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A robotics expert, formerly lead robotics engineer at General Motors, told experts at the Robotics Industry Forum, AIA Business Conference, and MCA Business Conference, in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 19, that the automotive industry can teach the rest of the world a lot about effective use of robotics. The food and beverage industry, though, doesn’t have robotics labs like automakers do, requiring greater cooperation with robotic suppliers and system integrators to make systems more flexible, adaptable, and easier to use, explained Terrence Southern, Frito-Lay North America, senior supply chain engineer. Southern, who now moves potato chips and Doritos through a plant instead of Hummers and Volts, discussed automation opportunities at Frito-Lay, part of PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP). Noting key differences, at GM there are approximately 500 robots per plant, helping to build three or four vehicles per plant with varied layouts. At Frito-Lay there are 20 to 30 robots, 200 stock keeping units (SKUs) per plant, with a lot of layout duplication and opportunities for many more robots, perhaps 300 more over the next five years, Southern suggested.  Same goals, new approach How can the industry accelerate savings related to efficiency and safety that robots bring? The food and beverage industry has few robot engineers, Southern explained. “We’re experts in seasoning potato chips. For robotic expertise, we’re looking for a renewed approach, with innovation, flexibility, and greater agility.” Simpler robotic interfaces, more like an Apple iPad, would be extremely useful. “When will I be able to program a robot on my iPhone?” he asked. “Robot engineers are experienced in robotics, machine vision, motion, and control systems. I’ve successfully programmed seven manufacturers’ robots,” Southern said, but having automation experience doesn’t necessarily translate into understanding robotic programming code or capabilities. Robots need to align with the workforce of tomorrow, he noted. “The robotic supplier shouldn’t have to get on a plane to take the robot to the ‘home’ position,” he said. Robotic system integrators and suppliers also need to understand that consumer product goods (CPG) and food and beverage industries need flexibility, agility, floor space savings, more efficient processes, facility safety, process accuracy, and flexible work cells to deal with high variation in product type. “We cannot keep buying new machines for each product,” he explained. No-touch vision The vision is to create a no-touch factory from raw materials to shipping for processing, casing, palletizing, pallet transfer, storage, and truck loading—while increasing speed and making product change-over faster, with easier mixing and matching of pallets. “We’re already doing palletizing, but casing is tough,” Southern said. Storage and truck loading also is difficult because of wide variability in package and pallet sizes. Finally, all involved need to consider robotics as a platform, not just a piece of equipment, in a lifecycle model, considering not only capital costs but support, maintenance, and other factors for higher predictability and repeatability, he said. Frito-Lay robotic palletizing requires 50% less space, 25% lower cost, and 50% fewer install hours than prior methods. He hopes to extend palletizing benefits to other areas, including using machine vision to inspect and robotics to sort pallets with defects. Unloading pallets from trucks is particularly challenging because loads shift. In the next five years, Southern said, expects Frito-Lay is considering additional robotic investments in 25-30 North American facilities, and globally, as well. “New metrics include getting the total lifecycle costs right, making systems plug and play so they work and can be up and running in two to three days, along with world-class service and performance. We want to take a global approach, look at what people do, and mimic what they do for faster robot learning. Robots also help with better use of space and skilled labor shortages. We’ll start a project at a test center first, pilot a department, and then do a national rollout. And we won’t do a project if we cannot apply it to at least 10 facilities,” he said. Southern said, “Compared to fixed automation, robotics can offer greater flexibility and lower costs, but regarding applications and operations, many companies don’t even know what they don’t know.” - Mark T. Hoske is content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering. Reach him at mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.controleng.com  www.pepsico.com/Brands/Frito_Lay-Brands.html Other news from the conference: - If your 2011 was good, 2012 will be better http://www.controleng.com/single-article/if-your-2011-was-good-2012-will-be-better/23fae3dbd5.html  - Robotics, vision, motion groups progress in 2012 http://www.controleng.com/home/single-article/robotics-vision-motion-groups-progress-in-2012/f81bd30416.html  - Vogl named chairman for motion control group http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/more-news/single-article/vogl-named-chairman-for-motion-control-group/4d56f31d32.html 

Measuring temperature accurately has always been one of the most important and difficult things to do when monitoring the safety of critical vessels in refineries and other industrial plants. Extreme temperatures and non-uniform temperature gradients make it nearly impossible for traditional measurement methods to monitor every critical point or to obtain complete data. Without accurate and early detection of temperature changes, the likelihood of failure-related problems increases, creating safety and reliability issues. The consequences of undetected failures can be very serious and pose extreme safety risks if a vessel isn’t properly monitored. A rupture in chemical reactors, storage tanks, and piping systems can all lead to catastrophic loss of life, product, and capacity. These all require sophisticated monitoring techniques to spot irregular temperatures and trends that precede unsafe and costly problems. For many years, thermocouple systems and fiber optic sensors have been viewed as the traditional solution for temperature measurement in vessel monitoring applications. Yet, these types of sensors can be both unreliable and cost prohibitive to install and operate. They typically utilize wired or fiber optic networks and employ point sensors which only monitor the temperature of discrete points on the outside of a vessel. This can result in inaccurate measurements due to skin temperature gradients. In addition, failures of thermocouples leave dangerous holes in overall monitoring schemes until replacement or repair can be made. Of course, missing points in the monitoring scheme put the critical vessel, plant, and staff at risk when unexpected hot spots arise. One primary reason legacy sensors have accuracy and maintenance problems is that they must be attached or adhered to the surface of the shell or skin of the vessel. The harsh and hot environment leads to degradation of connections, failed junctions, delamination, separation from the surface, and ongoing maintenance expense and hassle. Over time, as the heat and weather elements degrade these traditional sensors, plant personnel and management lose confidence in monitoring systems that were supposed to safeguard the equipment. Innovative thermal imaging systems, however, have demonstrated how radiometric thermography has evolved into a mature and cost-competitive alternative. The noncontact nature of infrared thermal imaging allows it to be more robust, more reliable, and easier to maintain. It is also easy to interface with modern control systems using technological advantages such as graphical visual displays, historical archiving and trending, and easy integration to plant SCADA systems. All these result in providing operators with better insight into the health of their reactors and processes, which has a major impact on safety for personnel and the overall plant. Seeing is believing One of the emerging trends making inroads in the chemical, power, and refining sectors is the proliferation of thermal imaging cameras for a variety of applications, including critical vessel monitoring. These devices allow operators of high-temperature and high-pressure vessels to see, in color, real-time thermal behaviors of equipment. This insight is unavailable with fiber optic systems, giving infrared thermal imaging an edge when it comes to early detection of possible failures. Thermal imaging systems go further by providing a more complete look at the temperature profile of the vessel, highlighting where potential dangers lie. With a system of infrared cameras constantly monitoring the environment as a whole, the potential to detect an emerging problem early is much higher. Vessel monitoring in action A large system using 14 infrared cameras for a single gasifier has been online for over eight years, monitoring a Chevron-Texaco-designed gas separations system for a major specialty gas producer. According to maintenance personnel, the original thermocouple-grid system started to degrade from the day it was installed because it was in direct contact with the vessel shell. Over time, the internal elements began to react at different temperatures and operators lost confidence in the data. The old system gave only a general idea of where a potential problem might be developing, constraining the ability of operators to respond proactively. Furthermore, it had to be removed and reinstalled whenever work had to be done on the vessel internals, which consumed a considerable amount of extra labor and time. After implementing the infrared imaging system, the operators quickly realized several benefits. The most convenient was the ability to connect directly with their plant’s DCS and data historian system. With the installation of a thermal imaging system, they were no longer forced to react to problems as they occur. Instead, over time they were able to document the temperature personality of the gas separation system and catalog its behaviors to properly assess, predict, and respond to potential problems. Moreover, they could store weekly thermographs of their vessel to benchmark normal patterns and compare changes over time. After rebricking their unit with a new refractory lining, they were able to establish specific locations of hot zones and kept an eye on changes over time. This helped to understand the degradation of the refractory, particularly when zones get progressively hotter, which normally indicated some substrata refractory problem. With the new system, operators receive alarms much further in advance, which gives ample warning to help make informed decisions on how to respond to potential dangers. Having a high level of confidence in knowing where safe limits are, operators know when to ride out an event or when to shut down. During start-up of the unit, for example, the plant operators thought they had a hot spot developing on a nozzle connection, which would not have been detected with a thermocouple-based system. However, the thermal imaging system allowed them to continue monitoring the area and the situation never progressed to an alarm. The infrared imaging system allowed them to make an informed assessment of the risk in plenty of time and determine that it was prudent to go forward while monitoring. Enhancing safety Better alarm response time, enhanced predictive abilities, and improved information availability have emerged as three key benefits for radiometric infrared imaging in critical vessel monitoring. Operators are now able to connect their monitoring systems to their DCS and data historians to analyze trends and obtain information necessary to make important maintenance and capital decisions that impact the bottom line of their plants. A continuous, real-time stream of information showing exactly how a vessel is behaving allows operators to identify potential problem areas before they even arise and analyze the occurrence later. This prevents emergencies and mitigates unplanned downtime in plant areas where sufficient insight was difficult, or impossible, to obtain. Plants continue to upgrade their monitoring systems to noncontact, infrared solutions, and greenfield designs increasingly incorporate infrared solutions into the specifications from the inception. As the manufacturing industries continue to evolve, the key to success is ensuring the right technology is in place to help them evolve as safely as possible.  Shaver is director of business development for LumaSense Technologies, Inc.

Excite youth about engineering by latching onto something familiar, using technology tools, educating educators, and using games and stories. Here’s some advice in each category, just in time to plan for Engineers Week 2012, Feb. 19-25. Latch onto something familiar first—Understanding new concepts and embracing learning can be achieved by latching onto a subject or object that is familiar for the student. For example, if a young student is interested in art or fashion, a good area to introduce the student to is e-textiles or conductive paint. The barriers are pretty low for getting started, and the skills learned are very transferable across multiple engineering subject matters. Providing stepping-stones, especially in regard to where these skills or projects would fit into a broader engineering subject, can spark the imagination and creativity of kids who wouldn’t necessarily otherwise see that connection. Technology’s role and tools for learning—Exposing students to different learning styles is important. The kinesthetic (play-oriented) style of learning is appealing to everyone, especially children. Technology captivates the mind of the youth and cultivates intellectual curiosity and the desire to tinker and apply the newfound abilities in everyday life, hence, the ubiquity of electronics in games, TVs, computers, etc. It’s important to encourage students to get their hands dirty by taking things apart and playing with technology because it likely will create a more lasting impression. Repurposing old tools for kids to play with or taking apart older technology can be a great learning experience because it gets children exploring. In a Denver school, for example, the class took an old adding machine (which by today’s standards is obsolete) and repurposed it into a machine that makes music. Students learned engineering fundamentals and had a lot of fun throughout the process. Educating the educators—Some educators and parents balk at teaching youth engineering-focused ideas because of the misperceived notion that there is a steep learning curve in getting these programs started. Introducing the open-source mentality to teachers (making them aware it is out there) and connecting them to a community, like a software or museum group, can show them the foundation work already has been done and allows them to customize it for their own curriculum and level of students. Moreover, it provides an avenue for exciting and educating not just one class, but an entire group of educators that can spark the interest in entire generations of students. Parental participation also is critical and can create a long-lasting bond between the student and parent by allowing them to work on a project together. However, it is important that parents and teachers not try to force learning; they should let the student choose whether or not to continue down this path. Games and stories—Pick an object that is engineering-related and create a background story for it. This personalizes the tool and gives kids a stake in the learning process. Teaching students to look through the lenses of constructivism is inherent in both the game and story approach as well. Through game and make-believe, kids are encouraged to ask leading and open-ended questions, which help develop a sense of teaching themselves how to do things. This also feeds off of the idea that we can teach young kids the basics of engineering practices, like soldering and programming, through constructing a game model, such as create their own adventure or animated simulations. These are other ways to lower the age and technical barriers to introducing youth to ideas of engineering. - Lindsay Levkoff is education director and Lindsay Craig is educational outreach coordinator at SparkFun. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, CFE Media, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com. www.sparkfun.com  www.arduino.cc  National Engineers Week Foundation’s Engineers Week 2012 is Feb. 19-25. What are you doing to inspire youth, your next generation of talent, in engineering? www.eweek.org 

If you work in the control engineering profession doing automation, controls, or instrumentation...

Nanosensing technologies are helping make the machine sensing portion of the control loop (sense, measure, actuate, and repeat) smaller and more reliable to make manufacturing more efficient and effective. Nanotechnologies continue to be discovered and applied to a wide range of applications, and ever smaller sensing elements have found a place in industrial machines—among these, silicon-based pressure sensors, position and motion sensors, even valves and transmitters. [Note: Some liberties are taken with the term “nano.” A nano PLC (programmable logic controller), while small compared to a traditional PLC, would be cumbersome to measure in nano scale: 1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter; there are 24.4 million nanometers/in.] One manufacturer, Baolab, announced availability of evaluation kits by the end of February 2012 for its “NanoEMS” technology, promising to improve and shrink future sensors and communications technologies. Baolab Microsystems 3D NanoCompass is an electronic 3-axis micro electromechanical system (MEMS), incorporating nanoscale structures within the standard metal structure of a high-volume manufactured complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer. Dave Doyle, Baolab CEO, said in a Jan. 12 announcement that the move from lab to fab shows the company’s technology is “reliable, scalable, and repeatable. This was the critical stage that our customers have been waiting for.” The NanoEMS process “makes it much easier and more cost effective to integrate MEMS sensors with microcontrollers and associated electronics all on the same chip in the same CMOS production line. This is the breakthrough that will enable high-volume, consumer electronics products to have intelligent sensors, meeting the increasing demand for smarter, more aware devices," Doyle said. And industrial products, which are rapidly taking advantage of consumer electronics trends, will benefit as well. MEMS motion sensors will benefit, and Baolab NanoEMS structures also may easily be incorporated into ASICs for RF antennas, RF switches, and near field communication applications, including, the company said:

• Vibrating antennas to overcome limitations of classic (static) antennas such as compact superdirective/superesolution antennas/lenses that require phase shifters and gains with an accuracy not currently realistic. Vibrating antennas make these feasible along with spatial multiplexing communications for mobile telecoms and Internet.
• Thermo-magnetic RF switches and antennas: By exploiting the low value of the Curie temperature of nickel, it is possible to build RF switches, filters, and reconfigurable antennas. This creates a novel category of reconfigurable, reliable RF MEMS components, since there are no moving parts, achieving compelling RF specs, low power consumption, and low cost thanks to CMOS processing.
• Modal switches: This topology enables compelling specifications for RF switches with low-capacitance ratio and high isolation, using low-cost, low-resistivity CMOS substrates. The principle is based on transferring power from the different transmission modes in a transmission line, using reconfigurable MEMS loads to balance and unbalance the line.
• Integrated passives, including inductors, transformers, capacitors: Integrated inductors with a helicoidal shape typical of off-chip inductors offer reduced losses (higher Q) and smaller parasitic capacitance (higher resonant frequency). It is also possible to create transformers with any winding ratio.
• Integrated capacitors for low-frequency applications, especially power, where the tangent capacitance is used instead of the traditional approach using secant capacitance. When capacitors are used in voltage regulators, only a small fraction of the charge stored in the capacitor is typically used to regulate the voltage. This kind of capacitor allows a higher percentage of the stored charge to be used to regulate the voltage, which makes it possible to implement smaller, integrated filters and regulators, with superior performance.
• RF filters: The small feature size of CMOS processing makes it possible to implement RF MEMS filters up to the GHz band required for cell phone communications and significantly increase the electromechanical coupling. Current MEMS RF mechanical filters have a problem with very low electromechanical coupling, which means low sensitivity; they try to offset this by using a very high voltage but with limited success.
• Power converters: Integrated charge pumps and power supplies will drop in cost and be more compact and efficient.

- Mark T. Hoske, content manager for Control Engineering, CFE Media, can be reached at mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.baolab.com  www.nano.gov says fingernails grow about 1 nm/sec. More tutorials: http://controleng.com/tutorials

The development of control systems demands that a lot of detailed and accurate information is exchanged among users and developers, customers and vendors, coders and analysts, and management and staff. Languages are tools used to communicate this information, but natural languages (Chinese, English, Spanish, French, etc.) are notoriously ambiguous. Natural languages rely on contextual information and are often vague and incomplete. They regularly contain inferences and references to information that is assumed to be commonly known. (See The Story of Human Language, Professor John McWhorter, The Great Courses, www.thegreatcourses.com.) Developing control systems cannot rely on assumed information and ambiguous definitions. To address this problem the software engineering community, as well as other engineering communities, has developed artificial languages to unambiguously define requirements, specifications, and designs. Every engineering discipline has developed artificial languages. For example, electrical engineering has circuit diagrams, and chemical engineering has piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID) and process flow diagrams (PFD). Unless you have specific software engineering training, you may not be familiar with software engineering languages. Knowledge of these languages will allow you to define better requirements and designs, and it is an important part of any professional control engineer’s knowledge base. Artificial engineering languages all have something in common: They have an annotated graphical component with symbols and text arranged in a diagram using well-defined and rigid rule sets. Software engineering’s artificial language for specifications and design is called UML, the Unified Modeling Language. UML has been officially defined in the ISO/IEC 19501 specification and is commonly used in other IEC and ISO standards. Unfortunately, standards are not tutorials and are not the best way to learn about UML, but there are many good books that teach about UML. (See Learning UML 2.0, Russ Miles and Kim Hamilton, ISBN 978-0596009823; UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object Modeling Language, Martin Fowler, ISBN 978-0321193681; and Object-Oriented Software Engineering Using UML, Patterns, and Java, Bernd Bruegge and Allen H. Dutoit, ISBN 978-0136061250.) UML consists of 14 types of diagrams, divided into two categories: structural information and behavior information. While 14 diagram notations can be intimidating, most users of UML focus on five diagram types: class diagrams, object diagrams, state diagrams, use case diagrams, and sequence diagrams. The official UML specification does not restrict diagram elements to a certain diagram type, so generally any UML element may appear on almost any type of diagram. However, each diagram type has a specific purpose, and common use restricts diagram elements to their related diagram types. Understanding the structure of information diagrams helps. The two most commonly used structural information diagrams are class diagrams and object diagrams. Class diagrams are used to describe the structure of the system classes and their relationships. Classes are used to define problem-specific collections of elements. For example, you may define a class of motors, a class of sensors, and a class of materials for a material movement system. Classes are an abstraction, and learning how to abstract a problem and define it so that others understand it is one of the most important lessons that can be learned using UML. Classes are represented by rectangles, and relationships are represented as lines between rectangles. The class diagram is a graphical representation of a set of relations and information about the class. For example, a specification may have hundreds of lines, such as the following: a case packer contains a PLC program, a case packer uses a failure sensor, a PLC program has an author, and a PLC program has a version. These statements can be concisely represented in class diagrams, reducing pages of dense text to a few simple diagrams. We are much better at recognizing patterns through diagrams than in strings of text, and UML class diagrams take advantage of our pattern-recognition abilities. Class figures may contain the attributes associated with the class, such as a serial number for a motor. The class figures may also contain the operations that can be performed on the class, such as “Start the motor”. Each sentence in a specification that uses the “has a” verb, such as “a motor has a serial number”, defines an attribute. Each sentence in a specification that uses the “can” verb, such as “a motor can be started”, defines an operation. Class figures unambiguously represent information about objects in the class and what can be done to the objects. Class diagrams can also show more complex relationships such as aggregations, compositions, and sub-types. Aggregations represent bi-directional and asymmetric relationships, such as “a server provides domain name services to other servers”. A composition is a stronger aggregation, such as “a PLC contains an IO rack”. Subtypes are a form of generalization, such as “a PLC is a managed device”. These relationships are defined using annotations and symbols on the lines between the classes. UML Class diagrams are widely used in specifications because of the ability to represent structural problem-specific information in an easy-to-understand format. They display complex relationships through simple patterns and provide a good way to formally document your specifications, requirements, and designs. UML also defines object diagrams, which show examples of the system for selected objects at a specific instance in time. They present a view of the structure of an actual system, versus the abstract view of the class diagram. Usually an object diagram is only a partial view of an entire system, used to illustrate how relationships actually are used in specific situations. In simple projects, where there are only a small number of objects, an object diagram can be used to document the actual implementation. For example, a small project may have five motors and 10 sensors and can be documented on one diagram. However, in most projects, object diagrams are used only as examples to aid in understanding the class diagrams. Understanding UML is important for all control engineers. UML will help bring out inconsistencies, remove ambiguity, and provide a “standard” way to communicate project information. Make UML knowledge part of your control engineering toolkit. - Dennis Brandl is president of BR&L Consulting in Cary, N.C., www.brlconsulting.com. His firm focuses on manufacturing IT. Contact him at dbrandl@brlconsulting.com. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com. Related reading Save time: Don’t repeat basic arguments about project direction: What are your manufacturing IT project principles? http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=63325

Questar Pipeline Co. operates a facility that processes 120 million cu ft of natural gas per day, where it chills the gas to remove some of the heavier hydrocarbons in liquid form. This increases the value of the gas and yields a salable product in the heavier gas liquids. When the plant was built, the levels in the processing vessels were measured using guided wave radar level transmitters installed in bridles on the sides of the tanks. But in some parts of the plant it turned out to be impossible to get true level readings. Questar called on Emerson Process Management, which found a way to measure the level despite fluid boiling and off-gassing, by replacing the guided wave radars with newer models and using the transmitter’s implied length output to find the true levels. This discussion will explain the process of solving the problem. Problem 1: The receiver/economizer A good example of the problem showed up in the receiver economizer (Fig. 1), which is supposed to be kept 50% filled with liquid propane at 55 psig. The process operated in cycles and control was a challenge, because it involved interacting loops for flow, level, and pressure. When the pressure dropped, the fluid would begin to boil, and the radar’s level reading would increase very rapidly—more rapidly, in fact, than was physically possible. The level would fail high and the plant would trip. Questar consulted with Steve Newton, Emerson’s local level specialist, on several occasions. He would help tune the process for the operating conditions and would get everything running, but as soon as he left, conditions would change and the plant would trip again. A close look at the sight glasses on the affected vessel showed that over the course of a cycle the liquid propane would make a sudden drop in level and then begin to boil vigorously, filling the sight glass with bubbles and driving the surface—such as it was—out the top. It was obvious why the radar gauges could not get good readings; in fact graphs of the radar signals showed that when this happened the liquid surface seen by the radar would simply vanish, and the level reading with it. This is actually a fairly common problem in gas plants and refrigeration applications—anywhere a liquid can suddenly begin evolving large amounts of gas in bubble form. The question was what to do about it. Newton suggested replacing the existing guided wave radar (GWR) unit heads with Rosemount 5300 GWR heads. These mounted the same way as the existing units, and even used the same antennas, so the switchover was mechanically simple. The big difference was the additional functionality of the new models, specifically their probe end projection function. Probe end projection A guided-wave radar (GWR) level gage consists of a transmitter/receiver head and a probe antenna waveguide that extends down into the liquid content to be measured. The transmitter sends a pulse down the probe. The liquid has a different dielectric constant from the air or vapor above it, which means that the immersed portion of the probe has different microwave propagation characteristics above and below the surface of the fluid, or at any other interface. As shown in Fig. 2, when the transmitted pulse reaches an interface, it reflects from the resulting discontinuity; measuring the time it takes for the pulse to reach the interface and return tells the distance to it. The strength of the reflected pulse depends on the dielectric constant of the liquid to be measured, so water (dielectric constant = 80.4) gives a strong signal, but propane (dielectric constant = 1.6) gives a much weaker signal. And if there is no good surface there will be no corresponding reflection at all. The situation clearly called for a different method. There is a technique with GWR devices called probe end projection that infers the level of the liquid by measuring other parameters. Since hydrocarbons have a greater dielectric constant than air, they reduce the speed at which the pulse travels along the probe, delaying the return from the tip and making the probe appear to be longer than it really is (Fig. 3). The more hydrocarbons present—whether in the form of liquid or bubbles—the longer the probe appears to be. By measuring that apparent length increase and then back-calculating—using the actual length of the probe and the known dielectric constant of the hydrocarbons—it’s possible to derive a reading of the amount of hydrocarbons present. Instead of a noisy reflection disturbed by every bubble, the output signal is a steady representation of the actual level. The Rosemount 5300 GWR has probe end projection as a standard feature, as well as a more powerful transmitted pulse and the ability to track rapid changes, but the units originally fitted did not, so implementing the new method involved simply replacing the GWR heads and programming the new units appropriately. The 5300 uses the same antenna as the existing 3300, so the change was simple. With the erratic level reading stabilized, it was possible to tune the level loop properly, removing much of the damping that had been put in to try to cope with the rapidly-changing level signal. As shown in Fig. 4, the process now controls to within about 10% to 15% of setpoint and there are no more plant trips. Problem 2: The chiller A problem similar to that in the receiver economizer was also present in the chiller (Fig. 5), which holds liquid propane at –32 F. This unit has a level setpoint of 50% measured by a GWR on a bridle. As the pressure dropped, the fluid would boil and the GWR would lose its level, fail high, and trip the plant. In this case, as with the receiver economizer, the solution was to replace the GWR with a type 5300 set to use probe end projection, then retune the loop. The result is shown in Fig. 6. As a result of the new radar gage installations, nuisance level alarms have been significantly reduced. The plant can be left unattended through weekends and after normal operating hours. Other considerations There are a number of other factors that can affect the accuracy of radar level measurement in difficult applications:

• Bridle diameter—Small-diameter bridles (less than 2 in.) can exhibit gas lift, in which the liquid surface is lifted due to expanding gasses in the bridle, as well as bubbles traveling up the bridle, giving a false surface level, an unstable surface, and rapid apparent level changes. If enough off-gassing is present it can act like an air pump, similar to an aquarium pump, moving liquids from the lower process connection, up the bridle, and out the top process connection. Using a larger-diameter bridle (4-in.) will reduce this effect to mere burping, rather than lifting the entire fluid column. The large diameter also gives the radar a more stable surface from which to reflect signals.
  
  
• Bridle temperature—It’s a good idea to keep the temperature of the bridle as close as possible to that of the vessel. Since a bridle has much less mass than a vessel, it heats and cools much faster with changes in ambient temperature, and shows different levels for that reason. If the tank is cold, for example, and the contents not boiling, but the bridle is warm because it is exposed to the environment, the fluid has less density and is likely to boil and give false level readings. The answer is to insulate the bridle.
  
  
• Multiple levels—A single bridle (or sight glass) with two process connections should not be used in a vessel containing multiple fluids (perhaps oil above water, with air or vapor on top), because the interfaces between the fluids may not show up in the bridle, or if they do they will be at the wrong heights. It is much better under these conditions to install two bridles, one above the other, to show the top level surface and the interface independently.
  
  
• Three process connections—Attempting to get an accurate reading on multiple interfaces by using a bridle with three connections to the vessel might seem to be a way around having to use two bridles (each with its own radar), but it requires care in placing the connections. The distance between the connections should not exceed the anticipated thickness of the upper layer. In addition, this arrangement can lead to some uncertainty about the level of the top layer.
  
  
• Four process connections—This method tends to work better than three connections, as it gives less chance of trapping fluids. The distance between the connections should, as before, be roughly equal to the anticipated upper product thickness.
  
  
• Direct vessel mounting—Putting the radar gauge directly in the vessel eliminates the inaccuracies found with bridle connections. This method will give accurate readings of the level and interface as it is actually occurring in the vessel. The disadvantage of this method is that the fluids may not be separating as well as they would in a still bridle environment. Sometimes installing the radar in the vessel inside a stilling well with multiple holes can solve both issues.

Yerkovich is an automation services supervisor for Questar Pipeline Co. Buhler is a sales engineer for Emerson Process Management. www.questarpipeline.com www.emersonprocess.com www.controleng.com/instrumentation

Outlook for automation growth in the U.S. is strong for 2012, and if you’re in a technology business that did well in 2011, you’re likely to do well in 2012 also, suggested Alan Beaulieu, president, Institute for Trend Research (ITR), in a Jan. 19 keynote presentation at the Robotics Industry Forum, AIA Business Conference, and MCA Business Conference, in Orlando, Fla. Beaulieu (and others at the meeting) emphasized that automation helps companies become more efficient. “It will be a good decade for automation,” which helps companies be more productive and efficient even during tough economic times, Beaulieu explained. Among U.S. concerns, Beaulieu said, debt payments continue to grow within federal budgets, as overspending continues. Now debt is 120% of GDP, the highest since WWII, with no remedy (and none of the large post-war growth potential) in sight, he said. Businesses need to invest now, adding talent and efficiencies to prepare for a possible mild recession in 2014, a larger one in 2019, and a possible depression by 2030. He supported his views with many graphics and poked fun at many targets including himself and his twin brother and business partner Brian (authors of a book of economic advice, called “Make Your Move”). Beaulieu told robotics, machine vision, and motion control professionals that they need to develop positive leadership modeling, add sales staff, hire top people, and make plans to increase prices. They also should invest in customer market research to find what they value, judiciously expand credit, check distribution systems, and  review and uncover competitive advantages, while improving efficiencies. Beaulieu said automation companies should invest in markets (growing industries, like water and wastewater and regions, such as in the Southwest and Southeast) now that will be strong during the next recession. Also, it helps to understand what stage we’re at in the economic cycle (watch the key indicators and don’t worry). Plan accordingly now for the next stage, and don’t wait until we’re in the next stage before adjusting course, he said. Further: - Banks and private equity markets have money for investments and businesses should use it strategically. - Skilled labor challenges will continue as the economy improves, so work with community colleges and expand training initiatives now. -Exports will continue to help the U.S. economy, though Europe may slow slightly as leaders there institute reforms, avoiding banking and financial firm collapses that we endured. - China will continue to do well, with much cash on hand, but with 125 million more young men than women, will have increasing demographic challenges and may become less able to lend the U.S. money as we may need it even more in the future. - Brazil is limiting outside capital investments there, but joint ventures can do well. Advantages are many. - India, with many starts and stops, will resolve issues and be stronger, long-term. - Russia continues to have challenges, made worse by short lifespan among men (62) and a birth rate too low to support the population. - Natural gas will be a strong resource to power industry for many U.S. industries and with additional discoveries; the U.S. could be energy independent within a decade, with leadership. - Businesses should watch inflation, understated by the U.S. government by 1.5 percentage points. As inflation increases, companies will need to give raises to continue to keep employees happy to deliver good customer service. - The price of borrowing has been falling for 20 years; if you’re going to buy real estate, do it now while cost of borrowing is low. - The presidential election won’t have any immediate economic impact on the economy or debt, though fiscal conservatives in the U.S. Senate might. - Consumer confidence measurements, while perhaps interesting, have little statistical correlation to retail sales. - Mark T. Hoske is content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, www.controleng.com; reach him at mhoske@cfemedia.com.  www.ITReconomics.com www.robotics.org News from RIA, AIA, MCA and A3 meeting: Robotics, vision, motion groups progress in 2012

With the goal of increasing value and use of content for its engineering audience, CFE Media announces a new, more interactive digital edition. Control Engineering transitioned its digital edition software in January 2012 to the PageSuite Digital Magazine platform. The PageSuite platform allows for faster and clearer on-screen navigation and allows the Control Engineering staff the flexibility to incorporate rich media elements such as video and Flash overlays into our digital editions. Moving forward, the Control Engineering digital editions will also be coded in HTML5, which allows the editions to be viewed in browsers on the iPad, iPhone, and all other Apple devices as well as Android and other mobile operating systems. “We’re excited to present our readers with a more interactive platform that allows CFE Media content to be viewed on a broader range of mobile devices. We feel the new platform is a great addition to CFE Media’s product offerings, allowing us another method to deliver quality content in whatever form our readers wish to receive it in.” according to Paul Brouch, CFE Media’s web production manager. “We’ll continue to add enhancements and interactive elements as we move forward. Naturally, much of how we proceed will be based on subscriber feedback, so let us know what you think.” Send Brouch comments and suggestions at pbrouch@cfemedia.com. Features of the new digital edition include: -HTML5 coding, which allows the editions to be viewed on most wireless devices. -Page tab navigation on the left, showing page previews, and allowing easier access to Supplements. -Bookmark and clipping features -On-screen navigation aids -PDF downloads for selected pages or the whole issue, including advertisements -Email and social network connections for sharing what you find most useful or to send yourself a link to a particular article. In the January digital edition, issue-specific features include: -Cover and table of contents have gently flashing highlights on images and headlines to more clearly identify internal links -Control Engineering International, page 24 article on robotic CNC, drops in a YouTube logo to highlight a link to related videos -News, page 26 article, on cyber security embeds video for easier viewing -Content bubbles showing connections to many, enhanced online extras -Links to dual-screen videos on pages 6 and 28. Subscribers may go digital only and save paper or choose to receive both paper and digital editions. Digital subscribers receive an email when the digital edition is ready, often before the print issue mails. http://controleng.com/magazine/digital-edition.html Log in and change preferences here: http://controleng.com/registration/user-login.html. Not a subscriber? Subscribe here: http://controleng.com/subscribe. -Mark T. Hoske, CFE Media, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com, mhoske@cfemedia.com. www.pagesuite.com 

Editor’s note: As Canadian oil production from oil sands has been growing, many energy companies have been building new or adding to existing facilities to help fill demand for product from these sources. In 2011, Shell commissioned a 100,000 bpd (barrel per day) expansion to its existing 155,000 bpd capacity Scotford Upgrader facility near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. Shell Scotford is also home to a refinery and chemical plant. Supporting a safe and successful start-up of the upgrader expansion meant the Scotford instrumentation team had to work quickly and efficiently with a minimum of mistakes. The team found that HART technology provided a way to streamline testing and pre-configuration of devices so when they were installed, everything was ready to run for a smooth start-up. At bottom of the article, link to prior winners.
Shell instrumentation technologist Andy Bahniuk worked hands-on through the process. Here is his account of the experience, which has earned the Scotford Upgrader the 2011 HART Plant of the Year Award, presented by the HART Communication Foundation to recognize innovative use of HART technology in real-time industrial process plant applications. A major challenge In late 2010, the team at Shell’s Scotford Upgrader Expansion faced a dilemma. How do we safely program and commission over 1,500 HART devices from 26 vendors (including HART Communication Foundation member companies Rosemount, E+H, Fisher, Krohne, K-Tek, Magnetrol, Metso, and Ohmart Vega), in a timely fashion? How do we gain the trust of operations and upper management during loop checks and control narrative testing to guarantee a safe and successful start-up and continued smooth plant operation? How can we continue to provide daily instrument trouble-shooting, and not only preventable but predictable ongoing maintenance? The answer was easy with the capabilities of HART Communication and a flexible asset management system. All the HART information was readily available in a centralized control room gathered either by a network of MTL multiplexers or our distributed control system (DCS) with HART I/O. A majority of the HART instruments are connected to the SIS (safety instrumented system), or to third-party vendor provided skids. Other, more critical instruments are used for regulatory control with more conventional HART-enabled 4-20 mA control. The existing Shell Scotford facilities had experienced success using HART technology but were using only some of the capability of the technology. With an interest in leveraging the full intelligence of their HART-enabled devices, the upgrader expansion project team got approval to broaden the application of HART on this project beyond the use of handheld device configuration. This decision made valuable device information available to staff in operations, maintenance and instrumentation.  Measurement and control devices were to be shipped pre-configured, but when the devices arrived not configured, the challenge for the instrumentation and control team became downloading 1,500 instruments with ranges, engineering units, NAMUR values, and transmitter body temperature alarms. They began by creating a database to provide these values in tabular form and establishing a systematic process of 24/7 transmitter downloading, allowing these critical values to be loaded in a timely fashion. This process saved time and enabled us to proceed with the next steps of commissioning: loop function and control narrative testing. Critical testing Loop function testing and process variable simulations were done using HART communication and standard HART methods on the devices. All testing was centralized from one location and witnessed by both the operations and engineering teams. In some cases, where a device could not be tested without process present, such as a vortex or ultrasonic flowmeter, testing with device methods provided a perfect substitute. This ensured total confidence for both the operator and engineer that all field devices functioned properly. This procedure confirmed that all critical parameters were loaded successfully and saved 30% of the time normally required. It also eliminated the potential for human error associated with this work. During control narrative and safety cause-and-effect testing, loop test methods were also used to simulate various process values and to walk through different process scenarios. This testing saved considerable time before the final phase of commissioning and start-up. Some of the critical and complex safety narratives involved more than 15 inputs as well as multiple outputs. Using HART communication and simulating all these inputs from the control room enabled us to test and complete with confidence. The overall time saving was over 50% during this phase. The value and versatility of HART technology during commissioning and start-up activities proved even more critical while trying to achieve a steady-state process condition. HART communication was used for tuning the smart Fisher DVC positioners for optimal process control and valve response time. It also allowed us to use the DVC6000 methods to fine tune the positioner to match the controller as well as perform valve calibrations in half the time. Smart valve positioners also provide the ability to read the digital feedback of the valve position value without any additional hardware. With the information we receive from the positioner on the control valve, we are able to pass the digital feedback value using the HART fourth variable (QV) through the FDM gateway. This value is used on graphics to show the actual valve position feedback. This has eliminated the need for any external hardware in addition to the valve positioner, saving approximately $2,000 per valve. It gets cold up there During our long, cold Canadian winters the temperature can go as low as -45 °C. To protect the instruments from freezing, our transmitters have been mounted in insulated enclosures with heaters. During these winter months, monitoring the status of this heater is a critical task to ensure safe operation in our facility. With HART technology we have the ability to monitor transmitter temperature variables and pass this parameter through our asset management system to alert maintenance if it starts freezing. We pass the temperature to operator graphics for live monitoring and surveillance. This has helped us improve our efficiency in executing annual preventative maintenance on heater boxes, saving us more than $200,000 per year. Most importantly, it ensures trouble free operation throughout the winter. Having a central location for device configuration and historian data collection is valuable during the life cycle of a HART device. Simple re-calibration, parameter checks, and device diagnostics can be performed right from the central control room. In the case of device replacement all parameters are stored in a central location and can be readily downloaded to a new device. When considering the expense of permits and gas testing as well as having to carry a handheld device to each individual transmitter, the cost saving is in the magnitude of $100,000 annually. Safety and reliability At Shell, safe and reliable operation is a core value. From the beginning, Shell took important steps to ensure the focus on a safe and steady start-up were the priority throughout the process. During the initial project phase, Shell decided to use the NAMUR settings to prevent spurious trips or unsafe operations caused by faulty transmitters. HART devices compliant with NAMUR standard values provided that infrastructure. Risk of instrument failure tends to be higher during the start-up and by setting our device compliance to NAMUR standard values we could ensure that our start-up went smoothly and without any major instrument issues. Another challenge was to have a higher SIL rating on some critical furnace gas valves to ensure safety and reliability. The partial stroke test (PST) function supports testing valves without the need to isolate them from the process. With the PST process, the respective valve is moved by approximately 5% to 15% during normal process operation. This testing supports online diagnosis of the actuators and reduces the probability of failure on demand (PFD). Our HART asset management system with Metso positioners using an FDT/DTM driver can execute the PST to provide a sophisticated and quick solution. All the functionalities, beginning with pre-commissioning to normal operation, were the same for HART and Foundation fieldbus devices. Shell uses both and has taken full advantage of both technologies; the biggest benefit being that we did not have to subject our HART devices to any separate interoperability testing. All our HART devices were plug-and-play, connected through an asset management system. This provided full advantage of EDDL and FDT/DTM technology without any additional testing. We are using the ability to open a virtual window and unlock all the power of HART Communication for any type of measurement device as well as all manufacturers. Ongoing maintenance Shell uses HART status byte information (sent with each communication request) to represent the device health status on maintenance graphics. HART device status gives important information such as device malfunction, device in simulation, device variable saturated, and most importantly, the device has more status information available. These graphics create an easy visual of the device status at a glance. Monitoring real-time device diagnostics with more status available will direct maintenance to troubleshoot the device in detail and has reduced trouble-shooting time tremendously. Finding “bad actors” has never been easier. Andy Bahniuk, R.E.T., is a lead instrumentation technologist for Shell Canada at the Scotford Upgrader facility. About Shell Scotford

Shell Scotford is home to three distinct operating facilities:

• Chemicals—Manufactures 530,000 tpy of styrene monomer and 604 tpy of ethylene glycol
• Refinery—Capacity 100,000 bpd
• Scotford Upgrader—Total capacity 255,000 bpd (including 100,000 bpd expansion, commissioned in 2011)
• Total staff on site is more than 1,300 (plus contractors).

Host systems:

• Refinery—Foxboro DCS
• Upgrader—Honeywell DCS and Field Device Manager

See last year's winner and link to prior year's articles

2010 HART Plant of the Year: Connect field devices, plant maintenance

Implementing an asset management system that covers field instrumentation in a process plant environment requires some type of smart device platform. Since most modern field devices provide HART communication capability in addition to the analog process variable, plants may have to weigh approaches employing either traditional or integrated HART I/O as part of the decision to move to an instrument asset management system. This article examines some key questions for end users seeking to optimize the lifecycle performance of their instrumentation assets. Is HART information sufficient for a comprehensive asset management program? Is native HART-enabled I/O a necessity, or are there practical ways to use it in a legacy I/O environment? Should users expect to make substantial hardware changes to have something that works well? Background assumptions Increasingly, manufacturers are turning to instrument asset management systems (IAMS) to improve their process efficiency, reduce maintenance requirements, and enhance overall productivity. Plants can achieve significant reductions in operating costs and production downtime as a result of implementing an effective asset management strategy. Since a large percentage of manufacturing revenues are budgeted for maintenance, these savings contribute significantly to a company's bottom line. As soon as plant equipment is commissioned, it is subject to degradation. The process, human interaction, and time all conspire to corrupt the function of process equipment and associated field devices. To control and slow the decline, plant maintenance groups are responsible for the operational oversight and timely repair of equipment. Their challenge is to keep installed assets performing while also reducing the resources and personnel required for the maintenance function. A local operator interface or handheld communicator can be used for temporary on-site interaction with smart field instrumentation devices. What’s needed is a means to interface with field instruments on a continuous plant-wide basis to capture preventative maintenance information and conduct appropriate remote servicing activities. That’s the basic function of an IAMS. Understanding the technology In recent years, field devices and equipment supporting digital technologies have proven to provide benefits to the typical process plant operation. Digital devices offer a great deal of data about the operating environment. This data can be utilized by applications that prevent losses or disruptions, enhance quality and reliability, and reduce maintenance costs. One of the reasons for the growth and popularity of digital device technology has been the broad adoption of the HART Communications protocol, which provides an open standard for digitally enhanced 4-20 mA communication with smart field instruments. Most modern distributed control system (DCS) solutions include integrated HART I/O modules that connect to smart devices. This I/O is essentially hybrid, because part of it handles the conventional 4-20 mA signal—and looks very much like the old non-HART I/O—while the other part handles the digitally encoded HART signal. In any DCS, integrating an asset management system basically requires a means of connecting the asset management software to the HART I/O and on to the devices. While the basic protocol is pretty much the same in all control systems, the mechanism for this integration is normally proprietary, with each vendor choosing an implementation approach that works best for them. There’s a lot of room for some “secret sauce” to make better use of the limited bandwidth available with the HART protocol.  Despite the lack of an open standard for integrating HART I/O, there are certain features automation end users expect in all DCS platforms. For example, the I/O should be able to use the instrument range information from the smart HART side to tell the analog side automatically how to range the 4-20 mA output. In addition, standard HART information such as engineering units, digital process variables, and alarm information should be available to the DCS for control purposes and accessible from every field instrument without any knowledge of the specifics of the device. The HART protocol has universal commands for obtaining this information. The rest of the unique information in a smart instrument used for configuration, calibration, troubleshooting, maintenance, and diagnostics is described in its Device Description (DD) files. DD technology has been refined to include useful graphical and organizational constructs, and this refinement is referred to as EDDL, or Electronic Device Description Language. DDs are binary files containing an electronic description of parameters and functions needed by a host application to communicate with the device. Instrumentation vendors use specific programming tools and a tokenizer to create the encoded DD files. The software or tools that make use of the DD information are generally considered to be the asset management system, which is primarily of interest to instrument maintenance technicians. Many automation equipment suppliers now use FDT/DTM (Field Device Tool/Device Type Manager) technology so they can present more meaningful device information. DTMs are software components that contain device-specific data, functions, and logic elements. They can range from a simple graphical user interface for setting device parameters to highly sophisticated applications that perform complex calculations for diagnostics and maintenance purposes, or implement complex business logic for device calibration. The DTM also contains interfaces to enable communication with the connected system or tool. Device suppliers are able to embed intelligence in a DTM in a way that is very difficult to accomplish with DD files, such as a number of graphical constructs that cannot be expressed within DD technology. Moreover, the DTM is device and revision specific so that it has knowledge about the particular version of each device on the control network. It is interesting that the automation industry attaches so much importance to the IAMS, when it is the contents of the DTM that really have value for the end-user. The IAMS is simply a container enabling communications to the devices, a way to organize information, as well as a path to the technician or operator. Issues to consider While FDT/DTM technology offers some very attractive benefits, there are practical caveats and cautions that end users should be aware of. First, and of greatest concern, is the fact that a DTM must be installed in every client (frame) where it is needed. So, an end user with 10 clients spread around the plant and DTM packages from 10 different vendors must perform at least 100 installations—maybe more if a given vendor has several DTM packages. Combine that with multiple revisions available for given DTM packages, and the result can be a significant maintenance problem. A future revision of the FDM specification (Rev 2.0) promises to allow DTMs to be loaded to a server and deployed to the clients, but for now, this is how DTMs must be managed. By contrast, it’s read-it-and-forget-it for most systems using DDs. Since DTMs are Microsoft Windows programs, they are dependent upon Windows versions, supporting infrastructure such as DOT NET, programming tools, and the specific frame revisions level. A DTM that works in one environment may not have been tested in another. As such, the end user must be careful and check all of the specifications provided by the DTM vendor. When in doubt, test it first. Additionally, DTMs sometimes behave differently in monolithic or stand-alone frames like PactWare, from the way they act in a DCS environment. With a stand-alone frame, the path to the device can be relatively short and simple with no bandwidth restriction. A DCS must carefully manage the limited available bandwidth, especially for HART devices. A DTM doesn’t know what environment it is in, and so it has no way of knowing how to wait in line. The result can be poor apparent performance in a DCS environment. Device vendors are becoming savvier about this issue, but the end user must still watch out for the occasional offender. Lastly, some DTMs are fragile and can crash, even bringing the client down with them. This is generally not catastrophic, but it can be quite annoying. DD technology may not be perfect, but at this stage of the game, it has proven more mature and easier to manage.  For the last several years, work has been going on to unify DD and FDT/DTM technologies and produce a single solution for Field Device Integration (FDI). FDI Cooperation, LLC, was formed in response to end-user demands for easier integration of automation and control devices across industrial networks. While it is apparent this effort will mean a lot of work on all sides of the smart device technology supply chain, it is yet to be seen how transparent the coming changes will be to end users. DD files and DTMs don’t go away, and backwards compatibility is being promised, which is quite reassuring. Choices facing end users Process manufacturers seeking to implement a comprehensive instrument asset management solution based on HART technology are faced with a number of important choices. For example, can plants utilize a solution with smart field devices connected to a control system that doesn’t fully support HART I/O? In most cases, operations with legacy DCS platforms that want to make use of an IAMS must rely on external HART multiplexers, or muxs, to bring digital HART messages into the IAMS. The multiplexer is used to strip off the digital HART message and provide it to the IAMS software package. The multiplexer hardware module routes the HART analog and digital signals to two separate communication pathways. The standard analog 4-20 mA signal is routed to a standard, non-HART enabled, analog input module while the digital signal passes through the multiplexer hardware and is transported over an RS-485 network to the instrument management system. Experience has shown that HART multiplexers can offer extremely flexible and reliable systems for handling anything from a handful to thousands of HART devices on a single network. Frequently, the mux approach is the only way to bring older control systems forward unless the plant wants to use handhelds or upgrade the DCS, which often is not an option. For some operations, however, it’s not worth the investment. The preferred integration solution, as implemented by current generation DCS technology, employs HART-enabled I/O modules supporting HART digital device data along with analog 4-20 mA data. With this technology, digital device data from HART-enabled I/O is treated alongside the analog process variable data, which is tightly integrated into the control system environment. This enables the use of additional process variables (e.g., PV, SV, TV and FV), range information, device identification information, and the device status (general and device-specific) as part of the control strategy. With HART-enabled I/O, device diagnostics can be tightly integrated into the DCS alarm/event subsystem and asset management applications. There is no need for separate instrument monitoring systems or software packages. Instrument alarming is either handled in the software package used for configuration, troubleshooting, and diagnostics, or, preferably, in the control system itself, where alarms can be sequestered for maintenance technicians. Some automation suppliers have developed robust device management solutions designed to communicate with HART devices connected to HART-enabled I/O as well as HART devices connected to hardware multiplexers, remote I/O systems, and HART modems. These solutions provide plant instrument engineers, technicians, and maintenance personnel with an optimized environment that simplifies tasks and enables remote device management, whereby instruments that have faults or need diagnosis are automatically identified and classified. Integrated with the safety system HART I/O, for example, these solutions use live data from connected devices to establish database records and assign templates so maintenance personnel can compare configuration of one device with another device, or historical configuration of the same device or another device. Device management solutions can employ a technique known as “mux monitoring” to bring non-integrated HART data to the control room. Mux monitoring allows plant personnel to monitor HART devices on hardware multiplexer/remote I/O networks and provide alerts from these devices to the DCS alarm and event system. This approach simplifies migration from legacy control systems to newer DCS platforms while retaining installed field devices and the value of smart instrumentation. Simplified export-import capabilities make migration of existing databases much easier and less intensive. Future outlook Companies around the world have begun formal programs to make use of the diagnostic data in their HART smart instruments. HART field device responses contain valuable information regarding the device's health, and having this data sent with every message provides plant personnel with confidence in the integrity of the process measurement along with immediate notification of any problem. Despite ongoing advancements in intelligent instrumentation, such as those delivered by DDs and DTMs, the value of smart devices cannot be realized without a capable instrument asset management system. From a maintenance perspective, a HART-enabled asset management solution allows an entire plant to be monitored from a single location, with fault diagnosis often performed remotely. Many HART instruments provide additional status information that can be used for predictive maintenance and replacement of equipment on an as-needed basis. This results in reduced maintenance trips, fewer process disruptions, and high system availability. Yingst is a senior principal product manager for Honeywell Process Solutions. http://controleng.com/instrumentation http://controleng.com/processcontrol

By the end of 2010, the world market size for programmable logic controllers (PLCs) is “estimated to have surpassed its 2008 level, almost as if the recession never happened,” according to Alex Hong, IMS Research analyst, control and automation. “This represents a much faster recovery than most other automation equipment markets, where 2008 levels are not expected to be beaten until the end of 2011,” Hong noted. Growth varies by region, of course. “Asia will continue to be the main contributor to PLC market development. China is now the most significant global machinery producer, largely because of its position as the world’s primary manufacturing base. The recent recovery of EMEA and the Americas has driven strong export demand and, in spite of the recovery seemingly faltering amid a flurry of recent negative news, this will continue in the longer term. This export demand, coupled with blooming domestic needs, will inspire new automation plant investment and construction. Further, while automation demand in India is relatively lower, there are end-user projects performing quite well in the region, such as automotive. Overall, the potential market for India is huge, suggesting much room for growth developments. Based on these factors, China and India will lead the developments for PLCs in Asia Pacific with a relatively high growth in 2011, projected to be nearly 20%; future annual growth is anticipated to be in the double digits over the next four years. “Historically the U.S. has represented the main driving force in the Americas region, and it enjoyed a strong recovery in 2010. However, it is no longer the only country in the Americas that will contribute significantly to this region’s future development. Brazil, as the one of the most important countries in Latin America, is a rapidly emerging market for automation equipment. Its strength in end users, notably within the oil and gas industry, coupled with the upcoming Olympic Games in 2016, will stimulate further automation developments and infrastructure investments. Having said this, the U.S. will remain the core contributor for future PLC developments in the Americas. The overall market is projected to enjoy a growth rate of 11.5% in 2011; afterwards it is projected to return to more stable growth at the single-digit level. “Western Europe is the most important market for EMEA, as Germany led the way and was the first country coming out of the recession. Germany will continue to be the market leader in the PLC market and be the main driving force for future demand. Greece and Spain, as mentioned in previous graph, are still struggling with their sovereign debt. However, because these two countries are not major markets for PLCs, they aren’t expected to significantly affect the entire EMEA development. The emerging markets in Eastern Europe, where automation level is relatively low but growth is rapid, will make up for some of the negative growth regions. As the EMEA market is mature, the PLC growth in EMEA will be relatively slow at 10.4% growth in 2011. Similar to the Americas, this region is expected to retain a single-digit growth rate over the next few years. “Summarizing these points, growth at the world level in 2011 is projected to be 12.5%,” Hong concluded. IPCs and OITs As for industrial PCs and operator interface terminals (OITs), Mark Watson, research manager, control and visualization for IMS Research, said, “the general sentiment of suppliers is that 2012 will be another strong year. They continue to have full order books at least for the first 6-9 months.... This is somewhat surprising, when we see endless doom-and-gloom articles in the media about the increasing likelihood of a global double-dip recession. Recent data also shows that both the IPC and operator terminal markets fared well in ​third quarter this year. World IPC figures for the first three quarters of 2011 were up over 24% on the same period in 2010.  Comparably, regional growth figures of 18%, 29%, and 23% were estimated for Americas, Asia Pacific, and EMEA respectively; although Asia Pacific revenues did drop slightly in the third quarter this year following a very strong result in the second quarter. “The operator-terminal quarterly market tracker of IMS Research recorded similar results.  Operator terminal revenues from the Americas, Asia Pacific, and EMEA all had estimated strong growth in the first three quarters of 2011.  Each region was up by 32%, 19%, and 12% respectively compared with the same period in 2010,” Watson said. - Edited by Mark T. Hoske, CFE Media, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com Read more from both analysts and others from IMS Research. http://imsresearch.com/blog-display.php?cat_id=106 http://controleng.com/PACs

Rosie the Riveter of WWII fame has long-since been replaced by automated descendents. Boeing Company has been doing automated assembly of aircraft components for decades. In fact, earlier generations of wing fastening machines are ready for rejuvenation using newer technology controller systems and touchscreen human machine interfaces (HMIs). To assist with the upgrades, Boeing engaged Concept Systems Inc., a system integrator with experience in the latest automation and machine vision technologies. A recent project involved retrofitting the wing fastening machines that Boeing uses to make wings for the 777 commercial aircraft. These machines, originally manufactured by Gemcor of West Seneca, N.Y., were installed at Boeing’s Everett, Wash., plant. Nine of these machines are in use on the 777 line. At any given time, there are four wing panels being assembled, with two Gemcor machines working on each panel section, installing over 70,000 fasteners per wing set, one at a time. Gemcor machines use fasteners to attach the wing skin panels to the underlying wing stringers in a four-step cycle. The machine drills and countersinks the holes, places each fastener in its hole, installs the fasteners with a specified force, and then shaves the top of the fastener flush with the wing panel. The machine is also capable of inserting bolts with a similar operation, first drilling and countersinking the holes, applying sealant, and then inserting bolts in the holes. The control system upgrade project began in 2005 when Boeing’s 777 Production and Equipment Services Gemcor Team, as part of the company’s commitment to continuous improvement of manufacturing operations, decided to upgrade the machine’s electrical systems and controllers. The machines on the 777 line were originally installed in 1992 and had been added to and modified several times since then. With each modification, new wiring was laid on top of old wiring, and the machines were starting to exhibit downtime due to problems with the wiring network that had become difficult to troubleshoot. The original controllers and drives had also become obsolete, and the Boeing Gemcor Team could see opportunities to improve productivity if the machine’s old vision system were replaced with the newest technology, and the operator interfaces were replaced with more user-friendly systems. There were also opportunities to add new automated functions to the machines to minimize operator interface. To implement all of the machine upgrades, engineers from Concept Systems, an Albany Ore.-based systems integrator with a regional office in Seattle, Wash., worked very closely with the Boeing Gemcor Team. One of the first steps was the review of available documentation for the machines, which consisted of one set of drawings per machine. As the machine controller upgrade brought commonality to all machines, the Concept Systems engineers consolidated the drawings to one set. The upgrade plans called for removing all of the old wiring and replacing the CNC controller, PLC, motor drives, and motion controller on each Gemcor machine and adding new touchscreen HMIs. In the process, Concept Systems improved the HMIs to standardize the operator interfaces with other wing manufacturing systems in the plant. One new function that Concept Systems supported was addition of the tack re-sync camera and monitor (tack re-synch refers to the operation of removing a tack fastener and replacing it with an actual fastener). In addition to the main operator consoles that are used to run the machine, Concept Systems added a maintenance console connected to a PC that is used for maintenance programming. The lower operator console consists of a main PanelView operator screen and monitors for the tack re-sync operation, the CNC, and an injector camera that shows the fasteners as they’re inserted. The 777 machine retrofits have significantly reduced maintenance requirements for Boeing. “When wiring problems would occur with a machine before the upgrade, sometimes the machine would be down for a day or two,” said Fred Rassoulian, Boeing’s Wing Fastening Systems lead engineer. “Now the downtime is minimal. A guess would say that we saved at least a couple of days per month of machine downtime. And with the new HMIs and online maintenance procedures, keeping the machines running and troubleshooting what problems do occur is now a lot easier.” The quicker fastener placement has also improved the speed of the machine, increasing its capacity. And as part of the upgrade, the machines were made more energy efficient by replacing the air compressor and pneumatic air dryer with more efficient units, helping Boeing win energy credits from the local public utility district (PUD). “Concept Systems understood Boeing’s requirement for absolute precision and exacting tolerances,” said Rassoulian. “Concept Systems’ engineer Mike Dodds went over every step in the test and acceptance process in detail and made sure that the new system functioned successfully to meet Boeing standards.” - Michael Gurney is co-CEO and vice president of sales and marketing, Concept Systems Inc. www.boeing.com  www.conceptsystemsinc.com  www.gemcor.com  www.rockwellautomation.com  www.snopud.com Snohomish County Public Utility District

Electricity can be compared to a tomato – it doesn’t travel well or store easily. Just like the tomato, it must be consumed soon after and close to where it’s produced. The electrical power grid comprises all utilities, networks, and systems used to generate power and deliver it to consumers. Generation plants produce on demand; the electricity radiates out through a series of substations and progressively lower-voltage transmission lines until it reaches its use point. In fact, except for very small amounts stored in batteries or capacitors, electricity is consumed as it is produced. In a hydroelectric power plant, for example, demand coming from energy users draws power from the turbine. The greater the demand, the harder the turbine is to turn and the more energy transfers from the water into electrical power. When demand slackens, the turbine turns more easily; the water’s excess energy continues down river. In the U.S., peak demand almost invariably occurs between late morning and evening on summer days. Since generating facilities must meet demand at any given moment, some generation plants sit idle until needed. Maintaining these “peaker” plants is expensive and inefficient. Currently, utility pricing varies by region. In some places, like California, tiered pricing structures and usage- curtailment programs discourage consumption during peak loads. In other places, costs are lower and utilities still charge flat rates, with less incentive for demand reduction. Reaching its limits Hailed by the National Academy of Engineering as the most important engineering achievement of the 20th century, the U.S. electrical power grid serves with remarkable reliability. But, despite computer, telecommunications, and automation advances, and while both total power demand and intolerance of power fluctuations have increased, the system hasn’t evolved. “Our nation’s electric power infrastructure that has served us so well for so long—also known as ’the grid’—is rapidly running up against its limitations…the largest interconnected machine on Earth…It consists of more than 9,200 electric generating units with more than 1,000,000 MW of generating capacity connected to more than 300,000 miles of transmission lines,” notes a U.S. Department of Energy publication, The Smart Grid: An Introduction. Transmission and delivery are fairly well automated within individual substations. Data sharing among utility companies is increasing. But coordination at a higher level is in its infancy. Interoperability among grid stakeholders is immature. The current grid needs a major overhaul, the same Department of Energy publication notes: “More blackouts and brownouts are occurring due to the slow response times of mechanical switches, a lack of automated analytics, and ‘poor visibility’—a lack of situational awareness on the part of operators.” What’s a Smart Grid? The Smart-Grid vision is for a reworked infrastructure:

• Prices reflect what it costs to produce electricity at that time.
• All methods of generation and storage are incorporated.
• The system is secure, efficient, and environmentally sound.

Because a Smart Grid allows supply-demand response, electricity is managed real time, at increasing levels of automation. Utilities know how much and where electricity is produced and where it’s used. They can anticipate potential problems and shift supply to high-demand areas. This reduces brownouts and blackouts and leads to better quality electrical energy. But this vision of two-way communication and automated energy management demands open standards. Data from many sources must be aggregated, integrated, and presented visually in varied formats. The standard expected to ensure Smart Grid interoperability is IEC 61850. Developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission and originally meant for substation automation, IEC 61850 denotes use of standard Ethernet communications. Pricing is determined by real-time production, transmission, and distribution costs. With tiered or actual-cost pricing, users have incentives to adjust consumption to avoid peaks. More predictable demand and automation use save capital and operating costs. The Smart Grid accepts energy from distributed, variable-output sources and accommodates new storage methods as well. If a plant has a photovoltaic system on its roof, the grid may be able to rely on it for electricity during high demand periods. The Smart Grid envisions a future with reliable, secure power that’s automatically adjusted for the greatest efficiency. But major automation projects take a long time, and this will be one of the largest automation projects ever undertaken. Playing with the Smart Grid There’s no need to wait for the Smart Grid, smart machines, or further technology innovation. Working with your utility or power broker, become a player in the Smart Grid right now, using these three steps:

1. Get detailed data on your company’s energy usage.
2. Control energy usage and costs.
3. Gain a revenue stream through utility company rebates, credits, and curtailment programs.

You may already be monitoring things such as refrigeration units. Use or expand this data. Add I/O to the current automation system to measure energy use or put in a separate control system for that purpose. In either case, Ethernet networking and open standards simplify energydata reporting. Look for vendors offering Ethernet-based programmable automation controllers, switches, wireless radios, and other open-standard components. Initially you may choose to monitor usage as an aggregate, e.g., for a building or process. Note usage change when certain motors, compressors, or even lights come on. In some cases, wiring direct to a pump, motor, or other heavy energy user may be more direct. Maintenance will be interested to know when a motor starts drawing extra current. Once you analyze the data, the next step is to control use. Choose a system that can control as well as monitor. Detailed usage data can be analyzed for patterns:

• Which equipment or processes require the most energy and which the least?
• What is the daily energy usage pattern? What is the seasonal pattern?
• Look for quick benefits:
• Replace an energy-hogging motor with one having a variable-frequency drive.
• Run processes sequentially rather than concurrently to reduce the electrical load at certain times of day.
• Change the temperature slightly to make a big difference in compressor run time.

Control energy use and costs The next step is to tie usage to costs and control both. Pricing structures vary. However, the trend is toward dynamic pricing based upon total usage during a billing period or even time-of-use per day. TOU billing is a move toward real-time pricing and already available in much of California. When paying a flat rate, the only way to save is by reducing overall usage. But if pricing is dynamic, opportunities are greater. Tie the energy data from machinery, processes, and buildings to the electric rates, and see what savings are possible. For example, schedule a highenergy- use process for early in the day. Or shed loads when overall usage approaches a higher-priced tier. You are now ready to better manage process energy use. Based on the usage-data analysis, start with one or two areas where the impact will be greatest; then move on from there. Large corporations may hire consultant services. For small- and medium-sized industrial companies, however, their own engineers and technicians know the facilities and processes intimately and are usually the best choice to make energy decisions. Utility companies can also help. Many offer free energy audits or testing programs to identify problems and suggest solutions. Testing may include power-factor studies, locating transient voltage problems, and detailing load profiles. Cash rebate and curtailment programs not only save money but can even provide a revenue stream. Gain a revenue stream To gain a revenue stream you need to look at energy in a different way. Consider it another raw material required to make a product. That cost is then an item on the product bill of material, reflected in the price charged for the product and production decisions. Many utility companies and power brokers offer cash rebates and curtailment programs. Cash-rebate programs pay for replacing inefficient equipment with variable frequency drives or more efficient motors, chillers, and lighting devices. Financial assistance may be available for installing self-generation systems, such as solar photovoltaic and wind power, or equipment to permanently shift loads. For example, make ice or chill water during summer nights. Check the return on investment before investing, keeping rebates and financial assistance in mind. Curtailment programs pay companies each month in return for reduced energy use, either automatically or upon request. Curtailment programs deliver an effective revenue stream and may be offered by private aggregator firms. Dynamic-demand programs involve devices attached to, for example, a compressor or air conditioner. These devices, usually provided by the utility company at little or no cost, sense stress in the grid and respond by temporarily shutting off power to that equipment. Demand-response programs are not usually automatic. Instead, the utility provider calls to request load shedding. A response within a specified period of time—say 30 minutes—must then reduce energy use to a predetermined level. Realize that if the response isn’t within the time required or to the level agreed upon, there’s a penalty. With a smart meter, request and response can be automated. www.opto22.com www.iec.ch/smartgrid Sinha has more than 20 years’ experience in instrumentation, controls, and automation. He started his career as an engineer in the power industry, then transitioned to the business side of the technology, holding marketing and sales positions with Emerson Process Management and Schneider Electric. Sinha joined Opto 22 in 2006 and is currently director of business development. He has a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Webster University. Femia has written about technical products and trends for more than 20 years. She is currently information architect at Opto 22, where she focuses on industrial control and energy management. This is part of the Control Engineering December 2012 Industrial Energy Management supplement. Manage energy smarter today: 5 tips

The national automation project known as the Smart Grid will take decades to complete. But your company’s interest in energy management can begin now.

Here are some easy ways to start:

• Think about energy as a raw material and even a revenue source.
• Use automation technology and products available now to acquire data. Analyze energy usage in as granular a form as needed.
• Use readily available products based on open communication standards to send this data to company computer networks, online software services, and operator interfaces.
• Based on the data acquired, set up automated or operator-driven control for devices and processes to use energy efficiently.
• Take advantage of rebate and curtailment programs offered by energy providers to acquire new equipment or even produce a new revenue stream.

- Arun Sinha and Jean W. Femia are with Opto 22.

www.opto22.com

If you are responsible for working with PID temperature controllers, you have probably already discovered that such loops can be challenging and that the needs of a given controller and application can vary widely. This discussion is intended to help explain how these controllers work and to offer some basic guidance on dealing with a PID temperature controller. We’ve done our best to avoid unnecessary jargon while providing basic terminology and definitions that will be helpful when referencing controller manuals and other sources. Bear in mind, though, that controllers vary and applications vary, and we would be remiss if we lead you to believe that our experiences cover all cases or that our advice never goes wrong. Please be careful to consider the unique circumstances of your application as you implement any changes. Why tune controllers? For optimal results, a PID controller needs to know how much to adjust the heat to achieve a desired temperature change, and how long the temperature takes to react to a change in heater power. Tuning teaches the controller the characteristics of a particular system. The controller captures what it learns in its PID settings. The exact names of the PID settings depend on the controller manufacturer, but they typically are: proportional band or gain, integral or reset, and derivative or rate. Consult the manual to find the PID settings in your controller. The controller cannot know the best values for these parameters until it is tuned because every system is different. When poorly tuned, the temperature can oscillate around the setpoint, be slow to respond to changes, or overshoot the setpoint excessively at start-up or the when the setpoint changes. This impacts productivity by making operators wait, reduces yield, and increases premature failures when products are processed at the wrong temperature. How do you tune a PID controller? The simplest way to tune a PID controller is to use its auto-tune feature. Nearly all electronic temperature controllers now have one, but they don’t all work the same way. To find out how to best use your controller’s auto-tune, read its manual or call its manufacturer. Some controllers tune while the load heats up from ambient. Some tune around setpoint. Either way, auto tuning adjusts the PID settings automatically, so you don’t have to. But before you engage that feature, consider these options and implications:

• The temperature may overshoot setpoint while tuning. Controllers that tune near setpoint force the temperature to go up and down. To limit the temperature, set a lower setpoint and observe the tuning behavior. You can tune again at a higher setpoint after confirming that tuning won’t cause the temperature to go too high.
  
  
• There is probably a time limit on the auto tune function, so very slow processes may not tune. Check the PID settings prior to and after tuning. If they do not change, the auto tuning process failed for one reason or another. That’s a good time to get help from the controller’s manufacturer.
  
  
• Defining what is considered good tuning depends on the process. Some controllers have options that customize auto tuning results for your process. For example, certain Watlow controllers allow you to select whether the temperature should get to setpoint in the minimum amount of time with a bit of overshoot, or approach setpoint more cautiously to minimize or eliminate overshoot.

To get the best results when tuning, make sure conditions are like those at which the system will normally function. Here are our tips for a successful auto-tune implementation:

1. Set the setpoint before starting the auto-tune process.
   
   
2. Make sure the system’s temperature is stable before starting.
   
   
3. Tune the system at the time and location at which it will be used. Tuning in a lab on a summer day in California may not yield the results necessary to control well on a winter night in Minnesota.
   
   
4. Tune with the same heater voltage to be used in operation. If the heaters use 240 Vac when tuning but 208 Vac when installed at the user’s site, the controller will likely have to be tuned again since the change in power will change the way the heaters perform.
   
   
5. Tune with actual product or a reasonable simulation in place. An oven full of metal parts tunes differently than an empty one.
   
   
6. Tune fully assembled and installed systems. A machine with its cover panels off can perform differently when covered.
   
   
7. Consider all the sources of heat. A batch of powered circuit cards in a test oven can significantly change the way it tunes.
   
   
8. Consider all the heat sinks. Imagine installing the first machine in a line where several will share the exhaust duct. If the vents that will connect to the other machines are closed when you tune the first machine, the cooling effects of the exhaust may be much greater than after the other machines are installed and operating.
   
   
9. Consider the range of temperatures at which you want the system to perform well, and tune at the highest, lowest, and midpoint; or at each operating temperatures if there are not too many. Make a record of the PID settings resulting from each trial; controllers typically overwrite the previous settings each time you tune. If the trials all control well, use the widest proportional band (lowest gain), the least active integral (lowest repeats per minute or highest minutes per repeat) and the least active derivative (typically the smallest number).
   
   
10. When multiple temperatures are controlled and the heat from one can affect another, for controllers that tune at setpoint, tune the loops one at a time with the other loops stable at setpoint. For a controller that tunes while heating from ambient, it may be best to tune the loops simultaneously.
    
    
11. If product and heat flows from one temperature control zone to another in a conveyor oven, for example, tune the loops in that order.

When is it well tuned? The system is tuned well when it heats up and settles quickly at setpoint and when the temperature settles at a new setpoint without oscillating excessively. Of course, quickly and excessively are relative terms, and as noted above, some processes tolerate a little overshoot, allowing the system to change temperature in the minimum time, and others do not. In a system that tolerates some overshoot, we look for responses like those shown in the graphs. For us, the key indicator of a well-tuned system is not just that the temperature is stable, but that the output power is also stable—it should not hunt or oscillate more than a few percent.  Use software such as SpecView to graph the temperature, setpoint, and percent heat power. With a graph you can quantify performance by measuring time to setpoint, time to stabilize, and oscillation amplitude, if any. This allows you to measure if the tuning meets your needs. If auto tuning doesn’t work If the temperature does not perform to your satisfaction, consider these possibilities:

• Was auto tuning performed under ideal conditions? Review our tips above. If something was not right, correct it and try auto-tuning again.
• When the temperature is at setpoint, if the heat power is not between 10% and 90%, look for a problem such as missing covers or a failed heater. Otherwise, there may be issues with the design or installation.
• If the heat is at 100% and the temperature doesn’t increase or never reaches setpoint, shut the heat off and check that the sensor is positioned and connected correctly. Otherwise, try to determine why there is not enough heating power or why there is too much cooling. Tuning is probably not the problem.
• If the temperature is oscillating, is it due to the power switching method? If the frequency of the oscillation is the same as the time proportioning cycle time, reduce the cycle time setting if your relay allows it, or replace the relay with a solid-state power controller that allows much faster switching.
• If the performance is poor because the operating conditions change too dramatically for PID control to adapt, consider using adaptive tuning if your controller offers it.

Switching to manual If you still need to make improvements, you can manually adjust the tuning. Providing detailed instructions on manually tuning PID control is beyond our scope here, but consider the following:

• If the temperature does not reach setpoint fast enough, you may be able to fix that, but you may have to tolerate a little overshoot and settling time.
  
  
• If it doesn’t settle down fast enough, you may be able to fix that, but you may have to tolerate slower responses to setpoint changes.
  
  
• Adjust only one PID setting at a time.
  
  
• Make sure you know which way to adjust each parameter for the desired result.
  
  
• Double or halve the PID setting when making adjustments. With most controllers, small changes will have negligible effects.
  
  
• Change the setpoint to test the system’s responsiveness.
  
  
• Wait long enough to see the results of each change before making another. How long to wait depends on how quickly the system can respond. Wait three or four cycles if it is oscillating.
  
  
• Graph the results each time you make a change and record the PID settings on the graph. This allows you to evaluate whether or not your changes are improvements.
  
  
• Graph the output power. If output power is oscillating, even if the temperature is stable, the system is probably not stable. Output power is as close to a crystal ball as you get, it tells you what the control system is trying to do before the heater makes it happen and before the system filters the results to the sensor.

We hope these suggestions will help improve the performance of your controllers. More extensive discussions of PID tuning strategy are available at Watlow’s website. Beyer is a technical support specialist for controllers and power switching devices with Watlow, where he has worked for 32 years. Wilkinson is a product manager for multi-loop controllers and software with Watlow, where he has worked for 15 years. Download more detailed instructions on temperature loop tuning here.

Top 20 most-read articles of 2011 on the Control Engineering website, www.controleng.com, include Engineers’ Choice Awards highlighting best products, plant performance reporting, advanced motors, controllers, human-machine interfaces, control panel safety, loop drawing, a major motor acquisition, DCS screen design, and direct-drive wind turbines. Articles rounding out the top 20 include intellectual property, education, security, and recognition articles for young leaders and system integrators. Online bonus includes topics including the top 25. In the 2011 Control Engineering purchasing study, top five business concerns of subscribers were replacement of skilled employees, budget restrictions, justifying new technology investments, keeping up with new technologies, and optimizing production. Based on those findings, it’s logical that articles highlighting best products, performance, and advanced technologies and optimization are among most-read Control Engineering articles in 2011. Read and share the following most-read articles to improve your 2012. 1. 2011 Engineers’ Choice Awards - Spotlight on Innovation - Best automation, control, and instrumentation products in 30 categories. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=43273 2. 2012 Engineers' Choice finalists - Engineers' Choice Award finalists for the 2012 awards follow by category. Subscribers voted on the best products in automation, control, and instrumentation, based on technological advancement, service to the industry, and market impact. Winners and honorable mentions will be featured in the February 2012 issue. http://www.controleng.com/events-and-awards/engineers-choice-awards/2012-engineers-choice-finalists.html  3. Video: Making your plant performance reporting more interactive - What will tomorrow’s “morning meeting” look like? ABB gives a preview of what’s going on in the lab and what your future HMI may look like. http://www.controleng.com/media-library/videos/single-article/video-making-your-plant-performance-reporting-more-interactive/3275c5d67b.html  4. Advanced motor design: New Motors Reach New Applications - Permanent magnets, axial, transverse, and radial flux designs optimize torque, power, efficiency, size, weight, and other motor performance parameters, as explained in this February Control Engineering feature article. Reader feedback added below on Feb. 16. http://www.controleng.com/home/single-article/advanced-motor-design-new-motors-reach-new-applications/091900ae47.html  5. Cover Story: Balancing PLCs, PACs, IPCs - Do you need a PLC, PAC, or IPC for your next control application? Will programmable logic controllers (PLCs) evolve into programmable automation controllers (PACs) or industrial PCs (IPCs)? Whatever the name, get the best features and software for your control applications. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=42101 6. An iPhone as Your Next HMI? Consumer-grade smartphones and tablet computers are fast becoming commonplace extensions of industrial networks, permitting process monitoring and, even (gasp!) process control. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=56757 7. Codes and regulations: Electrical Controls’ Dirty Little Secret: We Don’t Follow NFPA - Of course safety is important, but most don’t follow NFPA 70e safety rules for working on an energized electrical panel. Risky? Yes. Unsafe? No, according to this system integrator. Perhaps industrial control panels need their own arc flash standard. (Do you follow the rules when working on control panels? See related articles.) http://www.controleng.com/single-article/codes-and-regulations-electrical-controls-dirty-little-secret-we-dont-follow-nfpa-rules/eb9eda573c.html  [A recently-posted article with results from a related survey has brisk traffic and is likely to be among top articles for January 2012.] http://www.controleng.com/single-article/how-safe-are-your-electrical-system-work-practices/9f8059ec79.html  8. Cataloging loop drawings, tags in a spreadsheet - How a refinery used Excel to document its automation infrastructure during a DCS upgrade. Some simple tools can keep it all in order. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=42625 9. Nidec continues integrating 5 major Emerson motor brands - Nidec Motor continues to integrate two Emerson motor businesses and five Emerson motor lines after the October 2010 purchase. Even as opportunities increase for motor sales related to energy efficiency requirements, motor manufacturers seek opportunities for broader market reach through acquisitions. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=43614 10. Gray Backgrounds for DCS Operating Displays? ... shows that human factors do matter in HMI design. With all the sophisticated and cool graphic capabilities available today, why does the ASM Consortium recommend such muted and boring colors? The answer involves the human factors behind the selections. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=43233 11. Direct-drive Wind Turbines Flex Muscles - A different drive train design that eliminates the gearbox between a turbine’s rotor and generator is attracting wind turbine manufacturers in the quest for higher power output, increased offshore reliability, and potential cost savings over the system’s lifetime. See photos, diagram, links. http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/more-news/single-article/direct-drive-wind-turbines-flex-muscles/4be132ffb0.html  12. Inside Machines: PC versus PLC: Comparing control options - To choose between a PLC or PC, analyze and compare characteristics that could differentiate the two technologies, such as operation, robustness, serviceability, hardware integration, security, safety, programming, and cost. Graphics illustrate some key considerations. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=48467 13. Tips and Tricks - Patents: 10 things engineers should know - Basic patent knowledge can enrich engineers in many ways. Here are 10 tips every engineer should know about patent applications and patent law, including what not to do if you suspect infringement. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=40486 14. 2011 Manufacturing and Automation Summit - CFE Media’s 2nd Manufacturing and Automation Summit, from Plant Engineering and Control Engineering, focuses on maintenance, systems management and safety. (Available for archived viewing.) http://www.controleng.com/events-and-awards/the-virtual-manufacturingautomation-summit.html  15. Video: The lingering effects of Stuxnet - Two cyber security experts discuss what we should learn from the Stuxnet experience, and how companies may want to change their thinking going forward. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=43029 16. When should you bypass your safety system? How can it be considered "good engineering practice" to bypass your SIS during critical times with your process? See diagrams. http://www.controleng.com/home/single-article/when-should-you-bypass-your-safety-system/0b29dc2640.html  17. Leaders Under 40, Control Engineering class of 2011 - This generation of manufacturing automation and controls leaders includes 19 young professionals excelling in control system design and teaching others about the fun in engineering, while resolving local and global challenges through smarter applications of automation and control technologies. http://www.controleng.com/industry-news/more-news/single-article/leaders-under-40-control-engineering-class-of-2011/30d8951c78.html  18. Using 2-wire proximity sensors, an Ask Control Engineering blog post - Dear Control Engineering: Is it practical to replace a 3-wire proximity sensor with 2-wire type? http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=35258 19. World’s fastest PLC based on CPU scanning speed? - Yokogawa FA-M3V is a high-performance PLC with the world’s fastest CPU scanning speed, capable of scanning a 100,000-step program in one millisecond, according to Yokogowa Electric Corp. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=42860 20. The best in automation system integration, 2011 - Control Engineering proudly presents its 2012 System Integrators of the Year. http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=63574 ONLINE EXTRA (The following links provide extra information for this posting that didn't appear in print.) And the next five most-read articles were... 21. 9 tips for better industrial SCADA communications http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=43587 22. How to choose wireless technology for industrial applications http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=39357 23. PLCS, PACs, IPCs—Does it matter? http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=41950 24. Understanding Derivative in PID Control http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=18861 25. Managing alarms using rationalization http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=43822 - Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

Sinumerik MDynamics, a technology package for milling applications, is aimed at users of 3- and 5-axis milling machines. It combines CNC hardware, smart CNC functions, and the integral CAD/CAM/CNC process chain into one usable package for industries that are required to comply with the highest standards of surface quality, precision, and machining speed. Sinumerik MDynamics is geared to applications in industries such as automotive and aerospace, power generation, medical part production, shop floor manufacturing, and tool- and mold-making. Accurate surface machining and precise contouring are provided within the shortest possible machining times. These are factors that significantly impact workpiece quality and manufacturing productivity. The “Advanced Surface” path control system has been upgraded to further improve the quality and evenness of milling path velocity profiles and to reduce overall machining times. An optimized look-ahead function improves part quality and increases productivity for high-speed cutting (HSC) of freeform surfaces. Special emphasis was placed on the optimization and smoothing of any jerks that occur during the acceleration phase along adjacent milling paths. As a result, the new look-ahead function improves the surface finish quality, despite increased machining speeds. The “orientation path smoothing” (ORISON) function for 5-axis machining helps eliminate the orientation fluctuations that occur over a number of blocks. This helps to achieve a smooth characteristic for both the orientation and the contour, enabling more harmonious traversing of axes. Sub-programs used in 5-axis machining, which are generated by CAD/CAM systems, tend to include minor inconsistencies in the tool alignment movements determined by milling paths and direction vectors. These lead to compensation movements by the rotary axes. Even if these movements amount to just a few tenths of a degree, they can often bring about a temporary slowdown of tool movement or even a brief, but complete standstill of path traversing movements, resulting in visible traces on the workpiece surface and increased machining time. For various applications, such as face-end milling, the ORISON function smooths progression of changes to the orientation vector over several NC blocks, preventing any rapid or jerky changes to the tool alignment. This results in fewer compensation movements that place less stress on the machine dynamics, leaving more dynamic capacity available for path tracking. In the end, not only are circular axes less likely to be “slowed down” by stringent tolerance specifications, but there is also improved machining speed, surface quality, and contour precision. The new “Quick Viewer” function for mold-making applications offers a quick overview of the workpiece and the relevant sub-program. Even the biggest NC programs can be converted in the shortest amount of time into a 3D workpiece preview. The ability quickly obtain a graphical view of the mold-making program offers users enhanced security. Not only does it provide the assurance of having selected the correct mold, but it also allows a rough appraisal of whether the program contains traversing errors and also of the fundamental machining strategy. www.usa.siemens.com/cnc Siemens CNC

In the past, manufacturers were forced to use multiple, dedicated control systems to solve different application requirements. Each control system required different software, language types, spare parts, and training—and integrating these disparate control systems proved time consuming and costly. Today, advanced PACs (programmable automation controllers) offer a unique approach—one control platform using a common control engine with a common development environment, designed to deliver control capabilities for all disciplines from process to safety to motion. Using one control platform across any discipline helps eliminate the need for separate controllers and systems. This eliminates handshaking code between controllers and allows for optimized, efficient execution of control. Programs are easy to understand and focus on controlling the application instead of talking from one controller to another. Plus, the commonality between disciplines provides faster startups due to ease of integration between them. Janda Company Inc. is seeing the benefits of leveraging a common design environment. It reuses engineering designs as well as a common, tag-based system database to reduce development and commissioning time. Janda Company engineers recently installed an Allen-Bradley CompactLogix programmable automation controller (PAC) and Ultra 3000 servo drives from Rockwell Automation to upgrade their resistance welding machinery control system to help their customers produce higher quality products in less time with fewer people, while reducing the amount of scrap.

• Reduced electrical design time by 25%
• Reduced build time from 40 hours to 15 hours
• Reduced assembly time by 30%

“Because we only need to learn one programming environment, we’ve been able to reduce our electrical design time by 25% and build complete, customized machines in 15 hours instead of 40. We’re able to assemble machines 30% faster,” said Bob White, Jr., president, Janda Company. Programming is typically the most time-consuming and costly stage of the machine development process, sometimes consuming up to 80% of a control system’s budget. As such, it represents one of the most likely areas to make improvements. In any machine design project, code has to be developed for each individual machine operation in order for the machine to perform its specified function. With any given code, consistency and efficiency can vary greatly, thereby increasing the possibility of unintentional errors, extended debugging time, and design inefficiencies. Meanwhile, additional factors can amplify the time and money spent during the design phase including end-user specifications, regulatory pressures, and industry standards. For this reason, many OEMs develop their own programming standards to help their customers meet these requirements. However, in cases where machines come from several different OEMs, end users are still faced with the difficult task of integrating each machine into their line. To help clearly identify specifications, use more efficient programming approaches, and meet various industry standards, Rockwell Automation offers a number of easy-to-use tools that streamline engineering. For example, its RSLogix programming software enables users to configure the controller and device simultaneously to help eliminate configuration mismatch errors. The software automatically creates data types and descriptive device tag names with proper data types that are consistent between multiple programs. Users can also leverage preconfigured, preprogrammed, pretested faceplates and Add-On Instruction (AOI) sets to quickly and easily program and operate devices. Faceplates and AOI sets automatically create tags to provide code for a controller and graphics for an HMI when adding a device into a project. RSLogix is the common design and configuration tool used to program all controllers within the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture. It can be used for discrete, process, batch, motion, safety, and drive-based applications, and offers one development environment and tag database for Ladder logic, Structured Text, Function Block Diagram, and Sequential Function Chart editors. - Mike Burrows, director - integrated architecture, Rockwell Automation www.rockwellautomation.com  Also read: How to choose the correct programming language http://www.controleng.com/single-article/how-to-choose-the-correct-programming-language/9a679766d4.html 

Completed in 13 months, expansion of the Charlotte plant creates a manufacturing hub for Siemens fossil-power generation equipment intended mainly for the 60-Hz market in North and South America. However, 50-Hz machines also could be built at Charlotte as dictated by future production needs. The new plant reportedly incorporates the most advanced gas turbine production know-how in North America. In addition, the plant will provide a key service center function. Servicing customer equipment and producing replacement parts are significant parts of Siemens’ fossil-power generation business. "The Charlotte plant will not only supply the U.S. and other countries that use 60-Hz grids, but will also export our advanced power plant technology around the world,” said Michael Suess, member of Siemens AG Managing Board and CEO of the company's Energy Sector. “We project that exports from this location will increase to more than $400 million annually. After Berlin, Charlotte is the second key pillar in our international manufacturing network.” Adding gas-turbine manufacturing capacity is in line with worldwide demand for high-efficiency gas power plants. Most energy-efficient of gas power plant types is the combined-cycle (CC) plant, where the gas turbine, steam turbine, and generator comprise three main elements—all to be built at Charlotte. The fourth major part of a CC gas power plant is the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). Among Siemens’ advanced gas turbine offerings, the largest is the H-class machine. In May 2011, a 50-Hz version of that turbine (SGT5-8000H) achieved record 60.75% efficiency in a CC power plant (read more at online Ref. 1). According to Siemens, the present industry trend to build efficient gas power plants is driven by:

• High availability of natural gas
• Aging power plant inventory
• Desire to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Apropos to the last point above, producing 60-Hz gas turbines in the U.S. means a shorter shipping distance to more customers, which will also help reduce CO2 emissions. This is in addition to inherently lower CO2 emissions of gas power plants. Siemens’ investment in the Charlotte facility is said to be more than $350 million. The plant expansion is expected to create 700 new jobs initially, with the total number of existing and projected jobs at the site growing to 1,800 by 2014. A comparable number of additional indirect jobs are foreseen at suppliers and service provider companies. First gas turbine shipped Two other noteworthy developments coincided with the plant expansion celebrations at Charlotte, N.C., on Nov. 16, 2011. First product out from the new factory is an SGT6-5000F gas turbine destined for the La Caridad I combined-cycle power plant located in Sonora State, Mexico. Siemens is building that 250-megawatt (MW) CC power plant as a turnkey project for Minera México—a subsidiary of Grupo México, the country's largest mining company and one of the world's largest copper producers. Besides the gas turbine, other major Siemens equipment going to La Caridad I include SST-900 steam turbine, electric generators, HRSG, and complete electrical and SPPA-T3000 instrumentation and control equipment. Scheduled for commercial operation in summer 2013, La Caridad I will supply electric power to Minera México’s copper mines. Also announced at the plant ceremonies was the signing of another agreement to supply a second 250-MW combined cycle power plant to Grupo México for its La Caridad 2 project, located adjacent to La Caridad Unit 1. Equipment to be supplied for this power plant is much the same as for Unit 1, with another SGT6-5000F gas turbine as the key element. Commercial operation of La Caridad 2 is expected in spring 2014. Siemens’ role comprises full turnkey supply of both plant units, which includes plant engineering, procurement, and construction. In a larger view, Siemens has had a long history of providing electrification and power plant technology to Mexico. In fact, the first series of turnkey CC power plants built in Mexico was supplied by Siemens. U.S. market The U.S. electricity market is the world's largest, comprising one-fifth of both global demand and power plant capacity. Power plant solutions from Siemens provide a third of the U.S. power supply, according to the company. "We consider the U.S. a very attractive market, and we will play an important role in covering U.S. and worldwide demand for clean, affordable, and dependable energy," Suess added. Some 10,000 employees make up Siemens Energy Sector’s workforce in the U.S.—representing about 17% of total employees spread over all 50 states. Frank J. Bartos, PE, is a Control Engineering contributing content specialist. Reach him at braunbart@sbcglobal.net  www.siemens.com/energy 

Ref. 1 – “Siemens gas turbine breaks 60% efficiency barrier” http://www.controleng.com/index.php?id=483&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=50563