is met. Each step sequence has exactly one
start step and one end step and in addition may
contain any number of intermediate steps that
are interconnected through transitions. These
transitions are triggered via “rising edge” signals. The diagrams may also generate feedback
through loops within the step sequence. They
can include parallel or alternative branches. In
this case, however, the design must be done so
that the sequence does not contain unsafe or
unavailable segments.
To design sequential controls, a method called
state diagrams may be used. State diagrams are
easily learned, make automatic error diagnosis
possible, and can be converted without a problem into many existing programming languages
for sequence controls. However, designing parallel structures may not be possible, because a
state diagram, by defnition, is in exactly one
state at any given time; otherwise, it cannot be
considered a state diagram.
One of the core benefts of sequential controls
is that all structures can be modeled and extensively analyzed, thus signifcantly reducing
the time it would take to validate conventional
structures. Sequential controls parameterize
and activate lower-level logical control systems
by setting corresponding global control signals.
These control signals can have a brief or a lasting, a direct or a delayed effect. Sequential controls, as well as logical controls, have to support
different operating modes. Particularly, manual
control of the transitions and temporary or permanent interruptions of the process sequences
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
27
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
have to be possible. In addition, process-specifc protective functions are
implemented with sequence controls.
Continuous and sequential controls
Figure 1. Basic elements
Figure 2. Alternative and parallel branches
Figure 3. Uncertain structure
Within the scope of basic automation, different logic control systems
are developed that
implement a limited, clearly defned
function. The functions continuously
process input signals and generate corresponding
output signals. By
means of different
control signals, the
functions can also
be activated and
parameterized. To
implement
complex process sequences—for example,
manufacturing recipes for products—it
is necessary to coordinate the different
functions and to activate them at the
right time with the correct parameters.
This task can be handled using sequential controls.
Sequential controls make step-by-step,
event-discrete processing of sequential
and parallel operations possible using
step sequences. Depending on defned
states or events, they generate operating
and mode changes in the existing logic
control systems and thus implement the
desired sequential behavior.
Structure of step sequences
The step sequence is the alternating sequence of steps and transitions.
The individual steps activate certain
actions. The transitions control the
change from one step to the next.
The frst step of a step sequence is
referred to as the start step. It is the
unique entry point in the sequence
and is always executed. The last step in
a step sequence is referred to as the end
step. It is the only step in a sequence
that does not have a sequence transition. After the end step is processed,
the step sequence is terminated, or
processing starts again. The latter case
is also referred to as a sequence loop.
Steps and transitions are connected
Figure 4. Illegal structure
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to one another with oriented edges. It is
possible to connect a step with several
sequential transitions, as well as one
transition to multiple steps. A transition is enabled if all series of connected
steps are active and the step-enabling
condition is met. In this case, frst the
immediately preceding steps are deactivated, and then the immediate subsequent steps are activated.
The simplest form of a step sequence
is the unbranched sequence. Each step
is followed by exactly one transition
and the transition in turn by exactly
one subsequent step. This implements
a purely sequential run. Figure 1 shows
the graphic basic elements, step (S) and
transition (t).
Loops within the step sequence occur when by sequencing several steps,
a cyclical run within a sequence is possible. The sequence loop represents a
special case of a loop where all steps
are run cyclically.
Another option for structuring step
sequences is jumps. When a jump
mark is reached, processing continues
with the step where the jump mark
points. Jumps within the step sequence
can also result in loops. Because such
a structure is diffcult to follow, jumps
should be carefully used and avoided
altogether if possible.
Alternative and parallel branching
In many cases, it is necessary to respond
differently to different events when the
program is executed. This structure is
referred to as alternative branching. The
step is linked with each possible subsequent step by means of its own transition. To ensure that only one transition
is enabled at a time, and that alternative
branches are selected based on specifc
requirements, the transitions should be
mutually locked or prioritized to select
which path is necessary. Otherwise, in
most control systems, the transitions
are evaluated from left to right, and the
frst transition whose step-enabling
condition is met is enabled.
Figure 2 shows the structure of alternative branching with two branches. It
is represented by bordering horizontal
single lines with protruding ends. As
can be seen, the alternative branches
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
always start and end with transitions.
After a step, several subsequent steps
often must be processed simultaneously. In this case, the initial step has
one transition that activates several
subsequent steps at the same time. We
call this structure parallel branching.
The subsequent steps of the individual
branches are processed independently
of each other and are merged again.
All branches end in a joint transition.
Only after all branches are processed
completely and the step-enabling condition for the subsequent transition is
met is it possible to activate the joint
subsequent step.
Figure 2 also shows the sequence of
a parallel branch with two branches.
They are represented with bordering
horizontal double lines and protruding ends. As can be seen, the parallel
branches always start and end with
actions.
Building faulty step sequences
by generating incorrect jumps and
branches is a typical control engineering problem. Some of the most common faulty step cases are:
l Uncertain sequence: a step sequence
that contains a structure whose
availability is not ensured through
the defned sequential performance
l Partially stuck: a step sequence with
an internal loop that does not have
the ability to become active. Although other steps within this loop
are executed, the steps outside the
loop are not. This makes parts of the
step sequence unavailable.
l Totally stuck: a step sequence contains
a structure for which no permissible
step-enabling condition exists. In this
case, the step sequence remains permanently in one state, and all other
subsequent states are unavailable.
Such structures are not permitted in step sequences and have to be
eliminated with proper procedural
design methods. Figures 3 and 4 show
examples of two step sequences with
impermissible structures. In fgure 3,
we cannot ensure that step S6 is available. In fgure 3, we cannot ensure that
step S6 is available since the alternative
branch after step S3 goes active when
transition t3 is enabled and execution
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passes to S5, and the parallel branch
is merged again bypassing S6. This is
an example of an uncertain structure.
Figure 4 shows an example of an illegal
structure, which will only execute once
and then stops at step S4. Because step
S2 is not active in this state, the parallel branch can no longer be merged
in transition t3, which makes it totally
stuck—making step S5 unavailable.
Reaction to faults
in sequence controls
Particular operating modes have to be
implemented to maintain adequate
protection and conversion to manual if
there is a fault.
l Automatic mode: The action of the
step sequence is executed if the preceding transition is enabled.
l Manual mode: The operator triggers
the action of the next step sequence,
even if the preceding transition is
not enabled.
tection functions have to be activated
to take the plant to a safe state. If a
sequence is stopped, it has to be ensured that it can be continued safely
and in a way that is permissible regarding process engineering, even for
a long interruption. In the sequence
controls, process-specifc protection
functions are implemented, such as
sequential locking of several devices if
there is a fault in the process.
Sequence controls
in a process control system
Many process control systems today
implement controls with SFCs. They
contain the step sequences and defne
their sequence topology, the conditions for the transitions, and the actions of the steps. It is possible to defne
priorities for the start conditions and
the sequence characteristics separately
for each step sequence. In addition,
pre- and post-processing steps that are
Step sequences have to be able to react to faults in the
controlled devices. Therefore, continuous fault monitoring
is required.
Mixed mode: The action of the step
sequence is executed if the preceding
transition is enabled, or if the operator
triggered it. As an alternative, operator
activation as well as enabling the preceding transition may be required.
The manual mode prevents the sequence control from being permanently
blocked because of a fault. The mixed
mode allows manual interruption of the
sequence for testing or commissioning. The step-enabling conditions of all
transitions of the sequence control have
to be expanded accordingly.
Step sequences have to be able to react to faults in the controlled devices.
Therefore, continuous fault monitoring is required. It recognizes and signals faults in the controlled devices. It
makes automated safety of the plant
possible by stopping the step sequence
automatically if there is a fault. In addition, it has to be possible for the operator to stop and cancel the step sequence if there is a fault.
In both cases, corresponding prol
executed once before or after processing the step sequence can be defned.
Operating modes
and switching modes
The performance of a sequence control
in the process control system will depend on the following:
l The selected operating mode
l The specifed switching mode
l The current operating mode
l The sequence options
Two different operating modes could
be selected for sequence control:
l Auto: the program controls the sequence
l Manual: the operator controls the
sequence through commands or by
changing the sequence options
In manual mode, the following commands should be available to the operator to operate the sequence control:
Start, stop, halt, cancel, continue,
restart, reset, and error
Depending on the selected operating
mode, behavior of a step sequence can
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
be controlled through different switching modes when further switching active steps to the subsequent steps.
l Switching mode T: The sequence control is running process control automatically. If a transition is enabled, the
preceding steps are deactivated, and the subsequent steps
are activated (T = transactions).
l Switching mode O: The sequence control is running operator control manually. The transition is enabled by an operator command. To this end, each subsequent transition
of an active step automatically sets an operator prompt (O
= operator).
l Switching mode T or O: The sequence control is running
process controlled or operator controlled. The transition
is enabled either through an operator command or a stepenabling condition that was met.
l Switching mode T and O: The sequence control is running
process and operator controlled. The transition is enabled
only based on an operator command and if the step enabling condition was met.
l Switching mode T/T and O: In this switching mode, we can
specify whether the sequence is controlled by the process
or the operator for each step individually. In the test mode,
this allows us to defne stop points in the sequence control
(T/T = test transactions).
In the operating mode Auto, only the switching modes T,
T/T, and O can be selected. The operating mode of the sequence control indicates the current state in the sequence
and the resulting performance. Corresponding operating
mode logic defnes the possible modes, the permissible
transitions between modes, and the transitional conditions
for a mode change. Most process control systems defne
separate operating mode logic for sequence controls and
for step sequences, respectively. It is possible to run step
sequences depending on the mode of the sequence control.
Sequence options
By using sequence options, it is possible to control the execution time performance of sequence controls. For example,
we can specify whether a sequence control is processed
once or cyclically, or whether the actions of the active step
are actually performed. In addition, time monitoring for
the individual steps of a step sequence can be activated,
which signals a step error if there is a timeout. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Charles M. Fialkowski, CFSE (charles.falkowski@siemens.com), is
director of product marketing for Siemens Process Automation in Spring House, Pa. He has more than 20 years of process
automation experience in the chemical, petrochemical, and
oil and gas industries, and has been involved in a number of
process safety standards, including ISA-84 and burner management with NFPA 85, 86, and 87. He is a graduate of
Oklahoma State University with degrees in both electrical
engineering and journalism.
View the online version at www.isa.org/intech/20140804.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
31
ISA101 HMI standard
nears completion
The end of a challenging, windy road
By Greg Lehmann and Maurice Wilkins
T
he ISA101 HMI committee was formed to
establish standards, recommended practices, and technical reports relating to
human-machine interfaces (HMIs) in manufacturing and processing applications. The forthcoming standard and accompanying technical
reports are intended to help users understand
the basic concepts as a way to more readily accept the style of human-machine interface that
the standard recommends. It is aimed at those
responsible for designing, implementing, using,
or managing HMI applications.
The standard defnes the terminology and
models to develop an HMI and the work processes recommended to effectively maintain it
throughout its life cycle.
Use of the standard should:
l Provide guidance to design, build, operate,
and maintain effective HMIs that result in safer, more effective, and more effcient control
of a process, under all operating conditions.
l Improve the user’s abilities to detect, diagnose, and properly respond to abnormal
situations.
If the standard, recommended practices, and
HMI: The critical link
The HMI is the critical link between operators and automation systems.
The human operator depends on the output of the HMI to provide feedback on the physical process. It is the tool operators use to adjust operating parameters. An HMI that is easy to understand and gives clear options
to end users will produce fewer errors, increase operator productivity, and
reduce stress. Improved HMI design can prevent signifcant losses to a
business in terms of time and materials wasted.
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methodology are followed, the result should enable the users to be more effective in yielding improved safety, quality, production, and reliability.
Wide scope, wide input
The scope of the committee was to include
menu hierarchies, screen navigation conventions, graphics and color conventions, dynamic elements, alarming conventions, security
methods and electronic signature attributes,
interfaces with background programming and
historical databases, pop-up conventions, help
screens, and methods used to work with alarms,
program object interfaces, and confguration
interfaces to databases, servers, and networks.
Committee members include end users, integrators, and suppliers. At present, the committee is comprised of 230 members from many
different industries and countries. Our members bring lessons learned from many years of
designing, integrating, and using various HMI
applications.
Over a series of initial face-to-face and virtual
ISA101 meetings, several topics were identifed,
and appropriate clauses for the frst draft were
formed. Strong clause editors volunteered, and
the draft began to take shape.
Presently, the draft standard is organized as
follows:
l Clause 0: General
l Clause 1: Scope
l Clause 2: Normative References
l Clause 3: Defnition of Terms and Acronyms
l Clause 4: HMI System Management
l Clause 5: Human Factors/Ergonomics
l Clause 6: Display Types
l Clause 7: User Interaction
l Clause 8: Performance
l Clause 9: Documentation and Training
AUTOMATION IT
Terminology and defnitions
As with all standards, establishing a common
set of terminology and defnitions was vital. You
cannot have a standard until you all speak the
same language. The ISA101 committee came up
with an easy-to-understand diagram showing
what was meant by terms, such as graphic, symbol, and so on (fgure 1).
Having done that, progress lagged until a pivotal decision was made at a face-to-face meeting in Indianapolis, Ind.
Life cycle is the key
During that meeting, the committee decided the work that had been done to date
was good, but the standard needed to flow.
After further discussions, we homed in on a
life-cycle approach similar to those used by
ISA84 on functional safety and ISA18.2 on
management of alarm systems. The HMI life
cycle (figure 2) would allow for new system
implementation as well as changes to existing systems. It would follow the system from
its planning and startup to its eventual decommissioning. System standards were also
included as a basis for the whole life cycle.
Once the life cycle was agreed upon, progress
on the standard accelerated.
dealt with what a style
FAST FORWARD
guide might look like
l The ISA101 HMI committee includes a
or how to put a purdiverse group of users, integrators, and
chase
specifcation
suppliers.
together and so on. We
l The new standard will help organizations
design, build, and operate effective HMIs.
also need to address a
topic that has come to
l Users will be better able to respond to
abnormal situations.
the forefront: mobility.
We now need to give
guidance on how these may affect the design of
future HMIs.
We plan to start work on ISA technical reports
when the standard has been issued, covering
topics including:
l HMI Philosophy Development
l HMI Style Guide Development
l HMI Design Guide Development
l HMI Usability and Performance
l HMI Purchase Specifcation
l Design Considerations for Mobile HMIs
We are approaching the end of a challenging
road with many winds and turns in developing the forthcoming HMI standard, but believe
frmly that the effort will have been worth it—
and judging by the requests we are getting, so
will the industry.
From life cycle to ballot
The frst real draft was issued for review in June
2010 and received 699 comments. Since then,
the committee has issued four more drafts and
one requirements survey for a total of 3,786 comments. It became apparent that because HMI is
such an “emotive” topic, we could
review the standard ad infnitum,
when we all knew that what we had
was worthy of a standard and could
be put to ballot. So, one fnal cleanup was done by a small team of
clause leaders under the guidance
of Bridget Fitzpatrick, after which
the other clause leaders and chairs agreed to issue
the committee ballot. The result of that ballot was
overwhelming approval—but with several review
comments that will have to be addressed.
What’s next?
Additional changes are expected based on the
comments from the first ballot, but are not
expected to be extensive. Our expectation is
that publication will be in the fourth quarter
of this year.
During the process of putting the standard together, we moved some parts to annexes. These
Figure 1. Selected HMI terms and their interrelationships
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
33
AUTOMATION IT
CONTINUOUS WORK PROCESSES
MOC
ENTRY
New system
major changes
Audit
Validation
ENTRY
New display
display changes
SYSTEM
STANDARDS
DESIGN
IMPLEMENT
OPERATE
Console design
Build displays
In service
HMI system
design
Build console
Maintain
Test
Decommission
Continuous
improvement
Style guide
User, task,
functional
requirements
Toolkits
REVIEW
Philosophy
Train
Commission
Continuous
improvement
Display design
Verification
Figure 2. The HMI life cycle
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Greg Lehmann (greg.lehmann@urs.com)
is ISA101 co-chair and technical manager
of the process automation department of
URS Corporation, Oil & Gas Division, in
Lakewood, Colo.
34
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
Maurice Wilkins (maurice.wilkins@us.yoko
gawa.com) is ISA101 co-chair, an ISA Fellow,
and vice president of the Global Strategic
Marketing Center in Carrollton, Texas.
View the online version at www.isa.org/intech/20140805.
For information about taking part in
ISA101’s standards development collaboration, contact Charley Robinson
of ISA Standards, crobinson@isa.org,
or 1-919-990-9213. n
what’s your roadmap?
Map a course for sustained performance.
Get the unswerving performance you depend on, while maintaining
the safe and reliable systems you need. With Honeywell’s continuous
evolution approach and depth of expertise, you can modernize to the most
advanced functionality with minimal disruption to operations. No matter
what automation system you are running, by modernizing to Honeywell’s
technology, you can accelerate production capabilities and extend your
automation investment into the future.
Your roadmap to the future.
www.honeywellprocess.com
©2013 Honeywell
Awakening dark devices
through industrial Ethernet
The Internet of Everything is here now!
By Kevin Davenport
and Yuta Endo
36
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
T
he Internet of Everything (IoE) is here
now! Today it is estimated that manufacturers generate 2 exabytes of information daily—resulting in more “big
data” than any other industry or sector. And
when you consider that only 4 percent of the
devices on the manufacturing foor are actually
connected to a network, we can expect to see
a continuing tidal wave of data coming across
manufacturers’ networks as more and more
“dark” devices are connected. Manufacturers
are realizing that they need a new approach
to properly manage the enormous amounts of
data, to protect their data, and to ensure highquality performance of applications and automation systems across their local-area and
wide-area networks.
Many manufacturers have used proprietary
networks in the past; however, we are now seeing a greater transition to “smart manufacturing.” A smart manufacturing environment requires a standardized IP-centric network based
on Ethernet that will enable all devices within a
plant to communicate to both operational and
enterprise business systems. A standard Ethernet network also makes it easier to connect and
collaborate with suppliers and customers to imWWW.ISA.ORG
prove supply chain visibility. There are a number
of distinctions between an enterprise (information technology [IT]) and operational technology (OT) network architecture that require
consideration. OT networks must be designed
to address radio frequency interference challenges and harsh environmental conditions,
and to reliably transmit real-time deterministic
safety and motion control data.
Ethernet switches properly deployed across
a holistically designed IT and OT converged
Ethernet architecture are required to manage
the variety of IoE data, voice, and video applications. An Ethernet switch is a vital component
in managing and prioritizing these applications
with minimal latency (the time delay between
when a message is sent and when it is received)
and jitter (the variance of the latency) to meet
the stringent requirements of control systems.
But what exactly is an
“industrial” Ethernet switch?
Although industrial Ethernet switches use the
same protocols as Ethernet applied to enterprise
or offce networks, industrial switches require
consideration of the environment where the
equipment must operate. The industrial switch
SPECIAL SECTION: MANAGED ETHERNET SWITCHES
must tolerate a wider range of temperature, vibration, and electrical noise than equipment
installed in dedicated IT networks. Because
closed-loop process control may rely on an Ethernet link, the economic costs of interruption
may be high. Availability is therefore an essential
criterion. Industrial Ethernet networks must interoperate with both current and legacy systems,
and must also provide predictable performance
and maintainability. In addition to physical
compatibility and low-level transport protocols,
a practical industrial Ethernet switch must also
provide interoperability with higher levels of the
enterprise. An industrial network must be secure
from both outside intrusions and from inadvertent or unauthorized use within the plant.
The model needs to switch . . .
the switch needs a model
specifc functions:
FAST FORWARD
l Enterprise
zone:
l The Internet of Everything is here now,
Levels 4 and 5 hanbut only 4 percent of the devices on the
dle IT networks,
manufacturing foor are actually connected
to a network. Awaken the 96 percent of
business applicadark devices on the plant foor!
tions/servers (e.g.,
l
Leverage
industrial Ethernet switches to
email and enterprise
deploy a holistic IoE networking framework
resource planning)
to connect and scale your business.
as well as intranet.
l Learn how IEEE 1588 allows IT enterprise
l Industrial demilitaand OT networking traffc to coexist
rized zone (IDMZ):
on the same converged network.
This buffer zone is
a barrier between
the manufacturing and enterprise zones, but
allows data and services to be shared securely.
All network traffc from either side of the IDMZ
terminates in the IDMZ. No traffc traverses
the IDMZ. That is, no traffc travels directly
between the enterprise and manufacturing
zones.
l Manufacturing zone: Level 3 addresses plantwide applications (e.g., historian, asset management, and manufacturing execution systems), consisting of multiple cell/area zones.
l Cell/area zone: Levels 0, 1, and 2 manage industrial control devices (e.g., controllers, drives,
I/O, and human-machine interface) and multidisciplined control applications (e.g., drive,
batch, continuous process, and discrete).
Industrial networks often use network switches
to segment a large system into logical subnetworks, divided by address, protocol, or application. Using network switches allows the networks
to be broken up into many small collision domains. This reduces the risk of a faulty or misconfgured device generating excess network traffc.
The manufacturing process dictates performance requirements for manufacturing applications, work cells, machines, sensors, and actuators, as well as their geographic deployment.
Understanding the performance requirements
Ethernet determinism
and location of these systems is critical in deEnsuring that a packet is sent and received in a
Figure 1. Purdue Model
termining how industrial switches are deployed.
specifc time period is an important design goal
An architecture or
Enterprise network
framework is required
Router
Level 5
Enterprise
to build a robust, fexzone
ible, and scalable design
Level 4
Site business planning and logistics network
Email, intranet, etc.
to meet the requirements of IoE.
Firewall
AV server
Patch
Figure 1 illustrates
Terminal
management
services
Web
the Purdue Model. This
DMZ
Email
model establishes a
CIP
Application
Web
Application
server
services
framework for network
mirror
operations
segmentation for traffc management and
Firewall
FactoryTalk
FactoryTalk
Engineering
Domain
Manufacturing
application
directory
policy
enforcement,
workstation
controller
Site manufacturing
zone
Level 3
server
operations and control
such as security, remote access, and qualArea
FactoryTalk
FactoryTalk
supervisory
ity of service (QoS).
client
client
control
Level 2
Engineering
Operational
Operator
This framework leverworkstation
interface
interface
ages standard IP-based
Cell/area
protocols including unzone
Continuous
Safety
Discrete
Basic
Batch
Drive
process
control
Level 1
control
control
control
control
modifed Ethernet.
control
The
framework
Drives
Actuators
Sensors
Robots
groups levels into the
Process
Level 0
following zones for
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
37
SPECIAL SECTION: MANAGED ETHERNET SWITCHES
Where is precision time
protocol applied?
Database
In automation technology, PTP is in
demand wherever processes need to
be synchronized exactly. Here, motion control is an important feld of
application in the broadest sense. PTP
can help to synchronize drives in robots or in printing, packing, or paper
processing machines, for example.
High-precision clocks can also connect interactive robots, or PTP can link
plant parts closely so that the processes
that run can be synchronized exactly.
Clocks synchronized in every component enable distributed structures to
be set up and the processes to be decoupled from communicating and processing the control commands.
Ethernet
switch
Control
system
A
M
Ethernet
switch
Digital input
modules
System synched
Event TS
done here.
Digital input
modules
S
S
for industrial networks. For the network to support predictable, real-time
traffc, the design must be as simple
and highly structured as possible. To
control end-device latency and response time, the network has an important role to play by sending data
packets consistently and predictably.
Ethernet switches normally have very
low latencies, which refers to the time it
takes for a network packet to travel between a source and a target. Most control
operations in industrial applications can
tolerate latencies of 10 to 50 milliseconds.
Because control traffc frames in industrial applications are usually below 500
bytes, the latency introduced by a switch
at 100 Mbps is only about 30 microseconds, with a worst-case scenario of close
to 100 microseconds—well below the
limit and 100 times faster than most applications require.
Selecting the appropriate industrial
Ethernet switch offers manufacturers
the QoS and precision time services to
meet these deterministic demands.
Merging Ethernet and
deterministic networks
Deterministic performance is one of
the key considerations when designing
a converged IT and OT architecture.
38
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
Control
system
B
S
Ethernet
switch
Event TS
done here.
Digital input
modules
Digital input
modules
S
S
Motion control applications are among
the most demanding on the network
from a determinism perspective. The
traditional approach to handling realtime control in a motion environment
is to schedule a device’s time on the
network, by which all other devices are
synchronized.
Some industrial network solutions,
however, are based on industrial protocols like EtherNet/IP, which uses CIP Motion and CIP Sync to solve the problem
of real-time motion control differently.
CIP Sync uses the IEEE 1588 Standard for
a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol or Networked Measurement and
Control Systems, commonly referred to
as the precision time protocol (PTP), to
synchronize devices to a very high degree of accuracy. CIP Sync incorporates
the IEEE 1588 services that measure network transmission latencies and corrects
for infrastructure delays.
The result is the ability to synchronize clocks in distributed devices and
switches to within hundreds of nanoseconds of accuracy. When all the devices in a control system share a synchronized, common understanding of
system time, real-time control can be
accomplished by including time as part
of the motion information.
Benefts of IEEE 1588
IEEE 1588 is critical to making sure deterministic timing requirements are
meet within a control system. The Internet of Things is putting orders of magnitude more traffc on the wire, stretching traditional control. By replacing
traditional control solutions with timebased control, organizations can realize
faster and higher precision goals. The
IEEE 1588 standard is a solution that
the industrial control industry can easily adopt to distribute precision time for
time-based control on the factory foor.
The IEEE 1588 standard specifes a
protocol to synchronize independent
clocks running on separate nodes of
a distributed control system to a high
degree of accuracy and precision. The
clocks communicate with each other
over a communication network. In its
basic form, the protocol is intended to
be administration-free. The protocol
generates a master-slave relationship
among the clocks in the system. Within a given subnet of a network, there
is a single master clock. All clocks ultimately derive their time from a clock
known as the grandmaster clock. A
sync message is sent periodically by
any port associated with a clock claiming to be the master clock. All ports
use the same algorithm, termed the
best master clock algorithm. If a port of
a master clock receives a sync message
from a better clock, that clock ceases to
SPECIAL SECTION: MANAGED ETHERNET SWITCHES
New big data processing tools are enabling real-time data
stream analysis that can provide dramatic improvements in
problem solving and cost avoidance.
claim to be a master, and the receiving
port assumes the status of a slave. Likewise, if a clock with a port acting as a
slave determines that it would make a
better master than the current master
clock, it assumes the status of master
and begins to send sync messages.
Bringing dark devices to life
Manufacturers are connecting dark
devices, properly managing the data,
and reaping the value of more visibility
into their production lines and supply
chains to reduce costs and respond
faster to new opportunities.
Manufacturers have been generating
big data for many years. In the past, manufacturers have had a limited ability to
store, analyze, and effectively use all the
available data. New big data processing
tools are enabling real-time data stream
analysis that can provide dramatic improvements in problem solving and cost
avoidance. Big data and analytics will be
the foundation for areas such as forecasting, proactive maintenance, and automation. A business example of applying
big data and analytics is ConAgra Mills,
which makes 800 different kinds of four
for its customers. It uses predictive tools
and services to forecast pricing, capacity
requirements, and customer demand.
This allowed the company to maximize
revenues through improved margin decisions and increase production capacity
utilization by 5 percent.
Standards-based IP technology, including unmodifed industrial Ether-
net switches, is one of the key paradigms enabling IoE. Industrial switches
deployed strategically within a properly designed, converged IT and OT
network architecture shine a light on
previously dark devices on the manufacturing foor. Now stages are created
where people, processes, data, and
things integrate, synchronize, and deliver performances that drive tangible
business objectives and goals. Manufacturers are capturing and leveraging
these technologies to drive effciency
and innovation across their manufacturing value chains, and they are gaining a competitive edge in the market. n
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Kevin Davenport (kedavenp@cisco.com)
is a global solutions manager for Cisco’s
Industrial Intelligence. Yuta Endo (yendoh@cisco.com) is a senior manager,
product management for Cisco’s Internet
of Things initiatives.
View the online version at www.isa.org/intech/20140806.
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executive corner | Tips and Strategies for Managers
Automation’s current challenge:
Finding opportunity in obsolescence
By Paul J. Galeski
I
t is no secret that many of our control systems
are reaching their twilight years. For some, they
are already there. According to one report,
there are currently $65 billion worth of obsolete
control systems worldwide, and that number is
increasing every day.
This is especially true in oil and gas, a sector that
is quickly outgrowing the various upgrades and
modifcations that have been made to its aging systems over the years. But the term “upgrades” is a
misnomer here, as the intention is simply to maintain—not improve—basic operational functionality.
These manufacturers continue to refurbish obsolete
systems with the hope of squeezing another year
or two out of them. Though the goal is cost savings, ultimately this approach is the least effcient
and most costly. Signifcant downtime is inevitable
when the system completely breaks down.
To keep up with the evolving automation landscape,
we have to approach obsolescence as an opportunity
for operational improvement and cost reduction.
An opportunity to innovate rather than replicate.
An opportunity for American manufacturers to regain
their competitive edge.
But breakdowns are not the only concern. Obsolescence is. With the ever-increasing velocity of
change in manufacturing, it is becoming more
and more clear that the old way is no longer the
only path forward. In fact, it is a dead end. To
keep up with the evolving automation landscape,
we have to approach obsolescence as an opportunity for operational improvement and cost reduction. An opportunity to innovate rather than
replicate. An opportunity for American manufacturers to regain their competitive edge.
Different approaches
to DCS and PLC migration
Rip and replace
When a control system begins to outlive its usefulness, isolating failed parts and replacing them
with new ones is a common approach. But what
42
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
begins as required maintenance quickly becomes
overextension. Systems running above their design
capacity reduce operational effciency. This means
the cost savings from replacing a part rather than
the entire system are not just nullifed; they are
actually reversed. You might think you are saving
money, but you are actually losing more of it than
you think due to production ineffciencies.
Fully leverage and innovate
Proactive manufacturers do not wait for process
downtime to force their hand. They have migration strategies in place before the system begins to
lag. They bring in outside vendors to demonstrate
new technology and systems integrators for unbiased support and expertise. They conduct frontend loading (FEL) studies to identify opportunities
for improvement. They do not just look to get by;
they look to get ahead.
Make the most of this opportunity
Perhaps you have already begun to consider migrating your distributed control system (DCS) or
programmable logic controller (PLC) system. Or
perhaps your system is on its last leg, and you are
worried about downtime once it fails completely.
Either way, if you want to remain competitive—or
regain your competitive edge—waiting is not an
option in today’s manufacturing landscape.
Conduct FEL studies to determine how effciencies built into your new system can help you recoup the costs of migration sooner than you think.
Take what you learn to make a case for the capital
you will need to move forward. Collaborate with
systems integration experts to determine the best
path forward. And, above all, start today. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul J. Galeski (paul.galeski@mavtechglobal.
com), the chief executive offcer and founder
of MAVERICK Technologies, specializes in highlevel operational consulting, as well as the development of automation strategy and implementation for automation technology. He is also
involved in expert witness testimony, and is a
contributing author to Aspatore Books’ Inside
the Minds, a series of publications that examine
C-level business intelligence.
Tips and Strategies for System Integrators | channel chat
New communication system keeps Denver’s
commuter trains rolling
By Levi Gustin
T
he Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver maintains
and operates a feet of light rail
vehicles (LRV) for public transportation
in the Denver metropolitan area. The
existing LRV train cars operated as intended, but did not provide ample feedback to the operators during operation
nor to mechanics about causes of failure. RTD approached National Instruments (NI) and CSIA-certifed member
Optimation about incorporating a data
logging, communication, and display
system into the trains.
System designed
for quick response
An RTD supervisor described the project
requirements, including incorporation of
global positioning system (GPS) satellite
data, TTL/RS232 (transistor-transistor logic/serial communication protocol) communications with existing control equipment, and a graphical user interface (GUI)
for the light rail vehicle operator. The GUI
screens were designed so that an operator can quickly determine the source of
problems and correct them, if possible. If
problems are beyond the abilities of the
operator, maintenance can be summoned
without delay.
Optimation system developers created
a data-logging system for individual cars
using National Instruments’ LabVIEW
software. The individual systems read and
record digital and analog signals that are
unique to each end of the car. This data
is then transferred via Ethernet Modbus
communication between the two integrated processor and I/O units in the car
and logged locally to one of the touchscreen computers in the car.
In addition to the acquisition of data,
the individual systems can receive a GPS
signal to set and synchronize system clocks
throughout the train. Data acquired on
two different pieces of hardware at opposite ends of the car is synchronized for
analysis by the GPS
time stamps. The
system also writes
this GPS time to the
train car’s internal
computer system
through serial communication.
This
information helps
the RTD personnel correlate a generic error signal in
the train’s existing
computer with a
more detailed, signal-by-signal record
of events logged in
the hardware.
In addition to the acquisition of data,
the individual systems can receive a GPS
signal to set and synchronize system
clocks throughout the train.
Caboose-to-cab communication
proved challenging
The most challenging portion of the system was communicating data through
the entire length of the train. Car-to-car
communication is accomplished through
serial Modbus via the couplers that join
two individual train cars together. In order
for a piece of data to make it from the
very back car of a train up to the front
cab where the operator display resides, it
had to alternate between Ethernet communication internal to the cars and serial
communication between the ends of two
adjoining cars. An additional communication challenge was that RTD’s LRVs can
be driven or coupled from either end in
either direction. This means that the software had to be fexible in order to propagate data in the correct direction (Modbus slave versus Modbus master).
Troubleshooting time reduced,
effciency improved
When the complete set of data is delivered
to the lead cab of the train, it is displayed
on a touch panel computer. In the event of
equipment failure, this GUI allows the driver to quickly determine what is keeping the
train from moving. Before the Optimation
solution was incorporated into the train,
the driver had only a single warning light
that illuminated when the train could not
move, and the driver would have to search
the whole train for the cause. The new
system drastically reduces troubleshooting
time by telling the driver the specifc car
and signal that is malfunctioning.
The implementation has greatly beneftted RTD’s mechanical operations by
providing more information related to
mechanical failures through the data
logs. RTD has also noted a gain in effciency and decrease in downtime by providing train-wide signals to the driver. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Levi Gustin (Levi.Gustin@Optimation.us)
is a mechanical engineer at Optimation
with experience in mechanical design,
software development, project management, and validation engineering. He
works out of Optimation’s Denver offce in Louisville, Colo. Optimation is a
certifed member of the Control System
Integrators Association, an NI Gold Alliance Partner, and a NI LabVIEW-certifed
architect and developer.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
43
association news | Highlights & Updates
Security training at Industrial Automation NA
T
his year attendees of the International Manufacturing Technology
Show (IMTS) at McCormick Place
in Chicago, Ill., can take advantage of an
industry-critical control systems security
training course offered by ISA. The training is in conjunction with Hannover Fairs
International’s Industrial Automation North
America event co-located with IMTS.
The growth of manufacturing companies depends on remaining competitive
with quality products and services, and
this requires having knowledgeable and
technically skilled people. Simply investing
in the latest manufacturing hardware and
software technology does not guarantee
success; it needs to be applied, maintained,
and secured properly by trained personnel. Ongoing training gives employees the
knowledge and skills to implement and
monitor automation investments to increase profts, improve quality, and reduce
risks, as well as to be competitive and responsive to customer needs.
Held every two years, the IMTS event is
one of the largest industrial trade shows in
the world, with more than 1,900 exhibitors
and 100,000 visitors. Offering ISA training
at this co-located event doubles the value
for attendees. The training increases their
knowledge and skills, while they learn about
the latest automation technology and techniques on the show foor and at conference
presentations. Manufacturing companies
with people who have up-to-date training
from a vendor-independent source such as
ISA are positioned to make signifcantly better automation purchase and risk-assessment
decisions.
The two-day ISA technical training course
will be 10–11 September 2014. Details include:
n Course: Using the ANSI/ISA-62443 Standards to Secure Your Industrial Control
System (IC32)
n Length: 2 days
n CEU/PDH credit: 1.4/14
n Course hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
each day
n Overview: This course examines how
the ANSI/ISA99 standards can be used
44
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
to protect your critical control systems.
It explores the procedural and technical
differences between the security for traditional information technology environments and those solutions appropriate
for supervisory control and data acquisition or plant foor environments to prevent exposure to cyberattacks of process
control networks.
Combining ISA training with the event
helps users accomplish the goal of adopting new technology by learning about it,
identifying applications, and educating
people in the company about the value
of securing and investing in it. Hannover
Fairs/Deutsche Messe’s Katherine León
Childress, show director, commented, “Partnering with ISA provides our
attendees a unique opportunity to have
access to professional training. Providing
a forum for these educational sessions
contributes to the overall experience at
Industrial Automation NA.”
ISA training programs are practical and
led by industry experts with real-world
experience. For more information about
ISA training at this event, visit www.imts.
com/education/conference_ISA.html.
For more information about Industrial Automation North America please
visit www.ia-na.com. In addition to
events in the U.S., industrial automation
events take place in Germany (Hannover
Messe), China, India, Russia, and Turkey.
For more information, please visit www.
hannovermesse.de/worldwide. n
Celebrating Excellence award honorees
ISA announced the ISA members honored
with the distinguished membership grade of
fellow and the Celebrating Excellence award
honorees for 2014, including Member’s
Choice honorees. The grade of ISA fellow is
granted to senior Society members in recognition of their exceptional engineering scientifc
contributions to the feld of automation. ISA’s
Celebrating Excellence awards honor companies and individuals—both members and
nonmembers—for signifcant contributions
In memoriam
in leadership, technical innovation, and contributions to education that have advanced the
profession.
Award presentations will be made at the
52nd Annual ISA Honors and Awards Gala,
which will be held on 10 November 2014 at
the Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland in Kansas City, Mo. For gala ticket information, please
call +1 919-549-8411 or email info@isa.org.
For the list of honorees, see www.isa.
org/celebratingexcellence2014. n
Edward (Eddie) T. Meyers, Jr.
Last 13 June the District 6 vice president, Edward (Eddie) T. Meyers, Jr., passed away
suddenly at the age of 66. Meyers is survived by his wife Jody, daughter Kim Lyn, sonin-law Nick, grandchildren Keara and Kayla, father Edward, Sr., and mother-in-law
Lorraine. He was born in Joliet, Ill., where he lived all his life; he was a U.S. veteran and
retired from Citgo Oil Refnery after 45 years of service.
His contributions to ISA started in 1990; he was active in the Will-DuPage Section,
where he was a founding member, president for two years, board director in various
positions, and lately ISA advocate at Joliet Junior College, where he taught and shared
his ISA passion with students.
Meyers is, no doubt, an example of an outstanding member who helped to build our
society, and we are glad to have had the privilege to interact with him. He will be remembered by his smile, by his inspiring passion, and by his true friendship. We will keep
working for the success of the things that he believed in and encouraged us to work
together for. He will stay alive in our memories and our hearts.
Certifcation Review | association news
ISA Certifed Automation Professional (CAP) program
C
ertifed Automation Professionals (CAPs) are responsible
for the direction, design, and deployment of systems and
equipment for manufacturing and control systems.
CAP question
Which of the following statements about fuzzy logic controllers
is true?
A. The rules for the fuzzy logic replacement for a proportional-integral (PI) controller have two antecedents and two consequents.
B. If-then statements are developed as backup rules in case of
system failure.
C. A fuzzy logic controller is tuned by adjusting the scale factors.
D. A fuzzy logic controller cannot replace a proportional-integralderivative (PID) controller unless the fuzzy controller is linear.
CAP answer
The correct answer is C, “A fuzzy logic controller is tuned by
adjusting the scale factors.”
A PI controller works to keep an output from the process,
termed the controlled variable (CV), at a desired operating point,
called the set point (SP), by adjusting an input to the process,
known as the manipulated variable (MV). The control error (E) is
the controlled variable minus the set point.
The CV, SP, and E in a PI control algorithm are converted to a
percent of measurement scale, and the MV is the percent of the
scale of whatever is manipulated, which could be a valve, speed,
or set point.
In a fuzzy logic algorithm, these variables are converted to a
fractional value from –1 to +1 based on scale factors that the
user must enter for each variable. A PI controller is tuned by adjusting the gain or proportional band and integral time settings.
A fuzzy logic controller is tuned by adjusting the scale factors.
Reference: Trevathan, Vernon L., A Guide to the Automation
Body of Knowledge, Second Edition, ISA, 2006
ISA Certifed Control Systems Technician (CCST)
program
C
ertifed Control System Technicians (CCSTs) calibrate, document, troubleshoot, and repair/replace instrumentation
for systems that measure and control level, temperature,
pressure, fow, and other process variables.
CCST question
Which of the following is most typical regarding loop diagrams?
A. They are relatively inexpensive to produce.
B. They are produced on an as-needed basis after the plant is
running.
C. They show both the minimum and optional items that are
required.
D. They are typically developed by a company’s engineering staff.
CCST answer
The correct answer is B, “They are produced on an as-needed
basis after the plant is running.”
Some plant owners do not believe that loop diagrams are worth
their cost (which can be considerable), and they are not typically
included in a design package. Therefore, the diagrams are often
included on an as-needed basis after the plant is running.
Reference: Goettsche, L. D. (Editor), Maintenance of Instruments
and Systems, Second Edition, ISA, 2005
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
45
Control
valves –
an update
By Hans D. Baumann,
Ph.D., P.E.
A
fter the hectic activity of the 1980s and
1990s, especially on the international
level through the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), efforts to either refne or create new standards
have slowed considerably. Past activities led
to a spate of standards yielding more accurate
sizing, due to a better understanding of fuid
dynamics, as related to valves, and even equations to predict fuid-induced noise from both
liquids and gases. However, current efforts
both in ISA and IEC-TC 65B, WG 9 committees
primarily revolve around maintenance of existing standards.
Although such inactivity and lack of basic research may have saved companies money, it
points to the sad fact that we do not see any more
scientifc papers based on laboratory experiments by major valve companies. This, in turn,
refects the lack of basic new valve types coming
on the market. Of course, this may just be a sign
that the control valve industry is maturing, which
is also apparent from the fact that more than 85
percent of all control valves sold in today’s market
were developed in the 1960s. The bulk of “new”
valves still rely on old technologies. While this
stagnation in the development of new control
valve technology may have been prudent from
an accountant point of view, well-established existing products do lack patent protection and are
easy prey to being “reverse-engineered” (copied)
here and abroad, which reduces market share
and ultimately proft for established companies.
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
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AUTOMATION BASICS
New control valve alternatives
Over the past 40 years, the market has adapted
to using rotary types of control valves to replace
globe-style valves, especially in larger sizes (typically above three inches) and for more moderate service conditions. The least expensive types
of rotary valves are butterfy valves. However,
until recently, a number of faws limited their
acceptance as fnal control elements:
1. They do not offer an equal percentage fow
characteristic (preferred by more than 80 percent of users).
2. Except for swing-through types, most butterfy valves have a high “breakaway” friction,
which tends to cause the travel to overshoot,
leading to instability. This also limits the
rangeability, or turndown, of such valves, because one should not control below fve degrees of opening, in order to avoid this pitfall.
3. Conventional butterfy valves have high dynamic torque due to the airplane wing effect
of the fat vane surfaces. Again, this can be
a cause for instability and for the need for
larger, more expensive actuators.
In an effort to overcome these negative effects, several new butterfy valve innovations
have recently come on the market. One of
these, called a Control-Disk, is manufactured
by Fisher Controls, a division of Emerson,
whose engineers added controlling profles on
A
a basically metal-seated, double-eccentric butterfy valve, which then gives the valve an equal
percentage inherent fow characteristic. Another patented idea, centered around rubberlined valves, is presented by Lilly Engineering
Company, Inc., of Itasca Ill., with their Z-Disk.
It claims to overcome all the detriments listed
In an effort to overcome these negative effects, several
new butterfy valve innovations have recently come on
the market.
above, making this valve also a serious competitor for globe-style control valves and other
more expensive rotary valves.
What is of interest here is that the vane has no
profled surfaces in order to create an equal percentage fow characteristic (fgure 2), but relies
solely on the exponential change in the cosine of
the opening angle (distance B in fgure 1).
New ways to fght noise and cavitation
In line with upgrading butterfy valves for more
demanding service, Yeary Controls of Chicago
came up with a novel way to upgrade conventional on-off butterfy valves for more demanding control applications. They used a relatively
low-cost butterfy valve and added a control
device consisting of a slotted structure, where
the slots are separated by teeth having interior curved surfaces dimensioned to cooper-
15˚
30˚
Comparison ideal to tested characteristic
C
B
A. Full width contact allows
tight shut off and low
break-away friction, in
contrast to shearing
action by fat vanes.
B. Gradual opening ensures
equal percentage
characteristic and high
rangeability.
C. Bidirectional pockets
provide fuid impingement to prevent torque
reversal.
Figure 1. A novel-type butterfy valve offering several
unique features to make it suitable for automatic
control in process applications
Source: Lilly Engineering
Percent of rated flow at constant pressure drop
C
Characteristic based
on test data
120
Ideal equal percentage
characteristic per ISA
100
80
60
40
20
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Valve travel in 10 percentages
8
9
10
Figure 2. A typical inherent fow characteristic of the valve type shown in
fgure 1 compared to an ideal equal percentage one
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
47
AUTOMATION BASICS
Figure 3. A 36-inch shark-tooth-equipped
butterfy valve is readied for shipment to
a power plant.
Source: Zwick Controls, GMBH
ate with the camming portion of the
rotating vane. This exposes selected
slots to fow, designed to convert the
heretofore near-linear characteristic of the basic butterfy valve into an
equal percentage one. In addition to
this function, the width of the teeth is
selected to produce jet sizes for gases
having higher peak frequencies, where
sound is more readily absorbed by the
pipe wall, thus reducing noise by up
to 15 dBA. The slots also allow higher
pressure drops for liquids due to the
increase in the coeffcient of incipient
cavitation. However, even if cavitation
occurs, the slots ensure that the length
of the emanating cavitating jet is very
short, thus protecting the pipe from
structural damage. Higher peak frequencies reduce the overall noise level
of throttled liquids as well.
Related to protecting the environment from unwanted noise, Yeary
Controls also came up with a novel approach. Control valves always relied
on two basic ways to reduce throttling
noise. One way is to use special trims,
usually slotted plugs or cages, to reduce
sound within the valve itself. The other
approach is to use downstream soundabsorbing devices, such as silencers or
plates having many small perforations.
The latter are very effective if the fow
rate stays fairly constant, say between
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
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100 percent and 50 percent of
rated fow. This is due to the constant number and sizes of the
perforations. To overcome this
problem, the Yeary device, called
a varying area diffuser (VAD), has
a pressure-activated sliding piston with a multitude of holes cooperating with an equal number
of holes in a static cylinder. Here
the piston travels at a distance of
little more than the diameter of
one hole. By moving the piston
in proportion to the fow rate,
holes partly overlap, and therefore change the total throttling
area as needed. This procedure
works quite well, and the device
is equally suited for gases and
liquids. Typically only 15 or 20
psi are allocated as pressure drop
across an accompanying conventional control valve, which responds
to a controlling signal from a process
controller, while the rest of the pressure differential is absorbed by the VAD.
This device has a very short response
time, typically within one second. It can
therefore absorb minor process upsets
before the master control valve is able
to respond. This produces a very stable
control loop. Surprisingly too, the pressure recovery factor (FL) is very high
(0.98). This, together with the relatively
small sizes of the numerous passages,
creates little ambient noise for both liquid and gaseous fuids.
The computer helps
I well remember when control valves
were sized with special slide rules.
Gratefully, we now have very sophisticated computer programs that can
handle not only sizing equations,
which have become much more complicated over the years, but fairly accurate noise predictions as well.
Yet, in addition, there are programs
that can be very helpful in the design
of valve passages for fow optimization. One such program, for example,
can predict the velocity and the pressure profle of virtual fuid passing the
passages of a proposed control valve
body. This saves much time in building
and fow testing actual hardware. In the
Figure 4. Sectional view of a variable resistance diffuser (a control valve would have
been attached to the smaller fange). Valve upstream pressure moves the piston against
a spring force and the downstream pressure of the fuid emanating from the control
valve. Thus, the combination spring plus control valve downstream pressure less the upstream pressure defnes the low pressure drop across the conventional control valve. The
balance of the upstream pressure is reduced by the perforated passages. Note, all holes
move in unison, hence the short travel.
Source: Yeary Controls, Inc.
AUTOMATION BASICS
example shown in fgure 5, such a program is used by the Watson-McDaniel
Co. to maximize the fow capacity of
a newly designed 2-inch globe valve,
helping the designer by streamlining
the fow passages to achieve a competitive fow capacity, despite an only
6-inch face-to-face dimension.
Economic outlook
Not being left alone, control valve
manufacturers participated in the outsourcing trend that began in earnest in
2000. It started with the search for less
expensive materials, such as iron castings from Brazil or stainless investment
castings from Korea. Later, lower-wage
opportunities enticed valve companies to form subsidiaries in countries
such as China and India. However, the
rapidly rising wages in those countries
caused a shift of control valve production to closer venues, such as Mexico.
Foreign plants became primarily suppliers for local markets.
Fortunately, there is still little to fear
from foreign manufacturers of control valves trying to import to the U.S.
market. Control valves, especially for
the large U.S. petrochemical market,
are typically custom build to meet
specifc process conditions. In addition, local vendors are preferred due
to their established reputation and
ease of communication.
At present, the market outlook is
mildly optimistic, primarily due to the
recent new opportunities found in fracking for natural gas and in the conversion
of power plants from coal to natural gas.
Additional export opportunities exist
in China, considering their high rate of
nuclear power plant construction. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hans D. Baumann, Ph.D., P.E., an honorary
member of ISA, is a world-renown control
valve expert. He is the holder of 103 U.S.
patents and the author of the ISA books
Control Valve Primer and How to File Your
Own U.S. Patent Application. In addition,
he is the coauthor of several books on automatic controls and acoustics, as well as
the author of management books.
Figure 5. Computer view of static pressure pattern in a virtual globe valve prototype.
Red colors designate high inlet pressures; blue designates the lowest pressure.
Source: Watson-McDaniel Co.
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
49
workforce development | Professional Growth
Workforce development: It’s a team effort
By Graham Nasby, P.E., PMP
I
t was more than 25 years ago that
American author Robert Fulghum
penned his book All I Really Need to
Know I Learned in Kindergarten. In this
short, but witty, book he talks about
how the many skills that we use day
to day in our jobs are based on foundational skills that we learn in our frst
year of school. Play nice, listen, share,
put things back where you found
them, clean up your own mess . . . you
get the idea.
As we age, however, many of us seem
to forget these important lessons. We
forget that to learn new things requires
effort, and you have to work with others
to accomplish new things; thus, we end
up with the boondoggle now known as
workforce development.
Put simply, workforce development
is about making sure that our workers,
whether they be young or old, have the
skills to support our many industries.
Decades ago, industry usually addressed
this need: plants would hire young people, often right out of high school, and
then spend years training them how to
do their jobs. For many years this system
worked well, but modern economic realities make this approach less feasible.
Many industries simply cannot afford to
retain the steady numbers of staff that
they used to, so the question is what can
we do instead?
Many in our sector like the appeal of
simple solutions: Make the employers do
this, as they are the ones profting from
the workers; colleges/universities should
be providing employment-ready grads;
the government should be picking up the
slack and providing training programs; or
all should fall to the employees, as they
are really the ones who should be looking after their own destinies. The problem with each of these approaches is
that, just like our industry is saying, the
task is simply too large for any one group
to do it alone.
So, instead, we need to work together,
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
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with each of us taking on a role. That is
not to say that this proposed cooperation will not take effort. If we all take
on part of the responsibility for workforce development and share the load,
the task is not as insurmountable as it
seems.
Let’s take a look at some of the things
we can do together:
In our high schools, we need to ensure that courses in science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM) are readily available for all students, and that
students are encouraged to take them.
We also need to make sure students
learn to read and write properly, so they
can effectively communicate when they
enter the workforce.
also not be afraid of hiring someone who
they can train into a job, rather than always looking for ready-made skill sets.
Studies have shown that empowered
long-term employees are generally more
productive.
Governments, through good policy,
can put in place favorable programs to
encourage employers to cultivate employees. Well-applied tax breaks and grants
can foster healthy companies, which can
then afford to develop their workforces.
Cities and towns can also create favorable
business conditions to encourage businesses to stay in their locale and maintain
stable workforces.
Technical associations, like ISA, also
have an important role to play by provid-
Employers should also not be afraid of hiring someone who
they can train into a job, rather than always looking for
ready-made skill sets. Studies have shown that empowered
long-term employees are generally more productive.
In our colleges/universities, we need
to ensure both theoretical and hands-on
programs are readily available, at an affordable cost, to give students the background they need to start their careers.
We also need to make sure that programs
are available not just for young people,
but also for those upgrading their skills or
pursuing second careers due to job loss
or because of a new interest. It is also
critical that employers take an active role
by providing feedback on the skills that
they most need from program graduates,
to keep education relevant to modern
business needs.
Employers need to spend the time and
effort to continue to develop their employees. This does not mean just training
courses, but also a combination of onthe-job training, mentoring employees,
and ensuring employees are given the opportunities to grow their skills over time
with new challenges. Employers should
ing technical resources, such as publications, conferences, and training courses,
as well as networking communities, to
support the development of workers over
the course of their careers.
The above are just a few examples of
how we can work together to solve the
workforce development challenge. As
Fulghum put it, “when you go out into
the world, watch out for traffc, hold
hands, and stick together.” Together
we can take the issue of workforce development and turn it into one of our
largest competitive advantages. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Graham Nasby, P.E., PMP, (graham.nasby@
eramosa.com) is the director of the ISA
Water/Wastewater Division and a voting
member of the ISA18 alarm management
standards committee. Nasby works as a
senior instrumentation and control engineer with Eramosa Engineering Inc.
New Benchmarks & Metrics | standards
Confronting a growing crisis in industrial
calibration and maintenance
A
new draft of a recommended
practice (RP), Management of a
Calibration Program for Monitoring and Control Systems, has been prepared by ISA105 Chair Jim Federlein, P.E.,
based on review comments received earlier
this year. However, Federlein is seeking additional input from ISA members with calibration and maintenance experience and
expertise to fll in some gaps and further
develop the draft before committee voting.
Workforce and other economic factors directly affect the maintenance levels in most
industries. As a result, many facilities have
increased the calibration intervals for monitoring and control systems and their components. In some cases, facilities have simply
eliminated routine calibration checks. The
result is decreased accuracy and increased
failure rates, clearly affecting operations in
many negative ways, including safety.
The purpose of the ISA105 RP is to provide the basic framework for developing
and maintaining a consistent calibration program for industrial automation and control
systems, including instrumentation used in
safety instrumented systems. The intended
audience is any company that uses instrumentation to monitor and control a process
or facility. The RP will provide guidance for
establishing a calibration program. It will give
consistent requirements and methodologies
related to verifying and calibrating monitoring and control systems by considering the
accuracy of each loop required by a process
and then adjusting loop component(s) to
achieve that loop accuracy.
Accurate, reliable, and repeatable operation of loops in monitoring and control
systems is vital to maintaining the safety
and reliability of a facility. A properly implemented and maintained calibration program directly contributes to the assurance
of the desired operation. Such a program
establishes periodic assessments to monitor control system performance. Data acquired during these assessments not only
helps establish future calibration intervals,
but also is critical in the allocation of capital
and operational resources. Clearly defned
policy and procedures support the efforts
of maintenance planners to schedule adequate labor and equipment for calibration
both during and between facility outages,
reduce the likelihood of human errors due
to improper practices, and help ensure the
desired results of the calibration efforts.
Companies that employ automation
professionals will continue to lose large
numbers of senior technical and engineering staff members in the coming years.
Outsourcing can make the situation worse,
as many companies are no longer capable
of producing qualifed automation pro-
fessionals. Moreover, manufacturers and
companies providing the needed technical
support are themselves facing a growing
shortage of experienced automation professionals. Whether companies use internal
resources or rely on contractors, following
ISA105’s guidelines to develop a calibration program will enable them to capture
critical knowledge about their automation
instrumentation and systems.
For information about helping with
this vital ISA105 project, contact Charley
Robinson, ISA Standards, crobinson@isa.
org or 1-919-990-9213. n
Update on ISA nuclear and fossil fuel power plant standards
ISA67, Nuclear Power Plant Standards, and ISA77, Fossil Power Plant Standards, met
on 5–6 June 2014 in conjunction with the annual ISA Power Industry Division Symposium to review recent ballot comments and plan new areas for potential work.
ISA67 has recently revised and published ANSI/ISA-67.02.01-2014, Nuclear SafetyRelated Instrument Sensing Line Piping and Tubing Standard for Use in Nuclear Power
Plants (www.isa.org/store/products/product-detail/?productId=116682). The committee is currently working on revisions to standards covering the topics of sensors, leak
detection, set points, and performance monitoring.
ISA67 attendees also discussed areas of work applying to existing plants, newly
constructed reactors, and the increased worldwide concern for safety. They explored
the need for additional guidance and identifying an appropriate means to provide
such guidance on:
n nuclear human factors
n resistance temperature detectors cross calibration
n set point control programs
n calibration of loops by normalization
ISA77 recently revised and published ISA-TR77.42.02-2014, Fossil Fuel Power Plant
Compensated Differential Pressure Based Drum Level Measurement (www.isa.org/store/
products/product-detail/?productId=31980721). ISA77 subcommittees currently are fnalizing standards on turbine steam bypass systems and unit/plant demand development.
Standards on steam turbine control, boiler combustion control, human-machine interface
and hard panel alarms, tracking/reporting instrument documentation, and instrument piping, recently submitted for reaffrmation ballot, gathered considerable comments and may
need to be revised. ISA77.22, Power Plant Automation, and ISA77.30, Dynamic Performance for Power Plant Control Systems, handle the majority of document preparation and
review through web meetings and are close to voting on their documents.
To respond to the needs of the power industry, ISA77 is also considering new
standard topics including:
n soft station hierarchy
n once-through boiler control strategy designs, such as the fring rate/feedwater rate loop
n other controls in new once-through boiler designs
Both the nuclear and fossil power plant standards committees are seeking additional members. Contact Eliana Brazda at ebrazda@isa.org for more information.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
51
product spotlight | Valves
Focus on valves
Universal valve actuator
The universal valve actuator
permits a single motor and
control software to operate
almost any Valco or Cheminert rotary valve, both two position and multiposition. The
company’s valves and selectors, with their wide range of
turning torques, are covered
by three actuator versions:
high speed, medium speed/
medium torque, and high
torque. Actuators include a
universal 24-volt DC power
supply and manual interface. An original equipment manufacturer version that excludes
these items is also available. The universal actuator is CE/RoHS compliant and has a
variety of interface options, including RS232/485, USB, and BCD.
Valco Instruments Co., www.vici.com
Pneumatic control valves
If an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) wanted additional control functionality
for a pneumatic actuator, then it would traditionally have to add multiple components.
For example, the OEM would use a one-way fow control valve for speed control, an
air-piloted check valve for stopping cylinder movement and maintaining position, and
a manual override valve to release trapped air when servicing. Three different components would be purchased and bolted together, which add height to the actuator and
make installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance more complex. Additional components increase the potential for compressed air leakage.
The VFOF, model LE-BAH, adds control functionality without these problems by providing
one-way speed control, manual override, and emergency stop functionality—holding a piston’s position even in the vertical position—in a single compact unit. The unit bolts directly
to the actuator port and lies fat against the actuator. The unit’s multiple ports are clearly
labeled to aid installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance. Another model of the VFOF
offers straightforward speed control in one direction in the compact form of the new series.
The VBNF control valve has emergency stop and manual override in one unit. The VBQF
has two options: manual override with
a silencer and manual override
without a silencer.
Festo,
www.festo.com/us
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
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Stainless-steel
ball valve
The series WE31
automated
three-way
NPT stainless-steel
ball valve
has great
fow rates
with minimal
pressure drop.
The valve has a
blowout-proof stem,
reinforced PTFE seats
and seals, and a
316SS (ASTM CF8M) ball. Actuators are
direct mounted, creating a compact assembly for tight spaces. Companies can
mount limit switches directly to the valves
for remote position indication.
The series WE31 can be confgured
with either an electric or pneumatic actuator. Electric actuators are available in
weatherproof or explosion-proof, a variety of supply voltages, and two-position
modulating control. Two-position actuators use the supply voltage to drive the
valve open or closed, while the modulating actuator accepts a 4–20 mA input for
valve positioning. Actuators have thermal
overload protection and a permanently
lubricated gear train. The pneumatic
double-acting actuator uses an air supply to drive the valve open and closed.
The actuator has two supply ports, with
one driving the valve open, and the other
driving the valve closed. Spring-return
pneumatic actuators use the air supply
to open the valve, and internally loaded
springs return the valve to the closed
position. Also available is the SN solenoid valve to electrically switch the air
supply pressure between the air supply
ports for opening and closing the valve.
Actuators are constructed of anodized
and epoxy-coated aluminum.
Dwyer Instruments, www.dwyer-inst.com
Hot Stuff for the Automation Market | products & resources
Bulk storage tank relief valve
The Fisher type 63EGLP bulk storage tank
relief valve, typically used on 30,000 gallon and larger propane tank applications,
has 40 percent more relief capacity, 20
percent less weight for easier installation,
and reduced maintenance costs compared to traditional multiport relief valves.
The UL-certifed relief valve is approved
for bulk propane storage relief installations compliant with NFPA 58.
The valve incorporates an accurate pilotcontrolling valve that has been used for decades in petrochemical and natural gas applications. The dual-pilot design provides
high-accuracy relief and the ability to service one pilot while the other pilot controls
the relief valve for uninterrupted relief protection, helping to minimize maintenance
time and costs. With an increased capacity,
ease of installation, reduced maintenance
costs, and a history of decades of accurate,
dependable service in the petrochemical
industry, the 63EGLP provides great value
to the propane industry.
Emerson Process Management,
www.emersonprocess.com
Servo proportional valve
The
AxisPro
servo proportional
valve
has embedded
intelligence
that enables
increased
productivity, fexibility,
diagnostics,
and
reliability. The valve
is suitable for
industrial applications in the plastics machinery, metal forming, processing equipment, and alternative energy markets.
Built-in motion control allows the device
to be integrated into distributed control architectures, which in turn reduces
wiring costs and machine build time. Its
LED indicators and intelligent, onboard
diagnostic capability indicate if the valve
is functioning properly and helps predict
potential maintenance issues to improve
machine reliability and uptime.
Available with centralized and distributed control capabilities, the valve is designed around open standards and built
on the IEC-611311-3 programming standard for application fexibility. Using the
company’s Pro-F software, the valve can
be confgured to optimize valve availability and inventory levels. The four levels
of control enable the custom design of a
wide range of motion control solutions to
meet exact control requirements.
Eaton, www.eaton.com
confgured to optimize overall network
communication performance and enable
end users to download status and diagnostic information of critical valve actuators more frequently. A built-in network
time protocol synchronizes time with the
host controller, resulting in harmonized
date- and time-stamped diagnostic logging. When an alarm is triggered, an
email notifcation is automatically sent to
facility operators.
The device can serve as an interface device between the host and the valve actuator network, or it can stand on its own.
Flowserve, www.fowserve.com
Temperature control
The Unistream line has a PT100 temperature control I/O module, UIS-04PTN. It has
dual CPUs, a variety of HMI touch panels,
and effortless local and remote I/O installation. Users have remote access through
PCs, tablets, and smartphones via VNC;
the device also allows them to cut their
system’s programming time by 50 per-
Valve actuator control
The Limitorque Master Station III provides
complete control, monitoring, and diagnostics for up to
250 Limitorque
valve actuators.
The Master Station III’s modular,
hot-swappable,
redundant design
reduces commissioning and confguration time. If
Perpetua Power Pucks provide continuous
the active modreliable power for wireless sensors.
ule fails, the device initiates the
Power Puck®
standby module
Energy Harvesters
to
immediately
take over the network for seamless
control. When a
module needs to
be replaced or
repaired, it can
be removed, and
a new module
Certified Intrinsically Safe
+1 503-922-3169
can be installed
without
taking
the device offine,
reducing
costly
downtime.
Contact us to set up Power Puck evaluations at your site.
Also, the slave
www.perpetuapower.com/eval
register
polling
schedule can be
Don’t worry
about wireless
battery life.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
53
products & resources | Hot Stuff for the Automation Market
cent, because it anticipates the programmer’s intentions and enables the reuse of
written code. Users can also reach and
edit data and monitor, troubleshoot, and
debug their system with the library of
PLC-embedded apps called UniApps.
With four RTD inputs per module (up to
16 modules) and temperature capabilities
ranging from –328°F (–200°C) to 1,562°F
(850°C), the device provides temperature
control for industries such as HVAC, food,
and pharmaceutical. Users simply select
their preferred HMI, snap on a CPU, and
then snap on the UIS-04PTN I/O module
to create an all-in-one temperature measurement controller. Users can select devices in the confguration that suits their
precise application requirements. The
PT100 module may be either snapped
onto the back of a UniStream HMI panel next to a CPU to create an all-in-one
HMI and PLC controller, or installed on a
standard DIN rail using a local expansion
adapter to avoid wiring to the door.
Unitronics, Inc., www.unitronics.com
Adaptable to suit any type of valve,
the actuator delivers a maximum output
torque of 45 Nm (400lbf in). Available
for a range of single-phase or DC power
supplies, the design combines a brushless motor with permanently lubricated,
high-effciency gears to achieve accurate,
responsive, and continuous modulating
control. Rotary output speed is adjustable
down to 50 percent of full speed.
The actuator enclosure is environmentally sealed to IP67 as standard and available with ATEX, IECEX, FM, and GOST
hazardous-area certifcation. The wide ambient operating temperature range (–20 to
+65°C for explosion-proof models and –30
to +70°C for watertight models) facilitates
long-term reliability and maintenance-free
operation in the harshest environments.
Rotork, www.rotork.com
Pipeline valves
Electric actuator for choke valves
The CMR-250/GB3 electric actuator for
choke valves meets requirements for lowpower, high-torque modulating control in
a compact package for applications including severe service upstream wellhead
production and injection valves. The low
power requirement and a 24-VDC option
enables solar powered and battery backup supplies to be introduced in remote
locations, whilst the all-electric technology delivers considerable system simplifcation and economy in any environment
by eliminating the ongoing costs associated with an instrument air supply.
54
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
The NITRA solenoid pipeline valves control media such as air, oil, water, and inert
gas. All valves are two-position, normally
closed, spring-return styles with 24 VAC,
24 VDC, or 120 VAC solenoids, and are
ftted with DIN-style wire connectors.
Depending on the series, valves are
offered with port sizes from 1/8-inch to
1-inch FNPT. Valve models are available
in two-way and three-way diaphragm
styles; two-way and three-way poppet
styles and two-way media-separated diaphragm styles are also available. NITRA
pipeline valves are suitable for applications such as pneumatic air line shutoff,
HVAC systems, coffee and vending machines, and inert gas blankets.
AutomationDirect,
www.automationdirect.com
Security devices
The FL mGuard RS2000 and RS4000 family
of security and connectivity devices now
has Class I, Division 2 approval. This approval means that the mGuard appliances can
now be used to protect and connect industrial networks in many hazardous locations.
These locations include oil refneries, offshore platforms, and wastewater treatment
facilities. The FL mGuard family of products
is built around security. IT-friendly features,
such as an industrial frewall for traffc fltering, auditing and logging capabilities, and
antimalware ensure network protection.
Additionally, the routing capabilities allow
seamless connection to IT or enterprise networks. The optional virtual private network
can create a secure remote connection over
the Internet. A technician or central plant
worker can communicate with remote
equipment and end customer sites.
Phoenix Contact, www.phoenixcontact.com
I/O modules
The Lumberg I/O network-ruggedized (LioN-R) modules allow actuators and sensors
to connect to controllers via Profbus-DP.
The modules have a fully enclosed metal
housing that withstands welding sparks,
flings, aggressive coolants, and lubricants.
The galvanic isolation of the sensors and
actuators from the higher-level bus system
protects from interference. Standardized
M12 connection technology reduces the
time and effort required for installation,
maintenance, and storage. The modules are
primarily intended for mechanical engineering, with typical applications in metal processing, material handling, welding lines,
and automation systems, such as those in
food and beverage applications. The LioN-R
I/O modules are available in three versions:
16 digital input (DI) channels, 16 digital
output (DO) channels, or a combination of
eight DI and eight DO channels.
Belden, Inc., www.belden.com
ISA salutes
our partners.
Through the ISA Corporate Partnerships Program,
leading companies have joined together to invest
in the future and work together to solve the
problems our industries face. Automation
professionals around the world will benefit
from their support of ISA, and we’re
proud to recognize their contributions.
We accomplish more together than we
ever could alone. So, on behalf of ISA
members, leaders, and customers
everywhere, let us humbly say...
Thank you.
Learn more about our partners at
www.isa.org/partners
Learn more about becoming a partner at:
www.isa.org/partnershipsoverview
3eTI
ad index
InTech advertisers are pleased to provide additional information about their products and services. To obtain further information, please contact the
advertiser using the contact information contained in their ads or the web address shown here.
Advertiser
Page #
Advertiser
Page #
Advertiser
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Adalet .......................................................8
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Collins Instrument ....................................25
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GE Power and Water ...............................39
www.ge-energy.com
ARC Advisory Group ...............................56
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Daisy Data Displays .................................31
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Geico .........................................................19
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Arjay Engineering Ltd. ............................40
www.arjayeng.com
Emerson Process Management .....Cover 4
www.emersonprocess.com
Honeywell ................................. 35, Cover 3
www.honeywellprocess.com
Assured Automation................................18
www.assuredautomation.com
Endress + Hauser, Inc. ..................... Cover 2
www.endress.com
ISA .............................................................55
www.isa.org
Beamex ......................................................6
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Festo..........................................................20
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INTECH Process Auto ...............................29
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ITS Enclosures .............................................9
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Moore Industries .......................................3
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Perpetua Power Source Technologies ....53
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Prime Technologies ..................................41
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ProComSol, Ltd. .......................................40
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Siemens Energy .......................................15
www.usa.siemens.com
SSP Instrumentation ...............................34
www.my-ssp-usa.com
Valve Accessories and Control ................49
www.vacaccessories.com
Contact InTech today:
Richard T. Simpson
Advertising Sales Representative
Phone: +1 919-414-7395
Email: rsimpson@automation.com
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Advertising Sales Representative
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View and download the InTech media
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INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
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classifeds
datafle
Datafles list useful literature on products and services that are available
from manufacturers in the instrumentation and process-control industry.
To receive free copies of this literature, please contact each manufacturer
via their provided contact information.
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Plus Maintenance Books,
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Sample of Jobs Available at ISAJobs.isa.org
See more at ISAJobs.isa.org, where you can search for available jobs or advertise positions available within your
company. ISA Members post resumes at no charge.
Instrument electrician
Calumet Montana Refning: The instrument electrician/analytical craftsman works in the maintenance department in Great Falls,
Mont., and should have a working knowledge of PLCs, be familiar with ABB or similar DCS controls and analytical monitors
for continuous stack emissions, and know how to install and calibrate various transmitters. The union shop work week consists
of four 10-hour days, with 1½ times pay for overtime. Candidates should have documented previous experience or provide
accredited certifcation (Electrical Journeyman’s card or ISA certifcation) to be considered. Previous refnery or related industry
experience is preferred . . . see more at ISAJobs.org.
Product development engineer
Ingersoll Rand: The product development engineer, working in Davidson, N.C., generates, evaluates, analyzes, and develops
new designs for ARO fuid system components and assemblies. This position is the technical lead in the efforts to develop and
introduce new global products. The engineer will initiate studies of new and existing designs to incorporate product features,
performance advancements, and disruptive technologies. The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of fve years of engineering or product development experience and pump engineering experience. He or she will be
profcient with 3D CAD modeling and detailing, preferably with Pro/Engineer . . . see more at ISAJobs.org.
Enterprise integration operations manager
MAVERICK Technologies: The operation manager, working in the Northeast or Midwest U.S. region, will lead the enterprise
integration team and manage its operations, including driving strategic operating plans and being accountable for proft and
loss in support of the overall business strategy. Requirements include 10 or more years of experience with manufacturing execution systems or manufacturing operations management; demonstrated effectiveness in strategically managing large projects,
resources, and business operations effciently and effectively; and strong leadership and communication skills. Food and beverage industry experience is preferred . . . see more at ISAJobs.org.
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
57
the fnal say | Views from Automation Leaders
The industrial sector: An environment uniquely
vulnerable to cyberattacks
By Mary Ramsey
C
ybersecurity is a growing international concern. Global insurance
market Lloyd’s of London’s Risk Index 2013 rated cybersecurity the number
three top threat to the global economy in
2013, up from number 12 the previous
year. With the rise of cybercrime, it is important for companies and organizations
to understand their unique vulnerabilities
to this type of crime. Many governmentfocused attacks originate from entities in
developing countries interested in growing their critical infrastructure (such as for
power, chemical, water, oil and gas), and
who are looking at successful companies
and entities to understand how they design
and operate their systems. These industries,
along with their corresponding industrial
and manufacturing production facilities,
have unique vulnerabilities to cyberattacks.
Safeguarding infrastructurecritical industries
A change in the industrial landscape and
increased vulnerabilities are prompting
industrial facility managers and operators
to implement security practices tailored to
safeguard their network infrastructures.
It is important for a facility manager
to understand the unique characteristics
of his or her industrial environment and
where cybersecurity actions should be
applied. Below are six key steps for operating facilities according to the highest
possible security standards.
n Security plan: Have a plan that includes
critical asset identifcation, policies,
and procedures to cover risk assessment, risk mitigation, and methods to
recover from disaster.
n Network separation: Separate the industrial automation and control system from other networks by creating
“demilitarized zones” to protect the
industrial system from enterprise network requests and messages.
n Perimeter protection: Use frewalls,
authentication, authorizations, virtual
private networks (IPsec), and anti58
INTECH JULY/AUGUST 2014
WWW.ISA.ORG
n
n
n
malware software to prevent unauthorized access.
Network segmentation: Contain a potential security breach to only the affected segment by using frewalls and
virtual local area networks to divide
the network into subnetworks and by
restricting traffc between segments.
This helps contain the malware impact
to one network segment, thus limiting
damage to the entire network.
Device hardening: Manage passwords,
defne user profles, and deactivate unused services to strengthen security on
devices.
Monitor and update: Do surveillance of
operator activity and network communications. Regularly update software
and frmware.
Vulnerable industrial environments
The increasingly open and collaborative
nature of industrial operations introduces
higher risk in these environments. In the
past, industrial networks were primarily isolated systems, running proprietary
control protocols, using specialized hardware and software. These days, systems
are networked on IP-based, wireless, and
mobile systems that are more open to
attack. What’s more, legacy control systems were not designed to contend with
current threat levels.
Inadequate end user awareness and
end user inertia lead to increased vulnerability. End users in critical infrastructure environments are often better organized in their cybersecurity defense.
However, many end users in other industries (including manufacturing) are
either unaware of the risk of cyberattacks or reluctant to implement security
strategies in their enterprises, because
investments in cybersecurity do not appear to have a tangible return on investment. This leads to a complacent “wait
and watch” approach that only mandatory regulation or the unfortunate
instance of a cyberattack may change.
Increased
need for realtime
operational data has
propagated
the use of
commercial
off-the-shelf
information technology solutions in industrial environments. This has changed the
playing feld, and the gradual shift toward
“connected” network solutions in the industrial space has caused control systems
to face increased exposure to malware
and security threats that are targeted at
commercial systems. Inadequately skilled
workers leave the industry with gaps in its
knowledge base and expertise to protect
against attacks. Although the industrial
sector prides itself on a highly skilled workforce focused on automation systems, that
does not always translate into adequate expertise in industrial operational technology
networks. The skills gap weakens an organization’s ability to develop comprehensive
protection and prevention strategies.
Using security best practices
Cybersecurity incidents are escalating in
number and complexity. As industrial processes are integrated with outside networks, plants are at risk, and operations
teams need to implement cybersecurity best
practices. Cyberattacks are an ever-present
and an ever-evolving threat that require a
proactive and planned approach. To keep
their operations safe, organizations need to
look at their internal policies, procedures,
and culture, and work in close partnership
with their solutions providers. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Ramsey (IndustryBusiness@us.schneiderelectric.com) is senior vice president of the
U.S. industry business for Schneider Electric,
whose recent acquisition of Invensys now
allows the company to offer a strong competency in cybersecurity management.
perfect fit
Right-size your control with Experion® LX.
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system that is easy to use and maintain, reducing your total
cost to own. Experion LX incorporates proven Honeywell
control technology to manage continuous process control
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Straightforward configuration and advanced engineering tools
enable faster implementation to save you costs and time. Its flexibility allows you to buy
only what you need at first, then efficiently expand to meet growing and changing business
demands. It’s truly the right size for your control needs.
To learn more about Experion LX visit www.honeywellprocess.com.
©2014 Honeywell International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Unidentified condensate in steam systems
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prevent serious safety incidents and minimize production losses. With the Rosemount 708 Wireless Acoustic
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Rosemount 708 will enable you to prevent serious safety incidents and minimize production losses without
running all over the plant. Talk to Emerson. We’re the experts in wireless so you don’t have to be.
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The Emerson logo is a trademark and a service mark of Emerson Electric Co. © 2014 Emerson Electric Co.